While I've Been Out: Sushi On A Picnic Table And Other Unexpected Adventures This Summer

Sashimi lunch on a picnic table at Lake Elkhorn

Just when I think I have everything under control, life -- and a toddler -- teach me that they're in charge.

Above is a luxurious lunch that I had planned to eat at Sushi King.  Lil' Chow and I did errands one summer day, and I patted myself on the back as we walked into the Columbia restauran.

Lil' Chow loves soups, especially Asian soups like miso, soybean paste, and miyok guk.  We would eat lunch.  I'd draft a blog post.  I was a brilliant father who would enjoy a relaxed meal and restart his food writing.

Note that the photo above is a picnic table at Lake Elkhorn.  I gave Lil' Chow a spoon just a few minutes early.  The miso soup was too hot.  He screamed, reasonably.  And then he was inconsolable, loudly.  Really loudly.  It was the first time that I retreated from a restaurant because was embarrassed to be bothering the other customers.

That sashimi lunch special was delicious.  In recent years, Mrs. HowChow and I have become infatuated with Sushi Sono -- it's amazing rolls, its exciting specials, its lakefront location.  But Sushi King was our first Columbia spot for fish, and they still slice delicious pieces into a special lunch with rice and soup.  Sushi is one of those restaurant meals that I seek out because I don't have those skills at home.  Even simple sashimi shines when someone like the Sushi King chefs do the right things with slicing and pairing fish with lemon and crunchy radish pieces.

The Sushi King folks were also really nice when I abruptly shifted my order to go.  I ended up at a shaded picnic table at Lake Elkhorn, perfectly happy as Lil' Chow nosed around the pavillion and I thought about how even a parenting disaster work fine on a beautiful summer day.  Give me a picnic table in July over any freezing day in February.

So things haven't worked out the way that I planned.  I had thought that I'd keep blogging even with last fall's toddler adoption.  I even thought once or twice this year that I had my feet under me enough to start posting again.  I was wrong then.  We'll see if I'm right now.  Look for more HowChow next week -- and hopefully going into the future. 

This is part of my "While I've Been Out" series to restart the blog.  Late last year, the blog got some serious competition.  I'm still working out how to keep writing while I'm doing so many other new things as well.  Look for more posts next week.  Thanks to everyone who has kept reading, emailing and commenting.

Salmon-Skin Rolls: Voted Least Likely To Be A HowChow Favorite, But Now A Crunchy Contrast

Salmon skin roll at Sushi Sono

Who would have ever expected to write rhapsodically about eating fish skin?

It sounds like a joke, but the salmon skin roll has become one of our favorites since I learned about them from a friend.

Almost every sushi restaurant offers their variation on this cooked roll.  Thin pieces of salmon skin with a little attached fish, broiled until crisp and then rolled sometimes with vegetables and the standard nori and rice.

Done right, it's a contrast with regular sushi rolls -- crunch and an unctuous char among dishes that can have a similar texture of rice-fish-nori-rice-fish-nori.  I think we tend to order salmon skin rolls when we have a few people around the table.  One or two pieces punctuate a meal.  We don't need half of the rolls to have skin.

Over the winter, we discovered that Sushi Sono does an exceptional salmon skin roll.  More meat than many other variations and cooked to the precise point where the skin crunches, but hasn't burned.  That version may even be better than our prior favorite at Yama Sushi in Ellicott City.

If you're looking for something fun, I really suggest getting 6-10 people together for one of the private rooms at Sushi Sono or Sushi King.  They both offer special tables where you sit on benches in an enclosed space.  Exotic fun for adults -- and surprising kid-friendly because we have had toddlers wander around the room without bothering anyone outside.  Check out my post about the Sushi Sono room, and call either place to reserve the roms.

Age Tofu At Sushi Sono -- Outside the Fish

Age Tofu at Sushi Sono

No one beats the sushi at Sushi Sono in Columbia, but I recommend the age tofu appetizer if you want to step outside the fish.

This is the kind of dish that makes me never fry at home.

I look to professionals like the Sushi Sono kitchen that turns our perfect crisp blocks of silky firm tofu.  They're crunchy, but not oily.  Hot pieces that are easy to lift onto your  plate and then spoon over with the dashi broth at the bottom of the bowl.  The flavor -- earthy and warm -- comes from that broth and the large slices of dried fish that actually wave as the heat from the tofu.

Your first piece of tofu will be hot and crisp.  The second will have rested a few minutes in the broth and become a bit chewier and more flavorful.  It's a terrific treat and another lesson about how Sushi Sono worries about texture and subtle flavors, far more than fancy sauces or spices.

If you like age tofu, I also recommend the same appetizer at Shin Chon Garden in Ellicott City.  They're different dishes, but it's a testament to the flexibility that age tofu contrasts equally well with a plate of tofu or a grill full of Korean barbecue.

Best Seat In The House: Chocolate Cookies, Sunset And A View Of The Columbia Lakefront

The best seat in the house

That's the best seat in the house.

Sunset.  Two chocolate cookies from Le Comptoir, the new dessert and sandwich counter next to Petit Louis.  And a view out onto the Columbia lakefront.

I can't recommend enough a night on the outdoor seats at Le Comptoir.  For a few dollars, you can enjoy an idyllic view and a delicious dessert.  Pair with a walk on the lake.  Go after dinner at Sushi Sono or before a drink at one of the bars.  You might almost be in a pedestrian spot, and in a few months . . . . Whole Foods just down the lake.

Go have fun this weekend.

#15 Roll At Sushi Sono; It's Delicious, But Just Not What I Had Told You About Last November

The actual #15 Roll

On a recent night at Sushi Sono, the blog's name was taken in vain.  The photo above is the #15 Roll.  It has smoked salmon, crunchy seaweed, and crab on top with flakes of dried tuna.  And it needs the protection of the Sono staff who told diners that HowChow had gotten that wrong.

In November, we had eaten a delicious new roll with green tea noodles, and I swear that we had ordered the #15 Roll special that night.  Either way, I posted a rave describing that as the #15 Roll.  This month, people ordered the #15 at Sono and then asked whether the recipe had changed -- maybe green tea noodles had been removed?

No, the Sono folks said, with grace and patience.  That roll with green tea noodles has a name that translates like Green Tea Noodle Roll.  It's another special that the kitchen is working to perfect.

Then the killer:  "I know HowChow says that was the #15.  But it wasn't."

How embarrassing.

I have revised the November post to note that that was the "Green Tea Noodle Roll" or something similar.  And now, I come again to praise the #15.  This is another Sono success where the chefs play with flavors and textures.  The smoky flavor of the salmon against the sweetest of crab.  The crunch of seaweed with the papery flakes of dried fish.  Both the "Green Tea" and the #15 are worth checking out.

We have begun to order every visit off the white board of Sono specials.  If anything, that has made us more-interested in driving to Columbia.  We get new surprises, and everything is done right.  If only HowChow could produce as perfectly.

#15 Roll Comes To Sushi Sono -- Bringing Crunch, Warmth, And A Noodle Chew To Your Dinner

That's actually the "Green Tea Noodle Roll" or something similar

You'll need to cut me a break here because I took notes on a chopsticks wrapper.

We went to Sushi Sono for a "pick me up" dinner, and we got picked up by a new item -- the #15 Roll -- that we hadn't expected.

(Update:  OK.  This is embarrassing.  This post originally described the roll above as the #15 Roll, and that was wrong.  I discovered that in January 2014 when Sushi Sono's staff said that the roll above translates as something like "Green Tea Noodle Roll" and that HowChow had gotten that wrong.  Que lastima!)

(Below, I have revised the post to note the right name for this special, which the chefs continue to tinker with.  And I will post separately about the real #15.  They're both exceptional.)

The "Green Tea Noodle Roll" continues the Sushi Sono run of creating new rolls that are really new.  They're imaginative, but they're real chef's dishes -- balanced, thoughtful mixtures that come together better than anything that I'd come up with myself.

The "Green Tea Noodle Roll" is crab, roe and green tea noodles, wrapped in nori and then fried in the absolute thinnest layer of tempura batter.  Crunch outside.  It's hot at first, then the chewy noodle inside.  There is a sweet crab flavor, but it's subtle.  The roll is more about texture, the crunch and chew of the noodles with a dipping sauce that adds creaminess as well.

That's an amazing contrast with almost any platter of sushi that you want to try.

#12 and #14 Rolls

It's been a long time since we ate at the Columbia lakefront restaurant without ordering the #12 Roll -- a tempura shrimp with squash wrapped in nori and topped with spicy tuna.  It's crisp on the inside with the zest of spicy fish and scallions on top.  On this last visit, we remembered the #14 Roll, which is on the Web site but not all the printed menus.  That's a roll with slabs of seared salmon and a brush of eel sauce on top of a roll stuffed with spicy tuna and crunchy seaweed.

Again, the new roll stands on its own.  But the mix of crunch-warmth-and-chewy green tea noodles contrasted with the other rolls.  That's what makes a Sushi Sono dinner so different than just a platter of different fish wrapped in rice.  You can find unique dishes like the "Hurricane Eye" roll that comes sliced thin with a dot of hot sauce and a crunchy edge of popped brown rice.

I can't recommend Sushi Sono enough.  I wrote last week that it is probably my pick if I could only eat at one Howard County restaurant.  You can scan all the posts about Sushi Sono -- and should ask for the green tea that they serve on the house.  But I have written that sushi -- along with Indian and Korean -- is among the county's deepest cuisines, and Dan commented last week that he -- a veteran of three years living in Japan -- thinks that the fish is even more fresh and authentic at Sushi King in Columbia.  He talks up the eel.  We need to try the King again.

Special Hiramasa With Yuzu At Sushi Sono

Hiramasa with ponzu at Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono has a delicious sushi special -- and you need to snap those up to make sure they don't go down other people's gullets.

Hiramasa is an amberjack apparently farmed in Australia.  When it arrives in Columbia, Sushi Sono turns the fish into a special sushi.  Thin slices of the mild fish, glazed with a tangy citrus sauce.  That's yuzu, a citrus variation that mixes a sour tang into the mouthful of rice and fish.

Sushi Sono has long been one of our favorite restaurants in Howard County -- especially the large special rolls.  We started with the hiramasa special to break out of our standards, and it was perfect.  No soy sauce.  No wasabi.  The two pieces were a perfect balance of fish, rice and glaze.  Before finished that meal, I was already planning another visit with all sushi and sashimi.

Order that hirasama right away.  The kitchen buys a limited amount each day.  We wanted to end the meal with a second order.  But they were sold out!

There is really great sushi in Howard County.  Sushi Sono is stellar -- well worth a drive from one of the cities, and there are so many other great places that sushi is one of the county's deepest cuisines.

The Best Things In Life Are Free -- But Where?

Bread and olive oil dipping sauce at Facci

Facci Ristorante has changed its bread, and you'd be surprised at how much that seems to matter.

Free stuff matters in restaurants.  I know owners hate the waste, but these little things can set the tone -- and even make the meal.

That's why we noticed the bread at Facci on Johns Hopkins Road.  For a long time, they'd served some kind of pre-buttered bread.  Very soft.  A bit greasy.  We like the food at Facci, but we normally said up front not to bring the bread because we didn't want it.  And didn't want to waste if we didn't eat it.

(Waiters -- You don't re-use the bread bowls, do you?  Okay, maybe you shouldn't tell me.)

But we were at Facci a few weeks ago, and the waitress brought sliced Italian bread.  Plain, basic bread with a terrific olive oil dipping sauce.  Mostly oil with a bunch of salt and spices.  It immediately jazzed up the afternoon.

So what are the best free extras in Howard County?  Great bread.  Great chips in a Mexican restaurant.  These can be basic items, but I understand that thin margins make restaurants reluctant to give anything away for free.  That makes me pay extra attention when a kitchen cares enough to send out something special.

Delicious food makes me happy.  Plus, it sets the stage that the kitchen has aspirations -- and won't cut corners on anything that you order. As I read my list, I think it isn't a coincidence that these places rank among my "Best of Howard County."

Five great items for me:

• Thick, earthy tortilla chips at the new Xitomate in Columbia.  These were really unique.  They dip into wonderful salsa.  The waiter offered a second bowl.  The chips make the point that Xitomate wants to serve unusual food.

Comfort: The Classiest Takeout Dinner Around

A takeout spread from Sushi Sono

It's always odd to realize that I get such comfort from a food that I didn't really eat until after college.

Takeout dinners are a wonderful comfort on busy days, and you can get delicious takeout at many places around Howard County.  But the classiest takeout comes from one of the best restaurants -- Sushi Sono.

Sushi Sono's fish and rolls make it one of my favorite restaurants in Howard County, and I'm always surprised at how well it makes the trip home in the car.  I steer away from rolls with tempura shrimp.  That's no problem because you can fill a platter with good ideas -- the vegetable roll, the #14, bridal, hurricane eye . . .

Fill a pretty platter, and you could run a dinner party with Sushi Sono's takeout.  Plop the takeout containers in front of the television, and you can just relax with delicious fish.  Either way, it's a winner.

Sushi has become ubiquitous so you don't need to drive to downtown Columbia for Sushi Sono.  I'm just saying it's beautiful, amazing food that you can carry home.  Where do you get takeout sushi?  What rolls or other dishes take home the best? Check here for all the posts about sushi.

The Private Room At Sushi Sono: A Special Place To Gather Friends For A Night Of Fish And Fun

Some of the best things in life are free -- like the private room at Sushi Sono.

The paper-walled room at the Columbia sushi restaurant can be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.  At its single table, you get personal attention in a beautiful setting, screened off from the other diners and enjoying your friends and platters of fish.

We went last weekend with four friends and had one of our favorite meals of the year.  For two hours, we worked from miso soup through several rounds of sushi rolls and other delicacies.  It's cozy.  You can sit cross-legged.  You can laugh loud.  You don't have to be self-conscious about the quantity of fish that you're popping in your mouth.

Veg Week: The Vegetarian Roll At Sushi Sono

The vegetarian options in a sushi place often range from non-existant to uninspiring, but Sushi Sono delivers a special option that would anchor a fine meal.

The vegetarian roll comes out wrapped in pink.  That's fun on its own, but you order the vegetarian roll for the same unique balancing of flavors that make all of the unique "chefs" rolls and that make Sushi Sono one of the best restaurants in Howard County.

The pink soy wrapper contains distinct bands of seaweed salad, mushrooms, pickled carrot, fried sweet potato, and avocado.  The textures make the roll something special --  crunchy, tart pickles, crisp carrots and the smoothness of avocado.

I'd recommend the vegetarian roll for anyone because those flavors contrast nicely with the fish and spiciness that dominate so many other special rolls.  We paired it with the No. 14 roll and the "sushi nugget" roll.

For the vegetarian, I'd recommend starting with edamame and then supplementing the pink special roll with the agedofu appetizer, seaweed salad or a few smaller vegetable rolls like shittake and asparagus or asparagus, cucumber and avocado.  Ask what they recommend because Sushi Sono's chefs will make special rolls if you suggest ingredients.

Of course, vegetarians could always go with vegetable tempura, but I don't eat many meals these days of fried anything.  I'm sure that Sushi Sono makes light tempura, but I have never felt drawn away from rolls when I see tempura on another table.

This is part of Veg Week here at HowChow.  With Mango Grove temporarily closed as it relocates, we're suggesting some other spots where you could please a vegetarian friend or please yourself.  Obviously, any local vegetarian should check out the vegan kitchen at Great Sage in Clarksville.  Or click on all the HowChow posts that we have marked on the theme.

Sushi Sono Does It Again - #14 Roll With Salmon

Sushi Sono can't leave well enough alone, and they keep adding off-menu rolls that confirm its place at the absolute top level of sushi places in DC and Baltimore.

The newest invention is the #14 Roll.  We had already ordered dinner when we saw a waitress carry a strange roll past our seats at the bar.  The blog was my excuse -- Order Up!

The #14 comes thinner than many of Sono's special rolls, but it's just as unique.  It's a roll of tuna and rice topped with seared salmon and a sauce with a bite.  I think there was a dash of pepper across the top, although my notes are three weeks old and say "Pepeth."  Like Sono's other unique rolls, the #14 makes us skip the soy sauce.  You don't want to muddle the bite that the chefs have balanced so right.

If you like sushi, then Sushi Sono is an absolute must.  Rolls like the #12 roll and the sushi nugget show off both the fish and the skill of chefs who put flavors together.  Because they're all so different, you can mix and match your own table.  The place is one of my favorites and on Richard Gorelick's list as well.

Fried Green Tea Ice Cream At Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono in Columbia recently shifted its sushi roll lineup, but the big deal according to Kevin is the introduction of a new dessert.

Kevin used to post on the late blog Kevin & Ann Eat Everything where the brother-sister duo called themselves the Rheelyfats.  Kevin has guest-posted here before, but this time he wants to talk about something important.  How important?  Let Kevin tell you:

Monumental, stupendous, fantastic, historic, outstanding, prodigious, awesome, significant, tremendous, unforgettable, REALLY REALLY important.   

I have two children, Littlefat and Tinyfat, with a third on the way whom I have preemptively named Nanofat.  For me the new addition to the menu at Sushi Sono is, without question or hesitation, more important than the birth of each of my lipid-dubbed children. 

I can say this because none of them can yet read, and I have no plans on ever telling my wife Mrs. Rheelyfat that I have written this statement. What could possibly have me so enamored that I have placed it above my children in my heart?

Sushi Sono Switches Out The Sunshine Roll For A Secret #14 Roll -- Similar, But BBQ Sauce

Sushi Sono continues to alter its roll line-up -- this time replacing my favorite sunshine roll that arrived in 2010 with a similar (but secret) #14 roll.

The #14 has the same roll ingredients, but the mango sauce has been replaced by BBQ sauce and green onions, reports Kyle's Secret Agent.  The sushi nugget roll that arrived with the sunshine roll has disappeared from the menu, but it is still available by request.

Link: Sushi Sono Reviewed In The Sun

Sushi Sono gets a writeup from Richard Gorelick in the Sun that has to make them smile:

If you've ever worried that you might not be able to tell the difference between very good sushi and excellent sushi, then you owe yourself a trip to Sushi Sono. Order something you've had before at your perfectly fine neighborhood sushi joint — say, the hamachi (yellowtail) — take a bite, and you'll know. You can tell the difference. It's better here.

 I have said that Sushi Sono was one of the best.  And I love the two new rolls!

New Rolls - And Masterpieces - At Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono has added two new rolls -- master pieces of fish and vegetables that push their already-imaginative food.

The new rolls come on top of one of the best restaurants in Howard County.  It's pricey.  About $50 for three large rolls, a soda, and edamame.  But those rolls are unique and inventive:

• The "sunshine roll" -- tuna with crunchy seaweed topped with spicy tuna tataki and a dallop of mango sauce.  It's a spectacular roll.  Fish with the spicy edge, the sweet of fruit, and the crunch of the seaweed.  Special seaweed, the Sushi Sono folks explained.  Cooked to create the crunch.  Not the crackling of a cracker, but more the crunch of bean sprouts.
• The "sushi nugget" -- cooked tuna with onion, topped with scallop and then baked.  You get five pieces laid on their side.  It's rich and cozy.  The wrapper has a slight crunch, but the real flavor comes from the fish and, I think, some type of sauce.

The sunshine roll matches the No. 12 roll that the Columbia restaurant introduced earlier this year.  That was a delicious roll with a tempura shrimp topped with tuna and a spicy sauce.  The sunshine is light and flavorful.  The tuna is spiced, then seared before its sliced on top.  The roll fulfills sushi's best promise of fresh fish dressed up for a party.

In contrast, the sushi nugget was a complete surprise.  The roll comes hot.  It's not the clean, light notes of most sushi.  The warm, mellow flavor comes more like a winter soup, a restaurant soup where someone with skill has balanced ingredients into some special.  It's closer to Volt than a sushi bar.  Rich and concentrated like a stuffed mushroom, but sweet with the scallops on top.

I don't throw Volt around lightly.  This was a dish that someone thought about.  "Small plate" cuisine where some chef has experimented and turned out bites that I couldn't figure out, let alone replicate.  Hustle over.  It's worth your while.

Sushi Sono is really one of the best restaurants in Howard County.   Rolls have gone up about a dollar on the new menu, but it's still one of the great splurges.  Casual and relaxed, but classy enough to make even a Wednesday special.  Order green tea.  It's gratis, and it is absolutely delicious tea.

The No. 12 Roll At Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono has been getting some enormous press these days, but it still has secrets that you should check out.

Start with the No. 12 roll.  It's not on the list of rolls that you get with your menu.  It's a special that Sushi Sono created for its twelth anniversary a little while ago.  Tempura shrimp rolled with rice and topped with tuna and a spicy sauce.  You have to be in the know to get in with No. 12.

Sushi Sono is really one of the best restaurants around, and it's even prettier at this time of year when you can see out to the lake at dinnertime.  We have gone twice recently.  Each time, the wait outside was actually pretty nice.  We sit on the bench, watch the water, and try to figure out whether Sushi Sono takes reservations or not.  There is a list.  You can call ahead.  But we can't actually figure out what is going on.

The No. 12 is a reason to wait.  Crunchy shrimp, still warm when it hits the table.  Spicy tuna.  Some fish eggs on top. It's a bright flavor with a mix of textures.  It's substantial while still being a little lighter than similar rolls like Sushi King's Samauri Roll.  Sushi Sono is a great place to splurge.  Pair up the No. 12 with a "bridal veil" and a "hurricane eye" roll.  Last time, our friend asked for a roll made with white tuna and parsley, and that was terrific.  Consider the hand rolls or the specials like a whole snapper or the horse mackeral that people talk up so much.

And keep asking -- Are there any other secret rolls?  I feel like there is more to discover.

For more about sushi in Howard County, check out this post that has a bunch of good comments.  Or check out all my posts about Japanese food.

Sushi Sono Is About To Get Busier

The Washington Post will review Sushi Sono this weekend, and it's a positive review as first noted by Perrik in a comment about Dobbin Donuts & Kabob Korner.  In fact, Tom Sietsema's review has no down side:

Columbia might not be the first (or even the 13th) place to pop into your mind when the subject of sushi in the Washington area comes up, but trust me: The quality of the raw ingredients and the devotion of the chef and owner, King Lin, are indisputable. 

With that obligatory "Can you believe they have food in Columbia?" out of the way, Sietsema spends paragraphs applauding Lin, who previously owned Sushi King as well.  He talks up several dishes, including a young snapper special, a vegetable roll, a jellyfish salad, and the shabu-shabu.

Click here for the full review already posted on the Web.  Click here for my prior Sushi Sono posts.

As Perrik notes, Sietsema's praise will certainly make the wait longer.  The weird part of the review is that Sietsema repeatedly talks about making reservations at Sushi Sono.  Have the policies there changed?  My memory is that calling ahead helped put your name on the list, but they didn't actually take reservations.

Sushi Sono: One Of The Best

Hurricane Eye roll at Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono is one of the best restaurants in Howard County, and it took the out of town folks to make that point to me.

Don't get me wrong. I always enjoyed the sushi at the Columbia restaurant, but I started as a Sushi King guy. My 2009 list of best restaurants of Howard County punted a bit and put both the King and the Sono in my "other favorites" paragraph.

Not anymore. Our dinner last weekend was absolutely one of the best meals in Howard County. The fish is delicious, and Sushi Sono delivers a top-flight experience even though it eschews many of the luxuries of restaurants this expensive ($60+ for two without alcohol).

Start with the wait -- because on a busy Saturday you'll have one. Sushi Sono doesn't take reservations, although people who call ahead get some unclear preference when they arrive. "I never let people who call ahead wait too long," the manager told us. It's a unique system, and at least one couple appeared to chaff at the uncertainty. But the manager juggled us with good cheer, and several people just waited out the delay by having a drink at Clyde's.

The standing out front didn't detract because our first sushi hit the table minutes after we ordered. That meant that our overall wait was no longer than at other sushi places where the "make your roll" delay can be longer than the table wait. That also meant that we were lifting creative rolls and tasting the reason to eat at Sushi Sono -- the fish.

Our menu: "bridal veil," "grilled," "hurricane eye," shrimp hand roll, and the mysterious #12. Sushi Sono makes my Top 10 because we could eat an entirely different menu tonight, but I'm not sure that I could return without ordering the "hurricane eye." The #12 was the most dramatic roll of the night -- a thin roll with a tempura shrimp, chopped tuna, and a sauce. Eat it first. The shrimp was hot when it arrived, and the roll had an absolutely unique contrast between hot shrimp and the chilled tuna on top. The "hurricane eye" takes contrast in another direction. The roll comes sliced thin with a dot of spicy sauce in the center and the edge coated in popped brown rice. That crunch on the outside was absolutely unique and as exciting as the first time that we ate it.

Sushi Sono's fish is delicious. So you can orderly pretty freely -- and check out the recommendations in the comments on my prior post, including horse mackerel. You need to ask about specials, as I noted in a 2008 post. The #12 is an off-menu creation, and we only enjoyed it because Mrs. HowChow spotted one going to another table. Ask more than once. We saw a chopped tuna dish go past that looked the the poke that we loved in Hawaii. The waitress mistakenly told us that was the bridal veil. I liked the bridal veil, but it turned out that we had been coveting the tuna tataki -- which will be on my list for the next visit with the "snowball" creation.

(Update: Sushi Sono keeps adding new rolls and specials.  To check them out, scan all the posts about Sushi Sono.)

Again, Sushi Sono doesn't look like most great restaurants. The tables are jammed together. The plates and place settings are plain. But Sushi Sono creates an atmosphere for finer dining than many of the new "upscale" places. The crowds create energy, but not loud noise. The service is almost perfect -- always available for a question or to clear a plate. Our waitress saw me hording the hand roll and warned me to eat it early because hand rolls soften with time.

And then, there is tea. Sushi Sono pours those Japanese mugs of hot green tea. It is delicious. On a cold night, it was a highlight, and the waitresses kept pouring more. Even after they cleared our last dish, they re-filled our mugs -- basically inviting us to sit for a minute even though there were 20 people waiting at the door. Not that we lollygagged. With the fast delivery, we sat at our table less than 50 minutes. But that tea and the delicious fish made this a better date than past nights of disappointing food and dirty plates at other restaurants that promote their service and atmosphere.

That leaves nothing left but my mea culpa. I went back to Sushi Sono because the Washingtonian listed it as #40 in its Best Restaurants edition. That is one of the many folks who I have teased for ignoring Howard County, but it took the hint from downtown for me to re-arrange my Top 10. I wonder what I could learn from the Washington Postdining guide . . . . if they could find us on a map.

If you like sushi, you definitely should also try Sushi King in Columbia. For Asian groceries, check out the H Mart in Catonsville, which sells salmon and other fish for slicing into sushi and all the supplies you would need for a home party. Or click for a working list of the best restaurants in Howard County.

If you're interested in cooking Japanese food, check out my review of Kimiko Barber's cookbooks The Japanese Kitchen and The Chopstick Diet. They're great guides to the Japanese aisle of our local Asian grocery stores.

Sushi Sono
10215 Wincopin Circle
Columbia, MD 21044
410-997-6131

NEAR: Sushi Sono is right on the lake in Columbia Town Center. From Little Patuxent Parkway, you turn into a large parking lot that says "restaurant parking." Then you walk down to the lakefront. The view is actually quite nice, and Sushi Sono is catty-corner to Clyde's.

Sushi Sono Charts At #40 in Washingtonian

Sushi Sono has hit it big by being named the #40 restaurant in Washington by Washingtonian magazine.

Washingtonian names the Top 100 restaurants in its January edition, and emkenton emailed me to say that Columbia's Sushi Sono was #40 -- "Some of the most creative, exuberant sushi-making in the area emerges from the busy kitchen at this lakefront restaurant."  That has to drive traffic there.

 I don't see a link to the full Top 100, which makes sense because the list is a reason to buy the magazine.  We don't get Washingtonian because, frankly, they never seemed that interested in Howard County.  But we'll get my parents' copy at the next visit.

Sushi Sono makes my post about the best restaurants in Howard County, although not the Top 10 list for 2009.  You know these lists are all arbitrary!