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Friday, November 13, 2015
Bethesda construction update: Sweetgreen at Bethesda Row (Photos)
Here's a look at the major renovation going on inside Sweetgreen on Bethesda Avenue. The store will reopen December 1, a long closure that makes sense when you see how significant the work is. A complete overhaul, as if it was a brand new tenant coming in.
Well this is a restaurant post so might as well provide another update on Soup Up. I reported on my first very disappointing visit in the Kraze Burger post comments: http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/kraze-burgers-loses-name-at-westfield.html
I decided to give them another try yesterday, and again a disappointment. This week they have a beef soup with dumplings, so I ordered an $10 medium that came in a pint container like you'd get with ice cream. When I get it home, the beef part was fine, but there were no dumplings!
I was there at around noon, so the busiest time of day for lunch places, and there were less than 10 customers in there.
Next I'll try Gusto -- I heard they're empty all the time also.
I plan on trying Gusto this weekend as well. All I am hearing from people is that Soup Up is a disaster. Such a disaster that I don't think I'll even give it a shot.
I mean how can you mess up an order where you just spoon something into a container?
What Bethesda really needs is a restaurant that sells Hungry Man dinners, Mama Celeste Pizzas and Chef Boyardee, with microwaves for the customers to heat them up. Plus Hostess products for dessert.
I think a soup place could work, but it basically needs to be like the "soup nazi" guy from the old Seinfeld episode (and it turns out, he did open a chain after that.. there was/is one at Tysons in the lower-level food court).
Drop the wait staff, and just have people line up and point to the soup, scoop it, and hand it over. You can eat there or take it to go. Simple, and high volume.
They also need to change their menu drastically to appeal to a broader audience. I don't think that many people crave vegan meals, yet 50% of the soups on the menu this week are vegan. I doubt I'm going to feel satisfied after a pint-sized bowl of lentil soup.
Instead they should offer classics that appeal broadly, like clam chowder, french onion, tom yum, etc.
Their menu description is bordering on comical. Here it is for lentil soup:
"We use organic Black French lentils for this one and pair it with amazing Jamaican roots and spices. The result? A sassy dish that is amazing with basmati or jasmine rice, baked potato, or by itself."
See the issue? They say it goes well with rice or potatoes BUT THEY DON'T SELL EITHER! Do they expect me to get a soup to go, take it home, wait 20 minutes while I cook up some rice, and then eat? Genius!
What's next, will Five Guys change their menu and stop offering french fries, but tell you how great fries would go with thier burgers?
"Anonymous said... What Bethesda really needs is a restaurant that sells Hungry Man dinners, Mama Celeste Pizzas and Chef Boyardee, with microwaves for the customers to heat them up. Plus Hostess products for dessert.
9:03 AM"
It's a great idea but Hans Riemer would never allow it,
9 comments:
Reported yesterday.
More plagiarism.
Well this is a restaurant post so might as well provide another update on Soup Up. I reported on my first very disappointing visit in the Kraze Burger post comments:
http://robertdyer.blogspot.com/2015/11/kraze-burgers-loses-name-at-westfield.html
I decided to give them another try yesterday, and again a disappointment. This week they have a beef soup with dumplings, so I ordered an $10 medium that came in a pint container like you'd get with ice cream. When I get it home, the beef part was fine, but there were no dumplings!
I was there at around noon, so the busiest time of day for lunch places, and there were less than 10 customers in there.
Next I'll try Gusto -- I heard they're empty all the time also.
I plan on trying Gusto this weekend as well. All I am hearing from people is that Soup Up is a disaster. Such a disaster that I don't think I'll even give it a shot.
I mean how can you mess up an order where you just spoon something into a container?
What Bethesda really needs is a restaurant that sells Hungry Man dinners, Mama Celeste Pizzas and Chef Boyardee, with microwaves for the customers to heat them up. Plus Hostess products for dessert.
I think a soup place could work, but it basically needs to be like the "soup nazi" guy from the old Seinfeld episode (and it turns out, he did open a chain after that.. there was/is one at Tysons in the lower-level food court).
Drop the wait staff, and just have people line up and point to the soup, scoop it, and hand it over. You can eat there or take it to go. Simple, and high volume.
They also need to change their menu drastically to appeal to a broader audience. I don't think that many people crave vegan meals, yet 50% of the soups on the menu this week are vegan. I doubt I'm going to feel satisfied after a pint-sized bowl of lentil soup.
Instead they should offer classics that appeal broadly, like clam chowder, french onion, tom yum, etc.
Their menu description is bordering on comical. Here it is for lentil soup:
"We use organic Black French lentils for this one and pair it with amazing Jamaican roots and spices. The result? A sassy dish that is amazing with basmati or jasmine rice, baked potato, or by itself."
See the issue? They say it goes well with rice or potatoes BUT THEY DON'T SELL EITHER! Do they expect me to get a soup to go, take it home, wait 20 minutes while I cook up some rice, and then eat? Genius!
What's next, will Five Guys change their menu and stop offering french fries, but tell you how great fries would go with thier burgers?
When I hear the word "sassy", I think of African-American maids on TV sitcoms. What that has to do with lentil soup, I can't imagine.
"Anonymous said...
What Bethesda really needs is a restaurant that sells Hungry Man dinners, Mama Celeste Pizzas and Chef Boyardee, with microwaves for the customers to heat them up. Plus Hostess products for dessert.
9:03 AM"
It's a great idea but Hans Riemer would never allow it,
7:41: Sorry, dope head. This is the first picture of the renovation.
Demolishing a still-newish buildout is absurd.
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