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Dining in Gaithersburg


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So...

After 10 months of searching (I was the person who has missed the last two picnics and countless Dim Sundays to house hunt...) we placed an offer on a house and it was accepted.

Where does one eat in Gaithersburg?? Or nearby in Rockville or Germantown or Montgomery Village?
(I thought I had asked this back in October but couldn't find a thread when I searched...)

Thanks! Jennifer

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Tacos Pepito's Bakery (cjsadler)
Buffalo Wings and Beer (DanielK)
Agrodolce (The Hersch)
French Quarter Cafe (ol_ironstomach)
Madras Palace (ol_ironstomach)
O'Donnell's Sea Grill (Pat)
Tortaco's (booklovingbabe)

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bookluvingbabe said:
So...

After 10 months of searching (I was the person who has missed the last two picnics and countless Dim Sundays to house hunt...) we placed an offer on a house and it was accepted.

Where does one eat in Gaithersburg?? Or nearby in Rockville or Germantown or Montgomery Village?

(I thought I had asked this back in October but couldn't find a thread when I searched...)

Thanks!

Jennifer

There's not a whole heck of a lot that I've found in Gaithersburg, but there's a pretty good thread on eG about Rockville.

Rockville favorites include:

Joe's Noodle House

A&J

Pho 75

Caribbean Feast [Closed mid-2010]

Plus, you're close to the Dogfish pub in Gaithersburg.

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bookluvingbabe said:
Where does one eat in Gaithersburg??

At chains.

Ok, seriously-- some options in Gaithersburg (and one in Germantown):

O'Donnell's (seafood... and those great rum buns they give you) [Closed Jul, 2013]

Roy's (wacky sandwich place) [Open 1955-2012]

Madras Palace [Closed May, 2016]

Tacos Pepitos [Closed Feb, 2010]

Tandoori Nights (hit or miss)

French Quarter (Germantown) [Closed Late 2008]

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Somebody [wherewasitwherewasitwherewasit?] posted a pretty complimentary review of Madras Palace very recently, and I have been meaning to give that a try. There's also been talk (chowhound?) of a taco stand near the washingtonian center (is that Tacos Pepitos?). There's a Chinese place in the back of the strip mall with the Panera, across the street from the Sam's Club, that I've heard good things about but haven't been to (Fu Shing?). I think there are supposed to be some very good taco places in old town Gaithersburg.

I agree with the Joe's Noodle House and A&J recs. I also like Cuban Corner a little further up the Pike. Others like El Mariachi in the plaza with the IHOP on 355--me, not so much.

Although some DC-based hounds like to trash suburban food, I found a lot of really good, inexpensive food to eat in MoCo, and can still travel to the district when I want to.

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Other places not mentioned that I like:

in Gaithersburg:

Ay Jalisco (Salvadorean), Moby Dick House of Kabob, Negril (Jamaican), New Fortune (Dim sum), The Nibbler (Peruvian), Old Siam (Thai), Rio Grande (Tex-Mex)

Rockville:

Amici Miei (upscale Italian - very very good), Amina Thai (Halal Thai), Andalucia (Spanish), Bombay Bistro (Indian - great lunch buffet), China Bistro (great homemade dumplings), Green Field Churrascaria (Brazilian), Hard Times (chili), Mamma Lucia (Federal Plaza location only, red sauce italian and decent NY style pizza), Mykonos (Greek), Niwano Hana (Japanese/sushi), Tony Lin's (Cantonese/Shanghai), Tower Oaks Lodge (Clyde's family), Urban BBQ

Germantown:

Well, Rockville and Gaithersburg are a pretty short drive...

ETA: hammerhead!

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It was probably my Madras Palace comment in the Strip Malls thread. Not bad at all. Like Chris, I too have found Tandoori Nights to be hit-or-miss, and for the price I'd expect better.

Dogfish Head's food has been rather mundane on my visits, even though their beer is stupendously good. The entrees aren't appreciably better than TGIF or Ruby Tuesday or any other variant of "the restaurant". Their fried calamari appetizer is good, although you have to be adaptable to the slight sourness of the veggies bits in there.

There is no good bread in Gaithersburg. Sorry.

Just sticking to Gaithersburg, a few other suggestions come to mind:

To the north, Negril, on 355 a little north of Costco and King VW, serves up a pretty good variety of Jamaican food. They don't seem to be as consistent as Caribbean Feast down in Rockville, but on a good day they're really, really good. Some of the best spicy beef pattys around.

For lunch, don't forget the row of taco trucks lining the street directly across from the Gaithersburg MVA parking lot. Skip the carnitas and go for the adobo or the lengua.

In Old Town Gaithersburg, apart from quirky and lovable Roy's Place (which I'd go to for decent mainstream pints on draft, even moreso than for the legendary sandwich selection), there's a great hole-in-the-wall West African place called Rainbow, directly across from the historic train station. I forget if the owners are Senegalese or Ghanian, but they make some deliciously mean pepper stews, and several starch options beyond the obligatory fu-fu.

There's New Fortune off 355 just north of Shady Grove, with some of the DC area's best dim sum.

Along Shady Grove Rd, Pho Nam is a worthy alternative to standard-bearer Pho 75.

Way off to the east heading towards the MoCo Airpark, surprisingly good Buffalo wings at Buffalo Wings and Beer on Snouffer School Rd. I've also enjoyed the Salvadorean food at Acajutla, which used to have the good graces to present itself as principally Salvadorean. Two doors down is The Nibbler, a long time Cheap Eats denizen that I've always found a bit puzzling, if tasty.

You have good-but-not-superlative kebab options all around. Caspian has a new-ish location in the Kentlands in addition to the 355/Germantown one, and is on a par with Moby Dick. There was also pretty good Indian kebab place, Skewers House of Kababs out in Traville Center, although it's been a while since I was there.

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Where does one eat in Gaithersburg?? Or nearby in Rockville or Germantown or Montgomery Village?
Another place very good and not mentioned is Black Market. It is technically in Garrett Park, but only a few minutes off of Rockville Pike. For that matter Addies on Rockville Pike by the same owner.
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Remember, Gaitherspatch is the only place where a Fresh Fields store had to close due to lack of business. ;) But in the past few years quite a few interesting little ethnic places have opened (I think everyone who posted before me got the highlights).

There's a little Salvadorean joint on Russell Ave that makes excellent pupusas and platanos. Soryy but I've forgotten its name. It's on the corner with Diamond Ave.

Don't forget La Flor de la Canela for Peruvian.

Germantown is a wasteland. French Quarter Cafe is but a weak, quivering shadow of Louisiana Express, and Agrodolce is overpriced mediocrity.

On Darnestown Rd at Travilah Rd there's a strange little strip mall with a surprisingly good Mom-n-Pop Indian place called Flavors.

I lived in Montgomery Village for 25 years, and unless something's changed there quite recently, there's no place worth eating.

DanielK and I have a longstanding cordial disagreement about Amicicicici Meieieieie :unsure: , but on Rockville Pike at Gude Dr is the best little Italian in MoCo - Il Pizzico. It is not a pizza joint.

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DanielK and I have a longstanding cordial disagreement about Amicicicici Meieieieie :unsure: , but on Rockville Pike at Gude Dr is the best little Italian in MoCo - Il Pizzico. It is not a pizza joint.

;):PB)

I like Il Pizzico very much, but I go every 5 years, because there's always a wait for a table (even on a weeknight), and they don't take reservations. The place is very very small.

... I'll volunteer that based on several "I'll give them another chance" visits over the past two years, I am still mystified as to why Agrodolce is held in high regard. The space is yuppified (for a new strip mall overlooking 355) and the menu is fancy, but my entrees were merely okay, and the pasta was very disappointing...both overcooked and boringly sauced every time. Bzzzzzzt.

Thanks for the additional wing sauce info, DanielK. I'm an ordinary Frank's Red Hot + butter kinda guy myself, but what's the preferred method for taking a wing sauce to atomic spicyness?

I'm with you on Agrodolce and Amada Amante. The menu reads better than the food tastes. When you look at a dish, shake your head and wonder "those ingredients can't go good together", you don't get surprised by a talented chef - your instincts served you well.

And I'm fine with the Frank's & butter saucing. But when you want a hotter sauce, you change the ratios of hot sauce to butter to make a hotter blend. They only go to medium, then add dried pepper flakes to get to the next level. Then they put a couple of drops of Dave's Insanity to go to the next level. Want one hotter? Two more drops. Etc. It adds heat, sure, but it doesn't change the flavor at all - it becomes a macho competition for who can handle the hottest sauce. Kind of like Sichuan cooking in the hands of Peter Chang or Joe's vs. an ordinary Chinese place with Sichuan food. Sure, they can make it as hot as the pros, but that complexity of flavor gets lost.

God, I can't believe I'm comparing buffalo wing heat to Sichuan cooking...

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Don't forget La Flor de la Canela for Peruvian.

...

Rockville Pike at Gude Dr is the best little Italian in MoCo - Il Pizzico. It is not a pizza joint.

I *knew* there was someplace I was forgetting! Thanks for reminding me about La Flor de la Canela

And, I agree, Il Pizzico is quite good (or was when I was last there, which probably was a couple of years ago).

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More props for Il Pizzico - what a crappy location, though, and I wish they'd find a better space with more parking. You wouldn't expect such delicate pasta to exist next to a muffler shop.

No love yet for Momo Taro Sushi on Rt 355 south of Shady Grove?

Call me crazy, but I've always been fond of Cameron's Seafood, which is near Carribean Feast/Cuban Corner. Their steamed crabs aren't always the best, but are cheap and available every day for carryout. They do consistently good steamed spiced shrimp, and the spiced shrimp platter is a very generous serving. My former co-workers loved the various fried fish platters, which I also see flying out the door at my local Cameron's in Silver Spring. They have a coupon in most editions of the Washington Post food section.

And as long as you're in the area, there's Taste of Saigon for upscale Vietmanese. It's hard to find, as it's in the bottom floor of an office building and doesn't face the street. (the Tysons location is only slightly easier to find)

So can we expect you at the August Dim Sunday @ New Fortune? :unsure:

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I'm going to risk any credibility I had here and say, with some trepidation... :unsure: I kinda like Ricky's Rice Bowl in Gaithersburg Square for a quick lunch every so often.

When I used to go to the Borders in that shopping plaza, that was definitely an occasional guilty pleasure. But I wouldn't necessarily put it on a list of places I was recommending to people...

Perri - I think we mentioned Momo Taro earlier, but if not, I agree. Decent sushi, especially on $1 Mondays. But I much prefer Niwano Hana.

I've become more disenchanted with Cameron's lately - we do get crabs from there occasionally, but the seafood has been far inferior to (though cheaper than) River Falls or Upstream.

Enough people seem to find Taste of Saigon - there's frequently a wait for a table, though they do take reservations! There are some things they do very well, like the black pepper sauce, but I find the food somewhat pricy. Portions are not huge, and I think the last time my wife and I took the kids, the bill was almost $100 after tax and tip, even without alcohol.

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No, I'm with you on Ricky's Rice Bowl! Would I go there every day? Hell, no! But, it makes a nice, annual alternative to my string of other places to go to for lunch! That's the strip mall that has the Fu Shing (name?) on the lower level in back that I referred to earlier.

I'm a fish-a-terian, so have always gotten the veggie appetizer rolls at Taste of Saigon (why can I not think of what the rolls are called? Not the deep fried kind, the summer-y yummy kind?). Anyway, theirs are *terrible*. Instead of just leaving out the pork they mince up all these vegetables (e.g. broccoli) that totally ruin the taste. Mind you, this isn't a broccoli rant. I'm not 41, I like broccoli quite a lot, but there are places it doesn't belong. And this is one of them. Other than that, I think Taste of Saigon is fine, but I'm with Daniel, a bit too expensive.

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... strip mall that has the Fu Shing (name?) on the lower level in back that I referred to earlier.

Fu Shing Cafe is correct - they also have another branch in Rockville.

I'm a fish-a-terian, so have always gotten the veggie appetizer rolls at Taste of Saigon (why can I not think of what the rolls are called? Not the deep fried kind, the summer-y yummy kind?).

Sometimes called summer rolls or imperial rolls, the vietnamese name is Cha Gio. Taste of Saigon

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The Salvadorean place I mentioned earlier is called La Frontera. The pupusas are fresh, hot, flowing with cheese, studded with piquant shreds of pork, and tending to be greasy. I love 'em. I also love the deep-fried plantains, served with crema and black beans. It is a sit-down restaurant and very clean looking both in the dining room and the kitchen. I've only gotten carryout, though, so I can't report about service.

Two doors down is Taco Bar, "Fast Mexican Food", a counter-service place with a few tables. I haven't eaten there in years, but I seem to recall a tasty, basic pork taco. They also have lengua on the Menu Espanol but not on the Menu Ingles.

I also recommend the dentist a few doors down Russell, who uses enough drugs that I can't feel a thing, but they wear off just enough for me to enjoy a pupusa on the way home.

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A belated thanks! We're still living out of boxes and our only local food so far has been delivery pizza from Domino's when I was too tired to figure out anything better. I look forward to exploring the options even if it isn't quite the same as having Palena and Dino down the street and 2 Amy's just a few blocks away.

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According to that preeminent journal "Clipper Magazine" <snip>
Oh, the Clipper Magazine may be good, but for MoCo, I'm confident it can't hold a candle to the Gazette for restaurant 'reviews' (and I do use that term loosely) and news.
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Oh, the Clipper Magazine may be good, but for MoCo, I'm confident it can't hold a candle to the Gazette for restaurant 'reviews' (and I do use that term loosely) and news.
:) I did see that the woman who wrote those under the pseudonym "MJ Pleasant" recently left her post. Maybe the next "reviewer" (see, I share your opinion) will be better.
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The Nibbler (Peruvian)
Friday, we ventured into the far reaches of Gaithersburg to check out the Nibbler (at least to me it was the far reaches-- I had no idea there was anything back this way). This place is good! The only thing I know when it comes to Peruvian food is lomo saltado, but I decided to order a dish of pulled chicken in a milk and cheese sauce, topped with hard boiled eggs (aji de gallina, only $10). It reminded me of a curry, but with different spicing-- excellent. txaggie had ropa vieja with fried plantains (they have a few non-Peruvian things on the menu). The beef was slightly dry, but had a lot of flavor.
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A lot of the better restaurants in Gaithersburg are in pretty crappy locations (strip malls). The Nibbler is probably one of my favorites for a good cheap eat. Its not pretty inside nor is it very large, but the food is pretty good for the price and the employees are friendly. I have had the Lomo Saltado and the Ropa Vieja, both of which I think are pretty good.

Fu Shing Cafe is pretty good for Chinese and its behind the shopping center that has Borders, Ross, etc. I havent been there over a year so I cant speak for the quality now.

I have always thought Old Siam in Olde Towne was pretty good but its always empty. Junior's Chicken in Olde Towne is decent but I prefer Crisp and Juicy. Brooklyn Deli in Travilah Shopping Center is not bad either. The pastrami I got was a bit too fatty and I think I preferred the deli that was there before.

The other places that have been mentioned, I would agree that they are decent but nothing special(Tandoori Nights, Moby, Ay Jalisco, Momo Taro).

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A buddy of mine was up in Gaithersburg yesterday for work and said the sandwich he had at Roy's (mentioned upthread) was outrageously good....Is it worth the schlep?

ETA: and if there is anything decent to drink? Website/buddy mention nothing specific.

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A buddy of mine was up in Gaithersburg yesterday for work and said the sandwich he had at Roy's (mentioned upthread) was outrageously good....Is it worth the schlep?

ETA: and if there is anything decent to drink? Website/buddy mention nothing specific.

The menu is about 3,000 pages long, with every possible variant of their ingredients, and the humor on the menu makes you spend 30 minutes reading before you order. But while the sandwiches are fresh, the rest of the menu (sides, etc.) and many of the sandwich ingredients are Sysco's finest.

If you're already up that way, and a sandwich and a beer is what you want, it's definitely worth stopping in. Not worth going that far out of your way for.

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Jlock and I had a great dinner last night at La Flor de la Canela. I had the lomo saltado traditionale with a side of canary beans, which was great, especially with some of the spicy green sauce. And, he had a chicken dish that I would most liken to the stew found in a great chicken pot pie, but that description does it no justice.

At 6:30, we were the only customers in this luxurious dining room in a dingy strip mall. I guess people typically stop by later.

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The menu is about 3,000 pages long, with every possible variant of their ingredients, and the humor on the menu makes you spend 30 minutes reading before you order. But while the sandwiches are fresh, the rest of the menu (sides, etc.) and many of the sandwich ingredients are Sysco's finest.

If you're already up that way, and a sandwich and a beer is what you want, it's definitely worth stopping in. Not worth going that far out of your way for.

I thought the sandwiches we had earlier this month were pretty crappy and overpriced. The only bright spot was the lobster salad and it's pretty hard to fuck up lobster salad.

Jennifer

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I have had some fairly good lunches at Il Porto on Muddy Branch Road. Solid Italian.

By "solid" are we talking mainstream Italian, or the same way Il Porto has cooked for years? I'm just trying to figure out if something has changed in recent years.

It's been some years since I ate there, but along with several other joints in suburban MD, Il Porto's menu owed a lot to its chef having formerly cooked at Pines of Rome in Bethesda. Know them by their addictive white pizza with fontina. But also by their watery tomato sauce, easily replicated by opening a can of San Marzanos and smashing them with a fork :angry:

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I don't think these two places necessarily deserve their own thread yet, but my meals there in the past week have been excellent -- one is Michael's Noodles in Travilah Square and the other is China Jade on Crabbs Branch right off I-370. My parents have been visiting from China for the past few weeks, and the word (i.e., their friends from Chinese school) is that both places have been serving excellent food recently. Nothing spectacular that would warrant a special trip, but definitely worth visiting if you are in the area.

My understanding is that Michael's Noodles used to not be a Chinese restaurant, but all I remember is that a few of the chef's specialties are definitely worth ordering. One is the baked whole tilapia in a sweet garlic sauce with over a dozen whole cloves. Other winners included the hot-pot with eggplant and tofu with egg whites. Those who like the three-pepper chicken at Joe's Noodle House may want to try the version here. It's not as mind-numbingly hot, though I liked that the "heat" is more controlled. This place was packed on a Thursday night, which seems like a pretty good sign as well.

The dishes at China Jade appear to be mostly Cantonese-style. We stuck with the Chinese-only menu and there weren't any misses. My favorites were the cold cut-up chicken dipped in garlic-ginger sauce and the roast duck. Also, the cast-iron pepper steak was super-tender. My family ate here years ago when it was under different management, and things have improved considerably. The restaurant was also packed last Saturday.

(that said, I would generally rather drive 5 extra minutes to eat at Pacifica or Joe's)

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The dishes at China Jade appear to be mostly Cantonese-style. We stuck with the Chinese-only menu and there weren't any misses. My favorites were the cold cut-up chicken dipped in garlic-ginger sauce and the roast duck. Also, the cast-iron pepper steak was super-tender. My family ate here years ago when it was under different management, and things have improved considerably. The restaurant was also packed last Saturday.

This is the second good report I've gotten on China Jade this week. I ate there 10 years ago when I lived up that way, and it was typical American-Chinese food, not worth driving a block out of the way for. The Chinese-only menu (which unfortunately is not translated) is a new invention there. There are apparently two floor managers: one who is happy to lead you through translations and pick food, and the other who insists there is no chinese menu, and you should order your beef and broccoli and be happy.

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The menu is about 3,000 pages long, with every possible variant of their ingredients, and the humor on the menu makes you spend 30 minutes reading before you order. But while the sandwiches are fresh, the rest of the menu (sides, etc.) and many of the sandwich ingredients are Sysco's finest.

If you're already up that way, and a sandwich and a beer is what you want, it's definitely worth stopping in. Not worth going that far out of your way for.

Stopped in yesterday after dropping the ailing Kitchenaid at Waters Appliance a few blocks down. Agreed on the sides (the fries were meh), but the #45, aka THE FOREVER AMBLER, OR THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING ERNEST, was delicious: 6oz steak, fried oysters, bleu cheese sauce on rye. The beer list is abysmal, however. The token belgians (Corsendonck, Chimay) are the only things worth drinking, and they're in bottle. We got a "buy 10, the 11th is free" card, but I doubt I'll make it back here 10 more times, with a Pepitos on the same strip. Maybe if my kitchenaid repeatedly breaks over and over.

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By "solid" are we talking mainstream Italian, or the same way Il Porto has cooked for years? I'm just trying to figure out if something has changed in recent years.

It's been some years since I ate there, but along with several other joints in suburban MD, Il Porto's menu owed a lot to its chef having formerly cooked at Pines of Rome in Bethesda. Know them by their addictive white pizza with fontina. But also by their watery tomato sauce, easily replicated by opening a can of San Marzanos and smashing them with a fork :lol:

Last week I had the Portobello Pasta off the specials board at lunch. Portobello mushrooms and roasted red peppers over vermicelli with a lemon accented olive oil based sauce. It was outstanding. I typically favor the specials board when I go because the standard menu offerings tend towards the usual Italian fare. The service was excellent.

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Coming to the Kentlands in 2010:

Coal Fire Pizza Restaurant & Bar

Unclear if it is connected to the location in Ellicot City.

It is the same. Lydia reported the news a couple of weeks ago.

Being less than ten minutes up the road, I am hopeful, even though this end of Quince Orchard seems to be where restaurants come to die a death of mediocrity. Unless they go to College Park instead.

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To sumarize the (my) current Gaithersburg highlights:

Non-chain favorites:

- Le Palais: Country French, formal, $$$$, very good

- Batik: Fusion Asian/dumplings, casual, $

- Roy's Place: Funky old-school sandwiches, very casual, $$

- Growler's Pub: Brew Pub, changing menu, casual, $$

- Vasilis: Greek, nice casual, $$$

- Pasha: Moroccan, nice casual, $$$

Local chain favorites:

- Cava Mezze, Greek tapas, nice casual, $$$ (north potomac?)

- Moby Dick, Persian, casual counter service, $$

- Coal Fire Pizza, casual, $$

As mentioned above, there are other places serving various 'exotic' cuisines but I don't really know enough about them to say what's good or not. I *think* I'll also take Italian Pines over Il Porto - but have to do a head-to-head comparison one of these days.

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This is so helpful to me - I work in Gaithersburg, in the Rio Center and, for the most part, when I do go out to lunch, I really don't like eating anywhere nearby. There is the taco bar at the gas station on the corner of Fields Road and 370, but some variety is nice.

One place I do love to go, when I have a chance to go out, is Burma Road. I only order from the Burmese menu and I've never been disappointed.

Thanks for posting.

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This is so helpful to me - I work in Gaithersburg, in the Rio Center and, for the most part, when I do go out to lunch, I really don't like eating anywhere nearby. There is the taco bar at the gas station on the corner of Fields Road and 370, but some variety is nice.

One place I do love to go, when I have a chance to go out, is Burma Road. I only order from the Burmese menu and I've never been disappointed.

Thanks for posting.

You're welcome!

Nando Peri-Peri and BGR are about the only two places I want to eat in Rio. I end up at Joe's, Julio's and CPK because the kids would riot if we didn't go occasionally... I see a British Pub is coming soon to Rio. I'll have to check that out when it does. I'll put Burma on my list as well.

Batik has a nice bento-box lunch deal and is pretty fast. Parking is in the back. Vasillis and Pasha are around the corner from Batik and just a little more formal, both also good for lunch. Growler's has lots of seating and has been experimenting with the menu - they can shine at times, though I can't imagine going and not getting a beer. (I likewise can't imagine getting a beer at lunch while at work) Roy's Place is just different from all the rest. It's one part scary, one part funny and one part nostalgic - by the time you wrap your head around those aspects the food part isn't too critical.

I've heard the big project next to Rio has already landed some tenants but they are all chains. My hope is they leave some spaces for Mom and Pops.

Also worth a shot is Quench over by Cava (once you've been to Cava, of course). I still haven't really made up my mind about this place but from a food aspect there is thought and effort behind what they are doing.

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Going kid-furniture shopping to Great Beginnings this afternoon--near Gaithersberg shopping center, according to google maps. Dinner recommendations? We are looking for an informal spot that would work for 2 adults and a (well socialized) 3 year old.

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Going kid-furniture shopping to Great Beginnings this afternoon--near Gaithersberg shopping center, according to google maps. Dinner recommendations? We are looking for an informal spot that would work for 2 adults and a (well socialized) 3 year old.

The Flaming Pit is right there, and is more child friendly than you might think, but the formality is probably more than you want.

There's a Ricky's Rice Bowl (among other things) south on 355, but I'm hoping your child may be adventurous enough for Tortacos instead. Before you get there, you'll pass an O'Malley's Pub and an Ichiban.

If you head north on 355, you'll hit some shopping centers around Middlebrook Road with an array of informal choices, the Maryland location of X.O. Taste being one of them. Just beyond that on the right is Caspian Kabob.

You could head to the Kentlands area for a wider array of choices, but there's no need because this strip of 355 has plenty of mom-n-pops. Note that Tortacos is off 355, although not far away from where you'll be.

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On 1/21/2013 at 2:42 AM, jayandstacey said:

To sumarize the (my) current Gaithersburg highlights:

Non-chain favorites:

- Le Palais: Country French, formal, $$$$, very good

- Batik: Fusion Asian/dumplings, casual, $

- Roy's Place: Funky old-school sandwiches, very casual, $$

- Growler's Pub: Brew Pub, changing menu, casual, $$

- Vasilis: Greek, nice casual, $$$

- Pasha: Moroccan, nice casual, $$$

Local chain favorites:

- Cava Mezze, Greek tapas, nice casual, $$$ (north potomac?)

- Moby Dick, Persian, casual counter service, $$

- Coal Fire Pizza, casual, $$

As mentioned above, there are other places serving various 'exotic' cuisines but I don't really know enough about them to say what's good or not. I *think* I'll also take Italian Pines over Il Porto - but have to do a head-to-head comparison one of these days.

Any updates for 2016?  I find I will be in that area tomorrow night.  Tell me about Batik, it came up on my google search and looks like something my Mom might like, she loves dumplings.

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On 6/21/2017 at 5:11 PM, ktmoomau said:

Any updates for 2016?  I find I will be in that area tomorrow night.  Tell me about Batik, it came up on my google search and looks like something my Mom might like, she loves dumplings.

Welp, 

I moved out of Gaithersburg about 3 years ago.  I do get back occasionally and make a point to go to Batik.  Still love it.  It won't overwhelm you; it's simple and low key (wear shorts or whatever).  

As for the rest:

Roys Place: closed in a trajedy eclipsed only by the Capital's recent loss of Nate Schmidt.  

Growlers:  closed permanently late last week.  Then came back on Saturday, talked of new ownership and plans and mentioned being open that night.  Then Sunday morning announced they were closed.  Go figure?!?

Vasilis:  moved a block away to a bigger locale.  Presumed successful.

Pasha:  I thought I heard it was closing, but looks like it's going strong.  Get the bastillas 100/100 times.

Le Palais:  don't know.

the chains I mention are pretty well known.  

Safe travels and good eats!

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And more about Batik:

they are mostly dumplings with some bibimbop (sp?) and other Asian-fusion dishes.  There's a nice mix of adventure and safety on the menu.

Some favorites:

- the sweet green iced tea- not sure why but I drink about a gallon each time I go

- if it's nice out, ask to sit on the second level balcony.  You can watch the traffic go thru the circle and the people walk by from above.

-  We usually order different kinds of dumplings then share tapas style.  

- I've always liked their bulgogi.  

Enjoy!

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1 hour ago, Simul Parikh said:

Adjacent to Gaithersburg, Yu Zhou Cafe in Germantown is good. Sichuan-ish. 

Yu Zhou is actually in Gaithersburg behind the fair grounds--576 N Frederick Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877

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