Some people spike their coffee. Jennifer Demetrio and Gary O’Hanlon will be literally spiking an entire coffee shop when they officially introduce their new bar-within-a-coffee-shop concept at Falls Church’s Cafe Kindred this Friday.
“We always wanted to do both,” says Demetrio who, along with her husband O’Hanlon, opened Cafe Kindred at the Northgate in May of last year. The initial concept included coffee and sandwiches during breakfast and lunch, but dinner – and alcohol – was put on hold. “Starting new is so challenging,” Demetrio says, so they waited more than a year before beginning a trial run of the bar about three months ago. After the test, they worked on logistics and other details and then finally unveiled the finished product, Townshend Bar, with a soft opening last week.
The bar – its name an homage to The Who guitarist Pete Townshend – is located behind the main cafe’s dining area and adds seating for 25 between room at the bar and high tops. The menu is focused on bar food with all the requisite entries like wings, chili cheese fries, onion rings and a lineup of burgers and other sandwiches. Featuring seven-ounce patties made with a blend of chuck, short rib and brisket, the burgers are an impressive bunch including a chili cheeseburger, a mushroom, Swiss and balsamic-topped option and a towering creation made up of blue cheese, sauteed onions, a giant onion ring and a delightfully runny egg. “Some of them are massive,” says Demetrio.
There’s no lacking in the sandwich selection either, highlighted by a fish-and-chips-in-a-bun entry called the fish buddy, a shrimp burger dressed with Old Bay and cheddar grits (“It’s gonna be messy,” warns Demetrio) and a loaded breakfast sandwich stuffed with two eggs, bacon, sausage and American cheese.
It’s not all unbutton-your-pants fare, however– there’s a trio of salads on the menu, too, along with lighter apps like an olive assortment, crispy Brussels sprouts and a charcuterie and cheese platter.
On the booze front, Townshend packs a full bar with beer – four rotating taps plus bottles – wine, cocktails and even hard ice cream floats. Featuring housemade syrups, the cocktail menu includes the gin-based Casablanca made with green tea, mint vermouth and cinnamon syrup, a “new” Old Fashioned with maple syrup and the bar’s namesake drink, a mix of Deep Eddy Vodka, orange and Pama pomegranate liqueur.
Demetrio says the smaller food and alcohol menus allows them to focus more and ensure they do it well. “What we do is simple,” she says. “We’re not the Cheesecake Factory.” And since they’re a smaller operation, it’s easier for them to change things up whenever they want. “We want to keep things fresh.”
Townshend Bar at Cafe Kindred is currently in a soft opening and will hold its grand opening this Friday, Nov. 11, featuring 25 percent off burgers. Regular bar hours will be Wednesday through Saturday starting at 5 p.m. and, determining on the crowd, closing at 10 or 11.
Townshend Bar at Cafe Kindred | 450 N. Washington St., Suite F | Falls Church | cafekindred.com
