Coming to Pike & Rose
Pike & Rose, the new “downtown” development slated for Rockville Pike and Montrose Parkway (former site of Toys R Us, Filene’s Basement, etc.) is picking up steam as new tenants climb aboard. Here’s a look at some of what’s to come…
Bowling, bocce and bistro
Pinstripes, which just made its local debut in Georgetown, is close to finalizing a deal for a second location at Pike & Rose. It will offer a combo of bowling lanes, bocce courts, food, drinks and live music — all in an upscale atmosphere with Jerusalem stone floors and communal outdoor fire pits. Pinstripes also will host weddings, bar mitzvahs and corporate events, says CEO Dale Schwartz. “Each of our locations does about 2,000 parties a year.” But you’ve got plenty of time to plan: Pinstripes is scheduled to open in 2016.
Best seats in the house
Maryland’s first iPic Theater, part of a new wave of ultra-luxury movie houses, is set to raise the curtain at Pike & Rose this fall. Like the ArcLight Cinema under construction at Westfield Montgomery Mall, iPic will offer swanky decor, state-of-the-art sound systems, reserve-ahead seating, bar service and high-end food. And for a few extra bucks, they’ll throw in even more perks: pillows, blankets and black-clad “ninja” waiters who bring the cocktails and Portobello sliders right to your cushy reclining seat.
Chipotle goes Asian
ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen, a new concept from Chipotle, brings the Mexican chain’s assembly-line format to a whole new cuisine. Start with a bowl of rice or noodles, then choose from an array of meat, tofu, fresh vegetables, herbs, spicy sauces and toppings reminiscent of Bangkok, Singapore and Hanoi. ShopHouse already has established a cult following at its D.C. and Bethesda locations. And by the way: The original Chipotle will still be part of the new Pike & Rose — just in a slightly different location. So will the French bakery La Madeleine.
Potomac Village on a roll
Just opened in Potomac Village: En Bistro & Sushi, the latest venture from a man who knows his way around a spicy tuna roll. “A lot of people in this area will recognize me from years of catering at country clubs, bar mitzvahs and baseball games,” says owner Billy Ye, who has two other “En” restaurants in Rockville and Germantown. En Bistro offers a full pan-Asian menu. You can find it near Tally Ho, on the back side of the Verizon store. Oh… and did we mention they deliver?