Monday, February 21, 2011

Crisis Question: Where Is The Best Takeout 2011? My Week-Long List Without Pizza Or Chinese

Where do you get the best takeout in Howard County?  It is a crisis question for Lyss who posted that she is renovating her kitchen and can't cook at all.  Below is a week of suggestions, not religiously the best but certainly a delicious week:
That's a whole list without pizza or Chinese food.  I have liked takeout from Red Pearl in Columbia -- especially the authentic versions of kung pao chicken (E4), diced chicken stirfry with cumin (E5) and ma-po steamed tofu (E12).  And I know other people swear by their local Chinese or pizza joints.

Where do you get takeout?  You can see that I'm biased south.  Rte 40 is far enough that, if we drive, we eat there.  There must be good ideas up there.


(Update:  People are leaving other ideas on Twitter like Chopstixx in Elkridge.  I also think Lyss should check out the momos at Gateway, the Nepalese pizzeria on Rte 108 on the Elkridge/Columbia line.  Add your suggestions below.  I'd love pizza or Chinese suggestions.  I happened to finish my list without them, but I didn't mean to make them off-limits!) 

9 comments:

BeerGuy said...

Rt. 40? Eh. I guess pit beef at Canopy. Bare Bones does a brisk takeout. I know people occasionally get burritos to go from Frisco Grille and those are some big burritos.

Victoria Gastro Pub highly prefers its food not be taken out.

Indian carryout is always a winner, HOI as mentioned does a fairly brisk carryout.

The carry-out counter at Thai Aroma in EC is always busy. Given how slow sitdown is I can see why.

Pig Picker has carry-out pork etc. by the pound.

Sarah said...

Chick'n'Friends! If you call ahead it's faster but you can just walk in and order food as well. Their menu is available at their website here: http://www.chick-n-friends.com/menu.html

Anonymous said...

We will be in the same boat in a couple of weeks.....

1. canopy
2. Barebones
3. Solanos (near barebones)
4.we will go out for Mexican
5. We will go out to jillys
6 we hope friends invite us to their house because we are running low on option up north.....

KirstyCat said...

I know you said no pizza - but why not Italian? Uno's has a couple of family portions, like chicken spinoccoli, that are yummy.

soo said...

Korean! There are plenty of places in the foodcourt at Lotte and you can also get steamed rice and yachae muchim like the sprouts and spinach that makes a great accompaniment to takeout fish cakes or even BBQ beef.

After a few nights of takeout sometimes I need simple fresh and raw. A big green salad from David's Market or MOM.

Nora's Cafe does great sandwiches and homey soups on route 40. Not a bad place for a dessert either!

Foodie said...

You forgot the chicken places in Hickory Ridge center or the one near MOM's on Rte1 and 175. Both yummy

Lyss said...

You guys are THE BEST! Thanks for the wonderful ideas! XOXO

Min said...

I have done take outs of

- Unagi Donburi (grilled eels on sushi rice) at Sushi King
- Fried chicken over Rice, tofu dishes, stir fried leafy greens, and Taiwanese Rice Noodles at Noodles Corner (on its Chinese menu)
- items on the street menu at Chopstix in Elkridge, plus the Taiwanese iced tea latte
- Pizza, Gyro, wings, and subs from Waterloo Pizza

Morty Abzug said...

* Maiwand: spicy lamb kebab, substitute sides of eggplant and chickpeas. Comes with awesome bread.

* Frisco Tap House: chorizo burrito. (Note new location and new name.)

* Gateway Pizza: momos.

* Akbar: saffron rice. [And you can make Admiral Akbar jokes!]

* any sushi place: unagi maki and miso soup.

* Charter Deli: bagel with lox, no onion, no cream cheese, yes tomato, and a potato knish (unfortunately still square.)

The overwhelming majority of restaurants here in the states will happily do carry-out, and are usually set-up to do so. Most sit-down menus will work as take-out, with two exceptions: (1) steak doesn't travel well, and (2) high-end places have heavily inflated menus where the experience is factored in to the price. Hibachi places are particularly not worth doing takeout from, because they combine both aspects.

Victoria Gasto Pub, as BeerGuy mentioned, doesn't do take-out. This is the only place that has refused me carry-out in this country. IMLE, this is consistent with actual British pubs and restaurants, which often don't do carry-out.