Comments About Pizza, Ice Cream, Beer and A Mixed Bag At Cha Ya Cafe

For the first time last week, I actually met people who had read the blog. (Hi Becky and Paul!) That was fun, and the comments make me pleased to see that HowChow has led some people to interesting food. Thanks for the heads up on openings and closings. Super thanks for the little reviews, including the Sonoma review that I'm going to post separately. I love all the comments -- long or short. This is a sampler of recent ones:

• Four months after it opened, Coal Fire Pizza is still inspiring long detailed comments. Some good. Some bad. Some detailed, thoughtful critiques like vkatnyte, who liked the pizza but had some ideas for improvement.
• In a similar vein, people started on a Hunan Manor post and have been suggesting the Chinese places that they love -- Hunan House, Asian Court, Best Hunan . . .
• Everyone who visits Bon Fresco seems to love it, but I'm shamelessly promoting the new Columbia sandwiches and bread joint because it doesn't seem busy enough. Chuck and I both want to spread the word so that this place lasts for years. Lyss says there is talk of breakfast! However, Jeremy noted that the imaginative sandwiches don't have a "kids menu" counterpart.
• Other folks are talking up Indian Delight and the Dog House Pub & Grill. On the first, Frank Hecker says the new "Delight" in Columbia compares to House of India, which is high praise. On the second, Erin emailed me the original review, and a string of folks have commended the sandwiches, the fries, and reasonably-priced craft beers.
• Speaking of beer, a link about the Judge's Bench sparked a range of compliments for the place. Plus, Tim says Looney's Pub in Maple Lawn has large happy hour drafts for just $2.50, and he likes the hot wings and crab dip.
• Chowsearch answered my question about Asian Court with a thumbs up about its dim sum on Rte 40 in Ellicott City. I really need to get there, especially if it is as good as Oriental East in Silver Spring.
• Anonymous got off the wait list with South Mountain Veggie for their delivery service. I'm jealous. Has anyone been getting the weekly deliveries? (Like a CSA, but they come to you.)
• K8teebug picked up some Oh, What a Cake! cupcakes in Columbia. She says they're just okay, but 80 cents for a regular-size one makes it worth the visit.
• Doug S tried the kofta and chicken kabobs at Mimi's Kabob in Clarksville. He says he left stuffed.
• emkenton told me that Hidden Treasure Cafe serves Moorenko's ice cream. That means those shakes must be spectacular. Check out this new place in Highland.
• Bets, Dzoey, and Momomom all seconded my praise for Cafe Oromia in Burtonsville, which serves the closest Ethiopian food to Howard County.
• The feedback on Pollo Fuego in Jessup has been more mixed. I had a tasty lunch, and Kevin ate an entire chicken, two sides and four sodas!!! But Samit was disappointed. Chowsearch then talked about the importance of high traffic in a Peruvian chicken joint.
• Cheryl Schneider -- the owner of Penny's Chocolates -- gave a good-natured response to my post and explained a bit about their effort to turn out the best gelato and chocolates.
• Then two anonymous folks described bad nights at Iron Bridge -- after I had a terrific Restaurant Week visit there.
• Amy & anonymous said that you can buy pizza dough to go at Roma's on Phelps Luck, Trattoria in Dorsey's Search, or Upper Crust off Rte 108 on Executive Park Drive.
• Slideshell talked up Opie's for soft serve, milkshakes, sundaes and more for a summer night on Edmondson Avenue in Catonsville.

• And finally, Marja emailed me about Cha Ya Cafe. This is the Thai/sushi place on McGaw Road near the Greene Turtle and India Delight:

"Went to Cha Ya Sushi & Thai last night for the first time. The service was very friendly but the food wasn't great. Not terrible, but not great.

We ordered the teriyaki chicken dinner, which was very good. Two chicken breasts seasoned and grilled with a light teriyaki sauce. Served on top of sauteed bean sprouts and onions with steamed carrots and broccoli. It came with rice and the option between miso soup and a salad. We opted for the salad and wondered if we shouldn't have gotten the miso. The vegetable were fresh, but the dressing was not good and was an odd mustard yellow.

We had the Yum Woonsen as well and it was very good, packing a tingling bit of spice along with the mouth puckering lime taste.

We also ordered the Masaman Curry. It was not good, very thin with a not so great flavor, it was almost bland. The waitress let us exchange it for the Penang Curry. It wasn't that great either. The curry itself had good flavor and I liked the addition of the green beans, but it was very soupy and thin.

Haven't tried the sushi side yet and not sure I would want to at this point.

They do have two tables set up outside. It was nice to sit out there and people watch a bit."

Cha Ya Cafe
8874 McGaw Rd, Suite G
Columbia, MD 21045
410-381-8887