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Bites Nearby

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Bites Nearby: Taste the World in Fenton Village in June

Explore Fenton Village restaurants and businesses just steps away from the center of downtown Silver Spring

Every year, bright lights and familiar names attract more than 250,000 visitors to the restaurants, stores and entertainment in downtown Silver Spring. Many of those people miss out on the world of dining and shopping a few doors away from the heart of the business district. They will have another chance to walk through Fenton Village and taste this neighborhood's unique flavor on Sunday, June 2. See also: Countdown to Taste the World in Fenton Village "We want to activate Fenton Street, and then up Georgia Avenue, so that people are aware that there are these wonderful gems, the real jewels of Silver Spring right there," said Jessica Fusillo, co-chair of the Commercial Economic Development Committee for the Silver Spring Advisory Board. …

Ed Levy

2:48 am on Thursday, May 23, 2013

I'm still going back to the restaurants I discovered at the 2012 Taste the World event including Ghar-E-Kabob and Piratz Tavern.   more ›

Wednesday, March 27, 2013

Bites Nearby: Tastes Transcend Ordinary at Ruan Thai

Wheaton Thai restaurant is rated one of the best by patrons and food critics.

Long before she earned rave reviews, the woman who is the heart and soul of Wheaton's Ruan Thai knew people liked her food. After all, Krisana Suchotinunt grew up cooking in her native land. "I learned from my grandma. When I was young, I cooked all the time with my grandma," said Suchotinunt, the owner of Ruan Thai. Her family immigrated to the U.S. from Thailand in 1984. Soon after, Suchotinunt, her grandma and her mother started cooking at Wat Thai D.C. Their dishes from Bangkok wowed people at the Buddhist temple and became the inspiration for starting a family business in Wheaton. "I wanted to work for myself. I didn't want to work for someone else," said Suchotinunt. She and her husband, Thongdul, opened Ruan Thai in August of 1998. …

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Phyllis Armstrong

10:32 am on Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Having loyal patrons is a sure sign of a exceptional restaurant. The owner and staff are as special as the food that gets rave reviews. Thanks for commenting.   more ›

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Bites Nearby: A Passion for Pasta & Pizza at Silver Spring's Pacci's

Restaurateur serves Neapolitan cuisine he loves at two locations.

How did a young man of Greek heritage born in the U.S. become passionate about pizzas made in wood-fired ovens? The first sparks ignited on the island of Crete where Spiro Gioldasis worked in an Italian restaurant. "I fell in love, and said one day I will open my own pizzeria," recalled Gioldasis, the owner of Pacci's Neapolitan Pizzeria and Pacci's Trattoria & Pasticceria, both restaurants in downtown Silver Spring. Gioldasis considers the seven years he spent on Crete with his wife, Roula, as the most memorable of his life. He learned how to make the Neapolitan pizza and homemade pastas made famous in Naples and the Campania region of Italy. After operating his own restaurant on the Greek island, the restaurateur returned to America to …

Anne Cristaldi

9:56 am on Thursday, March 14, 2013

Spiro can't wait to bring my family. Congrats!!! And wishing you all the best Anne Cristaldi   more ›

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Bites Nearby: Charm Seasons Specialties at Marchone's

Authentic food and friendly service inspire loyalty at an Italian deli in Wheaton.

A deep affection for Italian tradition is evident from the moment you pass under the red, green and white awning and enter Marchone's Italian Specialties in Wheaton. Owner Filippo Leo brought it with him when he left Antillo, Sicily, to follow the girl he married 37 years ago. "We knew each other. We grew up together over there," said Leo. "Then she came to the United States, and I followed her. I call that love." Leo fell in love again, this time with a place, as soon as he started working at his uncle's Italian delicatessen and grocer in Wheaton. When Tom Marchone decided to sell, Leo wanted to continue providing the experiences customers have enjoyed at the same location for nearly six decades. "I love it. I love the people. I love to …

Joe Galvagna

12:54 am on Thursday, January 24, 2013

I CAN REMEMBER GOING THERE WITH MY PARENTS RIGHT AFTER CHURCH EVERY SUNDAY. THAT WAS BACK IN THE EARLY 50s. STILL A GREAT PLACE. Just going in the smells will make you hungry. Glad to finally see something worthwhile reported on here. Congratulations to who ever made sure this artical was done.   more ›

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

Bites Nearby: Red Maple Brings Fine Dining to Four Corners

Asian restaurant's fusion cuisine and elegant decor transform former Tex-Mex spot.

Sometimes, you want elegant decor, good food, affordable prices and convenient location when deciding where to eat out or meet for drinks. Until last October, the Four Corners neighborhood offered some of those choices, but not all of them in one restaurant. The owner of the Red Maple Asian Cuisine & Bar aims to please in every category. "He is doing so well on 16th Street that he actually wanted a sit-down restaurant, something a little more upscale than the one he has over there," said Rio Villarroel, the general manager at Red Maple. The restaurateur with the vision is James Zheng, who also owns Spring Garden Restaurant in Silver Spring. Having owned a successful restaurant in New York, Zheng started imagining what he could do with a …

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Bites Nearby: Catch Up with Go Fish for Seafood Lunch in Silver Spring

Chef-owned food truck shifts focus to satisfy lunchgoers and home cooks.

Did you ever play the Go Fish card game growing up? Well, picking winning cards from the "pool" might be a lot easier than finding fresh, chef-prepared seafood for lunch, especially if your office is blocks away from the restaurants in the center of downtown Silver Spring. "I enjoy seafood. We don't have a lot of food around here within walking distance, so it's good when the trucks come," said Michelle Evans, a Columbia resident. Evans and many of the other customers gathering around the Go Fish food truck on a Tuesday are Discovery Communications employees. One loyal follower and a friend walked over to Kennett and Newell Streets from the AFI Silver Theatre & Cultural Center, almost a mile away. "They make some really good food, and I …

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Bites Nearby: Cupcake Cravings Drive Food Truck's Destiny

Cupcake Blvd owner set to add store to food truck business.

It all started with a sweet tooth that drove a mother of three to experiment with homemade treats. Her kitchen explorations blossomed into a labor of love. Angelette Aviles gave away a lot of cupcakes on her way to discovering a passion and a talent. "The next thing you know, I had strangers calling me. When strangers started calling, I said I have something here," explained Aviles, the owner of Cupcake Blvd., a food truck that parks outside the Silver Spring Centre at 8455 Colesville Road on most Thursdays. Her romance with baking is now a full-time business on the verge of expanding. In December, Aviles plans to open a storefront bakery to go with the food truck she rolled out on Valentine's Day. "We've gotten so busy, and we're also …

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Bites Nearby: BBQ Lovers Fall for Silver Spring's Curley's Q

Food truck owner builds a following with slow smoking and smiles.

The enticing aroma hits you as soon as you get near the bright yellow Curley's Q food truck. That's because David Cornblatt believes in the art of low and slow smoking. His beef brisket, pork ribs and chicken go into the smoker 12 to 15 hours before they are served to his customers in downtown Silver Spring. "Everything we do is authentically smoked, and I believe in that," said Cornblatt, the owner of Curley's Q BBQ. "It's all done with just hardwood and charcoal. There's no gas and no electricity. It's very old-fashioned." Cornblatt began pursuing his passion in earnest last March. He owned a successful liquidation company for 20 years, but sold it to do what he loves. That is, making authentic barbecue and serving it with a side of good…

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Bites Nearby: New Lunch on a Bun at Silver Spring Bánh Mì Annie

Food trailer on Georgia Avenue brings taste of Vietnam to downtown Silver Spring.

A few episodes of the "Great Food Truck Race" might have inspired Anh Nguyen's new direction, but pure determination fueled her arrival on Georgia Avenue this September. "I was on craigslist just browsing around, and I saw this ad saying they have used food trucks for sale for $17,000 to $20,000. I thought that was something I could afford," said Nguyen, a 26-year-old entrepreneur. The resized trailer that now houses Bánh Mì Annie took five months to build and cost more than Nguyen expected. She used all of her savings and received help from an investor to get her new food business rolling. "Bánh Mì means sandwich in Vietnamese. It can have different things, but the original has mayo, pâté, bologna and other cold cuts," explained Nguyen. "…

Friday, September 21, 2012

Bites Nearby: Silver Spring's Mandalay Draws Tastes from India, China and Thailand

Downtown Silver Spring restaurant launched with mom's Burmese recipes.

The influences that made Burmese cuisine what it is today were established long before the political debate started over the country's name. The military government changed Burma to Myanmar in 1989, around the time Aung Myint and his family moved to America. They brought the comfort of home cooking with them. "It is the best of the best," according to Myint, one of the owners of Mandalay Restaurant & Cafe at 930 Bonifant St. The flavors of India, China and Thailand influence the Burmese recipes his mother introduced to the restaurant's customers. "I love the flavors because I like spicy food a lot," said Emily Tien, a Burtonsville resident. "You can get mild, medium or very spicy. I often do the very spicy and I've never been disappointed…

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