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