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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tacos At Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia

Tacos from Lily's Mexican Market

This was supposed to be the post where I told you that you can't find cactus at Wegmans.

Cactus makes great veggie tacos, and I recommend Lily's Mexican Market for the house-made tortillas and the chance to buy cactus, tomatillos, chorizo and other meat from the Mexican butcher.  I was going to make the point that you should go to Lily's because you can't buy catcus at Wegmans.

But you can buy cactus at Wegmans.  It's on the left wall near the scallions that I needed on Sunday.

Get some cactus too

So you should go to Lily's because you can't buy tacos anywhere else in Columbia like these.  Lily's Mexican Market is a small grocery with snacks and baked goods in the front, several rows of packaged and canned goods like chipotle peppers, then the butcher and taco counter in the back.  

The tacos are $2.50 each with a discount if you buy three with rice and beans.  Last Friday, there were six varieties at lunch time -- variations on slow-cooked pork, chicken, beef and lamb.  I went with pork and lamb.

The Lily's tacos are large and saucy.  I always split the meat between two tortillas.  The lamb sauce soaked through quickly, and I was grabbing napkins as quickly as I was eating the meat.  The toppings are onions, cilantro and a guacamole spread.  Overall, it's a grand lunch.  I can't say that it knocks off R&R Taqueria in Elkridge or Tere's Latin Market in Ellicott City, but it's definitely worth checking out, especially with a Mexican Coca-Cola or a tamarind soda right out of the fridge.

For a home version, check out the recipe for cactus tacos on this prior post.  Lily sells everything you need -- especially fresh tortillas.  Omit the chorizo to make it vegetarian.  Consider buying some tomatillos, cutting them in half, then cooking them on a hot pan until they soften.  Then blend or process with garlic and onion.  They make a great salsa.  For more, check out Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday.

Lily's Mexican Market
6490 Dobbin Center Way
Columbia, MD 21045
410-772-5459

NEAR: The DMV off Dobbins Road just south of Rte 175. Look for the intersection with a Blockbuster. The shopping center with the DMV, Lily's and Sushi Kingrestaurant is across Dobbins from the Blockbuster.

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.

The Butcher At Lily's Mexican Market

Soft tacos with meat from Lily's

I need advice about how to use the butcher at Lily's Mexican Market.  I see great opportunity, but I don't know what to buy.

Lily's is a terrific market off Dobbin Road in Columbia.  I have gone for years to buy fresh tortillas, canned goods, cheeses, and even some fresh produce like avocados, tomatillos and cactus.  Now, I want to expand into the meat counter.

My last trip was successful, although not what I expected.  I bought fajita meat expecting to grill something that looked like a skirt steak from Laurel Meat Market.  Instead, I got four separate pieces of meat.  They were maybe a half-inch thick with ragged edges, halfway between what I expected and some paper-thin cuts for a Philadelphia cheesesteak.

Fajita meat from Lily's

I didn't grill the meat.  I heated a cast iron skillet and just touched pieces down for 60-90 seconds per side until they cooked through.  Then  I sliced them against the grain -- and there was a strong grain -- to serve with vegetables and cheese for soft tacos.

My dinner had a great beef flavor and a chew similar to skirt steak.  At a minimum, you could start with an order of fajita meat because good ingredients served with Lily's house-made corn tortillas will make a great dinner no matter what you do.  But I'd love advice about what else to buy and what else to cook.

Lily's butcher board

I can translate Lily's butcher chalk board -- oxtail, beef leg, leg of lamb, pork chops, pork chorizo, etc.  But I know very little about meat, and I know that cuts differ.  A pork chop isn't the same as every other pork chop.  I was trying to use a recipe from Rick Bayless' Mexican Everyday, but his recipe clearly wasn't describing the cut that I got when I ordered "fajita" meat.  What are the popular cuts at a butcher aimed at Mexican or Central American chefs?  What recipes work?

If you're looking for interesting butcher options, you're in luck around Howard County.  There are three full-service butchers in an American style heavy on beef and pork along with a growing group of halal butchers for lamb and the Korean-style packages at the Asian grocery stores.  For links to them all, click back to my collection of butchers, bakeries and groceries in the Welcome Home series.

R&R Taqueria On Food Network Tonight

Remember:  The R&R Taqueria segments on "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" airs tonight at 10 pm.  Check your listings for the Food Network.


Guy Fieri and the Food Network came through town last fall to film at R&R Taqueria in the Shell Station on U.S. 1 in Elkridge.  Tonight, the shows broadcasts, and you can see a little bit of Elkridge make the national scene.


(Update:  The segment kicks off the show.  It's terrific.  Watch for rebroadcasts of "Time Tested Treasures."  Owner Rodrigo Albarran-Torres is the star showing off how to make pork and lamb dishes with Fieri and Joe Theismann.  But the cameo customers include the guys behind Strobist and Southern Skies Coffee and include Alberto Flores, who kicked off the R&R love by talking up Rodrigo's tacos in a HowChow comment.)


(Update II:  Photo of Strobist!)

The Food Network Came To Elkridge, And All I Got Was Two Hours Enjoying The Sunshine

The stars of the show -- Chef Rodrigo and family

Guy Fieri and a team filming his Food Network show are working around Baltimore this week, and the star spent much of this morning at R&R Taqueria in Elkridge.

R&R had to close today and November 14 to accommodate the Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives crew, but the owner Rodrigo Albarran-Torres was allowed to invite a few people to appear as customers.  I was honored to get the nod, and I had a great time even though I had to leave while the cameras were still working inside with Rodrigo, Fieri and his guest Joe Theismann.

This was fun like I had fun on a fishing trip where we caught nothing.  The sun was beautiful.  I talked to the folks behind the Strobist blog and Southern Skies Coffee Roasters.  I also chatted with Alberto Flores, who left the first comment about R&R two years ago.  (Alberto and his wife recommended a new dish at another spot for me to try -- which set Rodrigo teasing them that they were helping the competition.)

We watched Fieri and Theismann film a little piece with the show's signature Camaro at the Shell station's pumps.  My favorite moment was watching the two celebrities pose together so that they could each have someone snap a photo with their personal cell phones.  Then we stood around talking until I had to go back to work.  The crew is subtle enough people had no idea they were filming a show.  People kept trying to walk into the restaurant, and a guy had to walk over and explain why the doors were locked.

Let me know when anyone hears when DD&D will air the R&R episode.  I'd love to update.  This couldn't happen to a nicer guy -- or for better food.  This wasn't a PR event.  It was bunch of people standing outside because they really like Rodrigo and R&R.  Click here for all the posts about R&R and its delicious tacos, ceviche, agua fresco, etc.

R&R Tops The Washington Post's List, And That Makes All Of The HowChow Work Worthwhile

Cochinta tacos at R&R Taqueria

Tom Sietsema meet Alberto A. Flores -- the reason why you can enjoy the Mexican food at R&R Taqueria.

Sietsema published his Fall Dining Guide yesterday.  He picked 40 restaurants where he would want to be a regular, and one was the taqueria in the Shell station at the Jessup/Elkridge line.  Let me summarize part of the list:

• CityZen, Washington DC
• Black Salt, Washington DC
• Woodberry Kitchen, Baltimore
• R&R Taqueria, Elkridge

This is one my proudest days as a minor food blogger.  Two years ago tomorrow, Flores dropped a comment on one of my posts, and that sparked my repeated posts reporting on R&R offerings like tacos, agua fresca, horchata and huarache.  That even got my wife to eat in a gas station.

As far as I can tell, my drumbeats got picked up in February when a Wall Street Journal writer researched a five-state roundup of "tacos in gas stations."  That sparked a run of blog posts from Tyler Cowen, Todd Kliman and others.  I wrote before about how much I appreciate the new media innovation of giving credit about where you first heard about something.  I can only assume Sietsema read one of those bloggers and ended up sampling the chicken tacos, the lamb soup, and pollo Mexicano stew.  That food chain of small fish to medium fish ends up with the big fish reviewing the food in a Howard County gas station:

If there's an upside to a sour economy, it's this pint-size eatery with a mere eight stools, which offers the chance to eat tacos every bit as swell as those in Mexico City, the owner's birthplace.

You have to go try R&R now, right?  I have it in my draft "Best Of" list for 2011, but Sietsema was picking places from Fairfax to Baltimore.  Trust him that R&R is something special.  Trust me that all the time invested in a hobby blog becomes worthwhile when I find something delicious and help pass the news into the big-time.  If nothing else, start with the cochinta tacos above -- new to me last month and absolutely scrumptious with a citrus flavor to the pork.

And thank Alberto A. Flores when you love the food.

Horchata At R&R Tacqueria

R&R Taqueria brings genuine Mexican food, and now they're expanding their offerings of authentic drinks as well.

I have raved and raved about the tacos, ceviche and other food.  I have even talked up the agua frescas that bring fruit flavors to your lunch.  Now, you need to order horchata as well.

Horchata is a traditional Mexican soft drink, often made from rice, ground almonds, spices and maybe milk.  You end up with a glass of creamy, light refreshment.  Mrs. HowChow says R&R's has the flavors of a fall latte -- cinnamon, maybe allspice.  The cold goes perfectly with the fresh, spicy salsas that R&R serves up with its tacos.

Tacos And Mexican Along U.S. 1 -- It's A World To Explore And A Treasure To Taste R&R's Success

The "Steak Tipikal" plate at El Tipikal

Once, I happily stopped for barbecued meats anywhere on the side of U.S. 1, but R&R Taqueria has changed my view about Mexican food.

I recommend a U.S. 1 tour for anyone who wants to find their own delicacies.

Like I did, start with the taco trucks like Pupuseria Lorenita in Elkridge.  They're serving tacos or big Mexican sandwiches.  Then work up to the mobile barbecues.  These guys -- often on weekends -- drag half-barrel grills behind a truck and offer up ribs or other meats outside spots like Chesapeake Supply or Mel's Liquors on Rte 175.  For about $10, you get meat in a styrofoam clamshell with rice, beans and salsa.

The new arrival is El Tipikal, which opened earlier this year on the northbound lanes of U.S. 1 in Laurel and appears poised to stay.  It's a wood and plastic shelter built against a catering truck.  They have an enormous grill, and the menu runs from tacos to burritos to steaks with the usual rice, beans and salsa.  It's just a stand, but they have lights and a solid construction that make it seem like they plan on seven days a week for a while.

El Tipikal is fun.  If Lonely Planet wrote a guide of Howard County, it would send 20ish tourists for pork tacos under the plastic roof.  My carnitas taco was delicious and cheap at $2.  The salsas and guacamole are fresh and zesty, and I love the touch of fresh tortillas and cut limes.  But I have to admit that I sat at the table eating my steak and thinking about R&R Taqueria.

R&R Taqueria Loves HowChow Users; You Should Love Them For Tacos, Maybe Some Soup

R&R Taqueria's business card (Thanks CupcakeRN)

Huarache at R&R Taqueria -- The Secret Menu At R&R Is Your Mouth; Ask For Something Special

I keep writing about R&R Taqueria because you should keep going back to R&R Taqueria.

It was easy for me to fall into a rut of tacos, tacos, tacos.  They're so delicious.  But the takeout joint in a Shell station on Rte 175 offers a broader array of Mexican food -- broader even than its printed menu.

Definitely check out the specials.  Last week, they had a chorizo black bean soup that looked interesting.  But I ordered huarache because Tyler Cowen posted that R&R served the best huarache that he had ever eaten.  

What's a huarache? Start with Wikipedia's profile on the Mexican dish.  Then go order one.  I got an oblong cornmeal base, something between a thick tortilla and an Indian bread.  The base is grilled to have just a touch of char taste.  Mine came topped with a mild white cheese, "al pastor" pork, and some cream.  Dropped on top was probably half an avocado, sliced and perfectly ripe.

Lamb Soup And New Media At R&R Tacqueria

The legend of the R&R Tacqueria on Rte 175 is growing, and it is entirely deserved.  We went back for lamb soup and tacos, and I don't think there is a better bowl of soup in Howard County.

Rich with flavor, generously spiced and outfitted with tender meat.  R&R turns out a perfect soup where the spoonfuls differ as you pull of lamb or vegetables, but the bowl comes together in a strikingly red broth.  The deep broth shows off R&R talent.  There is a combination greater than the parts.  That's the trick that separates a real dish from just stuff simmered together in a pot.

And it's $5 for soup and a taco.  Why aren't you eating lunch at R&R today?

Check out the soup -- along with some other items like huarache and chile relleno that have been talked up in a series of articles sparked by the WSJ mention.  Tyler Cowen posted about all three, calling the huarache the best that he has even eaten -- including in Mexico.  We actually were ordering at R&R when the owner got a copy of the WSJ, and it was really fun to see him excited by the well-deserved attention.

Link: R&R Tacos In Wall Street Journal (Really!)

R&R Taqueria made the Wall Street Journal -- the last entry in a "Food and Drink" summary of tacos in gas stations.

Katy McLaughlin wrote up tacos from Texas, Georgia, Portland and Elridge.  Whoops.  Elkridge.  You need to hit up R&R at the Shell Station at U.S. 1 and Rte 175 in Elkridge.  Click for all the HowChow posts on R&R Taqueria.

Thanks to Marty Katz who posted a link on the HowChow Facebook page.

Dreaming Up Food Fights - Tacos, Tandoori . . .

A tweet from another blogger sent me to El Nayar in Elkridge to think about what food battles I'd like to see in Howard County.

The Swim Write Run blog has been running a great series of "Food vs. Food" posts pitting two local restaurants against each other -- two flapjacks, two gnocchi, two kabobs, etc.   She tweeted about how there were so many good places in Howard County -- so much good food to research for her series.

What food would I recommend for future battles?  I thought about it in the parking lot of El Nayar in Elkridge -- one of the nice, casual Mexican places that have popped up along U.S. 1.  Simple place, but the kind that serves crisp vegetables, slow-cooked meat, and smoky, house-made salsas that make me wonder why anyone goes for fast food tacos.  El Nayar tacos are $2 each, and they're delicious.

A good battle needs two strong dishes, and it can't cost a fortune.  The beauty for Swim Write Run is that all of her swimming and running means she can eat and write for a long time.  My list of candidates:

• Tacos.  El Nayar against R&R Taqueria on the Elkridge/Jessup line.  R&R is probably still my favorite, but these are really close.  Other candidates: Azul 17's upscale offerings in Columbia, Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia or Pupuseria Lorenita's -- one of the taco trucks on U.S. 1.
• Tandoori chicken.  House of India in Columbia is my reigning joint, but people love Royal Taj in Columbia as well.

Grilling Week At The Mexican Market: Shepherd's Tacos And Grilled Corn With Cheese

The recipes that pushed me over the top for Steven Raichlen's Planet Barbecue were tacos al pastor and grilled corn with cheese.

Lily's Mexican Market was one of my original food finds in Howard County, but Raichlen's book led me to ingredients that I had never noticed before.  It let me pair Lily's house-made corn tortillas with pork marinated in Mexican flavors, grilled thin-sliced, then served with pineapple for a dinner that felt more like a restaurant than my patio.

All week I have been posting about Planet Barbecue and promoting the book for people who want to explore Howard County's ethnic shopping.  You have to know Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia, and you will want to taste these tacos.

Eating Fish In A Gas Station (Or Why You Should Get A Ceviche Lunch At R&R Taqueria)

The R&R Deli (nee R&R Taqueria) was one of my favorite discoveries when I was just eating tacos and fresh fruit milkshakes.

But the takeout in the Shell Station at Rte 175 and U.S. 1 has broadened its menu -- including a ceviche special that made a delicious lunch.  For less than $4, you get a takeout shell filled with marinated fish and sliced avocado on a crispy tostada.  This isn't exotic restaurant ceviche, but it's fresh and full of flavor with tomatoes, cilantro and onion.  It's a nice mix of fish so that each bite is slightly different, and the marinating liquid soaked beautifully into the tostada.

If you're eating lunch in Columbia, then you need to give yourself a break and try R&R.  For the price of your regular sandwich, I got the ceviche and a barbacoa taco.  Those tacos are still shockingly fresh with the deep flavors of barbecue and the fresh taste of herbs and spicy salsa.  This is a takeout that wants to make exceptional food.  The classic "hole-in-the-wall" that makes it fun to troll for new options.

The doctor in the house has approved the R&R tacos.  In the interest of full disclosure, I admit that I'm the only one to sample the ceviche so far.

R&R Deli

7894 Washington Boulevard

Elkridge, MD 21075

410-799-0001

NEAR: The deli is in the Shell station at U.S. 1 and Rte 175 on the Elkridge/Jessup line. It's really convenient from Rte 175 -- just go east from Columbia across I-95 and then look left at U.S. 1.