Back in 2017, when chefs Danny Lee and Scott Drewno met in Washington, D.C, there were few chefs who were bringing Asian cuisine, both Chinese and Korean, to the forefront. Nearly 8 years later, and the duo has launched 7 restaurants under 3 different brands, CHIKO, Anju, I Egg You and one catering service District Catering. While not all of them are Asian eateries, that’s what they’ve built their reputation on.

And the two chefs have been nominated for a 2025 James Beard Award as Outstanding Restaurateur, which honors chefs and entrepreneurs who demonstrate creativity, integrity and building community.

Bringing a unique Chinese Korean fusion restaurant called CHIKO to Cascades Marketplace, chefs Danny Lee and Scott Drewno opened their seventh eatery Feb. 7.

The first new restaurant in two years in the reborn Cascades Marketplace shopping center is ready to open this week — and The Burn got a sneak peek at what customers can expect.

We’re talking about CHIKO — a local brand that is expanding to the Sterling shopping center with a full service version of its popular Chinese-Korean restaurant.

CHIKO has moved into the spot that was previously a Noodles & Co. The restaurant includes a dining room with waiter service, a full bar, and a spot set aside for takeaway orders.

As a lineup of upcoming restaurants will help revitalize Cascades Marketplace, the first will be one from James Beard Award-nominated restaurateurs.

CHIKO, an Asian fusion restaurant blending Korean and Chinese cuisine, will have a grand opening at 5 p.m. on Feb. 7 at 46308 Cranston St, Potomac Falls, VA. 

Chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee founded The Fried Rice Collective and opened the first CHIKO location in 2017 in D.C.'s Capitol Hill neighborhood. Today, there are other locations in Dupont Circle, Bethesda, Shirlington and Encitas, California. The chefs drew a James Beard Foundation nomination for Best New Restaurant and won a RAMMY from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington in the Best New Restaurant and Best Casual Restaurant categories. They are nominated for the Outstanding Restaurateur award from the James Beard Foundation in 2025.

Anticipation for the new CHIKO restaurant in Loudoun has been growing and now we have an opening date. The big day is scheduled for Friday, February 7.

CHIKO is a fast-casual restaurant specializing in Chinese and Korean dishes — thus the name CHI + KO — which took us far too long to figure out.

As regular readers know, it’s coming to the revitalized Cascades Marketplace center in Sterling.

Chinese-Korean counter Chiko first opened in Barracks Row in 2017, marking the first of several successful restaurants (Anju, I Egg You) from chefs Scott Drewno and Danny Lee’s The Fried Rice Collective. Now, with five fast-casual Chikos in D.C., Virginia, Maryland, and California (what Drewno calls their “snow bird” spot), its first full-service outpost is ready to roll. The 3,000-square-foot space in Sterling, opening in mid-November, features a full bar and patio (46308 Cranston Street, Potomac Falls, Virginia).

DC chefs impressing you?

Danny Lee and Scott Drewno of the Fried Rice Collective (tfrc.com), Anju (anjurestaurant.com), Mandu (mandudc.com), Chiko (mychiko.com) and I Egg You (ieggyoudc.com). Also, Micheal Rafidi of Albi (albidc.com) and Yellow (yellowthecafe.com). I also love the work of Zach Ramos and Amy Phan of Ama Ami (amaami.com) and soon-to-open Two Nine Omakase (omakase29.com)

We Washingtonians love a good brunch spot. And if you’re anything like us, we’re always down to expand our weekend dining roster. So when we learned that ChiKo’s Capitol Hill location launched a new Dumpling Brunch menu, we locked down a visit to experience it firsthand.

As the saying goes, the show must go on. Or, in the case of Capital One Arena, the games, concerts and monster truck shows must go on, regardless of the announced plans to move the Washington Wizards and Capitals to a proposed new site in Alexandria, with all the amenities and taxpayer-funded facilities that a billionaire owner could want.

Sometimes “me time” shouldn’t mean binging on Netflix and takeout in your jammies. And while some restaurants give solo diners second-rate treatment, many know how to treat number one well. From warm bowls of ramen and crab-topped deviled eggs to cornbread muffins and kale chips, there’s something to fit everyone’s taste.

D.C. restaurants mastered the art of takeout and delivery during the pandemic as a means to survive. Nearly three years later, many have kept up to-go capabilities, while newer places have incorporated delivery into business models from the start. As a result, the range of food options to enjoy at home is wider than ever before.

Offering takeout and delivery is still a necessity for many area establishments still in recovery mode. Remember to tip your courier at least $5, and place an order over the phone or through a restaurant’s website, as opposed to a third-party delivery app, whenever possible.

Brunch is arguably the best deal of DC’s Winter Restaurant Week. Most places offer $25 for three courses (or two and a drink), and there’s no rush to get back to work like a weekday lunch. As always, add-ons like booze can make it less of a steal; But in the age of $18 cocktails, those $20 bottomless mimosas feel indulgent in the right way. Here’s where we’d book (the earlier the better) for a Saturday or Sunday funday.

For a week, the Chinese-Korean restaurant will serve a special menu featuring chicken and rabbit dumplings, whole branzino, and jjim dak, chicken thighs with Korean chili peppers. An $80 menu for two with dishes such as shrimp and apple kimchi, chilled black bean clams, and soy-glazed lotus root will be available on January 23. Pre-order the meal online.

Welcome the arrival of spring with the Lunar New Year, this year celebrating the ‘Year of the Rabbit’. The Lunar New Year lasts 15 days, beginning on Sunday, Jan. 22, and acts as a period for feasting, honoring ancestors, cleaning, and ushering in good energy for the upcoming year. Traditions vary amongst Eastern and Southeast Asian cultures, so there are truly a variety of ways to celebrate. We’ve rounded up the most fabulous Lunar New Year celebrations in the DMV area that you should explore for a prosperous start to the ‘Year of the Rabbit’.

Looking for a stellar brunch spot, designer evening wear, mid-century furniture or a personal trainer to hold you to those New Year’s resolutions? Look no further than Best of Arlington 2023, featuring reader and editor faves in 65 categories.