Grabbing Some Final Outdoor Meals -- Pure Wine Cafe's New Space And The Main Street Patios

View from Pure Wine's patio

The Pure Wine Cafe is one of many places that we enjoyed, but rarely found ourself revisiting.

Now is the time to eat there again -- especially if you can try their new patio in the fleeting nights of the year when we can eat outside.

Pure Wine started as a tiny place on Main Street in Ellicott City.  Small plates.  Good wines.  But such a tiny space that they didn't take reservations, and it often took second place to restaurants where we knew that we could get parking and a seat.

Now, they've blown through a wall and spread upstairs into a second dining room and a stone patio overlooking Main Street.  It's beautiful space and -- like the new patio at Portalli's -- a real reason to explore downtown Ellicott City.

The patio.

Pure Wine has always had a fun kitchen.  A small, seasonal menu.  On Sunday nights, some dishes even sell out because they only buy what they expect to use.  It's also a fun joint.  We arrived on one of those Sunday nights when all the outdoor seats were filled.  The hostess set us up on two chairs a few steps above the patio.  We drank wine and a cider from Millstone Cellars in Monkton, then slid into a table once one opened.

We missed some sliders that looked terrific, but we ate well.  A salad with spinach, peaches and goat cheese.  Some fish tacos.  And a terrific charcuterie plate headlined by salami and an amazing blue cheese.  The cheese was creamy with a blue flavor, but milder so that it went well with everything else on the plate.

Sitting outside gives a new feel to Pure Wine.  You overlook the Old Columbia Pike intersection.  It's almost a city feel.  The entire new space is modern.  A sleek bathroom.  A wine cellar built into the bedrock with glass walls so that you can see inside as you walk upstairs.  A new second-floor dining room where 10 people were watching a pair of guitar players perform while we ate.  With original bar on the first floor, you now have three really different options -- and they take reservations.

When we were there, the Pure Wine folks were talking about heaters to extend the season.  It's all new. They're figuring it out.

Link: The Sun Drinks Deeply At Rumor Mill, But The Food Does Not Make Gorelick As Happy

The Rumor Mill got a pretty friendly write-up in the Sun on Sunday, but the bad news is the review that wasn't enthusiastic about the food.

Richard Gorelick clearly liked chef Mathew Milani and his ambition, and he recommends the infused vodkas and rums that the Rumor Mill makes in-house.  But that didn't translate into the food Gorelick ate.  A tiny chunk:

. . . I have run into few chefs as eager to please as Milani, who paid a pleasant visit to our table and who appears absolutely in earnest about his restaurant's mission. It would be much easier to turn a buck in Ellicott City with pub grub. I admire Milani for sticking to his guns.

But I find myself without a single dish to lavish praise on. A duck dish came very close: This was a simply presented dish of cardamom-infused sous-vide duck breast, thinly sliced, served with brined cherries and pomegranate oil. If it suffered from anything, it was being in such uninspired company.

Oddly, Gorelick had just listed Rumor Mill as the 12th best restaurant in Howard County (and 28th best in his Top 50 in Baltimore, Howard and Anne Arundel counties).  That had kicked off comments from people like Ken Oh, who talked up Johnny's and complained about Rumor Mill's inconsistency.


I have actually never been to the Rumor Mill.  HoCo Rising recommends it and already defended the bread pudding against charges of density.  The bread pudding was HoCo Rising's #3 favorite food in Howard County -- ahead of burgers and lobster grilled cheese!

Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City

Whenever I worry if I'm too tough on restaurants, I think about the small things that make me love places like Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City.

Friendly people.  Delicious food, and prices that encourage you to explore and come back again.

That's a short list, but it's a hard enough recipe that Pure Wine stands out for its success.  This is a tiny space with a tiny menu -- one room off Main Street with maybe seven tables and a short bar.  The list of small-plate dishes barely matches the cocktail list at some of your trendiest joints.

So why did we leave with huge smiles?

Azul 17: A First Visit

Azul 17 is slowly opening the kitchen, and we stepped in last week to take a peek.

I'm pretty excited by the new Mexican restaurant on Snowden River Parkway because it's trying something different -- a mix of real Mexican recipes, trendy "small plates" and a modern, classy design out here in Columbia.

Our first dinner was great fun, and I didn't even try the tacos, which sound spectacular and which Dzoey commended last week. The official grand opening will be about October 8. For now, they're serving appetizers and small dishes, gradually adding the main courses, desserts and the full spread. You start with great chips. You have to love that, and I loved both of our "platos pequenos" -- a paprika-spiced shrimp in camarones al periodico and grilled cactus with vegetables and tortillas in napalito asado. The napalito particularly was excellent as we made little tacos of cactus and the stewed vegetables at the bottom of the bowl. This kitchen aims high with unusual spices and layered flavors.

(We're so "Top Chef" these days. Mrs. HowChow loves to say "layered flavors.")

I hope the ceviche is popular. I liked the tuna, but I'm a tough judge of ceviche because I haven't eaten anything in years as delicious as the three-fish plate

at Alma de Cuba. I also hope that Azul 17 does something to improve the guacamole. Eleven bucks is a real price. We got an avocado mixed with some vegetables and queso fresco. Nice, but not a real dish like the tableside at Rosa Mexicano or places that have strong or unique flavors. Mrs. HowChow makes her signature dish with goat cheese, pistachios and chipotle that has a strength that I didn't get in the Azul 17 "rojo" ceviche. It took her months to work out her ratios, and she still has the advantage of tasting the guacamole as she makes it up. The Azul 17 waitress was really nice, but I will try other dishes before returning to the guacamole. (I also didn't know why our "rojo" was $1.50 more than the "traditional" when the only difference appeared to be a few tablespoons of queso fresco.)

Overall, I'm really excited. The Azul people were friendly. The decor is cool without being affected -- a mix of modern, but comfortable seating with Mexican paintings and neon lights. The menu will eventually have a million tequila variations, but they also have some non-alcoholic touches like agua frescas and horchata that shows they're looking for authentic Mexican, not just a party scene.

Definitely give Azul 17 a try. This isn't a cheap joint. You're going to average $10 each even for the little dishes, so it's $40 quick for two and that's without a margarita. But it looks like a special place for Howard County, and I'm excited to go back.

Click here for the 2009 "best restaurants" in Howard County.

Bistro Blanc Gets A Nice Review -- And Offers Some Wine Dinners

Bistro Blanc got a very nice review Sunday from Elizabeth Large in the Sun.  She says the small plates paired with wine are worth a drive from Baltimore -- so this is certainly a place worth checking out if you're lucky enough to live closer.

The Glenelg restaurant is run by the former chef at Iron Bridge Wine Company.  I haven't been yet, but Bistro Blanc shares the Iron Bridge formula of small plates, refined food, and a focus on wine. 

Bistro Blanc is offering two wine dinners this summer where winemakers will actually come talk about their vintages over four-course meals.  On June 22, the dinner will cost $75 and feature wines from Wolf Blass in Australia.  On July 20, the dinner will cost $100 and feature California wines from Duckhorn Vineyards.

For more information, check out the restaurant's own blog.  BillZ of the Live in Howard County blog is working for Bistro Blanc and publicizing news and other items about the restaurant and its chef Marc Dixon.

Progressive Dinner: Walk The Street of Maple Lawn To Trapeze, oZ Chophouse and Ranazul

Choose your own adventure by staging a progressive dinner at the three upscale restaurants in the Maple Lawn development in Fulton.

Trapeze, oz Chophouse and Ranazul are each worth their own visit -- and their own review -- but the trendy, comfortable bars in each joint invite you to start by sampling your w
ay through all three. They're on three corners of the same intersection, so it's almost a city night walking from door to door.

We started with Trapeze's "New American" menu for a crab-topped fried green tomato and the "Bluestone" salad highlighted by bacon and a mustard dressing. Next time, I might try the flat iron carpaccio. (I love calamari, but we once were served the most rubbery disaster. Be stronger than we were and send that back.)

You could visit in any order because all three have nice selections and idiosyncratic beer/wine lists. But we crossed next to oz Chophouse for the tuna tartare, the calamari and a side order of macaroni and cheese. The tuna was the best savory dish of the night, and the waitress recommended a wine -- even let Mrs. HowChow sample -- with the fun, relaxed air that makes all three of the Maple Lawn places inviting. The crab dip has also been delicious. But realize that oz is the only bar where they blared the televisions. Sounds great if you're there for the ballgame, but it did cut down on the "night out" atmosphere of the other two.

We finished at Ranazul. Order the sopapias. Don't argue with me. We tried other desserts, and even though Ranazul has exquisite tapas, I recommend the good coffee and these fried triangles, dusted with sweet spices and drizzled with honey. (Ask for extra honey. Sometimes, they're drier than others.)

Overall, this is an expensive night. With three drinks, five small dishes, coffee and two desserts, I think we spent close to $100. But it was a slow night where we talked and adventured more than we would in any single restaurant.

(Update: Trapeze closed.)

Click here for a full post about Ranazul.  If you're in Maple Lawn, check out the i.m. Wine liquor store.  Or click for a working list of the best restaurants in Howard County.

Trapeze
8180 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-4411http://www.trapezeonline.net/

oz Chophouse
8191 Maple Lawn Boulevard
Fulton, MD 20759
301-490-4003
http://www.ozchophouse.com/

Ranazul
8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard, Suite 170
Fulton, MD 20759
301-498-9666http://www.ranazul.us/

NEAR: The Maple Lawn development is on Rte 216 just west of Rte 29. From Rte 29, you pass through one traffic circle. Then you'll see the development on the right and enter from the second traffic circle. There is parking behind any of the restaurants.

Ranazul: Tapas with a Mexican Flair

Come to Ranazul expected to be pleased, not filled. The tapas are exquisite, a mix of Mexican and American dishes with the traditional Spanish.

This Tuesday, three of us split a parade of tuna tartare, arepas, patatas bravas, sauteed scallops, and shrimp in tequila sauce. Each one was exquisite -- a subtle spice to the tuna, a delicious sauce to the shrimp. The perfect fried potatoes -- crisp on the outside, almost pillowy in the center.

It's a beautiful space. Modern decor. It is a city restaurant experience, far more like Harbor East or Penn Quarter than Columbia Mall. It's a dress-up dinner, but not a stuffy place. (Except for the offer to rent a liquor locker to people who buy $1,000 in wine.) Jeans are fine. The bar is friendly with a happy hour and strong sangria. Jazz musicians play Tuesday nights.

But don't go to fill up. Ranazul has a 301 area code, and it has Bethesda prices that make each plate a touch more expensive that I'd expect. Bread is a $1. Completely forgettable olives are $3. You don't want to order the shrimp if you mind cutting the two shrimp into pieces for multiple people. The draw is that everything is thoughtful and fun. End the meal with sopapias, fried triangles dusted with cinnamon, drizzled with honey, and topped with a generous scoop of ice cream.

(Update: The owner of Ranazul is aiming to open a steakhouse at the former Oz Chophouse in late 2009.)

Ranazul

8171 Maple Lawn Boulevard #170

Fulton, MD 20759

301-498-9666

NEAR: In the Maple Lawn commercial area just north of Rte 216. Maple Lawn is just west of Rte 29. The oz Chop House and Trapeze are on the same intersection. This is one exit north of the Montgomery County line in southern HoCo.