New Restaurants to be Tried in the Food Court

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photo by Sarah O'Brien

Montgomery Mall recently added restaurants to its diverse food court.

By Sarah O’Brien, Production Editor

The CHS community grew up going to Westfield Montgomery Mall; however with so many upgrades, it is hard to recognize our childhood mall.

B|Bop|Q, Shanghai 66, Chloe’s New York Style Deli and Jamaican Me Crazy have all been introduced to the mall food court in the last year. All are locally and family owned.

B|Bop|Q
B|Bop|Q, located near Macy’s Home, is your go-to for Korean Fusion, fast-casual eating.

B|Bop|Q offers a progressive take on Korean favorites, and while the standard bowl filled with rice or chop chae is available, tacos, burritos, Korean chicken and fried dumplings are also on the menu. There are many options for vegetarians, including vegetables such as radish, white cucumber and cabbage kimchi.

“We recommend chop chae and chicken,” manager Kevin Choe said.

Shanghai 66
Shanghai 66, a spinoff of Bob’s 66 Shanghai in Rockville, focuses on making healthier Chinese food, following the Chipotle-esque fast-casual model, and is located across from B|Bop|Q.

“Most Chinese restaurants are not considered healthy because they are fried and oily, but there is no frier in the house,”co-founder William La said. “We buy local vegetables and organic foods.”

La is a Wootton High School alumnus and was aware of co-founder Johnny Chaw’s interest in business and food, so he decided to open this local restaurant with him.

Shanghai 66 offers a create your own Chinese box, bao burgers, which are typical burger toppings in between steamed, bread-like buns, or dumpling combos. La and Chaw recommend the Muy Thai, the deluxe version of the create your own Asian box, which is filled with coconut curry, spicy mayo, beef, three chicken dumplings, fried scallops, tomatoes and cucumbers. Another popular option, The Works, is a variety pack with dumplings and bao burgers.

Chloe’s NY Style Deli
Next to Shanghai 66, Chloe’s NY Style Deli offers great options to satisfy your delicatessen needs and serves all-day breakfast.

Named after owner Caje Fernandes’ 3-year-old daughter, the restaurant has been family-owned and operated since its opening in April 2015.

Although he is not Jewish, Fernandes has been working for local delis for the past 20 years and has been featured in Bethesda Magazine.

“I cook everything in-store,” Fernandes said. “People love our reubens, knishes, corned beef, bagels, pancakes and desserts like macaroons.”

Jamaican Me Crazy
Jamaican Me Crazy, located near Naples, serves Caribbean food and drinks, and is family owned and operated, with the restaurant originally opening as a food truck in D.C. by founder Ngozi Radway.

With creative names for foods such as the “Dutty Mon Sandwich” and the “No Worries Wrap,” it’s difficult to not enjoy the food. Walking up to the restaurant, the sound of happy reggae fills your ears and grabs your attention.

“I recommend the Mellow Yellow Curry Chicken,” Radway’s mother, Eugenie Brown said. “However, the Oxtail is our number one seller.”

Lolli and Pops

Candy shop Lolli and Pops, which has 21 stores open nationwide, still manages to achieve the feeling of a local business.

According to assistant store manager Emily Wilkins, Lolli and Pops is just like walking down main street in Disney: a lot of fun.

The store, located next to Alex and Ani on the first floor, offers a wide array of treats, from lollipops to astronaut ice cream to retro candies to yard-long Twix bars. There are different themed sections, such as Minion, Star Wars and Harry Potter. Additionally, the store features an international section, with Mexican and Asian candies, as well as vintage and local sections.

The employees at Lolli and Pops are clad in candy-striped aprons and straw hats, following a retro candy shop look. Its bright blue entrance stands out against the bland mall, captivating shoppers as they pass by, while happy 1920s music plays inside the store.

“I like that it is uniquely different than other candy stores because they sell candies that you haven’t really thought of before,” freshman Ryann Storch said. “It’s like Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory in the mall.”

In the near future, Menchie’s frozen yogurt and Tara Thai will also be added to Montgomery Mall.