PURE BARRE BETHESDA INSTALLS COMING SOON BANNER (PHOTO)

Pure Barre fitness studio has posted a Coming Soon banner at their future home in the Shoppes of Bethesda, on Hampden Lane.

NEWTON'S NOODLES LUNCH MENU NOW AT NEWTON'S TABLE IN BETHESDA (PHOTO)

Why drive, or deal with Metro, to dine at the new Newton's Noodles in DC, when you can try them for lunch right here at Bethesda Row?

That's right: To celebrate the opening of Newton's Noodles downtown, Chef-owner Dennis Friedman is serving the Newton's Noodles menu for lunch at Newton's Table, on Elm Street here in Bethesda. This is the launch week for the idea, so you can be one of the first to try it.

Dishes include Fuzu noodles, Kobe beef wontons, and soba noodle salad.

Fabulous idea. So, if you're looking for something different for lunch, Newton's Table could be your destination today.

PIAZZA BEER GARDEN BETHESDA REVIEW (VIDEO & PHOTOS)

Piazza Beer Garden is opening Thursday (see my report and the menu here). Last night, I was invited for a sneak preview, and now you can join me in this exclusive video showing the inside of the beer garden itself, and some of the beers and menu items.

I also learned that Piazza is considering having a menu of hot adult beverages (mulled wine is one possibility) when the temperatures get low, so that they can stay open year-round.

As you can see here and in the video, it's a nice space that blends in well with the existing patio and lighting at Cesco Osteria, which Piazza is out in front of at 7401 Woodmont Avenue.

The simplicity of the menu and space will give Piazza a wide appeal, in my opinion. If you are seeking an upscale, pleasant outdoor space - with the charm of stringed lighting and rustic wood furniture - this will work for you. But those just wanting a Happy Hour beer, and some well-paired snacks to munch on meanwhile, will be just as much at home.

With furniture made from 100% recovered wood (much of which came from shipping crates that might have otherwise gone to waste), the many environmentally-conscious residents of Bethesda will also feel good about patronizing Piazza. Some well-placed vegetation means you can find a seat that emphasizes you're in a beer garden, or another one with great city lights and people watching views along Woodmont Avenue.

I'm a big fan of Baltimore-based Heavy Seas, so I ordered their Small Craft Warning "Uber Pils." Flying Dog Dogtoberfest made an appearance, as well. You can't go wrong with either brewery. For now, all beers come in cans or bottles (but you can get a glass to pour them into). Eventually, they may add taps, however. As you'd expect, Montgomery County liquor laws are keeping some breweries off of the beer list. What's on it is all local, as you can see in my story yesterday.

I tried the Margherita Cheese pizzette, a thin and crispy personal-size pizza. The pizza crust went perfectly with the beer, and the standout flavor for me was the brighter-than-ordinary tomato sauce.

Next were the Fried Dough Sticks. You may be tempted to dismiss these as bread sticks. They are actually Italian fritters that are lighter in weight than a bread stick. And have a salty exterior like a pretzel. Which makes for a great texture and flavor combination, and the plate is empty before you know it.

Finally, I ordered the Bomboloni. These are Italian donuts. Lia's has round Italian donuts like this, with a lemon pudding sauce. The Piazza donuts are lighter in texture, and go one better: they are filled with Vanilla Custard Cream. Somehow, the custard is cool, while the dough exterior is hot, and the result is a real winner. 3 come to a plate for $6.

Overall, I thought Piazza exceeded expectations for cuisine and service for a beer garden. Service was especially good for only the second day in soft-opening operation. Regular beer list changes over the coming months may help compensate for the outdated Montgomery County liquor regulations.

Piazza opens Thursday at 3:00 PM, and I would highly recommend stopping by. DC has been dominating the beer garden scene for some time, and it's great to finally have one of these in Bethesda.

AUTODENTZ HAS CLOSED AND VACATED IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Uh-oh, better get MAACO... because Autodentz has closed on Woodmont Avenue. As you can see, the auto facility appears to have been cleared out.

The property will be part of a large, mixed-use development by JBG that will connect Wisconsin and Woodmont Avenues via a pedestrian plaza.

TASTE OF LETTUCE DINNER AT MON AMI GABI AT BETHESDA ROW (VIDEO)

Last night, the top chefs from 4 Lettuce Entertain You, Enterprises restaurants in the DC area convened at Bethesda Row's Mon Ami Gabi to showcase their signature dishes. Here is a video I recorded at the dinner showing each dish, and remarks by two head chefs and Mon Ami Gabi manager Adam Murphy.

The annual "A Taste of Lettuce" was held in Bethesda for the first time this year. Besides Mon Ami Gabi, the other LEYE family members represented were The Big Bowl (Reston, VA), Wildfire (Tysons Corner, VA), and Community Canteen (Reston).

While the menu primarily featured traditional dishes well-prepared, the first course stood out for being fairly adventurous. A combination of heat and crunch was delivered by a 3-piece appetizer assortment. The BBQ Pork Bánh Mi Crostini wasn't an actual Bánh Mi, but more of a crostini slider. I thought the Vietnamese Duck Confit Spring Roll was the best of the 3. Overall, it was the most complex, diverse and unpredictable of the courses, and packed with flavors.

The Wildfire chopped salad appears somewhat unassuming, but once you try it, you can understand why it was named one of Chicago's top salads. A wide variety of ingredients keeps it interesting. I tested the corn kernels right away, and found them to be tender and fresh, unlike the canned corn you get some places. Bacon was a second winning ingredient, and the freshly ground black pepper added significant heat. I give this salad 5 stars.

For the main course, I chose the hometown dish: Mon Ami Gabi's Filet Minon. The steak frites were served piping hot in the center of the table; the plated starch was Potato Gratin. I was impressed that my filet was cooked exactly medium-well, as I ordered it.  It's challenging to keep a steak tender when more thoroughly cooked, but this is one restaurant that can do it.

Finally, there was the Apple Tartine from Community Canteen. I liked the homemade cinnamon ice cream and pastry on this. The texture was somewhat like baklava. I tend to prefer sweeter apples, but there was a good contrast with the sweet ice cream.

Each course had a wine pairing, but the dessert featured an Armagnac.

Every diner received a generous gift bag at the evening's end, featuring some special items from some of the participating restaurants. There was also outstanding service, which you are already familiar with if you have dined at Mon Ami Gabi before.

One thing I learned that I'm passing along, is to sign up for the text message offers for any or all of these LEYE restaurants. I was not aware of this, but you actually get different specials from the email signup. For example, last week, you would have gotten a free order of mussels at Mon Ami Gabi; this week, you'll get free mousse.

It would be interesting if other chains at Bethesda Row tried this, such as Cava, José Andrés' ThinkFood Group, etc.

WICKED WAFFLE OPENING IN BETHESDA

"No butter, no syrup."

That's the takes-some-getting-used-to mantra of Wicked Waffle, a new waffles and sandwich restaurant opening at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda.

Another intriguing addition to the vastly-improving dining scene at Montgomery Mall, Wicked Waffle promises healthy waffles. The company also features local Moorenko's ice cream.

Savory sandwich options include Walnut & Grape Chicken Salad, the smoked salmon/capers/cream cheese-loaded Savory Nova, and even Mango & Brie.

Soups are not canned cafeteria specials, but upscale offerings like Red Lentil al Lemono and Tomato Pesto and Coriander Potage.

This will be Wicked Waffle's second area location; the first is at 1712 Eye Street in the District.

PIAZZA BEER GARDEN MENU; OPENING THURSDAY IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

SOFT OPENING YESTERDAY

Piazza Beer Garden will officially open this Thursday, September 26, in downtown Bethesda, according to an employee. I stopped by last evening during a soft opening.

The menu (see actual menu below) and beer list were both short and sweet. Beers listed were entirely local: DC Brau, Frederick's Flying Dog, and Heavy Seas from Baltimore. Adding Flying Dog's The Fear and Heavy Seas' Pumpkin Ale would make the autumn-themed list even better, but there's not much to complain about as it stands.

Food offerings included thin, crisp pizzas, a sausage trio, handmade potato chips, and Italian twists on pretzels and beignets.

The decor follows the keep-it-simple theme. Tables are matched with neon green chairs and stools. All materials are recycled, making Piazza a "green" business. Help wanted ads emphasized a search for "young sexy" servers. Last night, the staff did indeed appear to be universally young females.

So, Thursday for the official opening, but - if you're in Bethesda already - it might be worth stopping by tonight on the chance the soft opening may continue.

First impression: this is a great addition to the downtown nightlife scene, and definitely fills a vacuum. Colder temperatures will be a challenge. While there were no outdoor heaters last night, as far as I recall, those could certainly be employed quite easily.

TWIST AGAIN CLOSES AT WHITE FLINT MALL (PHOTOS)

THE DARK SIDE OF WHITE FLINT
PART 16

Twist Again is the latest casualty at White Flint Mall. The frozen custard business has closed, as food options continue to dwindle at the once-bustling mall in North Bethesda.

Bruno Cipriani remains open in the mall, but I went by their new Wisconsin Avenue Chevy Chase location, and it looks like they could be ready to make the switch in the near future.

CHEESECAKE FACTORY BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Much more of the exterior wall has been demolished at the future Bethesda location of The Cheesecake Factory, at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

It's clear that the existing exterior wall is being replaced with a design that will draw attention to The Cheesecake Factory from the outside.

DEVELOPER WANTS TO ELIMINATE OFFICE SPACE FROM LAKE WAVERLY PROJECT IN WHITE FLINT (PHOTOS)

The latest hard evidence of Montgomery County's weak office space market is at the 3-property North Bethesda Gateway development in White Flint. Once planned as a very dense mixed-use project along Nicholson Lane, its eastern portion is swinging decidedly towards residential.

The developer of those 5.123 acres, known as the Lake Waverly Associates property, is asking the Montgomery County Planning Board to greatly reduce the already-approved plan's commercial space, and completely eliminate the sizeable office space component.

Overall density would be reduced, while the square feet dedicated to residential use would jump from 484,830 to 557,918. The newly-proposed residential buildings would rise to only six stories.

The Planning Board will hear the request on Thursday, October 3.

This change follows several other recent real estate moves that indicate weak demand for office space in Montgomery County. Recently, the City of Rockville approved a request to eliminate 55% of the planned office space from King Farm. That was a severe blow to the Smart Growth theory that residents of King Farm would also work in King Farm. Equally significant, that part of King Farm is planned to have a Corridor Cities Transitway station. It was once proposed that residents of new developments in Clarksburg or Germantown would also find jobs at this now-eliminated office site. To lose more than half of that office space, while building all of the residential (and more), will clearly add to traffic congestion, rather than reduce it.

Likewise, an existing Wheaton office building is being converted to residential.

This is primarily the realities of the market at work. Developers are not going to build more empty office space. Montgomery County is not attracting large employers, and hence there is little demand for office buildings.

WHITE FLINT VEHICLE BREAK-INS - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

Lock your car doors in White Flint. 3 auto break-ins were reported in that area on Friday, September 20.

Here is the full list of new crimes reported Friday, according to crime data:

Theft. 5900 block Anniston Road (Old Georgetown Road corridor).

Vehicle burglary. 11500 block Rockville Pike (White Flint).

Vehicle burglary. XX block Executive Boulevard (White Flint).

Vehicle burglary. Old Navy/Montrose Crossing shopping center.

WILSONS LEATHER POSTS COMING SOON SIGNAGE AT FUTURE BETHESDA STORE (PHOTOS)

Coming Soon signage is up at the future home of Wilsons Leather in Bethesda, at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

BERRY YOGURT TO OFFER NEW SALADS (PHOTOS)

Berry Yogurt, a frozen yogurt shop on Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, won't ever be accused of resting on its laurels. First it experimented with a sushi bar. Next, bubble tea.

Now it appears a new salad menu will be tried out. A new "Salad" sign now hangs unlit in the front window, and they've posted a Help Wanted ad for a salad prep cook.

SAVE $10 ON YOUR NEXT APPOINTMENT AT BUBBLES SALON AT BETHESDA ROW (PHOTO)

Book your appointment online for Bubbles Salon on Bethesda Lane between now and September 28, and you'll receive $10 off.

Bubbles Salon is located on the Bethesda Lane pedestrian street at Bethesda Row.

ROBBERY IN N. BETHESDA, PROWLERS STRIKE IN KENWOOD - BETHESDA CRIME UPDATE

A robbery was reported in the 11700 block of Old Georgetown Road in White Flint on Thursday, September 19, according to crime data.

The posh Kenwood neighborhood continues to experience a mild but unusual crime spike. One or more thieves have been in Kenwood two nights this week, with a vehicle break-in on Kennedy Drive and a vehicle theft on Woodlawn Avenue. Kenwood residents would be well-advised to lock cars, and remove any visible objects from the interior. Report any suspicious persons, vehicles or activity to the Montgomery County Police right away.

Here is a list of notable crimes reported around Bethesda between Tuesday, September 17 and Thursday, September 19, 2013:

September 17

Theft. 5200 block Western Avenue (Green Acres area, River Road corridor).

Vehicle theft. 5300 block Woodlawn Avenue (Kenwood).

Vehicle theft. Advance Auto, 5144 Nicholson Lane (White Flint).

Theft. 4900 block Strathmore Avenue.

Assault. 5500 block Tuckerman Lane.

Theft. 4300 block East-West Highway (downtown Bethesda).

Theft. Safeway, 5000 Bradley Boulevard (downtown Bethesda).

Assault. 4600 block Sangamore Road (Sumner neighborhood).

September 18

Drug arrest. 4900 block Del Ray Avenue/8000 block Norfolk Avenue.

September 19

Robbery. 11700 block Old Georgetown Road (White Flint).

Assault. 5300 block Tuckerman Lane.

Theft. 4200 block East-West Highway.

Vehicle burglary. 4800 block Edgemoor Lane (downtown Bethesda).

Vehicle burglary. 6200 block Kennedy Drive (Kenwood).

Theft. 5300 block Wriley Road (Glen Cove/Green Acres area).

iPhone 5s SOLD OUT AT BETHESDA ROW APPLE STORE (PHOTOS)

Despite the best efforts of an Android-loving squirrel, the iPhone 5s still sold out at the Bethesda Row Apple Store today. As of this evening, Apple fans are still coming in to test out the products on display.

HOUSE OF MILAE KOREAN RESTAURANT OPENS IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Bethesda finally has a Korean restaurant as of tonight: House of Milae has opened at 4932 St. Elmo Avenue.

Here's a menu to check out.

Hours for House of Milae can be seen below: