🚀 go-pugleaf

 <SCazzo@gmail.com> wrote:
>Any good Italian restaurants in the Germantown, MD area?
>How about DC or Baltimore area? I will be there for 1 week
>and need to find some good Italian food.

There is a place called "Pasta Plus" in Laurel.  Don't let the name
fool you.  The food is actually excellent.

>Also, does anybody know of any speciality Italian stores in
>the area?

No, but if anyone else has a recommendation I would be interested myself.
I always send my parents with a shopping list for Labriola's Market when
they make their regular trips to Pittsburgh.
--scott
-- 
"C'est un Nagra.  C'est suisse, et tres, tres precis."

The two best independent Italian restaurants actually in Germantown would 
likely be considered Agrodolce in Milestone and Cafe Mileto next to Shoppers 
Club on Mateny Road. Agrodolce is supposed to have an upscale feel, but is 
overpriced, very loud even when empty due to the exposed ceilings, and very 
likely to disappoint. The owner has a second restaurant in Rockville that 
got blasted for refusing high chairs to toddlers.. apparently they were not 
aware they were located in the suburbs.

Cafe Mileto is more reasonably priced and is more of a neighborhood hangout. 
It's fine but don't expect anything outstanding. Again the owners have a 
second restaurant, Fontina Grill, located in King Farm in Rockville that's 
far superior in terms of food, service, and ambience.

If you stick in Germantown and *must* have Italian, I would almost recommend 
eating at the Carrabbas Grill. Yes, it's a chain, but if you're willing to 
wait to be seated, the food is likely better than the other two restaurants.

There are good food choices in Germantown other than Italian. Two standouts 
are Mi Rancho for wonderful Mexican and Yuraku is a good choice for 
Japanese.

For more world class Italian not *too* far from Germantown, you could go to 
Il Pizzico in Rockville, just north of Montgomery College on Frederick Road 
(Rt 355). Beware, once the word got out about this place, they developed a 
bit of an attitude that for me, takes away from an otherwise great meal.

Also quite close to Germantown, the Kentlands features many restaurants. For 
Italian, Cantina D'Italia is acceptable and Buca DiBeppa is pretty good, 
although it's a chain restaurant you can find in any city. There's 
supposedly an excellent wood fired pizza place nestled in there but it's 
very small and the one time I tried to go there, the place was full and 
burning hot inside so I didn't stay. There are several decent choices for 
other than Italian in Kentlands, though-- notably the new Bonefish Grill, 
again a chain but a very good one.

Hope this is of some help (and spurs some conversation in this fairly quiet 
newsgroup LOL)
Noah

<SCazzo@gmail.com> wrote in message 
news:1131466279.718210.100420@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> Any good Italian restaurants in the Germantown, MD area?
> How about DC or Baltimore area? I will be there for 1 week
> and need to find some good Italian food.
>
> Also, does anybody know of any speciality Italian stores in
> the area?