Kupcakes & Co. Bakery Coming To Elkridge

A new bakery is joining the Howard County scene -- Kupcake & Co., which is already selling cupcakes through local places like Pazani and Alexandra's and is opening a store in Elkridge.

KAM pointed out the Kupcake & Co. Web site on a comment to a prior post.  They have posted photos from early March showing the construction of new shop in the Lyndwood Green Shopping Center.  That's the same shopping center as El Hidalgo and Pazani Trattoria.

The Lyndwood Shopping Center is just north of Rte 100.  It is at the intersection of Rte 100 and Rte 103.

Kloby's Expansion, Facci Takeout & More Reasons To Watch For New Howard County Food

The construction dumpster sits outside Kloby's Smokehouse on Johns Hopkins Road, and the grinding, whirring sound of creation comes from the papered-over space next to the barbecue joint.

Look for the new space to open in about four weeks.  That's mid-April for a new bar, more kegs, a performance space and even a dedicated ice cream area.  Kloby's has outgrown its takeout roots, but it is still kicking out great barbecue to anchor all the new items.  

And that's just a piece of the new and expanded spots that are stretching out for spring:

• Kloby's neighbor Facci Ristorante is expanding so that it can offer more tables and even takeout.  The Italian restaurant has been packed since it opened, and I'm looking forward to being able to carry home a pizza after work.
• If you need your new stuff immediately, Moonlight Cafe in the same shopping center off Rte 29 has changed hands and now offers Indian food, kebabs and other new items.

All-Teff Injera At Soretti's Ethiopian

Soretti's Ethiopian Cuisine has transformed itself into a nice, casual restaurant, and the Burtonsville spot has now begun to toss out the exotic items.

Years ago, this was a coffee shop.  But now Soretti's has spruced up the art, added more tables, and hung curtains to soften the front windows.  They're serving beer, including an Ethiopian variety, and even offering bread made from the authentic teff.

Moonlight Cafe Starts Serving Indian Food

The shopping center at Rte 29 and Johns Hopkins Road just keeps getting more food -- this time adding Indian to a lineup that already runs from Mexican to BBQ to Japanese to Italian.

The Moonlight Cafe changed hands, reports Fultie.  It used to be a lunchtime sandwich places, which makes sense considering the proximity to the JHU Applied Physics Lab.  But now, Fultie reports, there is Indian food as well:

It looks to be a gradual rollout, just a few Indian items offered right now, but i'm eating their chicken tikka masala as i type this. i enjoy Indian food. Hopefully, this place works out for the new owners.

Has anyone else tried the Indian at Moonlight Cafe?  This mimics Waterloo Pizza, which added Indian (and Nepalese momos) to a pizza place.

Wagon Wheel Ranch: Buy A Cow Or At Least A Box Of Meat From A Howard County Farm

Half a cow is way too much meat for me.  I cook so little meat that I can't even imagine buying a box.

But people were really inspired by a prior post about Maryland meat producers, and Penny sent me a rave about the Wagon Wheel Ranch which takes orders in the spring and then raises the animals on its own farm.  Penny says grass-fed beef varies in quality, but she says some of the best steaks in her life were pasture fed.  It's just a matter of finding the ranches that do it well, and Penny will lead you to Mt. Airy:

I started eating grass-fed meat after reading Michael Pollan's article in the New York Times Sunday magazine in 2002. My switch was motivated by my interest in the cow, but in addition, grass meat is decidedly healthier, arguably better for the environment, and potentially more delicious than grain-fed beef. 

I encountered, as most people do, substantial variation in the quality of the meat. Grass-fed beef can be stringy and difficult to chew, or it can be juicier and substantially more flavorful ("beefier!") than the typical prime cut purchased from a supermarket shelf. The variability in quality can be a turn-off to people trying grass-fed meat for the first time. It's just a matter of finding the ranchers that do it well. Raising cattle on grass, while in some ways simpler than the factory process, requires more attentiveness than probably most of us realize. 

Link: Pinay's List of Happy In Howard County

I'm a fan of Yelp, and you should definitely check out big-time reviewers who can give you their thoughts about food in Howard County.

My newest find is Pinay's list of "Happy Eating At Howard County."  More than 30 spots -- many overlapping with HowChow reports.  But detail about places like Ranazul, Azul 17 and other that I haven't written much about.   Check out Pinay's suggestions.

Coffee Bubble Tea At Ichiban Cafe in Columbia

Sometimes you need a cute trendy drink to cool you down.  Some times you need caffeine.

Now, you can have both at Ichiban Cafe.

Ichiban serves up bubble tea along with a broad menu of Japanese food and sushi.  Mrs. HowChow tested the place last year with a jasmine bubble tea, but we went back with a need for refreshment -- and a mid-shopping trip pick-me-up.

Bubble tea -- or boba tea -- is basically a soft drink with tapioca pearls.  Places like Ichiban and  La Boulangarie or Bon Appetit Bakery in Ellicott City serve varieties often flavored with fruit and tea.  You get an oversized straw so that you can suck up the iced tea and the soft, chewy pearls.

At Ichiban, I got a coffee bubble tea.  Real coffee iced down, then tricked out into a Taiwanese treat.  Good flavor, fun with the tapioca, just enough caffeine to get me through the end of our errands.  If I remember right, they had a mocha version as well.  That's an alternative to a soda if you're doing errands in the summer heat around Dobbin Road.

Ichiban Cafe 
6250 Columbia Crossing Circle 
Columbia, MD 21045 
410-290-1898 

NEAR: Ichiban is in the Columbia Crossing shopping center with Target. This is off Rte 175 at Dobbin Road. It is near the Joseph A. Banks and across from the Dick's sporting goods.

Lamb Soup And New Media At R&R Tacqueria

The legend of the R&R Tacqueria on Rte 175 is growing, and it is entirely deserved.  We went back for lamb soup and tacos, and I don't think there is a better bowl of soup in Howard County.

Rich with flavor, generously spiced and outfitted with tender meat.  R&R turns out a perfect soup where the spoonfuls differ as you pull of lamb or vegetables, but the bowl comes together in a strikingly red broth.  The deep broth shows off R&R talent.  There is a combination greater than the parts.  That's the trick that separates a real dish from just stuff simmered together in a pot.

And it's $5 for soup and a taco.  Why aren't you eating lunch at R&R today?

Check out the soup -- along with some other items like huarache and chile relleno that have been talked up in a series of articles sparked by the WSJ mention.  Tyler Cowen posted about all three, calling the huarache the best that he has even eaten -- including in Mexico.  We actually were ordering at R&R when the owner got a copy of the WSJ, and it was really fun to see him excited by the well-deserved attention.

Kosher Deli Opening In Maple Lawn In May 2011

The kosher Pita & Rye deli will open in Maple Lawn after Passover -- aiming for May 2011, according to a press release sent out today.

Newspaper reporters must rely on official spokesmen and people who will be quoted by name.  The beauty of blogging is that you can apply the "normal people" standards and post about the new Pita & Rye deli in Fulton because there has been public talk by the people involved.  That's why I posted about the deli three weeks ago.

Pita & Rye circulated a press release today with quotes from owner Jay Fridkis and Rabbi Hillel Baron, who will supervise the kosher kitchen.  Baron, who runs Congregation Ahavas Israel, says in the release that this will be Howard County's first kosher food establishment.

I echo all the hopeful comments on the prior post.  A kosher deli may deliver New-York-quality ingredients, and that could be a great thing.  Bon Fresco has proven that great sandwiches can pack a house, so I'll second the anonymous comment emphasizing the need for the deli and the diners to do their part:

Everyone out there on Howchow - we have to support it or it will close! Let's say it again, we have to support or it will close! Again...get the idea?

Owners of Pita & Rye, whoever you are - you are risking a lot, we know, to give us a deli. Please don't screw it up. I beg you. Give us the good stuff, throw out the bad, and smile when you serve us. Give us good value & a good pickle.

Check out the Pita & Rye Web site here.

Trolling: Rice Pudding Like Naan Other

That's Tanya's headline and more clever than I remember putting on top of any posts here.  Tanya moved to Howard County from Cleveland without knowing anything about Afghan food.  But as she has worked her way through some local restaurants, she found a new favorite in the kabob spots:

I moved to the HoCo from the land of pierogies and Lake Erie perch.  I can tell you where to get either if you ever visit Cleveland, where where the food variety gravitates round American classics and Eastern European dishes.  But, after so many positive reviews of the kabob eateries around here, I had to try. It took a little guts, but finally, I took an initial gamble on Maiwand Kabob in Columbia a few months ago.

Honestly, for me, it was love at first bite of naan. Where has that fluffy and slightly sweet style of flatbread been all my life? My enthusiasm was not entirely matched by my boyfriend.  I'm a big fan of gyros, and I think anyone that's eaten those will like the local kabobs. But the BF was not convinced in full. He's kind of a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy in most cases.

Hunan Taste Is Today's Baltimore Groupon

If you wanted to try Hunan Taste or its hot pot, today is your chance to get a little discount from the Baltimore Groupon -- $25 of food for $12.

Hunan Taste in Catonsville does authentic Chinese food.  I have heard some people clash with managers there, but I had delicious, unusual, accessible food like smoked bamboo shoots and tea tree mushrooms with pork casserole.  I'm buying the Groupon to try the AYCE hot pot where you cook your own vegetables and meats in broth.

Bangkok Garden Sold, But Not To Tara Thai

Bangkok Garden has been sold to folks who will take over the Columbia restaurant and change the name, but not to "Tara Thai," according to a comment from Vida.

First the bad news. I've confirmed that the Columbia branch of Bangkok Garden has been sold. I went to the Bethesda location for dinner this evening and spoke with the owners. I was told that the new owners of the Columbia location are Tarin Thai, (not Tara Thai- sorry about that), out of Virginia. According to the previous owners, the new owners have been granted the right to use the Bangkok Garden name for about 6 months; after that time, they will have to change the restaurant's name. 

 Now for the good news. Bethesda isn't that far away. . . .

Anyone know more details?  I see a reference to a Tarin Thai on Yelp, but that Herndon restaurant is described as closed.  When people were reviewing, they focused on a Thai buffet.  Thanks to Vida for the update.

Has Tara Thai Bought Bangkok Garden?

There is a comment on yesterday's post that Bangkok Garden has been bought by Tara Thai, a chain that has expanded out of Virginia.

Anyone know about that?  Any more details Vida?  Has the place changed?  Is it becoming a Tara Thai?

Thoughts On Columbia Village Centers: Central To History, But Not To The Best Eating Today

Chick n' Friends. That's food worth
checking out a village center.

Let me start by assuring everyone that I don't question the divinity of James Rouse.

Rouse created Columbia.  He brought education and culture.  He desgregated Maryland.  With his blue ox Babe, James Rouse carved the Grand Canyon when he once dragged his ax behind him.  I am neither educated or inspired enough to take on a real folk hero.

I'm just saying that Rouse's classic Columbia is almost irrelevant to current good food.

Mostly, I have been thinking about village centers.  Lots of people think about village centers.  They post about them.  They pick houses to be near them.  They talk about redevelopment, and they even announce plans to redevelop them.  But few people are eating great food in village centers these days.

Link: Oh, What A Cake On Baltimore Snacker

The Baltimore Snacker picked up cupcakes at Oh, What A Cake in Columbia, and his favorite was the butter with buttercream.

Guar -- Indian Green Beans -- At Eastern Bazaar

Go exotic without leaving your comfort zone by buying some unusual green beans at Eastern Bazaar.

Guar are also called "cluster beans."  They're thin green beans with tiny, tiny beans inside the pod.  Visually different from your regular beans, almost looks more like the green from a chive.

They're $3 a pound in the cooler at Eastern Bazaar in Laurel.  I had never seem them before, but a Googled a recipe on the spot and grabbed curry leaves to round that out.

Very easy to cook with some canned Muir Glen tomatoes and new potatoes.  Eastern Bazaar stands out among the Indian stores because it offers fresh produce.  I had actually stopped for curry leaves because I couldn't find them at the Grand Mart.  Eastern Bazaar often has eggplants, herbs and other items that stand out.

Try something exotic.  Try something authentic.  And it's green beans so it's not like I'm getting you to intestines or lungs.

If you want to try guar beans, check out the "Cluster Beans and Potato Bhaji" on Mamta's Kitchen.  Substitute a small can of chopped tomatoes for the two tomatoes.  And remember that a pound is about 500 grams, so it's about a quarter-pound of beans and half that much in potatoes.

Somebody Needs To Get Henry Hong Drunk In Ellicott City So I Can Hear About Local Chicken

The City Paper's Henry Hong wrote about Korean fried chicken this week and even created his own recipe for glazed, double-fried wings to serve the food-writer "trend" that has bounced around for several years.

Hong contrasts fried chicken sold by takeout spots with the actual "from-Korea" Korean variations.  He bemoans the lack of Korean fried chicken in Baltimore.  Says he had to go to Annandale for Bon Chon.

Annandale?  Can someone get Hong really drunk and take him to Rainpia in Ellicott City?  I say "drunk" because Rainpia is a Rte 40 bar and because I find quasi-kidnapping is the best way to get a newspaper reporter to come to Howard County.  (You can't imagine how much Cristal it took to get Richard Gorelick to Facci.)

I know that Rainpia sells Korean fried chicken -- whole chicken, chopped into pieces, glazed with a sweet-spicy sauce.  I loved that chicken, and it's the best of a few that I have tried along Rte 40.  I'd love to know if there is some difference between Rainpia and Bon Chon other than the locale.

Rainpia isn't exactly on trend because the food-writer trend was fast-food style chicken outlets like Bon Chon.  But the chicken there certainly sounds just like what Hong's recipe was trying to replicate.  It's a pretty relaxed bar so, if you're comfortable in a Looney's or a Green Turtle, then you could just go for the chicken.

(Update: See below that Hong comments as "foodnerd" and does compare Rainpia's chicken to the Bon Chon style.)

Thanks to Brian for the link.  Thanks to Hong for the recipe and the thoughts on why this chicken is so good.  Hong says in the article that "apparently a KoFC place is opening up soon inside the HMart in Catonsville."  I think I have been walking past fried chicken there for years.  In the back right corner?  I feel like they have sold takeout Korean fried chicken on-and-off for years.  Anyone been there recently?

Fried Green Tea Ice Cream At Sushi Sono

Sushi Sono in Columbia recently shifted its sushi roll lineup, but the big deal according to Kevin is the introduction of a new dessert.

Kevin used to post on the late blog Kevin & Ann Eat Everything where the brother-sister duo called themselves the Rheelyfats.  Kevin has guest-posted here before, but this time he wants to talk about something important.  How important?  Let Kevin tell you:

Monumental, stupendous, fantastic, historic, outstanding, prodigious, awesome, significant, tremendous, unforgettable, REALLY REALLY important.   

I have two children, Littlefat and Tinyfat, with a third on the way whom I have preemptively named Nanofat.  For me the new addition to the menu at Sushi Sono is, without question or hesitation, more important than the birth of each of my lipid-dubbed children. 

I can say this because none of them can yet read, and I have no plans on ever telling my wife Mrs. Rheelyfat that I have written this statement. What could possibly have me so enamored that I have placed it above my children in my heart?

Aida Bistro Makes Baltimore's Best, What Else?

Baltimore Magazine's best restaurant edition has hit the newstands, but they only posted a few of the best restaurants on line.  Specifically, they posted a list of Italian restaurants -- one of eight topical lists that they made for 2011 -- and Aida Bistro in Columbia made the list.

Anyone else have the list to say what other Howard County restaurants made it?  Last year, they tapped Tersiguel's, Iron Bridge and Victoria Gastro Pub.  (Hat tip to Dining at Large.)

Trolling: Sushi, Udon and Teriyaki At Fuji; Join Jean At Ellicott City's Japanese Spot

Jean just moved back to Howard County after time in NYC, and she wants to troll her three items all from the same restaurant.  To Jean, it's a special restaurant -- Fuji on Rte 40 just west of Bethany Lane in Ellicott City.  

Fuji is a "Mom and Pop" joint with a Japanese chef.  It's nothing fancy, just fresh, authentic sushi and dishes that Jean says taste like Japanese home cooking.  Jean says Fuji looks emptier than she remembers, and she wants to talk up the kind couple who own the place and their food:

For straightforward simple pure Japanese food, Fuji is the real deal. Its the only one with a Japanese chef (all the other ones, even Sushi Sono, are run by Chinese or Koreans). Again, there are no fancy rolls or special items, but for simple, fresh, authentic sushi and flavorful udon and teriyaki, I don't want to go anywhere else in the county personally. 

The couple that runs the place is so kind and the some of the food tastes like traditional Japanese home cooking. It's not the type of place that can handle a lot of business anyway, but for it to be so empty, it really does break my heart.  You should check out: 

• Sushi: The platter here is the Deluxe Sushi combo, with an array of the freshest fish of the day. What I love about Fuji’s sushi is that it is pure, traditional sushi. These are authentic bite-size pieces (not the monster-slab kind some people think are the best) of buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish. You can tell the chef has a knack for choosing the most tender cuts of the fish. The sushi rice is seasoned with the right balance of vinegar and sweetness. The rolls have a nice no-holds-barred wasabi kick to them. The variety of items perhaps isn’t the widest around, but perhaps it’s because the chef wants to stick to what’s best each day.