Interesting new restaurant on the way to Rockville Town Square: HalfSmoke, a D.C.-based competitor to Ben’s Chili Bowl, is taking over the former American Tap Room/Pandora Seafood House space on Maryland Avenue. The Washington Business Journal reports  that HalfSmoke will seat 150 inside and 30 outside, along with a robust takeout operation. Smoked sausages will be the star here, but the HalfSmoke menu also features southern and New Orleans-style dishes like jambalaya, buttermilk fried chicken and shrimp with grits. And for dessert: funnel cakes, peach cobbler and fried Oreos. HalfSmoke, which is also expanding to Baltimore, will be one of the few Black-owned restaurants in our area. Founder Andre McCain tells Store Reporter that he hopes to open in November.