Met Bethesda closes, Smart Toys closes temporarily; Sheepskin Gifts opens, Halloween Adventure coming Friday (Photos)

Met Bethesda, one of several upscale restaurants lured to Westfield Montgomery Mall during its expansion two years ago, has closed. The restaurant was empty yesterday, and the website appeared to be down this morning. It's going to be a challenge to fill this spot, and I would not be surprised if it was converted to retail space. Still, second floor spaces are tricky for retail as much as restaurants, when they are as isolated as this one is.

Also closing, but just until the holidays, is Smart Toys. Halloween Adventure, a pop-up shop featuring costumes and scary accessories, will take over the space this Friday, September 23.

Finally, Sheepskin Gifts and Alpaca Too has opened.

Minions menu for a limited time at MET Bethesda

MET Bethesda, the restaurant located across from ArcLight Cinemas in Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, is offering a Minions-themed kids menu for a limited time.

Coinciding with the release of the blockbuster animated film, the menu includes Mini Minion "Cheese Bugah", with cheddar cheese and served with French fries; Bob’s Peanutbutter-N-Banana Sammy with smooth peanut butter, sliced bananas and honey; SPaaagetti-n-meatballs, with all-beef meatballs and 12-hour slow cooked tomato sauce; and Chicken Fingars, served with French fries.

For dessert, there's a Chocolate Covered Frozen Banana with rainbow sprinkles. Dishes are priced at $7 to $8, and each entree includes a beverage and dessert.

Make it dinner-and-a-movie by ordering tickets from ArcLight Cinemas online.

The Minion Menu will be served through Labor Day at MET Bethesda.

MET Bethesda

7101 Democracy Boulevard

(301) 767-1900

MET BETHESDA OPENING NEXT WEEK AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL (PHOTOS)

MET Bethesda, Westfield Montgomery's first true venture into upscale, fine dining, plans to open sometime next week across from the mall's new cineplex, ArcLight Cinemas.

The 120-seat space will feature a prominent 40-seat full bar at center stage, with the area's first on-tap Martini Bar. Flavors served up by the latter will include Lychee Ginger, White Peach, Coconut, Caramelized Pineapple and Prickly Pear. In keeping with the fine dining theme, it's fitting that the restaurant's General Manager will be Patrick Desotelle, a veteran of Le Diplomate in the District.

Signature menu items will include Spaghettini Carbonara with blue crab, chilies, lemon and fried egg; the Pounded Veal Chop on the Bone with watercress, escarole, endive, Taleggio, red onion, dates, walnuts and parmesan vinaigrette; and the Green Guru salad with kale, baby spinach, avocado, broccoli, shaved carrot, spiced pumpkin seeds, haricot verts, cilantro, mint and green goddess dressing.

A wood-fired grill will produce Whole Branzino with lemon grass, garlic-kale and sambal asum, Baby Back Ribs with grilled pineapple and jalapeño French fry salad, and Prime Bone-in Ribeye for Two. And the Char Bar will serve up American Yakitori: marinated, skewered and grilled beef, pork, chicken, seafood and vegetables cooked over an open fire, designed for sharing.

MET Bethesda will be open Monday-Thursday from 11:30AM to 10:00PM (bar until 11:00PM), Friday & Saturday from 11:30AM to 11:00PM (bar until 12:00AM), and Sunday from 11:30AM to 9:00PM.

BETHESDA CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: MET BETHESDA RESTAURANT (PHOTOS)

Patriot Construction has posted some photos on Twitter of its progress inside the future MET Bethesda restaurant, which will be located by the ArcLight Cinemas in the Dining Terrace at Westfield Montgomery Mall. The two top images in the collage show the Martini Bar taps that will be a feature of the new restaurant (click photo to enlarge for detail).

Image via @ThePatriot_Way on Twitter

CRAVE RESTAURANT OPENING AT WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL IN BETHESDA

Westfield Montgomery Mall is adding another upscale restaurant to its rapidly-expanding dining options. This one comes with an ALL-CAPS attitude. CRAVE Restaurant combines popular American dishes with fresh sushi. In that respect, it reminds me a bit of Jackson's Mighty Fine Food, a popular member of the Great American Restaurant family across the Potomac.

CRAVE also sounds like it will be one of several great pre-theater dining options for patrons of the mall's future ArcLight Cinemas. Ingredients will be locally and regionally-sourced. Looking at the wine and beer list another one of their mall-based locations, I'm glad to see a Michelob that isn't Michelob Ultra, and a good selection of sake. And a sake sampler. Of course, you never know what you'll end up with through our county-controlled liquor regime here in Montgomery County.

The full sushi bar at CRAVE with feature backlit onyx, and a wine tower. CRAVE will be located near The Cheesecake Factory and Bobby's Burger Palace on the lower level.

Other new dining additions will include the MET Bethesda, with a wood-burning grill, and a 40-seat bar that offers on-tap martinis; Blaze Pizza; Cava Grill and Chipotle, all of which I've previously written about.

Here is a video preview of what to expect from the sushi bar at CRAVE:

ARCLIGHT CINEMAS/WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

The future ArcLight Cinemas and dining terrace are really starting to take shape at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. In my last update, you could start making out the basic design as seen in the early renderings. Now the overall design is beginning to match what we've only seen in computer simulations thus far. In particular, the glass panels in place now help project the modern feel the finished addition will have. The new wing will house the 16-screen ArcLight Cinemas multiplex, and several new restaurants, including MET Bethesda and Naples 45 Ristorante e Pizzeria.

Indoors, work is starting on the existing food court area. What has been a barren floor for months now has a new surface, and work is also beginning to the previously-exposed ceiling and ductwork.

New food court floor

Ceiling, skylight and ductwork

Frame in place for new ceiling

MET BETHESDA WESTFIELD MONTGOMERY MALL RESTAURANT APPLIES FOR LIQUOR LICENSE (PHOTO)

The future Met Bethesda restaurant at Westfield Montgomery Mall has already applied for its liquor license, even though it won't open for several months. In fact, as you'll note in the above photo, there isn't even a restaurant to hang the application notice on! 

A new concept from the Boston-based Met Restaurant Group, the new 200+ seat eatery will be part of a nationwide expansion of Met restaurants in partnership with Westfield malls, according to Eater DC. The not-yet-fully fleshed out concept restaurant will be one of several new dining options near the 16-screen ArcLight Cinemas, also under construction at the mall.