Where Will You Eat The Super Bowl? (And Have You Tried The Phoenix's Crab Dip Sandwich?)

Super fried chicken at Bon Chon

Anyone can watch the Super Bowl, but you need to think ahead if you're going to eat well while you watch the Ravens win.

The real risk:  You could eat something healthy.  You can't let that happen.  You need to find something delicious worthy of a once-a-decade night of football.

Luckily, folks are here to help.  Chicken wings are the obvious thought, and I'll look for wing recommendations tomorrow.  But let's start with creative ideas -- and some of the creative Howard County folks who blog or comment on HowChow:

Jackie from La Casa De Sweets kicks off with Mexican takeout -- sopes from R&R Taqueria in Elkridge: "The combination of the corn cake, frijoles, crema and red sauce is second to none when it comes to a great bite!"


AnnieRie of AnnieRie Unplugged wants you to hit Boarman's in Highland for stuff to cook at home -- starting off with crab cakes.

Boarman's crab cakes

Right now, they have a special. Buy five, get one free. These are great stuffed into big mushrooms and broiled. Also the Ray Lewis special is NY strip steaks.  We did pick up some Yuengling Lager and Lancaster Brewing variety beer pack. Will be making venison chili too.  One stop shopping for the beer, and they have shrimp specials too."

Tom of HoCo Rising watched the election returns at the Rumor Mill in Ellicott City.  He says the televisions are small, but you'll enjoy all the food -- "especially if you can talk Matt into making his Siracha Hot Dogs."

Reader Min makes the long pass from Rte 40 to Odenton.  First stop, Yet Nal House in Ellicott City where she says the televisions normally play sports and the new menu has better English translations. She has seen tables with three or four adults order dishes like this Dak galbi.  She says it smells really good.  But her first choice for game night is Chef Li's Malay Stir Fry at Grace Garden:

It's spicy and savory, great to wash down with cold beer. And if I go out that way, I'd probably take home a few more dishes, such as Vermicelli with Pork and Pepper, Spicy Pork and Dried Tofu, or House Special Chili Stir-Fry.

Noodles Corner has similar items under Chef Special section of its Chinese menu.  Speaking of which, I've been taking out the different kinds of fried rice and Taiwanese rice noodles from Noodles Corner when I don't have time to cook. They're light and delicious, and they reheat well.

Switch sports with reader David G. who answers the bell with combinations:  Bon Chon for fried chicken or Columbia Ale House for buffalo chicken flat bread, Frisco Tap House for burritos or Ellicott Mills Brewing Company for the jambalaya or the venison sausage sampler.  Then, he typed the knock-out:

By god, if you don't get the crab dip sandwich at the Phoenix Emporium, then you just don't know the joy of taking a few years off your life in one sitting.

Roast beef layered with the Phoenix crab dip, topped with onions, tomatoes, and cheddar-jack cheese on toasted French bread. Topped with onions, tomatoes, and cheddar-jack cheese on toasted French bread.

Wow.  A crab dip sandwich?  That I'll need to try.  Until then, I'll join David (and Tom) suggesting Bon Chon's fried chicken and gigantic projection screen.  I don't know if the chicken stays crisp as take out, but I know that a bunch of folks will have a hot time watching and eating at the Ellicott City spot.  On the Facebook page, Lisa wrote that they're already taking pre-orders for takeout.

Who else has a big screen and big food?  My thoughts turn first to expanding David's list of bars with ambitious kitchens -- T-Bonz in Ellicott City, Kloby's Smokehouse on Johns Hopkins Road.  David and others talk up the wings at Looney's in Fulton, and that will certainly be a scene.  Then I think about upscale joints that will show the game -- like Ranazul in Fulton or the bar at Victoria Gastropub.

There must be more.  What are your suggestions?  I'll talk wings tomorrow, but you must have other places -- and, more importantly, other dishes -- that you would recommend.  What should people eat during the game?