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Gusto Italian Grill, A Quick-Serve Italian Concept in the Former Craze Burger Space in Bethesda and on Fenton Avenue in Silver Spring


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The concept is Italian Chipotle.

"Everything is wrapped up in an organic Italian flatbread that resembles a tortilla." kinda makes me laugh. If you want to throw vaguely Italian sounding stuff inside a tortilla, just admit it.

"Gusto Italian Grill Coming To Empty Bethesda Space" by Aaron Kraut on bethesdanow.com

And not that it matters, but it replaced the Kraze Burger. Not sure what a Katzen Burger is, but it can't be much worse.

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You'll be thrilled to know that Gusto Italian Grill is becoming a chain before it opens its first restaurant: It's opening a second location in Silver Springs (*):

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The aptly named Joshua Grim sounds like a real renaissance man, doesn't he? (*) Not surprisingly, he moved up here from Florida.

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You'll be thrilled to know that Gusto Italian Grill is becoming a chain before it opens its first restaurant: It's opening a second location in Silver Springs (*):

attachicon.gifScreenshot 2015-05-08 at 08.36.56.png

The aptly named Joshua Grim sounds like a real renaissance man, doesn't he? (*) Not surprisingly, he moved up here from Florida.

Oh god, the dreaded third S! My wife even cringes at that, and she grew up a couple miles down the road from Florida's Silver Springs (now residing in my native Silver Spring). It's not that difficult, people.

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I can confirm the Silver Spring location is open, as I ate there yesterday

While I like the concept, I wasn't terribly impressed. Quickly, the menu is based around an Italian flatbread wrap ("piadina"), a pasta bowl, or a salad bowl, and then you pick a protein, sauce (or salad dressing) and ingredients. Proteins included chicken and steak, beef and turkey meatballs, roasted pork and grilled vegetables, while the sauces are alfredo, "red tomato" and a spicy tomato-based cream sauce.

I got the pasta bowl with turkey meatballs and the "red" sauce, with a variety of additional ingredients like olives, artichokes, mozarella/parmesan cheese and tomato bruschetta. It was tasty, overall, but the sauce wasn't "robust" enough - it was relatively thin and seemed to be missing some Italian seasoning (more oregano, maybe) to give it some bite - and there weren't shakers of oregano or other seasonings available, just salt and pepper. I'll note that it's possible the artichokes and olives cut some of the flavoring but it all seemed to be pretty mild. The turkey meatballs were nicely formed and tender, but I didn't find them particularly generous - there was three to a bowl and they weren't particularly large. It was tasty enough, but it didn't blow me away, and I wasn't stuffed at the end of it. I did think that the ingredients were high-quality, and I appreciate some of that some of the toppings such as artichokes and pancetta might be considered "premium" at another spot but were included here. The base prices are between $7 and $9 depending on the protein choice, but with an appetizer/side or choosing gluten-free pasta or even just a drink, it can easily get over $10 which may be a questionable price point in fast casual.

Honestly though, my biggest issue wasn't the food. The design of the place was more for style than comfort, and that might keep some people away (unless they're doing carryout). It is done up in a faux-industrial style but is in some ways impractical - in addition to regular tables, there is a communal table and "bars" by the window. These have high stools and zero foot support from the floor or walls under them - I didn't see a single person who was tall enough to not have his/her feet dangling off the floor. There are regular tables, but all of them have round, backless barstools. I didn't find that it was a very comfortable place to eat (and I'm not particularly ancient or injury-riddled), and I didn't notice many customers over middle age - so that is one consideration.

I will note that the spot has been open for less than a month (and I think its counterpart in Bethesda is only a few weeks older), and it was full on a Friday night - but the competition in fast casual in Silver Spring is only going to get steeper with ShopHouse and Cava Grill opening soon. There is room for improvement and I will go back eventually, but it likely won't be my first choice.

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Honestly though, my biggest issue wasn't the food. The design of the place was more for style than comfort, and that might keep some people away (unless they're doing carryout). It is done up in a faux-industrial style but is in some ways impractical - in addition to regular tables, there is a communal table and "bars" by the window. These have high stools and zero foot support from the floor or walls under them - I didn't see a single person who was tall enough to not have his/her feet dangling off the floor. There are regular tables, but all of them have round, backless barstools. I didn't find that it was a very comfortable place to eat (and I'm not particularly ancient or injury-riddled), and I didn't notice many customers over middle age - so that is one consideration.

Although I have no facts to back up my supposition, I've long-noticed that this is an intentional design in quick-serve restaurants - the style pulls 'em in, and the discomfort gets 'em out quickly to increase turnover.

I remember when the first Chipotle opened in Bethesda - there was so much press preceding the opening (thanks a lot, whoever the hell you were) that I decided to take my mother there for *Mother's Day*, and got there as soon as they opened, thinking it would be full; we were the first people in an empty restaurant, and I immediately noticed how uncomfortable and sterile it was. I had never heard of "quick-serve" or "fast-casual" because I'm not even sure the names had been coined yet. My mom didn't care, or probably even notice, but that's only because she was my mom who was awesome. I cannot believe I took her to Chipotle for Mother's Day, and was thinking it was going to be some kind of big deal.

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Although I have no facts to back up my supposition, I've long-noticed that this is an intentional design in quick-serve restaurants - the style pulls 'em in, and the discomfort gets 'em out quickly to increase turnover.

I certainly don't disagree with that concept, but I've been to plenty of fast-casual and fast-food places (chains and otherwise) that at least offer some basic comfort and functionality. No one is expecting plush chairs and staffers waving palm fronds to fan customers, but chairs without backs and a significant percentage of seats leaving anyone sub-6'6" with legs dangling (a bit of a disconcerting proposition, to say the least) seems like it's overcorrecting.

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Had lunch in the bethesda branch on Saturday. They seem to have changed their menu options, no more piadini, instead it is either salads or "fast-fired" pizza.  I split a salad and a cauliflower-crust pizza with the missus while the kids split a regular pizza.

Overall, it was better than I expected. I don't kid myself that the cauliflower crust pizza was particularly healthy - it was after all covered in cheese - but the taste was good, as was the salad. The kids' pizza was probably the weakest link, but they were happy enough with it.  

This place is never going to compete with real pizza options like Da Marco, but it is an inoffensive lunch option if you want to graze in the "fast casual space", as our friends in marketing like to say.

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