A Fancy Fusion Izakaya Is Close to Opening Atop a New Hotel in Tysons

A scenic Japanese-American restaurant serving delicate small plates will open next month atop the lavish new Watermark Hotel attached to Capital One’s global headquarters in Tysons, Virginia. The hotel announced this week that a restaurant called Wren will make an October debut on the 11th floor with a menu featuring “Japanese street food with modern American elements.”

Wren executive chef Yo Matsuzaki is best known in D.C. for transforming another hotel restaurant, former Thomas Circle hot spot Zentan, into a respected izakaya. The Japanese native formerly worked under Iron Chef star Masaharu Morimoto for five years and spent time at French restaurants in New York.

Menu items the Watermark teased in a news release include freshly shucked oysters, sashimi, baby beet salad with a yuzu pistachio vinaigrette, hamachi tartare, and grilled black angus ribeye. Beverage director and Omni alum Luis Mantilla will create drinks available from a cocktail cart.

Wren/official photo

Wren/official photo

The restaurant will be open for dinner from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and the bar will be open from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Wren is the latest hospitality venture to join the 6 million-square-foot entertainment hub called Capital One Center off the McLean Metro Station. Real estate company B.F. Saul, which owns the Hay-Adams across the street from the White House, is behind the Watermark.

A new sky garden and public park dubbed the Perch includes a 5,000-square-foot beer garden from Charlottesville-based brewery Starr Hill. Along with the 300-room hotel, the sprawling site will eventually house retail and a performing arts center called Capital One Hall. To commemorate The Perch part’s opening, a “Perchfest” party is scheduled for Friday, September 17, to Sunday, September 19, to benefit Best Buddies of Northern Virginia and DC.

• Tysons Corner Gets a New Rooftop Beer Garden With 24 Tap Lines [EDC]
• All-You-Can-Eat Japanese Restaurant Zentan Is Closing June 30 [EDC]