Boqueria Penn Quarter’s Paella Pro Branches Out With a New Rockville Restaurant | Eater DC

"Scheduled to debut in mid-December in Rockville Town Square, this 60-seat, 2,000-square-foot tapas restaurant is the chef George Rodrigues’s first solo project and leans heavily on polished, traditional Spanish technique. His breakout menu centers on paellas served in 10- or 14-inch circular skillets for one or two, featuring seafood, chorizo and chicken, and squid ink, with an emphasis on achieving the socarrat crust by starting and finishing the communal dish in the oven. Tapas will span regional Spanish traditions—from Catalan escalivada and calçots to Galician influences—and include lamb meatballs, shishito peppers, calamari, spicy papas bravas, pulpo con patatas (slightly cooked octopus and potatoes), pollo rostizado, and a selection of Spanish cheeses and Serrano ham. The sleek space (originally built for Gumbo Ya Ya) will feature Basque-inspired artwork, splashes of red and yellow, European tile work, a bar program with sangrias, and a wine list exclusively of Spanish varietals; a 30-seat patio is planned for spring, along with on-site paella cooking classes." - Tierney Plumb