When Silvia Karagounis first walked into the space that would become Boulevard and Solset, her new dual-concept restaurant-bar in Clarendon, she was put off by its lack of natural light. She and her husband, Antonis (whose D.C. portfolio includes retro nightclub Decades and Mediterranean restaurant-lounge The Mayflower Club), had been aiming to open their first Virginia bar close to their home in McLean. But upon seeing the property, Karagounis was not convinced she had found it. “This is not the place,” she remembers telling her husband. “He said, ‘You have to have vision.’”
Boulevard, which opened this spring in the former Wilson Hardware location, has a sophisticated Mediterranean feel, with floor-to-ceiling glass doors that spill onto a covered patio. The dining room is decked in warm hues of green and gold, with plush, earth-toned booths and barstools, and wood-paneled floors. In a nod to the couple’s nightlife pedigree, it also has a state-of-the-art sound system and a gilded DJ booth.
Upstairs, rooftop bar Solset (a play on the word “sunset”) is an enchanting hangout that, with its breezy back bar and hanging wicker lights, looks like it came straight from the coast of Mexico.
Chefs Homero González and Bayron Navarro, along with Consulting Chef Juan “Nacho” Olivera (owner of D.C.’s critically acclaimed South American restaurant Ceibo), are the talent behind globally inspired dishes such as garlic shrimp with Calabrian chilies ($19) and Brussels sprouts and bacon slathered in bourbon barbecue sauce ($14).
The owner’s personal favorite is a tiradito of buttery king salmon and sliced apples bathed in mango-yuzu leche de tigre ($18). “I’ve had two of those a night since we opened,” Karagounis says.
Entrées lean Mediterranean, each with its own twist. Chicken parm ($26) is served with a salad dressed in raspberry vinaigrette. A coconut risotto ($22) is garnet-colored from beets. The Organic Butcher in McLean supplies the proteins for a savory, red-wine-braised short rib ($38) and the Boulevard Burger ($22), topped with tangy hunks of Taleggio cheese.
But the top-selling star of the menu is sushi, courtesy of Navarro, who worked as a sushi chef for more than 20 years. In addition to the usual salmon-avocado and shrimp tempura maki, he’s turning out showstopping specials like the Wild Seduction ($18), which finds tuna and avocado wrapped in black rice and topped with spicy tuna, pickled shallots and jalapeño.
A cocktail menu created in partnership with Glendon Hartley, the acclaimed bartender and founder of D.C.’s Service Bar and Amazonia/Causa, has just as many playful left turns. Tired of espresso martinis? Try the Matcha Coco ($16), a caffeine-loaded margarita made with blanco tequila, Cointreau and lime, shaken with matcha and topped with a creamy cloud of coconut whip. The Jasmin ($18), an aromatic blend of sake, jasmine tea and aloe, pairs well with sushi.
Karagounis is ever-present and hands-on, weaving her way through the tables and conversing with guests she hopes will become regulars.
“At most of these little bars, you walk in and out, and nobody even pays attention to you,” she says. “I want to be able to offer good food, awesome drinks and that service. Hopefully, this is where I make a difference.”
