Flor De Luna announced today that it will be closing its doors after five years in Rockville/North Bethesda.
The Peruvian/Tex-Mex restaurant will be closing on Friday, July 23rd. It is located at 11417 Woodglen Drive, in the same
shopping center as Quincy’s South.
The following message was posted on the restaurant’s social media earlier today:
“After 5 years since we first opened our doors, it saddens us to inform that this Friday, July 23rd we will be closing our doors permanently.
We would like to thank everyone who visited us and was part of this 5 years project.
We take with us all the wonderful memories and fond moments made with new and old friends alike.
Thank you all for allowing our family be part of yours. God bless”
Featured photo courtesy of Flor De Luna
Mr. Wish is Opening First Maryland Location in Rockville
Mr. Wish, a fresh fruit beverage and bubble tea shop, is coming to Congressional Plaza in Rockville– taking over the location that was formerly home to Honeyfish Poke in Congressional Plaza.
Marketed as the “Number 1 fresh fruit tea brand in Taiwan,” Mr. Wish was established in Taichung, Taiwan in 2006 by a team comprised of professionals with years of tea beverage Research & Development experiences, specializing in creative bubble teas and fruit beverages, according to the Mr. Wish website.
“Mr. Wish started the journey from Central Taiwan and expanded its footsteps to Northern and Southern Taiwan. After years of efforts and market cultivation, Mr. Wish has become the No. 1 fresh fruit tea beverage brand in Taiwan and gained popularity among consumers.”
With its U.S. headquarters in Philadelphia, PA, Mr. Wish currently has shops in PA, NY, NJ, DE, VA, GA, TX, CA, and WA. The Rockville location will be the first in Maryland.
Featured photo courtesy of @MrWish_Rockville
Playa Bowls is Coming to Gaithersburg
Playa Bowls (Açaí Bowls, Pitaya, Coconut Bowls, smoothies, etc.) opened its first store just over 6 years ago in the Jersey Shore and has since expanded to almost 100 locations.
This afternoon we spoke with Brad Riddle, a broker at Greater Potomac Realty (a commercial real estate company with offices in Gaithersburg and Kensington), who let us know of Playa Bowls fourth MoCo location, coming soon to Gaithersburg, at the Potomac Valley shopping center in the location that was recently home to Subway (12193 Darnestown Rd).
Greater Potomac Realty has been working with Playa Bowls on opening multiple locations in the DC area. Recently they have opened in Fairfax, VA (Mosaic District), Potomac, MD (Cabin John Village), Kensington (Knowles Station) and most recently in Olney (Fair Hill).
We don’t have an opening date, but will let you know as soon as we do.
Featured photo courtesy of @PlayaBowls
The founders of Cava, Cava Mezze, and Julii are bringing their newest concept to Pike & Rose and they’re currently working hard to try to open in September (a couple photos of the progress can be seen below).
Melina will open in the 909 Rose office building across from REI.
Back in January, we interviewed Chef Dimitri Moshovitis about Melina, a new Greek restaurant opening in Pike & Rose this April or May. Chef D, as he’s affectionately called, is one of the founders along with Ted Xenohristos and Ike Grigoropoulos–the same team responsible for Cava, Cava Mezze, and Julii.
According to Chef D, the inspiration behind Melina is the desire to share traditional Greek recipes and techniques, but with a creative spin. Moshovitis also explained that after years in the restaurant industry, he has seen how Greek cooking has evolved and he wanted a new opportunity to showcase modern Greek cuisine. The time to start a new venture felt right when he met Chef Aris Tsekouras, owner of Microwheat Bakery. Dimitri felt inspired by Aris’ ideas and thought that they could create wonderful things together.
Melina is named after Moshovitis’ daughter, but the restaurant symbolically represents and celebrates all the women in a family– moms, grandmas, sisters, daughters. The name Melina carries another meaning for people who understand Greek– meli means honey, which is the reason why their logo has a bee in the design.
Chef D shared examples of the thought and care that goes into all of the dishes. The team spends a lot of time on R&D taking the Greek flavors that they grew up with and “flipping them on their head”, all the while still maintaining the integrity of the original dish. For example, they took a traditional Bougatsa (dessert with phyllo and custard) and flipped it by flavoring the custard with tonka bean and adding hot greek coffee, chocolate caramel, and cinnamon ice cream to the dish. Moshovitis is also particularly proud of and excited about Melina’s bread program. All bread and pastries will be baked in-house, thanks to Chef Aris’ expertise and experience.
In addition to the food, Moshovitis is excited about the design of the restaurant. It will be soft, feminine, strong, and colorful. The dishes that they’re serving will echo that same femininity, strength, and vibrancy. The kitchen will be open and visible to diners, which will allow patrons to feel the intimacy of being in someone’s home while they’re cooking for you.
The team decided on Pike & Rose because “that neighborhood is awesome.” The team has had a great experience with Julii in that area, and they love how the Pike & Rose community embraces interesting and unique concepts.
Chef D and the rest of the team cannot wait to share what they’ve been working on when they open and they want everyone to know that “everything we’ve done has really come straight from the heart.”
The featured photo shows Melina’s bougatsa.
RanKen Noodle House (Kentlands) Sets Grand Opening Date
Back in February we spoke with the owner the new Kentlands restaurant and we were told they hoped to open by the end of March.
After a few construction issues, the restaurant recently wrote on its Facebook page that it will hold its Grand Opening on June 18th and may have a soft opening earlier if they’re able to.
The restaurant is located in the new paseo, between Berries & Bowls and MOD pizza, at 133 Commerce Square Place.
RanKen will offer ramen, udon, soba, and rice dishes as well as skewers, bento boxes, and more, according to its online menu. Photos of the menu that were posted on the restaurant’s Facebook page can be seen below.
No word yet on openings dates for the other upcoming restaurants in the Kentlands neighborhood.
Progress at Popeyes in Briggs Chaney
Back in November 2020 we let you know that Popeyes will be taking over the old Pizza Hut location in the Briggs Chaney shopping center (13886 Old Columbia Pike).
The old Pizza Hut was demolished and cleared back in March. The photos below show the recently erected frame of the new Popeyes. We expect the restaurant to continue to make progress over the summer and could possibly be ready to open in the last quarter of the year.
Popeyes has recently expanded within MoCo, recently opening up a location in the Kentlands and planning to open a new location in Downtown Silver Spring.
The Briggs Chaney shopping center is an interesting selection for the fried chicken chain, as local chain Hip Hop Fish & Chicken arrived at the same shopping center over a year ago.
Hug Lounge Opens Today in Downtown Silver Spring
Hug Lounge is opening today at 10am at 949 Bonifant St. in Downtown Silver Spring, in the former Pennyworth Thrift Shop location.
The restaurant will serve Ethiopian cuisine and remain open late night as a lounge.
Hours of operation, per Google, are as follows:
Their first event will be an “All White Affair at Day Lit” on Saturday, 5/29 from 4pm-10pm, where attendees are asked to wear white clothing. Table and bottle service is currently being offered for this event.
Photos courtesy of the Hug Lounge website.
Zao Stamina Ramen to Open on Wednesday, May 26th
Zao Stamina Ramen is opening on May 26th at 7345 Wisconsin Avenue Unit B, in the former Yuzu Japanese Dining location in Bethesda.
The menu consists of eight different types of ramen with a variety of add-ons and three different appetizers. They will be available for dine-in and carry-out via phone call or DoorDash.
Zao’s hours are 11AM to 10PM every day, but closed on Tuesdays.
Per the restaurant’s website:
“ZAO is a family-run ramen shop that has been a long time in the making. It all began 25 years ago with the patriarch and head chef, Myo Htun, when he began working at a small ramen shop in Tokyo, Japan. While working, Myo spent years working hard and developing recipes to ensure they were the absolute top notch.
His wife, Thida Naing, who holds extensive and varied experience from her time working in Japan, including classical French cuisine, different pastry techniques, as well as expertise in both Japanese and Chinese cuisine has been part of Myo’s ramen journey as well.
It’s no surprise that their son, Payesone Myatmon, grew up eating and loving ramen, followed in their footsteps by becoming a chef. A Culinary Institute of America graduate, he specializes in modern culinary techniques which gives a twist to his father’s traditional styled ramen. He brings fresh eyes and a modern approach to classic.
Six years ago, they began managing and operating Chaplin’s, a ramen shop and neighborhood favorite, but this family of chefs is ready to own their own restaurant. By using different techniques from across the world, hundreds of recipes developed, and three different chefs working with nearly three decades of experience between them, ZAO is set to impress.“
Colada Shop Opens MoCo Location This Friday, 4.23.21 (Cabin John Village)
Colada Shop will open its first MoCo location this Friday, April 23 at 7993 Tuckerman Lane in Cabin John Village, taking over the location that used to be home to Le Pain Quotidien.
Sarah McNeary, Marketing and Community Director for Colada Shop, confirmed the opening date earlier this evening.
The Cuban cafe serves coffee, cocktails, food, and conversation. The menu offers croquetas, empanadas, a wide variety of coffee, cocktails, and other treats.
Per the Colada Shop website, it’s a “lively spot where the colors are as vibrant as the flavors. Share in the Cuban way to start and end the day. At Colada Shop we bring people together by transporting them into a space where conversation is flowing, strong coffee is brewed, food & cocktails are made with the flare of Cuban flavor and life. Coladas and conversation go hand in hand. Reach for a cup. Stay for a snack. Order a drink. We are committed to providing quality products, excellent service, and unparalleled hospitality to our patrons.
This is how Cuba does coffee.
This is how Cuba does food.
This is how Cuba does cocktails.
This is how Cuba does social.”
Firepan Korean BBQ is Coming to Downtown Silver Spring
Firepan KBBQ has started construction at the old Pete’s New Haven Style Pizza location at 962 Wayne Avenue Suite L-B in Downtown Silver Spring.
Per their 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.
No word yet on an expected opening date, as it’s pretty early in the construction phase with a lot of changes to be made.
Featured photo courtesy of Firepan KBBQ
4/15 Update: An employee of the Arlington location has told us that the Downtown Silver Spring reopening has been delayed approximately two weeks.
Kaldi’s Social House to Reopen Tomorrow (Thursday, 4/15/21)
Kaldi’s Social House in Downtown Silver Spring has been closed for remodeling, but will reopen tomorrow, according to a post on its social media.
The remodeling will include “the roof raised and enclosed, replacing the louvered roof that was in place, with soundproofing and insulation partly due to Thayer and Spring apartment residents being unhappy with the noise coming from the rooftop,” according to Source of the Spring.
Kaldi’s, which is located on 918 Silver Spring Ave., is a popular coffee house that also serves food and alcohol in its two locations (second location in Arlington).
Below you’ll see a couple rendering of the new enclosed roof, courtesy of Kaldi’s website. In addition to the remodeling, the restaurant will also be returning with a brand new menu.
