My in-box (and my stomach) are filled with fast food items:
- Jimmy John’s, the sandwich chain founded in 1983 in Charleston, Il. by a 19-year-old with two first names (Jimmy John Liautaud) is opening its seventh Maryland store on 4710 Bethesda Ave. in Bethesda—in the former card and party shop next to Zen Tara Tea. Jimmy John apparently did quite well for himself—he’s now got 1251 stores (mostly franchise-owned) in 41 states. The closest place is in College Park; the menu features nothing-unusual subs and club sandwiches. Look for a mid-November opening for the Bethesda location.
- Due to customer demand, Taylor Gourmet is finally reversing its no-condiment policy. What took them so long? Since day one, the local upscale hoagie shop, started by two Philly-born friends back in 2008, has gotten repeated requests for condiments other than the oil and vinegar it uses. Aside from being sticklers for Philly tradition, the founders believed the flavor of their high-quality house-roasted meats “really came through” without being masked by heavy condiments, according to Taylor Gourmet spokesman Doug Rashid. Now, upon request, all three locations (including the one on Bethesda Row) will add a schmear of Hellmann’s mayonnaise or Gulden’s spicy brown mustard, Rashid said. I’ll stick with oil and vinegar, but just ask for more of it (compared to the Italian hoagies of my Philly youth, I think the sandwiches there tend to be dry). Taylor Gourmet is now also offering whole wheat bread as an option.
- BGR the Burger Joint at 4827 Fairmont Ave. in Bethesda is featuring an apple pie milkshake for its shake of the month. I tried it, and it’s kind of like apple pie a la mode, but in reverse proportions. The milky vanilla ice cream is the main attraction, with chunks of apple, nutmeg and cinnamon providing the supporting roles. Better eaten with a spoon than through a straw (those apple chunks get stuck), it’s a fun fall indulgence.
- Speaking of ice cream, the Haagen-Dazs shop at 7305 Woodmont Ave. in Bethesda will close on October 31. In the middle of July, Haagen-Dazs opened another scoop shop right down the street in the former Gifford’s at 7237 Woodmont Ave., and has been operating both stores—but not for much longer.
- Nando’s Peri-Peri, the Afro-Portuguese flamed-broiled chicken chain, opened in Gaithersburg’s Washingtonian Center on August 31. The Bethesda Row location—to be housed in the former Chicken Out space at 4829 Bethesda Ave., is scheduled to open in October.
