Darna ("Our Home"), Chef Michel Dalawiby's Lebanese-Inspired Middle Eastern and Eastern Mediterranean Restaurant and Hookah Lounge in the Former Costa Verde Space in Virginia Square

[Kibbee Nayee]

On 10/5/2013 at 3:45 PM, DonRocks said:

I hadn't been to Costa Verde in several years (it was "that place" by Jiffy Lube), but always enjoyed my meals there; unfortunately, it has closed.

Replacing it is Darna, a Middle Eastern restaurant and hookah lounge.

Drove past Darna today, and then checked its website. While I haven't stepped inside yet, a few things caught my eye....

First, the stylized "D" logo is actually "Darna" in Arabic, with the letter "D" accentuated to appear as a fancy letter "D" in Arabic, and "arna" in Arabic script inside it. Clever and artistic.

Second, the place is apparently laid out like a house, bedroom and all. I can't wait to see the inside to see how they pulled it off.

Third, this isn't a Muslim Halal place -- liquor is on the menu, including three different brands of Arak, wine by the glass including Ksara (Lebanon), and cocktails like "Beirut" (vodka, Frangelico, lime juice and simple syrup).

Fourth, but most important, there is kibbee nayee on the menu -- spelled "kibbiniya"...!!

Having performed reconnaissance, I now intend to tuck in and check it out.

[SRJ]

Are adults welcome in the restaurant portion of this club? I'll go almost anywhere for kibbe nayee, but all the pictures I've seen of this place make it look like a techno club for the under 25 crowd.

[Kibbee Nayee]

At least temporarily closed, because the structure is "unfit for habitation."

[dcs]

On 2/19/2018 at 6:51 PM, Kibbee Nayee said:

At least temporarily closed, because the structure is "unfit for habitation."

Apparently open again....  TMZ Publishes Video of NBA Star Cheating on Khloe Kardashian at Darna Lounge, April 11, 2018, on ARLnow.com.

[dracisk]

24 minutes ago, dcs said:

Apparently open again

I'm sorry to admit I paid this much attention to this, but according to the article the video is from October 2017.

ETA: Never mind, the article also says that Darna is back open. Glad I got to the bottom of that.

[DaveO]

Great video.  Made me laugh.

I haven't eaten there.  From the day it opened it has always been a "club/lounge".  The person who set up the bar was a grad of the bar school.  I know nothing about the food.  Has anyone dined there?

Being associated with the Arlington Bar School for many decades I am familiar with places of this ilk and serving all demographics/ races/ groups of folks from different parts of the world.  The single unifying demographic is age range (somewhat broad range-but predominantly 20's to 30's)  Some of them have had upscale better menus.  Most don't, at least to the extent that I am aware.   It was always rare that I went to any of them and dramatically less likely as I aged and grew further out of the age demographic. But I remain aware of them and at times get to know some of their operators and at times their bartenders and other staff.

Getting back to the video---ahem.   I suppose there could be tens of thousands of these videos from the many clubs that have populated DC often with people with some celebrity.  Its part of their "charm".

I still know nothing about their menu and food quality.  Its probably unlikely I ever will.    Again I ask:  "Has anyone on this forum dined there?   Any good?"

I'll add something.  The elements of the video exist in one form or other in many places that are "food places" if not restaurants, or restaurant groups owned by a celebrity chef.   I'm relating it to the Isabella situation.

Who knows all the places that restaurateurs worked before they got famous?   How many people in esteemed restaurants once worked in the "breastaurant" category, or places that might have occurrences such as seen in the above video?  There is a lot of overt promoted sexuality in the food business.

None of that excuses the complaints and charges connected to the Isabella case(s) controversy nor those associated with any other famous restaurateur.  For some males in the industry it could blur their perspectives.  It shouldn't but it could.  All of society has situations where appropriate behavior could be blurred because in some cases inappropriate behavior is tolerated or even encouraged.  

I tend to support the women who charge abuse.  That is without ever knowing the facts.  Its my bias.  I don't have anything on the details of the Isabella case.  Let the facts play out.

Its a complicated world out there.