Taco Battle On U.S. 1: Get In The Line Of Fire And Pick Your Favorite Between R&R And El Papi

El Papi's taco special -- four tacos, a pair or each

There is a taco battle under way on U.S. 1, and this is one of the rare times that you should get right in a line of fire.

R&R Taqueria has been a HowChow landmark since 2009 when Alberto Flores first turned me onto excellent Mexican tacos in the Shell station at U.S. 1 and Rte 175.  By 2011, R&R was a darling of the local food writers -- and then ended up on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.

Then R&R ended up across the parking lot.  The owner Rod Albarran-Torres moved out of the Shell station and into a restaurant space in the next shopping center.  A bigger menu with tacos, tortas, burritos, and even a dedicated burger menu that they call Chef Rod's Outrageous Burgers.  Chef Rod made a YouTube video about the move.

R&R tacos with the star, carnitas

That seems to be when R&R's former chef opened his own taqueria in the original space.  That's Jose Flores who started with his own taco offerings and whose El Papi Taqueira got raves from Tim Carmen in the Washington Post last month.

What we have here is a true taco battle.  Flores hung enormous signs that tout "Authentic Mexican Street Tacos" at the gas station and a photo of him with Guy Fieri.  He also did post a little El Papi sign that might let people know that this isn't the taqueria in the gas station that you had heard about when it was R&R.

Tamales At R&R Taqueria -- Another Simple Wonder From The Gas Station Taco Joint

Tamales from R&R

R&R Taqueira continues to surprise me -- years after I became an early thump in the drumbeat that took them to the Washington Post and the Food Network.

You can go for the frisson of eating in gas station on U.S. 1 at Rte 175.  But you should really drive to Jessup because they serve incredibly flavorful food up and down their menu.

I have raved about tacos, but I noticed tamales on my last visit.  Tamales are a benchmark dish for Mrs. HowChow who imprinted on rich vegetarian versions in a Los Angeles farmers market.  It's always a big deal when she thinks any tamales approach that grade.

Easy takeout. Heat at home.

I thought R&R's tamales were delicious, and they're a spectacular lunch or takeout at just $2 each.  For $2, you get a half-sandwich-sized block of steamed corn with filling.  I ordered chicken.  Then you get some red sauce to pour on top with R&R's signature mix of fresh ingredients and deep flavor.  Spicy and acid tomatoes contrasts with the smooth, slightly sweet corn.

These will make a perfectly fine lunch.  But I actually recommend them as takeout.  Your taco is best eaten right away, either on one of the R&R stools or in the front seat of your car.  But you buy the tamales straight from the refrigerator.  Tell them that you don't want them reheated.  Then microwave them yourself.  They'll last several days in your fridge, and three tamales and the sauce made lunch for two.

I can't recommend R&R's enough.  It has been more than five years since Alberto Flores turned me on to the Mexican takeout in the Shell gas station.  I've eaten breakfast.  I have eaten fish.  I have burned my tongue on lamb soup and on cochinita pibil.  I have cooled my mouth with agua frescas and horchata.  Check out all my R&R posts, and go see how much fun you can have for $10.

One Perfect Item At The Mexican Butcher In Columbia; What Else Should I Be Ordering?

Fajita meat, 

I buy one perfect thing at the butcher in Lily's Mexican Market, and I would really love some other advice.

The fajita meat at Lily's makes for a really great dinner with minimal effort.  Buy some meat, Mexican cheese, radishes and jalapeños  and a bag of the fresh corn tortillas.  If you want to splurge, get some tomatillos or some cactus.  (The cactus alone makes for great tacos, but that's getting off point.)

Take just a few minutes at home to cook the meat on a griddle or cast iron pan -- maybe char the jalapeño and tomatillos alongside before you chop them into a rough salsa.  Boom, you have easy soft tacos that are truly delicious.

Fajita meat from the Columbia market is perfect for me because I can buy a half pound of sliced meat -- as opposed to the entire skirt or flank steaks that I need to buy at Laurel Meat Market.

But I want to buy more.  What else do people buy at the Lily's butcher?  I basically asked this question in 2012, but I'm asking again because I know there are other cuts that a Latin butcher can deliver up.  I love Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday cookbook so I'm game for whatever you suggest.

Maria's Bajas Cafe: A New Latin American Restaurant Opens On U.S. 1 in Elkridge

I haven't been able to check it out yet, but a new restaurant can't always wait for the perfect time.  

Linda emailed me last week about a new Elkridge restaurant called Maria's Bajas Cafe on U.S. 1.  Linda said they it opened a few weeks ago, and she learned about it from a post on her husband's Facebook wall.  She says it is in the strip center right next to R&R Taqueria at Rte 175 and U.S. 1 and provided this short report:

The place is family owned. We stopped in yesterday and the owner was cooking in the kitchen while his wife and daughter waited tables. 

My husband and daughter got the fried tilapia and we were shocked to see a whole fish arrive on each plate, certainly not what we would expect from a strip restaurant. It was perfectly cooked and well seasoned. 

I opted for the chicken taquitos and they were really flavorful, nice and crispy outside with a light chicken filling inside, served over a bed of lettuce. We started and ended our meal with plantains, fried plantains for an appetizer and a desert of plantains stuffed with some kind of sweet filling, both very good. 

The owner stopped at our table to talk with us and mentioned that he does fried chicken and does all his frying to order so it takes a bit longer for the food to come out but you know it is fresh and made just for you. 

I'm planning on heading back one day for lunch to give the fried chicken a try. There restaurant was clean and there was plenty of table seating as well as bar seating (no liquor is served). We really enjoyed our meal and are happy to have found an independently owned place that serves what feels like authentic food in a family friendly environment.

Does anyone know more?  I need to drive past for a photo and a chance to check out Maria's.  Linda and I joked with each other that normal folks don't think to photograph their food, but I always appreciate these reports -- and doubly if you snap a cell phone photo before you start.

Maria's Bajas Cafe
7880 Washington Boulevard (U.S. 1)
Elkridge, MD 21075

NEAR:  Linda says this is in the strip center right next to the Shell station and R&R Taqueria.  They're on U.S. 1 at the intersection with Rte 175.

Craving Now: Agua Fresca At Xitomate

Agua Fresca at Xitomate

I am thinking about dinner at Xitomate -- even though I can't exactly remember the drink that is making me crave a trip.

Agua frescas are a Mexican drink made with fruit juice often made by a kitchen that just blends fruit, water and ice.  They can be as standard as watermelon or as exotic as tamarind or tropical fruit mixtures, and they range from a lemonade consistency to a thin smoothie.  But in their many forms, they have become one of my favorite parts of Mexican dinners.  It's like a custom cocktail when I don't want alcohol.

My local spots for agua frescas are R&R Taqueria in Jessup and Xitomate in Columbia.  I highlighted R&R's during Cold Drink Week in 2011, but I'm craving a mid-winter warmup at Xitomate where I could settle in with some hearty food and a fruit drink.  I don't even remember what flavor agua fresca we got at Xitomate, but it's calling me back.

The Easiest Great Local Food To Add To Your Life; Lily's Tortillas Make Any Number Of Meals

Corn tortillas and Mi Canton hard white cheese

The easiest way to add great local food to your life is to stop for the fresh corn tortillas at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia.

Lily's is just off Rte 175 on Dobbin Road.  It's a small market with Latin baked goods, staples, basic produce and even a butcher.  But the far right section is a taqueria with pretty great tacos and a tortilla machine that stamps out warm tortillas most days.

Fresh corn tortillas have way more flavor than anything you can buy in a supermarket.  A plastic bag holds several dozen, and they'll make any number of meals for you -- from the simplest tacos to the most-ornate dishes from Rick Bayless' Everyday Mexican.  It's an easy stop -- especially if you go to the Wegmans around the corner on McGaw Road -- and a cheap way to eat something authentic and delicious.

Fast quesadilla with everything from Lily's

For New Year's Eve, I brought a bag to a friend's house to complement the chili that he had cooked.  I used my own bag to make a hearty quesadilla with almost zero work.

Heat some Goya's refried black beans.  Grate some Mi Canton hard white cheese from Lily's fridge.  Chop some cilantro, an avocado, and jalapeño peppers.  Then layer them between the corn tortillas.  I use three tortillas, and I brush a tiny bit of corn oil on the outer tortillas.  Then I heat the quesadillas in a cast-iron pan until the cheese melts and the tortillas crisp.

I have been eating variations all month.  Crisp tortillas and that white cheese make almost anything taste delicious. I actually made quesadillas one afternoon by oiling two tortillas, then filling them with mashed roasted butternut squash, the white cheese, and some chopped jalapeños.  Simple, crazy, but delicious.

Lily's is really a place that you should check out if you want to explore food.  The tortillas, Latin cheeses and canned goods give you a guaranteed delicious dinner, and I always recommend a taco lunch.  But you should also check out the baked goods, the cool Latin sodas, and all the beans, salsas, pickled vegetables, and other ingredients.  

I recommend trying the fresh cactus in the produce cooler because you can make awesome tacos, and I know there are great things to buy from the butcher.  I just don't know meat, and my Spanish isn't good enough to explore a subject where I don't know vocabulary.  I can see that they sell chorizo, lamb, beef, fajita meat, and other cuts.  I'd love any advice if you buy from Lily's or some other Latin butcher.  Check out all my posts about Lily's.  If you go, you can also check out the used books and vinyl at Second Edition Books down the row.

Linsy's Store: Another Casual Taqueria That You Need To Hit Up For Delicious Mexican Food

Tacos at Linsy's Store

This blog is a hobby, and I get paid with fun ideas.

Linsy's Store in Catonsville is a casual Mexican restaurant where the tacos match anything around here.  Evan Brown of Portalli's gave me a gift when he told me that the guys who work in his kitchen swear by Linsy's when they want Mexican food.  Now, I can share the gift with you.

These are ideal tacos.  Soft, pliable tortillas with corn flavor.  Savory meats -- a little char to the barbacoa and a nice grill on the chicken.  Then talented fresh toppings -- cilantro for flavor, a cooked green onion and sliced radish for crunch, and a fiery green salsa to squirt on yourself.

Linsy's sits on Rte 40 in Catonsville.  Until Evan, I had driven past dozens of times coming home from H Mart.  The market is hidden behind a Popeye's franchise.  The restaurant is hidden in the back of the store.

You need to search the place out if you like R&R Taqueria in Jessup or Tere's Latin Market in Ellicott City.  I love both those places, and Linsey's are just as delicious.  Different kitchens.  Different meats and garnishes.  But this was a perfect lunch of two tacos and horchata that they ladled from a pitcher into my cup.

You can't beat fresh tacos.  The flavors pop off the plate.  The salsa alone would have made the meal.  They have basic chicken, beef and pork tacos, although they didn't have pork when I visited.  The Spanish menu also lists tongue and options that translate into "ear" and "assorted."  I can't recommend this enough.  Even if you don't love this as much as I do, you can eat for $10.

Linsy's offered a full Mexican menu with counter service.  They had a range of dishes from small tacos or tostadas to full meals like grilled pork, seafood soup, enchiladas, or al pastor shrimp.  They do breakfast.  I ate lunch on a Sunday, and the six tables were full of kids and families.

While you're at Linsy's for tacos, check out the other business nearby.  Patel Brothers is an Indian grocery with vegetables, rices, spices, and other Indian items.  Next door is Paradise Biryani Pointe, which I added to my "to do list.  Biryani is an Indian rice dish, and the menu has a bunch of dishes that are new to me.

Linsy's Store, Restaurant & Deli
6400 Baltimore National Pike (Rte 40)
Catonsville, MD
(410) 744-6412

NEAR:  This is Catonsville, but it's a reasonable drive from Ellicott City -- and great fun if you pair eating tacos with shopping at H Mart or Lotte.  Linsy's is on the north side of Rte 40 just west of Rolling Road, but you can't see it from the road because it is blocked by a Popeye's.  Turn right from west-bound Rte 40 after the Popeye's, and your car will be aimed at Linsy's as you drive into the parking area.

Xitomate in Columbia: Rewriting The Review Of Mexican Spots Around Howard County

Fish tacos with good beans and rice

Is it just me, or is the local Mexican branching out?

Four years ago, my summary of Mexican restaurants topped out at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia and El Azteca in Clarksville.  Soon, I need to update that 2009 round-up, and I may need to declare two separate weight classes -- a super-casual range from R&R Taqueria to the under-construction expansion of Tere's Latin Market, then a heavy-weight class trying to go upscale.

At this point, the new Xitomate in Columbia may top that high-end market.  You get a classy, trendy vibe.  You start with thick, exceptional chips.  You work through a menu full of unusual items like huitlacoche and churros.  I enjoyed our first dinner, and our second meal was memorable even though we split a glorified snack of chips, ceviche, empanada, and tacos.

First, the kitchen really does interesting food.  I loved the fish tacos, especially the warm corn tortillas that contrasted with spiciness of the salsa.  Tilapia is a mild fish, and the tacos went subtle in a way that took skill -- fresh, sharp salsa and the earthiness of the corn tortilla, enough to show off fish that was cooked moist.

Ceviche

Second, Xitomate passes my extra test with beans and rice that are better than the ones that I make at home.  When Mexican places offer lackluster side dishes, I'm more than happy to take my business to R&R -- where the tacos will be spectacular and half the price.  In contrast, this place makes the visit worth your while with cumin-laced black beans and a yellow rice studded with vegetables.  

Xitomate's flavors vary far more than your average Mexican place.  A creamy sauce under the empanada.  A sharp slickness of the ceviche.  The marinated shrimp has a real taste of lime and a bite from onion.  Forkfuls come with the crunch of onion and cucumbers.  The high-end lettuce pushed into the bottom of the ceviche glass becomes a fiery salad, and I used the last of the beans to cool my mouth own.

You get all this in one of the nicer dining rooms in Howard County.  It's still casual, and it still looks out on a parking lot.  But it's a cool, modern design.  Friendly for kids.  Classy enough for a date.

I do want to re-write the 2009 series where I first tried to summarize food around Howard County.  That series was so long ago that Blogger didn't offer pages, and I "hid" the description of the entire series by dating in January 1, 2008.  What would you suggest for Mexican -- the restaurants and the favorite dishes?

Breakfast at R&R Taqueria: Get A Hearty Start With Eggs, Chorizo, Cactus, Salsa And More

Eggs and cactus with beans and tortillas (and a side of chorizo potatoes)

Hearty breakfast requires a hearty day, and that's why my brain connects breakfast at R&R Taqueria with errands at Lowe's.

R&R is the taqueria in the Shell Station on U.S. 1 and Rte 175, but it opens early for eggs, sandwiches and other breakfasts.  Mostly take-out, but the '34 Act Gourmet and I ate at the small counter looking out over the gas pumps.

For $6, you get a full styrofoam plate of fresh food.  I went with eggs and cactus.  The Gourmet ate huevos rancheros.  The kitchen filled out both our plates with rice, beans, cheese and tortillas.  Everything works at R&R.  Earthy beans.  The lightly-spicy ranchero sauce.  The slightly sour contrast of cactus with hot eggs and fresh salsa.

R&R makes a series of salsas.  I can't track them.  I got a chunky tomato, onion and pepper salsa with my eggs, and I asked for a second container.  They're surprisingly fresh and flavorful for any restaurant -- let alone one in a gas station.

Then, I doubled the load with chorizo potatoes.  Diced hash browns crisped on the griddle, then mixed with a little cheese and crumbled chorizo.  Not that much meat actually.  Just enough to flavor the dish and sheen the potatoes with grease.  The plate just made me happier than most breakfasts because I kept scooping up variety on R&R's delicious corn tortillas.  A little salsa and eggs.  A little beans and chorizo.  Just eggs.  Just beans.  Repeat.

Most of the people flowing through R&R were gearing up for real work.  Landscapers, a Sears delivery guy. . .  I earned my breakfast -- including chorizo -- by getting 20 bags of mulch and spending hours spreading that around my yard.  R&R is just east of the Columbia Lowe's, which makes it a perfect stop if you're doing errands.

R&R serves a range of omelets and breakfast sandwiches.  We ordered from the Mexican eggs, but they'll also make breakfast tacos or breakfast burritos.  Check out the menu here.

If you want to try eggs and cactus at home, you can buy cactus in the produce section at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia.

Candied Fruit At Tere's Latin Market: Easy Slice-And-Eat Dessert WIth A Mexican Flair

Candied fruit from Tere's Latin Market

Mexican candied fruits are back in full effect -- the easiest exotic dessert that you can buy off the counter at Tere's Latin Market on Rte 40.

Fruta cristalizada is a treat created by repeatedly submerging the fruit in scalding water and sugar syrup.  I discovered them two years at the Estrellita Market in Jessup that closed down in 2011.  Last summer, Tere's had limes and figs, but now, they have the full box with oranges, papaya and even candied sweet potatoes.

You can go to Tere's for great casual Mexican food at the taqueria.  The front has Latin groceries, and the fruit is a terrific pick-up.  As I wrote last summer, the figs could be chopped onto cookies.  The citrus could become endless things.  The oranges are actually hollow.  It looks like fruit, but it's really just a sphere of candied rind.  

These are delicious enough to just pick up for a few dollars.  (I forgot to write down how much each piece costs, but it's about a dollar.)  But they're beautiful and unusual enough to make a dinner party.  Slice the fruit.  Make a little tray with cookies.  They're lightly sweet -- the orange and lime are delicate and light, the fig is sweeter and thicker.  It's the best kind of convenience food.

Seriously, Tere's is worth a trip just for the taqueria.  At lunchtime, folks line up for tacos, sandwiches and more.  Get the horchata.

Xitomate: New Mexican Comes To Columbia With Real Ambition, Delicious Food, And Fungus

Guacamole at Xitomate (by Jackie)

Xitomate has brought new Mexican to Columbia, and your local food bloggers put on an unintended double-team to get you a first look.

Jackie of La Casa De Sweets actually hit first and enjoyed her meal.  While she was drafting a guest post, burger-mania sent me and Mrs. HowChow to Victoria Gastropub where they had a 25-minute wait on a Monday night.  Those burgers are worth the wait, but we dashed to Xitomate and figured on a burger later this winter.

Xitomate is a sleek modern space that replaced the Donna's on Rte 108 near the intersection with Snowden River Parkway.  Cool lighting.  Striking mural.  A focused, but interesting menu.  And big windows to watch the traffic on Rte 108.  It's early (and the servers are learning), but this could be a new entry into the zone where you get casual vibe, cool decor, a bar, and $12-20 entrees -- the zone like Victoria, Facci, or Royal Taj where you could bring a date or bring the kids.

Jackie actually got the big news from the Xitomate manager:  An Ellicott City location aims to open in September in the shopping center behind Turf Valley.  The owners, who also own Azul 17 in Columbia, plan an Annapolis location as well.

But what about the food?  This almost qualifies as a real restaurant review since Jackie and we lucked out into eating completely different meals.  So let's hear about dinner from La Familia De Sweets, then back to Mrs. HowChow and me eating fungus.

Coming from a Puerto Rican family, we’ve had our share of authentic Latin American cuisine, but it’s pretty hard to find that kind of food when you feel like dining out. Fortunately for us, we decided to try Xitomate, the latest Mexican restaurant to open in Howard County.

Tamales At Chapala in Burtonsville

Two plain corn tamales

Three years in Los Angeles will leave a person with short patience for mosquitos and a longing for Mexican food like she used to get right outside her office.

Mrs. HowChow's long search is over.  For years, she has talked about the corn tamales that she used to eat at the farmer's market in Westwood.  Last weekend, we found them at Chapala in Burtonsville.

We just wanted a light lunch because we were late and already planning to meet friends for dinner in Baltimore.  So we ducked into the casual Chapala on the advice of our friend Scott, a professional chef who talked up the Tex-Mex food.

Yucca and chicharron

The corn tamales were spectacular.  They're steamed corn cakes, lightly sweet and served with a cream.  Imagine the lightest corn bread that you have ever eaten.  Now get a lighter texture and the full, mild flavor of corn.  Chapala serves them as an appetizer, either plain or filled with pork or chicken.  We paired them with a plate of fried yuca and chicharron -- chunks of boneless pork quickly fried and contrasted with a vinegary cole slaw.

Chapala seems like a serious restaurant, and our small lunch suggests that they're doing way more than standard Tex-Mex.  The menu has basics like burritos, enchiladas, tacos and fajitas.  But the kitchen was also doing fresh guacamole, a pan-fried rockfish, and a bunch of interesting-looking dishes with grilled steak and shrimp.  They have some $7 lunch combos, including a tamale special with meat, rice and beans.

We'll go back to Chapala, but we hit the new Xitomate in Columbia last night on a whim.  (Victoria had a 25-minute wait on a Monday night!)  Xitomate was very good.  Post to come.

Chapala Restaurant
15530 Old Columbia Pike (Rte 198)
Burtonsville, MD 20866
301-421-0924

NEAR: This is on Rte 198 just west of Rte 29.  It's really easy to reach from Howard County.  You get off at the exit for Rte 198, then go through a traffic circle and drive along the old road past a garden center and the new Giant.  Turn right at the traffic light onto Rte 198, and Chapala is on the right.  Look for the new Roy Rogers at the intersection, and check out other restaurants along there, including a Maiwand Kabob outpost, Soretti's Ethiopian Cuisine, and Cuba de Ayer.

Chorizo And Cactus Tacos At R&R Taqueria

Nopales and chorizo tacos at R&R Taqueira

All the talk about the new Xitomate coming to Columbia encouraged me to try a little Mexican.

And the R&R Taqueria salsas encouraged me to try some Mexican soda.

Spicy!  There is a cactus taco special right now.  Nopales -- which you can make at home -- served fresh and most with the meat of your choice.  I took a recommendation and ordered the chorizo.  Three tacos for $7, coming with another lesson that R&R makes complex food from that simple kitchen.

R&R's chicken tacos with our barley salad

It's all good.  Fresh, pliable corn tortillas make an earthy base.  The zesty chorizo cooked with tomatoes and the slightly sour chopped cactus.  Then lime and fresh salsas.  A standard red and then a small cup of a habanero salsa that one of the folks offered me as well.  Each ingredient is outstanding, and the kitchen turns out a perfect meal.

The salsas were really hot though.  Hotter than normal.  I rush back to  the counter to buy a tamarind soda.

I need to go back for tacos at Azul 17 and Xitomate.  Until then, check out all the posts about R&R Taqueria.  Watch out for the parking -- as noted by Kevlar51 and Dan.  I carried out two tacos for Mts. HowChow.  They're pretty good even reheated in the microwave, although the salsa was too much.  You can buy nopales at Lily's Mexican Market and at most of the Asian grocery stores, and they're easy to cook at home.

Check Out The New Mexican Menu At Xitomate

Check out the new menu for the Mexican restaurant that will replace the Donna's on Rte 108 in Columbia.  Lotsabogeys found Xitomate's Web site, and it has a pretty broad menu that generally runs under $10 for lunch and $13-20 for dinners with a bunch of interesting items.

Anybody know more about when it will open?  And the Web site suggests that they're planning a location for Ellicott City as well.

HowChow Investigates: Mexican Restaurant To Replace Shuttered Donna's In Columbia

A new Mexican restaurant appears to be coming to Columbia near Rte 108 -- replacing the shuttered Donna's, according to extensive investigation conducted by HowChow's new investigative team for investigations.

Okay, fine.  Mrs. HowChow read the liquor board ads in the Sunday Sun.

It looks like Xitomate Cocina Mexicana wants a liquor license for the Waterloo Road location that used to be Donna's.  The space has a restaurant with a patio.  That run of Rte 108 is becoming a nice restaurant row with places like Victoria Gastro Pub, Coal Fire Pizza, and Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro.

Anyone know the details or timeline for Xitomate?  I see Web mentions of a Xitomate in Puerto Vallarta, but nothing local.

Also in the liquor ads:  It looks like Smokin' Hot in Glenwood is expanding.  Congrats to them.  I still haven't gotten out there to try the barbecue.

Cochinita Pibil Tacos at R&R Taqueira

Three tacos from R&R Taqueria

Sometimes, a little knowledge can be highly dangerous.  Consider my ability to speak Spanish and recognize Mexican food.

On my last visit to R&R Taqueria in Elkridge, I overly impressed myself by recognizing the tacos called "cochinita pibil."  That's pork, I remembered.  And it involves cooking the meat in citrus juice, maybe orange juice.  You can't see that from the Spanish, but I remembered it ... from my experience ... because I'm awesome.

And I congratulated myself so heartily that I didn't focus on the word "habanero" written in the description.  That word has the same meaning in English and Spanish.  It means "really hot pepper that you had better respect."

Imagine the hottest dish you have ever eaten and enjoyed.  Because R&R isn't serving stupid hot dishes.  The meat is butchered perfectly.  Their sauces are fresh and bright.  When they use habaneros, they use just enough to hit you hard without overwhelming the pork.

The hit was just an awesome surprise.  I'd eaten the other tacos first -- chicken and al pastor, if I remember right.  They're each very well done.  I was reading at the counter as I picked up the third and bit down on what I expected to be citrus-infused and turned out to be enflamed.

R&R pulled off the habanero perfectly.  My tongue squeaked, and my eyes opened.  I drank down my melon agua fresca and then sucked the ice.  But the peppery zip was just part of the cochinita pibil flavor.  I think there were onions.  I know there was slow-roasted pork.  They were all wrapped in R&R's excellent corn tortilla.

At R&R, the tacos are really unique.  They're not just throwing your choice of meat on top of the same shredded lettuce and salsa like a chain.  Each salsa tastes different.  Each meat comes with a different marinade.  The habenero made cochinita pibil stand out, but it welcomed me to eat every last bite.   The R&R chefs know how to play with fire.

Hot Stuff -- Special Ordered -- At Wegmans

Hatch chiles for special order at Wegmans

The new Wegmans has brought a taste of New York New Mexico to Columbia -- offering to sell you cases of hatch chiles and delivering them in mid-September.

N8tiveNYer emailed me about the special hatch chile sale because she bought some last year when she lived in Virginia.  Wegmans has a large sign at the entrance saying you can order at the catering desk, and N8tiveNYer recommends buying a roasted case and freezing them for the future.

Hatch chiles are a New Mexico specialty, ranging from mild to hot but all coming from the valley running along the Rio Grande.  They're used in traditional southwestern dishes, but also as modern twists in burgers, chicken dishes, and even cookies.

N8tiveNYer thinks that she was quoted $39 for a 25- or 35-pound case.  Wegmans sells them fresh or roasted, and she buys roasted to avoid the mess.  She recommends them for a green chile salsa, although you can start looking for ideas from the Houston Chronicle (chicken-fried steak / cookies), the Aprovecho blog (chicken with cheese and chilis), or the Hatch Chile Heaven blog (chili / burgers / a whole cookbook).

Mango's Grill Re-opening In Laurel

The Mango's Grill restaurant is re-opening in Laurel -- a little farther south from its former location.

Mango's Grill offered casual Mexican to a loyal clientele, but the building was demolished as part of redevelopment of the area around U.S. 1 and Rte 198.  So the restauranteurs rented a new space a few blocks south on U.S. 1 -- the former home of India Gate.

George Berkheimer over at the The Business Monthly has been keeping an eye on the space.  He says the owners were planning to open the new Mango's Grill in the first week of August.  Now, an anonymous comment says that the owners says that they'll open on Thursday.

Candied Lime At Tere's Latin Market

Candied fruit from Tere's Latin Market

The truth is that I didn't go to Tere's Latin Market for the awesome tacos.

I actually returned to the Mexican market on Rte 40 because of a comment about candied fruit by Blith on a former post.  I miss the fruit that I used to buy at the shuttered Estrellita's in Elkridge.  So I snapped up candied limes and figs near the cash register.


The candied lime is exquisite.  The figs taste incredibly sweet.  Great if you want the rush, and somehow calling me to chop them as an ingredient for Christmas cookies.  But the lime is something special.  The flesh has dried, so slices of citrus rind cut off come tart and slightly sweet.  The rind has a pleasant, chewy texture like dried fruit.


I have been slicing pieces of lime as a treat.  They last for months.  (I think.)  But the candied limes are so valuable because, like sausages and good pickles, they're convenience food for us because someone already invested time to make them.  In 60 seconds, I could quarter them to jazz up a dessert plate.  They'd go great with chocolate.  I have been trying to think of a well-paired cheese for an offbeat cheese plate.  They could certainly be diced or sliced as a topping on sugar cookies -- a variation on the candied orange here.

Whatever you do, the limes and Tere's tacos make many reasons to stop by the market.


The one down side of candied fruit is that it kills my enthusiasm for our beloved Mike and Ikes.  The complex mix of bitter, sour and sweet just make fake fruit flavors seem wrong, at least temporarily.  When I visited, Tere's only had figs and limes.  Has anyone seem broader selections either at Tere's or somewhere else that sells candied fruit?

Another Taqueria: Tere's Latin Market Gives An Option For Tacos In Ellicott City, But No Gas

Beef and chorizo tacos at Tere's Latin Market

The beauty of a food blog is that it almost justifies getting a taco on the way to dinner with friends.

I had noticed recent comments about Tere's Latin Market talking about tacos and other specialities that I don't remember from a visit in 2008.  So I detoured there on Rte 40 one night on the way to Korean at Shin Chon Garden.

Back in the day, Tere's was just a small market.  Now, there's a taqueria in the back.  It's counter service with tacos, sandwiches, and some other dishes.  For $2.50, I picked up a snack -- and found a great little place for Mexican food.

Start with the flavor.  The first taco was al pastor.  Diced pork on two fresh corn tortillas came through moist, fresh and spicy with chopped cilantro on top.  Even the takeout packet came with sliced radish and cucumber, which crunched nicely in contrast.

Tacos al pastor

Then come around the butchering.  Mrs. HowChow -- who doesn't snack on the way to dinner -- talks about the meat at R&R Taqueria at the Shell station in Elkridge.  It comes beautifully even from a tiny kitchen.  No gristle.  No chewy pieces.  Tere's Latin Market pulls off the same trick.  The pork was just better than anything I can dice out on my own.

So I had to go back.  Like the next day for lunch.  I ordered up two tacos -- chorizo and beef.  Again, moist, flavorful meat with spices.  Chorizo was rich and greasy.  (In a good way.)  Beef was butchered right again and went great with squeezes of lime.  There is a small bar of fresh salsas and chopped peppers and other vegetables.  You can doctor them in the fashion that works for you.

Seriously folks, these were delicious tacos, and Tere's pairs them up with horchata -- the creamy, refreshing Mexican soft drink that makes a special meal.  R&R Taqueria makes a magical meal in a gas station.  Now, there is an Ellicott City option as well.

Now, I wonder if I just missed the taqueria when I walked through Tere's back in 2008.  Kevin added Tere's to Urbanspoon back in 2010.  What else have people enjoyed at Tere's?  Do you know when the tacos started?

Tere's Latin Market
8525A Baltimore National Pike (Rte 40)
Ellicott City, MD 21043
410-313-8555

NEAR: Tere's is on the east-bound side of the Rte 40.  It's just east of Rte 29 and just before the traffic light with the Normandy shopping center.  Look for the Quizno's.  Tere's is on the end of the same shopping row.  There is parking around back.