ABOUT USFrom the chef who brought the first Izakaya to Washington DC, comes another Japanese concept based on an old idea. Shabu Plus is the latest creation from Chef Darren Norris and partner, Candice Wise. Enjoy an updated version of traditional Japanese Hot Pot with top grade meats, organic poultry and sustainable seafood. Quality organic produce and delicious broths will linger in your memory and comfort and enlighten your senses. In addition to Shabu Shabu, we offer our seasonal Kaiseki experience, a small plate menu with delicacies from the sea and pure plant based options. This menu is handcrafted with attention to detail and may change frequently. We will always bring you the freshest quality to highlight nature’s beauty. We chose the Enso zen circle as our logo which symbolizes absolute enlightenment and the wholeness of spirit. We strive for perfection, however so elusive. Strength, elegance, and one mindedness.

ABOUT USFrom the chef who brought the first Izakaya to Washington DC, comes an intimate vision of Japanese street food by Darren Norris and his partner, Candice Wise. If you break down the meaning of Izakaya, “I" means to stay, “sakaya” means sake shop. This comes from the long history of small shops on the rice trail roads that lead to Edo. During this period of Japanese history, country folk had to travel to Edo (now called Tokyo) with their ox and wagon to bring rice to the Capital. Along the trail, there were small inns that travelers would stop to rest, refresh and consume sake and simple homemade food. This is where the idea of a Japanese pub came from. Chef Darren offers you skewers of tasty bites grilled over binchotan charcoal, accompanied with bowls of homemade soba noodles and flavorful broths to nourish the soul.

IT'S SIMPLEAn atmosphere that feels timeless. Bartenders that will remember your name. Well-crafted spirits and cocktails. A classic billiards table.Great music to bring it all together.

Feed It Forward DC is a local 501c3 non-profit organization founded in Washington DC whose mission is to provide resources to underprivileged segments of the Washington DC Metropolitan area. The mission has been focused on bringing people together that are willing to donate their time to collaborate on a meaningful distribution of food, clothing, or other necessary items that people do not have access to due to financial disparities. An important aspect of the mission is to directly connect with those individuals in need, which takes time rather than funneling resources through a large charitable organization.

Assisted with the restructure and reorganization with this award winning new restaurant. Assisted with streamlining processes and overall reorganization of a new restaurant that opened in February 2015. Daily operation improvements made by implementing systems, set staffing needs, developed a training program for front of house positions, upgraded menu and beverage programs. Developed the proper inventory management system, updated POS system, created a budget, created systems for ordering. Washingtonian Magazine - Voted Best New Bar 2015Honorable Mention for Best New Restaurant 2015Honorable Mention for Best New Happy Hour 2015

Assisted with the opening of an upscale proper liquor bar in Penn Quarter. Responsible for recruiting 75% of teammates and responsible for a minimum of 25% of daily sales based on existing network. Monitored service execution on the floor to ensure table maintenance, food and bar performance, and overall guest satisfaction. Handled initial beverage order, cocktail menus and inventory decisions; and ensured all cash handling procedures were executed correctly.Washingtonian Magazine - Honorable Mention for Best New Bar 2015

Awarded Darden Corporation’s top honor – 2013 Diamond Club Winner –ranked number one among over 200 new restaurants across all concepts based on profitability and guest retention. Responsible for building business for a high volume restaurant through direct and indirect sales techniques including all planning components of private and large party dining and community marketing initiatives. Lead and strengthen partnerships with internal and external clients resulting in delivering a competitively superior dining experience. Increase guest count and top line sales through internal and external initiatives that deliver a positive return on investment. Conducted initial hiring and training of team members for new restaurant location and provide continual training and development for private dining program to ensure 100% guest satisfaction. Trained, managed and scheduled the host department. Trained and mentored new Sales Managers in Training.

Managed the activities of personnel, subcontractors and vendors to successfully execute weekly events that generated over $10 million annual revenue. Responsible for creating proposals and staffing for on/off site corporate catered events at two nationally-recognized large scale venues. Developed and sustained client relationships through exceptional levels of customer service. Managed advertising, direct mail campaigns, collateral production, participated at association meetings, meeting with prospects/clients and all other sales and marketing functions. Created and maintained client database. Designed and developed content for company website.

Management support in operations including customer service, accounts payable, inventory and payroll. Monitored food and beverage purchases, requisitions, inventories, product utilization and proper procedures to ensure monthly budgeted cost of sales. Assisted with private banquet sales with diverse clientele, and executed each lead from conception to completion. Developed a client rapport and helped lead private banquet sales revenue companywide.

Corporate event planner coordination and management support for four national directors in Microsoft Consulting Services. Coordinated department financial operations; managed equipment assets; prepared and reviewed budget reports with the management team; and planned and executed all logistics for corporate internal and external events for the four organizations. Supervised the activities of personnel, subcontractors, and vendors to successfully execute events.

Planned and executed a variety of conferences and workshops for attorneys and specialized audiences in cooperation with academic departments and outside organizations. Responsible for operations including accreditation process, contract negotiation, accounts payable/receivable and office management. Administered the scholarship process and facilitated complete redesign of website launched in 2004. Designed marketing and web casting pieces for promotional products, services, and trade shows.

Monitored computer systems for 75-users, including the installation, configuration, maintenance and support of all computing equipment. Successfully upgraded all desktops, servers, and network equipment in three months. Maintained the client database and managed the offsite file storage process for five consecutive years.