Mod Pizza Brings The Five-Minute Pie To Columbia; Pick A Topping, Every Topping

Mod Pizza -- an attempt to get Lil' Chow to split a pie.  It didn't work.

The individual pizza game has opened in Howard County, and I am a surprised fan.

Several new pizza joints have opened as chains open around the country.  They're filling a spot that's a little more upscale and individualized than the standard pizza chain, yet more casual and quicker than wood-fired pioneers like Facci Ristorante.

Mod Pizza was the first one that I tried.  It follows the standard pattern -- counter service where you pick an individual-sized pie and then pick from dozens of toppings.  More varied and fresher than the canned mushrooms or chopped pepper that you might get at a standard place.  Then they bake your pizza with a blistering oven -- maybe a gas-fired oven, maybe a rolling conveyor belt.

I'm a fan.

Mod Pizza comes in two sizes.  Each work as a personal pizza.  I've alternated between the two sizes, depending on my hunger and whether I figured Lil' Chow would leave a slice or two when he was done.

Crusts come out crisp and slightly charred.  Mod folks place them in a gas oven and watch them cook.  The crusts have the individual char of a specialty pizza, but they've been uniformly terrific.  No burnt pizzas.  No under-cooked.  I've only eaten Mod Pizza on site.  I see lots of people carry out, although my experience is that crisp special pizzas -- like Facci Ristorante -- are better right out of the oven.

A slide outside Mod Pizza

In the end, it's the toppings that make Mod Pizza stand out.  So many pizzas in my past have eft me uninspired because the only toppings were oily pepperoni, chopped onions, maybe canned olives and artichokes.  The pies are heavy and dense.

Mod Pizza -- like its compatriot You Pizza in Clarksville that I'll write about soon -- goes big on the toppings.  You can pick suggestions from the menu.  Or you can stand at the counter and add any topping that you want.  Cheeses that start at mozzarella and go through ricotta, goat and parmesan.  A half dozen meats.  A dozen vegetables that range from crisp red peppers to briny artichokes.  Finishing sauces.  You can pick anything, and, most importantly, it's all fresh and full of flavor.

Then the blast in the oven brings it all together  My current creation starts with ricotta with a little tomato sauce, garlic and bacon.  Then mostly vegetables, often artichokes, maybe spicy peppers, sweet peppers, olives, parmesan cheese . . . .

You can add too much.  I've made pies where the toppings were too much to lift.  That's why I backed off the ricotta and parmesan cheeses.  Chopped bacon adds salt and smoke without the mass of the heavier meats.

This pie had too many toppings

In addition, I'm in the tank for Mod Pizza because this is where Lil' Chow found his favorite pizza this spring.  At birthday parties, Lil' Chow eats whatever pizza you put in front of him.  Anywhere else, he was picky.  No sauce.  Just cheese and bread, and even that didn't inspire him.

Until Mod Pizza.  When I announced our first visit, Lil' Chow screamed objections.  Then he go to the shop and saw that he got to pick his own food.  A small pie, just mozzarella and salami.  On maybe the second trip, an awesome Mod Pizza employee layered salami like the scales of an armadillo.  Lil' Chow was hooked.  On a stretch when Mrs. HowChow was busy at work, I think Lil' and I ate there five times in 10 days.  He ordered salami, no-sauce every time.  I experimented and enjoyed every one.

One fun part of the Mod Pizza location is that there is basically a small playground outside.   This is at the base of an apartment building across from the COlumbia Mall.  You can pack inside the building.  The entrance is on the side street.  Next to the restaurants -- also a CaliBurger and a Corner Bakery -- is a play area.  Several petal-shaped sculptures that are toddler-sized slides and hiding places.  Plus water sprays that mist from the ground -- providing a perfect cooling fun without soaking anyone's clothes.  Look for buttons on the stone bench near the nozzles.  They trigger patterns of mist.

The Web Says Bon Chon Chicken Will Open Next To The Columbia Mall; Who Knows The Plans?

Bon Chon fried chicken -- with the udon soup

Bon Chon Chicken has two websites describing a new location in Columbia, and I want to know where that chicken is going to land.

Bon Chon is a Korean chain that does superb fried chicken -- along with other really good Korean dishes.  The Ellicott City location is a HowChow favorite.  Lil' Chow loves chicken tenders, and he slurps down the udon noodle soup.  I have loved the bi bim bap -- the bottom rice crisped by a super-hot bowl -- on nights when I want something lighter.

But I go for the chicken.  Crunchy crust around juicy meat.  At first, I was obsessed with the wings.  But Lil' Chow has brought me around to chicken strips.  (Plus, there were a few meals where I ordered both wings and strips and then ate way too much because it was just me and a toddler.)

I split my orders between the two flavors -- a soy-garlic and a spicy.  Spicy has real heat.  Delicious, but I limit myself to maybe three spicy and seven soy-garlic.  Once before Lil' Chow spoke, I inadvertently let him touch a spicy wing.  Finger ended up in mouth.  Tears poured down his face.  I cringed and figured that everyone was staring, but really people were probably just engaged with their chicken and beer.

So is that all coming to Columbia?  It makes sense because they've opened a mess of other locations.

Mark Siegel tweeted me about a "coming soon" Columbia location.  Bon Chon's website does have a page that says "Columbia, MD -- Coming Soon."   Plus, someone created a Facebook page in February for a Bon Chon Columbia with a real Bon Chon phone number and an address of 10000 Town Center Avenue.  That's one of the new apartment buildings across from the Columbia Mall.  I think it already has Mod Pizza and other restaurants on the first floor.  Maybe in the building next door?

Who knows the details?

I absolutely recommend the Bon Chon in Ellicott City.  It's just off Rte 40 west of 29.  I'm not worry about addresses anymore because people can find them on-line so easily.  Bon Chon is basically behind Jason's Liquors.  You turn south onto Plumtree Drive, then make an immediate left into a parking lot that serves Bon Chon, Chef Paulino, and a Zumba studio.  That's where I taught Lil' Chow that two guys can't stand at the glass window of a Zumba studio and stare inside.  "Move along!"

Surprise: I Went For Chicken Tenders And Went Back For Frisco Tap House's Ancho Glaze Wings

Ancho glaze wings at Frisco Tap House

Frisco Tap House has been many things in my decade in Howard County -- a Southwestern restaurant, a beer bar, a brewery.

Somehow, I was pleasantly surprised to discover my current favorite wings in Howard County when I stopped there for lunch.

Lil' Chow won't nap at home.  We've developed a pattern for weekends or other days without daycare.  We have morning fun, then eat lunch, then nap in the car.  For months, we looped and looped.  Now, I can stop driving once he falls asleep.

So I went to Frisco for the chicken and fries.  Lil' Chow requested a special treat, and I wanted somewhere new that would put a little extra effort into chicken tenders.  It was a complete bonus that my lunch had that extra effort as well.

This is part of a "Surprise" series that I'm writing as I try to start blogging again.  Come back for more in the next few days.

Lil' Chow's chicken and fries

Eight big meaty wings.  Or at least meaty half-wings.  Years ago, there were several local joints serving exceptional wings, but I'd given them up recently because they'd switched to tiny products that were mostly bone and skin.  Frisco sells wings as an appetizer, but they've been lunch twice for me.

Once, a Thai special.  Once, the regular ancho pepper glaze.  It's a real glaze, almost crunchy and nothing like the globs of barbecue sauce that I've seen over other plates.  The wings come slightly charred, crisp to the teeth and then moist inside.  I started to write myself a note that the wings were sweet, not spicy.  Then my lips started a warm tingle and I realized the ancho was doing its work.  There is skill in those wings, and they're one of those treats that I can't pull off in my own kitchen.

Frisco is a friendly place for lunch.  Half full on both of my recent visits.  Just enough conversation and noise to give the place some energy.  It's a nice escape from being trapped with a toddler, and even the young staff is personable.  One waiter played along when I deflected Lil's Chow's 10th question of "Where is our food now?"  The waiter explained the chicken and fries were cooking in the kitchen.  That finally satisfied the kid.  Well, that and the chicken tenders.

Where else do people recommend for wings these days?  Bon Chon Chicken in Ellicott City is my absolute favorite, but Korean fried chicken seems separate from the competition for wings.  The Town Grille in Lisbon guaranteed a Ravens Super Bowl with their special wings and a bunch of people commented on that 2013 post.  I've liked garam masala wings at Tandoor Grill on Johns Hopkins Road and the Old Bay Wings at Second Chance Saloon in Columbia.

Pizza Time At Luna Bella -- Crisp Crust, Fresh Toppings, And All-The-Parmesan A Kid Could Eat

Luna Bella's pizza -- with parmesan topper

When the woman leaned over and busted me as HowChow, she said it was the Parmesan cheese that had given us away.

Luna Bella is a long-established Columbia restaurant, and I figured that Lil' Chow and I could slip inside on a weeknight.  Luna Bella does a full Italian menu from salads to fish, pastas to chicken parm, but I've always gone for pizza.  That was the choice that I gave Lil' Chow as we stepped from the parking lot into the Hickory Ridge village center -- "Chicken or pizza?"

He went pizza, so I'll see next time if he'll explore yucca fries and Peruvian chicken.

Lil' Chow got his own kid's-size pie.  I went with a vegetable stromboli.  I wanted the bite of provolone instead of mozzarella, and I wanted veggies over meatballs because I lack the discipline to eat only half.

Stromboli

I really recommend Luna Bella, especially because the Hickory Ridge village center lets you hang out after dinner near the fountain or run a toddler around with a cup of chocolate ice cream from Meadows Frozen Custard.  Amid a white-table-cloth joint full of adults, the Luna Bella folks treated me and Lil' Chow perfectly -- immediate ordering, quick delivery, and really nice food.

Our crusts had the crispness that you get from a wood-fired oven.  I think it's a step above most pizza around Howard County, even if it isn't a match for the charred crust and specialized ingredients on a Facci pie.  I saw several salads that looked delicious, and folks next to us had a calamari appetizer that made me wonder if I could get Lil's Chow to eat fried squid.

My stroboli came stuffed with squash, mushrooms and onions.  I dipped up the entire side of marinara.  Lil' Chow's pizza worked for me, but he felt that it didn't have enough cheese.  By which I  mean, that he removed the mozzarella and replaced it with shredded Parmesan.  Two deliveries.

That was when the woman at the next table asked if I wrote the blog.  She said she had suspected, but become convinced when she saw Lil' Chow's love of cheese.  The recent Facci post had discussed Lil' Chow's all-you-can-eat love for Parmesan.  Plus, we're a matching pair of middle-aged white guy and two-year-old Korean immigrant.  I laughed and fessed up.

Next time, I'm going to sit outside and try Luna Bella's meats.  They put sausage and pepperoni right at the front of the list of ingredients you can add to a calzone.  I'll promise myself to save half for lunch, and I'll go full glutton with sausage, pepperoni and caramelized onions.  But then, there are also meatballs . . . . .

Has anyone had Luna Bella's sandwiches?  I hadn't realized that they did sandwiches, but their menu on-line talks about some heavy-duty options like a meatball hoagie, a chicken parm sub, and a chicken cheese steak.  I love them all.  But I only want exceptional because a bad chicken parm sub would be a softball in your stomach.  I'm included to try Luna Bella's sandwiches one day for lunch.

What Is Black Flag Brewery And Its Plans For Columbia? And What About Liquor At Wegmans?

Bananas and wine -- The devil's combo

Someone appears to be trying to open another brewery in Columbia called the Black Flag Brewery -- and I want to know what's coming to Snowden River Parkway.

I stumbled on the name on the Howard County liquor board's October 13 agenda.  I was looking around for information about the liquor store planned on the second floor of Wegmans.  I have posted before about the apparent application by The Loft Wine & Spirits to sell liquor at Wegmans, but I'd still welcome comments if anyone knows details.  

I focused on Wegmans again after walking through a Whole Foods in Chicago last week.  Civilization apparently survives in Illinois even though they stock bananas next to wine and Pabst Blue Ribbon near the salad bar.

This is Whole Foods, so I assume the PBR is ironic

Black Flag Brewing Company d/b/a Black Flag Brewery wants to a license to run a tavern at 9315 Snowden River Parkway.  I see random Web pages about the company --  like this on Bloomberg and this at the SEC -- but you can't count on the SEC and its forms to tell you anything useful.

What's up with Black Flag Brewery?  Is this a brewery or a restaurant?  The tavern license seems to suggest that they'll serve food.  But where?  The address on Google Maps falls somewhere between Lincoln Tech and Oakland Mills Parkway.  A bunch of buildings there face Snowden, but use the address of Berger or other cross streets  I'd love to know the location and the timeline if folks are in the know.

While I've Been: Victoria's Burger Is Such A Tasty Old Friend That I Never Order Anything Else

Burger and fries

I swear that I planned to order something when we took my parents to Victoria Gastro Pub for my father's birthday.

Our restaurant trips have been fewer in 2015, and many stops have been old haunts where we know that we'll find something good for everyone.  Victoria Gastro Pub fits that bill.  We have been enjoying the food and beer since it opened in 2008, but I focused on their burgers and fries on those early trips and never took my eyes off the meat.

The entire table actually ordered burgers during our August visit.  Except for Lil' Chow who emptied a kid's order of pasta and asked for a second.

Victoria's bicuit

It's just that simple.  Everyone read the menu.  Everyone saw options.  But we each returned to the burgers because they're ideal.  Thick patties that are juicy and meaty without being greasy.  Hearty buns that hold up to the holding and biting.  Fresh, simple tomato, lettuce and pickles.

This is part of my "While I've Been Out" series to restart the blog.  Late last year, the blog got some serious competition.  I'm still working out how to keep writing while I'm doing so many other new things as well.  Tomorrow, I'll follow this old friend with my favorite place that is "new for 2015."

That burger is a success every time, and it's the kind of relaxation that I want from a dinner out.

I added to the fun last month by trying my first Manor Hill beers -- brewed up by the same Marriner family.  I sampled two and forgot to write down my selection.  I'm drifting from the hops stream that had carried me from IPA to IPA for many summers.  I asked for something with flavor, but less bitterness.  I can't remember what I got, but it worked exactly as I wanted.

If you haven't been to Victoria before, then you should also go for the biscuits that they offer once you order.  They're perfect.  Tender but not crumbly.  Rich but not greasy.  I believe they bake them in-house, and it's a terrific advertisement for the care that Victoria takes with their food.

While I've Been Out: Sushi On A Picnic Table And Other Unexpected Adventures This Summer

Sashimi lunch on a picnic table at Lake Elkhorn

Just when I think I have everything under control, life -- and a toddler -- teach me that they're in charge.

Above is a luxurious lunch that I had planned to eat at Sushi King.  Lil' Chow and I did errands one summer day, and I patted myself on the back as we walked into the Columbia restauran.

Lil' Chow loves soups, especially Asian soups like miso, soybean paste, and miyok guk.  We would eat lunch.  I'd draft a blog post.  I was a brilliant father who would enjoy a relaxed meal and restart his food writing.

Note that the photo above is a picnic table at Lake Elkhorn.  I gave Lil' Chow a spoon just a few minutes early.  The miso soup was too hot.  He screamed, reasonably.  And then he was inconsolable, loudly.  Really loudly.  It was the first time that I retreated from a restaurant because was embarrassed to be bothering the other customers.

That sashimi lunch special was delicious.  In recent years, Mrs. HowChow and I have become infatuated with Sushi Sono -- it's amazing rolls, its exciting specials, its lakefront location.  But Sushi King was our first Columbia spot for fish, and they still slice delicious pieces into a special lunch with rice and soup.  Sushi is one of those restaurant meals that I seek out because I don't have those skills at home.  Even simple sashimi shines when someone like the Sushi King chefs do the right things with slicing and pairing fish with lemon and crunchy radish pieces.

The Sushi King folks were also really nice when I abruptly shifted my order to go.  I ended up at a shaded picnic table at Lake Elkhorn, perfectly happy as Lil' Chow nosed around the pavillion and I thought about how even a parenting disaster work fine on a beautiful summer day.  Give me a picnic table in July over any freezing day in February.

So things haven't worked out the way that I planned.  I had thought that I'd keep blogging even with last fall's toddler adoption.  I even thought once or twice this year that I had my feet under me enough to start posting again.  I was wrong then.  We'll see if I'm right now.  Look for more HowChow next week -- and hopefully going into the future. 

This is part of my "While I've Been Out" series to restart the blog.  Late last year, the blog got some serious competition.  I'm still working out how to keep writing while I'm doing so many other new things as well.  Look for more posts next week.  Thanks to everyone who has kept reading, emailing and commenting.

Chutney Restaurant Raising Money For Nepal Relief; Julia Hit The Buffet For A Good Cause

The folks who run the Chutney restaurant in Columbia  have family connections in Nepal, and they're holding a fundraiser this week to support relief efforts.

Julia of the Village Green / Town Squared blog hit up the Chutney lunch buffet to help the cause  This is the restaurant on Snowden River Parkway that replaced Akbar's.  As I wrote in 2012, Indian is one of Howard County's deepest cuisines -- from House of India to Mango Grove to Royal Taj.  Julia and her hon HoCoHouseHon enjoyed Chutney, and she wrote up a guest report:

Chutney is decorated in a sunny yellow and feels airy and spacious.  HoCoHouseHon and I were greeted right away and our service throughout was friendly and helpful. Once we got our food from the buffet, we were brought the a basket of warm naan, and they kept our water glasses filled without any uncomfortable lags. I drink a lot of water.

There are three buffet tables laid out. I didn't photograph the one with main course items because someone was serving himself and I didn't want to breathe down his neck. There was plenty to choose from: vegetable samosas, rice, vegetable dishes at the first table; salads, chutney, and raita plus desserts at the second; and vegetable biryani, chicken tikka masala, tandoori chicken and something with goat in it. (I don't eat goat.)
The buffet was immaculate, and all the menu items were well-stocked. The food was tasty and fresh. No feeling of warmed-over or tired out anything. For $11.95 it is an extremely good deal. And from now through the 17th, 30 per cent of your buffet check goes to Nepal. Don't want the buffet but still want to help out? They have a box at the bar for your donations.

My husband and I love House of India and Flavors of India, so although we know Chutney is there and have enjoyed it, we don't get back as much as I'd like. I would definitely go again, even after the fundraiser is over.

Veggie Bar At Asean Bistro's Chinese Lunch; All-You-Can-Eat Side Dishes With Your Entree

Half of the veggie bar at Asean Bistro

Check out the cool extra that comes with lunch at Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro in Columbia -- two special vegetable dishes that you can eat with any entree.

Asean Bistro is a Howard County institution, serving good Americanized Chinese food just off Rte 108.  This was our local stop when we lived near Rte 108 and Snowden River.  They deliver, and we often got large orders that fed us for days.

Kung pao, noodles and tofu

They also do lunch.  We met the RDADoc and her preschool sidekick this week, and we had a nice lunch of dumplings, noodles, tofu and kung pao chicken.  The cool extra is that Asean Bistro has to chafing dishes at the front with rotating vegetable dishes that you can serve yourself.

Zucchini in sha cha sauce and cauliflower in garlic sauce were both really good.  Tender vegetables and flavorful, but light sauces.   It's great to get  extra flavors, and it's cool to try something unusual.  We snacked on the vegetables at first, then ate them with our entrees.  Even Lil' Chow who grazed on miso soup, rice, and little bits of everything else.

I'd definitely recommend Asean Bistro if you want Chinese food.  Grace Garden in Odenton has captured our hearts, and our meetings with friends there have cut down our Chinese in Howard County.  But Asean Bistro is one of the good spots.  I'd love to hear any recommendations on dishes that people really enjoy there.

What do people recommend now for other Chinese in Howard County -- restaurants and specific dishes?  I have tons of posts about Chinese food, but my 2010 overview post must be out-of-date by now.  We really enjoy Noodles Corner in Columbia and dim sum at Asian Court in Ellicott City.  Then there is the Korean Chinese food like the black bean noodles and pork at Tian Chinese Cuisine in Ellicott City.

Iron Bridge Leads The List Of Good Meals That I'm Not Eating Right Now; Recs For Small Plates

There are so many meals that I'm not eating these days.  It's by choice, and it's great fun.  But my restaurant dinners will be far fewer once I have fit them around work and bath time.

But friends are stepping in to help.  The Cordis Couple are friends with terrific taste in food and wine -- and a toddler old enough to leave with family.  They recently hit up Iron Bridge Wine Co., the Columbia restaurant that was on our "to do" list all summer but never actually gone done.

Sra. Cordis wrote up their dinner from last week.  They recommended a great red wine called Quilceda Creek, and they do recommend Iron Bridge -- especially for a mix of small plates:

Iron Bridge is one of our favorite local restaurants to go to for date night. Our first time there with our toddler wasn't the most successful (what were we thinking?), but subsequent visits there solidified this restaurant as our go-to-place for a delicious adult meal with wine as the star of the evening.

Our favorite meal there was actually sitting at the bar, when we had a spontaneous evening free, but no reservations. If you get there early (before 6 p.m.), there is usually room for two at the bar, where the bartender is knowledgeable and can quickly give you sips of wine by the glass before choosing your bottle.

In general, we prefer several small plates rather than large entrees.  We typically order 3-4 appetizers and one entree for two adults. The crispy brussels sprouts, although ubiquitous at most hip restaurants, are absolutely delicious. So is their burata, with its soft creamy inside, complimented with tomato and fennel jam, olive oil and sea salt. The hamachi ceviche, served with roasted pineapple, red onion, macadamia nuts, cilantro, and Sriracha, is a lovely balance of acid, heat, and crunchiness. The soup of the day was a white asparagus soup with beans and crispy fried kale, which was a little salty and bitter, but warmed us up for the rest of the meal.

For their entrees, almost all their pasta dishes are outstanding and typically change with the season. T onight's pasta was a kale and ricotta cannelloni made with savory fennel sausage Bolognaise, which was terrific and went well a bold full-bodied red wine.  Their burger is excellent, and their signature steak is outstanding. In general, I find their protein entrees (e.g. steak, salmon), while extremely tasty, a bit large/generously proportioned.  However, they are great for sharing, especially if you want to make room for dessert. Typically, their 'bread pudding of the day' is the highlight of their dessert menu.  My personal favorite was a bread pudding made of glazed donuts.  It was worth all the calories.

We feel fortunate to have a place like Iron Bridge so close by.  Not only is it a wonderful restaurant, but it is also a wine store. I n fact, we often bring home a few bottles after dinner (and, at times, a couple of cases), in hopes of recreating the experience at home (at least the wine part).

 I'm going to need to annotate the HowChow To Do List with some things that I can really do and some that need to wait a while until we can match Lil' Chow with some babysitters.

Gourmet Ice Cream Now At Le Comptoir: Delicious Treat, Adult And Toddler Approved

Salted caramel ice cream at Le Comptoir

New parent lesson for the day: It can be hard to pull a toddler away from a pint of ice cream, especially if it is rich, intense caramel on a warm afternoon.

Lil' Chow threw one of his first full fusses Sunday when we tried to cap the pint of salted caramel ice cream at Le Comptoir on the Columbia lakefront.

That's house-made ice cream and sorbet that they're selling $6 for a shareable 13 ounces.Just $4 for a single serving.

Restaurant-quality dessert served in a plain paper pint. It is another reason to make the Columbia lakefront a destination for dates, family night and general fun

We had stumbled to the lakefront after an abbreviated nap.  I ran Lil' Chow up and down the hill outside Clyde's.  Then Mrs. HowChow wanted to check out Le Comptoir's ice cream. Salted caramel, spiced chocolate and two sorbets.  One minute we were wondering if a 17-month-old would like salted caramel.  The next, he was dragging Mrs. HowChow's hand to his mouth to get a steady stream of sweet.

I has to feed her from my spoon so she could keep up the baby bites.  We thought it was terrific ice cream.  Worth eating there or even stopping to carry a pint home.

I'm a huge fan of Le Comptoir -- both for the food and sweets and for the chance to enjoy the lakefront even if you don't want a full meal.  Clyde's, Sushi Sono, Tomato Palace and Petit Louis all serve fine lunches and dinners, but there is almost a city vibe to a coffee or dessert at Le Comptoir's cafe tables.  Go enjoy.

One question:  Does anyone know the story about why the lake path doesn't go all the way around the lake?  I'm suddenly focused on stroller paths.  The lakefront path just ends on the far side.  Why?  Part of Rouse's master plan?

Your Next New Food: Spicy Mysore Dosa At Mango Grove Brings Heat To The Crunch

Mysore dosa at Mango Grove

The next new food that you should try are dosas -- the dish that brings the crunch of a crepe and the flavors of Indian food.

I first ate dosas at Mango Grove here in Columbia.  They're a southern Indian dish, so they're not ubiquitous at restaurants that do northern Indian tandoori dishes.

But they're completely innocuous and accessible to anyone.  The regular masala dosa is a platter-sized crepe rolled around a filling of mashed potatoes.  You break off pieces of dosa and scoop up the spiced potatoes inside.  You dip them in the chutney and the vegetable soup served alongside.  It's filling, but light.  It's crunchy.  It's vegetarian, so you don't need to worry about surprise ingredients.

Now, we have branched into spicy dosas like the mysore dosa at Mango Grove.  it's a regular dosa with the inside brushed with a spicy red sauce.  That's real heat, although nothing fiery like spicy Thai or Tandoor Grill's chili naan.  It's a great contrast with lentils or the jackfruit dish called kathal korma.

I recommend the broad menu at Mango Grove.  They have two kitchens, one veg and one non-veg.   Plus, they have a dosa station right at the entrance where you can watch a chef pour batter and peel off crispy crepes.  Consider a table with a dosa, some Indian curries, and one of the Chinese-Indian specialities.

Salmon-Skin Rolls: Voted Least Likely To Be A HowChow Favorite, But Now A Crunchy Contrast

Salmon skin roll at Sushi Sono

Who would have ever expected to write rhapsodically about eating fish skin?

It sounds like a joke, but the salmon skin roll has become one of our favorites since I learned about them from a friend.

Almost every sushi restaurant offers their variation on this cooked roll.  Thin pieces of salmon skin with a little attached fish, broiled until crisp and then rolled sometimes with vegetables and the standard nori and rice.

Done right, it's a contrast with regular sushi rolls -- crunch and an unctuous char among dishes that can have a similar texture of rice-fish-nori-rice-fish-nori.  I think we tend to order salmon skin rolls when we have a few people around the table.  One or two pieces punctuate a meal.  We don't need half of the rolls to have skin.

Over the winter, we discovered that Sushi Sono does an exceptional salmon skin roll.  More meat than many other variations and cooked to the precise point where the skin crunches, but hasn't burned.  That version may even be better than our prior favorite at Yama Sushi in Ellicott City.

If you're looking for something fun, I really suggest getting 6-10 people together for one of the private rooms at Sushi Sono or Sushi King.  They both offer special tables where you sit on benches in an enclosed space.  Exotic fun for adults -- and surprising kid-friendly because we have had toddlers wander around the room without bothering anyone outside.  Check out my post about the Sushi Sono room, and call either place to reserve the roms.

Special Monthly Buffet At Mango Grove -- Drawing The No-Meat Crowd, Plus Cool Kids

Big plates from Mango Grove's vegan buffet

Anyone can love Mango Grove because it serves some of the best food in Howard County, but they're breaking out the welcome mat for a niche market -- that's still a welcome adventure for everyone.

Okay, they're breaking out the dinner buffet, not the welcome mat.

Mango Grove does a lunch buffet most days with both vegetarian and non-veg options.  But the Columbia restaurant is adding a monthly dinner buffet with all vegan food and attracting a young, cool crowd in the process.  It's a partnership with the Humane League, which advertises the event and gets a donation as well.

We stumbled on August's vegan buffet in mid-month, and it's a feast for about $20.  The buffet shows off what Mango Grove does best -- a mix of straight Indian food like spinach and chickpeas with Chinese-Indian dishes like "broccoli 65" and a noodle dish that is their version of chow mein.

That broccoli 65 is a treat.  Deep-fried and spicy, it's a dish that will please even folks who don't normally like the green vegetable.  But the best dish was jackfruit and potatoes, a savory curry that shows off the jackfruit's sweetness.  A guy at the buffet compared the consistency to pulled pork.  Not exactly, but it is a substantial dish that is really unique.

The monthly buffet is clearly a treat for vegans.  But it's no compromise for anyone.  The food is really good, and you can always order off the menu if you need a dosa or some other dishes.  (Mrs. HowChow got a lassi, then hid it behind the wine list so that she could fit into the vegan crowd, but still have her yogurt shake.)

Mrs. HowChow and I were amused because the Mango Grove crowd definitely took on a different look.  It's always fun to be in a restaurant full of happy chatter.  We're just not used to a crowd of tattooed 20-somethings in an Indian restaurant.  A few older folks, a few kids.  But it felt more like Fells Point than Columbia.  Bravo!

I think the monthly vegan buffet will be the fourth Monday of every month.  That's what I wrote down, although I realize that doesn't match August 11.  Check out the Human League's Facebook page for Maryland.  They posted about the August event, and they say the September one will be on the 22d.  I assume they're publicize future ones.

Breakfast Sandwiches -- Touche Touchet Does Croissants; Any Other Breakfast To Recommend?

Touche Touchet's sausage, egg and cheddar croissant

The Howard County dump makes for an invigorating Saturday morning, and a trip to the dump earns an automatic breakfast sandwich.

The county landfill off I-70 is really heaven-sent if you clean out your garage and end up with a car full of old paint, lumber scraps, rusted metal and such.  I got in and out in 20 minutes, even after stopped at the various stations to unload my various stuff.  Tossing metal off a one-story drop makes me feel like a hoodlum every time.

It also made me hungry, and I ended up at Touche Touchet just off Rte 29.  The bakery does most of its business on the sweet side with cakes, sugar cookies, and pastries.  But they make savory croissants, including one with a sausage patty and a small cheddar omelet wrapped inside the dough.

I could have enjoyed a spicier sausage.  I'm getting picky about bacon, sausage and similar stuff, figuring they might as well be spectacular if I'm going to splurge.  But the croissant was nicely made, and they have worked out a system that even a reheated croissant comes out warm and nicely crisp.  The egg and cheese made a real meal, and Touche Touchet is a nice place to linger with coffee and a little to eat.

Can anyone else suggest a cool breakfast spot?  I've highlighted the Mexican egg plates at R&R Taqueria.  That chorizo was worth the splurge.  I'd love any other suggestions because I don't eat breakfast out enough to have a repertoire to recommend.

Korshi Buffet Brings All-You-Can-Eat Sushi, So Stretch That Stomach And Don't Be Surprised

I admit it:  My plate is the full one in back.

The new Korshi buffet has opened in Columbia, and I will leave it to other people to debate whether you get your money's worth with all-you-can eat sushi and Korean food.

I got my money's worth at a weekday lunch.  We took out a friend out to celebrate his new job, and I ate three plates of food -- two more than anyone actually needs at noon.

Korshi is fun for about $13.  You need to know what you're getting.  One line of sushi with thin-sliced fish, and one line of Korean dishes.  We liked a few tastes of spicy tofu, and I splurged on chicken wings.  But the sushi was clearly the draw.

Some rolls.  Some pieces.  I thought the quality matched the lunch joint near my office, and I love being able to try one thin slice of a half-dozen different rolls, chased by thin slices of a half-dozen different fish.  Each time that we walked through, the chefs were offering a full array of salmon, tuna, eel, octopus and more.  Plus, I assume there are more options at dinner when the price jumps to $23.

Until they get a liquor license, you can bring your own alcohol without a corkage fee.  I grabbed a six-pack of Hite beer at the liquor store just north of Korshi's shopping center.  I actually walked there by jumping up a low retaining wall off the parking lot.

Again, please don't be surprised at an all-you-can-eat buffet.  Sushi Sono sells single rolls for more than we paid for lunch.  Shin Chon Garden and Honey Pig specialize in grilled meats.  Don't be surprised if Korshi's offerings don't match those flavors.

Korshi replaced Nichi Bei Kei, a Japanese restaurant whose Web site says that they were relocating to a spot near the Columbia Mall.  I think those plans were from 2013.  Does anyone know if or when Nichi Bei Kei will open there?

The Columbia Korshi is apparently a spin-off of a Virginia restaurant with the same name.  They have different management, folks said on the phone when I called Virginia to try to get the hours of the Maryland store.  On Yelp, someone noted that the Virginia restaurant has table-top barbecue, but charges $40 for dinner.  If you know the Virginia place, don't expect an exact copy.

Korshi
9400 Snowden River Pkwy
Columbia, MD 21045
410-309-9991

NEAR:  Korshi replaced Nichi Bei Kei in the corner of a shopping center on Snowden River Parkway.  This is the same center with Pars Market, the new Chutney restaurant, and Azul 17.  This is south of Oakland Park Boulevard and north of Broken Land Parkway.

Mission BBQ To Open July 14 In Columbia

The new Mission BBQ in Columbia will open officially on July 14 -- with a special opening for dinner on the July 11, according to a tweet from Linda Dotterer.

The Mission BBQ replaced a Chicken Out in the shopping center with Target just off Rte 175 and Dobbin Road.

Chicharron at Lily's Mexican Market: Let The Experts Fry Chunks Of Pork Belly For You

A chicharron from Lily's Mexican Market

"That which does not kill us makes us stronger."

Apparently, a famous German philosopher had eaten chicharron.  Now, you can as well.

You can thank Seb, who left a comment last month on a post asking for advice on what to order from the butcher at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia.  Seb steered me a few feet from the butcher to the taco counter where he talked up the chicharron:

It's a star attraction at Lily's. Not for the faint of heart, the square chunks of pork meat and fat are perfectly fried. Super crispy on the outside and sinful fatty goodness on the inside. Napkins required, cardiologist appointment recommended.

Perfectly described.  With chicharron, you get old-school food.  A deep-fried morsel of pork, fat and skin.  With my normal diet, that skin is crispy and exotic.  I bit through the chicharron, and the meat provided a solid chew and flavor.  Then the fat squeezed out and burst around my mouth.

The chicharron at the Lily's taco counter

It's delicious.  It's rich and crunchy.  I bought three as a sample, and it was probably one too many.  For a while that afternoon, I could feel grease coming through the pores on my face.

To me, that the perfect kind of food to buy from an expert.  Lily's folks crisped my chicharron skillfully, and I don't have to butcher pork belly or clean up after deep frying.  They made a great snack.  They're an authentic taste of Mexican cooking.  They'd be amazing party food if you have a friend who talks a big game about loving bacon.

I'm a huge fan of Lily's Mexican Market for the butcher, the house-made tortillas, and the full selection of Latin American items.  I'm still looking for suggestions about what cuts of meat to buy from the butcher.

On my last trip, I bought El Salvadoran crema and grated cotija cheese for terrific corn.  Grill the corn, then spread a light coating of crema, which is the consistency of sour cream.  Then roll that in a dish filled the salty cheese.  The corn becomes a star of any plate.  With some tortillas and other items, you can do authentic, delicious tacos any day.

Maggiano's Has Opened At The Columbia Mall; One Of The Two Dudes Has The Full Report

The Columbia Mall continues to add new restaurants, and Maggiano's cut the ceremonial pasta today with full coverage by the Two Dudes Who Love Food blog

Thomas got the full tour and some tastings -- while on his lunch break from school.  He liked the Italian food, and I think the place will be packed.

Coming Soon: Mission BBQ in Columbia, Farmers Market in Fulton; Maple Lawn Gets Veggies

Mission BBQ is coming to Columbia in the former home of Chicken Out just off Rte 175 and Dobbin Road.

(Update, it looks like Mission BBQ is aiming to open in July 2014 -- suggested by the fact that the company retweeted Kerry's tweet with that date.)

This is another restaurant into the development with Target and Dick's Sporting Goods.  This is right off Dobbin.  I first mentioned Mission BBQ in February based on a reliable source.  Last weekend, the sign was up, but it looked construction continues.  James and several other people emailed me while I was laid up.  Folks are pretty excited for the meats.

Down south, folks are excited for the vegetables at a new Saturday farmers market planned this summer in the Maple Lawn development.  Folks from Love Dove Farm in Woodbine came to the Maple Lawn community meeting earlier this month to announce that they'll offer vegetables, bread, cheese and more on Saturday mornings starting at 8:30 am.

I thought this was one of the county-run markets, but their Web site shows three markets on Wednesdays (Miller Library), Thursdays (Howard County General) and Sunday (Oakland Mills).  The reports from the Maple Lawn meeting said the farmers planned to have music, events, and sweets from a bakery, maybe called Stone House Bakery.

I have been out of commission for weeks with travel and illness. I'm trying to start up again, and I'll do a bunch of short posts about news that happened when I was home. This way, people will be able to find the posts if they're looking for a specific restaurant. Check them all out by clicking on Reset May 2014.