Back in September we let you know that L&L Hawaiian Barbecue will open its first Maryland location right here in Montgomery County at 785 Rockville Pike, Suite G, in the Ritchie Center (Rockville). The restaurant is now in its soft opening phase with a ‘first look’ video below.

L&L Hawaiian Barbecue has taken over the space formerly occupied by Superbowl Noodle House, which permanently closed in March. According to L&L Rockville, soft opening hours on Saturday, December 28th will be 11am-9pm with a limited menu and staff training. Hours after that will also be 11am-9pm daily.Follow @LLhawaiianBBQrockville on Instagram for additional information.

L&L’s menu features “Hawaiian comfort food” and offers a mix of Asian and American fusion dishes such as BBQ Beef Bowls, Cheeseburgers, Chicken Katsu, Loco Moco (hamburger patties over rice with brown gravy and fried eggs), and Spam Musubi.

Per the restaurant, “With over 200 locations nationwide, including 70 in Hawaii, the closest L&L locations to Maryland are in Virginia– Annandale, Chesapeake, and Suffolk. According to its website, “In the early years, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue was a successful chain of drive-in restaurants with a reputation for serving fresh plate lunches throughout the Hawaiian islands.

In late 1999, our founders – Johnson Kam and Eddie Flores, Jr. – introduced their signature, Asian and American fusion take on the classic plate lunch to the residents of California. Since then, the concept has found fans around the world and there are over 200 L&L Hawaiian Barbecue restaurants in Hawaii, California, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Colorado, Oregon, Utah, Texas, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Japan. Needless to say, in addition to the fresh, culturally-commingling flavors of Hawaii, every L&L meal is infused with the warmth of aloha – the legendary spirit of welcome that makes every guest feel at home.”

A man has been charged after two incidents at churches in Maryland, including pouring whiskey in holy water and throwing tangerines at parishioners, police said.

St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said in the first incident, suspect Thomas Von Goetz, 56, entered d Holy Angels Catholic Church after 5 p.m. on December 24, approached the altar and dropped an onion.

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A person followed Von Goetz out of the church and police said Von Goetz threw tangerines at the person.

Later that night at Midnight Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown, police said Von Goetz disrupted the service by pouring whiskey into the holy water and threatening the parishioners.

As he was being escorted out, police said Von Goetz attempted to hit people with a whiskey bottle.

Von Goetz was arrested and transported to a hospital for a medical evaluation. Police said he was charged with second degree assault, disorderly conduct, defacing religious property, religions crime against a group, obstructing a religious exercise, threat of mass violence and disturbing the peace.

He had too much holiday spirit.

A fiend went on a sacrilegious rampage at two Maryland churches on Christmas Eve, pouring whiskey in the holy water at one place of worship before he was detained by fed-up parishioners, authorities said.   

Thomas Campbell Bolling Von Goetz ensured he was placed on the naughty list – and in a jail cell –  this holiday season after he disrupted two Catholic Masses within a few hours, the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office said.

Von Goetz, 56, allegedly began his Grinch-like antics around 5 p.m. when he entered Holy Angels Catholic Church in the community of Avenue during Mass and dropped an onion in the aisle as he walked up to the altar.

As an attendee followed him outside, Von Goetz started pelting the person with tangerines before fleeing, authorities alleged.

Then hours later at midnight Mass at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Leonardtown, he allegedly dumped whisky into the holy water and threatened parishioners, the sheriff’s office said.

Churchgoers battled to boot Von Goetz outside as he tried to hit several people with his bottle of liquor, according to the law enforcement agency.

Ultimately, parishioners detained the suspect until deputies arrived.

He was taken to MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital for medical evaluation, and then on Thursday he was officially arrested.

Von Goetz, who flashed a devilish grin in his mug shot, was charged with second-degree assault, disorderly conduct, defacing religious property, religious crime against a group, obstructing a religious exercise, threat of mass violence and disturbing the peace.