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Matchbox, a DC-Based American Chain Employing an Aggressive National Expansion - Now Controlled by Thompson Hospitality


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Lots of volunteers here if you need more practice. :)

Ditto! I've been waiting and even pm'd Pizzaandbrew to see if there were any updates. I needed to arrange a lunch with my sister and cousin on the 18th so we went with Againn instead. Maybe we'll be able to change plans since it looks like they may actually open. Now all I need to do is find a phone number to call the place. (No, it's not on their webstie, or listed anywhere; I even called one of the other restaurants yesterday and was told they didn't have a contact number yet...but they will be open on Saturday evening :) )

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Ditto! I've been waiting and even pm'd Pizzaandbrew to see if there were any updates. I needed to arrange a lunch with my sister and cousin on the 18th so we went with Againn instead. Maybe we'll be able to change plans since it looks like they may actually open. Now all I need to do is find a phone number to call the place. (No, it's not on their webstie, or listed anywhere; I even called one of the other restaurants yesterday and was told they didn't have a contact number yet...but they will be open on Saturday evening :) )

My apologies for not responding! Not intentional but with 3 restaurant openings in the last 6 months things have been a littel crazy. Not a great excuse - simply the truth. Phone number for rockville is 301 816 0369. To my knowledge, it may not be operational yet. Thanks for your patience folks. Looking forward to a great opening.

Chris

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My apologies for not responding! Not intentional but with 3 restaurant openings in the last 6 months things have been a littel crazy. Not a great excuse - simply the truth. Phone number for rockville is 301 816 0369. To my knowledge, it may not be operational yet. Thanks for your patience folks. Looking forward to a great opening.

Chris

Thought this also might be helpful: http://www.matchboxrockville.com/index.php/locations

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All inspections have been passed. Training is going on round the clock, the ovens are roaring and we're planning on Saturday night after a private practice on Friday.

I will be happy to happy to add my help tomorrow too if you are looking for people to practice on.

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My apologies for not responding! Not intentional but with 3 restaurant openings in the last 6 months things have been a littel crazy. Not a great excuse - simply the truth. Phone number for rockville is 301 816 0369. To my knowledge, it may not be operational yet. Thanks for your patience folks. Looking forward to a great opening.

Chris

Thanks for the number! Looking forward to coming by soon, though I'll wait to call until the initial rush dies down... :) Good luck on your opening tomorrow night!

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Stopped in Monday night to check it out. Similar to DC, but obviously a much wider layout. Patio was under construction but looks like it could be nice when the weather turns.

Apps:

6 sliders - cooked well, buns were great (actually better than my last MatchboxDC experience). Onions were tasty although a bit on the cool side.

Bacon wrapped shrimp with grits - great flavors, grits were delicious even to my usual non-grits eating self. They were lukewarm, not sure if that is how they are intended to be served?

Pizzas:

Matchbox meat (with added wild mushrooms) - best of the bunch. Great flavor, well cooked and just the right bit of spicy.

Spicy Meatball - another win here, good flavors. Added bonus - an extra meatball (instead of the usual 1 per slice).

4 Cheese - this was the one letdown of the night. The outside edges were way overdone, and the middle of the pizza was super greasy. Only pizza not finished.

Dessert

Lemon tart - I think came with some type of blueberry sauce, which was m-e-h. However the tart was great - great texture and as someone who wants lemon deserts to be tart and not overly sweet, it was spot on.

Service:

Our server was very friendly and for the most part attentive. We were seated upstairs, so it did seem like there were periods we didn't see him for a while when I assume he was downstairs @ the kitchen. The only thing I noticed that seemed odd to me was the other server(s) covering our area walked by with water pitchers multiple times while our water glasses remained empty. Thought it would make sense for them to keep an eye out.

Overall a good experience and probably will be back sooner than later. It *is* on the pricier side of our usuals (A&J, Joe's, etc.) but definitely happy to add to the Rockville list.

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Had a very nice time at Matchbox on Friday, 12/17. Sat in behind the bar at what I'm calling the children's section because it was full of family with young kids, which given I was with my 5 and 7 was great. The wife and I ordered two beer, and we split 9 mini-burgers (three with gorgonzola), and a small pepperoni pizza. Burgers were great, cooked medium as asked for. Unlike Wahoooob, the onion straws were hot. I liked the pizza, but I didn't mind it being a little soggy in the middle. Wait times were an hour at six and more like two hours at seven. Make reservations if you can. All and all, a very impressive debut.

Ignacio

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I went to the new Rockville location on Friday night. The food was consistent with the Chinatown location. We had the sliders for an app. They were fine, but honestly I think the ones at Founding Farmers are much better (and bigger). For an entree, we split a meat pizza. It was very good but extremely spicy. The crust was crispy but not burned, although I thought the pizza could use more sauce. For dessert, we had the coffee & doughnuts. Those were sooo good, especially the outside layer. Just the right amount of cinnamon & powder sugar over a freshly fried crispy exterior. They are addictive!

The biggest issue was the service. I realize they have only been open a week, but dinner took over 2 hours!! It was sooo slow. The waiter had no idea how to multi-task. He'd go to one table, then disappear, then go back to them, then go on to the next table. It was about 15-20 minutes between his table rotations. There were 4-5 different "runners" that just seemed to be hanging around waiting to reset tables when people left. None of them would refill water (we had to ask the waiter) and empty plates sat on the table until the waiter took them. The host staff were also sitting parties of 2 at tables for 4-6, when there were empty tables for 2, and people waiting in the lobby. What a mess!

If they can work out the service issues, I think this place will finally lift the curse of the location. Until then I'm going to wait awhile before going back.

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The biggest issue was the service. I realize they have only been open a week, but dinner took over 2 hours!! It was sooo slow. The waiter had no idea how to multi-task. He'd go to one table, then disappear, then go back to them, then go on to the next table. It was about 15-20 minutes between his table rotations. There were 4-5 different "runners" that just seemed to be hanging around waiting to reset tables when people left. None of them would refill water (we had to ask the waiter) and empty plates sat on the table until the waiter took them. The host staff were also sitting parties of 2 at tables for 4-6, when there were empty tables for 2, and people waiting in the lobby. What a mess!

If they can work out the service issues, I think this place will finally lift the curse of the location. Until then I'm going to wait awhile before going back.

We had no problems with our service. Water refilled regularly, etc. We were sat at seven and out by eight. It's a biggggggggggggg restaurant, however. I can easily see how some servers are more up-to-speed than others.

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Just walked in with my 2 kids and encountered about ten servers clustered at the host stand. They initially looked like they would seat us, but after a whispered conversation they told me 1/2 an hour wait. There were empty tables visible from outside, and it's too cold to entertain my kids outside. We left. Maybe it was a shift change? Who knows, but I went to spend my money elsewhere.

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Just walked in with my 2 kids and encountered about ten servers clustered at the host stand. They initially looked like they would seat us, but after a whispered conversation they told me 1/2 an hour wait.

Heather, thank you for posting this. It helped minimize my dismay at their host area performance yesterday afternoon and make it to a table. Really, a smile and eye contact instead of bored-face and elbow on the host stand as a chin rest would have been nice. The staff member twirling menus as though he was on a sidewalk with a "condo-closeout" arrow sign was not entertaining [could his energy been used to help turn tables?]. Yes, a manager was in the middle of this milieu and seemingly oblivious.

The table service and food were better than the initial contact would have boded.

All the Matchbox locations are closed today [Christmas Eve] and tomorrow. I hope the Rockville team settles in because it was a great space for a glass of wine, a late lunch and updating my gift acquisition strategy.

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We went Thursday night, having made a reservation. We were seated promptly. Table service was excellent, and during the meal three managers stopped by to ask us about the service and food. Clearly, they are aware of problems. Pizza was very good; don't pass up the donuts for dessert!

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We went last night early(5pm) before Caps game in Rockville. Food was good though my wife thought sliders were a drop undercooked. My two teenage boys inhaled 3 sliders each and a large pizza and siad next time they will each have their own small pizza.

Waitress never asked me if I wanted another glass of Malbec.

I'll be back and hope the place stays in business.

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I was disappointed when we couldn't be seated before, because I had driven over from Takoma Park with the kids especially to give the new place a try.

I'm back for an early dinner tonight after errands & hoping for the best. :) I want this place to succeed here, especially if I end up moving back to the area.

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I was disappointed when we couldn't be seated before, because I had driven over from Takoma Park with the kids especially to give the new place a try.

I'm back for an early dinner tonight after errands & hoping for the best. :) I want this place to succeed here, especially if I end up moving back to the area.

I hope you fared better than we did...we walked in around 5:45 hoping not to have too long a wait...I thought that might be early enough. Nope--we were told 30-45 minutes. Having not eaten a meal in a day and a half, I was too hungry to wait. Went to Silver Diner and had a delicious omelet instead. I had so wanted to introduce the place to Mr. S, since I had such a nice lunch here a week ago on Saturday. Plump scallops with a flavorful sweet potato mash, and a banana bread pudding that was out of this world for dessert. Service was friendly and unobtrusive. We'll have to try back when the kids are back in school and Monday is once again a slow night.

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I was debating whether to stop in last night after my errands, but a parking space in front of the door & a single seat left at the bar were signs that it was meant to be. My half chopped salad needed salt & a squeeze of lemon to wake it up but was OK after those additions. My self-created pizza (spicy sausage, smoked gouda, wild mushrooms) was a flop, but I will take part of the blame for that. My topping choices didn't work with the assertive tomato sauce, and the gouda was added to an already generous topping of mozzerella. Crust had a faint ring of char around half the outside, and was floppy in the middle, probably because of the topping overload. Next time I would ask for no sauce, less cheese, and an extra 30 seconds in the oven. I had a glass of Vitiano (cab/sangiovese/merlot) with the pizza & it was fine.

The bar was slammed, but I had great service from my bartender, Jamie. I'd go back if I find myself near Congressional Plaza again.

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To people complaining about the wait.... try making a reservation. :)

Good point, as the Rockville location is now on Open Table. (I made a res for my lunch the previous Saturday.) We were just hoping to hit that sweet spot before the dinner rush begins. We probably would have waited under different circumstances. Having fasted (liquids only) a day and a half for a medical procedure prevented me from even considering the wait. :)

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I went into the downtown location tonight after a dinner at Jaleo. Didn't partake in the food, but wanted to share that I was really impressed with the beer offerings on tap. Enjoyed a Bell's (?) IPA and a Rogue Schwarzbier (the latter particularly hit the spot for me). Service at the bar was very friendly and we watched (and smelled) pizzas being made and served all evening with envy. If this place were in my neighborhood I would definitely stop by for drinks regularly and I look forward to going when I can try the pizza. The fire-something was the last to come out before the oven was shut down and smelled a-maz-ing.

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Was at the rockville location a few weeks ago. I wasn't supposed to eat a pizza, but I did. Actually I ate half of mine and half of my friends we had the coppa and sweet sopresseata pizzas. Both were awesome. I know there are more refined pizzas out there, but this remains probably my favorite after Red Rocks. I really love it. Wait would have been long, luckily we scored bar seats.

Had a nice glass of wine and a leisurely lunch. It was a great day to spend with a friend.

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Matchbox Rockville is amazing! We have been there 3 times in as many weeks. The fire & smoke pizza is delicious and the Crab & Avocado Salad was unique and wonderful. We did find the sliders to be slightly underwhelming in comparison to the other items, but still worth a try. I could eat here everyday (please make reservations!!). The best part of the meal may be the "doughnuts" you can get for dessert. While we had the Trio dessert we realized that nothing beats those fried pieces of deliciousness! Will definitely be back soon!

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I went into the downtown location tonight after a dinner at Jaleo. Didn't partake in the food, but wanted to share that I was really impressed with the beer offerings on tap. Enjoyed a Bell's (?) IPA and a Rogue Schwarzbier (the latter particularly hit the spot for me). Service at the bar was very friendly and we watched (and smelled) pizzas being made and served all evening with envy. If this place were in my neighborhood I would definitely stop by for drinks regularly and I look forward to going when I can try the pizza. The fire-something was the last to come out before the oven was shut down and smelled a-maz-ing.

Thanks for the kind words about the beers, Choirgirl 21. If your tastes are more in-line with the Schwartzbier, you may want to try to make it to Chinatown on Monday night for our Great Lakes Glassware Giveaway. We're gonna pair some of our menu items with a few beers from Great Lakes (and they really know how to use their malts). We're featuring the Christmas Ale (they hid some of this holiday favorite specifically for this event), Conways Irish Ale, The Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and the Commodore Perry Pale Ale. Every guest who tries a Great Lakes Brew will leave with a piece of Great Lakes glassware (while supplies last).

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Nice dinner last weekend with friends at Matchbox in Chinatown.

Started with a Match-hattan - Makers Mark, sweet vermouth, orange bitters - and it hit the spot. Ordered the beet salad and was equally pleased. Fresh greens, lightly dressed, a few hunks of goat cheese, with cubed beets and walnuts (I think). Overall, a nice, light way to start the meal.

I had eaten pizzz at Orso the night before and leftovers that day for lunch so I wasnt in the mood for pizza and I don't eat red meat so no mini burgers, so I went for the linguini with roasted tomato sauce. I really liked it. Nicely al dente linguini, generously portioned, and tossed with some roasted tomatoes, smoked mozzarella, and croutons for texture. Quite satisfying for such a simple dish. A couple glasses of Shoofly Buzzcut, or something like that off their whites by the glass list, and I had a fine meal.

Service was prompt, courteous, and not intrusive which was nice as the place was quite busy that evening.

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I meant to post earlier about my brunch at the Chinatown location this past Sunday, as someone suggested in my help needed thread. There ended up being 4 of us. I was there about 2 minutes before they opened the doors at 10 so I had no problem getting a table for us. 2 hours later when we left the place was packed though and there was a line. Anyway, we started off with various mimosas and bloody mary's, all good. Then 2 of us had the cast iron bacon and eggs on the server's rec and 2 had the waffle sandwich with prosciutto and (I think) gruyere. At the end of the meal, there was a resounding "recommend the waffle sandwich" when the server asked how things were as that dish was outstanding and unique, while the eggs and bacon feel very flat. With the latter dish, because it's cooked in the cast iron in the oven, you only have the option of over easy or scrambled. I'm an over medium person but I went for the over easy since it was being recommended that way so it's possible that was a poor choice on my part. Aside from that though, the eggs were served with a drizzle of a tomato based sauce, 2 small julienned strips of cheese (I assume mozzarella) and a few shreds of basil. I don't know what to say except the dish was just not good. Served with 2 strips of fine, but not exceptional bacon.

The waffle sandwich on the other hand, which was served with some sort of honey mustard sauce on the side was the perfect mix of sweet and savory. You could see the disappointment on my face and my friends as we tasted our other friends' waffle dishes and realized we were the losers that day. :)

Overall, it was a nice meal, service was friendly, and it was a good spot for the type of get together we were having. I would definitely go back, I just know what I'm ordering next time. :)

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Thanks for the kind words about the beers, Choirgirl 21. If your tastes are more in-line with the Schwartzbier, you may want to try to make it to Chinatown on Monday night for our Great Lakes Glassware Giveaway. We're gonna pair some of our menu items with a few beers from Great Lakes (and they really know how to use their malts). We're featuring the Christmas Ale (they hid some of this holiday favorite specifically for this event), Conways Irish Ale, The Edmund Fitzgerald Porter and the Commodore Perry Pale Ale. Every guest who tries a Great Lakes Brew will leave with a piece of Great Lakes glassware (while supplies last).

Thank you for mentioning this. I would have loved to have come, but I was sick all week. I'm a big fan of the 2 ends of the spectrum so to speak - anything from a pale ale to a double IPA to porters, stouts, etc.

Do you do this type of event regularly? If so, what's the best way to find out - mailing list, FB...?

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My big discovery at lunch yesterday at the Capitol Hill location: one can purchase the onion strings as a side order ($4). This may not be a good thing to know, since I could potentially eat way too many of these. Spicy meatball pizza was as good as ever, and several of us split a chocolate chip bread pudding as well. This isn't something I would have ordered, but I loved the caramel sauce and bananas.

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My big discovery at the Rockville location on Sunday at 2pm - there was a 90 minute wait for a table.

Wow.

According to Twitter, Charlie Davies and Clyde Simms had lunch at Matchbox (I'm guessing the CH location, given its proximity to the stadium) today. CD9 posted that he enjoyed the sliders and spicy meatball pizza. Nice!

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There apparently aren't any hours that the RV branch is open that you shouldn't make a reservation for. Wow.

Does anyone else out there think Matchbox is just not worth it? Mr P and I managed to hit it early one day and got right in. While our food was quite tasty, there was nothing special about it. I'd go again if friends wanted to, but sure as heck wouldn't wait for 90 minutes.

My guess is that they figured out their demographic: this is what Rockville wants and needs.

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Does anyone else out there think Matchbox is just not worth it? Mr P and I managed to hit it early one day and got right in. While our food was quite tasty, there was nothing special about it. I'd go again if friends wanted to, but sure as heck wouldn't wait for 90 minutes.

My guess is that they figured out their demographic: this is what Rockville wants and needs.

I've been to Matchbox Rockville a few times now and it IS exactly what Rockville wants - and a bit of what it needs too. Is it worth waiting 2 hours for while your kids go crazy with hunger and boredom? Absolutely not - but what is?

It's hyped up junk food (of wait, we're supposed to call that 'comfort food' now), but the dishes are usually well executed - like a well cooked medium rare mini burger. Pizzas are interesting enough for adults while being kid friendly too. The big plus in my mind is that it provides an all too hard to find hang out for a good beer or glass of wine in Montgomery County. Really like the heating and fire pits on the patio where you can get away from the crowds. Service has been efficient and friendly amongst the chaos of overcrowding too - which can be tough to pull off in a new(ish) place.

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We have only been to the Rockville location once (always left when they said we'd have a 40 minute wait). We lucked out and got a seat at the counter in front of the ovens. Of course we were only 2. The bar area would have been deafening! This was at 6:30 on a Wednesday night.

Bigger menu than Mia's in Bethesda, which is also always crowded but still cozier.

I can't think of another non-chain place for pizza on this stretch of Rockville Pike. I would try the sandwiches next time. It'd have to be good for a 90 minute wait!

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I can't think of another non-chain place for pizza on this stretch of Rockville Pike.

OK, so Mama Lucia's is technically a local chain, but the original location (Federal Plaza, 2 blocks from Matchbox) is the only one controlled by the original owners, the only location worth going to, and serves up probably the best NY-style pie in the area.

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Does anyone else out there think Matchbox is just not worth it? Mr P and I managed to hit it early one day and got right in. While our food was quite tasty, there was nothing special about it. I'd go again if friends wanted to, but sure as heck wouldn't wait for 90 minutes.

My guess is that they figured out their demographic: this is what Rockville wants and needs.

I completely agree. I went there with friends who wanted to try it. The prices seemed high for the food served. The server was very nice and efficient. We ordered the sliders, a burger, a chicken sandwich, a grilled steak Caesar salad, and the dessert trio. The food was fine and cooked to order but not outstanding. I am in no hurry to go back.

The host staff was a "cluster." Typical young snappish types. When my friend arrived, he was told he could be seated as soon as a table was available. The pager never went off and when we inquired, they said we could not be seated without the complete party. When my friend pointed out the person who originally said yes, they backed down and seated us (with one more to arrive). Of course, it was in a tight booth in the noisy bar. Great, thanks.

I was surprised by how many people were willing to wait over an hour for a table. I guess it's the Cheesecake Factory phenomenon--there are always people willing to wait.

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I stopped in at the Rockville location for lunch this past Monday and enjoyed the meal. I arrived just before 1pm and it seemed as though there were plenty of tables available. I was by myself so I opted to sit at the pizza bar located in front of the ovens. A good seat on a chilly day as you can feel to warmth from the oven. Probably not the greatest seat in the house in the middle of summer.

I had a small Matchbox meat pizza and iced tea. I thought the crust was the right thickness and had the right crunch. The ingredients were flavorful and proportioned correctly for my taste. The service was good and the pizza arrived at my seat relatively quickly. Admittedly, it was probably after the main rush for the lunch service.

I would return to try other varieties of the pizza as well as other offerings. The downside to eating alone is that you don't get to taste as many dishes. The cost was $20 with tip.

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Stopped by the Rockville location for lunch. I've mostly been underwhelmed by Matchbox. This was my first time at the Rockville location. Nice space. Cool that there are so many seating options and arrangements. Those options make the place feel dynamic and interesting. Of note. They've expanded to the west cost and opened a location in Palm Springs, CA. I wonder how they'll do out there.

The food was so darn average and seemingly unhealthy, I feel worse for it right now. Mind you, I didn't set out to eat 'light,' but...still.

I started with the mini burgers. I am not sure why they asked me what temperature I wanted my burgers cooked. I ordered medium rare and they came out well done. Is it really possible to cook a one-inch patty to proper temp? I seriously doubt it. To ask how I want it cooked is to get my hopes up. Anyhow...no biggie. I honestly wasn't expecting a bite-size medium rare burger. The onion straws were tasty and very, very, very plentiful. I chuckled pretty hard when my wife asked how much onion comes with the nine count mini burger plate. I can't even imagine.

I followed the starter with the 'sweet and tangy calamari salad.' The menu says: crispy calamari, field greens, banana peppers, roasted red peppers, kalamata olives, balsamic vinaigrette. Anything in that list jump out at you as kinda strange? The salad appears to be a nod to 'Rhode Island style' calamari (I sampled my fair share in college), but the kalamata olives aren't part of the RI style dish and struck me as incongruous with the other flavors. I almost asked for the salad without the olives, but then figured I'd take the chance and not question the creator's vision. I should've stuck with my instincts. The olives added nothing good to the dish. Thankfully, they fell to the bottom of the plate and I ate around them. Other than that, the salad was nicely executed. The greens were not bruised. The dressing was lightly applied. The calamari was nicely cooked, though cold. Maybe that was intentional, so as not to wilt the lettuce. Despite the fried squid, this was a lighter counterpoint to the mini burger/onion straw grease fest.

Speaking of grease, I guess the market sees pizza mostly as a cheese delivery vehicle, right? I remember going to the original Matchbox location in its infancy and thinking, "Man, they just pile so much gosh darn cheese on these pizzas. It is a bit sickening." I guess that is the winning formula. My wife got the veggie (not 'vegetable') pizza. I had that once at the Capitol Hill location and today's looked just like that (though I didn't sample today's). What a gut bomb. Oodles and oodles of cheese. And potato chips, to boot! Not sure what else to say about this dish. It looked heavy and my wife confirmed it was painfully heavy after only being able to down half the small pie. The rest is sitting in a box in the fridge and I don't look forward to having to wipe up the grease residue that already appears to be seeping through the box.

Speaking of that box, 'vintage pizza bistro' is printed on it. I don't get it. What makes the restaurant or product 'vintage?' One final humorous tidbit? On our way out, my wife figured she'd grab a matchbox (you know, a box with matches inside). We kinda imagined the place would have some to share. No dice. We asked the hostess if she had some. "Oh, we're all out right now," she said.

JFW

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I've always enjoyed Matchbox, but it is what it is: miniburgers and pizza. The matchbox meat has been my go-to and I haven't really been disappointed. I see a lot of complaints that there is a lot of cheese, which I guess is true. But this is pizza in an american-style, big-portion restaurant, a generous helping of cheese is what I expect. I suppose you could ask them for less cheese and they would happily accommodate the request.

ETA: I think the California location has been around for a few years...at least I remember seeing they had a restaurant out there when the Chinatown outpost was their only location in the DC area.

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After an overnight stay in Frederick, I wanted to treat my friend to brunch, but we were unsuccessful at finding a place that had a menu that really made us want to go there. So, we decided to head back to NoVA, with a stop in Rockville where there is a Silver Diner. Just before reaching the Silver Diner, we saw the local branch of Matchbox, and wanted to check it out. Good thing too, because when finding a place to turn around on the Pike, we noticed the line of people out the door at Silver Diner (we imagined the proximity to the US Open may have been responsible for that, it wasn't until we were well into our food that we remembered it was Father's Day too).

We were quickly seated, and enjoyed the performance of the 3 piece jazz band as we perused the menu. I started with a refreshing Mimosa, and my friend had a champagne based drink with grapefruit and pomegranate juices, the name of which escapes me. They had at least three variations on Bloody Mary's on the menu, and it was hard to resist ordering one of them.

Service was pleasant and responsive. While the menu was not much for traditional "breakfasty" brunch items, I was very satisifed with the Marinated Chicken Muffaletta I ordered, which came with the best house made waffle chips I've ever had and a ramekin of ketchup for dipping (half of it came home with me). My companion had the Huevos Rancheros, which was a delicious combination of black beans, red onions (can't remember the rest , but did note it was not a typical cheese-loaded dish, which kept it light) and a fried egg on top of a very tasty puffy tortilla, with a scoop of freshly made guac on the side. I got to taste it, and it was a fantastic combination of flavors.

Plus, their coffee is really good! I understand that they have only been serving brunch since the 4th of June, but it looks like a success to me. At less than 50 bucks before tip for both of us, I was very happy.

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We had dinner on Friday at the Rockville location. The best I can say about it is I really, really miss Againn.

Service was very slow. It took a long time to place our order and even longer to get our food. My entree (a steak) was way overcooked and dry. I brought this to the server's attention. She offered to re do the steak but it was too late at that point. The 4 year's old patience was not going to allow that. I was also frustrated that I asked for them to put minimal fries and minimal onion straws on each plate but that was ignored. Once it is on the table, I couldn't do anything without provoking a temper tantrum.

Dessert was comped (and again the portion was larger than I specified).

I'm still searching for the perfect after-school, Mama doesn't want to cook dinner location.

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The salad appears to be a nod to 'Rhode Island style' calamari (I sampled my fair share in college), but the kalamata olives aren't part of the RI style dish and struck me as incongruous with the other flavors.

FWIW, the first time I ever had RI-style calamari was at a small place that very well might have invented it called Trattoria del Antuono on Federal Hill in Providence. This was back in the late 80s, before the first Capitol Grille opened in Providence. CG really helped popularize RI-style calamari, but they didn't invent it.

Anyway, the calamari at the Trattoria had tons of kalamata olives. I remember this so well because the olives were not pitted and were really a pain to eat.

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Stopped for brunch on the Hill last weekend and had a terrific experience. Went early so no crowds. Service just perfect. Nice, knowledgeable, responsive server just chatty enough but not too much. One companion had a bloody Mary which I tasted and was from scratch and tasty (and we knew it as we could watch it made in the cool mirror above the bartender's station). I had the huevos rancheros with scrambled eggs and they were gorgeous to look at and delicious. Black beans, onions, I think some pico de gallo. The special that morning had chorizo in it and I chatted with very friendly cook on way from rest room and he suggested he could've put some of it in the 'huevos' ... Hmmm next time! Table shared a pan of cinnamon rolls that were light, airy and a bit reinvented with what tasted like a cream cheese frosting....addictive. All in all I got impression of a well-run place with a happy staff turning out well-executed comfort food.

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My go to pizza here is the spicy meatball, but yesterday I had an odd craving for strong, sharp flavors and so instead ordered a white anchovy and caper pizza, which comes topped with raw arugula. I added prosciutto to the combination, which worked well with everything else. It was a quite satisfying pizza, though it was perhaps a bit heavy on the arugula. I haven't been eating many vegetables lately, so that wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

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Presumably there's parking at the Rockville location? Is it packed around 5 on Saturdays? Is the quality any different from the Chinatown location?

Lots of parking. (And a bonus for those of us with small children--it is across the parking lot from Buy Buy Baby. Or the Evil Store as Mr. BLB calls it. Things you never knew you needed can be found there!) I thought the service was definitely weaker than Chinatown and Capitol Hill. I didn't order pizza so I can't address that. My steak was overcooked.

I haven't been on a Saturday--Friday night during the U .S. Open it was pretty packed by 6:00 pm.

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Lots of parking. (And a bonus for those of us with small children--it is across the parking lot from Buy Buy Baby. Or the Evil Store as Mr. BLB calls it. Things you never knew you needed can be found there!) I thought the service was definitely weaker than Chinatown and Capitol Hill. I didn't order pizza so I can't address that. My steak was overcooked.

I haven't been on a Saturday--Friday night during the U .S. Open it was pretty packed by 6:00 pm.

I went there one weekend and the place was full to the brim. Ended up going to the late Aginn of Rockville.

Rob

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I didn't order pizza so I can't address that. My steak was overcooked.

I haven't been on a Saturday--Friday night during the U .S. Open it was pretty packed by 6:00 pm.

I have been more than a few times and never had anything besides pizza and sliders and very happy with food every time. Prosciutto and other meats have great flavor as toppings.

Rockville Pike is packed almost every night, weekends are crazy with two hour waits customary.

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