METRO TESTS NEW 7000-SERIES RAILCARS IN ROCKVILLE (PHOTOS)

WMATA is finally on something of a timetable to restore automatic train control to its subway system, and the Red Line will be the first route to have it, the Washington Post reported on Sunday. In October, some Red Line trains will begin operating automatically, and all trains will do so by next March, according to the Post report. That long-overdue positive sign wasn't the only big Red Line news this past weekend. Metro tested new 7000-series railcars on the Red Line Saturday and Sunday, between the Twinbrook and Shady Grove Metro stations.

I caught one in action at the Rockville station on Sunday. The train was not accepting passengers during the test run. The 7000-series are manufactured by Kawasaki.

We simply must improve the service and reliability of Metro, if we are to even begin to manage future growth in places like downtown Bethesda, White Flint, Silver Spring and Rockville. Scarce transportation dollars need to go to the projects where they impact the most people, such as 8-car trains for Metro, more capacity on the Red Line (especially north of Grosvenor), and a new Potomac River crossing to relieve congestion on the Beltway and I-270.

DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE ROCKVILLE VIP PARTY (PHOTOS)

Del Frisco's Grille gave a crowd of VIPs a preview of the first restaurant opening at Pike & Rose last night. Signage had been attached to the facade of the restaurant, which is scheduled to open next Thursday, September 25.

General Manager Rahsaan Stone (L)
greets VIP guests at the tented
entryway erected outside the
restaurant's entrance

Attendees made a red carpet entrance, greeted by General Manager Rahsaan Stone and a free cocktail. Each party posed for photos before a Del Frisco's Grille logo red carpet backdrop. Inside, the spacious restaurant was packed, even with the standalone tables removed from the floor. An open bar finished what the martini glass at the door started, and uniformed servers made the rounds with a selection of appetizers and small plates from Executive Chef Cody Lynch's forthcoming menu.

A mixologist sends another
Apt. 5-D martini
down the ice luge

In many ways, the event had the feel of one held in the District more than in staid Montgomery County. Strawberry martinis with Tito's Vodka, lemon sour, simple syrup, a dash of balsamic, and cracked black pepper - called the Apt. 5-D, and quite good, I must add - gushed down a large cocktail luge, before arriving in their appointed glasses. The spectacle easily commanded the most cellphone photos of the evening, with shots of the frozen sculpture popping up on Instagram. Millennials hammed it up at an electronic photo machine throughout the night, and made up a large portion of the crowd in general. A raw bar with another ice sculpture served up oysters and shrimp just in front of the restaurant's open kitchen.

Striking a pose at
the electronic
photo "booth"

The finished product,
ready to print

The restaurant's main,
wraparound bar was
abuzz with activity all night

So was another kind of
bar - the raw bar

Raw oysters were the
main attraction here

The circulating appetizers got favorable reviews from everyone I spoke to. Dominated in sheer numbers by the restaurant's signature Ahi Tuna Tacos, it featured inventive twists on some popular small plates. My favorite was the crab fritters. Not to be confused with the crab cake sliders, which were pretty good themselves, the fritters have a far-lighter texture than you would expect from a fried dish. Inside the crispy exterior were bits of sweet peppers, tender corn, and - of course - crab. A drizzle of sriracha mayonnaise added a spicy finish to the top.

Cheesesteak Eggrolls

Crabcake on toast

Tomato and mozzarella skewers

Pork and cabbage taco

A fantastic crab fritter

Del Frisco's signature
Ahi Tuna Tacos

Grille Prime Cheeseburger
Sliders

After pursuing another Del Frisco's signature item, the Cheesesteak Eggrolls, without success, I spotted Chef Cody Lynch, who brought out a plate of 4 fresh from the kitchen for me. These were another winner, with the flavors of a fresh Philly Cheesesteak sandwich somehow jammed into an eggroll-like shell. Other good choices were the Grille Prime Cheeseburger, Pork Tacos with cabbage, and a veggie burger. Later in the evening, some selections from the dessert menu began to appear, including Coconut Cream Pie. Beers currently on tap are Stella Artois, Allagash White, Samuel Adams seasonal Oktoberfest, Yuengling and Blue Moon. I'm looking forward to trying some of the full entrees after the opening, because there are quite a few on the menu that sound great.

What's currently on tap;
GM Rahsaan Stone says
the selections will alternate

All in all, the evening was a brief taste of what nights at Pike & Rose could be like in the future. Federal Realty Development Associate Jay Corbalis said that the company is positioning Pike & Rose as an entertainment-centered development, with the AMP by Strathmore live music venue and iPic cineplex both on-site. With similar movie theaters canceled at JBG's North Bethesda Market II, and possibly at Lerner's White Flint Mall site redevelopment, Pike & Rose seems likely to become the nightlife activity hub of the "new" White Flint. You need to get dinner with that movie, or a bar to meet up with friends before the show, and Del Frisco's seems poised to fit the bill.

Stay tuned for video from the event! Here are more photos; click to enlarge for greater detail:

This artwork hangs behind the wall
that separates the host stand from
bar area

Warmer installed on the
outdoor patio

The patio was packed
last night

Looking toward Executive Blvd.

A successful evening for
Executive Chef Cody Lynch
and
GM Rahsaan Stone

Oenophiles weren't left out
at the bar

"Do right and feed every man" is
the motto over the kitchen - and
on the back of staff uniforms

Valets line up the VIP vehicles
after the party

POLICE SEEK MISSING ROCKVILLE MAN (PHOTO)

Montgomery County Police are seeking the public's help in locating a missing Rockville resident who was last seen on Hampden Lane in Bethesda yesterday.

Police say they are concerned about the emotional and physical welfare of Jelani Kito Perry, 34, of the 800 block of Grand Champion Drive in Rockville. Perry is described by police as a black male, 6’ 1”, and 190 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and a cross tattoo on his upper arm.  He was last seen wearing a blue and white checkered button-down shirt, blue jeans, and navy blue sneakers with white trim.

Authorities did not indicate the exact time at which Perry was believed to be in the Hampden Lane area yesterday.

Anyone with any information regarding his whereabouts is asked to contact the Montgomery County Police at 301-279-8000 (24 hour line).

DEL FRISCO'S GRILLE ROCKVILLE CONSTRUCTION UPDATE (PHOTOS)

Del Frisco's Grille Rockville is the first business expected to open at Federal Realty's new Pike & Rose development. Yesterday, the nearly-finished restaurant was still very much a construction zone, as many final touches were being added by a sizable crew of workers. All of the upscale finishes and furnishings are in place, and chefs were hard at work in the expansive kitchen as they gear up to execute the recipes of Executive Chef Cody Lynch.

Lynch, a graduate of the University of Maryland at College Park, has previously served as both a sous chef and executive chef at McCormick & Schmick's here in the DC area. That should serve him well, as seafood is one of the things Del Frisco's is known for. He and General Manager Rahsaan Stone were both on-hand and busy yesterday.

Rich wood paneling and
distinctive lighting fixtures

Construction workers add
the finishing touches to
the interior

Wraparound bar

You'll be able to see the chefs at work yourself from most vantage points in the restaurant, as it features an open kitchen design. The sizable bar area - with wraparound bar - should be a great happy hour destination at Pike & Rose, but there is also a more secluded, glassed-in wine room with a table for 10. Speaking of tables, there is a mix of conventional tables, as well as a some larger, communal ones. These can also be used to accommodate parties of 10+, but Stone said the restaurant wants to give top priority to the larger number of small parties, so that walk-ins won't have to wait for a table. He said the flexibility will help make the restaurant a destination for suburban families.

The future patio at Del Frisco's,
alongside Old Georgetown Road

It seems that most hot, new restaurants need an inviting outdoor seating area. Dining al fresco at Del Frisco will be made easier through a variety of seasons with misting and warming equipment to keep temperatures comfortable for patio patrons. Stone pointed out that zinc panels on the exterior facade are designed to develop a patina over time, to fit with other throwback architecture details around the Pike & Rose development.

A mister already installed
on the patio

These zinc paneling strips will
acquire a patina over time

Indoors, you'll find the space dominated by floor-to-ceiling windows, wood beams, red and gold furniture and a variety of lighting fixtures, including rose chandeliers.

The American comfort cuisine menu will feature dishes such as prime New York Strip, and sole francese with lump crab and chive-lemon butter. Small plates fans can enjoy jumbo lump crabcake sliders, cheesesteak egg rolls, and ahi tacos stuffed with tuna tartare and avocado, to name a few.

When it opens (the opening date has not yet been made official, although a blurb on the restaurant website says September 25 - stay tuned for official word), Del Frisco's Grille Rockville's hours will be Monday through Saturday for lunch, from 11:30 AM until 4:00 PM. Dinner will be served Sunday through Thursday from 4 PM until 10 PM, and Friday through Saturday from 4 PM until 11 PM.  Will there be Sunday brunch? Yes! Brunch will be served from 11 AM until 4 PM Sundays. It just occurred to me that I need to find out if there will be extended hours for the bar after the kitchen closes at night, as is the case at some restaurants around town.

Signage and awnings
are not yet installed

A worker hoses down
Grand Park Avenue
on Tuesday afternoon

11800 Grand Park Avenue
Class A office building

Del Frisco's Grille Rockville

11800 Grand Park Avenue

(301) 881-0308

ASSAULT ON LONGWOOD DR. + MORE - NIGHTSWATCH: ROCKVILLE CRIME UPDATE

Here's a roundup of crimes reported across Rockville on September 13, according to crime data:

Assault. Longwood Drive at Pinewood Road.

Theft from vehicle. 400 block North Horners Lane.

Theft. 500 block Hungerford Drive.

Theft. MD 355 and Redland Boulevard.

Theft. 300 block Ridgemont Avenue.

Theft. 800 block Pleasant Drive.

Theft. 1200 block Rockville Pike.

CAPITAL ONE TO EXIT ROCKVILLE TOWN SQUARE IN OCTOBER (PHOTOS)

Another tenant heads for the exits at Rockville Town Square. Capital One is moving its Rockville Town Center bank branch to 387 Hungerford Drive. The current Rockville Town Square location will close permanently on Friday, October 17, at 6:00 PM.

Capital One is only the latest tenant to either leave, or be evicted from, Rockville Town Square. It joins Cosi, Oro Pomodoro, Pho & Rolls, Carbón and the Hair Cuttery, all of whom have vacated the Federal Realty property in only the last 3 months alone.