mdjordy Posted February 20, 2008 Share Posted February 20, 2008 Just noticed that it has opened in the old homestead space... Anyone been? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MMM Posted February 21, 2008 Share Posted February 21, 2008 Haven't been, but was considering stopping in before going to a concert, so inquired about Happy Hour. Here's their response - "Aperitivo - "Italian Happy Hour"- 5 pm to 7 pm Monday to Friday - 50 % off from Well Drink - Beer - Wine and Free finger food." Hope to check it out soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Winter Posted February 22, 2008 Share Posted February 22, 2008 Haven't been, but was considering stopping in before going to a concert, so inquired about Happy Hour. Here's their response - "Aperitivo - "Italian Happy Hour"- 5 pm to 7 pm Monday to Friday - 50 % off from Well Drink - Beer - Wine and Free finger food." Hope to check it out soon. I was there for the friends and family dinners last week. Thought it was terrific. I had dined at Bice in Palm Beach over the holidays so I was curious to see how the Bethesda restaurant compared. Everything was delightful. Service was very attentive and knowledgable and absolutely everything we had was great. It's often said you can judge a good Italian Restaurant by its osa bucco. This one was flawless. I'm going back again this week. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collije Posted February 26, 2008 Share Posted February 26, 2008 I'll need to check this place out soon, at least for happies initially. Still, they'll have to face the challenge of a horrible location which is one of the reasons why Old Homestead failed [shame because I worked in that building for two years & wanted it to be successful]. Can't be seen from Wisconsin Ave, only can be marginally seen 100 ft. from the corner on East-West Hwy [which is a 1-way street at that section with traffic coming into downtown Bethesda; no one really is noticing imo when coming home from work]. Old Homestead didn't do much to attract the in-house businesses [like where I worked at] to come there. Hoping Bice does a better job at that portion of its marketing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithdcil Posted May 15, 2008 Share Posted May 15, 2008 Last night 6 of us enjoyed our dinner at the new Bice in Bethesda. Drinks: Cocktails and wines by the glass from a large list weighted toward Argentinian & Italian . Apps: 3 crispy pizzas with with cheese and mushrooms. Entrees: Wild Salmon Special with a tasty seafood stew on the side . Veal Milanese was a butterflied vealchop served almost like a shnitzel - so big it fell off the plate. Lamb Chop Special, 3 double thick and perfectly medium rare (the waiter said to only get if you like it med rare-and was right). Steaks - nice thick steaks served with four argentinian sauces on the side. Desserts: Fruit plate and bread pudding that was warm and wonderful (we all fought over the last bites). Good place for a group celebration - easy valet parking - very good service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathanmeyers1 Posted May 16, 2008 Share Posted May 16, 2008 Several of us tried them opening week and we were not disappointed. An excellent place, with great service and food. A class act all the way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
baczkowski Posted June 16, 2008 Share Posted June 16, 2008 Yesterday I took my three assistants to lunch at Bice to celebrate the end of the school year. It was my first time, but two of the other three had gone a couple months ago shortly after they opened and reported that they had liked it. I have to say for a nice, more formal lunch than what Booeymongers offers, the bar's "express" lunch is a nice deal despite a few cooking missteps. The lunch is a choice of 2 courses for $14; a small dessert serving of bread pudding with ice cream was an additional $2. The ambiance is a mixture of classic and modern, which I personally found quite attractive. The meal starts with a generous and quite delicious bread basket served with two spreads and a rosemary olive oil. I was surprised to see that our two courses arrived on the same plate; I could see that being an "express" approach if we hadn't waited almost a half hour to be served despite no other soul in the place beyond the wait staff. I ordered the calamari and the rosemary beef strips, so I can only speak authoritatively about those dishes. The calamari was excellent (the best I've had in a long time) but the beef strips were merely edible since they were cooked well-done and served in a gray rosemary sauce that was quite strong. In fact, this place loves rosemary b/c it was in all the breads and the dipping oil, and I think the bolognese sauce had it, but I could be wrong. Anyway, my companion's crab cakes looked over-fried and they reported their salmon to be a little dry, but I can't blame the kitchen for the salmon b/c they requested it be cooked medium-well. Regardless they say they enjoyed their meals and would like to come back. The dessert portion was small but sufficient for a lunch as well as the $2 price tag. Overall, I'd recommend the bar's express lunch for the combination of the affordable price tag and great ambiance, even if the cooking wasn't fully even. It's certainly not Lickety Split, but not a terrible Bethesda option. I'm not sure they can entice me into the more expensive dining room though. Pax, Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted September 25, 2008 Share Posted September 25, 2008 Three of us had the "Bar Express" lunch today. I had octopus with potatoes, a really really good dish. Simple fresh ingredients and the octopus was incredibly tender. My entree was Veal Scaloppini. Also very nice, very good and tender. The portions were a bit reversed the App (octopus) was more of a meal portion then the smaller piece of scaloppini. Very nice for $14 and a welcome change from Boggymongers. Price included bread, dipping supplies and a drink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonRocks Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Bice is now closed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FunnyJohn Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Bice is now closed.Again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collije Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 I could've called that. I tell ya, it's a cursed space for a restaurant. Bad bad location. At least they tried to solicit better awareness by using the outside space somewhat during warmer weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 but yet another resturant will take it's place....... I could've called that. I tell ya, it's a cursed space for a restaurant. Bad bad location. At least they tried to solicit better awareness by using the outside space somewhat during warmer weather. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mbucher Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 but yet another resturant will take it's place....... but free rent and a free buildout will lore someone who will price it right and make it a destination. folks will "get there" if there's value and quality. Think about it in this way, if houstons was there it would be mobbed.... word is the palm is looking at it, not exactly "value"..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithdcil Posted March 6, 2009 Share Posted March 6, 2009 Mortons, in the Hyatt across the street, is doing well and is far from "value". The Palm might work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
collije Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 Ok, perhaps a chain *might work*. But, I don't buy the Morton's is "close-by & successful" theory. By being on Wisconsin Ave it's seen [and yes the name helps]. Put an independant in the Bice/Old Homestead space & the same issues of 1) can't see it from the main traffic pattern of Wisconsin and 2) the traffic on East-West Hwy is minimal at dinnertime and the 1-way direction of that traffic tells me folks are more-focused on getting home from work. And using Houston's as an example I don't think the folks working in town would foot-traffic in that direction/area. Just my opinion of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Johnston Posted March 8, 2009 Share Posted March 8, 2009 I went o Bice a few times as it is really close to my office. I liked that they could deliver a great bar lunch in a reasonable amount of time. While there are planty of tasteless sandwich places, Bice was more upscale. I hope its replacement can fulfil that need. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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