Pakistani Hot Pepper Gummis at Columbia Halal

Hot pepper gummy bears could be an absolute joke, but the Chili Mili candies are actually more delicious than I expected.

I bought two bags -- 25 cents each -- at Columbia Halal Meat on Rte 108 figuring that they'd be humorous.  But I have bought a dozen since then because they're pretty good.  They're spicy.  Spicy enough that the heat builds over even a little bag.

These are along the line of the super mango lollipop from El Patio Market or the candies at Mexican places like Lily's Mexican Market that mix salty, spicy and sweet.  If anything, the Chili Mili gummies are more mainstream than, say, tamarind maracas.  These are candies, nothing artisenal.  Gummies on the stiff side, and the sweet, hot flavor building as you eat each one.  Maybe not kid-friendly, but great fun for anyone who likes sugar and spice and everything nice.

Mediterranean Kabob in Laurel

There are times when a casual dinner can make all the difference in the world, when you just want some fresh bread, a little grilled meat, some flavor that you don't have to whip up with your own hands.

For example, imagine that you come home every night on the MARC to Laurel.  And imagine that your wife is, say, an orthopedic surgery resident at the University of Maryland.  She is sleeping at the hospital every third night, so you're driving home wondering what you should do for dinner.

Well -- David, yes you David -- you should stop at the Mediterranean Kabob on U.S. 1 just north of Main Street and just over the line in Howard County.  Casual place with counter service and a basic menu of grilled meats.  Kabobs, gyros, side dishes and rice.

It's a basic version of Maiwand Kabob.  Mediterranean doesn't have the vegetables side dishes that make Maiwand one of my Top 10 restaurants, but it's a friendly place that serves a nice sandwich.  I have had the kabobs and the gyro.  Both times, they met my expectations -- delicious grilled meat, crisp fresh bread, and none of the overwhelming grease that comes on cheap gyros.  Gyros rely on fatty ground meat.  It might be dinner that you don't mention to your wife the doctor.  But the good ones leave you satisfied without feeling gross, and Mediterranean kabob threads the skewer right down the middle.

While you're at Mediterranean, consider the kabob-e-kubideh.  I haven't tried it yet, but Shaheen emailed me to talk up that ground beef kabob, the gyro and the baklava.  He and I also hope that there will be outdoor seating in the courtyard outside the front door.  It isn't scenic, but it's relatively peaceful and certainly qualifies as a parking lot cafe.

There is one wild card here: Mediterranean may have completed changed.  I pulled a link from Yelp because you should read the review by Su K., who talks up chicken kabobs in the funny, substantive style that makes him one of my favorites.  The review below Su K.'s said Mediterranean Kabob had hired a new chef in February -- a Thai woman who had added spring rolls and Asian chicken.  That sounded spectacular until I actually emailed with Teacherme, who said new management took over since that review.  Different managers?  Different chef? Totally different place?

Well, David, you'll have to check it out and let me know.

If you're checking out Mediterranean Kabob, you'll probably drive past a bunch of other great food.  I wrote two "tours" that run you past cool places -- one along U.S. 1: The Foodie Frontier and one of southern Howard County that runs through Main Street Laurel.

Mediterranean Kabob

10095 Washington Blvd, Ste 107
Laurel, MD 20723

(301) 498-5000

NEAR:  Mediterranean Kabob is in the ground floor of one of the new apartment buildings in the middle of U.S. 1 just north of downtown Laurel.  One entrance faces the northbound lanes, and another entrance faces the central courtyard where there is parking.

Kabob Skewers at Pars Market

Kabobs are within your reach -- and won't fall apart when you try to take them off the grill -- if you grab a few thick metal skewers at the new Pars Market in Columbia.

Thin skewers work fine for vegetables, but you can't thread a ground meat kabob on a pencil-sized piece of metal.  They fall apart when you try to lift them.  That's why Pars sells inch-wide skewers for a few dollars each -- either as a package or individual skewers.

For an easy night, you can also buy the Sadaf ground kabob seasoning at Pars, mix it with some ground beef or lamb, and make the long thin kabobs that you see in the photograph.  Those -- made with ground chuck from the Laurel Meat Market -- cooked as simply as hamburgers and came off the grill beautifully.  


I'm looking for some recipes to make kabobs from scratch, maybe with some lamb from the butcher at Columbia Halal Meat Market or Caezar International Market in Elkridge.  Just a short Google search turned up seasonings from Indian to Lebanese.

(Update: Check out Brandon Miller-Milhouse's comment below linking to a recipe for Indian lamb kabobs.)

(Update II: Also, I assume that "David" and "Joseph" below are fake comments.  Not that there is any substance to the comments, but I think it is only fair to point out that I appear to have someone posting vague compliments about Pars and insults about a competitor.  I was one insult away from erasing all the comments, but those seem to have stopped.  If I'm wrong, then "David" or "Joseph" are welcome to email me directly.  Update III;  The fake comments continue, so I erased them all.)

Halal "Rice Crispies" At Columbia Halal Meat

The rice crispy treat is a holy dessert in the HowChow family. Mrs. HowChow doesn't like cake, so we cut a giant rice and marshmallow treat in the midst of our wedding reception.

Columbia Halal Meat in Elkridge specializes in, well, halal meat, but they have a pretty good rice crispy treat for sale at the cash register under the brand Halal Crispy Treats -- 59 cents each, two for a dollar.

Most pre-packaged treats are failures, either too sweet or a soft texture that misses the original. Mrs. HowChow loved Starbucks' version, but someone messed with that recipe about a year ago. In our taste test, we split on the Halal Crispy Treat. I thought it was good -- noticeably less sweet than the official supermarket Rice Crispie Treats and a definite snack options. Mrs. HowChow wants her told Starbucks treat back. She thought the Halal Crispy Treat still had a chemical taste common to prepackaged versions. (They're all still better than the Cheerios and Tang bars that my healthy mother served in decades past.)

If you're looking for more-traditional baked goods, check out my post about the best bakeries in Howard County.

Columbia Halal Meat in Elkridge

Howard County's butchers have added a spiritual flavor with Columbia Halal Meat that has opened on Rte 108 and stands out for lamb, goat and some other cuts perfect for winter cooking.

Columbia Halal Meat is actually just across the line in Elkridge, but it's worth crossing Rte 108 if you want halal meat or if you're just looking for cuts like the lamb shoulder that I purchased over the weekend.

Columbia Halal Meat is a small Indian grocery store with rice, spices, boxed meals and other items that you can get at any of Howard County's Indian grocery stores like Food Cravings and Desi Market in Columbia and Eastern Bazar or Apna Bazar in Laurel.

As the name promises, Columbia Halal's claim to fame is the small halal butcher in the back. Obviously, the meat is crucial for Muslims who follow the religious rules. But it's an asset for anyone who wants to step outside the supermarket meat section. First, Columbia Halal sells cuts -- like whole lamb shoulders and whole goats -- that you can't just pick up in a plastic tray. Second, the butchers at Columbia Halal handle your order personally.

They're running a bandsaw right in view, and they'll cut your order however you want.

Clearly, not the spot for vegetarians (although I did see Mango Grove flyers next to the cash registers). But it's a resource for people who want that special attention. I bought a lamb shoulder. Initially, I couldn't find the "shoulder" on their list of cuts. I'm such a child of the supermarkets that the butcher had to point out that "leg" and "shoulder" mean the same thing on a sheep. It's not like sheep have arms.

Overall, it's a nice store. A good resources for the basic Indian ingredients if you live near Rte 108. The butchers let me stand around for a while probably because I didn't look their regular customers, but they were happy to help once I explained what I needed. They sell chicken, beef, goat and lamb. Next time, I need to ask if they grind their own beef in the store. I'm looking for a source for hamburger that didn't come from a factory, and Columbia Halal might just be my partner to grill.

For other butchers, check out my post about meat markets in Howard County. The other local option for Halal meat is the Ceazar International Market in Elkridge near Rte 100 and U.S. 1. I haven't looked for meat there in months, but they advertise on their Web site that they have bulked up the offerings.

Columbia Halal Meat

6520 Old Waterlook Road #J

Elkridge, MD 21075

410-799-1910

NEAR: This is in the shopping center next to the Food Lion on Rte 108 near Rte 175. Turn into the Food Lion from Rte 108 and turn curve left into the shopping center that also includes a Chinese restaurant and a

Link: Sun Raves About Ceazar Restaurant

Ceazar Restaurant in Elkridge got a rave from Richard Gorelick in the Sun yesterday -- including a nice photo of the owner Mohammad Sizar and chef Ben Tehranian.

Gorelick liked the combination platter, the kebabs and other dishes. I also really enjoyed the Persian menu and highlighted the garlic pickles. Like Gorelick, I think you need to pair a meal at Ceazar's with a visit to the Middle Eastern grocery next door -- one of the stars of ethnic shopping in Howard County.

Maiwand Kabob in Columbia (and elsewhere)

Maiwand Kabob is one of my old favorites, but it has a beautiful new look at its flagship location in Columbia.

The Afghan restaurant sells kabobs and a concise menu of some of Howard County's best food for a large takeout crowd and a small dining room. The Harper's Choice village center has always been a great place for a summer night -- delicious food, then Italian ice at Rita's across the parking lot. But it was a pretty low-end design with paper plates and basic decor.

Now, Maiwand Kabob has been renovated with trendy earth tones. Wood details. New tables and chairs. A cool open kitchen. It is honestly a surprise that they invested so much without the opportunity to expand.

Despite the flash, the food remains the real attraction. The main dishes are grilled meats -- beef, lamb, chicken chunks, chicken versions of a gyro -- and daily specials that offer tastes of Afghan cuisine. The grilled chicken holds its own with the best barbeque around like Kloby's in Laurel. But Maiwand Kabob becomes a great restaurant -- and not just a takeout joint -- because of the appetizers and the bread that deliver delicate flavors that are unique, yet accessible to anyone who likes Indian or Middle Eastern food.

The pumpkin is tender orange flesh served with yogurt and a sprinkle of ground beef. The aushak are ravioli filled with scallions and topped similar to the pumpkin. You can work your way through samosas, bowlawni and any of the other appetizers, and you need to try the tandoori bread. Those crisp and warm loaves are worth the entire visit. Consider ordering an extra if you plan on having leftovers. You can watch them being shaped and baked right behind the counter.

(Update: Also check out the mantwo -- another appetizer where the meat-filled dumplings come with a yogurt sauce spiked with mint and topped with earthly lentils.)

Maiwand Kabob isn't fast food. Call ahead if you want to pick up. Mrs HowChow and I waited more than 30 minutes on a Sunday night. Eventually, I elbowed through the crowd to ask for our appetizers, which the counter folks were happy to give me but hadn't thought to offer on their own.

Maiwand Kabob is part of an expanding local chain. A new one opened near Arundel Mills Mall and the BW Parkway. There are others in Linthicum and in Burtonsville, although the Burtonsville location appears to be owned by someone else.

Click here for my take on kabobs and barbeque in Howard County. If you want kabobs closer to home, consider Parsa Kabob in Elkridge or Mimi's Kabob in Clarksville. Or click for the starting page for my "What I Learned" guide to food in Howard County.

Maiwand Kabob

Harpers Choice Village Center

5467 Harpers Farm Road

Columbia, MD 21044

410-992-7754

http://www.maiwandkabob.net/

NEAR: This is in central Columbia, west of the Columbia Mall. Harpers Choice is between Rte 108 and Cedar Lane / Little Patuxent Parkway. From the south, Cedar Lane connects Rte 32 to Harpers Choice. From Rte 29, Broken Lane runs into Little Patuxent, which runs into Harpers Choice Road. To spot the shopping center, look for a McDonalds up against Harpers Choice Road.

Maiwand Kabob

Arundel Mills Preserve shopping center

7698 Dorchester Boulevard

Hanover, MD 21076

443-755-0461

NEAR: Take the Arundel Mills exit from the BW Parkway. That road only goes east. The Arundel Mills Preserve shopping center is on the left almost immediately. There is a Starbucks in that shopping center.

Breakfast Beef at Caezar Market

Halal bacon sounds like joke -- like kosher oysters -- but it's actually an option at the new Caezar International Market in Elkridge.

"Breakfast Beef" is a bacon look-alike made with beef instead of pork. It's a good flavor, although the strips are so thin that they're difficult to get crispy without burning. This is one of the items that I picked up while checking out the new Caezar, which moved from Columbia where it was known as Sizar's.

Breakfast Beef won't replace the pistachio nougat as my favorite item at Caezar. And it won't replace the thick-cut bacon from Laurel Meat Market or the Dutch Country Farmers Market as my favorite breakfast treat. But it's great if you keep halal, and it's just an example of the fun that you could have checking out one of the local ethnic markets. For a few bucks, you can sample something new.

If you like shopping at Caezar International Market for Middle Eastern food, definitely check out all the posts about Mexican food at Lily's Mexican Market.

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.

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.

Delicious: Pumpkin at Maiwand Kabob

The appetizers convert Maiwand Kabob from a nice grill shop into a restaurant worth making a pilgrimage.

The samosas are top notch -- an order of six fried pastries filled with potatoes, peas and spices. The bowlawni is an Afghan speciality -- twin pastry shells with different fillings.

But the pumpkin is a dish that I would expect on a white-table cloth rather than in a Columbia shopping center where everything comes on disposable plates. Bright orange pumpkin, firm but tender enough to cut with a (high-quality) plastic spoon. It is sweet enough that it might be pie filing if you closed your eyes. But then, Maiwand Kabob dresses the pumpkin with some yogurt whose tart flavor marries with the sweet vegetable and with a spoonful of ground beef that adds a deeper, slightly spiced flavor.

Between the bread and the pumpkin, every trip to Maiwand Kabob is wonderful. The moistly-grilled meat and the rotating Afghan specialties makes this one of my favorite restaurants anywhere.

(And after dinner, you've got to go to Rita's [for dessert].)

(Update: A new Maiwand Kabob opened in 2009 near Arundel Mills Mall and the BW Parkway. There is also a branch in Burtonsville just off Rte 198.)

Maiwand Kabob

Harpers Choice Village Center

5467 Harpers Farm Road

Columbia, MD 21044

410-992-7754

www.maiwandkabob.net

NEAR: This is in central Columbia, west of the Columbia Mall. Harpers Choice is between Rte 108 and Cedar Lane / Little Patuxent Parkway. From the south, Cedar Lane connects Rte 32 to Harpers Choice. From Rte 29, Broken Lane runs into Little Patuxent, which runs into Harpers Choice Road. To spot the shopping center, look for a McDonalds up against Harpers Choice Road.

Maiwand Kabob

Arundel Mills Preserve shopping center

7698 Dorchester Boulevard

Hanover, MD 21076

443-755-0461

NEAR: Take the Arundel Mills exit from the BW Parkway. That road only goes east. The Arundel Mills Preserve shopping center is on the left almost immediately. There is a Starbucks in that shopping center.