In October, we let you know that a new Korean barbecue restaurant signed on to take over the space previously occupied by Saffron Indian Cuisine at Woodmont Station in Rockville (1319 Rockville Pike). In February we let you know that the restaurant is Damso Korean BBQ, and the restaurant “soft opened” on Friday, April 14th. Current hours are 5pm-9pm daily. A sneak preview, courtesy of Damso Korean BBQ’s press shoot from last night can be seen in the video below:

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CrL-889gd0R/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=


Last May we let you know that Dickey’s Barbecue Pit would opening a new location in the recently renovated Montgomery Village Center, next to the upcoming Kobe Japan. The space is now listed as available again on the shopping center’s leasing website, indicating that Dickey’s will no longer be returning to MoCo. Kobe Japan appears to be ready to open soon and BooBoo Pho has recently opened on the other side.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit previously opened its second Maryland location in Montgomery County when it opened in Germantown in February 2013. The restaurant closed the following year and reopened under new management in July 2014 before closing permanently in early 2016. The first Maryland location was in Gambrills, but has since closed. Currently there are nearby locations in Pasadena, MD, two in Fairfax VA, and one in Alexandria VA. Featured photo courtesy of Google Maps.


A sister-and-brother chef team helm the kitchen at Koite Grill, which opened in Downtown Silver Spring in 2021. The Senegalese restaurant offers charcoal-grilled lamb dibi, chicken yassa, Senegal’s national dish, thieboudienne, which means “rice with fish”, and much more. Now, Koite Grill has added a food trailer known as Koite Grill Mobile owner Mamadou Koite, a graduate of Kennedy High School tells us.

The food trailer will be located at 2030 West Virginia Avenue NE DC from Thursday to Friday from 11am until 6:30pm, and will also be located at RFK stadium farmers market on Saturday from 11am until 6:30pm. “We offer the best best grilled lamb in the DMV.  The food trailer serves the lamb, the goat, and chicken. We also have salmon, steaks, shrimp, kabobs, and lamb chops.”


Pepino’s has been responsible for most of the parked cars you’ve seen at the Burtonsville Crossing Shopping Center the last few years.  Owners/sisters Patti Pignataro and Margaret Manley told us, “Every night’s a dinner party!” when we stopped by during our 2019 “tour of Burtonsville”. Sadly, Pepino’s has confirmed that Saturday, April 29th will be the last day of operations for the restaurant, as they won’t be around for the redevelopment of Burtonsville Crossing.

Originally located in the current Cuba de Ayer location, Pepino’s has been around since 1991. Patti and Margaret bought the restaurant in 2006. They’re the former owners of Umberto’s, which was located in the Cabin John Shopping Center in Potomac. The restaurant didn’t miss a beat and remained a staple in the Burtonsville community.


Last September we let you know that Mochinut, a restaurant that serves mochi donuts, Korean rice flour hotdogs, soft serve, and bubble tea drinks (menu available below), is coming to 838 Rockville Pike– inside the current location of Tea-Do. Tea-Do is a “contemporary tea house” that was on the early side of MoCo’s bubble tea explosion in recent years, opening in January of 2016. The grand opening was for Mochinut was originally scheduled for Saturday, April 15th at noon, but has been pushed back to Saturday, April 29th.

Mochinut offers mochi donuts, which is described as “a donut that originated from Hawaii which is a combination of American doughnuts and Japanese mochi.” Up to 25 different flavors are available, but flavors will vary by location. The Mochinut menu also consists savory treats in the form of Korean hotdogs and offers other sweet menu items like soft serve ice cream and bubble tea drinks.


Nosh Grill House, located at 11 N Washington Street in Rockville, is holding its soft opening this week. The restaurant, which offers contemporary Chinese-style bbq, is the neighbor and sister restaurant of East Grill Karaoke and East Dumpling House. Along with all-you-can-eat bbq, Nosh Grill House will offer karaoke. The soft opening begins on Monday, April 17th and runs Monday-Thursday from 5pm until 1am and Friday-Sunday from 5pm-2am. Full menu available below.

Per Nosh Grill House: “NOSH is a contemporary Chinese-style BBQ restaurant and karaoke bar that pays homage to traditional Northern Chinese food culture, while embracing neighboring countries’ influences, including Japan, Korea, and Russia. Forged with skill and passion, this family-owned restaurant has been a years-long journey in the making; the result is a welcoming, eccentric space with a boisterous bar and a 12-foot screen for karaoke, sporting events, and shows.


Permanent signage has been up for a few months at the upcoming Shake Shake location in Gaithersburg’s Kentlands neighborhood. A representative from the Potomac location previously let us know that the Kentlands location was scheduled to open at the end of April, but the burger chain has posted a notice on the door of its upcoming location stating that it will open on Wednesday, May 3 (photos below). Shake Shack has additional MoCo locations at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda and Cabin John Village in Potomac.

Background: On July 8, 2021, Shake Shack was granted approval for the construction of a 4,700 square foot building with outdoor seating as the second of three commercial infill sites totaling 16,000 square feet along Kentlands Square Place. The burger chain was granted its license to sell beer and wine on the premises during its Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) hearing on January 6th of 2022, and prepared to break ground in February. Construction began in March, but stalled after flooding that occurred over the summer. The approval was for the first of three infill sites was granted for the construction of a 2,100 square foot Starbucks building with drive through and outdoor seating. Starbucks opened in January of 2021, a little over two years ago.


Copper Canyon Grill (100 Boardwalk Place at Rio Lakefront) is requesting approval for a 1,012 square foot covered dining pier to be located in the RIO Lake. The Schematic Development Plan will add commercial as an allowed use on the RIO lake parcel. The restaurant currently has two locations in Montgomery County with the other in Downtown Silver Spring (928 Ellsworth Drive).

Per the City of Gaithersburg: The Joint Public Hearing is scheduled for Monday, May 1, 2023 in the City Hall Council Chambers at 31 South Summit Avenue. The public hearing is hybrid, where public comment can be accepted both in person or virtually. Further information may be obtained from the Planning and Code Administration, 31 South Summit Avenue between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, visiting the City’s website at www.gaithersburgmd.gov/meetings, or calling 301-258-6330. The final agenda is posted to the City’s meeting agenda website Friday before the scheduled meeting and includes all background material.  Any questions or comments on the application should be directed to the Planning Department at [email protected] or 301-258-6330Featured photo shows existing bridge at Rio Lakefront.


In October, we let you know that a new Korean barbecue restaurant signed on to take over the space previously occupied by Saffron Indian Cuisine at Woodmont Station in Rockville (1319 Rockville Pike). In February we let you know that the restaurant is Damso Korean BBQ, and now we know that the soft opening will be held on Friday, April 14th from 5pm-9pm.

Construction is complete and signage has been up for a couple months at the upcoming Korean bbq restaurant. A hearing with Montgomery County’s Alcohol Beverage Services (ABS) took place in March the restaurant is now ready to go. Saffron Indian Cuisine occupied the space from 2014 until it closed in May 2022.


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