More Sunday brunch options at La Ferme in Chevy Chase (Photos)

One can never tire of pretending they are in Paris in downtown Bethesda's Bethesda Row area. A breakfast at Paul Bakery or Le Pain Quotidien, enjoyed on Bethesda Lane with the morning news from Le Parisien, Le Monde or Le Figaro. Dining Parisian café-style on the sidewalk with Steak Frites at Mon Ami Gabi. Catching the latest French import at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema.

But sometimes you have to escape to the French countryside, and in Bethesda you can do that, too. A French farmhouse awaits minutes away at 7101 Brookeville Road in Chevy Chase, where La Ferme has been in operation since 1985.

Thirty-one years later, La Ferme is updating its popular Sunday brunch with new options geared to 2016 diners. You can still get the three-course, $31 menu. But now you can order any two menu items, and add a beverage, Mimosa, Bloody Mary or a glass of house Champagne for $31, as well. Choose two appetizers and a drink. Two desserts and a drink. Two entrees and a drink, etc.

Mimosa

I tested out the brunch menu for you yesterday, with the dashboard thermometer reading over 90°F and the air thick with humidity. That made a perfect and refreshing Mimosa an easy choice to start off with, in the air-conditioned dining room of this rural retreat surrounded by tall trees. 5 stars (out of 5).

French Onion Soup

Another no-brainer - order the French Onion Soup, one of the restaurant's signature items. Under a thick topper of rich Gruyère cheese is a highly-flavorful broth filled with lots of tender onions and chunks of bread. The soup easily earns a 5-star rating, putting more pedestrian, watery "French Onion" soups to shame.

Look at that cheese!

House-made croissant

A starter basket of house-made croissants are just-right in terms of texture, but could use just a bit more buttery flavor, earning a solid 4-stars.

Linguine with fresh vegetables,
olive oil, garlic and arugula

On to the main course, where I chose one not typical of France: linguine with fresh vegetables, olive oil, garlic and arugula. The vegetables yesterday included sun-dried tomatoes and mushrooms, which gave the entree an earthy, rustic flavor. Black olives are the secret weapon in this dish, giving a pickled zing. I would definitely get this again. 5 stars.

Chocolate and Grand Marnier
Cake

For the big finish, I ordered the Chocolate and Grand Marnier Cake, which joins their warm crepes filled with milk chocolate and hazelnut ganache as the best choices from the dessert menu. A yellow orange Grand Marnier cake sandwiched between a chocolate mousse filling and a layer of creme, topped with chocolate icing and shaved chocolate, gets an extra boost from the raspberry coulis that garnishes the plate. This is the best slice of cake I've had in a restaurant this year. It melts in your mouth, and disappears from the plate before you know it. A solid 5 stars.

So, whether you are a Francophile or just seeking a good Sunday brunch deal, stop by La Ferme on a future Sunday this summer between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM. They have a porch for dining al fresco, and are in the process of adding a new bar that will feature a special selection of Cognac and small plates.

Renderings of the future
bar addition 

The airy side porch
capitalizes on the
tree-lined setting

Check out the Sunday brunch menu online, and call 301-986-5255, as reservations are recommended.

David's Tea opens at Westfield Montgomery Mall, Teavana to return (Photos)

Tea lovers will enjoy the latest developments at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. David's Tea opened this weekend, and the recently-departed Teavana is now slated to reopen next to Solstice on Level 2. David's Tea also has a Summer Tea Club to join. Take a virtual tour of the store in these photos.

In other mall news, Forever 21 was "temporarily closed" yesterday; no explanation was given.

Leggett's WSSC nominee was sentenced for DWI in 2007

T. Eloise Foster, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett's nominee to the Washington Suburban Sanitary Commission, was sentenced for driving while impaired in Howard County in 2007. She was sentenced to unsupervised probation, alcohol counseling, 10 hours of community service, and fined $200, according to The Baltimore Sun.

Foster was pulled over by a Maryland state trooper on Interstate 95 in Howard in June 2007. She failed several sobriety tests and was charged. Foster was budget director for the state of Maryland at the time.

Leggett, who was a victim of a drunk driver himself in a 2009 crash, called for tightening drunk driving laws in December 2015. The County Council is scheduled to interview Foster Tuesday morning at 11:00 AM. They are then scheduled to confirm her appointment 55 minutes later.

"The Montgomery County Council joins our Police Chief in calling for the State of Maryland to strengthen our laws against drunk and impaired driving," Council President Nancy Floreen wrote to the Montgomery County delegation to the Maryland General Assembly in February of this year.

Drivers with interesting driving records seem to be joining WSSC often these days. The Washington Post reported that the agency's latest chief was involved in five accidents while driving WSSC vehicles. She totaled one of those WSSC vehicles in a rollover accident on the Capital Beltway, the Post reported.

Burglary on Goldsboro Rd., assault on Connecticut Ave. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 9, according to crime data:

Burglary. 5400 block Goldsboro Road.

Assault. 7100 block Connecticut Avenue.

Vehicle burglary. 5200 block Wapakoneta Road.

Theft. 10300 block Old Georgetown Road.

Liquor arrest. 11500 block Schuylkill Road (Randolph Hills).

Bethesda construction update: Element 28 luxury apartments (Photos)

The Element 28 luxury apartments are scheduled to deliver this fall at 100 Commerce Lane, directly across Old Georgetown Road from the Bethesda Metro station.

Element 28 will include 101 apartments and 3500 SF of retail.

Public hearing set for abandonment of Grant St. right-of-way in Bethesda (Photos)

A homeowner on Roosevelt Street in Bethesda is asking Montgomery County to abandon a part of a right-of-way the County owns alongside his property. An unbuilt portion of Grant Street between Roosevelt and Moorland Lane, the right-of-way currently has a bike path running through it. It is identified on some biking maps as part of a connecting bicycle route between downtown Bethesda and the Bethesda Trolley Trail.

The homeowner currently has a driveway on 18' of the 50' right-of-way, and that is the part he is asking the County to relinquish. Abandonment would have no impact on the current trail, which would remain in place.

A public hearing has been scheduled for a representative of County Executive Ike Leggett to consider the application. The hearing will be held on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at 7:30 PM in the Lobby Auditorium of the Executive Office Building, at 101 Monroe Street in Rockville.

Drug bust on Cedar Ln., burglary on Marinelli Rd., theft at Sears + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 8, according to crime data:

Drug arrest. Cedar Lane at Rockville Pike.

Theft. 5400 block Wisconsin Avenue.

Theft. 5300 block Western Avenue.

Theft 5000 block Cushing Drive.

Vehicle burglary. 11400 block Rockville Pike.

Theft. 7100 block Democracy Boulevard.

Theft. Sears at Westfield Montgomery Mall.

Burglary. 5400 block Marinelli Road.

Vehicle burglary. 5400 block McGrath Boulevard.

Liquor arrest. Randolph Road at Parklawn Drive.

Bethesda construction update: Ourisman Honda (Photos)

Ourisman Honda is in the process of renovating its service facilities, which has initially involved a demolition phase. The Bethesda Avenue dealership's contractor had previously sought a nighttime noise waiver for the jackhammering work necessary. Here's where things stand at the moment.

Park Bethesda rebrands as The Residences at Capital Crescent Trail

Ahead of the construction of a second 110' apartment tower on Capital Properties' Westbard Avenue site, the developer has rebranded its existing Park Bethesda high-rise. The building's brand-wrapped shuttle bus and website are both displaying the new name, The Residences at Capital Crescent Trail.

It is a somewhat curious change, as Park Bethesda reflected both the aspirational location of Bethesda, and the adjacent Little Falls Stream Valley Park that gives units on that side a forest view. Now the popular trail, formerly a CSX rail line from Silver Spring to Georgetown, is the selling point.

The apartment tower has been undergoing renovations in recent years. It began its life as a federal government office building. Park Bethesda has long been considered a steal for its lower-than-downtown rent, while offering several high-end features, including floor-to-ceiling windows.

A set of townhomes will also be developed on the property's Westbard Avenue-fronting parking lot. Perhaps the rebranding is meant to create a common name for the three multifamily developments that will eventually share the site.

Neighbor Equity One is rapidly moving forward with its New Westwood redevelopment; Capital Properties has not announced a timeline for its projects yet.

Car stolen from Leland St., arson on Whittier Blvd. + more - Bethesda crime update

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Bethesda on June 7, according to crime data:

Theft. 5100 block Wilson Lane.

Theft. 5000 block Battery Lane.

Theft. 5000 block Bradley Boulevard.

Theft. 4300 block Thornapple Street.

Stolen car. 3700 block Leland Street.

Vehicle burglary. 3700 block Stewart Driveway.

Theft. 7200 block Delfield Street (Martin's Additions).

Vehicle burglary. 4900 block Glen Cove Parkway.

Arson. 7100 block Whittier Boulevard.

Vehicle burglary. 3500 block Glenmoor Drive.

Theft. 5100 block Nahant Street (Sumner).

Drug arrest. I-270 near Rockledge Drive.

Theft. 5700 block Marinelli Road.

Drug arrest. 11500 block Old Georgetown Road.

Theft. Micro Center.

Theft from vehicle. 1700 block E. Jefferson Street.

Bethesda construction update - JBG's Bethesda Avenue retail building (Photos)

Panoramic view of the site

JBG's new two-story retail structure at 4735 Bethesda Avenue has an extensive amount of its windows installed. Following up on my last report on the rooftop deck that has been added, I've been told by a source that there will indeed be at least one restaurant tenant going in here. That means more great outdoor rooftop dining in one of the busiest spots downtown, right next to Bethesda Row.

If they can get get the top of The Darcy lit up at night across the street, and finally turn the Woodmont plaza below into the public space it should be, there will be a great city lights view for diners up there. The facade also has a high-end look that fits well with the upscale Pottery Barn and Paul bakery diagonally across Bethesda Avenue.

WMATA seeking more density than currently allowed for redevelopment of Grosvenor Metro site

Existing apartment towers adjacent
to Grosvenor Metro station

WMATA is asking Montgomery County for additional density beyond what the existing master plan allows for the redevelopment of a parking lot at the Grosvenor Metro station. In response, the Montgomery County Planning Department is initiating a minor master plan amendment process.

Since it is illegal to use that process for just one property, it will be interesting to see which additional properties nearby might be included in the scope of work for this amendment. In Aspen Hill, for example, small properties like gas stations were added to the amendment that rezoned the Vitro/BAE property.

Any added density will only increase the number of students that would enter Montgomery County Public Schools' Walter Johnson cluster in the coming years. Add in the WMAL site, Rock Spring, White Flint 2 and the recent supersizing of Pooks Hill, and...well, this could be pretty controversial among current and prospective Walter Johnson cluster parents.

The specific density increase - if any - that WMATA will receive will be determined through the amendment process. WMATA has been soliciting for a developer partner since the fall of 2013. A person who had examined the solicitation documents told me he estimated that their concept, under the existing density limits, would have allowed up to 600 units and building heights of 143-175'.

WMATA wants to redevelop
the surface parking lot in
the lower right quadrant of this
Google Maps satellite image.
Note forest preserve on
far right, and stormwater
facility at bottom right

Grosvenor Metro has many topographical issues that limit the developable space. An existing stormwater management facility on the site cannot be relocated underground without great expense. The 600 unit estimate above assumes WMATA would not be willing to pay for that relocation. There are also steep slopes, and a forest preserve area on the station property.

WMATA's 2013 plan included an underground parking garage beneath the new development, and the ability to extend part of the building out over the Kiss-and-Ride area at a height of 16 feet and 9 inches. Ingress and egress for residents would be via curb cuts on Tuckerman Lane.

Ground floor retail was also included in WMATA's plan, and parking provided would be less than one space per unit.