Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis.

On today’s show:

• Arlington’s Buena Vida Gastrolounge reopened a few months back after an extensive renovation directed by owner Ivan Iricanin, CEO of Street Guys Hospitality. Executive chef Jaime Pelayo and marketing manager Dmani Harrison-Porter join us with info about Buena Vida’s Mexican homestyle tasting menu and – big surprise – their awesome tequila cocktails;

• It opened in 2003. It closed in 2020, with lots of help from COVID. And now – drum roll , please –the Neighborhood Restaurant Group’s Vermillion is back – and with a new executive chef, yet! He’s Ben Pflaumer, late of Osteria Morini, Masseria, Officina and others you know and love. Ben’s in to tell us about recasting the menu and overseeing a facelift of the space;

• Reginald O. Mack – Chef ROM (pronounced “Rome”) to those who love him – is head chef, House of ROM. And he’s the king of the Crack Bomb and the Messy Marvin. Say what? Hang tight – we’ll explain;

• Some people dream, others live their dreams. Chef Thomas Harvey has been a mainstay in the D.C. area, working in kitchens helmed by Frank Ruta and other James Beard Award-winning chefs in Washington and at some of Virginia’s most popular restaurants. Now he’s opened his own neighborhood restaurant in Falls Church. The name? Harvey’s, of course!