Buzzy Newcomer Pennyroyal Station Adds All-Day Hours and Thick Porchetta Sandwiches

Pennyroyal Station, the ambitious new American comfort food spot in Mount Rainier, Maryland, that has drawn interest from the D.C. dining set, is expanding its weekday hours to cover lunch and dinner. A new “Covid temporary menu” adds more sandwiches and salads to early go-tos like a mac and cheese stuffed with smoked brisket and bone marrow. Chef Jesse Miller, formerly in charge of the high-minded snacks at Bar Pilar, has brought on a meatball sub with Calabrian chile relish, a pastrami and aged cheddar sandwich with “tiger” slaw on brioche, and a porchetta roll with roasted tomatoes , pesto, and arugula. Starting Tuesday, January 26, the all-day menu will run from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Saturday and Sunday hours are 5 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. In a review published last week, Washington Post critic Tom Sietsema enjoyed several examples of Miller’s “nostalgic, Southern-inflected cooking,” including roasted pork biscuits and a surprising squash soup with turmeric, ginger, and lemongrass. Pennyroyal is only offering takeout and delivery while Prince George’s County prohibits indoor dining (through Friday, January 29).

In other news ...

• Northern Virginia-based smoothie and juice bar South Block has opened its newest D.C. location at a former Dolcezza on the Logan Circle strip at 14th and P Streets NW.

• Tiger Fork alum Will Fung has started Fat Choi, a new hot pot operation for pickup and delivery (Ward 6 only) based out of Lavagna in Capitol Hill, Washington City Paper reports. [WCP]
• Taqueria al Lado just opened in Adams Morgan [Popville].
• Filipino fast food chain Jollibee, which has a super-devoted fan base, signed a lease to open a location at the Plaza at Landmark on the west side of Alexandria. [WBJ]
• Local craft breweries are experimenting with nonalcoholic beers. [WaPo]