Bethesda's Bold Bite Dogs and Fries Expands to Union Station

Bethesda's very own Bold Bite Dogs and Fries has expanded—across state lines, to Washington, DC.

The business originally opened in the summer of 2011 at 4901 B Fairmont Ave., Bethesda. Last month, chef and owner Alonso Roche opened a second location in Union Station, at the lower level food court.

Business already is doing well at Union Station. "It's exciting to be here at the food court. It gives people other options from the regular chains," Roche said. "It'll be interesting to see who'll starting coming back," and what the response will be like, he added.

The menu at the Union Station location is not quite as extensive as the menu at the original Bethesda location, but it does include classic Bold Bites such as bold and spicy burgers, chili cheese and BLT dogs, and quarter-pound, half-smoke "DC dogs" with a variety of toppings. Bold Bite's Belgian-style, hand-cut fries also are offered at the Union Station location. (For Bold Bite's salads, sausages, vegetarian sausage dog and ice cream sandwiches, head to the Bethesda location.)

Roche narrowed down the menu because it needed to consist of items that could be prepared quickly, since Bold Bite prepares everything to-order. There's nothing sitting on the grill or pre-cooked. Sausages take 10 minutes to prepare, so they were cut from the Union Station menu.

Bold Bite's new location does have something that the Bethesda location doesn't, however: several varieties of half-smokes, which are quarter-pound hot dogs split down the middle and grilled. They're quick to cook and are an iconic DC food from the mid-20th century, Roche explained. "We wanted to have that DC identity."

>>Watch a video of a Bold Bite chef putting together a Bold Bite sandwich on Patch.

Washington Business Journal reported on the eatery's expansion to Union Station last April.

Last fall, the eatery debuted a gourmet hot dog cart, Patch reported.

What's your favorite menu item at Bold Bite? Tell us in the comments.