As the county began to expand further north, Ichiban restaurant was ahead of the game– opening at what would later become a busy stretch of rt. 355 (637 N Frederick Ave) in Gaithersburg back in 1985. The restaurant survived for more than 35 years before closing in September 2021, but some of its most popular dishes can still be found nearby.
Ichiban specialized in Korean BBQ and sushi, and was known for its popular lunch buffet. The owners of the restaurant at the time it closed currently own two other restaurants just a few miles away that offer many of the items found on the Ichiban menu.
The restaurants are Aery Food and Ichiban Mikoshi Sushi, both located inside the LOTTE Market at 221 Muddy Branch Rd Gaithersburg. Menu items at Ichiban Mikoshi Sushi include the Spider Roll (Deep-fried soft-shell crab, avocado, cucumber, crab, tobiko) and the Flying Dragon (California roll, dressed in a half sheet of whole baked eel, eel sauce, crunch, and masago) while Aery features items like Jok Bal (Korean pig trotters cooked in soy and other spices, served with a salted shrimp paste) and Soon Dae (Sliced Korean blood sausage). Items from both restaurants can be ordered online here.