After a long period of dormancy, the gentrified corridor bustles with chic shops and delightful dining.

By Shaun Rodriguez

It was once the place to be. The District’s own version of Harlem, where one could see such jazz superstars as Duke Ellington, Ella Fitzgerald, Billy Eckstein, and Sarah Vaughn perform live.

Today, the “new U,” as it has been affectionately called, has taken the spirit of the U St. of old and kicked it up in grand millennium style. The once chiefly black neighborhood is now an exercise in diversity. Hip and trendy restaurants and nightclubs line the streets once more. Ultra-urban lofts and chic condos sprout up faster than you can say “gentrification.” Small businesses have again found a home on these familiar streets, rekindling the same sense of community and kinship that had once made this neighborhood the epitome of productivity at its best.

In this installment, we look at the eclectic mix of merchants who inhabit this area and have helped breathe life into a neighborhood that was slowly suffocating.

Tres Different

What do you get when you mix South of France chic with contemporary urban sleek? The answer is Maison 14, the latest addition to the bevy of home furnishings stores that have set up shop in the 14th and U St. area.

“We wanted to do something different,” said Gilles de Concillio, co-owner of Maison 14. The store’s opening in July met with a warm welcome, and the “something different” it offered was a pleasant addition to a neighborhood that has always craved diversity. This beautiful location, formerly the Dollar Store on 14th St., with its floor-to-ceiling windows, extra high ceilings, and artfully distressed walls gives a little South of France zest to the area south of U St.

De Concilio and his partner, Christopher Walsh, knew that they wanted to open an establishment of some sort. The duo met in France, De Concilio’s native land, while Walsh was visiting as a student, and they have been friends ever since. After tossing around the idea of a bar, café, or restaurant, they decided to combine De Concilio’s background in French antiques with Walsh’s background in public relations and open a furniture store. The name, Maison 14, which came from the desire to incorporate the French influence with the rich history of the 14th St. area, is a suiting moniker, illustrating the store’s broad spectrum of style.

Maison 14 offers up a stylishly inviting blend of French antiques, wrought iron from Morocco, and Italian leather that juxtaposes the ornate with the linear, the extravagant with the minimalist. Think Theodore’s meets Sotheby’s, but without obscene prices. The store, set up like mini living spaces for inspiration, has everything from plates (starting at $5) to an antique wedding armoire (which will set you back $12,000), with lots of wonderfully affordable pieces between. My personal favorite was the wrought iron and peach leather living room suite. Maison 14 is an individualist’s paradise. “Style to me,” Walsh said, “is having a sense of self and not being afraid to express it.”

A Taste of Home

Once he determined DC needed such a restaurant, the next question was where. Giuricich’s dream found a home on U St., and that dream was born in the form of Kuna. The now 13-month-old restaurant, inspired by memories of his grandmother’s cooking, serves up great Italian food at affordable prices.

The atmosphere is minimalist. Chocolate-colored walls are sparely adorned with lithographs, textiles, and black-and-white photos. The bare lighting, which at first glance seems stark, turns enticingly sensuous when dimmed. The vibe is warm and welcoming. Guests are invited to sample wines while they wait for a table. The major focus here is -- and rightfully so -- the food and the wine. Though cocktails are available, choices are limited. However, what the restaurant lacks in the way of mixed drinks, it makes up for with its wine list. The selection leans more toward red wine than white but features some delightfully tasty treats. One of the best treats is the price. The wines all hover in the $30-per-bottle range, with a scant few venturing up to $70 per bottle.

And the food -- let me tell you -- is the stuff of an epicurean’s dream. There is love in every bite -- nothing bland or haphazardly prepared. Each dish features the same affectionate detail found in Giuricich’s grandmother’s kitchen. The spinach fettuccini with cabbage and ground chorizo, a dish that seemed questionable on paper, was blissful. Equally moving was the risotto pancake with mozzarella, tomato, and basil. Chef Giuricich describes the menu, which consists mainly of pasta and the occasional meat special, as being “of the minute.“ Quality is the key. He uses only the freshest products, even if it means changing the ingredients to retain the standard of excellence that defines the restaurant.

“This is my house,” Giuricich says, ”and when people come in here, I want them to come in as if they’re coming into my house, not my business.”

When not starring as Urban Mother: Mistress of Laundry, Shaun Rodriguez can be found either madly scribbling the secrets and ironies of life and love in her journal or pretending to be a photographer.