Mexican restaurant opens in Annandale

There’s a new restaurant – Baja Bistro Fresh Mex Grille– in the Bradlick Shopping Center in Annandale, and it’s owned by local residents, Youness and Kristina Boukhlifi of Edsall Park.

It’s a “quick-service, casual restaurant,” says Kristina, and “everything is made fresh in house.” That includes the guacamole and salsa, ranging from medium to super hot.

Kristina and Youness Boukhlifi

The menu features burritos, tacos, quesadillas, and nachos, with chicken, steak, ground beef, shrimp, fish, or chorizos, plus a tofu option for vegetarians. Future plans call for margaritas, beer, and wine.

Baja Bistro, in the spot formerly occupied by Flame N’Grill, had a soft opening Feb. 24 and will have a grand opening after it gets a liquor license.

Youness has extensive experience in the restaurant business – he works at Marcel’s in Washington, D.C. – and opened a Baja Bistro franchise because he always wanted to own his own place, Kristina says. “This is his dream come true. This is his baby.”

Both Youness and Kristina have full-time jobs, and they have two daughters, age 4 and 2, so they decided a franchise, like Baja Bistro, would be a little easier to manage than starting from scratch.

Baja Bistro is open 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday and noon-7 p.m. on Sunday.