Bon Fresco, Pumpkin Appetizers and Comments about Ledo's Pizza

Readers continue to offer up great comments and reviews about Howard County food. I'm happy to write, but I'm even happier to share other people's opinions and reactions. Thanks for all the comments. This is another sampler about what people are saying:

• People are still commenting about the new Bon Fresco sandwich shop on Oakland Park Boulevard. Stephanie T, Trixie B, Lyss, Fultie, and others commented about their talks with the manager Gerald and his efforts to make new breads, offer up side dishes, etc.
• Dianne said the new India Delight on Dobbin Road could give House of India a run for its money.
• Shelley said that she had the best fried chicken of her life at Chick N' Friends in Columbia.
• Heeper said I was right to be dubious about whether the "produce truck" on Broken Land actually sells special produce.
• Reiyi continued the conversation that Warthog started about "authentic" Chinese food and the Hunan Legend owners who will talk about unusual foods and dish them out if you get to know them. Posting Hunan Legend's secret menu has been my favorite moment on HowChow, and ironically, I haven't used it yet. Also, check out Hon's report about wheat noodles on Chowhound.
• Lisa and Kevin both tried the new Katana Sushi in Elkridge, and neither came away super impressed. But John put in a good word about the food and the experience at Maruha Japanese Steakhouse.
• While those folks were trying new spots, Kikiverde commented about an old favorite: the pumpkin appetizer at Maiwand Kabob. She talks up the vegetable platter, which gets you a sample of several great appetizers plus the tandoori bread.
• Anonymous posted about Thai restaurants -- saying Bangkok Garden in Columbia beats out Bangkok Delight in Ellicott City.
• Anonymous kept up the patter about "ice cream places for a summer night." These votes were for Arties in Clarksville and a soft serve place called Sarem's on Old Rte 29 near Burtonsville.
• Similarly, Anonymous, Kim and the PizzaBlogger kept up the talk about Coal Fire Pizza on Rte 108. I'm a fan, but the comments go both ways about the pizza, its cost, and the oven-baked wings.
• Milhouse emailed me with another recommendation for a burger date. He talked up a place that was new to me, Trolley Stop on Oella Ave in Ellicott City:

I stopped in at the Trolley Stop for lunch today, I had forgotten how good their food is. Fantastic sirloin cheeseburger (cheddar cheese-lettuce-tomato-thick pickles-grilled onions). The 1/2 lbs. burger was perfectly cooked medium rare and the cheese was that gooey-half congealed perfectness and they are generous with the fries. I watched a Chicken Salad Sandwich the size of a man's hat delivered to an elderly couple that looked as if they could have been there when the place opened. An older place in town that seems to be overlooked and talking to the waitress business is slow except for locals and could maybe use a little press.

• And finally, Chuck emailed me about the Ledo's Pizza in the River Hill Village Center. He says the place has new management, and it wasn't a second too soon:

A visit their this weekend to the River Hill Village Ceneter location was greeted by a "Under New Management" banner. Maybe someone finally woke up and realized they have a dining room. The change was very apparent and a welcome evolution from the previous act which featured poor service, sloppy order taking, erratic wait times and inconsistent food.

Previous wait staff seemed to be culled from the middle school ranks and management seemed no where in sight on previous trips. On this most recent visit, waiters were obviously trained and very friendly and attentive and the dining room was noticeably cleaner and prepared for guests. This was a far cry from the slow and loose service which plagued the previous administration. A steak and cheese sub also was much improved with a fresher, crustier roll and tastier mix of rib eye, cheese, onions, and fresh lettuce and tomato. At other tables, the staff was clearly trained to elicit conversation with patrons and resembled a more upscale restaurant instead of the soccer crowd-friendly pizza place found also on the other side of Columbia as well as in Fulton off Rt. 216.

Kudos to the new owners who have cleaned up a Maryland icon of square trayed pizza and made it more hospitable to those over twelve not wearing soccer cleats and grass stained jerseys. I am sure they are still welcome, but will be served not by peers and on a clean table within reasonable wait times.