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Alexandria-based Common Plate Hospitality (Mason Social, Urbano, Augie’s Mussel House) breaks into the Virginia suburbs with a crustacean-cracking venture that brings the heat.
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Kreole’s unique menu model showcases comforting Southern flavors alongside spicy Asian influences, with dishes that jump from gumbo to garlic noodles (2985 District Avenue, Fairfax, Virginia). The nucleus of the operation is a seafood section stuffed with crab (king, snow, blue, Dungeness), lobster, crawfish, shrimp, clams, mussels, or oysters. Customize orders with a choice of sauces (garlic butter, spicy Korean, Cajun) and spice levels that tick up from mild to fire.
Patrons can pair the seafood-heavy spread with sides like corn, apple sausage, potatoes, boiled egg, sticky rice, ramen noodles, and fries doused in Cajun or Old Bay seasonings. Kick off the feast with starters like charbroiled oysters, fiery shrimp, crispy wings, fried deviled eggs, shaky beef, spicy Korean raw crab, fried rice, clam chowder, and salads.
Nestled between the city of Fairfax and Falls Church, Merrifield’s decade-old Mosaic District complex is also home to Common Plate Hospitality’s Tex-Mex eatery Urbano. The dining destination is also booming with options for fast-casual Indian (Rasa), French food (Parc de Ville), Lebanese kebabs (Kirby Club), and Asian places (Jinya Ramen, District Dumplings, Urban Hot Pot) — but a casual seafood house is something totally new.
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And aside from decades-old institution Captain Pells, there aren’t many year-round places to pick crabs in Fairfax County. At 80-seat Kreole, Maryland-style steamed crabs will come in medium, large, and jumbo sizes. Hours starting Monday, October 23 are Sunday to Thursday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday until midnight.
Next up for Common Plate Hospitality: opening two high-profile projects later this fall in Maryland. The group’s first foray into the state includes the Heights, a glossy new food hall in Chevy Chase, and a luxe Mediterranean spot for Potomac called the Grove.