Grilled Halloumi At Pars And Nazars: Start Your Summer With The Cheese That You Can Grill

Grilled halloumi with pomegranate molassas

Ladies and gentlemen, start your grills.  Summer is here, and the first thing that you should throw over the coals is . . . cheese.

Not a cheese burger.  Not cheese melting on top of something else.  You need to cut half-inch slices of cheese, drop them on the grill, and let them brown for a few moments on each side.

To pull this off, you need to buy yourself the right cheese.  That's halloumi cheese, a brined white cheese so firm that it keeps its shape even over fire.

A spectacular, simple dish:  Halloumi cheese sliced about a half-inch thick.  Grilled for 2-3 minutes per side until the faces have browned slightly.  Then topped with a few lines of pomegranate molasses.  The sweet, rich molasses contrasts with the salty, warm cheese.  With just a block of cheese and a bottle of molasses, you can create an exotic appetizer or start an easy dinner.

Check out both the cheese and the molasses at the Persian Pars Market or the Turkish Nazar Market -- both near Snowden River Parkway in Columbia.

Of course, that's just a start.  We ate halloumi at Zaytinya in Washington, and it was amazing.  Probably pan-seared, which also makes a crisp, warm layer of cheese.  Then augmented with sliced dates, citrus and mint.  Search "halloumi recipe," and you'll find all kinds of ideas -- halloumi in salads, on burgers, or even serving as the "bread" in a grilled sandwich with a white bean paste inside.

If you're grilling, check out the butchers at Pars and Nazar for ground lamb.  Check out the entire Grilling Week series from 2010 that paired local ethnic groceries with Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue.  And you could call the markets before you visit.  Pars sells the cheese so quickly that they were out this weekend.  They get more all the time.

Jerusalem And Plenty -- Cookbooks Where Everything Is Imaginative, Nothing Is Difficult

Chicken, fennel and clementines

Yotam Ottolenghi just cooks better than I do.

You shouldn't be surprised since he is an internationally-known chef, but I was surprised at how much fun I've had in his cookbooks Plenty and Jerusalem.

Mrs. HowChow bought the books.  I actually passed when I saw them at Sweet Elizabeth Jane in Ellicott City.  The pictures are too pretty.  Ottolenghi is a restaurant chef.  I pass on celebrity chefs, and I've been happy in recent years with Mark Bittman and some ethnic cookbooks.

Mrs. HowChow saw the brillance.  She wanted the eggplant with pomegranates on the cover of Plenty.  She saw lots of vegetables. She saw combinations that sing.  As soon as I opened the books, she added a few dozen stickies to show the dishes that she'd like me to make.

Everything that I've made has been spectacular.  Everything seems imaginative, but nothing has been difficult.  These are terrific books for anyone who wants a healthy mix of vegetables, grains and meat -- but with flavor.

Barley and pomegranates -- really!

A salad of lentils, tomatoes and Gorgonzola.  A hearty eggplant with pomegranates and a buttermilk-yogurt sauce.  Chicken roasted with fennel and clementines.  Jerusalem draws a mix of recipes from co-author Sami Tamimi's hometown.  Plenty collects vegetarian dishes heavy on the Mediterranean, but running from Italy to Indonesia.

These recipes are terrific for me because my simple can be bland.  I can eat lentils straight from the pot, and Mrs. HowChow has had to point out that they're not inspiring even if they're healthy.  Ottolenghi make lentils enticing with some oven-dried tomatoes, that Gorgonzola, and generous dashes of herbs.

That variety runs through the books.  Jerusalem does traditional recipes, but Plenty is a riot of modern variety -- eggs baked over arugula and topped with yogurt, barley tossed in a salad with celery and pomegranates.  Ottolenghi uses spices and herbs available anywhere, but his dishes taste fresh and exciting -- even when the preparation is as simple as "cook the barley, then mix with a bunch of stuff that you chopped or poured from bottles."

These books are some of the best fun that I have ever had with thyme, dill, parsley and chives.  Ottolenghi must live near Lotte or H Mart because he'll suggest three or four different herbs in a recipe.  You can't buy $10 in herbs for just a few tablespoons of each.  So I have bought them at one of the Asian markets -- and planned for several Ottolenghi recipes so I can use the purchase over an entire week.

Go try these books. Check them out at the Howard County library.  Buy them from Amazon from one of the associate links.  Just go explore the mix.

Check out all my cookbook reviews.  Most are available at the library if you want to check them out.  (Update: And check out the Fiercely Fresh post about Jerusalem and a butternut squash recipe.)

Nora's Kabob in Ellicott CIty

"You don't eat meat? I'll make lamb." -- My Big Fat Greek Wedding

Nothing tastes better than food that you didn't expect to find.

We had a Saturday of serendipity -- a beautiful find at Home Anthology and then stumbling on Nora's Kabob in Ellicott City.

It's not truly "stumbling."  It's listening to the comments on HowChow where people had talked up the kabobs at this Rte 40 spots.  But I never expected to push open the door and find a modern spot in the style of Maiwand Kabob -- a short menu, delicious grilled meats and sides that show the kitchen has real ambition.

Comparisons to Maiwand Kabob are high praise since I consider it one of the best restaurants in Howard County.  Maiwand may win out based on straight-from-the-oven naan, but Nora's makes the exceptional list because everything -- even the meat dishes -- focuses on bright, fresh vegetables and flavors.  Even the restaurant is bright with black tiles and hand-wood floors.

I ordered a gyro, and the meat was terrific.  It could have been hotter, but I think it actually cooled because the pita was packed with vegetables.  The full lamb flavor, contrasted with the crunch and tang of diced tomatoes, cucumbers and onions.  Then topped with salty feta and a creamy sauce rich with dill.

Fresh dill.  Whipped into yogurt with a generous, talented hand.  You're not getting that talent at even your favorite chain.  This was someone who had figured out how to create a strong sauce that held its own with lamb and onions, but never overwhelmed the sandwich.

Nora's Kabob's menu should be open to anyone who likes fresh food.  The folks at Nora's know that because they installed a giant welcome sign in a few dozen languages -- Arabic and Persian, but also Hebrew, Italian, Russian, Spanish and Chinese.  You order at the counter for takeout and with a waiter if you want to eat in.

Mrs. HowChow ate a basic -- chicken kabob with rice and vegetables.  Again, it was anything but basic.  The chicken was juicy white meat.  The vegetables were a full grilled tomato, contrasted with lightly-pickled cabbage.  And the rice makes all the difference.  It's just white rice, but it's made perfectly -- just enough oil for flavor but no grease.  Then, they layer a saffron rice across the top.

I drive by Mexican restaurants every month because I feel like half of my plate will be disappointing rice and beans.  I'd rather eat tacos from takeout containers than double my bill and be disappointed.  Nora's rice shows that even a simple dish can be something special -- something that I certainly can't pull off in my own kitchen.

Overall, Nora's seems like a real gem if you like a meat and fresh vegetables combination.  Next time, I'll go back for one of the beef kabobs and a mix of the mezze.  At the counter, I saw a range of fresh vegetarian items -- hummus, stuffed grape leaves, and a yogurt-spinach dish.  My gyro came with a small spinach pie -- a smooth spinach filling wrapped by a toothsome pastry.  The effort put into that tiny dish suggests that all these mezze will be terrific.

Has anyone had the falafel wrap at Nora's?  I've been wanting a good falafel around Howard County.  Anyone try the Koobideh gyro?  Only as I was writing did I notice that it comes with "spicy spank sauce."  That needs to be tried.

Nora's Kabob
9338 Baltimore National Pike (Rte 40)
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-418-5911

NEAR:  Nora's is in a shopping center on the north side of Rte 40 west of Rte 29.  It's in the Village Green shopping center with Shannon's.

Wishes For Lebanese Food: I'll Take The Taverna, But Real Connoisseurs Dream Of Dearborn

One of my great desires is a Lebanese Taverna, and reader DonkeyKong says it could get even better than that.

Mrs. HowChow and I have always loved Lebanese Taverna -- from the upscale ones like Harbor East to the cafes in Rockville and Silver Spring.  But DonkeyKong went to Dearborn, Michigan on business a came back with desserts that I had never seen before -- fried honey dumplings call awame.  And he came back with a dream:

A couple of weeks ago I found myself in Dearborn, thinking about what is missing in Howard County.  Anytime you're feeling envious of Dearborn, it means one of two things 1) you love the good music coming in from the Canadian radio stations that are yet to be taken over by Clear Channel playlists; or 2) you're eating phenomenal Lebanese food.   

Of all the world's cuisine, Lebanese is among the most comprehensive (everything from breakfast to dessert to unique wine styles) and the most tasty, but unfortunately among the rarest in Howard County. 

It occurred to me how deprived we in Howard County are as I was popping my fifth awame in my mouth after a big meal of lebneh, kafta, and schwarma.  Sure, there's Lebanese Taverna in Harbor East, or Bethesda Row, or Pentagon Row, or Cleveland Park, or Tyson's Corner (walkable, revitalized, and with a Whole Foods) but I want one to call my own...and honestly, once you've had Lebanese food from the Arab neighborhoods of Dearborn, Lebanese Taverna becomes the Olive Garden of the cuisine pretty quickly. 

Falafel at La Mia In Laurel

Falafel at La Mia in Laurel

Hot falafel falls among the perfect street foods -- piping chick pea fritters wrapped in pita bread and augmented with some shredded salad, a touch of hot sauce, and a creamy sauce to bring it all together.

(Update:  Sorry.  La Mia closed.)

The new La Mia restaurant on Main Street in Laurel kicks out a nice falafel sandwich.  It's certainly the rival of anything that I have found inside Howard County, so it's worth a quick drive into Laurel, especially if you want to nose around the Aladdin Food Market next door or pick up something from the Laurel Meat Market.

La Mia is a new takeout following the trend of serving pizza and an ethnic food.  At La Mia, the ethnic food is mostly Middle Eastern, including a few special-order items like masakhan, ka'ik, and maoul that looked new to me and that Wikipedia says are Palestinian dishes.

I want La Mia to be terrific because they're really nice.  For now, I recommend the falafel sandwich.  The falafel comes out hot and flavorful -- right in that "Goldilocks" moistness where it isn't too greasy and it isn't too dry.  The sandwich had lettuce, mildly hot peppers, some hot sauce and a really nice sauce.  I suggest that you request pita bread because they wrapped mine once in a tortilla, which was all kinds of "American fusion" wonderful but not nearly as delicious.

I'm going to go back and try the schwarma again.  We ordered it with high hopes because La Mia has real meat turning on a spit in the open kitchen.  But our order didn't work.  The restaurant was freezing cold, and we got an aluminum takeout tray with lettuce and a few ounces of shaved, unremarkable meat. They were so nice, and we were too cold to argue.  I'm going to try again.

Where do you go for falafel or schwarma?  I don't have a place in Howard County, maybe because I have a few amazing sandwiches in my memory that set the standard.  I don't want just a pile of lettuce, a pita from the bag, and the main item dumped on top.  A few people have mentioned Turkshish Kebap in Columbia.

La Mia
310 Main Street
Laurel, MD 20707
301-725-9600

NEAR:  This is on Main Street in Laurel a few doors west of U.S. 1.  You can park on Main Street anywhere between U.S. 1 and Laurel Meat Market.  The Aladdin market next to La Mia sells Middle Eastern groceries and breads.  Laurel Meat Market butchers its own steaks, ground beef and sausage.

Has Ceazar International Market & Restaurant Closed in Elkridge? A Lost Institution

Has anyone else been past Ceazar International Market in Elkridge?  Lisa left a comment on an old post saying that the market and restaurant are closed, and the spaces were being cleared out.

Ceazar Market was the king of Middle Eastern markets when it opened its expanded space in Elkridge in 2009.  For 13 years before, they had operated in Columbia off Oakland Park Boulevard under the name Sizar's Food Mart.  The new store had a butcher, more space, and the attached restaurant.

Lemonade With Orange Blossom Water Inspired By The Lebanese Taverna That Howard County Needs

Howard County needs Lebanese Taverna.  The takeout version from Rockville.  The fancy one from Harbor East.  I'll take any piece of the local chain, and I'll start with lemonade.

Mrs. HowChow had lunch last month at the Tysons Taverna, and she brought home the idea of lemonade with orange blossom water.  It's a Lebanese idea, apparently.  The Cortas brand is distilled in Lebanon for sure.

I took the idea into the kitchen and played a bit.  Sugar, water and lemon juice with a touch of the orange blossom water.  The Taverna waitress said they use two cups in a huge container, so I put a teaspoon in each small glass.  The lemonade came out beautifully -- a touch exotic little the bitter orange note.  Play with the proportions by adding the final water gradually, and you can make it your own.

You can get orange blossom for $3-4 at most Middle Eatern markets -- certainly at Ceazar International Market in Elkridge.  I think you'd get it at Pars Market or Nazar Market in Columbia.

Lemonade w/Orange Blossom Water
Makes two small glasses

1 c. sugar
1c. water, plus more cool water
3-4 lemons
bottle of orange blossom water
2 small glasses

1) Put the sugar in 1 c. water and microwave on high for a minute or two until the sugar has dissolved.  Let the simple syrup cool.  (You could dissolve the sugar into less water.)  You'll end up with extra syrup.

2) Juice the lemons.  You'll get pulp and some seeds.  Strain out the seeds.  A little pulp was nice.  Three lemons got me a little more juice than the half-cup that I needed for two.

3) In each glass, pour in 1/4 c. simple syrup, 1/4 c. lemon juice and 1 tsp of orange blossom water.  Taste the lemonade.  It was way too strong for me.  You can follow my lead and just add 1/4 c. of cool water and a few ice cubes. Or you can slowly add cool water and ice until you reach a flavor that you prefer.

Ground Lamb At Nazar Market: The Easiest Way To Add A New Flavor To Your Grilling Routine

I went back to Nazar Market last weekend looking to solve the problem from my last visit.

Test driving Planet Barbecue by Steven Raichlen, I followed a recipe by buying lamb shoulder and then grinding the meat in our food processor.  The kebobs had delicious flavor, but they had chewy texture that we assumed came from gristle or other pieces attached to the meat.

So when I went back to Nazar in Columbia, I wanted to be careful about my purchase.  I talked slow.  I want to buy lamb, I said.  Lamb, the butcher agreed.  I want lamb for ground meant, I said.  Ground lamb, the butcher agreed.  I want to make kabobs, I said, and the butcher nodded and got busy.  He took meat from the cooler.  He started to chop and slice meat from the bones.  I walked away to shop, then returned to find that all those meat chunks had disappeared.

That was when I realized that I was talking to the butcher across a meat grinder.  A giant metal grinder the height of my chest.

I had come to Nazar looking to repeat my mistake -- buy lamb shoulder and grind my own meat at home.  But Nazar's butcher is a professional.  He was grinding the meat himself.  He cut exactly the meat that I needed, then ran it twice through the industrial grinder that I was too much of an amateur to even identify until it was spitting out perfect-looking ground meat.

This is so easy that everyone should try some lamb kabobs.  Nazar's butcher turned out ground lamb that developed a char on the outside while staying moist inside.  A little more fat that my normal ground beef (like a little fire from dripping fat).  But all the authenticity and safety of Laurel Meat Market's ground chuck -- plus a flavor that, if anything, is better than a hamburger.  Planet Barbecue has several kabob recipes, and you can find ideas from three continents if you look on the Internet.

This "order ground meat" option is so obvious that I assume it's available at Columbia Halal Meat on Rte 108 and Caezar International Market just off Rte 100 -- both officially in Elkridge.


Over the next few weeks, HowChow is going to look like Nazar Market's house blog.  I stopped several times and found great items on each visit, including a cherry nectar drink, a coffee-flavored sparking water, and jarred pickled cabbage that goes great with a burger.  I'll post those later.

Cazbar Kepab House in Columbia

Good food often comes without waiters in Howard County, and the new Cazbar Kabob continues the trend with casual Turkish that makes a great lunch or takeout in Columbia.

(Update: Cazbar appears to have been replaced in Fall 2010 with Turkshish Kebap.  New name.  New menu.)

Cazbar opened a few blocks east of Howard Community College and the hospital, offering a streamlined version of the original Baltimore location's menu.  This is hearty Turkish specialities like sour cherry soda and lahmacun (pizza with ground beef).  But much of the basics will please anyone who likes Maiwand Kabob -- grilled meats, vegetables and interesting bread.

Cazbar follows the Maiwand and Bon Fresco model -- casual counter service and fresh food, some unique ethnic items but accessible to almost anyone.  The basics are meat.  Kabobs of grilled meat.  Doner of seasoned sliced and pressed meat similar to gyros.  There are variations of chicken, lamb and beef.  Wrapped in thin bread as sandwiches.  Served with a yogurt sauce.  Paired with salad or fries.

After our lunch, we recommend the doner over the kabobs.  The lamb doner was tasty without being greasy.   The kabobs were moist, but not that flavorful.  Maiwand Kabob and Mimi's Kabob in Clarksville both marinate the chicken more, and the meat comes out more interesting.  Next time, Mrs. HowChow will try the chicken doner.  And go salad, not fries.  The fries were average.  The salad was crisp and interesting with a nice dressing on top.

Obviously, the difference between Turkish and Afghan cuisines is 2,200 miles.  Cazbar brings Turkish items like boat-shaped pizza called pide and a salad with tomatoes, pomegranate and peppers called acili ezme.  I'm ready to try every appetizer, from the hummus to the salad of feta and parsley.  The fresh salads are a revelation.  My favorite parts of the Afghan joints are cooked vegetable side dishes like pumpkin.  In contrast, Cazbar served up those fresh vegetables -- in the salad and in the sandwiches -- that really brought the meal alive.

Although I keep talking about meat, Cazbar is vegetarian friendly.  You could mix and match appetizers, or you could go with falafel instead of meat.  Also check out the drink options.  We really liked the Tamek sour cherry nectar -- basically an uncarbonated soft drink with a lightly sour taste.  (Also available at Nazar Market in Columbia.)  They import Turkish waters and a "carbonated coffee" that I'll get next time.


One cool touch at Cazbar:  Free hot tea in modern little cups.  To the left of the soda dispenser is a tea pot sitting on top of a hot water dispenser.  You use of the strainers to pour tea from the pot into your small cup -- but leave a little space.  The strainer will catch the loose tea.  If the brew has gotten too dark for you, you use the extra space to hot water.  Add sugar to taste.

Cazbar Kebap House
10840 Little Patuxent Parkway
Columbia, MD 21044
410-730-7900

NEAR: This is on the north side of Little Patuxent Parkway just east of Howard Community College.  From Rte 29, take Rte 175 west and pass the mall.  Keep going straight and look for Cazbar on the right just after the white building with the sign for Patuxent Publishing.  It is next to a bank in a shopping center that sits perpendicular to the road.

Grilling Week At The Halal Butcher: Lamb Kabobs Are Delicious, Even If I Can't ID The Cut Of Meat

In the short history of HowChow, the single greatest introduction to local food has been the halal butcher -- first Caezar International, then Columbia Halal Meat, and now Nazar Market.

Beyond the religious imprint for Muslims, the butchers open new opportunities to anyone who wants goat or lamb.  Ironically, the hardest part for me has been figuring out how to talk meat.  There are some language issues when the butcher was born in Turkey or Pakistan, but the real problem is that I was born in a world where meat comes wrapped in plastic.  I barely know how to order steaks, so I'm at a loss about what to do with a lamb shoulder.  Actually, I'm not sure that I had a lamb shoulder.

Let Steven Raichlen start you off.  All week, I'm posting about Raichlen's Planet Barbecue because the new cookbook's recipes offer gateways into Howard County's ethnic shopping.  Lamb kabobs should be your gateway into the halal butchers.  With one problem that I'll explain below, Raichlen gives you a hamburger alternative -- a ground meat patty flavored with parsley, onion, coriander and cumin.  The skills are nothing harder than forming a burger.  The flavors are new, but still accessible.  And you get to grill with long flat skewers that you can call "my swords."

Turkish Cotton Candy At Pars Market

Cotton candy became famous around here when my wife -- single child, accustomed to a measured pace and a shared experience -- lost out on a gourmet dessert to me and my ravenous family.  One minute the waiter put down the silver bowl of cherry cotton candy.  The next, it was gone.

Since then, I have bought her cotton candy whenever it appears.  The most-recent was pismantye -- which Pars Market in Columbia calls "Turkish cotton candy" even though it isn't officially.

Pismantye is flour and butter mixed into pulled sugar.  Pars sells boxes with about a dozen pieces for less than $2.  It's fluffy threads of candy that melt in your mouth.  Threads, more than cotton balls.  And it tastes nutty and slightly sweet rather than the sugary, fruity flavor of the candy that you'd get at a carnival.  It's definitely worth checking out -- especially if you pick up the rose water and pistachio nougat that Pars stocks on the same shelf.

Caspian Market in Ellicott City

With all the new Middle Eastern markets, it was time to go back and look at one of Howard County's originals -- the Caspian Market in Ellicott City.

The term "Middle Eastern" works, but it doesn't truly cover any of these markets because they carry goods that run from Greece through India.  Caspian -- on Rte 40 in the same building as Tutti Frutti -- carries all of the basics like spices, bulgar, bread, and cheeses.  There are Iranian fruit rolls, Turkish soujouk, and Sadef kabob spices -- all worth checking out and all opening you up to making healthy, delicious dishes from Greek to Iranian.

Caspian stands out because it also sells produce and fresh halal meat, really packing the products into two small rooms.  Caezar International in Elkridge sets the local standard in terms of size and experience, but I didn't see much missing when I walked through Caspian.  My regular purchases are yogurt, grains, sweets, and sometimes the breads.  Most importantly, Caspian sells the pistachio nougat that remains one of my favorite finds in my HowChow trolling.

In addition, Caspian had two unique items that will draw me back -- saffron ice cream and two amazing bulk nut mixes.  The nuts are in the center of the store near the cash register.  I bought a scoop, and I wish I had bought five times as much.  Fresh nuts and dried fruit, and not the almonds and raisins that you get in most packages.  This was walnuts, cashews, almonds, pistachios and macadamia.  Cheap walnuts taste horrible.  Every nut in Caspian's mix was delicious, and they came tarted up with sweet unusual fruits, including tiny figs.  An absolute revelation.

Go check out Caspian if you are anywhere near Rte 40.  If nothing else, get some bulgar, some yogurt, some spices -- and the holy trifecta of nougat, ice cream and nut mixes.  But there are many interesting finds for people who want to explore beyond the regular supermarket.  Try the lentils, the bulgar, the vegetables and then get a few quick ideas from Mark Bittman's How To Cook Everything Vegetarian.  Or just ask Caspian's owners.  They seemed really nice, definitely the type who would answer questions and know what they're talking about.

The new Middle Eastern markets include Columbia Halal Meat Market in Elkridge and both Nazar Market and Pars Market in Columbia.  In addition, Caezar International Market in Elkridge expanded last year when it moved from its former home in Columbia.


If you're a gardener, you should also check out the seeds that Caspian is selling at the end of one of the aisles on the right.  They're Avand brand seeds from Iran -- basil violet, sweet fennel, rocket, cucumbers, sunflowers.  I bet they're interestingly different if you like to experiment in the garden.  I bought seed for my few square feet months ago, but I'd love to hear if anyone tries these out.

Fresh Almonds at Caspian

If you're looking for fresh almonds, they're available for now at the Caspian Supermarket in Ellicott City.

Fresh almonds are a Middle Eastern snack.  They're sour with the texture of unripe peaches.  New for me, but they're apparently a standard snack topped with salt.  A few grains of sea salt really improved the flavor, so bite off a little almond and dip the inside fruit in a little salt.  (Other people cook with them.)  Beautiful green color, and you crunch through the entire thing.  They're young enough that there is no nut inside, just a translucent disk where the nut would have matured.

I'll post more about Caspian, but the fresh almond season only runs a few more weeks.  Not my favorite find of all time, but I'm a sucker for seasonal stuff.  So run over now if you want to try them.

Caspian Supermarket
9191 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042-3933
410-313-8072

NEAR:  Caspian is next to the Burger King on Rte 40 west of Rte 29.  It's the same building as Tutti Frutti.      From east-bound Rte 40, your turn in at the Burger King, then turn left and right so that you drive next to the drive-in lane.  Caspian is in the back facing the drive-in.

Nazar Going More Meat, Less Produce

The new Nazar Market is Columbia is bringing on the meats and dialing down the vegetables, according to HowICook.

Nazar opened just off Snowden River Parkway as a Middle Eastern market with Turkish concentration.  It opened as Nazar Produce Market, but the produce turned out to be less profitable than expected, the owners told HowICook.  Instead, HowICook reports that they have added a halal butcher:

The butcher is packaging the meat and putting it in the case next to the sausage. He's not good at labeling but one of the guys said wait a week or two when they really get going. The open air butcher and packaged meat is not what I'm use to at ethnic markets but it's cool. I still think this place has promise.

The new sign -- Nazar Market -- is up.  For more about Nazar, read my initial post and all the comments, including a long one from HowICook.  Don't leave with trying the soujouk to add to your scrambled eggs.

Soujouk at Nazar Produce

It is only with the upmost gravity that I compare anything favorably to bacon.

Ah, bacon. . .  The thick-cut bacon from one of Howard County's butchers is one of the best tasty treats that you can give yourself.  Two slices can turn breakfast or other dishes into something spectacular.  Now, you need to pick up Turkish soujouk from the Nazar Produce Market in Columbia.

Soujouk is one of the halal meats in Nazar's refrigerated section.  It's a spicy, dried beef sausage.  I wouldn't have known what to buy or cook except that the guy who cuts my hair turned me on to scrambled eggs with onions and soujok.  This is the Turkish bacon and eggs, and it is just as delicious.

Let's repeat:  Just as delicious as bacon.

I bought the soujouk that comes in six little salamis because Nazar's owner pointed out that you just use one at a time and save the rest.  (He says they last months.  So far, I'm eating through too fast to test that theory.)  You saute some onion in butter until it softens.  Peel the paper casing from the soujouk, then chop it and add to the onion.  In a few minutes, a light film of oil has rendered out, and you cook scrambled eggs.  Soujouk tastes of spice and meat.  Strong spice to balance the eggs with no risk of the fattiness or the burnt section that you can get from bacon.

One small salami serves a hardy breakfast for two.  You could add less, but it's like bacon.  You'll miss it when you scrimp.

(Update:  Mrs. HowChow correctly notes that today's photo is horrible.  But I'm snapping with a cell phone in our kitchen, and it would have been her eggs getting cold if I had stopped to run a photo shoot.  Trust me that the soujouk tastes better than I made it look -- and I'm always open to photographers who want to build clips by shooting for a blog.)

If you are going to Nazar, you have to try the baklava.  They generally have several varieties.  Ask for the burma or the saragi burma variations.  And check out HowICook's comment that includes discussion of Soujouk and other items you can buy at Nazar.

Nazar Produce Market Opens In Columbia

Nazar Produce Market wants to sell you a complete diet of Middle Eastern food -- and if you are a good eater, you get a spectacular desert.

Nazar opened this month -- at the same time that the Pars Market opened a few blocks south on Snowden River Parkway -- in the Columbia space that used to house Caezar International Market (then called Sizar's).  Nazar completely renovated the space, making it bright and airy.

Now, the space is filling with all kinds of Middle Eastern food -- bulgar, beans, spices, olives, etc.  If you're interested in food, this is a fun place to walk the shelves.  Many of the items are Turkish, which makes the selection differ from Caezar and Pars, which sell all kinds of food but have lots of Iranian offerings.  I'm not sophisticated enough to identify all the difference or all opportunities.

Nazar sets itself apart from most small ethnic groceries by having basic produce, including some nice zucchini and fresh cilantro that I used in chili last week, and a variety of halal meat.  At the start, they didn't have the butcher like Columbia Halal Meat or Caezar's, but the freezer and the fridge have a variety.  Sour cherry nectar drink.  Frozen ribeye and filets.  Frozen chicken.  Halal chicken hot dogs.  Soujouk (great in scrambled eggs).  Three kinds of halal beef mortadella.  Three?  I'd love to know why this little store has three varieties of mortadella.

(Update: Nazar made some changes.  They cut back on the produce, but they added a butcher that looks a lot like Columbia Halal Meat or Caezar.  It's an option for goat, lamb, chicken hearts, and many other cuts that you won't find in a supermarket case.  You need to try the ground lamb or another meat for kabobs.)

In addition, Nazar sells frozen pastry leaves.  Some in a rectangle and a Yoruk brand in triangles.  I'm sure those would be key to making some authentic Middle Eastern dishes.  But they could also be an interesting tool in the hands of a creative chef.  What could you wrap up and fry?

Since you have eaten your meal, you get your dessert, and the dessert is reason enough to drive over to Nazar.  These guys had a half-dozen varieties of fresh baklava on display each time that I visited, including pistachio, "double pistachio" and a long thin variation that I think was called burma.  (Or maybe kadayifi.  I got different answers on different trips.)  Each variety was superb -- a fresh crunch to the pastry, a thick honey flavor, sweet nuts.  The burma and a variation called saragi burma have a shredded pastry instead of the thin layers of baklava.  If anything, that's my favorite.

The guy who cuts my hair -- shout out to Rafet's Hair Salon in Arundel Mills -- says this is the best baklava around.  Before his friends opened Nazar, Tim and other Turkish families would pool together to buy this baklava wholesale from New Jersey.  But then, Tim is friends with the owners of Nazar.  You can't just rely on his say, can you?  Don't you think you need to test yourself?  Don't you need some baklava today?  Or now?

If you shop at Nazar, I would love to know what you buy.  I have tried a few items, but I am sure there are some convenience foods for a weeknight and also the basics to learn some Middle Eastern food.


(Update:  There are terrific comments below, including a detailed one about learning Turkish food and  another about halal cuts of beef.  There are also a series that I think are fake and appear to be someone trying to promote Pars Market.  If Hasan, Suat or William Smith are real people, then they're welcome to email me directly.  For now, I assume they're part of a fake campaign here and on some other posts.)

(Update II: There are some anonymous comments below from someone who appears quite reasonable and knowledgeable about this kind of food. I loved the baklava, but the commentor says that the best were just average.  You can still taste-test the baklava.  Not such a bad afternoon.  I'd love other thoughts.)

Nazar Produce Market

6955 Oakland Mills Road, Ste A

Columbia, MD 21045
410-290-3464

NEAR: Nazar is in the same store that used to be Sizar's.  It's just off Oakland Mills Road on the west of Snowden River Parkway.  From Rte 175, drive south on Snowden and turn right at the traffic light on Oakland Mills.  Then take the first right into the shopping area.  Nazar is on the right on the ground level.  Look across the parking lot for Bon Fresco.

Pars Market in Columbia

Middle Eastern grocery stores are popping up in Columbia like crocuses in March.  (Lord, I hope those crocus pop soon!)

Pars Market opened last week on Snowden River Parkway in the same shopping center as Azul 17 and Nichi Bei Kai.  This is a small store where the owner is still filling the shelves, but it -- like the Nazar Produce Market that opened last weekend -- is already a resource for breads, spices, canned goods, and little treats like Turkish yogurt drinks and Iranian fruit rollups.

For now, Pars has basic supplies to cook Middle Eastern food -- rice, lentils, bulgar wheat, spices, yogurt, etc. -- and an array of packaged items like pickles, grape leaves and even rose water.  You can buy lavash and other breads, and there is a small refrigerated/frozen section.  Check out the fruit rollups in the display by the counter.  They're Iranian and quite delicious.

Pars' owner seems really nice and enthusiastic.  I picked up a bag of dried rose buds and brought them to the counter to ask what I would do with them.  He said that he didn't know.  So he called his sister on a cell phone, and we figured out together that they're used in teas and cooking for the rose aroma.  He talked up the hookahs and peach tobacco, which I have to admit smelled delicious.

If you're looking for ethnic grocery stores, you can see my 2009 post about them -- although I need to update now that Pars, Nazar and Columbia Halal Meat have opened.

Pars Market

9400 Snowden River Parkway

Columbia, MD  21045

443-259-0002

NEAR:  This is in the shopping center on Snowden River with Azul 17 and Royal Pizza.  This is south of Rte 175 and Oakland Park Boulevard.  Pars is right next to Royal Pizza.

Nazar -- A New Mediterranean/Middle Eastern Market -- To Open This Weekend In Columbia

Columbia gets a new market for Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food when Nazar Produce Market opens in Columbia this weekend.

Nazar Market is opening in the exact space where Sizar's sold Middle Eastern food until last year when it moved to Elkridge and changed its name to Ceazar International.  I stumbled on the new market Monday night when I was picking up dinner at Bon Fresco.  When I stuck my head into Nazar, the folks inside said that they would open this Saturday.

Based on the signs and the Web, Nazar will be open 10a to 8p daily.  That will fill a gap in the Columbia shopping, where you can get Mexican items at Lily's Mexican Market and Indian at a bunch of places, but had to go to U.S. 1 for Middle Eastern.  (Click here for a prior post about ethic shopping.)

The place has been completed rebuilt.  The signs are up.  The decor is modern and bright.  All the shelves and fixtures look new.  The folks there said they'll sell Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food, and the store's Facebook page suggests that the owners are Turkish.  (As in, some of the posts appear to be in Turkish.)  Packaged goods were already on some of the shelves.  There is a place for cheeses and a huge display at the entrance for baklava.  A wall of baklava!  Now, I just have to hope that Nazar will stock pistachio nougat!

(Update:  After a few weeks, Nazar dropped the "produce" from the name.  They added a halal butcher, which makes it a fine spot for lamb and goat.  Try this post about lamb kabobs.  The cooler also has delicacies like chicken hearts.  Personally, I keep going back for dried fruit, sausages like soujouk, and Middle Eastern ingredients like beans, bulgar, and dried lemons.  We also discovered Tamek sour cherry nectar, which is an uncarbonated soft drink that you can buy by the can or larger packages.)

Is it possible that two Middle Eastern markets are opening at the same time?  There was a comment last month saying that a market appears to be opening next to Royal Pizza on Snowden River.  I drove by in the dark last night, but I didn't see anything -- and didn't have the comment with me to know that I should actually stop at look in the windows next to Royal Pizza.  Anyone know about that?  (Update: Pars did open, and it's a Persian alternative in Columbia.)

For coupons, click on the Nazar Produce Web site.  For more, become a fan of Nazar on Facebook.  With Nazar, the local Middle Eastern market scene includes Ceazar International Market (the renamed Sizar's) in Elkridge and Aladdin Food Mart in Laurel.

Nazar Produce Market

6955 Oakland Mills Road, Ste A

Columbia, MD 21045

NEAR: Nazar is opening in the same store that used to be Sizar's.  It's just off Oakland Mills Road on the west of Snowden River Parkway.  From Rte 175, drive south on Snowden and turn right at the traffic light on Oakland Mills.  Then take the first right into the shopping area.  Nazar is on the right on the ground level.

Ceazar Restaurant in Elkridge

The new Caezar Restaurant is delicious addition to Elkridge -- Persian foods with an attention to detail, but a casual price.

The restaurant is the sister-business to Howard County's best Middle Eastern grocery store, which moved to Elkridge this year after 13 years in Columbia under the name Sizar's. Now, the Caezar International Market sits next to the restaurant, so you enjoy a great meal and carry home some delicacies for later.

Caezar Restaurant starts with a pretty basic menu -- appetizers, salads, and grilled meats served as wraps or platters. But the menu actually offers some unique variations, which I understood were the Iranian takes on food that I learned in Turkish and Lebanese restaurants. So the wraps come on a thin, lavash bread instead of pita, and the choices include items new to me like a yogurt and cucumber appetizer "mast-o khiyer," a sliced beef sandwich called "motadella," and a Persian noodle soup "ashe reshteh."

The meal was delicious. Our wraps came with a small starter plate of salad and bread, which was a really nice bonus. A square of salty cheese, radishes, onion, parsley and that "mast-o khiyer" appetizer. We ate them slowly with pieces of the house bread, which was a flavorful thin bread like pita, and it made the meal -- a late lunch when the restaurant was almost empty -- something more special than just your normal sandwiches. And the sandwiches were special themselves. Grilled meat (chicken or tenderloin) rolled inside that multi-layered lavash bread and accompanied with tomato, lettuce, herbs and pickle.

Again, the herbs and pickle were different. Caezar has a casual feel, but they want to be something more special than just a kabob joint. The modern plates and the tablecloths at dinnertime show you that they're offering something special. For that kind of attention to detail, the meal was a bargain. For $20, we each had drinks and sandwiches so large that we brought halves home as leftovers, plus we enjoyed the little salads and an appetizer of samose. That was six fried pastries filled with potatoes and peas. The menu calls them "spicy," but they're actually mild -- especially compared to the samosas and sauces that you would get at House of India or Mango Grove.

If you go to Caezar, you should definitely ask questions. The waiters were extremely friendly, and, once they realized that we were interested in Iranian food, they talked at length and let us sample a Persian garlic pickle that was completely new to me. They were also just incredibly nice. Mrs. HowChow loves yogurt dips like raita, so we ordered the mast-o khiyer appetizer. The waiter could have just brought us the dish and padded his check, but he pointed out that our sandwiches came with the same dip on the side. That's the kind of attention that makes me a regular.

If you enjoy grilled meats like the kabobs at Caezar, you should also check out the local variations -- another Persian option called Parsa Kabob off Rte 108 near Rte 174 or the Afghan joints like Maiwand Kabob in Columbia and Mimi's Kabob in Clarksville.

If you go to the Ceazar International Market next door, you should definitely try the pistachio nougat. Not cheap, but the rose water flavor makes this one of the most delicious things that you can buy anywhere.

Ceazar Restaurant

6801 Douglas Legum Drive
Elkridge, MD 21075
443-755-9442 (market)
442-755-9444 (restaurant)

NEAR: Just off Rte 103 east of U.S. 1. This is just south of Rte 100 and less than two miles from I-95. From Rte 100, you take U.S. 1 south, turn left at the first light onto Rte 103 and follow it as it curves twice. Ceazar is in a shopping center on the left.

Ceazar International Market in Elkridge

The king is dead. Long live the Ceazar.

The Ceazar International Market has opened just off Rte 100 in Elkridge. Under the name Sizar's, this was the king of Middle Eastern grocery stores for more than 13 years in Columbia, and the new store is beautiful.

It's not full yet. The shelves are heavy with the canned and dried goods that range from dried beans to rice, from stuffed eggplants to ghee. The freezers are ready to sell you samosas, cheeses, and Indian curries. But there is still empty space, and they're slowing adding stock to the new location. This is a great place to explore if you want to cook Middle Eastern food or just find ingredients like spices, teas, rose water, or Jallab syrup. Folks there are happy to answer questions or make suggestions.

One of the innovations is a butcher counter, where you'll be able to get goat, lamb, beef, veal and chicken. It's all halal. This is the kind of place where you should go and tell them what you want. The owner was very proud that they aren't freezing meat back there. It's all fresh, and he wants to stock what customers want to buy.

My old standbys have moved from Columbia to Elkridge. It's worth your time to check out Ceazar Market for just the pistachio nougat -- my favorite light candy flavored with nuts and rose water. It's not cheap, but it's so unique and so delicious.

Ceazar opened a restaurant next to the market, which is excellent and extremely friendly. It's Persian food, which was delicious and interestingly different. I'll post a separate review, but I'll talk up the wraps, the samose appetizer and the staff that was happy to answer questions. The restaurant is casual, but the modern dishes and the tablecloths at night reflect the kitchen's clear desire to be more than just a kabob shop.

If you want to read more, click for the starting page for my "What I Learned" guide to food in Howard County.

Ceazar International Market and Restaurant

6801 Douglas Legum Drive
Elkridge, MD 21075

443-755-9442 (market)

442-755-9444 (restaurant)

NEAR: Just off Rte 103 east of U.S. 1. This is just south of Rte 100 and less than two miles from I-95. From Rte 100, you take U.S. 1 south, turn left at the first light onto Rte 103 and follow it as it curves twice. Ceazar is in a shopping center on the left.