Pink Tiger’s Dirty Dashi martini is finished with a sesame nori rim. | Noh Leftovers Pink Tiger makes a flashy debut on New Year’s Eve That’s a wrap for Kaliwa, chef Cathal Armstrong’s homage to Southeast Asian cuisine since 2018. The pioneering Wharf restaurant will close for good after dinner service Monday, December 30, but the prime waterfront real estate won’t stay dark for long. Stylish neighborhood newcomer Pink Tiger pounces into its place on Tuesday, December 31, ringing in 2025 with a fresh new owner, look, name, menu, and vibe. The big opening blowout-slash-NYE party dubbed “Disco In’fur’no” sheds some light on what’s in store right out of the gate (751 Wharf Street SW). The dolled-up replacement that calls for sake flights, sizzling wagyu with ponzu, and a groovy makeover is the inaugural project for D.C. restaurant group Be Our Guest. Pink Tiger’s director Brooke Demetriou has existing ties to Kaliwa as Armstrong’s longtime business partner. “Kaliwa was Cathal’s love child and his whole thing. I wanted to create my own idea,” she tells Eater. (The James Beard-nominated chef shifted his attention across the Potomac in recent years, going on to open Irish pub Mattie and Eddie’s and Corso Italian in Arlington.) Whereas Kaliwa’s kitchen prepared Korean, Thai, and Filipino dishes by the book, Pink Tiger’s menu is going for “Southeast Asian fare with American flair,” says Demetriou. Demetriou, who loves to throw a good dinner party, leans into her hostessing skills and on-site neighborhood knowledge to construct the kind of dining destination she says the Wharf is missing. “I took the time to figure out what it really was that would do well here,” she says. Kaliwa was one of the first two tenants to sign on at the Wharf, so she’s seen it all. Eight years in, the $3.6 billion, multi-phase development is now home to an influx of restaurants and bars that compete for attention from concertgoers, boaters, tourists, and locals living and working on the same scenic, one-mile stretch. She calls Kaliwa’s closure “bittersweet” but “necessary” — it’s “run its course.” She categorizes Pink Tiger as “fun” fine dining, which sets itself apart from what “the Del Mars, Limanis, and more casual [places] at the Wharf are doing,” she says. “We are finding space somewhere between there.” Late-night options remain relatively scarce, even on weekends, and Pink Tiger plans to keep the party going until 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays with help from a live singer and newly expanded bar. The big music buff plans to play everything from disco to Elvis to indie in the dining room during the week. Pink Tiger’s newly named Filipino chef Joe Castro, who’s classically trained in French and Italian cuisine, most recently worked at Mussel Bar and MGM’s Voltaggio Brothers Steak House before that. Openers under his watch include miso deviled eggs topped with truffles, scallions, bacon, and Gochujang; hot crab Rangoon dip with Sriracha cream cheese, scallions, sweet Thai chili sauce, and wonton chips; and thinly sliced wagyu beef cooked tableside atop a “hot rock” (lava stone) with ponzu sauce. Castro, who grew up in the Philippines to parents who were both chefs, stays true to his roots in some cases; he won’t mess with pad Thai, lumpia, and adobo at Pink Tiger. “He has beautiful recipes and there’s some things he didn’t want to fuse,” she says. He also plans to revive some Kaliwa favorites like its spicy crab curry entree. Noh Leftovers Pad Thai at Pink Tiger. The bar will serve sake for the first time along with a strong list of Asian beers, hemp-based nonalcoholic spirits from Aplós, and what she calls a “very funky and cool” martini menu that toys with oceanic flavors like dashi-infused vodka. Aside from making more room for drinkers at an 18-seat bar, the bones of the two-story space framed with soaring windows and a patio remain largely unchanged. Its new life as Pink Tiger naturally calls for pink touch-ups, as spotted in playful tiger prints and an LED-lit fireplace, as well as funky new art and ube-hued floral furniture that a bobbing captain could spot out front. Noh Leftovers Ping Tiger opens with a ’70s-chic look. The redesign was executed in stages, so there’s already evidence of the retro-chic replacement opening in a little over two weeks. “We’re actually still running Kaliwa while we do this, which is a challenge,” she says. Kaliwa’s signage will come down after its final night of service before Pink Tiger’s immediately goes up just ahead of its opening NYE party. Pink Tiger celebrates night one with live entertainment, an open bar, food stations, and passed appetizers. Tickets for its first-ever dinner service (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.) are $125, and a late-night party until 2 a.m. costs $85. NYE guests are encouraged to christen Pink Tiger with “retro-glam” attire that leans into its look. Regular service kicks off on January 2, with brunch to follow. Price points are $35-$45 per person for lunch, and $65-$75 per person for dinner, with cocktails ranging from $18–$24. Noh Leftovers Pink Tiger’s designer Yvette Irene took tips from Studio 54. Noh Leftovers Pink Tiger brings vintage tea pots to the Wharf.