City Perch Grand Opening A Tasty Treat; North Bethesda's Pike & Rose District Continues To Grow

NORTH BETHESDA, Md. -- Unseasonably cold weather was quickly supplanted by delicious, seasonal American fare on Wednesday night, as City Perch Kitchen + Bar feted its grand opening.

The latest addition to North Bethesda's rapidly growing Pike & Rose district, the modern culinary destination sits perched atop the recently christened iPic Theaters complex.

Indeed, James Beard-renowned Chef Sherry Yard sits at the helm of both the contemporary restaurant and the theater's innovative 'dining in the dark' program.

But while moviegoers might gravitate towards simple, easy-to-eat finger foods, the menu at City Perch is far from basic, with dozens of items sourced directly from nearby farms and waters.

While Yard oversees the culinary development across all of City Perch parent company iPic Entertainment's stable of properties, Executive Chef Matt Baker is focused exclusively on the day-to-day happenings of the North Bethesda location.

The veteran chef boasts residencies at top-rated local foodie favorites Bourbon Steak, Brasserie Beck, Minibar, and Occidental Grill, among others.

In order to ensure that City Perch's bar program matches the same top tier attention to detail as the restaurant, iPic enlisted the help of master mixologist and advanced sommelier Adam Seger.

Carefully crafted syrups and cocktail infusions, prepared daily, therefore echo the restaurant's similar focus on all things fresh. And City Perch's menu changes constantly depending upon the local availability and sustainability of various ingredients.

Guests to yesterday's grand opening celebration, which included a handful of NBA athletes in addition to a constant flow of neighbors from nearby residential communities, had the opportunity to experience such culinary innovation first hand.

City Perch warmly rolled-out the red carpet for attendees with a sumptuous spread of oysters, porchetta, charcuterie, and more. The restaurant was so committed to ensuring that everyone had a good time that the party never even had an official end time.

That was the gift of good taste. Or the gift of tasty goods, as it was...