Shady Grove Burger King reopens in Rockville (Photos)

When is the Burger King on Shady Grove Road reopening? That oft-asked question finally has an answer, as the fully-remodeled restaurant reopened today. It is offering the new food court experience the ownership sought to add to increase revenue, with Ripieno's Italian Bistro and JoJo's Express counters also inside the dining room. Burger King still has the biggest counter space. I love the menu board for Ripieno's that says, "Ripieno's of Ocean City," a nod to the bistro and pizzeria's first location inside the venerable Burger King in Ocean City, Maryland.

There's plenty of indoor seating, and you can mix and match menu items from all three restaurants. JoJo's is promoting its salads as the main draw. Ripieno's has pizzas by the pie or slice, subs, calzones, club sandwiches and cheesesteaks that are "near 1 feet long," the menu board boasts. If they could add pizzas to the drive-thru or a curbside pickup, that would be a huge revenue opportunity, I think. But for the moment, they have the benefit of a huge parking lot, with plenty of spaces to accomodate customers for all three restaurants. Stop by soon for a flame-broiled Whopper, and a taste of Ocean City!

Trespasser reported inside Derwood apartment parking garage

Montgomery County police responded to a report of a person trespassing inside the parking garage of an apartment complex in Derwood early Thursday morning. The suspect was also accused of resisting an officer in a garage in the 8000 block of Gramercy Boulevard. The Daley at Shady Grove Metro apartments are located on that block.

Backyard shed burglarized in Maryvale area of Rockville

A burglary was reported in the Maryvale neighborhood in East Rockville early Thursday morning. Rockville City police were called to a home in the 500 block of Longwood Drive where a backyard shed had been burglarized at 3:56 AM, according to crime data.

Victim assaulted in wooded area in Rockville

Rockville City police responded to a report of an assault in a wooded area south of King Farm early yesterday afternoon. The assault was reported in a wooded area along Piccard Drive at 12:55 PM, according to crime data. There is a forested stream valley that runs behind several office buildings along Piccard between King Farm and Gude Drive.

Burger King Shady Grove Road menu board activated as Whopper fans await reopening

Don't go to bed before the King, or you might miss out on the latest in the slow drip of developments in the case of the truly-epic remodeling of the Burger King at 16004 Shady Grove Road at the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. After another few months of little visible activity, we have a new sign of progress. The new drive-thru menu board has been activated. Like the new ones at McDonald's, this has video screens.

Alas, the restaurant has not reopened yet. But it looks like we're getting close to an opening date. The other new "sign" at the site is one seeking job applicants for the pizza restaurant that will be located inside the building. This was the best Burger King in Montgomery County when it closed for renovations a couple of years ago(!!), and Whopper fans are extremely impatient for its return.

Galito's Flame-Grilled Chicken opens in Rockville (Photos)

Galito's Flame-Grilled Chicken has opened at 15918 Shady Grove Road, in the Shady Grove Center on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. An employee at the restaurant said they opened for the first time on Monday. This is the first American location for the South Africa-based spicy chicken chain. Operating hours are 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM.

South Block Rockville construction update (Photos)

The first Maryland location of South Block is under construction at 11803 Grand Park Avenue at Pike & Rose. An acai bowl and smoothie fast casual restaurant, South Block also sells fresh pressed juices and avocado or banana toast. Here is a look at the progress on the interior fit-out of the business: