Highland Inn Aiming To Open In Nov/Dec

The new Highland Inn is aiming to open in November or early December, reports Richard Gorelick in the Sun.  Gorelick interviewed chef Brian Boston, who had hoped to open in 2012 but now sees the end in sight for opening an upscale casual place on Rte 216 just west of Rte 108.

Highland Gets New Spot From Milton Inn Owner

The owner of the upscale Milton Inn in Sparks will open a new restaurant in Highland -- the Highland Inn, reports Ryan Sharrow in the Baltimore Business Journal.

The Milton Inn sounds like a great restaurant in Richard Gorelick's review.  Chef and owner Brian Boston will open the Highland Inn this summer apparently -- outside dining, wine shop too.  If I'm right, this will be on Rte 216 just west of Rte 108.

(Hat tip to Alicyn who posted a link on the HowChow Facebook page.)

Link: Twist & Turn On Dining At Large

Twist and Turn in Highland got reviewed by John Lindner on the Sun's Dining at Large blog.  He did not enjoy his lunch.

First Thoughts On Twist & Turn Tavern

Highland got a new restaurant when the Twist & Turn Tavern opened, promising a neighborhood pub.  I haven't visited yet, but Amber emailed with some first thoughts.  She went Tuesday night for half-priced burgers, which sounds right for a neighborhood pub.  Of course, one of the burgers was bison:

I went to Twist and Turn Tavern with my boyfriend and his sister for half-price burger night.  First of all, the burgers were really good. I had the mushroom and swiss Angus burger, ordered medium, and it actually CAME medium!  I was so pleasantly surprised, as that rarely happens. My boyfriend tried the bison burger, which he loved, and his sister seemed to like her turkey burger as well. The onion rings are obviously made there and definitely have a lot of beer flavor in the batter. Not so sure the sweet potato fries were fresh, but they were good.

Now the bad: the restaurant is obviously new. The table next to us ordered five burgers, but the server only put in the order for four. The guy without food ended up leaving without eating, and they brought out his food in a to-go box later. Here's hoping they comped it, too. Two of our meals came with the sides reversed, which the server acknowledged but made no effort to fix, so we awkwardly picked up our burgers and shuffled plates. It was no big deal, but I was surprised that he didn't offer to take it back to the kitchen to fix.

The place was packed by the time we got our food. It's not super big inside, and the tables are very close together and cramped. Many people came in and ate at the bar since they couldn't get a table. Unfortunately there isn't really any place to stand and wait for a table without being uncomfortably close to someone eating. I think the restaurant would benefit from a vestibule being built on the outside, as some tables are pretty close to the door and I can see it getting really cold in the winter. The restaurant was also VERY noisy--it's all wood inside, so there aren't any sound dampeners. It was nearly impossible to hear our own table for conversation.  The service was also very, very slow, but that's to be expected during the first week of service.

We're uncertain if sides are charged or free with burgers--we got two with sweet potato fries and one with onion rings, and only one of the fries was charged ($2). We didn't ask because we were in a rush to get out of there (and, honestly, didn't want to have to pay a few bucks more if they were mistakenly left off the bill. We are bad people.).

That said, the food was pretty great, and for $5.50 a burger on Tuesday nights, I will definitely be back.

Looking forward to hearing others' opinions!

And so am I.

Twist & Turn Tavern
13380 Clarksville Pike (Rte 108)
Highland, MD  20777
301-854-2170

NEAR: This is on Rte 108 just north of Rte 216.  It's an easy ride from Laurel, Fulton, Clarksville or points west.  And easy enough from Columbia.  If you go to Highland, check out Boarman's Meat Market at the corner of Rte 108 and Rte 216.  They make their own sausage and crab cakes.

What Is The Twist & Turn Tavern in Highland?

There are apparently signs for a new Twist & Turn Tavern in Highland on Rte 108 near Rte 216.  Does anyone know the story?

This is near Boarman's Meat Market and Hidden Treasure Cafe.  John pointed out to me that Twist & Turn has a Facebook page updated a few times in the past six weeks.  It says "opening late May."  Is that true?

(Update: See the comment below that says they're opening on June 10 and should post their menu on May 28.)

Hidden Treasure Cafe in Highland

If pigs could fly, then I wouldn't have been surprised to enjoy "BBQ pork wings" at the Hidden Treasure Cafe in Highland.

The casual counter joint opened in June 2009, and they're serving a small but interesting menu at the intersection of Rte 216 and Rte 108. This is the intersection of Boarman's crab cakes and sausage. Hidden Treasure adds sandwiches, salads, and sweets served for breakfast, lunch or dinner. This is an assertive kitchen that wants to serve you fish tacos, salads with cranberries and bleu cheese, or a Tuscan wrap with chicken, spinach, and a parmesan pesto aioli.

Hidden Treasure also serves the "BBQ pork wings." The $7.25 order comes with a cole slaw sitting next to three sauce-slathered chunks of meat. They actually look like drumsticks -- a little bone sticking out of a chunk of meat. It's tender pork, basically boneless because the bone falls out, with most of the flavor from the sauce. A touch of vinegar. A touch of sweet. I had to talk to the chef, who was having his lunch while I ate my "wings." The chef said it's a cut like

pork loin with a piece of rib bone. I saw other Web sites (1, 2) that say it comes from the lower leg. Either way, it's worth a visit -- even if you're driving from Clarksville, Fulton or the Applied Physics Lab.

The Highland cafe fits into the "Maiwand Kabob" style -- classy design, counter ordering, and some seats to enjoy your meal. They serve ice cream and a bunch of "penny candies" that they have actually turned into decorations in glass jars on the counter. Very smart look. They even have some outdoor seating with my favorite parking lot view. I'm going back for the cuban panini and the fish tacos. I'll also check out the ice cream and especially the shakes. They're open for dinner, so I might wander down for a treat one evening with Mrs. HowChow.

(Update: emkenton comments below that Hidden Treasure serves Moorenko's ice cream. That is high end, so the shakes must be dynamite.)

Hidden Treasure Cafe

13380 Clarksville Pike (Rte 108)

Highland, MD 2077

301-854-9494

NEAR: This is at the intersection of Rte 108 and Rte 216. There is a modern development with a Subway and other stores. Hidden Treasure is next to the Subway. It's a really easy drive from Clarksville or from Fulton. (Three miles west of Maple Lawn.)

Crab Cakes at Boarman's Meat Market

Trust the place in the country to give you a taste of the bay -- and pick up crab cakes for an easy dinner at Boarman's Meat Market.

Boarman's is an institution on Rte 108 in Highland, and the house-made sausage is worth driving out. But Boarman's also makes crab cakes -- each the size of a fist and packed with tasty meat. On earlier visits, I had missed this treat in a case full of meat, but I got the tip from a friend. The cakes are moist and lightly seasoned. Maybe Old Bay? I wasn't exactly sure. I just dropped them on tinfoil and broiled until they browned on each side.

The crab cakes are normally $4 each. One would make a fine meal if you add a few side dishes. Easy enough for a weeknight. Delicious enough for a treat. Mrs. HowChow and I split four, and they were honestly too much for a single meal. (Not that I didn't finish my two!)

The other famous local crab cakes are at Timbuktu just off Rte 100. If you go to Boarman's, it is an easy drive up Rte 108 to Root's Market. That organic market is full of options to round out a meal.

Boarman's Meat Market
13402 Clarksville Pike (Rte 108)
Highland, MD
301-854-2883

NEAR: Boarman's is the intersection of Rte 108 and Rte 216. It's south of Clarksville and west of Fulton.

Sausage at Boarman's Meat Market in Highland

The homemade sausages at Boarman's Meat Market are worth the drive down to the intersection of Rte 108 and Rte 216 in Highland.

Boarman's is an institution at the crossroads just south of Clarksville and west of Fulton. The store is a small grocery and liquor store, but the long-distance draw is the meat department in the back. Specifically, check out Boarman's two kinds of house-made sausage -- a long Italian link and a "country-style" patty for breakfast.

The Italian is perfect just grilled in sandwiches. I used it last Saturday to flavor a fish and vegetable soup and went a more complex route sauteing the entire link to firm up the meat, then slicing it and putting it back in the pan to brown each exposed side. To me, foods like sausage should be something special. I'd rather pass up a month's average sausage so that I can indulge myself when I find something like Boarman's -- or the thick-cut bacon that Boarman's sells by the slice.

You'll laugh, but the sausage doesn't have the grease that you'd expect. Great flavor, but even when I sauteed slices, there was the lightest coating of fan in the pan when I went to cook onions. In contrast, the Mexican and Salvadoran chorizo at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia looks wonderful, but it is too greasy for me to grill regularly.

Boarman's also sells steaks and other meat. I'd love a recommendation if you buy there. If you like bacon by the slice, you can also check out the Laurel Meat Market near U.S. 1 in downtown Laurel.

Click here for a comprehensive list of ethnic and organic markets in Howard County.

Boarman's Meat Market
13402 Clarksville Pike (Rte 108)
Highland, MD
301-854-2883

NEAR: This is the intersection of Rte 108 and Rte 216. It's south of Clarksville and west of Fulton.