JINYA Ramen Bar sets opening date at Pike & Rose

JINYA Ramen Bar announced its long-anticipated opening date at Pike & Rose on Thursday. The third D.C.-area location of the sit-down, full-service restaurant will open on Tuesday, August 7, 2018 at 11:00 AM. Festivities will begin with a ribbon-cutting, and the first 100 guests will receive a free bowl of ramen. All guests will have a chance to win door prizes, and a portion of the opening day proceeds will be donated to Manna Food Center in Montgomery County.

Specializing in authentic Tonkotsu ramen, JINYA Ramen Bar simmers their broth for over ten hours for flavor, and ages their hand-made noodles for three days. Also authentic will be the Japanese Whisky Highball, not to be confused with the typical highball served in American bars. When added to the menu in the future, the drink will be made with a special Highball machine distributed by Suntory Toki itself. JINYA will be the first D.C.-area establishment to have the machine.

Closer to home, local craft beers will share the list with Japanese brews. To show support for flood-damaged Ellicott City, JINYA is launching with beers from Manor Hill Brewing.

With five types of broth, four noodles, a variety of tare seasonings and oils, and over 25 toppings, you are unlikely to exhaust every customized menu option possible anytime soon. Beyond ramen, there are other JINYA specialties like Salmon Poke mini tacos, the JINYA Bun, Brussels Sprouts Tempura with truffle oil, Takoyaki, JINYA Quinoa Salad, and a selection of rice bowls and curry. For dessert, you will be able to finish your meal with choices such as Green Tea or Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream, Panna Cotta and Green Tea Pistachio or Triple Berry White Chocolate BlockPops.

JINYA will have indoor seating for 74, including the ten seats at the full bar, and communal outdoor seating for 18 around a fire pit. The restaurant is located at 910 Prose Street, at Rose Park, alongside The Baked Bear and L.L. Bean. Initial business hours at launch will be Sunday – Thursday from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM. and Friday - Saturday from 11:00 AM to 11:00 PM. Happy Hour specials will be served daily from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. The owner says hours may change as the Pike & Rose neighborhood continues to grow and evolve over time.

Photos courtesy JINYA Ramen Bar

JINYA Ramen Bar opening early summer at Pike & Rose (Photos)

We knew JINYA Ramen Bar was opening at Pike & Rose, but now we know what the restaurant at 910 Prose Street will look like inside when its doors open early this summer. The chain sent me these renderings of the exterior and interior of their first Montgomery County location, and photos of a few dishes.

In addition to traditional, Americanized and custom ramen options like Spicy Chicken Ramen, Slurp Up Cilantro Ramen, Old Skool Ramen, and Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen, JINYA will also offer salads, bowls, small plates, mini tacos (salmon, tuna or pork chashu & kimchee), desserts, and even Tokyo Curry Rice.

Japanese-cocktails, local craft beers, whiskeys, sake and seasonal house-made beverages will be among the beverage options. Outdoor patio seating will also be available. JINYA will share a building with the already-open L.L. Bean store, overlooking Rose Park.

Kusshi to open this fall at Pike & Rose

A new Japanese restaurant from the owners of Hanaro Sushi in Bethesda will open at Pike & Rose this fall. Kusshi will take over the space at 11826 Trade Street vacated last June by Carluccio's.

For diners who enjoy ordering omakase, Kusshi promises a new adventure each time, from the day's freshest ingredients. The restaurant takes its name from the Kusshi oyster, which is Japanese for "ultimate."

Kusshi will be helmed by head chef Jackie Naka Zima, who will oversee a menu of options that will include the aforementioned Kusshi oyster, sea urchin and other Japanese delicacies. The restaurant will also boast the largest sake selection in the entire D.C. area.

Co-founder Tony Chow said the team chose Pike & Rose as the location for their concept because the Federal Realty development has the same high standards of quality and service they will have in their restaurant. Taking note of the upscale shops, restaurants and luxury residential buildings of Pike & Rose, Chow said, "we wanted to be part of the neighborhood."

SNEAK PREVIEW OF NEW SARKU JAPAN RESTAURANT AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Japanese restaurant Sarku Japan has been serving up sushi and other favorites for years in Westfield Montgomery Mall's food court.

But with the food court expansion underway, Sarku is one of several restaurants being relocated to accomodate the growth.

It is moving nearby, within the same food court area. The new restaurant space isn't quite ready, but why don't we take a sneak peek behind the curtain?

YUZU BETHESDA MENU (PHOTOS) - SUSHI, ROBATA - JAPANESE RESTAURANT

EXCLUSIVE!

Here is the menu for Yuzu, opening Monday, April 29, in Bethesda. Click to enlarge each page of the menu:

YUZU SUSHI AND ROBATA BEGINS TRANSFORMATION OF FORMER DIVINO LOUNGE IN BETHESDA (PHOTOS)

Chef Yoshihisa Ota's crew is working hard to get his new sushi and robata restaurant, Yuzu, ready by its scheduled April opening.

Here's a photo gallery as renovation continues at 7345-B Wisconsin Avenue:

JAPAN MEETS MEXICO IN HANARO'S SUSHI ROLL OF THE MONTH

Hanaro's sushi roll of the month spans the Pacific in a fusion of Japanese and Mexican cuisine.

Tobiko is flying fish roe, by the way.

You'll be saying Domo arigato to me after trying this muy delicioso roll at Hanaro.

And DJ Alkimist will be (wo)manning the turntables at Hanaro tonight, starting at 9:30, because weekends start Thursday night in downtown Bethesda.

Hanaro, 7820 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda.  301-654-7851.

HANARO SUSHI ROLL OF THE MONTH: STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM

Don't miss this unusual but ultra-fresh roll at Hanaro.  Perfect for welcoming summer in downtown Bethesda.

Hanaro, 7820 Norfolk Avenue, Bethesda.  301-654-7851.

BETHESDA ROW

RESTAURANT WEEK

MENU SPOTLIGHT:

RAKU

Raku is an old dependable at Bethesda Row that manages to stay fresh. The sushi restaurant with a hint of "Asian fusion" aspirations, Raku is a nice spot for lunch or a first date. It also has fabulous outdoor dining space on Woodmont Avenue - if you can snag seats!

I can't help but start with Raku this week, because - to the best of my recollection - this is the first Restaurant Week menu Raku has made available outside of the restaurant. Kudos to Raku, as it is very helpful for Restaurant Week diners who have many choices, to be able to preview the menu. So here we go!

RAKU DINNER MENU $30

Course 1:

Grilled Shrimp Salad with Wasabi Yuzu Vin Blanc (a dressing combining Wasabi root flavor with mustard and the juice and rind of the Japanese Yuzu fruit - spicy, tart and delicious!), watercress, frisee (endive leaves) and radish

OR

Cream of Napa Soup with Snow Crab and White Truffle Oil (Napa is a type of cabbage)

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Course 2:

Nigiri Sushi (Tuna, Salmon, Hawaiian Amberjack, Shrimp, Eel) - Hawaiians call amberjack "kahala," Mexicans call it "Pez Fuerte" (strong fish)

OR

Salmon Fettucine with Lemon Butter sauce, Salmon Roe, Brown Beech Mushroom (a nutty, buttery mushroom) and Korean cabbage

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Course 3:

Beef Tenderloin with Shiitake Duxelles, ginger bordelaise, zucchini, yellow squash and Korean sweet potato (Shiitake Duxelles is more Paris than Tokyo; it's a sauce of mushrooms, onions, shallots, butter and herbs)

OR

Walnut-crusted Alaskan Halibut with warm, sundried tomato vinaigrette, fried baby potato, baby bok choy and miso tapenade (a soybean and barley/rice paste)

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As you may notice, there are plenty of options for those in your party who are not sushi fans.

So stop by Raku tonight, or one of the many other restaurants at Bethesda Row, as we enjoy Restaurant Week 2012 through April 22.