Community Corner

Flay Burgers, French Baguettes, Ghoul Food, Breakfast Hoagies: Foodie News

Plus, lunch starts up again at Grapeseed, a local celebrity chef gets a redemption, Founding Farmers publishes a cookbook, and hype builds for a Takoma Park restaurant.

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with Patch’s foodie news column, 1 Meat, 3 Sides. This week, the Tuesday opening of two restaurants in Bethesda takes center plate. 

One meat:

Tuesday, Oct. 22, was a big day for local foodies: Two restaurants—Bobby's Burger Palace (BBP) and Fresh Baguette—opened in Bethesda.

Find out what's happening in Silver Springwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The burger restaurant is celebrity chef Bobby Flay's 16th Bobby's Burger Palace, and it's located in the Westfield Montgomery mall, near the mall's Sears Automotive shop. At BBP, the burgers are cooked on a flat griddle, "crunchified" with chips, and topped with fully melted cheese. The ice cream in the shakes is made from a special recipe developed just for BBP milkshakes. And the fries are freshly made according to a Belgian bistro method. Read more on Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch.

Fresh Baguette also brings old-world traditions to Bethesda—here, in the form of freshly-baked French bread, croissants and other pastries. No bread item sold in the shop at 4919 Bethesda Ave. is more than three hours old, and all breads are baked on the premises—which smells absolutely heavenly. Read more about how the shop got started on Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch.

Find out what's happening in Silver Springwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Three sides:

Rockville chef Jeff Eng didn’t win the last time he appeared on Chopped, but that doesn’t mean he got chopped from the competition altogether—Food Network is offering redemption, Rockville Patch reported.

Eng, executive chef at Tower Oaks Lodge in Rockville (part of the Clyde's Restaurant Group), will be appearing on Chopped Redemption on Nov. 5. Read more on Rockville Patch.

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Grapeseed American Bistro and Wine Bar has started serving lunch again. This time, the menu features items that can be prepared quickly, Bethesda-Chevy Chase Patch reported.

***

One of the most anticipated restaurant openings this fall and early winter in the DC area is the opening (this December or January) of Republic, by the Black Restaurant Group, at 6937-6939 Laurel Ave., Takoma Park, InTheCapital reported. 

"Expect an oyster bar (a nod to their Pearl Dive Oyster Palace) and lots of vegetarian options—so, a menu that caters to Takoma's conscientious eaters," InTheCapital wrote.

Breakfast:

Taylor Gourmet has brought back its breakfast hoagie, and also has introduced new sandwiches, salads and sides to its menuDC Eater reported. Taylor Gourmet has several locations in the DC area, including one at 7280 Woodmont Ave., Bethesda.

Ghoul food:

In anticipation of the "Dia de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead), Chevy Chase's Rosa Mexicano (5225 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC) is serving a special menu of autumn-inspired dishes from Oct. 27 through Nov. 3. In honor of All Saints' Day (Nov. 1) and All Souls' Day (Nov. 2), festive menu additions for this traditional Mexican holiday include:

  • Fall guacamole: A riff on Rosa’s world-famous dip, with roasted pears, apples and toasted almonds.
  • Sea scallops with pumpkin seed pipian: With huitlacoche flan and caramelized chayote squash.
  • Churros en bolsa: Hot donuts served with three dipping sauces—Mexican chocolate-piloncillo, strawberry chile de arbol and dulce de leche.
  • El diablo ahumado ("The Smoky Devil"): A spicy drink made with ancho chile-infused herradura reposado tequila, fresh blood orange, apricot brandy and cinnamon.

Book signing:

Oct. 29 is the official release date for The Founding Farmers Cookbook: 100 Recipes for True Food and Drink from the Restaurant Owned by American Family Farmers.

The cookbook will be available for purchase ($40 plus tax) at Founding Farmers restaurants in DC (1924 Pennsylvania Ave. NW) and Potomac (12505 Park Potomac Ave.), and at Farmers Fishers Bakers (3000 K St. NW, DC), starting Oct. 29. 

On Wednesday, Nov. 6, Chef Joe Goetze and food writer Nevin Martell—both contributors to the book—will be at Founding Farmers in Potomac for a book signing from 4 to 7 p.m. Purchase two or more cookbooks at the signing and receive a $10 "Be Our Guest Gift Card" for Founding Farmers and Farmers Fishers Bakers restaurants. 


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