Nicaro

I came to Nicaro not realizing it was under new management with a new chef. The original Nicaro had excellent, innovative food, though it was a bit expensive for the neighborhood. Unfortunately, the new Nicaro has seriously downgraded the quality but kept the old prices, with entrees mostly in the low to mid $20s. We ordered the NY Strip medium and the Carne Asada medium-rare. Instead, we go the NY Strip bloody and the Carne Asada well done. The NY Strip was a joke - dry, gristly, and flavorless as the stuff you might get at a $5 Las Vegas buffet. Overall, a very poor showing that doesn't nearly justify its premium price tag. It's unfortunate that the new owners kept the Nicaro name, because it bears no resemblance to the original. more

We were unaware of the change in ownership when we arrived on new year's eve. The first sign of trouble was the menu, which was disturbingly disordered. The calamari appetizer actually had bones in it. The waiter claims he yelled at the chef over it asking how this was possible. The chef reportedly responded that calamari has cartilege. Hmm. Not according to a chef friend. My sister-in-law's martini was watery. The alleged etouffe was anything but such. My stuffed salmon was not fully cooked. The waiter was very nice. The price of my salmon dish was reduced by half. That was the only compensation offered. We chose to just pay and leave. Before I forget, the caramel Tres Leches was decent. Needless to say, we will not return more

Silver Spring's Nicaro restaurant reopened today, under new management and with a new executive chef at the helm. Luis E. Martinez, a veteran of restaurants like Potomac Grill, Red Rock Canyon, the Cheesecake Factory and McCormick & Schmick's, and his team have taken the reins of the restaurant, which was previously run by chef Pedro Matamoros until his iteration of Nicaro closed on July 5. "People who know food tell me I have big shoes to fill," said Martinez. The restaurant will now offer fusion cuisine, drawing on European flavors along with Latin and Cajun accents. "I try to make it so you can get a different texture in every bite," says the chef, 48. General Manager Anthony Talavera says the restaurant will reach out to the neighborhood with deals like $5 martinis on Wednesday and half-priced bottles on wine on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Expect live music nights to come in the near future. As Tom Sietsema reported in a recent online discussion, Matamoros is moving to another location: 8407 at 8407 Ramsey Ave. in Silver Spring. Partner Nancy Mola says that she and Matamoros are working on the design and menu of the new restaurant and hope to open in October, pending permitting approval. In the meantime, fans of Matamoros can check out the Silver Spring FreshFarm market for a taste of his cooking. Dates aren't yet finalized for his future appearances at the market, but Mola says they'll add those dates to the 8407 Web site when they are. -- Julia Beizer (GOG Blog, Aug. 4, 2009) more