Restaurants Archives - Page 203 of 339

Seneca Valley and Sherwood High School Students and Teachers Partner with CAVA to Create an Elegant Pop Up Restaurant in Potomac for One Night Only

Published January 19, 2023 at 8:55AM

Seneca Valley and Sherwood High School students have partnered with restaurant industry leaders to gain first-hand experience creating an elegant pop up restaurant for one night in Potomac. The event will be the culmination of months of planning between MCPS students, hospitality program teachers Melissa North and Lisa Gilbert, and the Foundation for Hospitality & Restaurant Managements’ (FHRM) Student Professional Development Committee.

“Success starts with a spark,” said Ted Xenohristos, Chief Concept Officer & Founder of CAVA, “And, we’re here to light the match!” The dinner is an opportunity for the students to experience firsthand the wide variety of activities necessary to stage a sophisticated experience—from social media and ticket sales to front-of-house management and heart-of-house hustle. With a team of CAVA chefs, the students will design, prepare and serve a four-course gourmet dinner at the Falls Road Golf Course Café on February 3, 2023.

RASA, a fast-casual Indian restaurant, Announces Spring Opening for First MoCo Location

By MCS Staff

Published January 18, 2023 at 8:44PM

In November we let you know that RASA, a fast-casual Indian restaurant with four locations in DC and Virginia, would be taking over the recently-closed Slapfish location at 12033 Rockville Pike in the Montrose Crossing shopping center. Since then, permanent signage has been installed and the restaurant announced Wednesday evening on Instagram that it will be opening this Spring (an exact date was not provided, post available below).

The restaurant, founded by Rahul Vinod and Sahil Rahman (combined to create the name, RASA), opened its first location in Navy Yard in 2017 before opening a location in Mt. Vernon Triangle in 2020, Crystal City in 2021, and Fairfax this past summer. The menu offers seven chef-curated bowls under the “We Got You” portion of the menu, that includes their signature bowls like the “Tikka Chance on Me”, “Open Sesame”, “Eat Your Veggies”, “Home Cooking”, “Goa Your Own Way”, “Aloo Need is Love”, and “Caul on Me” or the “You Got It” portion of their menu that allows customers to “DIY” and design their own bowl using the assembly line format of a base, main, sauce, veggies, toppings, and chutneys/dressings. The full menu can be seen here.

Ten Montgomery County Restaurants Currently Participating in Winter Restaurant Week

By MCS Staff

Published January 18, 2023 at 9:37AM

Winter Restaurant Week runs from January 16 to January 22, with ten Montgomery County restaurants participating. Founding Farmers, J. Hollinger’s, Lia’s, all three Matchbox locations, Morton’s, Spanish Diner, The Daily Dish, and Dish & Dram will be the participating MoCo restaurants. Per the Metropolitan Restaurant Week website:

“With some of the nation’s best know chefs, restaurateurs and rising culinary stars helming eateries in our region, Metropolitan DC is known for its restaurants. One of the most highly anticipated food-related programs in the region, Metropolitan Washington Restaurant Week is a week-long celebration of area restaurants and the diversity of world-class cuisine. For local diners, Restaurant Week is an opportunity to experience new flavors, explore restaurants in different neighborhoods or visit old favorites. For visitors to the area, it’s an opportunity to experience many of the best of our regional restaurants without breaking the bank.”

TaKorean to Take Over Recently Closed Nalley Fresh Location in Kentlands

By MCS Staff

Published January 16, 2023 at 5:11PM

TaKorean will be opening its first location outside of D.C. in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood, taking over the recently-closed Nalley Fresh location at 261 Kentlands Blvd. The restaurant offers Korean style tacos and bowls. No opening timeframe is available, as Nalley Fresh still needs to be cleaned out in order for TaKorean construction to begin.

The line-style restaurant was operating five locations at once, a few years back, but now there are just two TaKorean locations open in Washington, D.C. According to RestaurantDive, TaKorean is currently looking to open one restaurant at a time with future franchisees, and wants to ensure success at its initial franchise locations to create a strong base for a burgeoning franchise program. The company is open to multi-unit deals, but isn’t seeking them out. TaKorean is currently casting a wide net for potential markets, and once it sees brand recognition and franchisee interest in a particular market, it expects to build up that area, Lenard said. TaKorean is flexible on potential restaurant sizes, depending on a market’s real estate conditions.

Nalley Fresh Has Closed After 7+ Years in the Kentlands Neighborhood

By MCS Staff

Published January 15, 2023 at 6:36PM

Nalley Fresh has closed its Kentlands restaurant in Gaithersburg after just over 7 years in business at the location (261 Kentlands Blvd). Signage was taken down today, as seen in the featured photo by Michaela Belkin, and some contents of the restaurant were being cleared. We were told by those clearing the restaurant that this location has closed permanently. Nalley Fresh has nine additional locations across Maryland, but no others in Montgomery County.

About Nalley Fresh: After 20 years in the culinary business, Greg Nalley has finally become what he calls an overnight success. Although his path has been anything but direct, Nalley currently oversees an expanding empire in the Baltimore area. His eighth Nalley Fresh restaurant just opened its doors in Columbia and strong demand for the unique salads, bowls and wraps that the burgeoning chain offers has inspired plans for further expansion. But it is unlikely that any of it would have happened if the life-changing news Nalley received in 2001 had not inspired him to take the leap and pursue his longtime dream of running his own restaurant. “When I got that big dose of cancer, it brought a lot of things to light, a lot of things I was scared to do, like open my own place. I was fearful of that,” Nalley said.

Way Beyond MoCo: In-N-Out Announces “Eastern Territory Office”; Future Locations in Tennessee

By MCS Staff

Published January 11, 2023 at 7:52PM

In-N-Out Burger, California’s first “drive-thru” hamburger stand founded by Harry and Esther Snyder in 1948, announced intentions to open future restaurants in Tennessee with an Eastern territory office to be built in the city of Franklin. While the Nashville area isn’t very close to Maryland, the existence of an “Eastern territory office” could be the first steps towards potentially opening restaurants on the east coast. This will be the first In-N-Out restaurant west of the state of Texas.

“We are very excited to provide Tennesseans with our quality burgers, fries and shakes,” said Lynsi Snyder, In-N-Out owner, president and sole granddaughter of Harry and Esther. “In every decision I make, I always consider what my family would want. I have no doubt that my grandparents, dad and uncle would be proud of this decision to grow our Associate family and serve even more amazing Customers beginning in Nashville and the surrounding areas.”

Soulfull Cafe and Main Street Connect, a Rockville Inclusive Community and Cafe, Offering Ways to Give Back on MLK Day of Service, January 16

By MCS Staff

Published January 10, 2023 at 7:05PM

This year Soulfull Cafe and Main Street Connect, the inclusive community and café in downtown Rockville, are offering community members three ways to give back on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 16th: Writing cards to patients at Children’s National Medical Center; making dog toys for Lucky Dog Animal Rescue, and preparing a meal for Stepping Stones Shelter. Volunteers can write cards and make dog toys from 11 – 1 in the cafe. Main Street Members will also prepare meals that afternoon in Main Street’s “Poppy Boy’s Kitchen” (the meal preparation is open to Main Street Members only). Participants can register here.

Main Street Connect is the first community-oriented, affordable, accessible housing solution to redefine the concept of inclusion through membership and programming for people of all abilities. Our community is a culture of kindness, opportunity and possibility, improving quality of life for everyone. Main Street ismoving the needle for more inclusive communities across the nation.

Five MoCo Restaurants Featured in the Washington Post’s List of ‘The D.C. area’s 10 best casual restaurants of 2022’

By MCS Staff

Published January 10, 2023 at 6:59PM

The Washington Post releases a yearly list of its “Top 10 Best Casual Restaurants” in the D.C. and half of the most recent list is comprised of five Montgomery County restaurants. Casual restaurants usually share some of the following characteristics: Customers are served at their table, food offerings are moderately priced, atmosphere is low-key, and decor is often unique and based on the type of food served As a general rule, casual dining restaurants fall between fine dining and fast-casual on the dining spectrum. Below we take a look at the five MoCo restaurants that have made the list:

10. Pupuseria Mama Emilia (785 Rockville Pike Suite H, Rockville, MD): Pupuseria Mama Emilia opened in the Ritchie Center in January 2022. The new restaurant took over the location was formerly home to Dokiya Ramen and Pho 95. Pupuseria Mama Emilia comes to you from the owners of Pupuseria La Familiar, which has locations in Beltsville, College Park, Falls Church (Virginia), and Wheaton in MoCo and boast of Mama Emilia’s family recipe. The menu at the existing restaurants consists of a variety of beverages, Pupusas, soups, and a multitude of Salvadoran dishes.

Dunkin’ to Give Free Coffee and Breakfast Wraps to Blood Donors

By Patrick Herron

Published January 9, 2023 at 1:05PM

Dunkin’, which is in the process of adding several new locations in Montgomery County, is giving away Free coffee and “Wake-Up” wraps for American Red Cross donors as a part of National Blood Donor Month. Per Dunkin’: January is National Blood Donor Month, a time to recognize the importance of giving blood and platelets while honoring those who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need. To help drive awareness and blood donations this winter, Dunkin’ of the DMV is partnering with the American Red Cross to provide 20,000 coupons valid for (1) free Medium Hot or Iced Coffee and (1) free Egg & Cheese Wake-Up Wrap to blood donors in the region, redeemable at participating Dunkin’ restaurants throughout Maryland, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia.*

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass^® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

Shark Tank Featured ‘Cousins Maine Lobster’ Announces DMV Expansion

By MCS Staff

Published January 8, 2023 at 10:06AM

Cousins Maine Lobster, a food truck concept and provider of Maine lobster rolls, has announced an expansion into Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C, bringing six food trucks to the region over the next 18 months. Cousins Maine Lobster appeared in Shark Tank over a decade ago to help launch expansion and began franchising in 2014. The deal marks their first multi-unit franchise sale.

Yunus Shahul joined the Cousins Maine Lobster Franchise Family when he launched his first food truck in Connecticut in September 2018. Six months later, Shahul added a second truck dedicated to New York City. For expansion into the DMV market, Yunus will partner with his brother, Thameem. The brothers have worked together for the last four years as Yunus grew his operations in New York and southern New England. Yunus currently owns and operates five trucks across his territories.

KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot Moves Closer Toward Opening in Germantown

By MCS Staff

Published January 7, 2023 at 8:16AM

Last summer we let you know that KPot Korean BBQ & Hot Pot will be opening a second MoCo location, taking over the space that was previously occupied by Honey Pig at 19727 Frederick Rd #1337 in the Fox Chapel shopping center. Honey Pig closed permanently in November of 2021 after five years at the location. The restaurant, which is not owned by the same franchisee as the Rockville location, is moving closer towards opening as it has a hearing for a Class B, Beer, Wine & Liquor License at 11:30am on January 19th. An expected opening date is not yet available.

According to KPot, the restaurant was started by four friends from different backgrounds who decided to share their mixed cuisine over the same table. KPot combines traditional Asian hot pot with Korean BBQ flavors. Hot pot, also known as “soup-food” or “steamboat,” is a communal pot of simmering broth that is stuffed with raw ingredients like meat and vegetables to cook in the pot.