NEW RETAIL SPACE UNVEILED AT BETHESDA ROW, AVAILABLE FOR LEASE (PHOTOS)

A new retail space has been constructed on Bethesda Lane near the entrance to the Upstairs at Bethesda Row apartments. Much like Roosters near Lebanese Taverna on Arlington Road, this was apparently a potential retail space that was activated by Federal Realty. It would be a good fit if your target demographic is the residents of Upstairs, as they will be passing your door each day.

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: PIKE & ROSE, INCLUDING GAP (PHOTOS)

Some of the exterior wraps are off at Gap on Grand Park Avenue, in Federal Realty's new Pike & Rose development in White Flint.

Meanwhile, two other tenants have opened this past weekend at the property. iPic Theaters opened Friday, without extending any preview invitation to this blogger, and thereby reaching less total audience. Doesn't seem too smart, given the extensive outreach competitors ArcLight Cinemas and Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema have engaged in prior to opening. The majority of iPic's PR seems to be focused on legacy media like broadcast TV, print newspapers, FM radio and glossy magazines - which probably would strike those who get most of their news via smartphone these days as a bit behind the times. iPic does have a couple of cool promotional spectacles going on at the actual property, though. One was a man on stilts walking around Pike & Rose, and the other was a projection of the Hollywood sign on a blank construction barrier wall.

Women's apparel boutique Francesca's opened Saturday.

With these openings, parking was jammed in the garage off of Grand Park Avenue Saturday. Room to maneuver along the drive aisles inside the garage proved to be quite tight, now that more people are visiting. Parking is indeed free for 2 hours, and no validation is necessary for that. Longer validations for free parking are available from tenants like Del Frisco's Grille and iPic. If confronted with a similar squeeze in the garage, your best bet is to skip Grand Park Avenue, and head to the garage entrance west of it along Old Georgetown Road, just past Del Frisco's Grille's patio.

Stilt walker near
Del Frisco's Grille

AMP sign is lit

"Goodnight from Hollywood"

VAPIANO CLOSES AT BETHESDA ROW (PHOTOS)

Vapiano has closed permanently at Bethesda Row. Shocker! Right? Well, not exactly in my case. I've been aware that Vapiano's space has been for lease for about 10 days. During that time, I have attempted to confirm the status of Vapiano. Ralph Ours, Leasing Director at Federal Realty, replied on October 3 that "Vapiano is still operating at Bethesda Row."

I now have confirmation from Vapiano that their Bethesda Row location is indeed closed, and the space is up for lease by Federal Realty. In recent times, I've noticed less activity around the outside of Vapiano, but still always saw people in there when going past. The location is not the best for foot traffic, and now it faces a construction zone across the street. It will be interesting to see if the next tenant can make a go of it, or if this is going to be one of those tough spots like the one currently occupied by Tyber Bierhaus, where several businesses have come and gone in recent years.

This is certainly sad news, as it seems like yesterday I was attending the VIP party for the restaurant's grand opening. There's no such thing as too many pizza or pasta options, in my opinion.

FRAÎCHE CUPCAKERY CLOSES IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Fraîche Cupcakery has permanently closed in the Wildwood Shopping Center on Old Georgetown Road in Bethesda. The upstart bakery was a convenient alternative for cupcake lovers in the northern neighborhoods of Bethesda to driving downtown for Georgetown Cupcake at Bethesda Row. Hopefully they can find another space in the Bethesda area. On the shop's Facebook page, a farewell message to customers is posted:

it is with a heavy heart that we regret to inform you fraîche cupcakery has closed its doors.

thank you for your loyalty and for being a part of the fraîche family. we will certainly miss baking for and serving our community with sweetness.

DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE AT PIKE & ROSE - VIP PREVIEW PARTY (PHOTOS)

Del Frisco's Grille gave a crowd of VIPs a preview of the first restaurant opening at Pike & Rose last night. Signage had been attached to the facade of the restaurant, which is scheduled to open next Thursday, September 25.

General Manager Rahsaan Stone (L)
greets VIP guests at the tented
entryway erected outside the
restaurant's entrance

Attendees made a red carpet entrance, greeted by General Manager Rahsaan Stone and a free cocktail. Each party posed for photos before a Del Frisco's Grille logo red carpet backdrop. Inside, the spacious restaurant was packed, even with the standalone tables removed from the floor. An open bar finished what the martini glass at the door started, and uniformed servers made the rounds with a selection of appetizers and small plates from Executive Chef Cody Lynch's forthcoming menu.

A mixologist sends another
Apt. 5-D martini
down the ice luge

In many ways, the event had the feel of one held in the District more than in staid Montgomery County. Strawberry martinis with Tito's Vodka, lemon sour, simple syrup, a dash of balsamic, and cracked black pepper - called the Apt. 5-D, and quite good, I must add - gushed down a large cocktail luge, before arriving in their appointed glasses. The spectacle easily commanded the most cellphone photos of the evening, with shots of the frozen sculpture popping up on Instagram. Millennials hammed it up at an electronic photo machine throughout the night, and made up a large portion of the crowd in general. A raw bar with another ice sculpture served up oysters and shrimp just in front of the restaurant's open kitchen.

Striking a pose at
the electronic
photo "booth"

The finished product,
ready to print

The restaurant's main,
wraparound bar was
abuzz with activity all night

So was another kind of
bar - the raw bar

Raw oysters were the
main attraction here

The circulating appetizers got favorable reviews from everyone I spoke to. Dominated in sheer numbers by the restaurant's signature Ahi Tuna Tacos, it featured inventive twists on some popular small plates. My favorite was the crab fritters. Not to be confused with the crab cake sliders, which were pretty good themselves, the fritters have a far-lighter texture than you would expect from a fried dish. Inside the crispy exterior were bits of sweet peppers, tender corn, and - of course - crab. A drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise added a spicy finish to the top.

Cheesesteak Eggrolls

Crabcake on toast

Tomato and mozzarella skewers

Pork and cabbage taco

A fantastic crab fritter

Del Frisco's signature
Ahi Tuna Tacos

Grille Prime Cheeseburger
Sliders

After pursuing another Del Frisco's signature item, the Cheesesteak Eggrolls, without success, I spotted Chef Cody Lynch, who brought out a plate of 4 fresh from the kitchen for me. These were another winner, with the flavors of a fresh Philly Cheesesteak sandwich somehow jammed into an eggroll-like shell. Other good choices were the Grille Prime Cheeseburger, Pork Tacos with cabbage, and a veggie burger. Later in the evening, some selections from the dessert menu began to appear, including Coconut Cream Pie. Beers currently on tap are Stella Artois, Allagash White, Samuel Adams seasonal Oktoberfest, Yuengling and Blue Moon. I'm looking forward to trying some of the full entrees after the opening, because there are quite a few on the menu that sound great.

What's currently on tap;
GM Rahsaan Stone says
the selections will alternate

All in all, the evening was a brief taste of what nights at Pike & Rose could be like in the future. Federal Realty Development Associate Jay Corbalis said that the company is positioning Pike & Rose as an entertainment-centered development, with the AMP by Strathmore live music venue and iPic cineplex both on-site. With similar movie theaters canceled at JBG's North Bethesda Market II, and possibly at Lerner's White Flint Mall site redevelopment, Pike & Rose is primed to become the nightlife activity hub of the "new" White Flint. You need to get dinner with that movie, or a bar to meet up with friends before the show, and Del Frisco's seems poised to fit the bill.

Stay tuned for video from the event! Here are more photos; click to enlarge for greater detail:

This artwork hangs behind the wall
that separates the host stand from
bar area

Warmer installed on the
outdoor patio

The patio was packed
last night

Looking toward Executive Blvd.

A successful evening for
Executive Chef Cody Lynch
and
GM Rahsaan Stone

Oenophiles weren't left out
at the bar

"Do right and feed every man" is
the motto over the kitchen - and
on the back of staff uniforms

Valets line up the VIP vehicles
after the party

DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE PIKE & ROSE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Del Frisco's Grille Rockville is the first business expected to open at Federal Realty's new Pike & Rose development. Yesterday, the nearly-finished restaurant was still very much a construction zone, as many final touches were being added by a sizable crew of workers. All of the upscale finishes and furnishings are in place, and chefs were hard at work in the expansive kitchen as they gear up to execute the recipes of Executive Chef Cody Lynch.

Lynch, a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, has previously served as both a sous chef and executive chef at McCormick & Schmick's here in the DC area. That should serve him well, as seafood is one of the things Del Frisco's is known for. He and General Manager Rahsaan Stone were both on-hand and busy yesterday.

Rich wood paneling and
distinctive lighting fixtures

Construction workers add
the finishing touches to
the interior

Wraparound bar

You'll be able to see the chefs at work yourself from most vantage points in the restaurant, as it features an open kitchen design. The sizable bar area - with wraparound bar - should be a great happy hour destination at Pike & Rose, but there is also a more secluded, glassed-in wine room with a table for 10. Speaking of tables, there is a mix of conventional tables, as well as a some larger, communal ones. These can also be used to accommodate parties of 10+, but Stone said the restaurant wants to give top priority to the larger number of small parties, so that walk-ins won't have to wait for a table. He said the flexibility will help make the restaurant a destination for suburban families.

The future patio at Del Frisco's,
alongside Old Georgetown Road

It seems that most hot, new restaurants need an inviting outdoor seating area. Dining al fresco at Del Frisco will be made easier through a variety of seasons with misting and warming equipment to keep temperatures comfortable for patio patrons. Stone pointed out that zinc panels on the exterior facade are designed to develop a patina over time, to fit with other throwback architecture details around the Pike & Rose development.

A mister already installed
on the patio

These zinc paneling strips will
acquire a patina over time

Indoors, you'll find the space dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows, wood beams, red and gold furniture and a variety of lighting fixtures, including rose chandeliers.

The American comfort cuisine menu will feature dishes such as prime New York Strip, and sole francese with lump crab and chive-lemon butter. Small plates fans can enjoy jumbo lump crabcake sliders, cheesesteak egg rolls, and ahi tacos stuffed with tuna tartare and avocado, to name a few.

When it opens (the opening date has not yet been made official, although a blurb on the restaurant website says September 25 - stay tuned for official word), Del Frisco's Grille Rockville's hours will be Monday through Saturday for lunch, from 11:30 AM until 4:00 PM. Dinner will be served Sunday through Thursday from 4 PM until 10 PM, and Friday through Saturday from 4 PM until 11 PM.  Will there be Sunday brunch? Yes! Brunch will be served from 11 AM until 4 PM Sundays. It just occurred to me that I need to find out if there will be extended hours for the bar after the kitchen closes at night, as is the case at some restaurants around Bethesda Row.

Signage and awnings
are not yet installed

A worker hoses down
Grand Park Avenue
on Tuesday afternoon

11800 Grand Park Avenue
Class A office building

Del Frisco's Grille Rockville

11800 Grand Park Avenue

(301) 881-0308