Preview: Carolina Kitchen on RI Row

Maryland restaurateur Lance London is bringing his popular Carolina Kitchen restaurant to DC's newly developed Rhode Island Row. Opening next Friday, the menu features low country Southern cuisine, with favorites like blackened catfish and fried chicken. Lance and his team pulled out all the stops for the DC location, adding menu items like shrimp and grits, Alaskan king crab legs, and a full raw bar. The beverage program will also be much more elaborate than the other locations, featuring an in-house mixologist and specialties like a spiked sweet potato shake. 

Lance is a big fan of Las Vegas, and worked to infuse a "Vegas feel" into the large space. The walls are filled with antiques from Lance's lifetime of travels. They also feature a number of jazz greats--a nod to DC's rich musical history. A neon tribute to Duke Ellington--who once lived near the restaurant--flashes brightly above the kitchen counter. The warm, bright dining area consists of a number of different sections, including the upstairs "King Kong Room" for private dining. Lance has loved King Kong since he was a kid, and finds a way to work the giant ape into each of his restaurants. 

Next door will be TKO Burger, Lance's first foray into the fast-casual world. The space pays homage to the world of boxing, with a wall filled with photographs of boxing legends. In addition to a traditional burger, the menu has creative items like a mac and cheese burger, a jerk burger, and many non-beef burgers: softshell crab, salmon, turkey, black bean, and veggie, to name a few. And if you don't feel like talking to your fellow diners, no worries: in addition to the large flat screen TVs throughout the space, each booth has an individual TV screen as well.