One by one, we’re running through the 50 restaurants that made the cut on this year’s Young & Hungry Dining Guide. If you have visited the day’s featured restaurant, let us know what you think. If you’re planning to visit for the first time, tell us about your meal when you return.

Gillian Clark and partner Robin Smith had to wage battles on several fronts to finally launch their folksy eatery, the General Store, in the former Forest Glen post office in Silver Spring. Montgomery County, historic preservationists, even the landlord—everyone, it seems, wanted to tell Clark and Smith how to build out the 19th-century structure, down to the exact number of parking spaces they needed. It was enough to make Clark and Smith want to walk away from their project, which they seriously considered doing. I’m glad they stuck with it. The joint exudes a sort of sterile country vibe, part old-timey kitsch and part burn-unit clean, but Clark’s food remains as down-home and comfy as ever. Well, when she still has some to sell. The General Store has already developed a reputation for running out of its famed fried chicken before closing time; fortunately, there are tasty backup options. I’m thinking specifically about Clark’s chunky tarragon chicken-salad sandwich, which employs the namesake herb without allowing its anise flavors to dominate, as they so often do. The fish tacos are an excellent handheld bite, too, stuffed to capacity with fried whitefish, avocado, and melted cheese. At this point, the only unresolved issue for Clark and Smith is the opening of the downstairs Post Office Tavern. But even that hurdle will be cleared by next week, when the pub officially opens to the public, serving up pizzas, brats, and other beery foods.

The General Store, 6 Post Office Road, Silver Spring (301) 562-8787

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

The week started with the unexpected announcement that a genuine 1947 diner would be making its way to Trinidad, and it ended with the equally unexpected disclosure that Spike Mendelsohn and his business partner were evicted from their Capitol Hill rental home. In between, readers had tons of reasons to visit the Y&H blog. Here are the most-read posts of the week.

1. Former Used-Car Lot in Trinidad to Get a New Ride — a Diner Car
2. D.C.'s Unofficial Beer Week (Thank You, Savor)
3. Welcome to the D.C. Restaurant Scene, Cap City Diner!
4. Spike's New Pizzeria Is Coming to Cap Hill. But First: Souvlaki!
5. The General Store's Soft-Shell Crab Sandwich, Which Wasn't So Soft
   

There's a reason food stylists and photographers make real money to shoot cookbooks. They can make anything look appetizing. I, on the other hand, have made Gillian Clark's fried chicken, now available at The General Store in Silver Spring after a loooong absence, look like something I just tripped over on the street. Forgive me. The bird tastes nothing like this picture suggests.

I'll blame part of my photographic failings on Montgomery County, which has forced The General Store to serve take-out grub until Clark and partner Robin Smith can work out their parking issues. I had to take this shot on my lap in the car, which was parked just across the street from the new restaurant at 6 Post Office Rd. (301-562-8787). I wasn't about to wait another 10 minutes to find a real spot to eat.

Despite my downscale dining location, I was extremely satisfied with the fried chicken. It was a tad greasy, yes, but frankly, I like a little oil on my bird. When not excessive, the oil adds an extra element of flavor to skin that can, all too often, just taste like seasoned flour. These folks that talk about perfectly greaseless fried chicken, they seem to be just echoing all that American anti-fat sentiment. Even better, Clark's birds are moist to the bone, which contrasts nicely with the crispy element she adds to the skin.

All in all, I was happy to have the bird back on the market—even if I had to eat it on my lap.