Bethesda Community Store expansion

Bethesda Community Store porch

 

Call Your Mother moved out of the parking lot of Bethesda Community Store ("Browns") a while ago. For some time the lot was empty with a fence around it, but now they are expanding the original building. Now the building is being significantly expanded. The new version will be over double the size of the old. (Of course, the old building was really, really small)

The wood flooring and supports for the front porch are being replaced.  There isn't very much left of the original building. 

 

Expanding Browns

The original building is just the porch and the left section.  They took out the walls on both sides (and the back I believe) leaving only the floor, front wall, porch, and roof as original.  The rest is entirely new.

The lot

 The store is situated on the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Greentree Road (incidently, Latitude 39 degrees runs through the parking lot). Here is the lot as seen from the parking lot entrance on Greentree Road. Picnic tables and a shed are at the back right and the store is back left. The part with a white roof is all new construction.

Browns from across Greentree

Here is the view from across Greentree road. The black clad construction fence obscures most of what is going on.

As a kid my parents would sometimes take me to Browns to get lunch. I always got a Ham, Lettuce, and Tomato on Rye, it was the best. The store seemed really small even (and it had gray trim, not red). It was really just the deli counter, some snacks, and the cash register.  That version of the store has been long gone and the building has been unused since 2016, Call Your Mother deli had a food truck/trailer in the parking lot starting in 2020 but that's it.
 

No Calling your Mother?

 

Have you noticed the Call Your Mother truck at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Greentree Road is gone?  It isn't on their list of locations either so I don't think it is coming back. Co-incidentally, there is now a location in Platt Park / South Pearl Denver Colorado that looks just like the one that used to be here. 

The new Call Your Mother in Bethesda

 

The Call Your Mother trolly on the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Greentree Road in Bethesda, MD has been replaced with a new, much larger, trailer.  The same pastel colors are there but the difference is immediately obvious. When you first see it, all that is visible is a large blank pink wall.

Here's how it looks if you are traveling North on Old Georgetown Road.

The front of Call Your Mother.  Although from the perspective of the road, it is the back.  They open the shutters when they are open for business.

The Old Trolley

The Call Your Mother trolley is back in the corner of the lot. It is much smaller and more cramped than the new food trailer, but it looks a lot nicer and has more character.

I must admit, I'm not a big fan of this change, but I'm open to hearing what you think.

The view from Hip Flask in Downtown Bethesda

 

The new Marriott hotel at 7707 Woodmont Avenue in Downtown Bethesda, MD is open and on the roof they have a bar called Hip Flask.  It was fairly crowded when i got there and they soon started limiting the number of people so by the time I left there was a line of people waiting to come up.

The have a bunch of nice looking cocktails and interesting appetizers but I found their beer selection to be fairly weak. There is an inside portion and and outside portion, I focused on the outside part.

What I was really interested in was the view, and it did not disappoint.  Because of where the sun was, I couldn't get a good picture looking west so all these pictures are looking east.  There wasn't good visibility to the north or south because building blocked the view.

From the roof-top bar you can see the LDS Temple just to the right of the Marriott HQ building (Surrender Dorothy).

I brought a camera that let me zoom in on downtown Silver Spring, do you recognize any of these buildings?  I really like the balloon mural towards the right of the picture.

Chop't Salads is open in Bethesda

Chop't salads just opened in the Wildwood Shopping Center on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda, MD.  They specialize in salads, after you choose which one you want off the menu (or build your own) they assemble it right in front of you, then spread it out and chop it up.  This well-mixed salad is what goes into your bowl.

I went their on Wednesday, the opening day, and tried the Cobb salad [670 calories, $9.49] (and the person I went with got the Palm Beach Shrimp salad [240 calories, $9.99] so I got to try that too).  Both were quite good, the bacon on the cobb was cut into very small pieces, but was thick and crisp.

There were some things that stood out in comparison to other salad chains.  The first thing that I noticed was that the salads on the menu didn't all have sweet stuff in them.  I don't really like sweet salad toppings, so this is appreciated.  They also have a large selection of salad dressings, with calorie counts. They also ask you if you want the dressing put on light, regular, or heavy so you don't end up with a salad swimming in dressing if you don't want it. They have some unusual seasonal salads that are only on the menu for a short time, right now there is some sort of thanksgiving dinner salad and several others.

Too bad they have a stupid flash website instead of a real one.

Matuba Sushi Restaurant

I've been by Matuba many times, but hidden in the back of this unassuming restaurant is a all you can eat sushi bar with a sushi conveyor!

 At the sushi bar a continuously refreshed stream of sushi comes trundling by.  The sushi is made right in front of you.  Occasionally they bring out non-sushi food like chicken teriyaki, and edamame.

  It's all you can eat so take as much as you want. I piled up a couple of stacks of plates

I've never eaten at a sushi bar with a conveyor so, but I was pleased and want to go back.  Matuba is located at 4918 Cordell Avenue Bethesda, MD

Coming Soon to Bethesda!

There are a few new stores coming to Bethesda, MD in the coming weeks and months.  Here are some that I have noticed.

 Irons Fitness is coming directly above the Safeway.  This will be super convenient for people living in the apartment building there or across the skywalk.  They claim to be "Bethesda's Premier Personal Training Studio" but since there not open yet I don't see how that can be true.  Sounds like a typical marketing lie to me.

 Jettie's is opening a location in Bethesda right at Veteran's park next to BGR.  Some of those sandwiches look really good, I'll have to try it.

Parva Latin Fusion Restaurant & Lounge is coming to the spot where Anseethi was on Woodmont Avenue, right around the corner from Jettie's.

Recent additions to Bethesda, MD

In the past month or two there have been a number of new stores that have opened  in Bethesda, MD.  Here are a sampling of some of them.

 First, we have Pizzaria Da Marco on Woodmont Avenue.  It's claim to fame is wood-fired pizzas and the oven is so hot that it only takes 90 seconds to cook them. (I timed one, it actually took less than 90 seconds.)

 In the same building but facing Cordell Avenue is LA Boxing.

 Cordell Avenue is also home to Freddy's Lobster + Clams.

I'm not sure if this is a new restaurant or just a name change (I suspect the latter).  What was Brooklyn's Pizzaria is now Red Tomato Pizzaria.  It is on Old Georgetown Road near the big 5 way intersection.

Lunching at Geste in Bethesda

Not quite two weeks ago, Geste Wine & Food opened on 4801 Edgemoor Ln in Bethesda, MD right next to the Chipotle.  I'd been looking forward to it since their menu seems perfect for lunch.  Just enough variety that they aren't a one trick pony but not so much that they can't do anything well.

I've been there twice so far.  The first time I got the Chicken Pummaro Panini, it was very good and filling.  Sliced chicken, fresh mozzarella, fresh tomatoes, fresh basil, and pesto sauce.  I think it could have stood another minute on the panini grill, but I had to get it to go so it could have cooled off a bit before I ate it.

The next time I got the 10 inch Caprese pizza.  It is a white pizza with fresh mozzarella, prosciutto, tomatoes, and basil.  The mozzarella and basil are added after it comes out of the oven and the coldness of that goes with the warmth of the pizza.  This pizza was really, really good I'm looking forward to getting it again.  10 inches of pizza is a lot and I had a bit of trouble finishing it all, I could easily have saved the last quarter of it for another meal.

They also have a limited selection of wine by the glass and have bottles of wine and beer.  It looks like they are still filling out their wine selection.

 

There isn't alot of seating there, I counted 7 tables but some of them were pushed next to each other.  When the weather gets warmer the outside tables that are shared with Chipotle will be a welcome option.

Coming Soon: Geste Food and Wine

Another Food and Wine place is about to open in Bethesda, MD. Geste' Food and Wine will be offering Beer & Wine to go, with a Cafe offering Pizza, Salads and Sandwiches. This looks like it will be a neat little place to have lunch, the menu includes Pizzas (white, Chicken Al Pesto, Margherita, Caprese and others), Salads (Calamaportebello, Arugola, Greek, etc) and Paninis (Chicken Pummaro, Prosciutto & Mozzarella, Calabria Turkey, etc). This looks interesting and I can't wait till it opens so I can try it.

4801 Edgemoor Ln
Bethesda, MD 20814
telephone: 301-718-1675
(Next to Chipotle, where the Crossfire Grill used to be.)

They do have to decide on how they will present their name. The sign says "Geste Food and Wine", their Craigslist posting (for manager/cashier) says "Geste, Foods & Wines" and their website says "Geste Wine & Food".

New Restaurant Kabob Bazaar opened today

As I was out and about today I noticed that Kabob Bazaar is now opened. I spoke with one of the people who works there and it turns out that they just opened today. It is where Javian used to be and before that was Mongolian Grill. There is also a Kabob Bazaar on Wilson Blvd in Arlington.

7710 Wisconsin Ave, Bethesda, MD

La Madeleine gets a new sign

Normally I wouldn't post an entry just for a new sign on a restaurant, but today I was walking down Old Georgetown Rd here in Bethesda, MD and I'm like, whoa, what happened. Gone was La Madeleine's calm, beige and brown sign and in its place is a bright yellow and maroon one that really, really stands out.

For comparison, here is the old sign.

Bethesda comings and goings

A number of new restaurants and stores have opened in Bethesda, MD in the past couple of months. Some I have written about but others I haven't. I was sorry to see Austin Grill, a long time resident of Bethesda Row leave us. I will also miss Organic To Go, it only lasted six months or so.


New to the area is Taylor Gourmet and Vapiano which I just wrote about and across the street from them, American Tap Room.


Food Wine & Co just opened last week on Wisconsin Avenue where there used to be a Pizzeria Uno.


Fresh Grill I already wrote about, but across the street, the former Costa Del sol is now Valparaiso Eterno, both of these have free WiFi and are on Fairmont Avenue.


La Zeez Mediterranean Grill snuck in while I wasn't looking, I'm not sure when it opened.


In the past few weeks Yamas Mediterranean Grill also opened near the corner of Woodmont Ave and Rugby Ave. I hear they make their own gyro meat so I have to try them out.


It isn't just restaurants, Henry & Y Couture just opened late last week at the former location of D. Gilpin Jewelers on St. Elmo Avenue.

Not everything is open yet, Uptown Deli is still coming soon. Also coming soon is Cava, where Organic To Go was on Bethesda Ave and Annies Bistro Francais on St. Elmo where Cafe Gelato was.

The Waygoose isn't leaving us, it is just moving from Bethesda Avenue to 4926 Hampden Lane.

Taylor Gourmet and Vapiano are here

I have been following the progress of this building on Woodmont Avenue between Hampden Lane and Elm Street ever since they started tearing down the old one. Although Equinox Fitness hasn't opened yet, two of the tenants have. Taylor Gourmet serves really good, huge sandwiches on crusty, chewy bread. I had one last week and really liked it.


I haven't been to Vapiano yet but it is a world-wide chain of Italian restaurants serving made-to-order hand tossed pizzas, fresh, house-made pasta and hand tossed gourmet salads.

There has always been a bit of a dead zone on Woodmont Ave between Elm St and Old Georgetown Rd, in that multi-block stretch there was a single restaurant and no other retail. This new building shrinks that dead zone by a block. Two new restaurants and some great-looking landscaping along the street really make the area look nice.

Review: Fresh Grill

Fresh Grill has been open for a couple of months but I just noticed it this week. It's specialty is Angus burgers and it has gotten very good reviews on both yelp and chowhound so maybe their website's claim that they are "the most talked about burger bistro in Bethesda" has some truth to it.


The interior is open, you walk up to the counter to order and you can watch them cook your meal while you wait. There are also a couple of TVs so you can watch while you wait or eat. Food is cooked to order so you will have a bit of a wait for your burgers. There is outdoor seating for when the weather is nice.

The menu is burgers, burgers, more burgers, and a couple of other things. Three quarters of the first page of it is dedicated to "Build Your Own Angus Burger", then they have 10 additional signature angus burgers. Filling out the selection is the "Sandwich of the month" (pork loin right now), a chicken sandwich, a fish sandwich, two salads (grilled chicken and shrimp) and fish and chips. They also have beer, wine, and soda. All the sandwiches are served with seasoned, freshly made potato chips.



Just to be different, I got the WGC (World's greated chicken sandwich): grilled, marinated chicken over house slaw on a bistro bun with lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo. The house slaw is marinated and just a little tangy, it isn't a creamy, mayonnaise based coleslaw. It was delicious, the slaw really perked up the chicken. The chips were both a strength and a weakness, it is nice to see something besides fries, the seasoning was great, most of the chips were just the right crispness, but a few of them were a bit less than fully crisp.



Other reviews I have read drool over their burgers so I went back a second time to try the Mushroom Madness burger. Swiss cheese, portabella mushrooms and saute button mushrooms. As promised, it was tasty, juicy, and tender. The mushrooms had a flavor of their own and whatever sauce they were cooked in didn't overwhelm the burger at all. It is a very good burger indeed.

For a burger place, it isn't cheap, running around $10 each. These aren't your regular burgers though, they are half pound angus beef burgers cooked to perfection and very tasty. However they are prepared, they are still hamburgers, don't expect a life changing experience from them.

New Subway at Georgetown Square.

In the past month a new Subway sandwiches opened in the Georgetown Square shopping center on the corner of Old Georgetown Rd and Democracy Blvd in Bethesda, MD. A new karate place (Kicks Karate) also opened, both of these are where the Blockbuster Video used to be. The Subway joins Flippin' Pizza, Chipotle, Bradley's Ice Cream, and Giant as lunch time options for students of Walter Johnson High School, right next door.

Today is the first day of school in Montgomery County so watch out for kids. Walter Johnson has an open lunch policy so right around lunch time masses of kids stream out and head for one of the above restaurants for a quick bite to eat. I have been in the Giant a few times right at lunch and it is interesting to see the volume of kids that suddenly appear.

Uptown Deli on its way

On Norfolk Avenue between the corner slice and Limon's Jewelers we are getting a new deli, "Uptown Deli". Back in April they were planning on putting in "Capital Beer and Wine" but apparently plans have changed.

Taylor Gourmet coming to Bethesda

Taylor Gourmet is a sandwich shop that currently has two locations, both in DC. By mid-July they should have a new location open at 7820 Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda, MD. This is right on the corner of Woodmont Ave and Elm St in the new Equinox Fitness building. I have never been to Taylor Gourmet but judging by the comments I have read it seems like a good place and I am looking forward to trying it.

(via Prince of Petworth)

You can see the full coverage about this construction project.

Norky's gone, King Kabob coming

Right along Old Georgetown Road near Arlington Rd here in Bethesda, MD there was a chicken place called Norky's. I noticed this morning that it is gone but that there is already another restaurant lined up. King Kabob & Pizza with Kabobs, Pizza, Calzones, subs, sandwiches, salads, and wings will be opening soon.