Lucia is a year-old Afro-Caribbean fine dining restaurant in Fairfax, positioned to help revitalize the neighborhood. Chef Cleophus “Ophus” Hethington, a former veterinarian with extensive Caribbean travel, brings thoughtful cooking rooted in Black foodways. The bar and dining room stand out in the city, featuring nightly DJ performances that create a grand night-out atmosphere. A signature pastelón resembles plantain lasagna: thin, al dente plantain sheets layered with Wagyu sofrito, annatto’s earthy bitterness, and Pecorino béchamel, balanced by mildly acidic tomato sauce. Hethington adapts the classic by using puréed plantains with tapioca starch and a small amount of all-purpose flour, delivering comfort and familiarity through each forkful.
"My dinner guests peer at a wedge of pastelón. We're halfway through a recent dinner at Lucia, a year-old Afro-Caribbean restaurant in Fairfax, and the entire table is dumbfounded. The pale sheets of plantains possess a familiar sweetness, but they're as thin and al dente as pasta. In between them are interchanging layers of Wagyu sofrito, humming with annatto's earthy, peppery bitterness, and Pecorino béchamel. A mildly acidic tomato sauce keeps the dish in the sweet spot of heavenly rich but never overwhelming."
"Chef Cleophus “Ophus” Hethington grew up in south Florida eating pastelón, a dish made by layering plantains with ground meat cooked with peppers and onions, and lots of cheese. The love for this plantain lasagna-casserole is prolific, with both Puerto Ricans and Dominicans claiming ownership. Hethington swaps the sliced plantain for his own pasta, made primarily with puréed plantains, some tapioca starch and a little bit of all-purpose flour."
"Lucia sits on a stretch of Fairfax Avenue historically known as a Jewish cultural hub. In the 2000s, the street transformed into a nexus of youth culture, with streetwear shops and restaura"
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