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Today was the first day of business for Charm Thai (8408 Georgia Avenue, in the old Mr. Chicken location), and while they weren’t doing a brisk business (seemed like a “soft” opening), they were super responsive for my impromtu take out order. They don’t have their beer/wine license yet, but I was treated to some Thai iced tea while I waited. They deliver (limited area), and if the reaction of the people eating inside was any indication, you’d think the food was the best ever.

We got our standards: Chicken Panang, Pad Thai with tofu, and mango with sticky rice. Everything was very good and I recommend you try it for yourself, but it’s gonna be tough to replace Thai Derm as our go-to Thai joint. One menu note, though: the “Salmon Crispy”, one of the chef’s specials, looked spectacular. That’s next on the list. Let me know what you think.

Perhaps Sir Issac neglected to recognize how his Laws of Motion would be reflected in the retail/restaurant industry. But here we are.

With Nando’s open, I had absolutely no reason to go back to Mr. Chicken (8408 Georgia Ave). Their chicken wasn’t as good and, more importantly, they didn’t have chicken livers. If that bonehead who keeps mentioning the #retailFAIL crap on Silver Spring, Singular’s blog wants to chime in, feel free. You will still be classified as a bonehead.

At the same time, I’m not sure the market could bear another Thai restaurant in such proximity to the other three: Thai at Silver Spring (not bad), Thai Market (where I buy everything for our Thai pantry), and Thai Derm (my personal favorite). Bonus: Beer, wine, *and* liquor. Downside: Another block away, and I usually get takeout anyway.

If, by chance, the new Charm Thai is related to this one in New York City, I may welcome it with open arms. But I still won’t abandon my chicken panang from Thai Derm.

Highland Cafe finally opens

While I haven’t actually been there to eat, Highland Coffee finally reopened as Highland cafe, complete with a full menu and the coffee and pastries it used to serve.

Apologies for the blurry menu, but you get the idea. From what I recall, the initial open date on this was supposed to be last fall. And there was a chance they would stay open to serve coffee during the construction. Didn’t quite work out that way. Let me know if you give it a whirl. I’m sticking with Addis Ababa in the meantime.

Austin Grill to gain tequila focus?

I’m hearing rumblings (from the Washington Business Journal) that the owner of Austin Grill is planning on shifting focus from the “our-food-is-okay-but-you-want-our-mediocre-drinks-too” business model to something of a high-class tequila bar with a smaller focus on better eats to accompany the spirits. The only reason I ever really go there is to sit outside for chips and queso washed down with Shiner Bock or margaritas. Makes me wonder if the shift will really make a difference. And, more importantly, if it continues the “Keep Austin Weird” theme. Time will tell.

On Sunday, May 15, the Taste of Fenton Village will be coming to the area bounded by Wayne, Fenton, Sligo, and Georgia. Something like this has been a long time coming, and with the diversity of food in this area, I can’t think of a better place to have such a shin-dig. The parking lot next to Highlands Cafe will be turned into the starting point (complete with a stage and live entertainment) where you can pick up your “passport” that has a list of all the participating restaurants. And it’s just about *all* of them. That means Thai, Burmese, Ehtiopian, American (“new” and old), Italian, Indian, Nepalese, Greek, Latin, Moroccan, Peruvian, Jamaican, West African – you see where this is going.

Each participating restaurant will be offering small plates or appetizers in the $3-5 range. Go. Eat. Get a stamp in your passport. Walk next door. Repeat. I’m hoping that if you get a stamp from every single place you win a prize. Maybe a free membership to ESSCA? Wait – that’s not really a prize. Nevermind.

As mentioned before, there will also be entertainment and activities, and I’m told non-food vendors strategically placed throughout. Unfortunately, this coincides with the Taste of Wheaton, scheduled on the same day. Don’t get me wrong – I love Wheaton and they have a great selection of cuisine, but it ain’t no Fenton Village. The depth and breadth you’ll find here is second to none.

Be sure to thank the Silver Spring Advisory Committee for spearheading this effort, plus Peterson Cos, Montgomery County, and all the participating community organizations and restaurants for their hard work in setting this up.

In other news…

FSM

Don’t forget – the first (and supersized) Fenton Street Market is this Saturday at Veterans Plaza. Weather should be spectacular.

The “Dreary” Section of Georgia Avenue

That’s how they described the area of 8711 Georgia, between the Wachovia Bank and the Social & Scientific Systems Building. The Gazette reports that what was once approved as office space is now a planned development “that will bring 160 residential units, retail space and an outdoor urban oasis to a ‘dreary’ section of Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring.” I used to work in the 8757 building, and while it could use a little “livening up” over there, I can’t wait to see their definition (and execution) of said oasis.

Last, but certainly not least…

My heart goes out to my family and friends in my home state of Alabama because of the devastation they went through yesterday. Watching the videos of the tornadoes ripping through the state made me ill. We seemed to have dodged a big bullet up here in comparison. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers.

South Silver Spring is building its arsenal of retail and dining establishments, among which is Ikko Sushi, having opened up a few (okay – *several*) months ago in the first floor of The Bennington apartment building on East-West Highway.

As for other sushi establishments in the area, I think Sushi Jin is superior to Asain Bistro, if a bit more expensive. And the quality and construction of the sushi at Ikko puts it up there with Sushi Jin. The one down side it the fact that the menu is a bit more limited than what you might get elsewhere. If you’re looking for some of the more esoteric items (premium toro, uni, monkfish liver, etc.), you’re out of luck, but it has most of the standards and currently holds a 4.5-star rating on Yelp (I’d rate it a 4, at best). It’s a fairly small place but well-designed, and it looked like they were doing a brisk takeout and delivery business. Not surprising, considering the location.

There’s good miso, good salad (with excellent dressing), both apparently gratis with your dinner order. They also don’t have the large bottles/cans of Kirin Ichiban, which is much better than the Sapporo they serve. But, hey – it’s beer. The signature dish is the DC Monument Roll, which is actually not a roll at all, but a towering hunk of (among other things) rice, fish, crab, masago, and special sauce. Not really my thing, so we decided to forego the signature dish for the Dragon Roll – basically a California roll topped with eel that looks like – you guessed it – a dragon. Big. And damn tasty.

The nigiri we got was good, fresh, and well-constructed. They also have plenty of non-sushi/sashimi items, from noodles and rice bowls to appetizers and teriyaki. Plus a limited dessert selection. All in all, pretty good, and I’m sure it’s a welcome addition to the NOAA crowd at lunch. Go. Enjoy. And hopefully South Silver Spring will get more places like this in the near future.

(DC Monument Roll photo by Yelp user Sarah L.)

I dropped by Babes Sports Bar last night to check things out in anticipation of the Caps/Penguins game this weekend. First impressions are good, especially in terms of food. For those of you familiar with the old Gallery bar layout, they’ve maintained the upstairs bar, with plenty of televisions, several bar seats, and a few tables. Once you make your way downstairs, things pick up a little.

There are several pool tables, lots of space and seating, plenty of room at the bar, and lots of televisions. Granted, I didn’t walk around the entire place, but the one thing I feel like I missed was a big-ass TV screen. You can see whatever is on via the plethora of flat screens, but it’s always nice to have one central place for the big game of the week. If anyone has been let me know if there’s something else I missed. I just plopped down at the bar downstairs and got my eat and drink on.

Ron, the manager I spoke to, said that they were still working out some kinks but things had gone smoothly so far. Then he asked the $1,000,000 question: “Do you like ribs?” Well, duh. Apparently the latest batch had just come out of the oven and he said they were the good, dry rub kind. Now, I’m from the South, and I constantly lament the fact that there’s no good barbecue in this area. Urban BBQ in Rockville is a manageable substitute, but a man makes a statement like that about ribs, I gotta test him out. And damn, those ribs were tasty.

The helpful bartender (Megan?) told me they were planning a whole host of activities once the weather warmed up. If you’ve ever been to Gallery, you know there’s an outside bar in the upstairs parking lot. She said they were planning on turning is into a sort of beach bar – complete with sand, lounge chairs, and, to quote her directly, “babes in bikinis. Because when you have a bar called ‘Babes’ you have to have babes in bikinis, right?” Uh huh.

Other people at the downstairs bar were enjoying what looked like excellent burgers, and the menu had a list of hot dogs with great toppings (chili, cheese, onions, peppers, etc.). I have to say the menu looked really good, but I was disappointed with the beer-on-tap selection. If you want good beer, I’d still recommend the great selection Jay has put together at Fire Station 1. Plus, it’s a much shorter walk from Thayer.

Not much of a crowd last night, so the place can prove its meddle when it’s packed to the gills. Hopefully that will be this weekend for the Winter Classic. Follow-up reviews to come…

It may not look like much, but this was my lunch today at Nando’s.

I grew up in the south and yearn for a spot around here that has good fried chicken livers. (Still haven’t found one, so if you have recommendations, do tell.) So when I saw chicken livers on the menu (fried or not), I had to try them. This bowl was once piled high with flame-grilled chicken livers in the “hot”-level sauce. After a few bites, I thought I had made the wrong decision on the spice level. Damn spicy. Ten minutes later I was picking through the sauce trying to get every last little morsel I could find. At one point, the name “Nando’s Cracki Cracki” crossed my mind.

Fries, as you can see, were mediocre, and the only other thing I tried were the spiced nuts – almonds, cashews, and macadamias. Those went home with me, and I’m munching on them as type this. Damn tasty. There was a long line and it was a short trip, but first bite was great.

One of my best friends growing up had the nickname “Bawk Bawk Man.” When you asked him why, he’d answer very matter-of-fact: “Because I look like a chicken.” And yeah, he did kinda look like a chicken. Somewhere, somehow, that devolved into “Mr. Chicken” among a few people.

Long story short, we all grew up, and he doesn’t look so much like a chicken anymore. But I’ll now be constantly reminded of him through the latest culinary offerings from Georgia Avenue’s very own Mr. Chicken. (No – he is in no way related to the business.)

I heard they were open and went by today for a sample. I was on the late side for lunch, and I think things had been sitting around for a while, but everyone was friendly and a few of the tables were full. Everything was good, but it was no El Pollo Rico. Any of this look familiar? It’s *exactly* what my plate at El Pollo Rico looks like.

I’m a fan of the tortillas in these kind of joints, as they’re great carriers for the chicken, both sauces, and a bit of cole slaw if I’m in the mood. (And if I’m feeling really festive, I’ll splurge for an Inca Cola.) But when I see this setup, all I can think of Wheaton’s Holy Shrine of Chicken. But that, Mr. Chicken is not.

Don’t get me wrong – it’s plenty tasty, but there’s one reason I will visit this joint: convenience in the midst of a chicken hankerin’. I can walk here in under 5 minutes, but if I’m in the car, I’ll head to El Pollo Rico in Wheaton. (BTW, “Chicken Hankerin’” would make a great band name.) I don’t frequent chicken joints – I’ve been to the Crisp & Juicy on East-West Highway near Giant exactly once – but for the many who do, I think these guys will build a solid business. And maybe feed more into Velatis next door for an after-dinner snack.

Thank you, Easter Bunny.

I just got confirmation from the powers that be that Fire Station 1 will officially be open for business tonight for dinner. They had to wait for their final permits to come through, and that’s all now been taken care of. I’ll be there to check it out – photos to come!

UPDATE: As Promised, More Photos
Just went by Fire Station 1 to confirm, and the kitchen is humming, trucks are being unloaded, and the place looks great.

I know it’s not the plural of moose, but just work with me on this one. And I’m not referring to the Great White Water Buffalo of old. More on that in a moment.

Sietsema Does “First Bite” at Pacci’s
The Washington Post’s Tom Sietsema put up a fair review of Pacci’s today. Highlights include salads (minus the chewy octopus) and the pizza (which he says could benefit from a little salt). All in all I would say a two-star review on his scale. I might give it 2-1/2 stars on that scale, but it gets bumped up a little considering the other pizza options we have around here. I suppose it’s all about context.

So Close: Fire Station #1
The Gazette has a good writeup of the almost-open Fire Station #1. Soft opening is this week sometime (which would imply around-the-clock work considering how things looked last week), and the Grand Opening will be June 6. Another good scoop writeup from our friends over at Silver Spring, Singular.

In Other News…
We bitch and moan about beer and wine sales here, but I’m glad I don’t live in Kensington. I never knew they were such teetotalers.

The Moose is Loose
Jerry McCoy’s new blog highlights the discovery of a time capsule at the now-defunct Silver Spring Moose Lodge. Unveiling will take place on Saturday, June 26 as part of the 13th Annual Montgomery County Heritage Festival. Any guesses as to what’s inside? My money’s on an actual moose.

Finally got the chance to get out for a relaxing dinner at 8407 kitchen bar. One word: Awesome. Possibly the best restaurant right now in Silver Spring. The wife and I started with a Pimms cocktail (her) and a ginger lime martini (me, pictured) at the downstairs bar before heading up to the dining room. Both are great warm-weather drinks.

The evening sun blares through windows, but that sort of helps obscure the view of the metro demolition outside. That view will certainly get better over time. Started with the fried oysters and fries (I will now be frying whatever I can in duck fat, by the way), followed by the honey-lavender roasted chicken (me) and gnocchi (her).

The gnocchi was the same pillowy goodness we had back at the old Nicaro, and other than the small bit of butcher’s twine I found in the chicken, it was the winning dish as far as I’m concerned. Just spectacular flavor. I mean, plate-licking good. And got a recommendation from Nancy on a fantastic bottle of wine. Throw in a cheese course to finish up, and it was a really, really great meal.

The service was also excellent, checking in just often enough and not being obtrusive. A bit on the pricey side, but we knew that going in. Drinks, appetizers, main course, dessert, and a good bottle of wine came out to about $130. Certainly worth the price of admission. I’m sure we’ll go again for a nice night out, but I could see frequenting the bar(s) for drinks and those duck-fat-cooked fries on a regular basis. Go treat yourself.

News on Pacci’s

After dinner, we walked from 8407 to Jackie’s Sidebar for drinks and stopped to peer in the windows at Pacci’s. Someone from inside noticed us and came out to chat. They have four more inspections – two on Friday and two on Monday. Assuming those go well, they’ll be open for business next Thursday, April 22. Very excited.

The icing on the cake? That drive you see on the right is actually a drive-thru pickup. Not just for pizza, either. Beer and wine will be available in the drive-thru. Yup, you read that right. How cool is that? Plus, on the other side of the building, there’s an 80-seat patio for outdoor dining. It’s even a bit obscured from the traffic on Georgia Avenue, making it a better option than some of the other restaurants with tables hanging out on the sidewalk close to the street.

At any rate, this is proof downtown Silver Spring is quickly becoming a culinary mecca, and I couldn’t be happier. Cheers!