Maple Ave Restaurant Will Expand to Arlington

Maple Avenue Restaurant owners Tim Ma and Joey Hernandez will be taking their knack for food down the road to Arlington in the coming months.

The couple, which has run the successful fusion restaurant near Maple Ave and Lawyers Road for about three years, has plans to open another eatery called "Water & Wall" at 3811 N. Fairfax Drive, in the space formerly occupied by Pines of Florence.

What's in a name? The new restaurant nomer is the intersection of the apartment the couple lived in during their time in New York City, where Ma attended the French Culinary Institute and interned at Momofuku Ko, according to Donrockwell.com

Hernandez told Patch there would be more details available about the new space after everything is worked out between the current tenant and landlord.

What this means for Maple Ave, which was named one of Washington's 100 best restaurants by Washingtonian magazine: Nyi Nyi Mint, Maple Ave's sous chef, has been promoted to Chef de Cuisine, Hernandez told Patch.

"It's safe to say that MAR is in great hands," Hernandez said, noting Nyi Nyi "will also be instrumental in creating and executing the menu at Water & Wall."

"[Ma] will continue to be the executive chef of Maple Ave and split his time accordingly between both," Hernandez told Patch.

The new spot could open in 2013, but there is no set date at the moment.

Stay up to date with all business news by subscribing to our free daily email newsletters.