Despite a fire that forced longstanding Washington, D.C., Korean eatery, Mandu, to close in 2017, local restaurateur and owner Danny Lee vowed to reopen the family outpost that had occupied the Adams Morgan locale for 11 years. Late last month, Lee made good on this promise with the opening of Anju, a modern Korean gastropub fitted with eclectic decor, lots of greenery, and a variety of dining areas for both formal and casual experiences.

The first stop on our D.C. moonshine world tour is Anju, where customers can drink makgeolli, South Korea’s oldest liquor. Once a preferred beverage for farmers, it was often made at home and served as a hearty welcoming drink for guests. Today it continues to be immensely popular in South Korea and beyond. When drinking makgeolli, turn your face away from those more senior in your group as a sign of respect.

A new Korean restaurant has opened in the neighborhood. Located at 1805 18th St. NW in Dupont Circle, the new arrival is called Anju.

If the kimchi budget is any indication, Anju, the new Korean restaurant that opened last week in Dupont Circle, is already set to follow in the footsteps of Mandu, its predecessor from the same ownership. Like Mandu, Anju puts its kimchi, fermented in-house, front and center on its menu of Korean dishes.

One of the biggest restaurant debuts of the summer is almost here: Anju opens for dinner in Dupont Circle on Monday, August 26th. The ambitious Korean restaurant is the first full-service venture from the team behind popular “fine-casual” Chiko and the Lee family, who operated Mandu in the same location for over a decade before a fire gutted the restaurant in 2017. Washingtonian got a first look at the menu (see below), which blends traditional Korean techniques and ingredients with cheffy innovations.

After suffering a devastating fire two years ago, the original Mandu restaurant near Dupont Circle is about to be reborn as Anju, a modern Korean pub from the restaurant group behind Chiko. Mandu chef-owner Danny Lee says the new venue, named after a late-night pop-up series that began in 2013, makes a statement on how far Korean food as come in America.

While summer can be a slower season for dining, eager restaurateurs and owners continue to work on the next wave of openings in D.C. From Korean pub food to a Latin food hall, here are the newcomers to keep an eye on throughout the summer months.