Brightwood Bistro and Richard's Rules for Restaurant-Based Revitalization

Brightwood Bistro is a new restaurant at Georgia and Missouri Avenues. It's getting good reviews, such as "Bistro a bright spot in growing Brightwood" from the Examiner. I wrote about an earlier restaurant at that location, which failed, in "A real-life example of Richard's Rules for Restaurant-Based Neighborhood Revitalization."

Richard's Rules are biased towards middle-ground casual restaurants with medium price points, in the belief that in revitalizing areas, it's difficult to get patrons to spend high dollar amounts regularly on meals, that they are more likely to patronize establishments regularly when the price is right.

Restaurants in revitalizing areas are key, because they are anchors that bring out patrons, who in turn may be willing to spend money in other area businesses (if they exist), because the restaurant experience reorients patrons to the area, and gets them comfortable with being there.

But problems exist too, because if there aren't other things to do, the restaurant has to be able to survive on its own, and people who want a complete experience (something to do, something to buy, something to eat) are forced to construct this experience in pieces, and the restaurant is but one aspect.

In other words, compare this area to Silver Spring. You may choose to go there to see a movie either at the big cinema complex or the AFI/Silver Theater, or to see a play at one of the theaters there. Then you pair that with a restaurant, of which there are many to choose from. And there is retail there to browse as well.

Brightwood Bistro breaks my rule, because the entrees range from $12 to $26.

BUT, it's one of the first restaurants that I've experienced in a revitalizing DC neighborhood that actually pulls off what it claims it is doing--producing really tasty food. Excellent food in fact. (Better and more cohesive in flavors than Gillian Clark's Colorado Kitchen, in my opinion anyway.)

Hopefully Brightwood Bistro will be able to pull it off. Chef-Partner Michael Walters has a strong track record of experience in his own and other well-regarded restaurants. And he claims to have investor commitment to a two-year development period. Lack of capitalization is a problem many restaurants have, one that he will not have to worry about it seems.

I will gladly go eat there again, frequently (even though the reviews are right that the table service needs to be tightened up a wee bit, it's more than adequate, and the kitchen is truly fast). And I didn't feel that way after a meal at Colorado Kitchen. I highly recommend the Shrimp and Grits.