1 of 6
The Annex is located at 1919 W. Main St. in The Fan.
2 of 6
Dining and bar space inside The Annex
3 of 6
There are 50 seats inside The Annex.
4 of 6
The dining space features four-top tables.
5 of 6
Cow skulls are scattered throughout the interior of The Annex.
6 of 6
The back dining area of The Annex.
The owners of Richmond's District 5, Hani Atallah, Roland West and Gary Wenzel, are debuting The Annex at 1919 W. Main St., a Tex-Mex concept with a heavy tequila focus set to open by mid- to late April.
The building next to District 5 was vacant, and the trio, who have been working together for close to a decade and interact much like brothers, saw an opportunity.
“We had this taco idea brewing for a little bit,” explains West. “We’ve always done really large-scale places, so we are kind of curious — this might be a nice challenge.”
Atallah also owns Southern Railway Taphouse and once owned Off the Hookah, the shuttered space at Canal Walk where the trio’s restaurant journey together began in 2010. Now they want to test different waters, a smaller space concentrated more on food and cocktails than a nightclub atmosphere.
For many, District 5 and Southern Railway Taphouse are watering holes for the college crowd, with menus driven by typical bar fare. The Annex offers a refreshing chance for the owners to be pushed outside their comfort zones and slow the pace.
“This won’t be a bar like District 5; I don’t want it to be,” notes West.
But that doesn’t mean they will stray from what West claims they do best: “We are very good at creating a fun, upbeat environment. … I think it will be a lively place, a neighborhood spot,” he explains. “I like all the bars we’ve opened, but with this one we are kind of focusing on ourselves — the place we want to go, too.”
At the forefront of the Tex-Mex-inspired menu will be tacos with creative twists — think banh mi or Philly cheesesteak — along with enchiladas, empanadas and burritos.
“We want to take different food styles and present [them] in a way that people aren’t familiar with,” says West.
The kitchen will be helmed by Executive Chef Hugo Rosas, who has been with District 5 for almost two years. It will allow him the freedom to step away from the burger- and pizza-focused menu and explore dishes that West has been telling him to “hold on to" for the opening of The Annex.
One item to be found in the forthcoming restaurant that has remained with the trio over the years: a bottle cooler. It was first purchased when Off the Hookah opened, and when Southern Railway Taphouse in Shockoe came along in 2013 it was relocated. When their Fan outpost District 5 debuted in 2015, it moved there before finally dying. But the hunk of metal had become part of the team's history — and a bit of a superstition, too. To launch their latest venture, they wanted to keep the tradition alive.
“It became a thing,” says West, laughing.
Now, the door from the cooler has been removed and converted to serve as the top of the expo (aka expediter's) window in the kitchen.
“We felt if we're opening a restaurant, we need this,” West says. “It’s the first refrigerator we ever bought, and it’s still with us.”
Tequila fans can expect a hefty lineup of over 100 atypical offerings that may be hard to find on most ABC store shelves, according to West, including Tequila Ocho, Siete Leguas and Don Julio Real.
Craft cocktails will also be a major focus at the restaurant. West says team members from District 5 who are transitioning to The Annex will be able to concentrate on making a handful of drinks at once, instead of 15 for a full bar of eager patrons. The goal is to maintain consistency.
On tap guests will find a selection of local brews — although bottled imports will be more prevalent — a base margarita, specialty margarita and a house mule.
Inside The Annex, teal blue walls create an airy feel, while the dark tin ceiling and exposed brick lend a rustic, industrial feel. Chairs at the bar are finished with faux cowhide, and cow skulls scattered throughout have transformed the former office space into an eclectic, contemporary eatery.
So why call it The Annex? The restaurant is indeed an addition to the trio's portfolio, but it's also part of an inside joke. Although District 5 was named after a voting district, the name is also derived from the movie "The Mighty Ducks," in which the team played district five peewee hockey. In another early '90s sports flick, "Little Giants," the team wins the game by running a play called The Annexation.
"We are already planning on the next one being named after 'The Sandlot' in some way," West says jokingly.
The Annex will be open Monday through Friday from 3 to 11 p.m., 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. on Sunday. A limited late-night food menu will be available until 1:30 a.m. on weekends.
