Spotlight: La Speranza Restaurant, A New Italian Gem in Twinbrook
La Speranza Restaurant, a new Italian eatery in Rockville is already making waves. Nestled off the beaten path at 806 Baltimore Road on the edge of Twinbrook, this charming spot is part of a strip mall better known for Jonathan’s and 7-11. Despite its unassuming location, La Speranza boasts a bright and inviting interior with a dozen tables, a small bar, and a view into the kitchen showcasing its wood-fired oven.
The highlight of La Speranza is undoubtedly its homemade pastas with tomato sauce, complemented by Neapolitan-style pizzas. This culinary excellence is thanks to chef and owner Neptali Mendoza, who brings a wealth of experience from his time as the sous chef at Baronnessa in Rockville, kitchen manager at RedRocks Pizzeria in Alexandria, and his training with Peter Pastan at Obelisk in DC at the start of his career.
As a frequent diner over the past month, I’ve had the pleasure of sampling their diverse pasta menu. While the cream sauces are a bit too heavy for my taste, every other dish from the chicken alla marsala to the lasagna to the eggplant alla parmigiana have been terrific. The wine selection, especially the Montepulciano, is a cut above most Italian restaurants in town. A boscaiola pizza to-go has become a regular treat for me. Additionally, La Speranza offers a variety of chicken, veal, and seafood entrees, panini, soups, salads, daily lunch specials, and even an American-style brunch on weekends. Pizzas $12-19, lunch specials $13, dinner entrees $17-27.
If you’re on the hunt for an exceptional Italian restaurant and want to support a local business, La Speranza is the perfect choice.
Mayor and Council Gets Update on Proposed 36-Unit Condo in Twinbrook
At its Monday, February 12, 2024 meeting, the Rockville Mayor and Council will receive updates on a proposed 36-unit condominium at 5906 Halpine Road (Twinbrook) and new laws under consideration by the state (particularly Gov. Moore’s proposed Housing Expansion and Affordability Act). On the Consent Agenda (items approved without discussion) are construction of a storage structure ($500,000) and executing an amendment to Rockville Intermodal Access Project for Baltimore Road, among others. The Mayor and Council will also receive an annual report from the Board of Appeals.
On the Consent Agenda, the City Council will be appointing Deputy Director of Community Planning
and Development Services Jenny Snapp as the City of Rockville Representative to the Town
Square Condominium Board, replacing Deputy Director of Public Works James Woods. The staff report provides some insight into the complex ownership and management of Town Square, explaining that it “consists of five blocks, each of which has a condominium association represented by the respective owners of each block. These owners must delegate a representative to the Rockville Town Square Master Condominium Board. The City owns portions of Block 1/2, Block 3A, Block 4 and Block 5. The City’s ownership of Block 1/2, Block 4 and Block 5 is limited to the Parking Garages. The City’s Block 3A ownership includes the Arts and Innovation Center where VisArts is located. Each block’s condominium association has an agreement delegating the management of common areas to Morguard. Several other agreements were established to delegate the management of the Plaza, the private sidewalks, and the Parking Garages to Morguard.” (page 101+)
The City Council will receive a briefing on a request from Pulte Home Company to rezone a property at 5906 Halpine Road (Twinbrook) from R-60 (single unit detached residence) to RF-FZ (residential flexible-floating zone) to permit construction of 36 two-over-two stacked condominiums (page 104+). The “two-over-two stacked” dwelling type consists of 2 two-story townhouses which are stacked one on top of the other to create a four-story building. For comparison, the adjacent Cambridge Walk has 17 townhouses. At a community meeting on May 16, 2023, attendees voiced concerns about protecting of the existing adjacent forest conservation area as well as adequate visitor parking on site. Pulte will brief the Council about the proposal, including a project overview and review schedule and at a future meeting, the Mayor and Council will hold a public hearing and consider rezoning the property, approving the Project Plan, and authorizing waivers to the required side yard setback and layback slope for the project.
The Mayor and Council are conducting hybrid meetings. If you wish to submit comments in writing for Community Forum or Public Hearings, please email the comments to MayorAndCouncil@RockvilleMD.gov by no later than 10:00 a.m. on the date of the meeting.
More details in the 250-page agenda packet are available at https://www.rockvillemd.gov/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_02122024-7107.
Baltimore Road improvements planned
Baltimore Road project map on exhibit.
With about thirty other residents, I attended the public meeting on the “Baltimore Road Intermodal Access Project” at Glenview Mansion on Wednesday night, February 3. The City of Rockville is studying the entire length of Baltimore Road from the Town Center through East Rockville and Twinbrook to the city limits at Rock Creek.
A bit of background
Emad Elshafei, chief of traffic and transportation, opened the meeting by stating that Baltimore Road was studied nearly ten years ago but wasn’t implemented due to lack of funds. In 2006, the City received a federal appropriation of $4 million spread over a series of years for planning and implementation (and the City needs to provide a 20% match). The City also expanded the scope of the project to consider the needs to pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as connect to the new Town Square. Earlier this year, the City hired Rummel, Klepper and Kahl (RKK) to lead the study, documentation, and planning with the assistance of several city staff members. RKK is based in Baltimore and their previous projects include the Wilson Bridge and the Downtown Charlottesville Pedestrian Mall.
First of three public meetings
This public meeting is one of three planned prior to construction in summer 2011–if funding supports the project costs. RKK is conducting a survey of the entire route and this meeting was merely to Continue reading →
Max for Rockville 