Nepal House and Ryleigh's Oyster set for Mount Vernon openings

Nepal House will open Sunday in the Mount Vernon space that housed the Indian restaurant Mughal Garden. The new restaurant is owned by Prem Raja Mahat, who has managed, operated and owned various restaurants featuring other cuisines of Indian, Nepalese and other regions of South Asia.

Mahat, a native of Nepal, is also a folk singer. A 2003 profile of Mahat on National Public Radio told listeners, "Think of him as Bob Dylan of Katmandu... or Elvis of the Himalayas."

Mahat said he will be singing at Nepal House, mostly on weekend nights.

Nepal House is at 918 N. Charles St. For information, call 410-547-0001.

• Ryleigh's Oyster Mount Vernon will open Tuesday in the Cathedral Street space across from Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall where Mari Luna closed back in January.

Brian McComas, who owns and operates the original Ryleigh's in Federal Hill and a second, Ryleigh's Hunt Valley, on Padonia Road, said he has made extensive renovations to the property, which was once home to successful operations like Spike & Charlie's and Ethel's Place but where recent tenants like Mari Luna, Robert Oliver Seafood and 23rd Degree Restaurant & Wine Bar had notably short runs.

Ryleigh's Oyster Mount Vernon is at 1225 Cathedral St. For information, call 410-539-2093 or go to ryleighs.com.

• Also new in Mid-Town-Belvedere, Grille24 (1224 N. Charles St., 410-617-8990) a polished looking counter-service operation specializing in Peruvian chicken. The menu also inlcudes hamburgers and panini.

• Dylan Salmon, the man behind the much-missed Dylan's Oyster Cellar, will set up temporary shop outside of W.C. Harlan (400 W. 23rd St., 443-438-4503) in Remington for the next two Friday and Saturday nights. Salmon and company will be serving raw oysters, sardines on baguette and roasted chestnuts. Food purchased on the sidewalk can be taken into the bar, Salmon said.

Dylan's Oyster Cellar was an oyster bar that operated for six months this year in The Hatch, Phil Han's incubator space in Mount Vernon's Park Plaza building. Salmon has not ruled out a permanent return of Dylan's Oyster Cellar in another location.