Restaurants

Miss Toya’s Creole House Now Open in Silver Spring

By Patrick Herron

Miss Toya’s Creole House is now open at 923 Ellsworth Dr in Silver Spring. Menu items include Catfish & Grits, Garlic Butter Clams, Gumbo, Jambalaya, Oysters, Rib Eye, and Seafood Po Boy.  According to a post on the restaurant’s Instagram page, “Downtown Silver Spring, are you ready for the heat? Miss Toyas Creole House is finally open. It’s time for some great southern creole food, incredible drinks, friendly vibes, and a good time. Who’s ready? Miss Toyas is finally here. Let’s eat.”

Back in July we reported that Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen will be taking over the space recently occupied by BGR at 229 Boardwalk in Rio. We’re told the Rio location will be a fast-casual restaurant, while Miss Toya’s Creole Kitchen in Downtown Silver Spring is full-service (wait staff, etc.).

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Hangry Joe’s Travilah Square Opening Pushed Back to Monday, August 15

By MCS Staff

The first announced Hangry Joe’s in MoCo (Wheaton already opened, but was announced later) will now open in the Travilah Square shopping center on Monday, August 15 Saturday, according to a sign placed on the front door. The sign previously stated that the restaurant would open on Saturday, August 13z

Back in December 2021, we let you know that Hangry Joe’s would be coming to the 1,600 sf location that was previously home to El Mexicano at 10050 Darnestown Road, between Pholuscious and Tropical Smoothie Cafe in the Travilah Square Shopping Center. Since then, a Wheaton location was announced and has already opened. Construction began at the Travilah location this past spring and signage was recently erected at the upcoming Nashville-style fried chicken restaurant earlier this summer. Additional locations are planned for Rockville Pike and Montgomery Village.

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Duck Donuts in Gaithersburg Has Closed Permanently

By MCS Staff

Duck Donuts has closed its Gaithersburg location after operating for just over five years. This morning we were informed by reader Emily Siok that the store was closed with everything (including store hours, etc.) removed form the door. While a direct link to the Gaithersburg store is still available on the Duck Donuts website, it no longer shows up in location searches within the website. A call to the Rockville location confirmed that the store has closed permanently.

Duck Donuts opened in April 2017 at 511 Quince Orchard Rd in Gaithersburg. It was the second Montgomery County location, opening a little more than a year after the Rockville location opened in early 2016 at 1327 Rockville Pike. We are told there are no plans to close the Rockville location.

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Firepan Korean BBQ Scheduled to Open Next Month

By MCS Staff

Back in April of 2021, we let you know that Firepan KBBQ started construction at the old Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza location at 962 Wayne Avenue Suite L-B in Downtown Silver Spring. Firepan had its Montgomery County ABS alcohol license hearing on November 4, 2021 previously announced an August 1st, 2022 opening date on its website. That date was recently changed to Mid-September, according to the website (previously reported by Source of the Spring).

Per its website, Firepan KBBQ offers a varied KBBQ menu, including both unmarinated and marinated meats, seafood, vegetarian selections like kimchi pancakes, and more adventurous options like beef intestines. The restaurant opened its first location at 6793 Wilson Blvd #c in Falls Church, VA in the first half of 2019. They offer appetizers, meat & grill options, combos, lunch specials, and all-you-can-eat options that range from $24.99 per person to special options for up to $69.99 for 2 people.

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Colony Grill, A Popular New England Hot Oil Pizza Spot, is Coming to MoCo

By MCS Staff

Colony Grill, a popular Connecticut Pizza restaurant offering “bar pies”, is expanding into Maryland with its upcoming location at Cabin John Village in Potomac. Just under two years ago, the New England-style hot oil bar pizza spot opened a nearby location in Arlington (2800 Clarendon Blvd). We are told the menu is simple- Drinks on one side and pizza/toppings on the other. Pizzas range from $10.50 to $13.50, according to the Arlington location’s menu.

According to a Store Reporter report, Colony Grill will have:

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Lone Oak and Carmen’s Team Up To Offer ‘TIPSY POPS’ Starting Friday at the Olney Brewery

By MCS Staff

“We wanted to create a COOL collaboration with a great, long-standing local business – and chose Carmen’s for the fabulous products there,  as well as the owner’s (Jason Mandler) dedication to the community.” a representative from the brewery told us.

Carmen’s Italian Ice started when New Jersey native Jason Mandela wanted to introduce homemade gourmet Italian Ice to the Washington DC area. It has operated in Montgomery County for over 20 years, opening its Rockville location at 1115 Nelson St. in 2001. A second location opened in Olney in 2021 at the former Rita’s location at 3233 Spartan Rd.

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Beyond MoCo: NoVa Cookout Expected to Open By the End of The Summer

By MCS Staff

Back in May 2021, we let you know that fast food chain Cook Out is coming one step closer to us, as a new location was expected to open at 8502 Centreville Road in Manassas Park. The location, which was formerly home to a Roy Rogers, is now almost fully-staffed and expected to open by the end of the summer, a representative told us.

In 2020, the MoCo Show made the 60 mile trek down to Fredericksburg, VA to visit the areas closest Cook Out location. We left Gaithersburg, located in the approximate center of MoCo, at 6:14pm and arrived an hour and twenty minutes later, at 7:34pm. The Manassas Park location is a little over 30 miles from the center MoCo, about half the distance of Fredericksburg. There is a location in Salisbury, but that is further than both of Virginia locations mentioned.

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Signage Up at The Scoop

By Patrick Herron

Permanent signage has been installed at The Scoop (7909 Tuckerman Ln, Potomac), the former Baskin-Robbins location in Cabin John Village. The creamery is being opened by Timothy and Mitch Ryoo, Potomac natives and Winston Churchill High School Graduates (2010 and 2006).  They are hoping to have The Scoop open by next weekend.

The Scoop will feature 24-30 permanent flavors and 8-10 seasonal options. All of the ice cream is made in house with natural ingredients, staying away from products like simple syrup.  The owners tell us they are working with local distributors and are in talks with local farms to purchase ingredients from. The Scoops plans to stay open later than their competitors (11pm) as they want to be known as a late-night dessert destination. The Scoop will offer ice cream cones, cups, and milkshakes, as well as Italian ice and dairy free ice cream. They also plan to eventually serve gelato.

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Biryani Joint Has Taken Over Former Royal Indian Cuisine Space in Burtonsville

By MCS Staff

Biryani Joint is now open at 15504 Old Columbia Pike in Burtonsville. A few weeks back, Biryani Joint took over the location that was formerly home to Royal Indian Cuisine, which closed after an approximate 7-year run earlier this summer.

Biryani Joint offers “30 exotic flavors of Biryanis”– a spiced mix of meat and rice, traditionally cooked over an open fire in a leather pot, that’s combined in different ways with a variety of components to create a number of unique flavor combinations. Also included on the menu are a variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian traditional Indian soups and appetizers, entrees, and Inso-Chinese dishes, desserts, and drinks. Per the restaurant: “If you’re looking for an irresistible Indian meal, look no further than BiryaniJoint restaurant. We are known for delicious biryani dishes, which are sure to tantalize your taste buds. From chicken to shrimp, we have wide a variety of biryanis to choose from.the restaurant’s atmosphere is warm and inviting, making it the perfect spot to enjoy a delicious meal with family and friends.”

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Remembering Shakey’s Pizza Parlor

By Patrick Herron

Known for their pizza, mojo potatoes, and game rooms, Shakey’s Pizza Parlor is fondly remembered by many MoCo residents over the age of 30. The restaurant was popular with both children and adults as parents could drink pitchers of beer while the kids played Pac-Man or watched the chefs prepare pizza through their open kitchen.  As the first franchise pizza chain in the United States, the company expanded to as many as 500 stores worldwide at the height of it’s popularity. Shakey’s had multiple locations in Montgomery County in the 70’s and 80’s, including in Gaithersburg on Bureau Dr. and in Rockville on the pike.

The company was founded in 1954 by Sherwood “Shakey” Johnson and Ed Plummer in Sacramento, CA. According to wikipedia, Johnson’s nickname resulted from nerve damage following a bout of malaria during World War II. After multiple ownership changes in the 80’s, most of the U.S. locations were closed by the early 1990’s.  Currently you can only find Shakey’s in California (47 locations) and Washington state (2 locations). Who’s up for a road trip to the West Coast?

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