First Look At ala Restaurant

ala restaurant, known for its creative cooking, inspired by the colorful flavors of the Levantine region, debuted its second location on Friday, March 1st, at 4948 Fairmont Avenue in Bethesda, MD. Our very own Mr. MoCo was invited in and shared a video of his experience (available to view below).

Located in the former Positano restaurant space, the menu will be similar to ala in Dupont, where the cuisine melds the flavors of the Levant region, an area of the world that has both a long history and a colorful past. 

ala Bethesda seats 90 inside and 30 on the patio.  Owner Deniz Gulluoglu and her family live in the Cabin John area of Bethesda and are excited to have brought the restaurant to Montgomery County.  “We have always wanted to open a second restaurant closer to our home, in our community,” said Deniz Gulluoglu. “Bethesda restaurants offer an array of culinary flavors, and we are thrilled to offer the community ala Bethesda, an exceptional Levantine dining experience, in the heart of Bethesda.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Mr. MoCo • Alex Tsironis (@mrmoco301)

The kitchen of both locations are led by Corporate ChefZachary Baker, a Maryland native, who has worked at Jose Andre‘s Think Food Group, Del Mar and most recently as Chef de Cuisine at Xiquet. Menu highlights will include MUTABAL (Roasted vegetable and tahini spread) and hot mezze like BIBER DOLMA (Stuffed bell pepper). The traditional Turkish favorite ADANA KEBAB will be prepared with minced rib eye.  Bottomless brunch will be offered every weekend.

ala‘s cocktail menu will be carefully curated with wines from the likes of Georgia, Israel, Lebanon, and Italy and will feature cocktails adorned with everything from turmeric, sumac, fig, rhubarb and dill.  Happy Hour will be offered from Monday-Thursday, from 2 pm – 6 pm.

“When the time came for Positano to undergo a renovation, AAG Interiors approached the task with reverence and respect for the memories that had been woven into its walls,” said Jelal Gulluoglu, owner and architect, AAG Interiors. “It was very important for us to understand the significance of preserving the essence of Positano while creating the space for ala’s new location.”  Restaurant upgrades and enhancements include new lighting, renovated restrooms, and an expanded bar with seating. The colorful Positano wall decorations remain and other Positano relics have been upcycled in the ala décor.

Coming next, the team will add a food hall and additional dining concepts to the space next door.

ala diners will receive a 30 percent discount from their restaurant check during the first month of service (March 2024). ala will also offer parking reimbursement discount for each reservation.