Extreme Makeover: Restaurant Edition
Falls Church's 2941 underwent a massive makeover last year, after which its WaPorating was downgraded from 3.5 stars to 2. Sietsema clearly thought the makeover was no good, but the restaurant's bottom line tells a different story.
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Photo Credit: Gary Barnhart[/caption]
According to Chef Bertrand Chemel, "Before, we were a 3.5 star restaurant with a half-empty dining room on many nights; now, we're only 2 stars and business is better than ever." Both the space and the menu were revamped to change the restaurant's image from that of an expensive, once-in-a-while experience to a more approachable, upscale-casual venue.
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Photo Credit: Gary Barnhart[/caption]
The dining room is now white-tablecloth-free with a more modern look and feel, and the check average has gone down from $110-$140 per person to $55-$80--though Bertrand assures us that the team behind the food and its quality remain the same. Customers now return on a monthly, even weekly basis, as opposed to just visiting on holidays or special occasions, and Bertrand tells us the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive.
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Photo Credit: Gary Barnhart[/caption]
Improving its bar business was a major focus of 2941's makeover. The remodel created a more well-defined bar and lounge area by erecting visual barriers between the bar and the dining room, effectively separating the two and creating a more bar-scene-friendly space. With an eye towards happy hour gatherings, flexible high-top seating was added to accommodate large groups. A new bar menu was created as well, offering more casual and affordable options and a significantly wider range of craft beer and cocktail options, as well as wines by the glass. As a result, 2941 has seen its bar business quadruple.
