From Vision to Success: An Interview with Hiraya (#5)
Also in this issue are the HStreetSweetHStreet.com Giveaway winners, promotions, events, and HStreetSweetHStreet.com merch. BONUS: New section - Hiring.
From Vision to Success: An Interview with Hiraya
In a remarkably short time, Hiraya has established itself as a standout in the competitive world of food, beverage, and hospitality. With its unique approach to Filipino cuisine and an unwavering commitment to exceptional service, Hiraya has quickly gained recognition, including a nomination for RAMMY’s New Restaurant of the Year. We had the pleasure of speaking with the founder of Hiraya, who shared insights into the restaurant’s vision, the inspiration behind their menu, and their future plans for continued success.
HH: What was your initial vision for the restaurant, and how has it evolved since opening?
Hiraya: The initial vision for the two-story restaurant is to have an all-day cafe that is very casual where you can come in two to three times a week to enjoy some Filipino-inspired pastries and also enjoy coffee sourced from the Philippines. When dinner time comes around you can visit our upstairs restaurant and enjoy a chef’s tasting menu or have wine and cocktails at the bar. I feel like every single day we are evolving and finding ways to best serve the neighborhood and the community.
HH: What do you believe are the key elements that have allowed your restaurant to distinguish itself as a pacesetter in food, beverage, and hospitality within such a short time?
Hiraya: I think the key elements that have allowed us to distinguish ourselves would be our staff! They are very integral part of what we do here at Hiraya. We are all passionate about showcasing our rich and diverse culture of the Philippines and that translates over to our guests.
HH: Can you tell us about the inspiration behind your menu and how you go about selecting the dishes and beverages that are featured?
Hiraya: The main inspiration behind our menu would be the types of food that we as chefs personally love to eat on our days off and put our own unique twist on it. We regularly sit down as a team and brainstorm different ideas and draw inspiration from our experience dining at other restaurants or draw inspiration from our childhood.
HH: Your restaurant has quickly gained recognition. What do you think has been the biggest factor in attracting and retaining your customers?
Hiraya: I think the biggest factor would be providing exceptional guest service and also the fact that we are showcasing something that is very new and unique, which is progressive Filipino cuisine.
HH: How do you ensure that your restaurant provides not just great food, but also an exceptional overall dining experience?
Hiraya: We work hard to ensure that we provide our guests with great service by meeting with our team daily and making adjustments as needed. The team and I are always thinking about ways on how to best serve our guests and the community. Also, we make a concerted effort to engage with our guests to find ways that we can continue to improve.
HH: What challenges have you faced since opening, and how have you overcome them to achieve such early success?
Hiraya: I think the biggest challenge for restaurants is finding staff that are passionate about hospitality. The staffing shortage has made it very difficult at times to ensure guest service at the level we want and expect.
HH: Can you describe your approach to hospitality and how you train your staff to deliver outstanding service to every guest?
Hiraya: My approach to hospitality centers around creating a memorable and personalized experience for every guest. This involves instilling a culture of warmth, attentiveness, and professionalism throughout the organization, at every level.
HH: What feedback have you received from your guests since opening, and how have you used that feedback to improve your restaurant?
Hiraya: Since opening, we have received valuable feedback from our guests that has played a crucial role in shaping the our restaurant to what it is today. Some key feedback we have received includes suggestions for menu enhancements, service improvements, and ambience adjustments. Guests appreciated our flavorful dishes but desired more vegan and gluten-free options, leading us to expand our menu to cater to a wider range of dietary preferences.
HH: Being nominated for RAMMY’s New Restaurant of the Year is a significant achievement. How do you plan to build on this success in the coming years?
Hiraya: To build on the success of being nominated for New Restaurant of the Year, it is crucial for us to focus on sustaining and enhancing the momentum gained from this achievement. This includes maintaining a high standard of service, serving quality food, and providing a unique dining experience is paramount. Consistency is important to achieving excellence and will help us to maintain our reputation, retain customers and attract new ones.
HH: Looking forward, what are your future goals for the restaurant, and are there any upcoming plans or innovations that you’re excited to share?
Hiraya: Looking forward, our future goals for Hiraya include expanding our menu to offer more diverse and globally inspired dishes, implementing sustainable practices to reduce our environmental impact, enhancing customer experience through technology such as online ordering and reservations, and increasing community involvement through partnerships with local organizations. We are also excited to share we are in the process of working on plans for a renovated outdoor dining space, a new loyalty program for our regular customers, and the launch of a cooking class series to engage and educate food enthusiasts. These innovations aim to elevate the overall dining experience, attract new clientele, and establish our restaurant as a culinary destination known for delicious food, sustainability efforts, and community engagement.
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Binge Bar featured in Good Morning America this week. Congratulations to the HStreetSweetHStreet.com giveaway winners on Instagram: @eacronan, @cookbookcourtyard, @banafive0, @booksteachocolate, @gainsbyames, @teaganadair_, @yeemle, @katieharaminac, @srldiver, and @bingebardc. “Mexidus”, the Mosaic Theater production is sold out through the end of the run.
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Atlas (atlasarts.org)
June 16 at 5 pm: Tom’s Elton Tribute - The world’s number one Elton John tribute band is coming to play All The Hits by Elton John.
Fresca (frescadc.com)
Saturday June 22 at 7:30pm: Live Music by Mariachi Esmeralda
Pie Shop (pieshopdc.com)
Friday, June 14 Doors Open at 7:30: Punkhouse Comedy
Wednesday, June 19 Doors Open at 7 pm: AV Sessions (Open Mic) - Ages 21 and up
Queen Vic (thequeenvicdc.com)
Starting on June 14: will be open early for all England matches. Queen Vic will have all other matches on during regular hours of operations.
SolidState Books (solidstatebooksdc.com)
Thursday, June 13: Knits n’ Yarns (6-8 pm) - Come join us while we craft (knit, crochet, etc) while talking about what we’re reading, or want to read.
Sunday, June 16 from 4-5 pm: Cozy Reads Corner Book Club - The Goodbye Cat
Tuesday, June 18 from 7-8 pm: Madhumita Murgia - Code Dependent
Saturday, June 22 from 10:30-11:30 pm: Launch/Release Party: Taylor Darks - Be, Black Girl, Be
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Chupacabra (chupacabrahst.com)
Weekdays 4-7 pm- Happy Hour
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Daru (darudc.com)
Bar Happy Hour Everyday from 5-6:30 pm - $10 Snacks and Cocktails
Fatty’s Tattoos and Piercings (fattystattoos.com)
Until June 14: 15% off BVLS Jewelry
Granville Moores (granvillemoores.com)
Mussels Monday - $13 Mussels from 5 pm to 9 pm
Sundays from 5-9 pm: $25 you can try all 3 of their most popular items - Moules Mariniere, Frites & La Chouffe beer.
Insomnia Cookies (insomniacookies.com)
Irregardless (irregardlessdc.com)
Kids Night on Tuesdays 5-7 pm – special kids menu
Wine Wednesdays 5:30 pm – 10% off glasses and bottles, happy hour excluded
Milk & Honey (themilkandhoney.com)
May 14th-June 16th – Buy a $100 Gift Card online, and receive a $15 bonus card
Pow Pow (eatpowpow.com)
Try the new Plant Shrimp at Pow Pow H Street for 10% off with code “PLANTSHRIMP10”
Sol Mexican Grill DC (solmexicangrilldc.com)
Taco Tuesday: $2.75 tacos all day!
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June 1 - July 31: Wax n’ Win giveaway.
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Pie Shop is Hiring: Pie Shop is hiring an experienced food service professional to join their awesome crew. A love of people, pie, and live music is a must. Weekend availability required. email info@pieshopdc.com for more details.
MADABOLIC trainers wanted: They are looking for a personable person who loves MADABOLIC workouts, can take the workouts 4 times per week, and have a desire to help people meet their fitness goals. Trainers get free unlimited membership, competitive pay, access to tons of training content, and get to work alongside the best trainers in the industry. Send a DM on Instagram to @mad_dmv for more details.
Transforming Lives and Building Community: OrangeTheory on H Street Corridor
Nestled in the vibrant heart of the H Street Corridor in Washington, D.C., OrangeTheory Fitness has become more than just a gym; it's a dynamic community where fitness enthusiasts come together to transform their lives and support one another on their wellness journeys. (read whole blog post)
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