Mendocino Grille on the Market

Despite that could reopen as soon as this past June, owners Eli Hengst and Jared Rager now say the restaurant at 2917 M St. is on the market and they have interested buyers.

"We have had substantial interest from various parties about purchasing the restaurant and hope to have some news soon," wrote Hengst in an email to Patch.

The Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) revoked the sales tax certificate for Mendocino for the second time on Feb. 4. for interim owner's failure to pay some $80,000 in sales taxes. The restaurant has been closed since that time.

Mendocino began as a collaboration between the two restaurateurs, who owned the M Street restaurant from 2003-2008. They sold the property to the former manager, Troy Bock, though Rager and Hengst remained involved as guarantors of the lease. When Bock failed to pay thousands of dollars in sales tax, OTR shut it down.

Hengst and Rager stepped back in, having their lawyers work with the city "to resolve the situation left by Troy Bock and his company."

When Patch checked in with the owners in May, Hengst said, "the mid-June date is far from certain due to a handful of remaining issues left by the previous ownership, but we're moving everything forward as quickly as possible."

Moving forward, however, no longer means the previously described revamped concept with a different menu at a lower price point and a variety of wine and beer offerings. At least the concept will not be owned or run by Rager and Hengst.

So who could the mystery buyers be?

Chef Spike Mendelsohn recently said he , Good Stuff Eatery, to Georgetown. Perhaps he's scoped out the small M Street property?

"We are looking at properties for a Georgetown location, but at this time we have yet to sign a lease. We have looked at several properties and hopefully we will find the right spot soon," said Jordyn Lazar, the marketing and media relations representative for Good Stuff.

In an interview with Washingtonian, Mendelsohn's sister, Micheline, said they have narrowed down their options to two spaces, both on M Street.

Had they looked at 2917 M St.?

"We are not disclosing which properties we have or have not looked at," said Lazar.