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 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, fresh juice takes center plate: One Meat: Amy Waldman, the owner of Bethesda's Purée Artisan Juice Bar that opened about a year ago, has launched a home delivery service—and with it a vegan commercial kitchen based in Kensington, Potomac Patch reported. The home delivery service of the fresh, raw juices (useful for those going on a juice fast) required additional production space. Finding no commercial kitchen space for rent that was suitable for vegan, raw food…

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, a famed deli's move to Montgomery County takes center plate: One Meat: A second location for Baltimore’s famed Attman’s Deli will open in May at the Cabin John Shopping Center in Potomac.  "According to Marc Attman, the Montgomery County location has been years in the making, after numerous Potomac locals made the hour-long trek to Baltimore for a Pastrami sandwich and to hint that a closer location would be welcomed with open arms," Potomac Patch reported. "…

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: 4935 Bar and Kitchen, a new restaurant planned for the former Tragara space on Cordell Avenue in Bethesda, is expected to open its second floor this week for private parties. Many events already have been booked, according to general manager Bourke Floyd, Bethesda Patch reported. The restaurant, which is expected to be open for full dinner service in January, will serve modern American food with some …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, restaurant closures take center plate: One Meat: Bethesda's Haandi and Sweet Basil will close in August. They are "the latest casualties of redevelopment on Bethesda’s Fairmont Avenue," reported Bethesda Magazine. (Foong Lin, at the corner of Fairmont and Norfolk avenues, is scheduled to close on July 31, as reported in last week's 1 Meat, 3 Sides column.) "A new apartment building with underground parking and street level retail space will replace that stretch of…

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, the big barbecue showdown takes center plate: One Meat: Or—rather—lots of meat, which will be sizzling away this weekend at the 20th annual Safeway Barbecue Battle. Eighteen different vendors are lined up for the event, including Better than Carolina BBQ, Hill Country (which does Texas-style barbecue), Pork Barrel BBQ, Memphis Barbeque and Caribbean Corner (formerly RY Caterers)—the selection is pretty broad, so you're sure to find some style of barbecue that …

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, D.C., neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, Maryland "crab fakes" take center plate: One Meat: What's behind our state's signature dish? Not a whole lot of home-grown muscle, it turns out. When it comes to Maryland crab cakes, "the little-known truth is that our region’s signature dish is rarely regional. More than 43 million pounds of crab meat are imported into Maryland each year, but the Maryland crab meat industry only produces about 700,000 pounds. That means less than 2 percent is from Maryland," …