Flautas Debut in Bethesda, Foie Gras for Free in DC

Get caught up with the food scene in Montgomery County and adjacent Washington, DC, neighborhoods with "1 Meat, 3 Sides." This week, a popular restaurant's closing takes center plate:

One Meat:

Bethesda Magazine’s Table Talk blog reported that Tragara Ristorante—"the longtime Italian eatery with an upstairs banquet room that’s hosted many a Bethesda Bar Mitzvah"—will close at the end of this month. A new restaurant with a French-Indian flair will take its place at 4935 Cordell Ave. in Bethesda.

Read more on Bethesda Magazine's website and on Bethesda Patch.

Three Sides:

Last weekend's 23rd annual Taste of Bethesda set the Twitter world abuzz, "as event-goers took to the popular social media platform to share photos, interact with their favorite restaurants and dish on their favorite selections of the day." Bethesda Patch has a roundup of tweets from the food fest.

Check out photos from the festival on Bethesda Patch.

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On Tuesday, celebrity chef José Andrés' popular food truck "Pepe" made its first foray into Montgomery County, parking in front of Jaleo on Woodmont Avenue in Bethesda to start serving lunch at 11:30 a.m. Andrés confirmed the visit via Twitter, Bethesda Patch reported.

"The truck serves Spanish sandwiches, called 'flautas,' with selections including the Club Barcelona—thinly sliced chicken, bacon, lettuce, tomato and shallot mayonnaise—and the Butifarra Burger—a Spanish pork burger with alioli and brava sauce," Bethesda Patch added.

Also on Tuesday, American Tap Room opened in Rockville, Rockville Patch reported:

The restaurant, in the 6,500-square-foot former Austin Grill space, "redefines the idea of casual sophistication," according to a description on the Rockville Town Square website. "Ranging from weekend brunch, to a casual lunch outing, to late-night celebrations or sporting event viewing parties, each dining experience is uniquely enjoyable."

And, the held its grand opening on Tuesday, Bethesda Patch reported. Nearly 2,000 free burritos were given out as part of the grand opening celebration, Bethesda Magazine reported.

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For native Californians transplanted to the DC area and saddened by their home state's recent ban on foie gras, 1789 Restaurant (1226 36th St. NW, Washington, DC) has a freebie for you, Washington City Paper reports:

In a belated response to the Golden State's ban on fattened goose and duck liver, which went into effect over the summer, 1789 Restaurant is offering Californians a legal taste on the house. If you show your California ID at 1789 between now and Oct. 31, the restaurant will give you a complimentary foie gras torchon brioche with chestnut short bread and barrel-aged maple syrup.

Read more on the Washington City Paper's website.