Link: Beer Brunch At Victoria On Balt. Beer Guy

Victoria Gastro Pub in Columbia will host a "beer brunch" with Frederick's Flying Dog brewery on Saturday, August 21 -- a prix fixe menu with two courses and tastings of three Flying Dog beers, according to the Baltimore Beer Guy blog.

Coffee Flavored Sparking Water At Nazar Market

Coffee-flavored soda is one of those ideas that would sound forced if I heard it from Coca-Cola but seemed rakishly exotic in a Turkish grocery store.

Sarikiz actually makes coffee-flavored mineral water -- along with a green bottle of the mineral water on its own.  It's a real coffee flavor in a small bottle.  Not the milkshake that Starbucks sells as a bottled frappachino.  It's a carbonated soft drink with the refreshing pull -- especially if you're just looking for something different like buying the Turkish sour cherry nectar and mixing it with sparkling water.

Nazar Market in Coumbia sells all of these items along with a variety of other Turkish, Middle Eastern and Persian foods.  Consider checking out their refrigerator to accompany a sandwich from Bon Fresco Sandwich Bakery, which sells spectacular sandwiches and breads right across the parking lot.

If nothing else, consider the bottles if you want a coversation starter for guests.  Nazar Market sells small cases along with the single bottles in the fridge.  The bottles -- with their small size, real bottle caps and Turkish provenance -- would add a little flair to a buffet or a dinner party, but still provide flavors that should please almost anyone.  I had meant to buy a case of the mineral water for Mrs. HowChow's office party, but I just realized that fell through the cracks when we hosted the party last month.

Link: New Wilde Lake Plans In Columbia Flier

The owners of the Wilde Lake village center in Columbia have announced their plans to knock down the old Giant and several other buildings to redevelop the parcel, as reported in the Columbia Flier.

Don't count on all the talk about what will be in the village center after the renovation.  The plan leaves the building that houses the Bagel Bin and others.  It demolishes the buildings that hold David's Natural Market and Today's Catch seafood market.  Kimco talks about maybe keeping David's and the fish market.  But I have seen enough real estate development to know that people can't predict the future, often can't work out even the deals that they want to do, and sometimes aren't telling the full truth.

Hat tip to the Columbia Maryland's Future blog.

Sushi King: New Rolls At An Old Favorite

There are new rolls at Sushi King -- additions to the two-page list of complex rolls that are a key to Columbia-style sushi.

For me, the wrapped and sauced rolls were a revelation when I started dating Mrs. HowChow.  Until then, I ate a standard mix of sushi and rolls like spicy tuna or California.  Then Mrs. HowChow took me to Sushi King, and I began eating creations like tuna wrapped around a tempura shrimp or a thin-sliced roll dotted with hot sauce and coated with popped brown rice.

Columbia's top two sushi joints -- Sushi King and Sushi Sono -- offer these unique experiences.  Large rolls often with two kinds of fish, tempura or roe, sauces and a vegetable of fruit.  Personally, I love the ones with tempura shrimp like Sushi Sono's No. 12 that includes warm shrimp, cool spicy tuna and roe.  From all these imaginative rolls, you get wonderful mixes of fish flavor, crunchy texture, and salty or spicy condiments.

Last night, we discovered some new options at Sushi King, where we hadn't been since last fall -- Happy Together, Nuta, Tango, and Treasure.  Of the two we tried, I'm a big fan of the Happy Together, which is a variation on my favorites with a coconut shrimp and squash wrapped in rice and then topped with a mix that includes mango, lobster, cucumber and roe.  The plate was drizzled with a yellow, faintly sweet sauce that seemed to be mango, but almost tasted lemony.

The King serves large rolls cut into eight generous pieces.  They're $15-19 each, which is okay because three rolls feed two people.   The bummer is that the same bill buys a few extra rolls -- although probably not more food because the rolls are smaller -- at Sushi Sono.  I liked Sushi King's Nuta roll, but crab stick isn't a flavor that competes with the menu's mainstays like Pretty In Red, Spicy Grilled or Samuri.  I would have been just as happy with six thinner slices and an option to order a fourth roll.

Next time, I have my eye on the Tango roll: tempura eel, mango, avocado and onion topped with seared pepper tuna and a salsa sauce.

Click here for all my posts about Sushi King.  I need to re-post overall review because it's really one of my favorites.  My major impediment to posting had been the dim lighting that kept me from getting appetizing photos.  My new phone has a better camera!  If you're checking out the sushi scene, click for all my posts about Sushi Sono or my August 2009 post about trying new sushi places.

Target in Ellicott City To Sell Produce in October

The Target in Ellicott City has signs saying that they'll start selling produce in October, according to Jenny's comment on a January post.

Has The Rita's In Jessup Closed?

Does anyone know if the Rita's in Jessup has closed?  There is a new comment from bl86 saying that the store was closed Sunday and looked cleaned out.

I assume that this is the Rita's in the Columbia East shopping center with Mom's Organic Market and Pollo Fuego's Peruvian chicken.  I'm a huge fan of Rita's black cherry ice, although we normally visit the ones in Columbia or Burtonsville.

Local Joints In The Baltimore Mag

Two shout outs to Howard County eateries in the August 2010 Baltimore Magazine -- a story about the sun sandwich in the cafe at David's Natural Market in Columbia and a short piece about Pure Wine Cafe in Ellicott City.

Pure Wine is still on my "to do" list, but Karen Nitkin talks up a flatbread with duck, shallots, asparagus and chevre and a pair of meatball sliders.

I can't find links yet, but it's the Best Of Baltimore edition.  The Best Of section is almost hurtfully devoid of Howard County spots.  Eventually, I found a paragraph on The Good Life Market, but apparently the editors couldn't find anything else that they liked here.  Tell them about us Karen!!

Trolling: Thai, Pizza And Vegetarian Indian - The Old Favorites Still Serve Up Bob & Ivy's Favorites

Bob and Ivy have been in Howard County for 11 years.  They're always in the market for new modestly-priced ethnic options, but they recommend some old favorites for Thai, pizza and Indian.  All three cuisines seem to kick up comments -- people who love or despise specific places -- and Bob suggests some dishes for anyone who wants to try their favorites:

Our favorite Thai restaurant in the area is Little Spice in Hanover (on the other side of Rte 100 from the Arundal Mills Mall), a family-run place with great service and great food. We like all of the noodle dishes, especially their version of drunken noodles. The eggplant with basil is terrific, as are all of their green and yellow curries. Spicy, flavorful, but not too spicy.

There's a lot of fuss about the new pizza places in the area, but our dependable standby remains Pasta Blitz on Rte 108 in Columbia, which serves a true New York Style pizza.  Lightly-sauced (and very tasty) with a thin but chewy crust.  We get it for take-out.

And we're fans of the interesting vegetarian dishes at Mango Grove in Columbia.  Try any version of oothappam, their rice and lentil pancake entree, to get a sense of their unique cooking.

Trolling on Tuesday is my attempt at a series where readers would share three things with other HowChow readers -- favorite restaurant dishes, food to buy, food experiences, etc.  Click here for all the Trolling posts.  Click here for the explanation and the rules.  Anyone can submit.

Chinese Restaurants in Howard County 2010

This post started a few months ago as the question: "Is there any Chinese food worth eating in Howard County?"

I wrote up Chinese restaurants in early 2009, but the truth is that we rarely eat the stuff around here -- opting for other cuisine or driving a little farther to check out better restaurants.  A horrific dinner at Hunan Legend and some takeout failures made me expect glop on every plate, and I wondered if there was anything worth trying.

The answer: "Yes."  But, to get the food that I want, you have to ask.

To get the Chinese food that I want, you need to find restaurants with a separate, authentic menu -- and you need to really emphasize that you want the authentic version.  This frustrates some people, and it really frustrated me when my Hunan Legend waiter lied and denied that the Columbia restaurant had a separate menu of authentic dishes.  But that led to a wonderful series of posts where Wai provided and translated the Chinese menu, then other people like Warthog used it enough that the restaurant put out an official version.

I have decided that Chinese restaurants are just different from other places.  My Chinese-speaking friend said that Chinese people are very aware that foreigners can be put off by their food, and he said people seemed surprised that he wanted real Chinese food -- even in China where he had clearly made an effort to speak the language and live there.  My friend joked that Americans assume that everyone in the world wants to eat a hamburger and commute in their own car, but Chinese people are so aware that foreigners might be put off by spices or flavors or ingredients that they often just don't want to risk making you unhappy.

The flip side is that they can be very happy if you try.  Noodles Corner in Columbia invested the time to translate its second menu of authentic items, but the managers were still visibly surprised when we ordered authentic dishes.  They confirmed twice that we wanted Chinese versions.  We did.  They smiled.

But, with that said, I totally respect people like Little Audrey who points out that she can get terrific tacos at R&R Taqueria without knowing a secret password.  She likes Hunan Legend for a quick kung pao, but she doesn't want to prove her worthiness to order authentic stuff -- so she drives the extra miles to Grace Garden.

You should drive there as well because Grace Garden tops my spots for local Chinese.  I'm a complete novice, but I know where I have found fresh, interesting dishes that make me think you can get several provinces of special meals if you know where to ask:

Grace Garden in Odenton:   Chef Chun Keung Li serves luxurious flavors in a Spartan room. This is a place for people who want to explore, who want to drive a little extra to enjoy tea-smoked duck, sliced pork belly, steamed whole fish, and fish noodles.  Grace Garden stands out because of its skills and becomes it welcomes everyone.  Ingredients familiar to anyone who eats Chinese -- chicken, fish, vegetables -- become stellar meals, and the exotic touches are there for anyone who wants to try.  I understand that the menu tends towards southern Chinese cuisine.  Check out my posts and search Chowhound or other local food blogs.

Red Pearl in Columbia: This authentic menu at this new lakeside place runs to spicy Szechuan food.  Lunch at the Red Pearl was a hit for me -- a dry kung pao that was delicious and different than the American variety, a special vegetable (Chinese broccoli) that was crisp, and the Red Pearl posts have some detailed recommendations and comments, including ColumbiaJ who recommended potstickers with hot oil and flounder with soft tofu.  (Update:  Red Pearl added dim sum, which I think is absolutely delicious.)

Noodles Corner in Columbia:  This is our newest find, and our single takeout meal wasn't enough for me to offer even my uneducated opinion.  Apparently, this authentic menu is heavily Taiwanese, and I recommend the shredded pork appetizer, the asian chili wrap, and the pan-fried noodles with beef, chicken and shrimp.  I was turned onto Noodles Corner by people like Wai, Jade's Mama, David P., Little Audrey, and William.  From those folks, I have a "to do" list of fish fillet with XO sauce, black mushrooms with bok choy, the seafood or beef hot pot, and the northern Chinese noodles (even though Wai would like them spicier and saltier).  William also recommended the tea -- no giant pot in the back; they put tea leaves into the pot that they serve to the table.

Hunan Taste in Catonsville.  Although it's not Howard County, the extra miles are worth checking out the Hunan menu.  This is the place that really got me excited for authentic Chinese because dishes like preserved sausage with smoked bamboo shoots were a revelation.  New flavors.  New combinations.  I thought it was a tasty, classy, casual place, although you can get cultural clash with your meal.  Several comments describe food that they didn't like and management who didn't seem to care.  Another got great food at lunch, then watered-down takeout soup the next day.

Hunan Legend in Columbia:  This is an odd recommendation because my only meal here was terrible.  But that was off the American menu, and other people really love Hunan Legend's authentic dishes that trend Cantonese and Malaysian.  People like Warthog convinced the owners to give the translated Chinese menu to everyone, and the Hunan Legend posts include lots of comments that recommend specific items.  Also, Warthog sparked a long Chowhound string that lists dishes and discusses the whole stereotype that Americans don't really like Chinese food.

Asian Court in Ellicott City:  This is for lunch-time dim sum -- rolling carts on the weekend and from the menu on weekdays.  We think this matches the famous places in the DC suburbs, and we'll go again and again for steamed BBQ pork buns, steamed dumplings, sticky rice, and even for desserts like coconut jelly and sesame balls.  You can explore beyond into chicken feet, head-on shrimp, and bitter melon rounds stuffed with shrimp paste.

That isn't to say that you need to worship authentic Chinese.  That's my taste these days, but Chinese restaurants make people happy every day with dishes that never saw China.  A single kitchen could serve "authentic" to one customer, "comfort food" to another, and just give you a bag of takeout on a night when you can't face the stove.

• Jade recommended the Lucky China Inn in the Oakland Mills village center in Columbia -- especially Szechuan lo mein, orange chicken, and mu shu chicken.
• Anonymous recommended Hunan Express in Elkridge -- especially the steamed dumplings that come six for $4.
• Anonymous recommended ChopStixx in Elkridge -- really for pan-Asian noodle dishes like pad thai.
• Jake recommended Hunan Legend in Columbia -- for a friendly atmosphere, steamed dumpling and the kung pao triple delight.

Jake's recommendation brings me back to the Big Three because no discussion of Howard County Chinese could be complete without the established trio of Hunan Manor, Hunan Legend and Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro.  When we lived off Rte 108, Jesse Wong's American-style dishes were our go-to takeout, and the pretty ambiance still makes it a nice place to take people for a casual, but classy night.  Hunan Manor has been a family mainstay for people like Kevin of Kevin & Ann Eat Everything, and some people even swear by Hunan Legend's regular menu.  These are places that serve memories along with the food, although there are disputes with all three about whether they have declined over time.  Two years ago, I would have held Asean Bistro up against any other kitchen, but I don't think that anymore.  For now, I would rather explore my six places than go back to the old standbys.

What do you think about Chinese food in Howard County?  Are there places that you recommend?  Specific dishes?  I think the most-useful advice is a description of a few specific dishes so a newcomer can start off with something delicious.  Are there other places with Chinese menus?  Other places where you love the American versions?


Specifically, has anyone been recently to Garden Gourmet in the Long Reach Village Center in Columbia?  There is a 2006 Chowhound string between Warthog and Elgringoviego that makes me want to try their Szechuan food.  Both those guys are thoughtful writers, and I wonder if Garden Gourmet still has special dishes.

This is an update to the "What I Learned" series of posts from 2009. They're a bit out of date by now, but they link to many other posts. They're organized in rings. See below to continue on the ring about different cuisines. Or click to switch to the posts about shopping in Howard County or posts about areas and ideas.

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Cheese On Sale At The Harris Teeter

Harris Teeter has put its specialty cheese on sale through Tuesday -- which mostly brings them back to the realm of reasonably price, but seems worth noting if you wants to try something new.

Emkenton pointed out the sale to me.  We both shop at the Teeter, but that cheese section doesn't have the excitement or prices of our long-delayed dream (or the employees with that seductive enthusiasm that convinces me to try new items):

Just wanted to pass along that all the specialty cheeses at Harris Teeter (which appears to be all cheeses in their case) are 25% off through Tuesday.  I totally missed it when I was in there on Wednesday, but today at KC, they had a big display on ice right at the front of the store.  I've always found their cheeses to be quite expensive so, honestly, 25% off might just get it down to Wegmans prices, but hey-- I'll take what I can get!  Sure makes trying new cheese a little easier on the wallet!

Funny aside:  we really liked a sample of some sort of basil cheese we had in there a few weeks ago, so I asked the lady about it today.  She pointed immediately to a giant wrapped block with "Basil" in huge letters and cut me exactly how much I wanted.  (Which wasn't much since the regular price is $19.99/lb--gulp!)  It wasn't until we walked away that I realized it was Basil's brand smoked cheese.  Just tried it upon getting home and, sure enough, it is not the cheese with basil actually in it that we had sampled.  Oh well.  Glad I like smoked cheese!

(Update: I fixed the first sentence to say "Tuesday," not Thursday.  Thanks em!)

Link: Cazbar Kebap House In The Sun

The new Cazbar Kebap House in Columbia gets a review from Karen Nitkin in the Sun -- a similar rave for the beef kebap, but some concerns about the service and some of the dishes.  She also talked up the fruit nectars.

Good to see Nitkin back writing about Howard County food.  I hadn't seen her reviews recently.  I still remember when her husband arrived in the little glass press room at the back of the Hollywood City Hall.  Those were the days . . . .

Red Pearl's Hong Kong Dim Sum Starting Aug. 15

The new Red Pearl in Columbia will kick off dim sum service on Sunday, August 15, according to a sign photographed by Kristin.

The Red Pearl opened in May near the Columbia mall in the location where Jesse Wong's Hong Kong formerly served dim sum.

Based on the sign, it looks like the new dim sum will be the same southern Chinese style.  We'll have to see how it compares to Asian Court in Ellicott City, which has carts on the weekend and terrific dim sum off a menu for weekday lunches.

Click here for my 2010 write-up of Chinese restaurants in Howard County.

Fresh Corn From Family Affair in Catonsville

This is the season when fresh produce pops up around the county, and you should check out the sweet white corn at Family Affair Produce in Catonsville -- or at the Diamondback Tavern where they're serving it up.

The corn on the cob has been terrific this year, emailed Lee Biars who helps run the Diamondback in downtown Ellicott City.  They buy produce from the Family Affair stand, including the corn that they're serving as the "veg of the day" with Old Bay butter.  "It's about the sweetest corn I've ever had," Lee wrote.

(Update: Wordbones recommends the supersweet corn at the Baugher produce stand in Ellicott City on the Tales of Two Cities blog.  Blogger won't let me imbed a link, so copy this: http://writing-the-wrongs.blogspot.com/2010/07/supersweet-vs-silver-queen.html)

Has anyone else made food finds among the produce stands this summer?  I wrote before about the Gorman Produce Farm on the Laurel-Columbia line.  If you stop by Family Affair, look for their homemade pickles, which I loved but haven't bought in a while.

Family Affair Produce

2302 Frederick Rd
Catonsville, MD 21228
(410) 788-6167‎

NEAR: This is on Rte 144 (Frederick Road) on the way from downtown Ellicott City to Catonsville. Family Affair is on the left as you drive towards Catonsville. They're open about 10 months a year -- just not in the deep winter. 

Diamondback Tavern

3733 Old Columbia Pike

Ellicott City, MD 21043

410-313-8530

NEAR: Diamondback is in downtown Ellicott City.  It is on Old Columbia Pike just up the hill from Main Street.

Ulkerin Chocolate Wafers At Nazar Market

I have been thinking about the sugar wafer cookies that I loved as a kid, but that turned out not to be so delicious.

Rectacular, waffled wafers with a chocolate cream -- or a white vanilla or a pink something else -- in the middle.  I remember loving them, but realizing later that the wafers were dry and the filing wasn't great.  This was about when I discovered Milanos and realized that I could afford adult cookies.

Now, I'm back to those sugar wafers thanks to a Turkish bar that took that cookie to the next level.  Ulkerin bars take those sugar wafers and fill them with a hazelnut cream.  Then the whole thing gets wrapped in chocolate.   It's halfway between a cookie and a candy bar.  I ate through an entire bite-sized bag of Ulkerin over the past three weeks.  Two bucks for a few dozen little bars that I tossed in lunches and chomped after dinner.

You can find the Ulkerin chocolate wafers at the Nazar Market in Columbia.  If you considered checking out the new Turkish market for the baklava, the sausages, or the ground lamb, then just go for the chocolates and see what else catches your eye.

Fage Greek Yogurt - With Honey - At Many Stores

Fage Greek yogurt is fast becoming the breakfast of choice for the sweet tooth in the HowChow household.

Fage is one of many brands pushing new variations on old fashioned yogurt.  Greek yogurts tend to be thicker, often made with cream and milk, and often fewer unprounceable ingredients.

Fage meets those standards. The yogurt is made from nothing more than milk, cream and active cultures.  Then, Fage adds honey.  Or it adds a little container of honey next to the container of yogort.  You spoon the honey on top, and it's creamier, sweeter and more natural than the supermarket brands that you grew up on.

It's also more expensive.  Pushing $2 each.  But that's a small price to pay if it actually gets you to eat breakfast in the morning.

You can find Fage at many stores.  I bought at Harris Teeter in Fulton and Columbia, Roots in Clarksville, and Whole Foods in Baltimore.  (Update: Comment below says some Giants and Safeways have Fage as well.)  We found more varieties as the store got more expensive -- two or three at Harris Teeter, a half dozen at Roots and then all those varieties plus the ellusive chery at Whole Foods.

(Update: Check the comments for a yogurt recipe and several other options.  I thought yesterday's yellow peppers were a great find, but the local passion seems to focus on yogurt!  As always, thanks for the comments.)

Aji Amarillos At Lily"s Mexican Market

The back of the refrigerator shouldn't be where food goes to die -- but instead a place where a few staples live to spice up your meals.

Stock your fridge with aji amarillo peppers at Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia.  They're spicy.  That surprised me.  I grabbed them on a whim, and I ate the first one out of the jar because it looked like a sweet yellow pepper.  Shocking heat!  Since then, I have used them more to zest up a meal.

Added them to greens and to pasta sauces.  Sprinkled diced pepper over a salad.  Cut them up for tacos.  They're less spicy than jalepenos, but the real value is that that they're sort of preserved in a salty brine.  Not pickled, but they have lasted weeks, and the clean, bright flavor is a great alternative to the smokey chipotle peppers that I also stock up at Lily's.

Aji amarillos are apparently a Peruvian staple.  Great if you wanted to learn traditional dishes, but I recommend them to anyone because they could zip up your own food.  They were a key part of the best crab cakes that I have ever cooked.  You could add the peppers to almost anything -- omelets, sandwiches, hummus -- for something different and hot.

Lily's is one of the great food outlets in Howard County.  Go for some takeout tacos, and you're guaranteed a good trip.  Then check out the shelves for things to buy -- the fresh made tortillas, the cactus for tacos, the different peppers, the sauces, and on.  Click here for all the posts about Lily's Mexican Market.

Sour Cherry Nectar At Nazar Market

We stumbled on Turkish cherry nectar at the new Cazbar Kepab House in Columbia, and it has become a fun

Let's be honest: This isn't juice.  It's water, sugar, then sour cherry concentrate on the ingredient list.  But it's a cherry flavor just a touch sour enough to be unique.  It's more soft drink than a health food.

But it's a fine soft drink.  We first drank cherry nectar with sandwiches at Cazbar.  But Nazar Market in Columbia sells a bunch of varieties -- cans to drink right away or boxes that pour from the fridge.  Several brands, even other flavors of nectar like mango.  Definitely an easy buy if you're looking to check out Nazar for the first time.  Try it full strength.  Try it cut 50-50 with water for a lighter flavor.

Wegmans - By Twitter - Says Columbia, MD In 2012

Good news -- It's an official comment.  Actually, there isn't good news.  Just cold hard confirmation.

It's so tough to think that the Columbia Wegmans won't open until 2012.  But I'm glad that work progresses.  I want to get past "off-site road improvements" and get to "cheese section installation."

Click here for a Twitter search that includes the Wegmans comment that they're hoping to open the Columbia store in 2012.  It's copied below.

Wegmans

@HowChowBlog Some off site road improvements are scheduled 2 begin this summer. Currently we're hoping 2 open in 2012. Thx 4 your patience! about 14 hours ago via CoTweet in reply to HowChowBlog

The Columbia Wegmans: Let's Be Honest, It Looks Like We're Waiting To 2012 For Danny To Open

I drove to the site of the Columbia Wegmans this week to prove the naysayers wrong.

In March, people had quoted a Wegmans employee as saying the shop on Snowden River Parkway wouldn't open until 2012.  But I had dreams.  I had hopes.  I saw myself strolling through the aisles next year.  Maybe not really at Valentine's Day, but 2011 at least.

Unfortunately, the Columbia site looks dead to me.

I parked on McGaw Road, and the chain link fence seems to protect a few construction vehicles and a lot of dusty ground.  Nothing looked like a rush to serve me deliciacies.  I assume the real action is taking place in Frederick where Wegmans Web site lists a 2011 opening date.  Columbia remains "to be determined" -- along with a pack of stores like Germantown, MD and Northborough, MA that weren't on that list when I started checking.

Anyone know more about a starting date?  I need to re-think my plans for a Valentine's Day roundup at the Columbia store.  I thought I was being optimistically humorous.  Now, that just seems sad.

Pints & Pancakes Returns To T-Bonz On July 18

Pints & Pancakes returns to T-Bonz with a morning -- and then an afternoon -- of breakfast, beer and bands, reports the Baltimore Beer Guy.

The events starts at 10 am, and the two bands run until 6 pm.  Beers are craft lines with a Christmas in July theme.  (They're listed on the BBG site.)  For a $5 cover, you get pancakes and music.  T-Bonz will be serving a la carte food as well.

T-Bonz Grille & Pub in Ellicott City has become one of the better local beer bars, according to the experts.