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Nicaro, Georgia Ave in Silver Spring - Chef Luis Martinez Replaces Pedro Matamoros Under a New Management Team - Closed


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I could be wrong about which former Tabard Inn chef -- Pedro Matamoros? But I hear that the former Rodeo restaurant space, at 8229 Georgia Avenue, will soon be open as a new restaurant under one such luminary. No later than Friday, July 13, according to one source. Any info, anyone?

Thanks!

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I care. ;)

Heh, thanks Don.

The place is to be called Nicaro and will, I'm told, serve "American nouvelle cuisine". I found a phone number of (301) 588-2867, but it looks like only construction crew is on site right now.

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Heh, thanks Don.

The place is to be called Nicaro and will, I'm told, serve "American nouvelle cuisine". I found a phone number of (301) 588-2867, but it looks like only construction crew is on site right now.

Where is this spot?
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Where is this spot?

It's on the east side of Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, between Silver Spring Ave. and Thayer Ave. It's next to the old Half Moon Bar-b-que (soon to be Olazzo, like the one in Bethesda.).

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It's on the east side of Georgia Ave. in Silver Spring, between Silver Spring Ave. and Thayer Ave. It's next to the old Half Moon Bar-b-que (soon to be Olazzo, like the one in Bethesda.).
Now I got it. Thanks, Jeff ;)
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As of Friday night, October 26, Nicaro is open.

This is their website, currently a bit of an empty plate:

http://www.nicarorestaurant.com

We went on Saturday (last night), and here's a mini review. Menu scan attached.

Background: Pedro Matamoros, formerly of Tabard Inn, is both chef and owner. He brought in the maitre d' from David Craig in Bethesda (Andy?). Also, fans of Jackie's waiter Rich Potter will now find him here. They just passed their last inspection this week.

First impressions: the space is very nice. Indirect lighting, lots of glass in front, mirrors and candles. Artwork on the wall is unaggressive, serving as a background and not a focus. Apparently the pieces were done by a friend of the owners. Folks who remember the Rodeo will see a near-total transformation. A wall divides the low-key bar from the dining room; personally I'd rather be able to people-watch from one to the other, but there may have been architectural reasons as well as noise control.

A short wine list is, appropriately, labeled "Starting wine list". (Sorry, no scan). Piper Sonoma is the one sparkling wine at present.

We concentrated on appetizers, not being starving (and generally preferring apps anyway). I started with an oyster which was disappointing -- a little tough, lacking the explosive freshness of the best examples. Only $2 though.

The terrine was quite good, framed in lardons and with a delicately-flavored deviled egg and a coarse-chopped persimmon "jam" that was nicely tart. Lobster fritters were so lightly fried as to seem almost greaseless and the flesh was tender. The accompanying aioli could have used more garlic, or to have more dill incorporated into the mix as well as garnishing the top.

The pasta with lamb bolognese was excellent -- a creamy sauce with the richness of fine-ground lamb but no hint of gameyness. Just a half-a-handful of fresh thick noodles and a couple of pecornio shavings. This served as my entree, but wouldn't have been enough for that if we'd come in seriously hungry. The waiter recommended a chardonnay to accompany, which was fairly successful.

SH got the crab cake entree. The cake was substantial, crunchy, and full of lump meat, and the corn flan complemented it well. The tarragon tartar sauce could overwhelm the crab, which was not spiced much, so go easy.

Dessert offered four choices: creme brulee, cookies and ice cream, a chocolate bread pudding that the next table demolished down to the lickings, and the apple cobbler that SH got: a crunchy topping, and ice cream, over apples and peaches that were still crisp.

If I have an overall criticism, it's that the kitchen is being too cautious with the seasonings. I seldom pick up the salt and pepper at a good restaurant but found my gaze drifting that way once or twice. Then again, I'm a fan of the piquant and bored by bland, and the cooks can be forgiven for easing into their recipes.

For a restaurant that just opened the day before, it was quite a good performance. Nothing we ordered was conceived or executed with any glaring errors, only minor quibbles and those largely matters of taste. The staff was uniformly calm, professional, and knowledgeable. Everyone seemed glad to be there.

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This is a nice new addition for Silver Spring! Lobster fritters were so light and flavorful! Crab cake was also delicious. Agree with the comment above on spicing.

Not sure if they will offer valet parking, but if you turn on Thayer Street there is a metered parking lot across from the Safeway.

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A friend and I checked out Nicaro for lunch on Thursday. Cute place, and trying hard.

Housemade Terrine. Fig. Quince. Mustard. Cornichon. Three selections: country pork, duck, and something else. They were pleasant, but served too cold, and underseasoned. I like my pate more aggressively spiced.

Duck Confit Spring Rolls. Plum Dipping Sauce.The had a nice crisp wrapper and good duck flavor, but the slices of fresh jalapeno in the filling are a nasty surprise. The dipping sauce was light, and very gingery.

Semolina Crusted Oyster. Tasso Potato Hash. Champagne Sauce. The oysters were very fresh and pleasantly crunchy, but the hash had nary a speck of tasso, and the champagne sauce was bland.

Maine Lobster Quesadilla. Tarragon. Crème Fraiche.Very flavorful lobster, mild cheese and buttery, flaky tortilla. Works better than it ought to.

We split the cookies and ice cream. The cinnamon ice cream was tasty but the cherry had issues - off flavor and icey texture.

They are a work in progress and I will definitely go back and give them another chance. We need more places like this in downtown Silver Spring.

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My wife and I stopped in for brunch yesterday morning. The staff was really wonderful and friendly; they were laid back and conversational, knowledgeable about what they were serving, and very attentive to the flow of the meal. We sat in the bar area, which is partitioned from the main dining area, and has a couple of large screen TVs that were both playing college football.

We had the Tasso Ham Benedict and the House-made Merguez Sausauge with poached eggs. The ham and sausage were both really excellent; both sets of eggs were lightly sauced, which helped the meat to shine through.

I had a bloody mary, which was served with pickled green beans It was well balanced and not-too-spicy. The bartender told us that he makes mean mojitos; he was excited enough about them, in fact, that he brought us out a small one gratis. The mojito was really good. They also serve their take on a Bellini, called a "Brillini", which was available in a couple of different flavors that have escaped my memory.

By the time we finished our eggs, we were having a good enough time that we decided to stay for dessert. They had an upside-down pear cake that we split; it was fresh and tasty.

All in all, we really loved the place. The service was head and shoulders above what we're used to, the food was really solid and interesting, and the restaurant itself was very comfortable. We're looking forward to heading back for dinner sometime soon.

The brunch dishes were $10 - $15, if I recall correctly. They open at 11:30 AM on Saturdays and 11:00 AM on Sundays. The menu is not terribly vegetarian friendly. Also, they have a full (2 page) wine list at this point, and it looks good.

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We went there on Friday night with some friends for dinner. The place was packed!! Good to see an independent restaurant doing so well. The cooking needs a little more tweaking, IMHO, but it's a good start.

I started with the terrine, which Heather pointed out as being served way too cold for you to really get a good feeling for how it tasted. But I'm a sucker for charcuterie and I enjoyed my opener. For a main course, I had the entree sized version of the lamb bolognaise with tagliatelle. For my taste, the lamb was too finely ground up and I didn't get the rich lamb flavour that I was looking for. It tasted simply like a slightly and ambiguously meaty cream sauce. It tasted OK - just wasn't what I was hoping for.

There's definitely room for improvement but we'll give this place a few more tries before passing final judgement.

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I went with some friend on Saturday night. It seemed busy when we got there, and was a little quiet by the end. All in all everyone was happy.

My friend had a very nice butternut squash soup that had nice spicing. I had a bib salad that I would not order again. It was a half a head of lettuce and a very bland dressing that had no flavor. We had some oysters, which were huge, and pretty good (only $2 each).

My friend had the NY Strip (?) steak that was very well cooked (I just recently went to Ray's, which would still be my go-to place if I want steak, but it was very good). I had the Crab cake, which I enjoyed. It was on a bed of succotash, which was a little summery, but the cream in the sauce made it heavy enough for fall) Another friend had the Rabbit special and was happy with it.

My only frustration is I would have ordered some entrees if they came with different sides, and I found others had great sides, but not the main that I would order. I guess I could have asked for my own combination, but I wanted to let the Chef decide, since it is his menu.

Of the desserts, I would recommend the Chocolate bread pudding-- it was very tasty.

We are happy to have a new independent restaurant, and the service was very attentive. It is a little pricier then my usual, but we are happy to have some more upscale places in the area. The salad was the only item that we didn't like.

The menu seems to change often, and is not exactly what is on their web site, FYI.

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Went Saturday, 12/8. It is LOUD! I think next time we will sit at the bar.

Butternut squash soup was excellent.

Tasmanian sea trout very good.

Prosciutto with pecorino, raisins and arucola -- unremarkable

Duck Breast cooked properly to order (medium rare), with barely-above-bland lentils.

Service very good

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Do they have a bar? I.e., could I go have a drink and some oysters, or would I be an annoyance to the staff?

They do indeed have a bar. The place is partitioned such that there is a bar area that has the bar, a few of the really tall two tops (where your feet can't touch the ground) and then some couches. Having not been there during bar time, I don't know how full up the area gets, but I'd imagine eating oysters at the bar would be a perfectly lovely thing to do.

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Had dinner Sunday night (at the bar) at Nicaro -- started with a charcuterie plate, followed by the moulard duck breast with chantrelles, brussels sprouts, and green lentils, and ended the night with the bread pudding. The service at the bar was really nice, and I'd definitely go back -- have heard great things about their lunch service. It's nice to have a place like this so close to home. I hope they do well. We've needed a place like this in the area for a long time.

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The service at the bar was really nice, and I'd definitely go back -- have heard great things about their lunch service.
I've been to lunch there three times now and really enjoyed myself. I hope business picks up for them - the last time I was in it was pretty slow.
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Had a dinner event at Nicaro a couple of Friday ago . They did a very nice job that night, and Pedro's putting out some tasty food in the kitchen.

Starters tried were the Cajun Shrimp [think a weekly special], Oysters, and Squash Blossoms. Main entrees of note that were well-received were the Grilled Waluu [tasty & moist, probably they're #1 dish], Roasted Halibut, Scallops, Lamb Bolognese, and Seafood Bouillabaisse. And for desserts, the overwhelming favorite was the Chocolate Bread Pudding! [different texture that I anticipated, but quite tasty].

Service was attentive but not overbearing. The primary server Sean [also works in the back, so he was very fluent on food/wine recommendations] got quite a few kudos.

We had a 8:30 p.m. start. There's still there noise/acoustics consideration. Talking with a few staff they're well aware of it and want to place nice-looking sound panels that won't impact decor, but they're waiting due to a big backlog from the vendor.

I've eaten there a few times now. Nice up & comer to the Silver Spring area!

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Last night some friends joined us for our first experience at Nicaro and walked away with a very favorable impression. Three of the four got salads, which were all enjoyed, and I got the duck spring rolls, which I thought were quite good though too salty in the filling. For entrees two of us ordered the pan-seared barramundi with an olive-based sauce; the fish was excellent quality and perfectly cooked while the sauce was tasty though not Meg-Ryan-in-a-restaurant enjoyable. My wife and I thought the scallops, though, might have reached that climax. Damn good. As for the crab cake, if looks can be a reliable judge, it looked just ok but it was a single crab cake for $24. My friend said it was "good" but there was an inflection in his trailing voice that I interpreted it to mean "...but it's not a lot for $24." He could have meant something else though. For dessert each couple shared the chocolate bread pudding and finished both satiated and satisfied. When the bill arrived we were somewhat surprised by the $180 bill (before tip) despite only one glass of alcohol for the whole table. Everything totalled properly but it caught us a little off guard. We didn't find it unreasonable but usually alcohol gets our bills up that high. When we left, my wife said that she would rank it as one of her top local restaurants. I can see why: She ordered three of her favorite things and they all were executed very well. I enjoyed it but I think I'd have to do a little more exploration before I think in those terms, but Silver Spring and Bethesda can benefit from more places like this.

Pax,

Brian

P.S. We'll probably eat in the bar area next time b/c around 8 PM when the room filled in more, the place was obnoxiously loud despite not being completely full. The bar side, which had several four-tops, was basically empty.

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We had a lovely meal at Nicaro last night. (I'm on Weight Watchers, and so would not have been able to control myself at Rays, though driving to the Hell Burger was considered for how bad of a mood I was in - we decided that Nicaro was what we were looking for).

We had a perfectly lovely meal - the blueberry and arugula salad was fantastic. Our fantastic server recommended a lovely Riseling, and the duck breast was good - but the fennel and lentils were better. E had a salad with a whole anchovy on top - and a great ribeye.

We passed on dessert (through no willpower of mine - e doesn't like bread pudding).

One complaint about Nicaro-the acoustics of the dining room! It is always so loud in there. Last night, it was only half-full, but with one large table, and I couldn't hear E over our two top. When that table left it was better, but we could hear every word of the tables across the room! They also looked at me every time I laughed, so I assume they could hear me too. I wonder if the acoustics in the bar are any better.

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Had a very nice meal last night...Pedro was accommodating and friendly, as usual. We took my sister and her husband here as they are in for the holiday from San Diego. They lamented that there just aren't enough of 'these types of places' where they live. The Monday special is a tasting menu: $30 for appetizer, entree and dessert--a very good deal.

Mr. Squids had the Rockfish from the Monday tasting menu, my sister and I both had a customized Rockfish dish, and my brother in law had the Mixed Grill off the menu.

My appetizer was a bowl of winter greens sauteed with white potatoes in a tasty vinaigrette. For dinner I had the Rockfish atop a sauteed seasoned red cabbage that was the perfect complement to the fish, with buttery Chanterrelles as a spot-on third element. The Mixed Grill is listed as Lamb Chop. Chicken-Pork Andouille Sausage. Duck Breast. Celeriac Puree. Broccolini. Rosemary Jus. There wasn't a drop left on his plate so it must've been good! I don't recall the preparation of my husband's Rockfish, but he enjoyed it as well.

For dessert, my husband had the cappuccino creme brulee, and the three of us shared the chocolate bread pudding with caramel sauce. By the time I could ask for a taste of my husband's dessert, it was gone. I snagged a bit off the side of the dish and tasted the intense coffee flavor--it was quite delicious and I can see why it disappeared so quickly. The bread pudding was divine, as usual. Even my sister who is not a fan of regular bread pudding enjoyed it.

As I look back at the posts in this thread, they are mostly favorable. I do hope people continue to frequent this place so it can make it through this current economic slump. It is a fine neighborhood restaurant, but not necessarily a destination place. We don't actually eat dinner in SS that often, but I think the value for the $ is much greater here than at a place such as Jackie's. I have no desire to go back to Jackie's, while Ray's and Nicaro currently vie for my SS dining dollar. (Ray's was our first choice but the recorded message says they are now closed on Monday's for the remainder of the season.)

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Had dinner Sunday night (at the bar) at Nicaro -- started with a charcuterie plate, followed by the moulard duck breast with chantrelles, brussels sprouts, and green lentils, and ended the night with the bread pudding. The service at the bar was really nice, and I'd definitely go back -- have heard great things about their lunch service. It's nice to have a place like this so close to home. I hope they do well. We've needed a place like this in the area for a long time.

DinerGirl

www.frenchlaundryathome.com

DinerGirl, you might want to update your signature. :lol:

I just got back from a rockingly good brunch at Nicaro, starting off with a complimentary plate of fresh, warm homemade powdered-sugar-dusted beignets and chocolate-chip pumpkin muffins with a ramekin of freshly whipped cream. Mmmmmm!

We could stop here, but you wouldn't want to.

"This is the best salmon I've ever eaten," my mom said. She always says stuff like that.

Tasmanian Salmon ($15) with baby carrots, bok choy, and shrimp beurre blanc was a triumph. This seems expensive for Sunday brunch, but I strongly suspect this is the dinner-sized portion (it's on the dinner menu for $24).

But there's no way I wasn't going to get the Corned-Beef Potato Hash ($10) with two poached eggs and freshly made Hollandaise. A great bowl of food, the eggs perfectly poached and the hash notably refined, my only regret is that I had to use the remnants of my muffin to swab up the remaining yolk in the bowl.

Service was friendly, but leisurely - this is not a quick meal, but if you have an hour or so, then you absolutely must try the weekend brunch at Nicaro - perhaps the best restaurant in suburban Maryland.

I was eager to get to Dale Music, and got up to leave after paying the check. "Donald, let me finish my wine," my mom said, sitting me back down while she took a last sip of her Gruner Veltliner, probably the first glass of wine she's had in months. On the way home, she turned to me and said, "That salmon was great!"

Cheers,

Rocks.

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Up thread, a little over a year ago, I complained about the noise and, honestly, it deterred me from returning in spite of the good food and service. I've caved in. After three dinners over the past month, I'm a fan. I wish the dining room could shed several decibels on a busy night, but the food is so stellar that I'll willingly sacrifice my ear drums. My dining companions and I have sampled the bouillabaisse, scallops with black ink fettucine, grilled waluu, gnocchi, lamb bolognaise, salads, and shrimp bisque (soup du jour this past Saturday) -- all were excellent. We live nearby an would normally need to travel downtown to enjoy food this well prepared, so it's especially nice to have Nicaro at hand when we don't feel like travelling too far.

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Up thread, a little over a year ago, I complained about the noise and, honestly, it deterred me from returning in spite of the good food and service. I've caved in. After three dinners over the past month, I'm a fan. I wish the dining room could shed several decibels on a busy night, but the food is so stellar that I'll willingly sacrifice my ear drums. My dining companions and I have sampled the bouillabaisse, scallops with black ink fettucine, grilled waluu, gnocchi, lamb bolognaise, salads, and shrimp bisque (soup du jour this past Saturday) -- all were excellent. We live nearby an would normally need to travel downtown to enjoy food this well prepared, so it's especially nice to have Nicaro at hand when we don't feel like travelling too far.

I'm seeing lots of compliments for the lamb bolognese--here, in reviews, from friends. I had it last night (first trip to Nicaro). The "hand made tagliatelle" was a clumped together cake of what tasted like grocery store egg noodles sitting on top of the sauce. I had heard such great things about this dish, I was heartbroken. The lamb sauce was boring, and wasn't bolognese by my definition. It was simply okay. I really, really wanted to like the restaurant but I couldn't.

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I'm seeing lots of compliments for the lamb bolognese--here, in reviews, from friends. I had it last night (first trip to Nicaro). The "hand made tagliatelle" was a clumped together cake of what tasted like grocery store egg noodles ...

My SO ordered the lamb bolognese once and I have to say it was bland, though the pasta was well made and cooked correctly that one time. She hasn't ordered it again, so she didn't care for it either. But everything else we've tried has been great. I tried the veal cheeks last night for the first time and thought they were wonderful -- meltingly soft with a reduction sauce that was appropriately lighter and brighter than one you would ordinarily make for beef.

Unfortunately, I didn't ask about the periodicity of the offering, but they had a separate prix fixe menu, a subset of the regular menu offerings, from which an app/main or main/dessert combo could be ordered for $25. The mains included the bouillabaisse, gnocchi, and a steak. Don't recall all the apps.

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A Silver Spring blog/website is reporting that Nicaro has been sold, and Pedro Matamoros is moving a few blocks away to open another restaurant.

Link to Thayer Avenue blog

Anyone heard anything of this? Nicaro has always had consistently good food and tasty cocktails (like the one with basil in it).

It says he's opening in the Luau Hut space!

I had my 10th (or 11th?) birthday dinner at the Luau Hut. I remember very well that a waiter was carrying a giant, heavy tray of about six entrees, and everything slid off and fell crashing to the floor. And while everything was falling, I heard him say, "shit." My parents used to go here on Friday nights and order Suffering Bastards.

Assuming this all pans out, I wouldn't want to be the excavator that goes into that space and renovates it - I cannot imagine the shape it's in on the inside.

Cheers,

Rocks.

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A Silver Spring blog/website is reporting that Nicaro has been sold, and Pedro Matamoros is moving a few blocks away to open another restaurant.

Link to Thayer Avenue blog

Anyone heard anything of this? Nicaro has always had consistently good food and tasty cocktails (like the one with basil in it).

I got a slightly different story, stating that it will be Nicaro that reopens in the former Luau Hut, under new owners, without mention of where Chef Matamoros will go in the meantime. The new place is slated for September, which of course in Restaurant Land could mean September, Spring 2010, or never.

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A Silver Spring blog/website is reporting that Nicaro has been sold, and Pedro Matamoros is moving a few blocks away to open another restaurant.

Link to Thayer Avenue blog

Anyone heard anything of this? Nicaro has always had consistently good food and tasty cocktails (like the one with basil in it).

Bummer. I was actually planning on trying this place for the first time tomorrow.

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Walked by tonight - there's a sign on the door that says that the restaurant is closed for two weeks for renovations. At this point, I'm inclined to say that rumors of Nicaro's demise are exaggerated.

Seems here int he latest on Nicaro's Chef Pedro's next steps...

Silver Spring Singular - Nicaro, Luau Hut

While Chef Pedro is opening a new place, still no word on what exactly happens with Nicaro.

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Walked by tonight - there's a sign on the door that says that the restaurant is closed for two weeks for renovations. At this point, I'm inclined to say that rumors of Nicaro's demise are exaggerated.

Over three weeks later, that sign is still on the door. From what I saw last night, nothing whatsoever has been done to either the bar area or the host area. It was dark, so I couldn't see inside the dining room, but I have to ask myself: click.

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Although it's confirmed that Pedro and Nancy are taking over the Luau Hut, I haven't heard anything about who/what is going to take over Nicaro.

Dag nabbit! He made the only decent burger for lunch in SS (and, no, Fuddruckers doesn't count)

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We ate at the new place the second week in August. Very sad. Almost "fun food"; a steak covered in some cheese (no indication on the menu that I saw to alert that a 'blackened' preparation would be covered in cheese) and HUGELY salted. The plate strewn over with randomly dropped asparagus spears. The staff is very nice, (unlike my earlier experiences with the old Nicaro, which seemed to verge on snooty) but the food-- uh-uh and uh-oh.

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Ditto. My one lunch there was bad enough to know that I'm never going back. A truly miserable excuse for a tuna staek sandwich and absolutely horrendous sweet potato fries.

Ditto, and ditto. There is no similarity between current-Nicaro and former-Nicaro. My mussels at lunch last week were over-lemoned so much as to make the entire dish sour. The bread they currently have is not good. My friend's tuna burger severely gloppy with mayo. It is rather unfortunate Silver Spring has lost a finer dining option, and overall tasty spot.

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Apparently there was a fire last weekend which pretty well torched the place's interior.

The running joke that I've heard is that it was torched for insurance money, as that was the only way it would be profitable in its current form.

Is Nicaro really that bad now? Usually you at least have one friend who inexplicably likes-to-loves a garbage restaurant, but I've not found anybody who enjoys this place now.

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Apparently there was a fire last weekend which pretty well torched the place's interior.

The running joke that I've heard is that it was torched for insurance money, as that was the only way it would be profitable in its current form.

Is Nicaro really that bad now? Usually you at least have one friend who inexplicably likes-to-loves a garbage restaurant, but I've not found anybody who enjoys this place now.

If I recall, there was initially some debate about whether Nicaro would reopen; now that fuzzy510 reported on Stage Burger closing, I notice that Nicaro has been replaced by The Society Restaurant and Lounge.

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