Dish

SURF'S (COMING) UP: An isolated tropical beach. Guys cooking freshly caught fish on a simple grill. Those are the images David Scribner hopes to bring to life early next month when the veteran Washington chef opens Surfside (2444 Wisconsin Ave. NW) in Glover Park.

His oh-so-casual, have-it-your-way concept involves a choice of proteins (marinated chicken, flank steak, shrimp kebabs), a choice of sidekicks (tortillas, rice in several guises, salad greens), seasonal vegetables and freshly made salsas, moles and vinaigrettes. Patrons will order their meals at a counter and will have the option of dining in, at one of 50 or so indoor seats, or carrying the food out. Scribner, 40, who plans to be a regular presence at Surfside, says he's aiming to capture the hearts and stomachs of neighbors who "want a good meal quickly without spending a lot of money." Dishes are expected to cost $9 to $15.

Since closing Dahlia in Spring Valley last summer, Scribner, who co-owns the casual salad and sandwich purveyor Jettie's in Foxhall Village, has maintained a low profile. But he has continued cooking and creating menus, helping his friend Carole Greenwood at Buck's Fishing & Camping in Upper Northwest and restaurateur Bo Blair at the Rookery, a private club in the West End.

Surfside will feature a mural of a beach scene on one wall and a rooftop deck with as many seats as the interior, which was home to the former Apollo Market. The building's front and rear facades make possible another of Scribner's intentions: curbside pickup.

The former Dahlia digs, meanwhile, are now home to a Tara Thai.

-- Tom Sietsema