After all the success Chipotle Mexican Grill founder Steve Ells has found in the Denver market, he chose to forsake the Mile High City in favor of Washington, D.C., to launch the company’s new concept.
ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, a Chipotle-esque quick- serve concept, will open its first eatery this summer off Dupont Circle.
Not only did Ells — no doubt a brilliant multi-unit restaurant operator — ditch Denver (home of Chipotle’s first store, near the University of Denver, and company headquarters), he chose the name ShopHouse, which makes one wonder if it’s a misspelling of ChopHouse.
Of course, he opted for the often-mangled pronunciation of Chipotle in 1993 and hasn’t looked back. Never mind that even Food Network stars still mispronounce the word meaning a smoked jalapeño pepper “chipol-tay,” instead of “chipoht-ley.”
Since the Mexican chain’s 1993 debut near DU, the company has swelled to 1,100 units nationwide. Will the homegrown company apply the same growth strategy to ShopHouse? Hard to say.
“When the first Chipotle opened in 1993, it was supposed to be the only one,” said Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold. “It’s the same kind of thing with ShopHouse. We want to get open and see how well-received it is and see what to do next.”
Arnold said Washington was chosen because it’s a mature market where the company does well.
ShopHouse, by the way, refers to the traditional two- or three-story buildings found throughout Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam where families live upstairs and run restaurants or fresh markets on the ground level, according to a company news release.
Like Chipotle, customers will pass by a glass counter and select from a variety of ingredients that can go into each dish.
People’s choice.
The Vallagio at In verness, a residential, golf and retail community off Interstate 25 and Dry Creek Road, has been voted the 2011 Live Work Play People’s Choice winner by more than 170,000 online voters who entered the competition sponsored by the Denver Regional Council of Governments.
After two months of voting, the Vallagio, developed by Metropolitan Homes chief Peter Kudla, right, emerged as the people’s choice from a field of 10 finalists.
Francophiles.
Former Gov. Bill Ritter and Schneider Electric-United States president Jeff Drees will receive the L’Esprit de France Award for their contributions to French-American business collaborations during a gala from 6 to 10 p.m. May 6 at the Westin Denver Downtown.
The French-American Chamber of Commerce chose the award recipients for their efforts in securing a signed Memorandum of Understanding between the state of Colorado and Schneider Electric to develop an electric-car infrastructure in this state.
The evening includes a cocktail reception, five-course dinner paired with French wines, and Central City Opera singers performing excerpts from “Carmen” and “Les Mamelles de Tiresias.” RSVP: 303-695-7818, ext. 104.
EAVESDROPPING
Two women walking out of an overheated room to cool down:
“You’re hot, right?”
“Yes, I am. You didn’t know that?”
Penny Parker’s column appears Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday. Listen to her on “Caplis & Silverman” between 4 and 5 p.m. Fridays on KHOW-630 AM. Call her at 303-954-5224 or e-mail pparker@denverpost.com.
