Paper Towel Tour: Grilled Ribs In Savage Start My Summer Search For U.S. 1 Barbeques

Ribs -- costillas de res -- from the food truck at Chesapeake Supply

Here comes the season of oil drum grills along U.S. 1.

As I have said before, the hip dining option for Howard County -- if there were a Lonely Planet Guide to this county -- would be the taco trucks and open grills that run from Laurel to Elkridge.  Grilled ribs.  Grilled chicken.  A mix of Latin side dishes.  You eat for $10, and you get the char and savory grease of a filling, authentic meal.

This is going to be my project for the summer.  I'm calling it my Paper Towel Tour because you'll want a roll in your car if you follow along.

I started on one of the first warm Saturdays with a stop in Savage -- a food truck dragging a black metal grill in the parking lot of Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.  I ordered the ribs.  These are not the fall-off-the-bone ribs that Mrs. HowChow prefers.  These are flanken-style ribs cut across the bone, often called "costillas de res" on Spanish signs.  You get strips of meat each studded with three or four pieces of bone.

The truck and grill

This is gnaw and bite work, and they were really good.  The fire gives the meat a slight char, and the marbled cut stays moist even cooked through.  I pulled chucks of meat away from the bone and wrapped them in thick pieces of corn tortilla.

The Paper Towel Tour will probably turn on side dishes.  I've eaten similar ribs at a bunch of grills over the years -- including a different stand set up in the same parking lot four years ago.  So far, they have all been delicious, but I'm not sure that I could distinguish the meats several weeks apart.

The real attention-grabbers are the side dishes.  Sometimes, you just get boring rice and beans, once even a supermarket tortilla.  In contrast, the truck at Chesapeake Supply put on a pretty good show.  A thick tortilla that tasted hand-made to me.  A fresh, flavorful salsa of tomato, onion and cilantro.  Those both seemed special.  I ate the red beans and the yellow rice, although they probably left some room for another truck to take the lead.

I mean -- I need a reason to stop five or six times for grilled ribs this summer.  If this first truck was perfect, there wouldn't be a need for a Paper Towel Tour.  And where would the fun be in that?

Who can offer advice for a Paper Towel Tour?  The Chesapeake lot is on the west side of U.S. 1 between Rte 175 and Rte 32.  I know there are two similar trucks south of there -- including one that I often see smoking just north of Rte 32.  I will need to work north to Elkridge as well, including a return trip to see if there is still a grill in the Mel's Liquor's parking lot in Jessup on Rte 175.  Can anyone recommend a favorite?  Or recommend a dish other than the costillas de res?

(Update: Kevlar51 is right in his comment below that the plastic forks don't really hold up.  If you're amused, consider buying a titanium spork -- like the TOAKS Titanium Spork that I bought on Amazon.  I keep one in my work bag, and I have used it many times when I ended up somewhere with lunch, but not cutlery.)

Grill Truck at Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.
8366 Washington Boulevard (U.S. 1)
Savage, MD 20763

NEAR: Chesapeake Supply is on U.S. 1 between Rte 175 and Rte 32.  It is on the west side of the road.  When I went past, there was another grill truck on the east side of U.S. 1 a little south of Chespaeake.  I look for these grill trucks on the weekend, but they may be out weekdays during good weather as well.

Go Big Or Get Sent Home: Bonaparte Is A Great Place When You Need To Bring Dessert

Flan and apple pastries from Bonaparate in Savage

It's a tough call when you need to bring dessert to a Friday dinner and you know the host is really putting heart into a grilled extravaganza.

For the short-ribs-and-shrimp feast that the '34 Act Gourmet put on, I had to find something that could hold its own on the table -- and I had to do it on the way home.

That's how I ended up among Bonaparte Bakery's pastries in the Savage Mill.  The bakery does spectacular breads, but I focused on the display case where I passed on several cream-and-pastry creations to buy slices of flan and individual-sized apple pastries.

These are high-end desserts.  For $5 each, I got substantial desserts.  Two of you could split one.  To sample for the blog, the four of us split four.  Dense, lightly-sweet flan slices -- almost more like a sweet-potato pie than a Spanish custard.  Perfectly-tender apple slices with a sweet gel, baked onto a complex pastry crust that managed to be light and crisp without being dry.

Bonaparte does all kinds of intricate French desserts.  The chocolate croissants and the breads make it worth visiting any time, but keep Savage in mind when you want something sweet to make a special dinner.

If you check out Laurel Meat Market from Howard County, then Bonaparte can be a quick detour on the way home.  If you want more bakeries, check out my post about the revolution in bread in Howard County.  If you want more intricate pastries, stop at Touche Touchet in Columbia, especially for the chocolate croissants, fruit tarts and cookies.

Rosemary Lemon Bread At Bonaparte Bakery

Rosemary lemon bread at Bonaparte

With all the sweets bakeries opening, it just doubles the impressiveness of Bonaparte Bread in Savage, which turns out French pastries and some of the best bread around.

Imagine rosemary lemon bread done perfectly.  A flavor so strong that you can smell herbs and lemon when you slice into the loaf, but gentle enough that the bread goes well with vegetable soup.

That's talent.  That's bread that I couldn't bake at home.  It's a bread that I might have been dubious about if I'd known the lemon and rosemary would bubble out so strongly.  But it was exceptional and would pair with all kinds of foods.  Worth every penny of almost $5.

The Bonaparte bakery is a fun little place in the Savage Mill development.  Go for breads.  Go for pastries like coconut macaroons.  They had a yule log that looked like fun for Christmas.  Go for a lunch of quiche or sandwiches.

Ma's Kettle In Savage

We went for lunch at Ma's Kettle on one of the first chilly, rainy day of the fall.

The Savage restaurant was cozy inside with a menu of American standards -- sandwiches, salads, barbecue and meatloaf.  The signs promote a homemade taste so the '34 Act Gourmet and I went with homemade creations, a pork barbecue sandwich and the meatloaf.

Meatloaf comes with a gravy, a pretty nice way to warm up and fill up.  The sandwich was packed with shredded meat and a relatively sweet sauce.  This isn't reinventing a classic.  This is the classic with a homemade taste just like they advertise.  It's comfort food, and we enjoyed the lunch even if half of a order is all of the meatloaf that I personally need.

If you go to Ma's Kettle, I'd go straight-forward.  The mashed potatoes were thick and creamy.  Skip the vegetables because you can steam broccoli at home.  The barbecue isn't Kloby's Smokehouse, but it was a fine sandwich as we talked and kept an eye on four-month-old Ethan who had eaten at home.

Ma's Kettle is open for breakfast and lunch.  They close at 3 pm.  It's a friendly place.  They split our orders onto two plates.  They kept filling the iced tea.  If you go, consider making your dinner by stopping in the Savage Mill for a loaf of Bonaparte Bread.

Ma's Kettle
8949 Baltimore Street
Savage, MD 20763

NEAR:  Ma's Kettle is near the Savage Mill.  It's easy to access from U.S. 1 or Gorman Road and just south of Rte 32.  From Gorman Road, turn north on Foundary Street.  That is the intersection with the huge bridge that leads to Savage Mill.  Go past the mill, then turn right at Baltimore Street.  Ma's Kettle is a block up on the right.

 

Fruit Tarts From Bonaparte Bread

The '34 Act Gourmet can bring home the bacon and roast it up in a pan.  But he also knows how to buy himself a gourmet dish -- especially a nice dessert.

Twice over the last months, he has picked up fruit tarts at Bonaparte Bread in Savage, and they've been hits both on his table and when he brought them to our friend's house for dinner:

Generally speaking, I hate most fruit. I will eat it, but only reluctantly and after much nagging from the wife. The problem I have with fruit is not the taste but the texture; I just don't like it regardless of how organic or fresh the fruit may be.

Obviously, I'm not the first person you would think to rush out and buy a fruit tart. However, when I was short on ideas of what to bring for dessert to a dinner party, at the suggestion of a friend, that's exactly what I did.

The fruit tart came from Bonaparte Bread, which has locations in Baltimore and in the Savage Mills shopping center. The day before I needed the tart, I called to place the order. The staff was friendly and helped me select an appropriate size for the tart based on the number of guests at the party. The tart was ready when I went to pick it up after work the next day and looked wonderful.

Despite my aversion to most fruit, I thoroughly enjoyed the tart. The custard was firm and not too sweet. The crust was delicious, almost cookie-like, and the bakers had applied a thin layer of dark chocolate to the crust to prevent the custard from making it soggy. The fruit on the tart also were firmer than fresh fruit and didn't have the texture I normally dislike about fresh fruit. The only negative to the tart was figuring out how to cut it given the freshness and strength of the crust but trust me this is a very small negative. I've gotten the tart for a second dinner party since the first time and it was a big hit again.

It's the chocolate crust that makes Bonparte's tart such a smart dessert.  It's delicious, and the crust stays crisp.  It's like a shortbread and still crisp hours after it has been picked up, carried home, and sliced up.

Coconut Macaroon at Bonaparte in Savage

Among the intricate French pastries at Bonaparte Bread, I picked out the coconut macaroon because it looked so simple.

The bakery in Savage Mill sells terrific breads and a line of sweets like tarts, opera cake and scones.  They're wonderful, and the macaroon lived up to the reputation -- dense and sweet, but with coconut way out in front.  The flavor overcomes the sugar, and the moist texture closer to a marizipan than cake.

Bonaparte and Touche Touchet in Columbia fulfil everything that you would want from a bakery.  Settle at a table for a sweet and an escape from the cold outside.  Or carry out a special dessert to enjoy at home.

The coconut macaroon is large enough to split.  You could buy a few for a dinner party -- or mix it up with selections from the case.  You also eat one alone in your car -- but that's a big dessert.  Get a cup of coffee to go along.

Is There A New Restaurant In Savage Mill?

Is there a new restaurant in Savage Mill?

Bonaparte Bread used to run a restaurant in the upper part of Savage Mill, and I snapped a few photos there the last time that I was there.

Literally, I was running through the shopping areas to grab a Bonaparte baguette.  I snapped photos for some theoretical post.  So I only realized this week that the signs on the upper floor say "Whatchamacallit" and that it appears to be a new restaurant.

Does anyone know Whachamacallit?

The Most Of Summer: Roadside Ribs On U.S. 1

I left Mom's Organic Market with the best of intentions on Saturday afternoon.

I skipped the R&R Taqueria because we were supposed to go out to dinner, and I was on my way home when my own thoughts of fleeting summer pulled me to the side of U.S. 1.

No one will serve roadside ribs when the winter comes, so I seized the day -- and the plastic clamshell of beef ribs, beans and an onion-tomato salsa from a guy in Savage parked outside the Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.  As I have said before, the mythical Lonely Planet guide for Howard County would send 20-year-old foreigners to eat ribs from the steel-drum smokers parked on weekends throughout Jessup and Elkridge.

Great flavor.  An authenticity.  Not exactly a steal, but certainly cheap eats at $10 for more food than anyone should eat at once.  This is a wonderful taste of a summer afternoon.  Saturday, my plate was beef ribs.  These weren't the long bones that I got in May from the weekend barbecue at Mel's Liquors in Jessup.  They were cut across from ribs, so I got a half-dozen ovals of bone and a long piece of flavorful, smokey meat.  No sauce.  It was an half-inch-thick piece of meat that you would have needed a knife to cut.  Luckily, I was alone, so ate it like a popsicle.

(An aside to my favorite HowChow reader:  You knew this when you married me.  You knew that I cooked all kinds of complex food, but I ate standing at the counter.  It's not like I came home and handed you a meat popsicle.  And I used a fork for the beans.  Smooch.)

The sign described these ribs as "costillas de res," and I have found some instructions for similar-looking grilled ribs that describe them as "flanken" style.  There are recipes that call them Korean-style, so maybe you buy them at H Mart or the other Korean grocery stores.  They still had the moistness and sheen of fat, nothing greasy.  The flavor was that full beef flavor that you get from well-grained cuts with a tang of smoke.  The guy also had pork ribs and chicken.  His beans were good -- tender, but not a huge amount of flavor.  The onion and tomato salsa was a fine contrast to the meat, but I wouldn't take a vegetarians and expect them to rave.

Go this weekend.  Grab your summer while it is still around.

The problem with this post is that I don't have an exact address.  Chesapeake Supply has a facility on U.S. 1, but it has a mailing address south of Rte 32.  The facility and the ribs were clearly north of Rte 32.  If I read Google Maps correctly, it was across from A Platimum Plus Limosines, 8359 Washington Blvd, Jessup.

A Guy Selling Ribs On Weekends
in the parking lot of Chesapeake Supply & Equipment Co.
on the west side of U.S. 1 north of Rte 32
Savage, MD

NEAR: Don't believe Chesapeake Supply's mailing address.  The company is actually north of Rte 32.  It has a yard of used construction equipment, and the grill guy has a truck and two multi-colored umbrellas.  You'll see it.

Bonaparte French Bistro in Savage

My sandwich at the Bonaparte French Bistro was all about flavor -- a grainy bread, a few slices of roast beef, Swiss cheese, a few crunchy onion slices.

You need talent to create subtle and delicious food, and my sandwich pulled that together.  Each flavor was great, and they just improved when they were toasted together.  (The onion was just perfect contrast with the tangy cheese.)

Exceptional quality is par for the course at Bonaparte Bread, which has offered breads, pastries and a limited menu in its cafe at the Savage Mill.  In the fall, Bonaparte took over the cafe upstairs, and its bistro offers an expanded lunch menu of sandwiches, tartes, quiches and soups.  It's is a single page, but quite ambitious for a spot that seemed to be run by just two people with options that range from smoked salmon to chicken salad, fresh mozzarella sandwiches to crepes.  (My one critique: Pick salad over fries.  My fries came cold, and there just aren't frozen fries that can compete with Bonaparte's breads.  I bet the salad was delicious.)

Other people have noticed the unique offerings (for example, this Chowhound post), and the cafe built up a clientele while I ate my lunch.  But it's an unusual hybrid.  They're clearly investing in quality -- from the ingredients to the stylish, modern plates and flatware.  But they're still sitting in Savage Mill.  Will shoppers stay for lunch when a bowl of soup costs $7.50 and sandwiches are $9?  Will people drive from Columbia for a special meal when they're served staring into the Bead Store?  The Savage Mill Web site calls this "fast gourmet French food for slow eating enjoyment."  That cleverly captures the tension and the reason to visit.

To me, this is worth checking out.  If you like shopping at Savage Mill, it's a no-brainer.  But it is also a great place to drive to relax on the weekend -- and the perfect place to bring out-of-town guests in the cold -- a little classy, a little unique, and you can walk around Savage Mill for a while.  Check out the game store right next to the bistro.

(UPDATE:  See the February 2009 comment below that the bistro may be closed until April because winter crowds are smaller.)

Remember this is a lunch-only operation.  I'm not 100% sure that Bonaparte French Bistro is the official name.  That is what the Savage Mill Web site says, although its map calls it "Bonaparte Express."

Bonaparte French Bistro

8600 Foundry Street

Savage, MD 20763

240-568-3601

240-568-3602

NEAR:  The bistro is in the New Weave building at Savage Mill.  The mill is a renovated industrial site that is easy to reach from U.S. 1 just south of Rte 32.  Turn onto Gorman Road from U.S. 1, then turn right on Foundry Street when you see signs for the mill and the large bridge that sits next to it.  The New Weave building is on the far right as you walk from the parking lot towards the mill.

Delicious: Opera Cake at Bonaparte Bread

Ornate desserts aren't my forte, so I love to carry home delicacies like Bonaparte Bread's opera cake.  

Chocolate ganache and coffee butter cream, layered with sponge cake and frosting with a thin layer of that ganache.  Perfect with cold glasses of South Mountain Creamery milk.

It's delicious.  It's so rich that it was almost too much for Mrs. HowChow.  If you don't want chocolate, Bonaparte in Savage sells a whole variety of French pastries.  Try the mini-tartes like the "Tarte Citron Meringue" -- a lemon custard tart topped with little squirts of meringue toasted brown.

One or two of Bonaparte's desserts are the storybook end to a romantic dinner.  A collection -- maybe sliced in half or quarters -- could create a dessert buffet to sample at the end of a dinner party.  Any single pastry is the perfect treat if you stop at the Savage bakery for a cup of coffee or to pick up bread.  One doesn't even count.  You don't have to tell.  I certainly don't!

Bonaparte Bread

8600 Foundry Street
Savage, MD 20763
410-880-0858
Bonaparte Web site

NEAR: This is just north of Gorman Road and just west of Rte 1 in Savage. It's the Savage Mill complex that is two minutes from Rte 32. Just exit Rte 32 south onto Rte 1. Turn right at the light for Gorman Road, then right on Foundry Road where there are signs for Savage Mill. Bonaparte's Bread is in the central courtyard in sight of the entrance for the Ram's Head Tavern.

Bonaparte Bread in Savage (and the Columbia farmer's market)

Bonaparte Bread sells the best bread in Howard County. What else do you want to know? Crusty baguettes that have the look and crumb of a champion. Speciality breads with olives or chopped fruit. French pastries that make every carbohydrate worthwhile.

These are luxuries at a small price. Three dollars for a baguette is expensive compared to a loaf at Safeway. But there is no comparison between supermarket bread, and the Bonaparte baguette with its crisp crust and an inside that tastes like bread. They're slightly chewy with a taste of the oven on the dark crust. This is worth a drive to pick up loaves for yourself or for a party. This weekend's loaf made exquisite sandwiches topped with tomato, basil and cheese. The next morning, it toasted for breakfast with peanut butter and jam.

Bonaparte Bread sells seven-days-a-week from its store in Savage, where you can also get coffee, pastries, soup and sandwiches. The coffee is delicious, and it's a great place for either a weekend breakfast or for a weekday break with pastries. With its brick walls and black iron tables, the small shop has the kind of low-key class that the best stores and galleries in the Savage Mill want to foster. Bonaparte also sells at the Columbia farmer's market at Oakland Mills that runs Sundays through the summer.

At Savage Mill, Bonaparte lists its hours as 10 am to 6 pm weekdays and 9 am to 6 pm weekends. Watch out for early arrivals. I came at 9 am one Sunday to find the door locked. When I knocked on the glass, the workers said that they planned on opening at 10, but they still sold me a baguette.

If you visit Savage Mill, check out the walking trail that runs along the river.  In good weather, you can take lunch for a picnic.  The I'm Not Dead Yet blog posted about the trail, picnic tables, and photographing small waterfalls.

Bonaparte Bread

8600 Foundry Street

Savage, MD 20763

410-880-0858

Bonaparte Web site

NEAR: This is just north of Gorman Road and just west of Rte 1 in Savage. It's the Savage Mill complex that is two minutes from Rte 32. Just exit Rte 32 south onto Rte 1. Turn right at the light for Gorman Road, then right on Foundry Road where there are signs for Savage Mill. Bonaparte's Bread is in the central courtyard in sight of the entrance for the Ram's Head Tavern.

The Sunday Farmers' Market at Oakland Mills
9 am to 1 pm, May to November (May 4-Nov. 23, 2008)
Oakland Mills Village Center
5851 Robert Oliver Place
Columbia, MD 21045
NEAR: Just east of Rte 29 and south of Rte 175. The village center is off Stevens Forest Road.