Help Me: Organic Shopping

Sometimes, I have time to shop. Sometimes, I don't even have time to boil water. But when I can, I like to search the Howard County organic markets for something special.

I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect a guide to the best of Howard County food., including a post about vegetable shopping. I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts (or update them if the post already happened):

• What do you like at the organic stores? Roots, MoM and David's all have aisles of stuff that I don't really know. Mostly, I go for vegetables, bread and cheese -- like Kate who found emmentaler at Roots. But I stumbled on Moorenko's ice cream at MoM, and I know there must be more. Great crackers? Great juice? Meat? Is there some difference between the three groceries -- something that one does best?
• Do you know any other options? I'm posting separately about Gorman Farm and South Mountain Veggies. Does anyone get South Mountain milk delivered? Are there other straight-from-the-farm options in Howard County?

Help Me: Meat Markets and Breakfast

Sometimes, you just want the basics.  A great steak.  Some great coffee and eggs.

I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect a guide to the best of Howard County food. I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts (or update them if the post already happened):

• Where do you go buy meat?  Where are the best steaks?  The best sausages?  I have tried Laurel Meat Market, Boarman's and JW Treuth.  But I'd like to know more, and even at those three, I want to know what is best.  Special cuts?  Seasonal items?  Why do you go there?
• Where do you go for breakfast?  Who has great brunch?  I like Eggspectation, but there has to be more.  Diners?  High-end for the weekend?  Any ethnic places serve up breakfast you like?

Help Me: Fancy Dining

I know that high end dining in Howard County starts with Tersiguel's, but I haven't been there yet.  Fancy spots are a blind spot for me.  My budget doesn't rise to French food often, and we often driving into the city when we splurge.

What is your local place for a super-special night out?  Tersiguels?  King's Contrivance?  Iron Bridge?  Why?  What makes it worth the check -- and worth passing up great places in Harbor Place or downtown DC?

Help Me: American and Mexican Restaurants

Where are the best American and Mexican restaurants in Howard County? I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect a guide to the best of Howard County food. 

I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts (or update them if the post already happened):

• Where are the best American restaurants?  That is a vague term, but I mean places that serve a wide variety of burgers, steaks, chicken, salads.  There must be 100 places with Grille or Pub in the name, hotel restaurants, .  Victoria Gastropub fits this bill.  Same with the Second Chance Saloon  or T-Bonz.  Where do you go?  What are the best things in the house?
  
• Where do you go for Mexican?  What is the best dish at La Palapa?  Who has the best margaritas?  Have you tried the places in Laurel?  Does anyone serve Mexican -- as opposed to Tex-Mex -- cuisine?  I relish everything from the taco trucks on U.S. 1 to a quiet dinner at El Azteca, so I'd love your advice.
  

Help Me: Best Cheese and Asian Restaurants

Asian and cheese restaurants -- That's not a natural pair, but they're this Monday's request for your favorites in Howard County.  

I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect a guide to the best of Howard County food. I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts (or update them if the post already happened):

• Where can you buy great cheese in Howard County?  Cheese plates at nice restaurants?  Retail displays for special brie or blue cheese that you want to take home?  Where do go?  What do you buy?
  
• Where do you drive for great Asian food? I know that is a continent, but I'm looking for your favorites from Korea through Japan down to Vietnam.  I already asked for Chinese and Indian joints.  Now I want to know what you order at Bangkok Garden or whatever places draws you in for great food.  How do you distinguish An Loi and Pho Dat Trahn?
  

Help Me: Best Burgers and Beer

What are your favorite places for burgers or beer?  I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect a guide to the best of Howard County food. I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts:

• What is the best burger in Howard County?  Did you try Fatburger yet?  Can we (metaphorically) annex Laurel for the Five Guys?  Are there any gourmet burgers you like?  Any pubs that go beyond the frozen patties to serve up great meat?
  
• Where do you get great beer?  My first stop in the Baltimore Beer Blog, and my destinations are Victoria Gastropub, Frisco Grill and the Perfect Pour.  Where else do you go for great beer?
  

(Update:  This was the best beer post and the best burger post.)

Help Me: Best Seafood and BBQ

What is your favorite place for seafood and meat? I'm posting about "What I've Learned" to collect the best of Howard County food.  (See here.)  I'm asking for help, and I'll incorporate comments in the upcoming posts:

• Where do you get the best seafood in Howard County? Best restaurants? Best markets? What is a good deal?  What delicacies are worth every penny? Where do you get crabs?  Do you know any hidden gems like Boarman's crab cakes?
  
• What are the best restaurants for meat -- BBQ, pit beef, kabobs, etc.?  I love Kloby's smokey ribs and Maiwand Kabobs kabobs.  Where do you go when your carnivore comes out?  (I'll make a separate request about burgers next week.)

What I Learned and How You Can Help

Writing about Howard County food has been fun, but, even more, this blog has been my inspiration to check out new places.

Although I appreciate the thanks from readers who discovered new places on HowChow, my finds have been enjoyed and championed by other people for years. If you had the patience to search Chowhound, you could find posts extolling everything from favorite restaurants to Grace Garden.

Over 2008, HowChow developed into a de facto guide. Most people stumble here after searching the name of a restaurant. A few stayed around to click on five or 10 pages and explore. To encourage that, I'm writing a series of thematic posts, linking back to prior profiles and trying to summarize little things that I have learned. Where can you find ethnic groceries? The best take-out tacos? The best bread?

So I'm looking for your help. Over the next few months, I'm going to post in three "rings" -- "cuisines," "shopping," and the catch-all "ideas." The first -- Chinese Restaurants -- is below. But I'd like to include your comments both there (I'll update it) and in future posts. As I asked last week, these are the first three questions:

• What is your favorite Chinese restaurant? Why? What's the best dish? The best hidden specials? What makes people love Hunan Legend?
• What is the best pizza in Howard County? Is there any good deep dish?
• What is the best bakery around? Best bread? Best cakes? Is anyone making exceptional cupcakes or cookies? Any ethnic specialties? What sweets do you crave?

Click here to learn about all three rings of planned "What I Learned" posts.

Help Me: Chinese Restaurants, Pizza and Bakeries

I'm looking for your help. Over the next few months, I'm going to post about "What I've Learned" while writing HowChow.  This series of post will be in three rings -- "cuisines," "shopping," and the catch-all "ideas." The first -- Chinese Restaurants -- will be next week, and I'd like to include your comments both there and in future posts. These are the first three questions:

• What is your favorite Chinese restaurant? Why? What's the best dish? The best hidden specials? What makes people love Hunan Legend?
• What is the best pizza in Howard County? Is there any good deep dish?
• What is the best bakery around? Best bread? Best cakes? Is anyone making exceptional cupcakes or cookies? Any ethnic specialties? What sweets do you crave?

(Update:  I'd still love suggestions about Chinese, pizza or bakeries, and I have created separate posts on those subjects where you can post your ideas.  I'm turning off the comments here so that suggestions aren't split here and on those posts.)

Guide to Howard County Restaurants and Food

Without much planning, HowChow has become a de facto guide to restaurants and food in Howard County. For me, this is an inspiration to check out new places. Much of what I learned has been mentioned before in reviews or blogs or Chowhound, but this is centralized enough that some people stumble on the site and click around to read more.

For several months in 2009, I'm writing a series of thematic posts about "What I Learned," linking back to prior profiles and trying to summarize little things that I have learned. Where is great Chinese food? Where can you find Mexican groceries? The best take-out tacos? The best bread? This builds on the Best Restaurants in Howard County post, which people seem to enjoy.

Help me! Occassionally, I'm asking for advice on the upcoming subjects. I'll even update existing posts to incorporate good advice. Click here to see where you can make suggestions. Or browse through the existing posts in the three planned "rings":

Ring One: What I Learned -- Restaurants

• Chinese Restaurants in Howard County
• Indian Restaurants in Howard County
• Pizza in Howard County
• Barbeque in Howard County (and Kabobs!)
• Burgers in Howard County
• Asian Restaurants in Howard County
• Mexican Restaurants in Howard County
• Coffee Shops in Howard County
  

Ring Two: What I Learned -- Shopping

• Bakeries in Howard County
• Seafood Markets in Howard County
• Vegetable Shopping in Howard County
• Meat Markets in Howard County
• Organic Shopping in Howard County
• Ethnic Shopping in Howard County
• Asian Grocery Stores in Howard County

Ring Three: What I Learned -- Ideas

• Beer in Howard County: The Sudsy Triangle
• Cheese in Howard County
• U.S. 1: The Foodie Frontier
• Why I Want Wegmans in Columbia
• Great Takeout in Howard County
• Ice Cream For A Summer Night