Shopping

Charleys Cheesesteaks Now Open in Aspen Hill

By Patrick Herron

Charleys Cheesesteaks opens today at 13617 Connecticut Ave. in the Aspen Hill shopping center. This is the third Charleys location to open this year in Montgomery County. Last month, Charleys opened inside of the Germantown Walmart at 20910 Frederick Rd, in the space formerly occupied by McDonald’s. In June, Charleys opened a location at 19877 Century Blvd in Germantown, in the space that was previously home to Roll by Goodyear and Yogi Castle in the Shops at Town Center & Century Station shopping center. Charleys has additional locations in Bethesda, Clarksburg, Gaithersburg, and Wheaton.

Charley’s now has over 600 stores nationwide. Newer locations have adopted a new menu concept, offering chicken wings and ice cream in addition to its Philly cheesesteaks. “Tossed-to-order, the wings are made with 10 chef-inspired flavors ranging from Angry Ghost and Nashville Hot to milder options like Zesty Lemon-Lime Rub and Sweet Teriyaki.”

Go to Charleys Cheesesteaks Now Open in Aspen Hill Read more

Taste of Kabab is Now Open in Rockville

By MCS Staff

Taste of Kabab, a new Halal restaurant, has opened at 765-E Rockville Pike in the Ritchie Center (Rockville). The restaurant has taken over the space that was previously home to CM Chicken/Gama Chicken.

Earlier this year, Choong Man (CM) Chicken rebranded to Gama Chicken & BBQ at 765 Rockville Pike #E. At the time a representative from the restaurant, which specialized in Korean style fried chicken, let us that they made the change in early 2023 and that you can still find many of the same or similar menu items. The restaurant closed earlier this summer.

Go to Taste of Kabab is Now Open in Rockville Read more

2023 Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival Takes Place This Saturday, September 23

By Patrick Herron

The 2023 Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival will take place this Saturday, September 23rd from 10am until 4pm at Rockville Town Square. The event is being held by Taiwan Sister Cities, an organization “dedicated to promoting, educating, and fostering intercultural understanding and cooperation among the people of the United States and the people of Taiwan.”

Participating vendors include Tiger Sugar, Cuppa Tea, ShareTea, Kyo Macha, Blowfish Poke & Grill, and more.

Go to 2023 Taiwan Bubble Tea Festival Takes Place This Saturday, September 23 Read more

Red Ribbon Bakeshop Opens This Weekend; First 20 Customers to Receive Free Cakes for a Year

By Patrick Herron

Red Ribbon Bakeshop, a Filipino bakery chain, is opening its new Wheaton location this Saturday, September 23 at 9am. The bakery is located at 2501 University Blvd W, right next to the Anchor Inn sign that still stands.

According to Red Ribbon, “COME EARLY and win One Year of Sweetness. The first 20 customers get Mango Supreme Cakes every month for an entire year. The first 100 customers on day 1 (Sep 23) and the first 50 on day 2 (Sep 24) who spend over $50, receive bundles of assorted mamon pastries FREE.”

Go to Red Ribbon Bakeshop Opens This Weekend; First 20 Customers to Receive Free Cakes for a Year Read more

Han Spot to Take Over Union Jack’s Space in Rio

By MCS Staff

Back in May we let you know that the owner of popular dim sum restaurants China Garden (Rockville) and Han Palace (Tysons, Woodley Park, Barracks Row) announced that she is bringing a new restaurant to Rio– taking over the space that was previously home to Union Jack’s until June 2020. It has now been confirmed by Rio that the restaurant will be known as Han Spot. 

Chris Zhu made the announcement via social media in May, “Another milestone. New baby from Han Palace coming to Rio Gaithersburg. Next to AMC theater & Guapo’s 🤗🤗🤗.” One of Zhu’s other restaurants, Han Palace, offers an all-day dim sum menu. Scallops, shrimp, pork/crab dumplings, rice rolls, barbecue pork buns, lobster sticky rice, Han-style filet mignon, and Peking duck are included on the Han Palace menu.

Go to Han Spot to Take Over Union Jack’s Space in Rio Read more

Opening Information for MoCo’s First Wiseguy Pizza

By Patrick Herron

Wiseguy Pizza will open it’s first Montgomery County location in the Wheaton Mall food court on Wednesday, September 20.  The restaurant will be located in the space that was previously occupied by Angel’s Pizza.  Wiseguy serves stone-deck oven baked pizza by the slice that’s made with imported ingredients from Italy, homemade sauces, and dough using a special water filtration system. Pizza options include Cheese, Pepperoni, Paneer Tikki (House Masala, Paneer, Mozzarella, Onions, Tomato, Green & Chili Peppers, Cilantro, Jalapeño Sauce), Nashville Hot Chicken, Chicken Parmesan, and Whitestone (Garlic, Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmigiano, Oregano, Oil from Tuscany Italy.)

Wise Guy currently has four locations across D.C. and Virginia and this will be its first Maryland store.  Thompson Hospitality Group, which is behind restaurants like Matchbox (Bethesda, Rockville, and Silver Spring locations in MoCo), Willie T’s Seafood Shack (Silver Spring), Austin Grill and American Tap Room (both previously in MoCo), acquired all Wiseguy locations in 2022. According to Wiseguy’s website, the restaurant is scheduled to open this summer.

Go to Opening Information for MoCo’s First Wiseguy Pizza Read more

Various MoCo Restaurants Included in Eater DC’s List of Most Anticipated Fall Restaurant Openings

By MCS Staff

Various MoCo restaurants that are anticipating fall openings have been included in Eater DC’s list of ‘Most Anticipated Fall Restaurant Openings.’ The upcoming Montgomery County restaurants included can be seen below:

Aventino Cucina and AP Pizza Shop (Bethesda): MoCo resident Chef Mike Friedman (Olney), Colin McDonough, Gareth Croke, and Mike O’Malley, the team behind DC restaurants All-Purpose Pizzeria, The Red Hen, and Boundary Stone Public House will be opening a new concept in Downtown Bethesda this November. Aventino and AP Pizza Shop will be located at 4747 Bethesda Ave. Additional information can be found here.

Go to Various MoCo Restaurants Included in Eater DC’s List of Most Anticipated Fall Restaurant Openings Read more

Restaurant Association of Maryland Releases Statement Strongly Opposing Proposed Bill to Increase Wages for Tipped Employees in Montgomery County and Eliminate Tip Credit

By Patrick Herron

A bill that would increase wages for tipped employees will be introduced at the Montgomery County Council meeting on Tuesday, September 19. Bill 35-23, County Minimum Wage – Tipped Employees would adjust the calculation of the minimum wage for tipped workers and phase out the tip credit amount under the Montgomery County’s minimum wage law. Currently, businesses are required to pay servers $4.00 per hour; if a server does not make the current minimum hourly wage ($15-16.70) per hour, employers are required to make up the difference.

A statewide tip credit repeal bill considered in the Maryland General Assembly failed to pass earlier this year because of strong restaurant industry opposition and scores of servers who urged lawmakers to reject it because they make significantly more money under the current tipping system. Like all workers, restaurant tipped employees must earn at least the full applicable minimum wage per hour in base wages plus tips. There is no subminimum wage for restaurant tipped employees. Under federal, state and local minimum wage laws, employers are required to make up any deficiencies if a tipped employee does not earn enough in base wages plus tips to make at least the full minimum wage.

Go to Restaurant Association of Maryland Releases Statement Strongly Opposing Proposed Bill to Increase Wages for Tipped Employees in Montgomery County and Eliminate Tip Credit Read more

Bill to Increase Wages for Tipped Employees in Montgomery County to be Introduced

By Patrick Herron

A bill that would increase wages for tipped employees will be introduced at the Montgomery County Council meeting on Tuesday, September 19. Bill 35-23, County Minimum Wage – Tipped Employees would adjust the calculation of the minimum wage for tipped workers and phase out the tip credit amount under the Montgomery County’s minimum wage law. Currently, businesses are required to pay servers $4.00 per hour; if a server does not make the current minimum hourly wage ($15-16.70) per hour, employers are required to make up the difference.

The bill’s lead sponsors are Councilmembers Will Jawando and Kristin Mink. Per Montgomery County, “The tip credit represents an amount of the minimum wage a worker is expected to receive in tips. The current amount of the credit is the hourly minimum wage minus four dollars or a lesser credit if the employee or representative of the employee satisfies the Executive Director of the Office of Human Rights that the employee receives a lesser amount in tips. The limit and phase-out of the tip credit would be staggered over multiple years as proposed in the legislation.”

Go to Bill to Increase Wages for Tipped Employees in Montgomery County to be Introduced Read more
View More Stories