IN THE NEWS: The Washington Post’s Jane Black interviews star chef Michel Richard, who confirms he’s opening two, possibly three, new restaurants outside Washington in 2008 but will continue to spend most of his time at his Georgetown flagship, Citronelle. Next month he plans to open two restaurants in California: the 80-seat Citronelle by Michel Richard, at the Carmel Valley Ranch resort, and Citrus at Social, a 2,800-square-foot venue in Los Angeles. Richard also is in talks to open a Central-style bistro in Las Vegas. … Tom Sietsema gives one and a half stars to Il Fornaio (11990 Market St. Suite 106, Reston, VA 703-437-5544) and reports, “An impending divorce is forcing the sale of the transporting The Inn at Easton (28 S. Harrison St., Easton, Md; 410-822-4910), says chef Andrew Evans, who has co-owned the property with his wife, Liz, since 2000. … The inn, which includes seven guest rooms and a 45-seat dining room, is on the market for almost $2.5 million. The chef says he plans to go out with a “last hurrah” by cooking his final dinner there on New Year’s Eve.” Sietsema reports that in mid-January, the chef plans to open Thai Ki (216 E. Dover St.) … Sietsema has a first bite at Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert (1190 22nd St. NW; 202-974-4900). … Worth the Trip stops by The Source (575 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, 202-637- 6100, www.wolfgangpuck.com), while Good to Go visits On the Fly (Eighth and H streets NW, www.ontheflydc.com). washingtonpost.com …

Chicken Out Rotisserie has closed its Ballston Common Mall location as part of an effort to reposition the chain, the Washington Business Journal reports. The space has been leased to Noodles & Co., which is scheduled to open in March. … The Journal also details the Nov. 30 opening of Irish-inspired BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon (4901 Fairmont Ave. in Bethesda, MD.) It will be the first location in the market for BlackFinn Restaurant & Saloon, which was established in New York City in 1994.  … The paper also reports the opening of Chix D.C. (2019 11th St. NW), former site of Inca Chicken. washington.bizjournals.com … washington.bizjournals.com … In its December issue, Washingtonian’s Cynthia Hacinli gives two stars to Nark Kara Thai (4928 Cordell Ave., Bethesda/Glen Echo, MD 301.652.2635). washingtonian.com … City Paper’s Tim Carman reviews Colorado Kitchen (5515 Colorado Ave. NW, 202-545-8280). washingtoncitypaper.com … The Washington Times’s Scott Haring reviews Lebanese Taverna Cafe (2478 Solomons Island Road, Annapolis Harbour Center, Annapolis; 410-897-1111). washingtontimes.com

Compiled by Pat Embry, WhereTheLocalsEat.com

Filed under: Washington D.C. Restaurants | Tags: BlackFinn, chef Andrew Evans, Chicken Out Rotisserie closed, Chix D.C., Citronelle, Colorado Kitchen, Il Fornaio, Irish, Lebanese Taverna Cafe, Michel Richard, Nark Kara Thai, Noodles and Co., On the Fly, Thai Ki, The Inn at Easton closing, The Source, Westend Bistro by Eric Ripert |