The Sun's Elizabeth Large reviewed Ranazul on Sunday and seems to like the place. Good food. Nice energy. Surprise at the price -- especially $3 for bread and oil and $7 for a glass of sangria.
The review echoes my initial thoughts and makes me want to go back to check out the scallops, the fritto misto and maybe the duck breast.
But my favorite part of the review is that Large just says Ranazul is in Maple Lawn. Not even a reminder that's in Howard County. Her readers slag Maple Lawn in the comments on Large's blog.
Showing posts with label Rest - Ranazul. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rest - Ranazul. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
Friday, September 26, 2008
Ranazul Reception For Its October Artist
Ranazul -- the tapas restaurant in the Maple Lawn development in Fulton (and home to honey-sweet sopapias) -- has a small room where they hang art from local artists. There is a table, and it makes a fun semi-private room.
October's artist is Cathy Harville, who has a studio at Savage Mill where you can also find Bonaparte Bread, home of great desserts and the best bread in Howard County. Ranazul will host an open reception for Harville at 4-5 pm, October 12, 2008. This from Harville on Hocoloco Girl:
I think it is so wonderful that the restaurant features a different local artist
every month, and holds a nice reception for the artist, and the public. They are
truly a great supporter of the arts, and many thanks to Chad Price, for making
it happen!
If you haven't checked out Maple Lawn yet, consider a progressive dinner of appetizers, tapas, and dessert at the three upscale restaurants there.
Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard #170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666
NEAR: In the Maple Lawn commercial area just north of Rte 216. Maple Lawn is just west of Rte 29. The oz Chop House and Trapeze are on the same intersection. This is one exit north of the Montgomery County line in southern HoCo.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Delicious: Sopapias at Ranazul
My perfect dessert is so special that you look forward through the evening, but light or delicate enough that it doesn't wipe out memory of the meal that came before.
Sopapias at Ranazul are a treasure worth the visit on their own. Fried triangles of dough, topped with honey and maybe cinnamon. (Ask for extra honey. Once, it came light, and I missed sopping up sweetness with each sopapia.) They're delicious -- an adult flavor to match the Fulton restaurant's tapas, but a light treat so that you aren't waddling out to the car.
Ranazul has a great bar. It would be a fun place to just show up for dessert, and it's on Rte 216 just just west of I-95 and Rte 29. It's an inexpensive, easy treat. Have coffee or a drink with the sopapias. Perfect.
A full profile of Ranazul. A suggestion for progressive dinner: three restaurants, one night in Fulton. And if you're in Maple Lawn, check out the i.m. Wine liquor store.
Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard, Ste 170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666
NEAR: This is in the Maple Lawn development on Rte 216 just west of Rte 29. From Rte 29, you go through the first traffic circle, then turn right into Maple Lawn at the second circle. Ranazul is on the right, and there is parking behind the building if you take the first right.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Progressive Dinner: Walk The Street of Maple Lawn To Trapeze, oZ Chophouse and Ranazul
Choose your own adventure by staging a progressive dinner at the three upscale restaurants in the Maple Lawn development in Fulton.
Trapeze, oz Chophouse and Ranazul are each worth their own visit -- and their own review -- but the trendy, comfortable bars in each joint invite you to start by sampling your w
ay through all three. They're on three corners of the same intersection, so it's almost a city night walking from door to door.
We started with Trapeze's "New American" menu for a crab-topped fried green tomato and the "Bluestone" salad highlighted by bacon and a mustard dressing. Next time, I might try the flat iron carpaccio. (I love calamari, but we once were served the most rubbery disaster. Be stronger than we were and send that back.)
You could visit in any order because all three have nice selections and idiosyncratic beer/wine lists. But we crossed next to oz Chophouse for the tuna tartare, the calamari and a side order of macaroni and cheese. The tuna was the best savory dish of the night, and the waitress recommended a wine -- even let Mrs. HowChow sample -- with the fun, relaxed air that makes all three of the Maple Lawn places inviting. The crab dip has also been delicious. But realize that oz is the only bar where they blared the televisions. Sounds great if you're there for the ballgame, but it did cut down on the "night out" atmosphere of the other two.
We finished at Ranazul. Order the sopapias. Don't argue with me. We tried other desserts, and even though Ranazul has exquisite tapas, I recommend the good coffee and these fried triangles, dusted with sweet spices and drizzled with honey. (Ask for extra honey. Sometimes, they're drier than others.)
Overall, this is an expensive night. With three drinks, five small dishes, coffee and two desserts, I think we spent close to $100. But it was a slow night where we talked and adventured more than we would in any single restaurant.
Trapeze, oz Chophouse and Ranazul are each worth their own visit -- and their own review -- but the trendy, comfortable bars in each joint invite you to start by sampling your w
ay through all three. They're on three corners of the same intersection, so it's almost a city night walking from door to door.We started with Trapeze's "New American" menu for a crab-topped fried green tomato and the "Bluestone" salad highlighted by bacon and a mustard dressing. Next time, I might try the flat iron carpaccio. (I love calamari, but we once were served the most rubbery disaster. Be stronger than we were and send that back.)
You could visit in any order because all three have nice selections and idiosyncratic beer/wine lists. But we crossed next to oz Chophouse for the tuna tartare, the calamari and a side order of macaroni and cheese. The tuna was the best savory dish of the night, and the waitress recommended a wine -- even let Mrs. HowChow sample -- with the fun, relaxed air that makes all three of the Maple Lawn places inviting. The crab dip has also been delicious. But realize that oz is the only bar where they blared the televisions. Sounds great if you're there for the ballgame, but it did cut down on the "night out" atmosphere of the other two.
We finished at Ranazul. Order the sopapias. Don't argue with me. We tried other desserts, and even though Ranazul has exquisite tapas, I recommend the good coffee and these fried triangles, dusted with sweet spices and drizzled with honey. (Ask for extra honey. Sometimes, they're drier than others.)
Overall, this is an expensive night. With three drinks, five small dishes, coffee and two desserts, I think we spent close to $100. But it was a slow night where we talked and adventured more than we would in any single restaurant.
(Update: Trapeze closed.)
oz Chophouse
8191 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-490-4003
http://www.ozchophouse.com/
Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard, Suite 170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666http://www.ranazul.us/
NEAR: The Maple Lawn development is on Rte 216 just west of Rte 29. From Rte 29, you pass through one traffic circle. Then you'll see the development on the right and enter from the second traffic circle. There is parking behind any of the restaurants.
Click here for a full post about Ranazul. If you're in Maple Lawn, check out the i.m. Wine liquor store. Or click for a working list of the best restaurants in Howard County.
Trapeze
8180 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-4411http://www.trapezeonline.net/
Trapeze
8180 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-4411http://www.trapezeonline.net/
oz Chophouse
8191 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-490-4003
http://www.ozchophouse.com/
Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard, Suite 170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666http://www.ranazul.us/
NEAR: The Maple Lawn development is on Rte 216 just west of Rte 29. From Rte 29, you pass through one traffic circle. Then you'll see the development on the right and enter from the second traffic circle. There is parking behind any of the restaurants.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Ranazul: Tapas with a Mexican Flair
Come to Ranazul expected to be pleased, not filled. The tapas are exquisite, a mix of Mexican and American dishes with the traditional Spanish.
This Tuesday, three of us split a parade of tuna tartare, arepas, patatas bravas, sauteed scallops, and shrimp in tequila sauce. Each one was exquisite -- a subtle spice to the tuna, a delicious sauce to the shrimp. The perfect fried potatoes -- crisp on the outside, almost pillowy in the center.
It's a beautiful space. Modern decor. It is a city restaurant experience, far more like Harbor East or Penn Quarter than Columbia Mall. It's a dress-up dinner, but not a stuffy place. (Except for the offer to rent a liquor locker to people who buy $1,000 in wine.) Jeans are fine. The bar is friendly with a happy hour and strong sangria. Jazz musicians play Tuesday nights.
But don't go to fill up. Ranazul has a 301 area code, and it has Bethesda prices that make each plate a touch more expensive that I'd expect. Bread is a $1. Completely forgettable olives are $3. You don't want to order the shrimp if you mind cutting the two shrimp into pieces for multiple people. The draw is that everything is thoughtful and fun. End the meal with sopapias, fried triangles dusted with cinnamon, drizzled with honey, and topped with a generous scoop of ice cream.
(Update: The owner of Ranazul is aiming to open a steakhouse at the former Oz Chophouse in late 2009.)
Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard #170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666
NEAR: In the Maple Lawn commercial area just north of Rte 216. Maple Lawn is just west of Rte 29. The oz Chop House and Trapeze are on the same intersection. This is one exit north of the Montgomery County line in southern HoCo.
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