By Valerie Cury

There is something particularly enjoyable about discovering a new restaurant or wandering into a boutique and finding that perfect something you didn’t know you needed. At One Loudoun in Ashburn, two recent arrivals are offering visitors a little of both.

The newcomers, bartaco and Monkee’s of Loudoun, couldn’t be more different. One serves up globally inspired tacos, freshly squeezed cocktails and a relaxed atmosphere where lingering is encouraged.

The other offers carefully selected designer fashions, beautiful accessories and the kind of personal attention that can make shopping feel like an afternoon with a friend.

Both are part of One Loudoun’s continuing evolution into a destination where shopping, dining, entertainment and community life come together.

At bartaco, General Manager Domonique Haley is enthusiastic about nearly everything on the menu, but ask her about the pork belly taco and the conversation takes on a whole new level of excitement.

Slow-cooked overnight and finished with a spicy maple glaze and pickled red onions, the pork belly taco is the restaurant’s most popular offering across its locations.

Haley, who has been with bartaco for 13 years, admits she once avoided pork altogether. That changed when she finally tasted the restaurant’s signature pork belly taco.

The menu offers plenty of other temptations, including sesame ribeye tacos with bulgogi marinade and kimchi cabbage, Baja fish tacos with chipotle slaw, and carne asada with avocado salsa. Vegetarian selections include cauliflower, falafel and mushroom tacos. Rice bowls, salads and street corn round out the offerings.

The kitchen prepares its meats, marinades and sauces from scratch, while cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks feature freshly squeezed juices. The restaurant also offers a “High Tide” happy hour with food and drink selections.

Haley is equally proud of the atmosphere. A mother herself, she appreciates restaurants where children are genuinely welcome. At bartaco, youngsters can enjoy coloring books, games and a children’s menu while parents relax.

“They’re allowed to be kids here,” she said.

The restaurant’s outdoor seating overlooks One Loudoun’s renovated park, where a seasonal ice-skating rink is planned. Haley envisions visitors stopping by after skating, meeting friends for dinner or simply enjoying an afternoon on the patio.

A short stroll away, Monkee’s of Loudoun offers an entirely different experience, one that owner Tonya Neff Klause has dreamed about for years.

After spending much of her career in technology, government marketing and public relations, Klause decided it was time to pursue her longstanding ambition of owning a fashion boutique.

The inspiration came during a visit to a Monkee’s boutique in Williamsburg. She loved the store’s atmosphere, designer collections and personalized service, and began exploring the possibility of opening one herself.

“If we don’t do it now, it’s not going to happen,” she recalled telling her husband.

Her new shop brings the Monkee’s concept to Loudoun County for the first time. The independently owned boutique carries designer clothing, shoes, handbags and accessories, with labels including Farm Rio, Milly, Hutch, Anna Cate and Favorite Daughter.

Among the eye-catching accessories are Italian leather handbags from La Femme Chateau. Klause is also bringing in additional seasonal fashions, including faux furs, and hopes to expand the boutique’s selection of denim and special-occasion clothing.

Her vision is to offer women something they might otherwise travel to Tysons, Reston or Georgetown to find, without sacrificing the individual attention that makes a small boutique special.

“You shouldn’t have to go to Tysons or Georgetown to find nice brands and to feel like you’re pampered a little bit,” she said.

Klause is still discovering what her customers love most, and that’s part of the enjoyment. She welcomes suggestions and expects the collections to evolve with the tastes and needs of Loudoun women.

She has also found a welcoming community among neighboring businesses. Monkee’s has already collaborated with Sephora on a beauty event, and other retailers and restaurants have contributed to special occasions at the boutique.

Klause believes that the growing sense of community among One Loudoun’s businesses benefits everyone, with neighboring retailers and restaurants finding opportunities to collaborate, support one another and contribute to the area’s success.

That spirit is precisely what One Loudoun hopes to encourage as it continues adding restaurants, independent boutiques, national retailers and gathering spaces.

For visitors, the appeal is considerably simpler. A little shopping, a leisurely lunch, perhaps a cocktail with friends—and the pleasant possibility of discovering somewhere new.

bartaco is located at 44695 Uptown Row Drive, and Monkee’s of Loudoun is at 20366 Exchange Street in One Loudoun, Ashburn. Both are now open.