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Matchbox introduces a new elevated menu based on feedback from its customers in McLean, according to Thompson Hospitality.

Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff

|Updated Wed, Mar 12, 2025 at 12:26 pm ET

MCLEAN, VA — Matchbox recently rolled out a new elevated menu at its McLean location, featuring a selection of premium steak and seafood dishes catered to the tastes of its customers in McLean.

“The great thing about Matchbox as a brand is that even though we have 12 restaurants, we want to be uniquely different in every neighborhood,” said Mumia Fatiu, vice president of operations at Matchbox.

Since its beginning as a neighborhood restaurant in 2003, Matchbox tries to listen to the community and find out what type of menu they’re craving, according to Fatiu.

“Throughout the day, we asked customers, ‘How are you enjoying your meal? Is there anything else on the menu that you would love to see?’” he said. “Without a doubt, steaks and seafood were two of the items they wanted to see.”

The new Matchbox Prime menu includes Lobster Cobb Salad, Chimichurri Steak, Atlantic Halibut, Truffle & Wild Mushroom Pizza, Branzino, and Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail.

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“USDA Prime cuts, expertly seasoned and finished with the brand’s signature garlic butter,” according to a Thompson Hospitality release. “Each steak is served with garlic mashed potatoes, roasted carrots, and grilled asparagus, creating a perfectly balanced and indulgent meal.”

“We've listened to our guests and we came to a realization that although we have 12 Matchboxes, each one of them has a little bit of their own nuance in the community,” said Alex Berentzen, Thompson’s chief operating officer, during a new menu tasting on Thursday night. “We wanted to introduce Matchbox Prime to offer a little bit more elevated menu items. You've got Matchbox favorites along with some prime seafood, prime steak and truffle pizza.”

In addition to Matchbox, Thompson owns 18 brand concepts and operates 65 restaurants in the DMV, including Milk & Honey, Makers Union, Wiseguy Pizza and Big Buns. The company typically introduces two menus a year at each of its restaurant locations.

“There's always something going on in our restaurants, usually seasonal, and then we have special menus around the holidays — St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Father's Day,” Berentzen said.

During the second week in April, Thompson is rolling out a universal loyalty program across all of its brands.

“You can start earning points by going to all of our different brands with different layers of unlocked benefits,” Berentzen said. “Towards the end of the year, we're launching a paid membership program, so we're very excited about that.”

Patrons can try the new prime menu at the Matchbox located at 1340 Chain Bridge Road in McLean. The restaurant is open Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

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McLean Community Center's vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, music, food and dancing, returns for a third year on March 22.

Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff

March 4, 2025 - McLean Community Center Press Release

MCLEAN, VA — Fiesta del Sol, McLean Community Center’s (MCC) vibrant celebration of Latin American culture, music, food and dancing, returns for a third year on Saturday, March 22. The festival will be held from 5-10 p.m. and the event is free and open to the public. Tickets for food and drinks will be available for purchase onsite. Patrons must be 21 years or older to purchase alcohol. MCC, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year, is located at 1234 Ingleside Ave.

The event kicks off with Salsa Guy Richmond, who will teach a few basic salsa, merengue and cumbia dance moves—just in time to enjoy a live performance by Izis La Enfermera de la Salsa, a popular performer and Army nurse, who will be debuting her latest album, “A Mi Manera” (My Way). The celebration continues with the bandPablo Antonio y La Firma, which brings a rich history of musical excellence to the vibrant Latin music scene. The band will perform favorites, including “Acariciame.”

Fiesta del Sol is proudly produced by the McLean Community Center, with the assistance of VIP Impressions LLC. “Fiesta del Sol is a celebration of the rich and diverse traditions of the Latin community," said Beatriz Paz, Owner of VIP Impressions LLC. “This year’s festival will reflect the spirit of unity and joy found in the McLean community.”

Event highlights include:

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For more information, call MCC at 703-790-0123, TTY: 711 or visit mcleancenter.org.

The McLean Community Center, an agency of Fairfax County Government, is committed to a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all programs, services and activities. We will provide reasonable accommodation upon request. To request special accommodations, call the Center 14 working days in advance of the event. To request this information in an alternate format, call 711.

The McLean Area Branch of AAUW sent this press release on March 19.

MCLEAN, VA — The winners of the 2025 STEM Essay Contest sponsored by the McLean Area Branch of AAUW (American Association of University Women) were announced and recognized during the Branch potluck dinner held on March 18th at the McLean Community Center. The contest was open to 7th and 8th grade students (girls and boys) at six local public and private schools. The students were asked to discover and publicize women including women of color, who made a difference in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) fields, but who received little or no recognition for their contributions while they were alive. Strong preference was given to essays about women who are not well known even today. Each essay described one woman’s contribution and its impact, as well as why the student selected the woman.

The winners of the contest are:

1st Place: Aanya Palit, Cooper Middle School (8th Grade) Honorable Mention: Claire Broderdorf, Longfellow Middle School (7th Grade) Honorable Mention: Ridheema Dusange, Luther Jackson Middle School (7th Grade) Honorable Mention: Clara Kosoff, Cooper Middle School (7th Grade) Honorable Mention: Yonatan Nikolich, Longfellow Middle School (7th Grade)

As part of the awards ceremony, the 1st place winner, Aany Palit, read her essay on Rajeshwari Chatterjee. She was one of India’s first female engineers, who was a pioneer in microwave engineering, a field that revolutionized modern telecommunications and defense systems. Other women who were the subjects of the winning essays were Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, Gladys West, Esther Lederberg, and Eleanor Griffin Dickson.

Fourteen volunteers from our branch served as judges: Janet Alejandro, Pam Bacher, Lynn Gutter, Christina Hamilton, Myrtle Hendricks-Corrales, Sherry Joslin, Mafalda Marrocco, Nina McVeigh, Tom McVeigh, Judy Page, Ruth Nowjack-Raymer, Diana Parsell, Caroline Pickens, and Cheryl Williams. The essay contest was managed by a steering committee, consisting of Myrtle Hendricks and Diana Parsell together with Judy Page, STEM Chair.

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For more information on the McLean Area Branch, visit the branch website at http://mclean-va.aauw.net.