The construction dumpster sits outside Kloby's Smokehouse on Johns Hopkins Road, and the grinding, whirring sound of creation comes from the papered-over space next to the barbecue joint.
Look for the new space to open in about four weeks. That's mid-April for a new bar, more kegs, a performance space and even a dedicated ice cream area. Kloby's has outgrown its takeout roots, but it is still kicking out great barbecue to anchor all the new items.
And that's just a piece of the new and expanded spots that are stretching out for spring:
- Kloby's neighbor Facci Ristorante is expanding so that it can offer more tables and even takeout. The Italian restaurant has been packed since it opened, and I'm looking forward to being able to carry home a pizza after work.
- If you need your new stuff immediately, Moonlight Cafe in the same shopping center off Rte 29 has changed hands and now offers Indian food, kebabs and other new items.
- A new Italian restaurant Salute has opened on Main Street in Laurel. (Thanks to snidegrrl.)
- A new Mexican grocery has opened on the second floor of the Shell station at U.S. 1 and Rte 175. Estralita Market has a small selection, but lets you pick up Mexican cheeses, handmade tortillas, chipotle peppers, and other staples -- including Mexican sweets at the counter.
- Any day now, the new Flavors of India should open in Columbia, filling the spot that Aida Bistro left when it expanded. Flavors will be a southern Indian restaurant by the folks who own House of India in Columbia.
- A kosher deli Pita & Rye is scheduled to open in May in Fulton. That's the Maple Lawn development right off Rte 216.
- Bangkok Garden in Columbia has already changed owners. Over the summer, it should get a new name -- and presumably a new menu as well since Vida reported that the prior staff has moved to the Bethesda location.
- And, of course, the great moment in Howard County food remains scheduled for mid-2012. That's when Wegmans aims to open its Columbia store.
In other news, Min reports that Mirocjo in Ellicott City has started offering a $5.99 lunch special. She provided a photo, a translation of the "specials" banner, and a report on her own lunch:
The place was still quiet at a quarter to 1. I had the spiciest Jambong I've ever had in HoCo (and I can take heat!). For a $5.99 lunch, the offering was very generous: nicely sliced scallions, onions and sweet red peppers, and lots of seafood. The soondooboo, however, arrived with the egg already cracked in and stirred.
Even though the portion of the Jambong is smaller than that of Han Joon Kwan, what's left in the bowl still filled up a soup container to go. Great value for the money.
Banner translation:
Left
soybean casserole (duenjang chigae)
potato with pork stew(kamjatang)
soybean paste casserole(chungkookjang)
beef bone soup(sullungtang)
Right side
soybean soup with beef and napa cabbage (wooguji duenjang gook)
hot noodle soup (kalgooksoo)
spice seafood noodle soup(jambong)
silk tofu stew (soondooboo chigae)
Anyone else have other news? Has the Sedona Cafe & Grill opened in Waverly Woods? I know that there were signs in February.
9 comments:
Wow, so much new information! Thanks!!
Yeah, pretty sure that from now on if I'm doing dinner at any of the Montpelier places, I'll park across the street at the daycare and walk over. (It'll be well after kids have been picked up, so I'd imagine there won't be any problems.)
Speaking of new places: a while back someone posted about a bakery opening up in the new building at Meadowridge and 100, the one with the liquor store/barber shop/upcoming Domino's/etc. There is now a sign up for Kupcakes and Company. Their website is here There are pictures of the shop in progress. According to their blog, you can currently get their cupcakes at Pazani (right nearby), Alexandra's (Turf Valley), and Cafe Di Roma (Catonsville).
~kam
My office is within walking distance of the Montpelier shops and I am really looking forward to Facci carryout (and a short drive to Pita & Rye in May). I must say that I am intrigued by Indian ffod at Moonlight Cafe. I don't think I've ever seen anyone go in or out and I just assumed they are some kind of front. Even the Yelp review seemed fake (scumtuously clean bathrooms?). I'll check it out sometime soon and let everyone know what I think.
So glad Facci is finally adding take out!!
Avram: I did go to Moonlight Cafe a couple of times. The people were friendly and the service was nice, but the sandwiches were kinda meh. Given the number of good sandwich places in the area (which will hopefully increase by one with the addition of Pita and Rye) plus the other restaurants in the Montpelier Center, I didn't really feel the desire to go back.
~kam
On Kloby's - They had a special on St. Patrick's Day of Smoked Corned Beef as either a full plate or sandwich. I couldn't resist and headed over for lunch even though I had my own cooking for dinner in the Crockpot at home. Now I'm no slouch, and dinner was delicious, but the sandwich was amazing! Juicy and tender, that wonderful wood smoke flavor breathing over the seasoned Corned Beef was an absolute treat for my senses. I devoured every bite, part of a fries order, and a nice Flying Dog Lucky SOB beer to wash it all down. Mark your calendar for next year as this is one special not to be missed!
I just came back from Moonlight Cafe and am eating as we speak. It will soon be renamed Tandoor Grill, and my theory is a dish with the name of the place is usually a good thing to try first so I got the Tandoori Chicken. It is really flavorful and the meat is tender. It was 5 cut up pieces of chicken on the bone over some great basmati rice and comes with one side. The owner was very nice and let me try 2 sides. He recomended the chickpeas as a "must try" and I also got dumplings in a yogurt based sauce. I think I like the chickpeas better, but everything is really good. I hope they do well and nix the cafe menu for more Indian and South Asian food.
On a side note, I finally tried R&R over the weekend. The Carne Asada and Barbacoa tacos were great, although I ate them so quickly that I couldn't really tell which was which. The lamb soup was pretty good, but a little greasy for my tastes. There was a long cylindrical piece of meat that I did not recognize (maybe tendon) and I was too chicken to eat it. I'm sure I'll be back but maybe on a day with a different kind of soup.
I ate at Moonlight Cafe aka Tandoor Grill again for lunch today and I'm officially a fan. Everyone working was super nice again. I had the lamb sheekh kabob over rice with sides of chickpeas and cabbage and peas and some naan. The lamb was really tasty and a bit spicier than the chicken from earlier this week. The rice may be one of my favorite things they serve. It tastes fresh and there are herbs and spices mixed in; I would say this is the best rice I've ever had in an Indian restaurant. I was also given a sample of a ground beef and potato dish, but I don't know the name of it. It was pretty good, but I wouldn't get it as my main dish. They also gave me a very nice sized sample of a potato and cauliflower side dish. It was all good, but the chickpeas are still my favorite side. The naan was fresh and had the perfect chewiness. My coworker doesn't like spicy food, and she thought that the chicken tikka masala was perfectly seasoned. Almost everyone in my office is really excited by this place. I think next time I will try the vindaloo.
I'm sorry I missed the Saint Pats Corned Beef from Kloby's. I was looking forward to it but I had to be out of town that day.
I have posted this before. The best thing about this restaurant is their "Holiday food menu".
Turkey and stuffing. Corned Beef, etc. I don't know why they can't offer this 365 days a year.
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