Sometimes, You Get Distracted, And You Need Tacos And Pizza And Ice Cream To Shake You Out

Sometimes, you get distracted, and you need tacos, pizza and ice cream shake you out of it.

It's been a nice fall, but life kept me away even from the fun stuff like HowChow.  It's like Lil' Chow ignoring the Bon Chon fried chicken because he was mesmerized by the television.  Football that he clearly can't understand.

But then people plied me with enough great food that I needed to come back.  Expect short posts.  I'm still working a hobby blog into the new reality.

First up -- R&R Taqueria is moving, expanding and then being replaced by a burger joint in the Shell station.  Junior Barnes left a comment with the announcement last week.  The new R&R will be next door to its current gas station location.  The R&R Taqueria Web site says the new location -- with 126 seats and a party room -- will open in late December or early January "where the Jessup Lhasa is."

I'm actually not 100% sure what that means.  The Shell station sits next to a strip shopping center.  Down the road is new construction, but I don't think it has commercial spots.

Can anyone describe where the new restaurant will go?

(Update:  Through the magic of tweets, Rodrigo told me that the new restaurant will replace the Jessup Deli.  That's a big space.  I'm psyched.)

I personally will be psyched.  I love the R&R food.  Touting the tacos highlighted by reader Alberto Flores has been one of my favorite parts of this blog.  But I ate those tacos sitting at one of the few stools or balancing a delicious tray in my car.  That's not an option when I'm looking for weekend lunch with Lil' Chow so I'll look forward to introducing him to more good stuff -- with a high chair and no televisions to distract him.

Thanks to everyone who has left comments or sent me emails.  I appreciate.  I love the blog.  I love that people enjoy it.  I have been spotting ideas all fall, just never could make the time to sit at the keyboard.  I'm just starting to work through the tips and emails, and I will reply.

Check out the R&R Taqueria Web site for the announcement.  Chef Rodrigo Albarran-Torres says he'll turn the current taqueria into a new restaurant with burgers, wings, fries, milkshakes and other items.  He is also working on a cookbook!

Rebirth Of Seafood In Jessup? Wild Seafood Appears To Be Filling The Old Frank's

A new retail seafood shop appears to be filling the space formerly occupied by Frank's Seafood in the Jessup seafood market.

Look for Wild Seafood at the near end of the market.  Dave Webb, a former manager at Frank's, is in the process of opening that store, reports Rob.  Some fish may already be on sale, but the official opening is slated for February 28.  Says Rob:

Right now, he is having a "soft opening," and he has a few things in stock. But, he will be up and ready to go full steam.... ahhh CRABS... ahead on the 28th.

The former Frank's Seafood closed last fall after being a Howard County mainstay for years.  They were my spot for oysters and steamed crabs.  The new Wild Seafood appears to be taking over the same space, which is just south of Rte 175 and a few blocks east of U.S. 1.  You need to show an ID to enter the Jessup wholesale seafood market, but anyone can buy at the retail store.

If you go to the new Wild Seafood, I also recommend stopping at My Organic Market, which is on Rte 175 just east of U.S. 1.  I've done well in the past shopping for fish or shellfish, then taking that inspiration to My Organic Market to buy my other ingredients.

Tamales At R&R Taqueria -- Another Simple Wonder From The Gas Station Taco Joint

Tamales from R&R

R&R Taqueira continues to surprise me -- years after I became an early thump in the drumbeat that took them to the Washington Post and the Food Network.

You can go for the frisson of eating in gas station on U.S. 1 at Rte 175.  But you should really drive to Jessup because they serve incredibly flavorful food up and down their menu.

I have raved about tacos, but I noticed tamales on my last visit.  Tamales are a benchmark dish for Mrs. HowChow who imprinted on rich vegetarian versions in a Los Angeles farmers market.  It's always a big deal when she thinks any tamales approach that grade.

Easy takeout. Heat at home.

I thought R&R's tamales were delicious, and they're a spectacular lunch or takeout at just $2 each.  For $2, you get a half-sandwich-sized block of steamed corn with filling.  I ordered chicken.  Then you get some red sauce to pour on top with R&R's signature mix of fresh ingredients and deep flavor.  Spicy and acid tomatoes contrasts with the smooth, slightly sweet corn.

These will make a perfectly fine lunch.  But I actually recommend them as takeout.  Your taco is best eaten right away, either on one of the R&R stools or in the front seat of your car.  But you buy the tamales straight from the refrigerator.  Tell them that you don't want them reheated.  Then microwave them yourself.  They'll last several days in your fridge, and three tamales and the sauce made lunch for two.

I can't recommend R&R's enough.  It has been more than five years since Alberto Flores turned me on to the Mexican takeout in the Shell gas station.  I've eaten breakfast.  I have eaten fish.  I have burned my tongue on lamb soup and on cochinita pibil.  I have cooled my mouth with agua frescas and horchata.  Check out all my R&R posts, and go see how much fun you can have for $10.

Best Wry Comment About New Dining In Jessup

"Am I allowed to be excited about IHOP opening up at East Columbia Marketplace next to Advance Auto Parts?"

That's the best wry comment for recent HowChow.  Gayadnu made me laugh.  It's news to me that IHOP would be coming to the Jessup shopping area near Mom's Organic Market and Rte 175.  And folks can be excited for anyone and any place.

Also, Annie Rie reports on Twitter that the second Xitomate has opened in Turf Valley.

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.

Crabs And Peaches - The Summer's Best Stuff With Short Drives Around Howard County

Crabs from Frank's Seafood

Summer makes for big food, and you can make short drives to get the best stuff.

The '34 Act Gourmet bought crabs to celebrate his birthday, and Frank's Seafood in Jessup steamed a spectacular bushel and a half.  I ate far more than my share.  Most people are such amateurs.  They knock off after two or three crabs.  The pros power through.

Peaches at Gorman

Frank's crabs were heavy and sweet.  Their spice mixture had flavor without being too salty.  I was super-impressed.

To continue on the summer flavors, drive down to Gorman Produce Farm in Laurel for peaches, basil, and vegetables.  Gorman farms most of the produce, and they sell boxes of tomatoes, herbs, onions, potatoes, beets, and more.  They also bring in peaches from Baugher Farm -- along with the first summer apples and other fruit.

WKitchen's summer cocktail

Gorman is a short drive from Columbia -- just east of Rte 29 on Gorman Road.  Like Frank's crabs, the Gorman produce is special and fresh.  You won't get these flavors from your mid-winter fruit.  I'm especially waiting until the tomatoes really arrive and Gorman sells crates of "seconds" to turn into sauce.

What other specialties of summer do you suggest? Any special shopping?  Special dishes at local restaurants?

It's a farther drive, but we went to Woodberry Kitchen that has the most-amazing summer items -- a like peach desserts and a warm cherry tomato salad with pancetta and rocket. But my absolute favorite was a non-alcoholic cocktail made from watermelon, cucumber juice, hot sauce, and sour mix. It alternatively sounds crazy and simple, but it tastes complex and delicious. I need to start experimenting with cocktails made with the blueberries that I preserved with wine.

Spectacular Roadside BBQ From Dave In Savage

Pulled pork sandwich and a piece of crackling

Grab a roll of paper towels and make plans for an early lunch on the side of the road.

Right outside the entrance to the Savage MARC station is a guy with a pull-behind barbecue serving up delicious meats at roadside prices.

I ate pulled pork Monday after being clued in by George Berkheimer of the The Business Monthly.  David Welch had platters of meat cooking, and he pulled the pork off the bone to build an enormous sandwich for me.  Then he left me to doctor it up with spicy sauce and his personal spice mixture.

This is moist, firm meat coming right off the heat.  It is a rich smokey flavor, but it's truly just pork.  You really want to add spice and sauces -- maybe sauce in the bottom of the container -- so that you can dip and alternate flavors.  My $6 sandwich was so large that I couldn't finish it off.  I ate until full, then shredded the leftovers into soup last night.

Terrible photo.  Sorry.

Dave runs a weekly rotation -- pulled pork Mondays, beef brisket Tuesdays, big pork chops Wednesdays, ribs Thursdays, and chicken Fridays.  Six bucks for each except the $9-19 ribs.  He also sells kielbasa, half smokes and sodas.  He worked originally in upscale hotel kitchens, then started a hot dog stand and moved onto the current deal where he works this lunch crowd and does catering through Dave's BBQ and Catering out of Laurel.

Dave was a generous host, searing a piece of skin into crackling.  He talked about his competitive barbecue wins, including a 2006 Maryland state championship.  The other customers talked up the brisket and a once-a-month special of jambalaya.  Dave starts selling at 9 am.  I assume he gets business from the truckers who start their days early between the wholesale markets in Jessup down through all the business parks along U.S. 1.  Some days, he is sold out before noon.

This is a perfect spot if you work somewhere near Fort Meade, and it's off-and-on Rte 32 so it's doable from anywhere in Columbia.  I'm going back as soon as I can figure out how to be home on a different weekday.  Expect posts on brisket, chops and ribs over time!  The catering -- which includes sides, utensils, etc. -- seems like a deal starting at $11/13-a-head if you pick it up and running to $21/23-a-head with all-you-can-eat spreads run by a catering crew.

The one flaw in my plan was that I didn't get a napkin from Dave.  I ate in a parking lot before my next errand, and I was glad to find a clean rag after chomping through juicy meat that had soaked through the light roll.  So get those paper towels and start driving.

Thanks again to George for mentioning Dave to me.  How did I go this long without someone sending me an email?  Roadside meats are right up the HowChow alley!  This looks like it's right up Strobist's as well.

Dave's BBQ and Catering
just outside the Savage MARC train station
Dorsey Run Road just south of Rte 32
Savage, MD
240-535-6785

Near:  Dave parks on Dorsey Run Road just south of Rte 32.  From Columbia, you take Rte 32 over I-95 and U.S. 1.  Take the Dorsey Run Road exit, then turn right at the light.  From Fort Meade, you take that exit and turn left back over Rte 32.  Dave is the guy with the barbecue set up before you reach the MARC parking lots.  Park on the side of the road.

Bulgogi And Terriyaki Truck In Jessup

The city food trucks gets all the trend-hyping press, but Jessup is quickly becoming a place to sample side-of-the-road food.

The Jessup trucks don't move around, but they keep multiplying -- now with Korean bulgogi from a truck on Rte 175 a little east of the prison and the wholesale produce market.  The truck sells bulgogi, teriyakis, subs, fried rice, and burgers.  It appeared to be Korean-run, so I went bulgogi.

It's a tasty little lunch. It's not a Shin Chon Garden feast, but you get a full platter of meat, rice, salad and pickled vegetables.  The meat was nicely charred, but not spicy like you might expect from Korean food.  Definitely worth a drive if you're the type to look for something new at lunch.  The truck's sign says Jessup Deli, so I assume it is connected to the deli at Rte 175 and U.S. 1.

If you're the type to drive for a little adventure, you should definitely try the run on Rte 175.  Start with R&R Taqueria in the Shell station at U.S. 1.  Then pass the prison and watch for a weekend barbecue with a Mexican flavor at Mel's Liquor and for the A&W Pit Beef truck at Duvall's Marketplace.

Jessup Deli truck
2827 Jessup Road (Rte 175)
Jessup, MD 20784

NEAR:  The truck is on the south side of Rte 175 between the prison and the BW Parkway.  It's at the intersection with Sellner Road.

Goat Milk Lollipops At El Patio In Jessup

Imagine a dulce de leche lollipop -- sweet, but with the adult flavors of caramel and goat milk.

The Coronado lollipops hang just across from the cash register at the El Patio market in Jessup.  They're Mexican, and they could be a gourmet item if they were sold in a fancy joint.

First, they're delicious.  It's basically a disc of caramel that melts in your mouth.  (This isn't the durian candies that I said would be an acquired taste.)  Second, they're all-natural with just goat milk, sugar, corn syrup, salt and sodium bicarbonate.  I love a candy made from ingredients that I have in the pantry, except of course that my milk is a species more mundane.

The Coronado lollipops come in a string of 10 for $2.  They'd be great for a packed lunch and unique enough that I'm trying to imagine how they'd fit in a dinner party.

If you go to El Patio, definitely try the empanadas that they sell from the counter.  They're part of the taste test planned for later this month, and they're delicious.  Check out all the posts about El Patio.


El Patio Market
7968 Washington Boulevard (U.S. 1)
Jessup, MD 20794
443-755-0385

NEAR: Just south of Rte 175 on U.S. 1. It's on the east side about a block south of the intersection. Very convenient from I-95.  This is a great place to check out if you shop at Mom's Organic Market or Frank's Seafood in Jessup.

Mom's Organic Market: Your Place To Bring Bittman's Book And Add New Stuff To Your Plate

I'm not a natural follower of the natural markets -- too suspicious of supplements and packaged food to flock to the organic joints.

But I'm being converted to Mom's Organic Market in Jessup -- by the selections and by its location in the midst of good food.

Anyone willing to make an effort for food in Howard County should know the organic markets -- David's Natural in Columbia, Roots in Clarksville, and Mom's (formerly My Organic Market) in Jessup.  Yet for years, they weren't places that I visited in depth.  So many aisles dedicated to vitamins, expensive packaged brands, and what I'll call "no" foods -- no gluten, no sugar, no meat . . .

I want "yes" food.  Delicious food.  Happy food, and I was pushed to open my eyes at Mom's by Mark Bittman and Frank's Seafood.

Bittman and friends got me back on a kick of whole grains and beans.  The organic markets offer bulk aisles of brown rice, amaranth, bulgar, quinoa and more.  I experimented by taking a few cups at a time and cooking my way through books like Super Natural Cooking and Whole Grains Everyday.  They're the entry drug for healthy cooking.

Then Frank's got me to really look around.

Oysters At Frank's Seafood In Jessup

My drive for better ingredients keep taking me to Jessup where I buy fish at Frank's Seafood in the wholesale seafood market.

Last weekend, I went for shrimp to flavor a pasta dish, but I also picked up a dozen oysters.  They had four varieties, and I picked the Maryland locals ($9/dozen) because I was just making a treat to surprise my father.

Crabs dominate my Frank's trips in summertime, but they still have terrific whole fish, wild shrimp and shell fish now.  Shucking raw oysters intimidates me, especially because I don't have the knives to do it.  But a Frank's customer ordered them, and, after I asked, he explained that he was going to grill them at home.

Two minutes or so on the grill, and the oysters pop open.  I pulled them all once I could see that two or three had separated.  They don't cook enough to interest Mrs. HowChow, but the gap made them easy to pry onto a half-shell with a screwdriver that I had sterilized in a gas flame. The meat was firmer than straight raw, but they still had the clean ocean taste, the slightly salty bite that makes them so unique.

Remember the oysters get really hot on the grill.  I wore an oven mitt and tried to keep them steady as I pulled them off the fire.  I lost a little oyster juice into the flame, but it was a pretty simple operation.


Does anyone else have suggestions for Frank's?  Supermarket shrimp disappoint me, and I won't buy farmed ones anymore because I saw one too many description of how that's done.  I go to Frank's for crabs, shrimp and now oysters, but I'd like to branch into whole fish.  Anyone suggest a cookbook that teaches those techniques?


(Update: I went back and bought a shucking knife at Frank's with a second batch of oysters.  They were "salts" cultivated in Virginia.   It was an easy skill to pick up, and they were delicious -- a touch saltier than the locals.)

They're Giving Away Crabs At Frank's Seafood

Think about Frank's Seafood on Sunday because they were giving away crabs on Saturday.

Not free crabs.  But the cold crabs -- steamed this morning and completely delicious -- were on special.  They were $1 each or buy-a-dozen-get-a-dozen-free depending on the size.  Those are some nice deals.  I got a half dozen of the $1 crabs and filled a bowl with picked meat.

Frank's in Jessup says its Sunday hours are 12-5.  They have crab meat and crab cakes to go with the hardshells.  They also have a wide variety of fish and seafood.  I considered a dozen oysters.  They were offering samples.  But fish and crab were more than enough for us tonight.

Mom's Organic Market Expands In Jessup

Mom's Organic Market in Jessup has expanded into the still-filling shopping center, creating broader aisles throughout the store and more space for organic groceries.

It's a nice look.  The store feels more open, and the produce section seems bigger.  They created a special section in produce for the high-end cheeses.  This isn't a Whole Foods, but it's one of the better places for unusual cheeses in Howard County.

Mom's -- which used to be called My Organic Market -- is one of the three local sources for organic groceries.  I'm not a huge buyer of the national brands, but I like Mom's for cheeses, breads, vegetables, and a walk through the aisles.  My recent finds have included Michele's Granola, Fage Greek Yogurt, and Salazon Salted Chocolates.  Click here for all of the Mom's Organic Market posts.

Mom's Organic Market Columbia East

7361 Assateague Dr. #190

Jessup, MD 20794

410-799-2175

NEAR: This is the Columbia East shopping center at Rte 175 just east of U.S. 1. There is a Starbucks facing Rte 175, and you'll see Mom's Organic Market right in front of you when you pull into the parking area.

Maryland Crab at Frank's Seafood

I go to Frank's Seafood in Jessup for delicious seafood and straight answers.

The hardshells at Frank's are still coming from warmer Carolina, but I bought a pound of Maryland backfin last week and made wonderful crabcakes and weird sushi.  I also got a half pound of scallops -- the kind where no one has injected salt water to inflate the price and ruin the flavor.

Frank's isn't cheap.  I paid $20 for the crab and $9 for the scallops.  But I got real answers when I asked where they were getting everything and what they thought of the difference.  The Frank's clerk described each crab option -- Venezuelan crab had good texture but little flavor, Carolina was good, and the Maryland was the sweetest of all.  Such a contrast to earlier last week when I stood at a supermarket counter and watched a really nice teenaged clerk unable to say anything except what was written on the label.  The guy in front of me couldn't get an answer to anything.  I walked away with no fish.

With answers and past success, I blew all my cash at Frank's and will do it again.  The Maryland backfin tasted like summer.  I added egg, mayo, and breadcrumbs just to hold the cakes together, and I'll add even less next time.  I used the leftovers to make sushi rolls with thin-sliced tomatillo and crab.  Thumbs up, although I was just screwing around.  The sweetness of crab and scallop should be a luxury, and I'd rather eat Frank's on special occasions than load up on the tasteless shrimp pushed on me by almost everyone else.

(Update:  Since this post, I have gone back to Frank's for shrimp, oysters and whole fish.  The oysters are a terrific treat, especially once I learned that I could grill them for a few minutes so that they would pop open.  The shrimp were firm and sweet, and they're wild, which has become my requirement after learning too much about how they farm shrimp in southeast Asia.)

Frank's is right down the road from Mom's Organic Market, which makes it a great pairing to get vegetables and bread and then stop for fish.  If you head south from Rt 175, then consider rolling down Snowden River too.  For the crab cake dinner, I grabbed a takeout loaf of ciabatta at Bon Fresco Sandwich Bakery.


By driving to Jessup, you enter the wonderland around Rte 175 and U.S. 1. The finds near that intersection include great empanadas at El Patio, a Chinese buffet at Fortune Star, and several taco options including the R&R Deli and Pupuseria Lorenita's. Check out the entire post about the wonders along U.S. 1.

Frank's Seafood
7901 Oceano Ave # B
Jessup, MD 20794
(410) 799-5960

NEAR: This is in the wholesale seafood market in Jessup. You take Rte 175 east from I-95. You turn right on Oceano Avenue after passing the prison. You turn left into the market. You need to show a driver's license, but Frank's is open to the public.  The market charges truck drivers to deliver or pick up, but it's free to the public after 10 am.

Weekend Barbecue At Mel's Liquors In Jessup

If the Lonely Planet Guide wrote about Howard County, it would send 20-year-old foreigners to eat ribs in the parking lot of Mel's Liquors in Jessup.

With the warm weather, our local street food as returned in the form of steel-drum grills set up along the side of the road.  Still during breakfast hours last Saturday, I stumbled on a crew grilling chicken, beef and pork ribs on the side of Rte 175.  The smoke was too good to pass up.

That's how I found myself devouring pork ribs in the front seat of my car at 10 in the morning.  I actually had to hit an ATM for cash, but it was worth the extra effort.  The perfect crust of char and smoked meat ran along the entire 10-inch slab of ribs.  Inside, there was more fat than you'd get at a chain restaurant.  But the meat was moist and tender, and the smokey char was something that I have never been able to get at home.  Nothing was burned.  The ribs had just smoked and crusted along the edge in the way that I absolutely love.

(Update: It's a deep grilled flavor, no sauce or sweet flavors on top of the meat -- in response to Trevor-Peter's comment below.)

It's a $10 plate.  You get meat, plus rice, beans and a mild salsa of tomatoes and sweet onions.  They're all better than you'd get at a chain Mexican restaurant.  The red beans were the best.  They're cook with skill.  Tender, but still firm and tasting of beans in a way that canned or mushy ones never pull off.  As I scooped them up, I promised myself that I'd try soaking dried beans again.

This is great street food.  This area of Jessup and Elkridge clearly serves a growing group of Latin immigrants, and they're kicking off great food like the tacos at R&R Deli or the Pupuseria Lorenita taco truck.  My pork ribs could have -- maybe should have been -- lunch for two.  You could have a great afternoon trying this joint, then working through a few other places or driving the U.S. 1 "Foodie Frontier."

Last weekend, the stand was being run by three people, and they also had plastic bags of mango slices that looked excellent.  As it was, I was eating way more food than anyone needed at 10 am.  Their truck had no name, but they said that they would be cooking on weekends from morning until about 5:30 pm.  A little Spanish helped me ask questions, but you can order in English.

Itinerant BBQ has popped up several times along U.S. 1.  Email me if you spot any or if you can recommend a joint with a regular schedule.

Barbecue at Mel's Liquors

7915 Jessup Road (Rte 175)

Jessup, MD 20794

410-799-2988 (number for liquor store)

301-906-9550 (number on barbecue sign)

NEAR:  Mel's Liquors is at the intersection of Rte 175 and Dorsey Run Road.  It's about a mile east of the prison -- between the BW Parkway and U.S. 1.

R&R Deli Converts Mrs. HowChow To Gas Station Tacos

Mrs. HowChow has eaten lunch at a gas station, and she actually turned to me at the end and said, "I'm surprised that you didn't push this harder."

The R&R Deli in Elkridge serves my favorite tacos, and the punch line is that they're served from a gas station.  Not really in the gas station.  R&R has a separate entrance and a glass wall that separates it from the Shell Station at U.S. 1 and Rte 175.

I love R&R's tacos, but Mrs. HowChow and I had been joking for months about eating at a gas station.  I only forced the question because we had just suffered from a "try new food for the blog" disaster -- an Indian paan that was a perfect mouth-freshener except that it used some floral oil that must have been added to 1970s cleaning supplies.  Objectively, it tasted fine, but we immediately thought about furniture cleaning.

The tacos were perfect.  For $4, we got two -- one chicken, one carne asada.  Soft tortillas, meat cooked to order, and a topping of onions, cilantro and handmade salsa.  "Who would expect fresh vegetables in a gas station?" said Mrs. HowChow.  They're really large for $2, and R&R serves a variety of meats, including chorizo, carnitas and lengua.  Mrs. HowChow thought the chicken was delicious, butchered well so there was none of the gristle that you can get in chopped meat.

We split a Mexican orange soda.  Next time, I will buy her a milkshake - like I had on my first visit.  I'm almost shocked that there will be a next time.

(Update: You should also try R&R's ceviche special, which offers marinated fish and vegetables on top of a crisp tostada.)

The R&R Deli joins a great run of food along U.S. 1. Check out my post about "U.S. 1: The Foodie Frontier" that tours you from Ceazar International Market in Elkridge down to R&R Deli's intersection where you're within a block of organic groceries at MOM's Organic Market, the empanadas at the El Patio Market, and more.

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 at the Elkridge/Jessup border. It's really convenient from Rte 175 -- just go east from Columbia across I-95 and then look left at U.S. 1.

Link: Cazabe In The Sun

A new Dominican restaurant Cazabe in Jessup gets love from Sun reviewer Richard Gorelick in yesterday's paper. He liked the food at Cazabe, although he complained that he got stuck in 2 1/2 hours of traffic to get there. Aren't you glad you're local?

R&R Deli -- Tacos At The Shell Station

The takeout taco is the food discovery of my four years in Howard County.

Back in Arlington, I stopped occasionally at a stand that appeared on good weather weekends, but you can count on the joints around here for a front-seat feast of tacos, salsa and a squirt of lime. These are $2 treats that usually spice up a day when I'm out doing errands.

Now, you can count on the tacos at the R&R deli in Elkridge -- a new takeout spot for breakfast and Mexican food at Rte 175. R&R serves great tacos. I tried the barbacoa, the carnitas and the carne asada on Monday, and they're spectacular. Heaped meat, good tortillas, a nice salsa. R&R is near the Shell Station where Rte 175 hits U.S. 1.

Okay, let's admit it: R&R is in the Shell Station where Rte 175 hits U.S. 1. That's why Mrs. HowChow has not yet sampled the tacos there. But it's not like you're ordering food in a gas station. The restaurant's owners have a separate door, and they set up a bright commercial kitchen separated by a glass wall from anything automotive.

The tip about R&R came from a comment last month by Alberto A. Flores. The R&R tacos were stuffed, and they're in the league with the best takeout around, certainly in the league with my favorites at Pupuseria Lorenita's taco truck in Elkridge and Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia. R&R's big standout was the milkshake that I had with my tacos. The guys there whipped up milk and real strawberries in a blender, and it was a refreshing, delicious drink. Not the dessert of a milkshake at The Duchess in Ellicott City. It was more like strawberry milk, but real strawberries that they had pulled from the fridge and hulled right in front of me.

(Update: You should ask for a huarache -- a Mexico City dish with a masa base, cheese, meat and avocado.  You should also try R&R's ceviche special, which offers marinated fish and vegetables on top of a crisp tostada.)

The R&R Deli serves a pretty broad menu from American or Mexican breakfasts to tortas sandwiches to platters of beef, cajun chicken, or blackened salmon. I really liked the guys there, who chatted and gave off the vibe of folks who were really interested in serving good food. Now, I just need to convince Mrs. HowChow.

(Update: Mrs. HowChow approves.)

The R&R Deli joins a great run of food along U.S. 1. Check out my post about "U.S. 1: The Foodie Frontier" that tours you from Ceazar International Market in Elkridge down to R&R Deli's intersection where you're within a block of organic groceries at MOM's Organic Market, the empanadas at the El Patio Market, and more right.

R&R Deli / R&R Taqueria

7894 Washington Boulevard

Elkridge, MD 21075

410-799-0001

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

Max Blob's Park in Jessup

'Tis the season for German food, so you should celebrate Oktoberfest at Max Blob's Park in Jessup.

The Blob's Park music hall is an institution just east of the BW Parkway south of Rte 175. Polka music, good German beer and German food like sausages, sauerkraut, and schnitzel. It actually closed at the end of 2008, but then re-opened when the re-development of the property fell apart.

I haven't actually been myself. We're sausage fans, and Mrs. HowChow has happily gone out for many blog-related meals that she didn't expect to love. But she drew the line at polka, and I'm not going to push it soon even though I know she'd go if I asked. (I have my eyes on a Korean-inspired sandwich that I want to try first.)

You should go try the beer, the dancing and the food. They're celebrating Oktoberfest for six weekends! So I'm collecting some reviews from Capital Spice, Owen Brown News, and the Food and Wine Blog. For special events, there are often detailed updates on Max's beer offerings on the Beer in Baltimore blog. There was even a polka article in the City Paper. This is a piece of the Capital Spice review:

The beer on hand at Blob’s Park is an outstanding representation of traditional German styles, including labels you aren’t likely to find outside of a import-beer focused restaurant like Birreria or Granville Moore’s. The food is definitely German and very bier hall flavored. Ever since the reopening, most dinners are served all-you-can-eat buffet style, with ample white sausages, sauerkraut, white potatoes, schnitzel, and steamed vegetables to be had for the taking. If you call ahead to reserve a table, which we do recommend for nights with more popular bands, you will be assigned a helpful no-fuss waitress to make sure your beer pitchers are full and empty plates are cleared.

If you’ve never been to Blob’s Park, or never seen the jubilant wonder that is live polka, this is the perfect time of year to start. Oktoberfest is upon us and every Saturday night from September 19 to the end of October, Blob’s Park features special uberrad Oktoberfest events, and all with a cover of $15 or less.

(Update: Definitely check out the comments below. K8teebug says make a reservation for Oktoberfest and other folks describe their visits in the past. You might want to try a Saturday night when the place is packed.)

Max Blob’s Park
8024 Max Blobs Park Rd
Jessup, MD 20794

NEAR: Take Rte 175 east and cross over the BW Parkway. Then turn right at the flashing light on Max Blob's Park Road.

Pollo Fuego in Jessup

Peruvian grilled chicken has come to Howard County, and the new Pollo Fuego in Jessup looks like a nice place for lunch or for takeout.

Juicy, flavorful chicken. It's a basic, but there is real skill in turning out a bird with a peppery taste, moist meat, and skin that is just too delicious to leave on the plate. Pollo Fuego turns out nice chicken, and that makes a great plate with fried yucca and red beans -- still holding their shape, but cooked soft and creamy.

I was willing to drive to Mega Chicken in Laurel for yucca fries because I love the lighter, aerier variation on the French fry. Now, I can get my fix at U.S. 1 and Rte 175 in Jessup. It's a pretty
basic place -- counter service with small tables and bar stools. The menu is mostly variations on chicken, although there is a steak option. This is an easy detour off I-95, so it goes right onto my list of great takeout joints in Howard County. They have specials for one or two chickens with a mess of sides and cans of soda.

Early comments on a prior post suggest that other people are fans -- although Anonymous commits heresy by suggesting boiled potatoes over my yucca fries!! But note that Jane S. posted on Yelp about three disappointing visits -- and she sounds like she knows her Peruvian chicken. Please give your feedback below.

My one advice: Pay 20 cents more for a second condiment cup of the fiery green sauce. Spicy and fresh, it really goes well with the chicken and contrasts with the dry yucca.

If you are interested in Peruvian chicken, there is an enormous series of posts on Chowhound where people tasted and debated all kinds of restaurants -- mostly in PG and Montgomery County.

If you go to Pollo Fuego, definitely check out the My Organic Market in the same shopping center. Also look into Chinese buffet at Fortune Star Buffet across from MoM or the takeout empanadas at El Patio Market on U.S. 1. In fact, the entire run along U.S. 1 has such interesting food that I posted about the "Foodie Frontier."

Pollo Fuego
7351 Assateague Drive
Jessup, MD 20794

NEAR: This is the Columbia East shopping center at Rte 175 and U.S. 1. There is a Starbucks and a Rita's facing Rte 175, and you'll see My Organic Market right in front of you when you pull into the parking area. Pollo Fuego is in the back, around the corner from My Organic Market.