BLUE STAR: HOUSE OF BEEF, BURGERS, AND BBQ (WASHINGTON, DC)

Blue Star, certified kosher by the Rabbinical Council of Greater Washington, will serve Texas-inspired barbecue entrees.

Kosher barbecue fans will be pleased to know that a new restaurant is under construction and may open in Rockville at some point this month. Blue Star, which will specialize in pulled brisket entrees, burgers, barbecue ribs and chicken, is set to open at the intersection of Woodglen Drive and Nicholson Lane.

“It’s a combination of a lot of places,” says Blue Star owner Sina Soumekhian. “We’re trying to combine barbecue flavors with different kinds of hamburgers and sliced beef, all combined into one venue.”

Some of the Texas-inspired menu items will include standouts like pulled brisket tacos, barbecue brisket and burger sliders, veggie-stuffed turkey burgers, sliced meat sandwiches and combination platters with two or three meats and sides including baked beans, corn on the cob, cornbread, grilled pineapple and guacamole. Blue Star will also serve salads, soups and desserts courtesy of Sunflower Bakery in Gaithersburg.

Blue Star’s location is that of the old Siena’s, a kosher staple in Rockville that Soumekhian used to own, which recently moved to Twinbrook Parkway after news broke that the building where it was located would be torn down.

Soumekhian, who also owns Eli’s Restaurant in D.C., says he was able to work out a three-year extension with the property owners, but plans on moving Blue Star to a more permanent location if it’s successful. The restaurant will provide dine-in seating and carry out.

The main focus for Blue Star is to make brisket more prominent as it’s still a relatively unknown meat, he says. “We’re hoping to bring authentic flavors of Texas barbecue into the area and put brisket on the map.”

Once open, Blue Star will serve lunch and dinner from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays and will be closed Saturdays.