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Eamonn’s and T.N.T. Bar Opening Soon on Columbia Pike

By WTOP Staff

It may be only a matter of days before Columbia Pike’s most ambitious bar/restaurant effort to date opens to the public.

Eamonn’s A Dublin Chipper and T.N.T. Bar, at 2413 Columbia Pike in the Penrose Square development, were hoping to open this coming Monday, but the opening had been delayed due to permitting issues, according to a PR rep. Nonetheless, the interior of the restaurant appears to be nearly finished and T.N.T. is already being touted as the “ latest and greatest bar” yet for famed local mixologist Todd Thrasher.

This is the first Arlington eatery and watering hole for EatGoodFood Group, which operates Restaurant Eve, Eamonn’s, PX, The Majestic and Virtue Feed and Grail, all in Alexandria.

Eamonn’s serves fish, chips, appetizers and small desserts in Old Town Alexandria. An official menu for the Columbia Pike location has yet to be released, but a press release (below) says it will expand on the concept with new offerings like southern fried chicken wings, mini meat pies, house-made biscuits with corned beef, sausage rolls in pastry, “Eamonn’s Dream Burger” (with salami and chicken), sardines, soft-shell crabs (in season), and “Hangover Chips” with cheese, Texas chili and a fried egg. There will also be an expanded dessert selection featuring Cadbury candies.

T.N.T. Bar, a new concept, will serve specialty cocktails in a 30-seat space with a rock ‘n’ roll vibe.

“Todd Thrasher wowed and wooed the district when he introduced us to the craft of cocktails at side-street speakeasy, @PX,” according to a Facebook page. “Now, the city’s granddaddy of grown-up drinks and mixology magic explodes all over again with the new TNT. (Named after his son, Trystan Noah Thrasher) His latest and greatest bar will mix a rock ’n’ roll casual atmosphere with a fizzy fun, “homage to the greats” cocktail list.”

No word yet on an exact opening date. The press release for Eamonn’s and T.N.T., after the jump.

Rendering courtesy EatGoodFood Group

 

Following the immense success of the original, located in the Old Town neighborhood of Alexandria, VA, owners Cathal and Meshelle Armstrong, along with partner Todd Thrasher, are poised to take the concept to Penrose Square in neighboring Arlington, VA.

Eamonn’s, named for the Armstrongs’ second child (Restaurant Eve was a nod to their first) is all irreverence and wit. The same puckish sensibility that dreamed up the girly pink birthday cake at Restaurant Eve is at work here. From the motto, ‘Thanks Be to Cod,’ to U2 on the sound system to the artisanal and all-natural ingredients touted on the menu, the Armstrongs are going for a hipster Irish vibe with the soul of Leo Burdock’s in Dublin.

Due to the popularity of the original location and demand for more seating, the new space will follow the same concept, yet increase in size to accommodate more customers. Armstrong increases his gastro-Gaelic menu to include some of his bar favorites: southern fried chicken wings, mini meat pies, house-made biscuits with corned beef, sausage rolls in pastry, Eamonn’s Dream Burger (his son’s version includes, salami and chicken).

For the seafood enthusiasts, sardines and soft-shell crabs make an appearance when in season and the offerings of chips (Irish for fries) wink a memory to Armstrong’s younger days’; Hangover Chips – a concoction of cheese, texas chili and a fried egg. The deep fryer also yields fried sweets for dessert: doughnuts (a.k.a. Dough Balls), fried bananas and fried Mars bars. Irish delights—soda bread mix, Cadbury candies, Barry’s Irish tea, seasonal Easter Eggs, and T-shirts—will be sold. Eamonn’s will continue to serve sustainably raised Atlantic Pollock from the Gulf of Maine in their signature fish and chips.

Like the original, the second location will also incorporate a cocktail bar within the Eamonn’s outpost. TNT is a rock n roll bar with 30 seats, named for mixologist Thrasher’s son Trystan Noah Thrasher.

At TNT, Thrasher draws inspiration from his love of rock & punk music. Thymes Like These is an ode to a Foo Fighters song, one of Thrasher’s favorite bands. It features Citadelle gin, Cocchi vermouth, kaffir bitters and a thyme lime mixture. The Cocktail Left on the Nightstand came to Thrasher after reading an autobiography of Slash from Guns N Roses. “In the book he talks about falling asleep with a drink on the nightstand, even putting a cigarette out with it, and then sipping on it first thing in the morning.” Thrasher plays on that idea, smoking and charring Jack Daniels, then serving it with house made cola, room temperature. “You get the same feeling and all the flavors really work well together,” promises Thrasher.

The other side of his cocktail menu takes fans on a tour de cocktail – a road trip tipple of menu libations from his favorite bartender pals across America. The Brown Bomber, for example, is borrowed from Jim Meehan of Manhattan’s P.D.T. Another favorite is Curly and the Turk, borrowed from Tad Carducci of The Tippler, also in NYC. It’s a sweet and spicy mixture of blue curaçao, hibiscus-chile and tequila. Thrasher plans to include a short bio on each cocktail chef and their establishment in his menu, tipping off his guests on where to go when they are traveling (and imbibing) across the U.S. The list of ten cocktails will rotate every season.


Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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