Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, the closure of two popular Bethesda businesses takes center plate. One meat: Bethesda tea shop Zen Tara Tea is shutting down operations later this month, citing the sluggish economy, disruptive construction nearby and the loss of nearby parking as the main reasons for closing up shop, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch reported. Nearby, Ri Ra, an Irish pub in downtown Bethesda, will close in early September. "The popular gathering spot, which opened 10 years ago, is not …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, a kosher dairy bakery takes center plate. One meat: The Costco that opened earlier this month at the Wheaton mall includes a kosher dairy bakery, Wheaton Patch reported. What makes Costco's bakery different from the other kosher bakeries in the area is that it is dairy, instead of pareve. Pareve baked goods, because they are prepared without dairy or meat, can then be eaten at a meal with either dairy or meat, under kosher guidelines. "Following the same rules, …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, awards for Montgomery County restaurants take center plate. One meat: "Rockville restaurateurs were embraced by the glitterazzi of Maryland foodies on Monday night," Rockville Patch reported. Three Rockville restaurants won awards at the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Fire & Ice awards gala, Bethesda Magazine reported: Quench won the award for favorite new restaurant. Jeff Eng, chef of Clyde’s Tower Oaks, was named chef of the year. Chef Geoff’s won wine and…

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, a cookie shop closure takes center plate. One meat: If a mouse gets a cookie... that mouse could close down the bakery. The owner of Bethesda's Cookies by Design cookie shop has had her franchise agreement revoked because of a WUSA9 report on a mouse infestation at the bakery, the station reported. Cookies by Design National President Jack Long told WUSA9 he revoked the owner's franchise following the report, saying he was "appalled that an owner could allow this …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, a new noodle and dumpling bar in Silver Spring takes center plate. One meat: The family behind Washington, DC, restaurants Jenny's Asian Fusion and Scion is testing a new food concept in Silver Spring: NaiNai, a casual noodle and dumpling bar at 1200 East-West Highway, Silver Spring Patch reported. The restaurant, which is connected to Scion's second location, will offer a variety of handmade dumplings, including pork, seafood, chicken and veggie. NaiNai also will…

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, the shuttering of an iconic Gaithersburg restaurant takes center plate. One meat: Gaithersburg's Roy's Place has shuttered its doors for good, Gaithersburg Patch reported.  In December, Patch reported that Roy’s Place—once home to a dizzying array of more than 200 sandwiches—was seeing its business “dying off a little bit” and would cut its hours. "Roy’s was obviously one of Olde Towne’s signature establishments," Gaithersburg Economic Development Director Tom …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, a Connecticut-style pizza restaurant's upcoming opening in Silver Spring takes center plate. One meat: The wait for an authentic taste of Connecticut pizza in Montgomery County will continue for a few more weeks, Silver Spring Patch reported. Joel Mehr, one of three owners of Pete's New Haven Style Apizza, said he's now shooting for a June 1 opening for his company's fourth location. The Silver Spring location, near the intersection of Georgia Avenue and Wayne …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, a popular DC restaurant's plans to open a second location in Silver Spring take center plate. One meat: The popular Scion Restaurant in Dupont Circle, DC, will open a second location this spring at 1200 East-West Highway in downtown Silver Spring.  "Scion will be quite similar to what we have in Dupont as far as the menu is concerned," owner Joanne Liu told Silver Spring Patch. It'll be brunch, lunch and dinner with a focus on American craft beers—at least 12 on …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, Montgomery County's growing recognition as a dining destination takes center plate. One meat: As we all know, DC's suburban food scene frequently outshines that of DC itself. But getting District-dwellers to dine out in the 'burbs is another story. Eater DC's special guide to dining in Wheaton should help with that. Tim Ebner reported that: [Wheaton is] a neighborhood strewn together by small businesses, many serving cheap, authentic and simple food. Walk a few …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "Foodie News." This week, DC Restaurant Week participants announce extensions, Chevy Chase loses a favorite coffee shop, a Bethesda favorite re-opens its doors and more. ************ Does America’s worst cook live in Montgomery County?  Sunday’s season premier of Food Network’s “Worst Cooks in America” – matching TV cameras with culinary ineptitude – may show just that. Rasheeda Brown of Germantown will compete with 13 other kitchen clods for a $25,000 grand prize and the title of being the best—of …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, best of lists top headlines, a loving ode to a Wheaton institution, mapping area CSAs and more.   Wheaton Patch published an ode to a longtime favorite Italian eatery, Marchone's Italian Specialties in Wheaton – where authentic food and friendly service inspire decades of loyalty from customers. “A deep affection for Italian tradition is evident from the moment you pass under the red, green and white awning and enter Marchone's Italian Specialties in Wheaton,” Patch …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, DC gets a pat on the head from NYC, a Bethesda Hooters-style restaurant gets a strange makeover and locals say goodbye to a decades-old local grocery chain. Washington, DC, finally may have the cultural acknowledgments it has so longed for from New York City. The New York Times recently released its list of the top 46 places to visit in 2013 worldwide, and sitting among tropical getaways and exotic locales is Washington, DC—but the reason DC makes the list might surprise…

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, the closure of a popular Bethesda steakhouse takes center plate: One Meat: Unsuccessful rental negotiations caused Divino Lounge—an Argentinian steakhouse in Bethesda—to close its doors for good, Bethesda Patch reported. After 10 years, the popular restaurant has vacated its Wisconsin Avenue location, and a "for rent" sign hangs above the space. Divino's owners had this to say about the closure on the restaurant's website. The restaurant's message ended on a …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, a new restaurant in Bethesda takes center plate: One Meat: 100 Montaditos, an international restaurant chain, will open in the Bethesda space previously occupied by Green Papaya, Bethesda Magazine reported. Inspired by typical Spanish taverns, 100 Montaditos serves small sandwiches on crunchy rolls with fillings including Serrano ham and tomatoes, grilled chicken and Iberico cheese, and shrimp with guacamole, the magazine added. Read more on Bethesda Magazine …