Catching Up On The News And Comments

I have been out-of-town and busy here, so I fell behind in trying new places and sharing comments.

Cazbar Kebop House opened in Columbia, and several people have emailed me with thoughts.  Misha liked a pomegranate relish-type mezze ("fragrant and with a little kick").  John liked the baklava and the vertical spit-broilers.  And Stacy got a chicken doner off one of those vertical broilers.  I'm definitely going for a doner sandwich.  Cazbar is in the Columbia Professional Center on Little Patuxent Parkway near Howard Community College.  Wordbones wrote that the owners have licensed the menu from Cazbar in Baltimore, but it will be a scaled down version.

Meadows Frozen Custard was supposed to open in mid-June in the Hickory Ridge village center in Columbia.  Has anyone seen it?  Jeremy peeked at the end of last week and said it looked days or weeks away.  He sent the photo of a sign promising free custard on opening day.  That sounds good. (Update: They may open June 26, acc'd to comment below.)

In the same vein, a Moby Dick's kabob place is supposed to open off Dobbin Road in Columbia.  I haven't heard the exact address.  Marcia saw no Moby Dick signs when she looked last week.

Many of the recent comments were about other new places that I still haven't tried.  Talk about Smokin' Hot in Glenwood split on whether portions are large, but the casual barbecue and even crab cakes get recommended.  Reviews for Red Pearl, the new Chinese place on the lake in Columbia, ranged from disappointed to elated.  Dzoey, Clayton and others suggest specific items to order.  Similarly, people wrote about the Stanford Grill that opened in Columbia overlooking Rte 175.  Dzoey has been eating out these days, placing the new join between T-Bonz and Greystone Grill.

That's just the tip of the comments.  I appreciate them all, and I collect some here so that you can see what other people have been saying:

• Lee suggested summer drinks on the decks at Cacoa Lane in Ellicott City.  AlPal3 suggested the beef bourguignon and the espresso mousse at Pure Wine Cafe.    Matt Boyle thought Pure Wine was overpriced, but suggests the fig and blue flat bread.
• Chrysalis suggested the Salvadoran dishes like salmon a la parilla at Mango's Grill in Laurel.
• Babbleme and Morty Abzug both report that  Venegas Prime Filet has improved their service and food since they opened.  Babbleme loved the filet and ribeye and wants the recipe for a chocolate dessert.  Morty went last week and thought the food was delicious and the service had really improved.
• Christina is looking for any Korean restaurants other than Shin Chon Garden that serve barbecue with the rice noodle wrappers instead of lettuce.  Anyone know?
• Does anyone have a report about the expansion -- and apparently produce -- coming to the Ellicott City Target?  Anonymous posted a building permit and wondered if it was becoming a Super Target.
• Anonymous and StephenC suggested their favorites at Mimi's Kabob in Clarksville.  The gyro fits my expectations, but I need to go back for a reuben.
• Two anonymouses talked about Coal Fire's pizza.  It does seem to vary with the pizzamaker, and the general manager Steve gets a thumbs up.  I'm still hoping someone can recommend when he is likely to be there.
• Shawna C. gave a thumbs down to the beef patties at Golden Krust in Catonsville.  Steve actually recommended a place called "Caribbean [Something] on Rte 197 for outstanding patties with a homemade crust.  Anyone know the name?
• Sarah recommended a greens and beef dish to make with those dried lemons that you can get at Middle Eastern markets.
• Anonymous recommended the coffee and the tuna sandwich at Sidamo's in Fulton.  But he/she wants a coffee shop open at night to read and chat after dinner.
• Sillil talked up a snowball stand on U.S. 1 in Elkridge near the Super Fresh.
• David P had the best description of pismaniye -- "like baklava cotton candy."  It's definitely worth 99 cents if you stop at Middle Eastern market.
• Bboyneko raved aboutthe authenticity of the chicken at Pollo Fuego in Jessup and to the plantains.  But Anonymous didn't like it at all.
• Kevin recommends the royal crab roll at Sushi Sono.   He says it has become his "go to" roll.
• Someone who posts with a Chinese name -- like in Chinese characters -- talks up the apple tarts and cranberry scones from Bon Fresco.  If you want them, you can call and order them ahead.  LeLe wrote lovingly about a sandwich from Bon Fresco, but liked it so much that I can't exactly tell what sandwich she ate.  Something with brie.
• Anonymous and Brandon talked about a Mexican BBQ truck on Rte 1 in Jessup just south of Guilford Road between an Amoco and Comfort Inn.  Anonymous says they're there on the weekend and offer even more food than I got at the place on Rte 175.
• Mark suggests the roast beef with swiss on white at the Duchess in Ellicott City.  It's an old school place -- serving the same sandwiches and great milkshakes for decades.
• People continue to give great suggestions about Honey Pig in Ellicott City.  This is a new Korean BBQ place, and Eric, AlPal3 and others suggested dishes to order.
• Similarly, people continue to talk about Facci's pizza and its "no takeout" policy.  The parking lot remains jammed though Cathy reported last month that she only waited 15 minutes in prime time on a Saturday night.  Maybe it is time to try to go back.
• Finally, R&R Taqueria continues to win converts.  Matt and Edward both loved the place -- one for chicken burritos and the other for tacos and soup.  That lamb soup is delicious -- although watch out because they serve it so hot that I burned my tongue.  Part of Edward's comment:

It is literally a hole in the wall. There are two tiny counters with 2 bar stools each for sitting. Sooooo not really a place to dine-in unless you are by yourself. . . 

I ended up ordering two "tacos al pastor" and the wife got two "tacos de carne asada." I also got their soup of the day since they offer two tacos plus soup for only $5. The soup was lamb. Delicious! Broth was savory with tiny onions and cilantro. There was rice and plenty of lamb meat. Soup was served with a lime wedge on the side.

My tacos were incredible. Tacos al Pastor is "pork marinated with a blend of different chili peppers, spices, and herbs." Their tacos are served in a soft corn tortilla. Both of my tacos kinda fell apart as I was eating them. It was like the shells weren't strong enough to hold all the moist meaty goodness. That's probably my only negative of the food. Big pluses: the food is served with a couple of lime wedges and a spicy salsa verde that is delicious!