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Born & Raised (Formerly Family Meal), Updated American Classics in an Upscale "Big Boy" Atmosphere - N. East Street in Frederick


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I had a chance to swing by Family Meal this past weekend for lunch. I was surprised to find it in a pretty industrial part of town and it's essentially a shiny glass island of a building on a huge blacktop so it's easily found if you're not familiar with Frederick. Even though the place is pretty expansive, there was a constant flow of traffic the whole time I was there. The lunch menu is littered with a lot of familiar American classics like deviled eggs, fried chicken, burgers and shakes. But, if you're looking for something a little more interesting, you can also find crispy pig ears and duck poutine. I ordered the heirloom tomato gazpacho, fried chicken and banana split. The gazpacho was a refreshing start which included two generous chunks of shrimp and a dollop of avocado. The fried chicken was nicely crispy on the outside and really moist on the inside. The side of hot sauce was something new for me when paired with fried chicken and gave it a nice additional flavor. The banana split is more like banana slices on top of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. I liked the thinner spoon size slices of banana and the bourbon vanilla ice cream stood out in the dessert. I liked the overall experience of the restaurant but I don't know if I would recommend a road trip just to go there. However, if you're in the area or it's not too far out of the way, then it would be worth your while.

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I had a chance to swing by Family Meal this past weekend for lunch. I was surprised to find it in a pretty industrial part of town and it's essentially a shiny glass island of a building on a huge blacktop so it's easily found if you're not familiar with Frederick. Even though the place is pretty expansive, there was a constant flow of traffic the whole time I was there. The lunch menu is littered with a lot of familiar American classics like deviled eggs, fried chicken, burgers and shakes. But, if you're looking for something a little more interesting, you can also find crispy pig ears and duck poutine. I ordered the heirloom tomato gazpacho, fried chicken and banana split. The gazpacho was a refreshing start which included two generous chunks of shrimp and a dollop of avocado. The fried chicken was nicely crispy on the outside and really moist on the inside. The side of hot sauce was something new for me when paired with fried chicken and gave it a nice additional flavor. The banana split is more like banana slices on top of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry ice cream. I liked the thinner spoon size slices of banana and the bourbon vanilla ice cream stood out in the dessert. I liked the overall experience of the restaurant but I don't know if I would recommend a road trip just to go there. However, if you're in the area or it's not too far out of the way, then it would be worth your while.

Eric and Celia Ziebold went here a week ago, and said they liked it a lot. Family Meal's website is here (pretty much a fait accompli that hungry, discerning drivers to Western Maryland will now bypass Chick-Fil-A in Germantown, Park n Dine in Hancock, etc.). Our version of Zingerman's Road House (but better)?

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I was surprised to find it in a pretty industrial part of town and it's essentially a shiny glass island of a building on a huge blacktop so it's easily found if you're not familiar with Frederick.

It wasn't where I was expecting it to be either. I believe it's a former car dealership (?) We were happier with the "American classic" dishes on the menu. The fancier stuff (like a rockfish dish for $19) was underwhelming. The fried chicken is excellent and somehow only $11 for a good sized portion (it was like a whole small chicken). Get the pot-pie fritters and the zucchini side dish, which was surprisingly great (the zucchini seemed to be smoked).

Reasonably priced and interesting drink menu: a list of flips (a mezcal-based one, a rye one and one other) for $8 and a short, interesting wine list at fair mark-ups. The Backyard Ale, a smoked beer collaboration between locals Flying Dog and Brian Voltaggio, is a steal at $3 a bottle (this beer is sold at stores only by individual 12oz bottles for about the same price).

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I was at Family Meal this past weekend too (which Food Nomad already knows, thanks to Twitter). I enjoyed the chicken- it was moist and flavorful. However, I was disappointed in the goat cheese gratin. The goat cheese flavor was barely discernible, and overall it was a bland dish. However, I can highly recommend the blueberry shake which was chock full of fresh blueberries.

I'm going to agree with Food Nomad- if you're in the area it's definitely a worthwhile stop. But I wouldn't call Family Meal destination worthy. Side note: we never saw a drink menu and our server never mentioned any alcoholic options.

...full review on my blog at http://beenthereeate...09/family-meal/

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The side order of summer squash, green goddess, chorizo, smoked almonds we had last night was a revelation, and at $5 it felt like highway robbery. In DC you could charge 2x that at any small plates joint and still have people going bonkers over it. Just a really great side. Similarly, the pistachio cream pie with marshmallow cream and pineapple sherbert gave me one of those ratatouille childhood flashback moments despite being way cheffier than anything my house ever saw.

The goat cheese gratin still is (1) underseasoned and (2) not a gratin. it's a bland slightly goat-y mac and cheese, which doesn't even make sense since there is another (yellow, Tillamook) mac and cheese on the menu.

If people drive from DC hoping for a Volt-level meal they're going to be inevitably disappointed here. It's not trying to be high end and service is at the level you should expect of the high school kids working the floor. But with the right perspective this is a great stop for upscale diner style food in large portions at reasonable prices. If you're in the neighborhood, it's absolutely worth the stop.

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The side order of summer squash, green goddess, chorizo, smoked almonds we had last night was a revelation, and at $5 it felt like highway robbery. In DC you could charge 2x that at any small plates joint and still have people going bonkers over it. Just a really great side. Similarly, the pistachio cream pie with marshmallow cream and pineapple sherbert gave me one of those ratatouille childhood flashback moments despite being way cheffier than anything my house ever saw.

The goat cheese gratin still is (1) underseasoned and (2) not a gratin. it's a bland slightly goat-y mac and cheese, which doesn't even make sense since there is another (yellow, Tillamook) mac and cheese on the menu.

If people drive from DC hoping for a Volt-level meal they're going to be inevitably disappointed here. It's not trying to be high end and service is at the level you should expect of the high school kids working the floor. But with the right perspective this is a great stop for upscale diner style food in large portions at reasonable prices. If you're in the neighborhood, it's absolutely worth the stop.

Absolutely, concur.

I was there today for lunch and really enjoyed the Chicken Pot Pie fritters - lightly fried and just delicious - I wonder why I haven't seen these in 1000 other places. The ham and cheese sandwich was very nice. The ingredients include honey-mustard sauce, carmelized onions and apple slices - I expected a sugary sweet sandwich and instead it was nice and mellow. The side of braised greens was sharp and filling.

It is amazing at these prices that so much is made from scratch and given so much attention. As we sat at the counter, one of the chefs was hand juicing oranges. These were to make an orange caramel, which would then be added to a desert. Seems a really long way to go for a dessert sauce on a plate selling for $4.99. The service was fine and on a par with the setting and pricing. This isn't Volt but is well worth a stop into Frederick if you're in the area.

(Side note: the duck fat fries are about $2 more in real life vs. the online menu. I may riot in the streets.)

I'd also recommend the Trains and Roads museum down the street, especially if you have kids. It has a GIGANTIC model train layout with all kinds of fun things to see and find. Lots of lights, movement and local references. It will fill 45 minutes or so (more if you do the scavenger hunt) and is well worth the $7 adult / $4 kids admittance IMHO.

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Family Meal is not Volt. It's not even a Volt substitute. But it might well be the second best restaurant in Frederick County...it's certainly a surprising value. I had tried to stop in for a meal back in the beginning of July, but was apparently a couple of days too early for the public opening. We ducked in for a meal around 4 today, and were happy to find the very reasonably priced lunch menu was still available. By our departure around 5, the dining room was approaching full, as parties began to arrive with increasing frequency.

Not everything we ate today was a knockout, but it was all well made, and supported by very good service from the floor staff. I wasn't that enamored of the goat mac 'n cheese for the same reasons that ad.mich mentioned, and the spinach greens could have benefitted from some salt. Duck fat fries were good, but nothing remarkable (although I give them bonus points for the third dip, which appeared to be spicy mayo).

But the chicken pot pie fritters were do-not-miss, capturing all those flavors in a tiny block of fried bechamel and bits of carrot brunoise. The soup of mixed mushrooms was impossibly smooth and rich, with a float of peanut foam and a drizzle of peppery oil that set it off. The greens wilted with bits of pork bbq were basically a refined take on collards.

The fried chicken is a revelation, and at $13-something for half a small chicken it's a steal. No, it's not the crunchy traditional chicken best exemplified by Gillian Clark's work...think more like Peter Smith's fried chicken, but even better. It undergoes a lengthy brine that results in the moistest white meat I've had anywhere. The seasoning is subtle, and more herbal than spicy...I'd swear it has a celery seed note to it. But the hot sauce appears to be applied afterwards, and only sort of poured lightly over parts of the pieces, and the result is that each bite tastes slightly different. I don't know if that was intentional, or if it was just a fluke of the order I had today, but I found the effect to be kind of magical. I'll let you know if I still think so after the next few times. The chicken is served whimsically in a chicken-shaped ceramic pot along with some corn biscuits and a small dish of some potently vinegary pickles.

I'm also very impressed with the execution of the place. Voltaggio and Staples have taken what appears to have been a glass-walled car showroom and turned it into a very pleasant bistro with almost Californian flair. I don't know how else to say this...it looks comfortably refined and efficient, which is also a fair description of the service. Go now, go early, go often.

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There are several good chilis in this town, but since I haven't been thinking about them, I'm in no position to list the restaurants that have it, but here's a start:

Family Meal has a Venison Chili with Masa Cornbread ($9.99) that is probably wonderful..

I just read Alexandra Greeley's not particularly positive review of Family Meal where one the few real positives is her mention of the venison chili. I am going to go there when I head to work in a few minutes.

I also cannot think of a time when I have read a non-glowing review in any Gazette newspaper. I had always figured this was because the reviews were told to review positively so the ad sales people could follow up the next week and get a sale. Maybe this is changing

Due to this the" Free Food" at the Grapeseed Bar will be a sample of a chili I made when I got home last night. Quality late night (sober) chili cookin luv. 5-6:30

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I just read Alexandra Greeley's I just read Alexandra Greeley's not particularly positive review of Family Meal where one the few real positives is her mention of the venison chili. I am going to go there when I head to work in a few minutes.

I also cannot think of a time when I have read a non-glowing review in any Gazette newspaper. I had always figured this was because the reviews were told to review positively so the ad sales people could follow up the next week and get a sale. Maybe this is changing

Due to this the" Free Food" at the Grapeseed Bar will be a sample of a chili I made when I got home last night. Quality late night (sober) chili cookin luv. 5-6:30

I've been to Family Meal twice and it was great both times, although I haven't been now in two months. Try the fried chicken or chicken pot pie dumplings if you're there also (scroll up a couple of posts and read what ol_ironstomach has to say - he is correct: get those dumplings with your chili, Jeff).

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I dream about the "Jack and Coke" at Family Meal. I actually sit around trying to think about what they did: bourbon, cinnamon, vanilla, coke, bitters. It seems so simple, but it was mind captivatingly good. We also had mulled wine, the pot pie fritters, fried chicken and lemon tart. I loved everything. I thought it was a great value, and I thought there was a lot of attention to detail to every part, in a not compromising to taste way. I can't wait to go back and try other things. It was just a really nice lunch with my best friend, with really friendly service.

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Last night, I had a wonderful, delightful dinner at Family Meal, my third visit to this terrific restaurant in Frederick. (Wonderful, delightful, and terrific in the first sentence - where do you think review is going?)

We were there mostly to chat and catch up, and wanted to eat modest amounts of food. I had a single glass of 2011 Ponzi Pinot Gris ($11), a very drinkable wine, served in a water glass with only a modest fill, and far too expensive for its own good: it retails for around $15 per bottle; here, a bottle is priced triple-retail at $44. Bad, bad, bad, Family Meal. Very bad.

I raved to my friend about the Chicken Pot Pie Fritters (a bargain at $4.99), and they lived up to the advance billing. Spheres of childhood pleasure, this time around my only knock is that they were a touch on the salty side; that aside, they are a must-order for the first-time visitor to Family Meal. Please order these - you'll thank me if you do.

And I'd never had the Fried Chicken (a bargain at $13.99) until last night, and damned if it didn't live up to its stratospheric reputation. A half chicken, served with two delicious buttermilk biscuits, lightly accented throughout with some sort of herb and what might have been an extremely mild cheese, but I'm not sure about the latter. The four pieces of pleasure also came with a little tub of delicious homemade pickles, and a needless ramekin of what tasted like Texas Pete. The breast was huge, and moist throughout - this bird was clearly brined, or injected, or something, because the salty moisture had penetrated to the deepest breast meat. I'm delighted to add that I have the leg, the wing, and a biscuit left - I assure you they will not go to waste.

The sides at Family Meal, under the section marked "Share," have been uniformly excellent, and such was the case last night. "Mighty Joe" Young Spinach ($3.99) is fresh leaves, golden raisins, hazelnuts, and a vegan's heaven, as was the Roasted Root Vegetables ($4.99) of delicata squash, sweet potato, and turnip. I've ordered the root vegetables once before, and this time around they were much more finely diced - not better, not worse, just a bit different. When you come here, load up on these "share plates" because they represent outstanding value.

As I type this, and remember that our total bill, with tax, was in the $40s, I feel somewhat guilty for my comments about the wine pricing (I don't plan out these reviews; I wing them as I go, never knowing what my following paragraph will be). All four items ordered were flat-out bargains, and this restaurant needs to make its money somewhere, so I'll turn my comment right back around at myself, and say: Bad, bad, bad, Don. Very bad. But Family Meal is good, good, good, mon. Very good.

I love this restaurant.

Oh, I forgot to add that there was one major service glitch: I had finished about two-thirds of my Pinot Gris, which was sitting right next to my water, and they both looked exactly the same. A girl came by to refill my water, and poured it into my wine glass (I desperately tried to stop her, but was too late). She was embarrassed, and I just laughed about it so she wouldn't feel bad, but I do think that I should have had a half glass or so brought back to me (not a full glass; just a half glass to finish my meal with), but when she walked away, nothing was ever done. Yes, of course I could have said something, but it would have been somewhat awkward given the situation. Not a complaint, just an observation that I think is worth mentioning to the staff for the future.

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I'm not sure Don ate in the same restaurant that I ate in over the weekend with a group of friends.

To be sure, those chicken pot pie fritters were fantastic, and I'd go back here again for those in a heartbeat. But our service was somewhat distracted and we got what was more like diner service than restaurant service. Arriving at 8 on a Saturday night, it's silly that this meal took more than 2 hours. And most of the food we got was pretty bland. We managed to get through a large portion of the menu, and here are some thoughts:

Rum Buck rum, seasonal fruit, bitters, ginger beer

If there was rum in this drink, I couldn't taste any.

Grandma’s chocolate oranges (chocolate ice cream, triplum, cocoa marshmallow)
This was a very tasty milkshake, but since the liqueur was the only alcohol, it really didn't pack any punch.
Chicken pot pie fritters
Next time, just getting 10 orders of these. Creative, compelling, and delicious. Too bad the menu pretty much goes downhill from here.
Arancini bolognese, cheese curd, basil
This was also quite good. The arancini were large and flavorful, cheesy, and the bolognese was a good match. Well rounded with the curds and basil.
Crispy chicken livers charleston gold rice, purple cape beans, hot sauce
This might have been the first warning sign. Chicken livers were very nice, but not really a good match with the bland rice and beans. Hot sauce? Where?
Venison chili masa cornbread
Totally bereft of flavor. The difference between the chili and the bolognese was hard to distinguish. A shot of hot sauce did nothing.
Carrot soup candied ginger, coconut
Room temperature, and definitely carrots in the soup, but no discernable ginger or coconut flavors.
Potato-leek garlic, chili oil, sourdough
A trend is emerging - served room temperature (not chilled or warm), and definitely potato and leek flavor, but no garlic or chili oil to be found.
Strip steak salad winter greens, pickled vegetables, manchego, ranch
Fine, but for $12, I want more than 4 skimpy slices of steak. And the manchego was completely lost in the pickles and ranch.
Fried chicken buttermilk biscuits, pickles, hot sauce
Very good chicken. Scarfed this up - in fact 2 orders for our 6-top. Pickles excellent too, but that hot sauce was worthless. Sweet and vinegary, with no real heat.
Mushroom risotto carnaroli rice, shiitake, parmesan
A real miss. Nothing risotto like about this dish - you didn't get that creamy but almost toothy rice grain. Soft, soupy, and no mushroom flavor unless you actually ate one of the few mushroom pieces. My teenager makes better risotto. From a box.
Duck fat fried potatoes dipping sauces
We got one order of the duck fat fried ones and one order of the regular fried ones, and we could barely tell which was which. Soggy by the time they got to the table.
Macaroni and cheese tillamook cheddar
This was a winner, though really nothing special. Noodles weren't overcooked, and the cheese was excellent. One of the winners by default.
Crispy brussel sprouts bacon
Possibly the best dish of the night. These weren't just roasted until crispy - they broke them into individual leaves and roasted them, so the result is almost like the fried spinach at Rasika. Delicious, even according to the 2 diners at the table who don't normally eat brussels sprouts.
Roasted root vegetables carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, celeriac
Another winner - roasted just enough that the colors were still bright but they were still cooked through.
Sweet potato casserole cinnamon, toasted marshmallow
I don't normally like sweet potatoes, so this was perfect for me, because it was mostly marshmallow.
Chocolate earl grey donuts hazelnut pudding, coffee ice cream
How can you fuck up a donut? I don't know, but go here to find out. We got two 3-donut orders so everyone could have their own, but nobody finished one. I got chocolate, but no earl grey or hazelnut flavor, and the consistency of the donut was more like a moist brownie. Ice cream was unremarkable.
Honey crisp apple cobbler vanilla & walnut butter ice cream, oatmeal struesel
This was very nice - exactly what you would expect, and well executed.
Lemon tart ricotta, cranberry sorbet
I thought it was cherry sorbet until someone pulled the menu back out. And where was the ricotta? And the tartness from the lemon? Rock hard crust, though, that was there.
If I were already in Frederick, I'd consider going back for those pot pie fritters, the fried chicken, and maybe some of the salads that looked tasty on other tables. But this is definitely not a place worth driving to Frederick for, if you're coming from the DC area.
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I'm not sure Don ate in the same restaurant that I ate in over the weekend with a group of friends.

To be sure, those chicken pot pie fritters were fantastic, and I'd go back here again for those in a heartbeat. But our service was somewhat distracted and we got what was more like diner service than restaurant service. Arriving at 8 on a Saturday night, it's silly that this meal took more than 2 hours. And most of the food we got was pretty bland. We managed to get through a large portion of the menu, and here are some thoughts:

Rum Buck rum, seasonal fruit, bitters, ginger beer

If there was rum in this drink, I couldn't taste any.

Grandma’s chocolate oranges (chocolate ice cream, triplum, cocoa marshmallow)
This was a very tasty milkshake, but since the liqueur was the only alcohol, it really didn't pack any punch.
Chicken pot pie fritters
Next time, just getting 10 orders of these. Creative, compelling, and delicious. Too bad the menu pretty much goes downhill from here.
Arancini bolognese, cheese curd, basil
This was also quite good. The arancini were large and flavorful, cheesy, and the bolognese was a good match. Well rounded with the curds and basil.
Crispy chicken livers charleston gold rice, purple cape beans, hot sauce
This might have been the first warning sign. Chicken livers were very nice, but not really a good match with the bland rice and beans. Hot sauce? Where?
Venison chili masa cornbread
Totally bereft of flavor. The difference between the chili and the bolognese was hard to distinguish. A shot of hot sauce did nothing.
Carrot soup candied ginger, coconut
Room temperature, and definitely carrots in the soup, but no discernable ginger or coconut flavors.
Potato-leek garlic, chili oil, sourdough
A trend is emerging - served room temperature (not chilled or warm), and definitely potato and leek flavor, but no garlic or chili oil to be found.
Strip steak salad winter greens, pickled vegetables, manchego, ranch
Fine, but for $12, I want more than 4 skimpy slices of steak. And the manchego was completely lost in the pickles and ranch.
Fried chicken buttermilk biscuits, pickles, hot sauce
Very good chicken. Scarfed this up - in fact 2 orders for our 6-top. Pickles excellent too, but that hot sauce was worthless. Sweet and vinegary, with no real heat.
Mushroom risotto carnaroli rice, shiitake, parmesan
A real miss. Nothing risotto like about this dish - you didn't get that creamy but almost toothy rice grain. Soft, soupy, and no mushroom flavor unless you actually ate one of the few mushroom pieces. My teenager makes better risotto. From a box.
Duck fat fried potatoes dipping sauces
We got one order of the duck fat fried ones and one order of the regular fried ones, and we could barely tell which was which. Soggy by the time they got to the table.
Macaroni and cheese tillamook cheddar
This was a winner, though really nothing special. Noodles weren't overcooked, and the cheese was excellent. One of the winners by default.
Crispy brussel sprouts bacon
Possibly the best dish of the night. These weren't just roasted until crispy - they broke them into individual leaves and roasted them, so the result is almost like the fried spinach at Rasika. Delicious, even according to the 2 diners at the table who don't normally eat brussels sprouts.
Roasted root vegetables carrot, parsnip, sweet potato, celeriac
Another winner - roasted just enough that the colors were still bright but they were still cooked through.
Sweet potato casserole cinnamon, toasted marshmallow
I don't normally like sweet potatoes, so this was perfect for me, because it was mostly marshmallow.
Chocolate earl grey donuts hazelnut pudding, coffee ice cream
How can you fuck up a donut? I don't know, but go here to find out. We got two 3-donut orders so everyone could have their own, but nobody finished one. I got chocolate, but no earl grey or hazelnut flavor, and the consistency of the donut was more like a moist brownie. Ice cream was unremarkable.
Honey crisp apple cobbler vanilla & walnut butter ice cream, oatmeal struesel
This was very nice - exactly what you would expect, and well executed.
Lemon tart ricotta, cranberry sorbet
I thought it was cherry sorbet until someone pulled the menu back out. And where was the ricotta? And the tartness from the lemon? Rock hard crust, though, that was there.
If I were already in Frederick, I'd consider going back for those pot pie fritters, the fried chicken, and maybe some of the salads that looked tasty on other tables. But this is definitely not a place worth driving to Frederick for, if you're coming from the DC area.

I don't want to question your comments, but I count 20 items here (with two orders of chicken) at 8 PM on a Saturday night. How long do you think this meal should have taken?

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They took drink orders soon after we sat down. Food order shortly after. So, 15 minutes in, we had drinks and were waiting for food. Apps came out less than 10 minutes later, but there was a continual need to request a side plate, silverware, hot sauce, etc. Nobody came by the table even when 6 of us were sitting there looking at food because we didn't have share plates we'd already asked for.

Dinner came out in a reasonable time frame too. So, less than an hour in, we had everything but dessert at the table. Again, we needed some silverware replaced, water refilled, some plates for sharing (we told them at the beginning we were sharing everything), etc., but even though the restaurant was more than half empty by 9pm, we had to go hunting for help. And we finished eating a good 15-20 minutes before they came to clear plates and offer dessert.

Again, reminded me of eating at a diner. You order food. Some time later, someone else drops plates at the table. And sometime later, the waiter who you haven't seen since placing the order, drops a check. Which is kid of appropriate, since this is essentially diner food.

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I really like Family Meal, I wish they had a drive thru Fried Chicken capacity, I gladly pay $30.00 for an 8 piece bucket, that said, the only time I tried them their Deviled eggs were awful, not worth a second chanch!

Tom, you ought to approach them about offering your BBQ on their menu in exchange for their fried chicken on yours. No-really-I'm-serious-about-that. (But I get it may not be practical for 100 different reasons.)

What didn't you like about the deviled eggs? As I recall, they are fairly pungent with vinegar but otherwise pretty good. Then again, I haven't met a deviled egg I didn't like :)

I've been to Family Meal now about 10 times or more since my last post above. A few general notes:

1. It may have some of the downsides of a diner (lack of polish) but it also has some of the upsides (a congenial, informal atmosphere.) As almost-semi-regulars, we enjoy the conversation with the folks that work there as much as we do the food - which is one of the major things that makes a good diner...good.

2. There are some real stars on that menu. The brussels, the fritters, the chicken are pretty well known. I like the beet salad, root veggies and shrimp and grits (they use some kind of special grits I don't recall the name of now...) I suspect that any trip down the menu will find a mix of duds and studs, as Daniel did. At most diners, I wouldn't expect many studs, unless maybe the gravy had some exceptional quality.

3. The studs don't come for free, FM is noticibly higher in price than the average diner. But it still isn't outrageous relative to other restaurants. It is just tough to swallow a "formal" sized total bill in such an informal setting.

4. I have to wonder how much the opening of Range (and the next one to follow) is causing unually high turnover at FM, and if FM is essentially the training ground for the other places now. That's generally OK- the staff is generally are still pretty good - but maybe expains some of the inconsistency comments above. Maybe with time there's some smoothing? I dunno...

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Tom, you ought to approach them about offering your BBQ on their menu in exchange for their fried chicken on yours. No-really-I'm-serious-about-that. (But I get it may not be practical for 100 different reasons.)

What didn't you like about the deviled eggs? As I recall, they are fairly pungent with vinegar but otherwise pretty good. Then again, I haven't met a deviled egg I didn't like :)

Jay, I LOVE Deviled Eggs, the order I got at FM was simply nasty, I couldn't believe it, no vinegar taste no mustard, just a bad Umami flavor and funky texture. I will give them a second chanch, today as a matter of fact! They got the best Milkshake I've ever had, and those mini Chicken Pot Pies I could eat about 40.

Love to trade them food, great idea!

Tom

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I was just there last night again, and after several visits I think the complaints and compliments are basically saying the same thing at this point. If you want slightly upscale diner food come here and you're going to be happy with the sandwiches, salads, and fried things. If you come here expecting Volt or destination dining you're going to be disappointed. Treat this place for what it is.

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Went tonight - The postings above are very fair and accurate;

MEGA HITS - Pot Pie Fritters, Fried Chicken and Milkshakes

Above average - mac and cheese

Not worth it - Duck Fat fries (soggy and limp)

I am going to disagree with Dan and say that I enjoyed the Earl Gray Donuts - more of a cake donut but I liked the flavor with the chocolate on top.

Didn't get but the table next to us got the iceberg lettuce wedge with blue cheese and made a note that it looked creamy and fresh.

I will also say that I will not call this cheap eats (Ran about $75 for one adult and two kids) - I do have some leftovers that will be dinner tomorrow night but still a little more than I was really planning on spending - not outrageous but not cheap eats either.

Also want to add that I was happy with the service, not polished 5 star, but that wasn't needed. Very comfortable and casual nice kids for servers. I had no complaints tonight but could see how they will get overwhelmed if they are very crowded and busy. They were busy but not over crowded. They also have wifi, it was locked but they gave my daughter the code when she asked the waitress.

I would absolutely go back especially makes sense before or after a Frederick Keys game

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Went tonight - The postings above are very fair and accurate....

I would absolutely go back especially makes sense before or after a Frederick Keys game

We often sit with the kids at the counter, at the far end (the short side of the "L"). You can see into the kitchen and that's where they make the desserts. The kids love it.

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Went to family meal last night on the way home from GC. Started with the kale ceasar salad which I really enjoyed. It was curly winterboro kale shredded really thinly and it was just really good (may be trying this at home). I then had the venison chili which was a really well rounded flavor almost a little sweet with cornbread. The cornbread was just ok, I really liked the chili though. The jack and coke wasnt nearly as good as when i had it before, not even memorable yesterday. Mom's curry skate with cauliflower was really good too.

I wasn't a big fan of the rice pudding, it was interesting but it really needed more fruit or sweetness of some kind maybe more coconut to pull it together. I love rice pudding, and my mom liked it, I just thought it was missing something. But overall really good meal, Mama approved.

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Anyone been lately?  I am going to be in Frederick Saturday night and the fried chicken is calling my name.

I haven't been in many months, but I'd be surprised if that chicken has fallen off its mighty perch.

Even if you get the chicken (which you must), you still have to get the chicken pot pie fritters. Double up. Just do it, man.

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Anyone been lately? I am going to be in Frederick Saturday night and the fried chicken is calling my name.

There about two weekends ago. The fried chicken was great, great, great. The pot pie fritters also good. We had some other good things, including the crispy brussels sprouts, but their memory was mostly washed away by the unbelievably tasty blueberry pie, a huge wedge of greatness, and the peach crumble, that we had at the end of the meal.

We took my parents, and my mom, who is a light eater, enjoyed it but had two of the three pieces of her fried chicken left over. They became my lunch the next day (she's clearly a great mom, giving me her fried chicken!).

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There about two weekends ago. The fried chicken was great, great, great. The pot pie fritters also good. We had some other good things, including the crispy brussels sprouts, but their memory was mostly washed away by the unbelievably tasty blueberry pie, a huge wedge of greatness, and the peach crumble, that we had at the end of the meal.

We took my parents, and my mom, who is a light eater, enjoyed it but had two of the three pieces of her fried chicken left over. They became my lunch the next day (she's clearly a great mom, giving me her fried chicken!).

A friend was there a week or so ago and said the chicken was not good at all (soggy coating and dry chicken).  I was so disappointed to hear this.  glad for a positive report.

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I agree with your friend - disappointing.  Ate today for lunch - fried chicken was not what has been heralded here and frankly is better at Popeye's (left two pieces uneaten).  Duck fat fried potatoes were tasteless (even with dipping in aioli sauce) ($5.99 - we ate half and left the rest alone), jalapeno biscuits not flavorful (at half of one, left the rest).  We can chime in with others above on how good the teeny tiny chicken pot pie fritters are; its a small serving of 5 tiny little balls but lip smacking delicious.  I had an "adult" milkshake with bourbon, ice cream, mint & cookie crumble which was fine for me ($11) but my tablemate found it, uh, not to her liking (understatement).

While I would not go back nor is this worth a special detour to head up to Frederick, I would give a shout out to the young staff.  The best part of our meal was how enthusiastic and caring the service was.  Floor staff were eager to please and our waitress was well versed int he menu items, showed patience in explaining "new" items (grouper, shrimp roll, they tossed those much-maligned brussel sprouts) along with paying attention to our table while the place was humming with a Saturday afternoon lunch.

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[Again, I feel compelled to say that my "Liking" a largely negative review doesn't mean I take pleasure in its content; merely that it's a negative review that was rooted in optimism (he clearly "wanted" to like the restaurant), and supporting detail. Not mean-spirited in any way - okay, okay, the Popeye's comment was a bit over-the-top, but it was supported by the fact that two pieces were left, not taken home. I like Family Meal, but I also like checks and balances, and this is exactly the type of restaurant that can change from week-to-week, and needs constant vigilance. Thanks for taking the time to write this responsibly.]

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Yes, I really really wanted to be Sally Fields and really like Family Meal.  I did not.  I do think this is a nice option for folks who live in Frederick and I am pleased folks there are patronizing FM vs usual chain fare.  I hope I was clear about that and, at the same time, tamp down excitement for those who may plan driving a considerable distance just to eat at this spot.

I did not sense FM intends to position itself as a destination dining place - like Volt - so if one comes with low expectations and has other activities planned in the Frederick area, I hope you have a more enjoyable experience than we did.  With the forewarning, obv, Family Meal's prices are not typical diner pricing.  This is an important point for a family that might want to assume otherwise.

I should emphasize we felt appetizers were the best part of our lunch - along with the chicken pot pie fritters, the deviled eggs were very good (made with sour cream, not may, crumbled bacon top).  Unlike several posters above, for us, the deviled eggs were a hit.

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Family Meal's prices are not typical diner pricing.  This is an important point for a family that might want to assume otherwise.

Family Meal is a diner environment.  Family Meal also has a section of higher end entrees available.  If you're trying to compare the $25 steak or $21 rockfish on the menu at Famliy Meal to a typical diner, yes, it is expensive.  But the breakfast items, sandwiches, sides, fried chicken, and drinks are at nearly identical price points (or just slightly higher) than Silver Diner.  If you're saying it is more expensive than Denny's, then yes.  Otherwise, I don't think the majority of the menu is that bad.

I would never drive there just to eat there, but when I end up in the area I'm happy to go.

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Family Meal is a diner environment...

I would never drive there just to eat there, but when I end up in the area I'm happy to go.

I think this is the problem. People drive up to Frederick in order to eat at Family Meal and expext to get Voltaggio on the cheap. But it's really just a nice diner.

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I think this is the problem. People drive up to Frederick in order to eat at Family Meal and expext to get Voltaggio on the cheap. But it's really just a nice diner.

I'd agree.   I'd also say that's what makes it unique, and worth (for us) the 1/2 hour drive to go.  We pass four other diners on the way, because those other four diners do things the way that too many diners do these days - mainly selling frozen, boring foods.

I have two kids, I've never been to Volt and I'm not looking for that experience.  I find Family Meal to be a great balance of casual diner-style eating, food with some thought behind it and a staff that is friendly and very well trained.

On those merits I find it pretty unique, at least relative to what I can access easily from the MoCo area and thus worth the stretch.

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Agreed.  Except something can't be "pretty unique."  It either is or it isn't unique. 

Well, OK, I'd say my merits are not well defined.  I list three and they are subjective in nature.  I don't know of a word for "subjectively unique" - maybe there is one?  I'd agree that unique is objective - there is only one - and I didn't wish to convey that.  Would "unique to my knowledge and subjective criteria" be better?

I'd love to find another restaurant that meets my criteria in my area, which would preclude further use of the word "unique" when I describe Family Meal.  I strongly suspect there are other such places, thus another cloud on the word unique and thus my qualifier.  Yet...I can only name one.  Thus I chose a 'soft' unique.  "One....so far as I know but I don't (and will never) know all..."

How can I improve?  What words do I suggst I use instead of "pretty unique" to convey my precise intent and meaning in this instance?

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I'd agree.   I'd also say that's what makes it unique, and worth (for us) the 1/2 hour drive to go.  We pass four other diners on the way, because those other four diners do things the way that too many diners do these days - mainly selling frozen, boring foods.

I have two kids, I've never been to Volt and I'm not looking for that experience.  I find Family Meal to be a great balance of casual diner-style eating, food with some thought behind it and a staff that is friendly and very well trained.

On those merits I find it pretty unique, at least relative to what I can access easily from the MoCo area and thus worth the stretch.

I'd emphasize, as pointed out by the powers that be, that I am only 1/2 hour away and THAT drive is worth it.  There are excellent restaurants south of me (including downtown and most of Virginia) that aren't worth it due to traffic and distance.  This is a shame - I wish I could live in multiple places.  I don't.

I would agree with those who say it isn't a destination restaurant.  It isn't.  When we go - we make a snap decision and jump in the car.  It is opportunitistic, which is possible thanks to our proximity.

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Our First visit to Family Meal on Saturday night and I expect there will be many more visits in the future.  Good food, good service all in a casual atmosphere equaled a great place to catch up with old friends.

We arrived right on time for our 6:30 reservation and they were kind enough to seat us even though the other couple we were meeting was running 15 minutes late.  (The hostess was also kind enough to talk to our friends over my phone and provide turn-by-turn directions.)  The wait, without a reservation was about 45 minutes.

A note on service and pacing...we were in an out in 90 minutes even though the restaurant was completely full and we spent quite a bit of time catching up before we actually ordered our meals.  Service was casual, but very warm.  Our server was knowledgeable about the menu, checked back often, and kept a light banter up with the husbands.  Water glasses were filled frequently and dirty dishes cleared quickly.  You can't ask for more at a casual family restaurant.

I had the benefit of the forum to guide my ordering.  The chicken pot pie fritters were as incredible as everyone has said.  We had two orders between the four of us, next time I'm getting my own!

The duck fat fries were okay. They could have been crisper.  It seemed to me that they were single fried and perhaps could have benefited from being double-fried.  I wasn't a big fan of the onion rings either, but others at the table loved them.

We had two orders of shrimp and grits.  I didn't taste the shrimp, but the serving was generous and they looked plump and perfectly cooked. An order of the fried chicken got rave reviews.  For some ridiculous reason I decided to have a wedge salad thinking it would counteract all the fried food on table.  It was a mess of wilted greens slathered in too much dressing.  What was I thinking?

Right up at the top of the list of things you MUST order when you come to Family Meal, right next to the chicken pot pie fritters, should be the chocolate earl grey doughnuts.  Golf ball sized mounds of dense dark chocolate cake, fried and rolled in cinnamon sugar, served with chocolate sauce and ice cream.  These are amazing and not to be missed.  Hubby had apple cobbler a la mode for dessert.   He enjoyed it, and he ate the coffee ice cream that came with the doughnuts.  Next time, I'll order the doughnuts with the  vanilla ice cream that was on the cobbler..it was really amazing ice cream!

Dinner, two beers and an "adult" milkshake with tax and tip came out to be $101.  Exactly the same bill we had the night before at Seasons 52, but at least this time I didn't have to take Hubby to McDonald's afterwards.

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Is this the thread posts about Family Meal should go? I'm gonna guess so.

I went for lunch yesterday and was quite pleased. I'll start off with the negative - our server was overly eager, often interrupting us and almost rushing us to order and leave. There was a minimal wait, only two or three parties max at a time, so that kind of bugged me. But he was a young server, probably still in high school, he'll learn.

We started off with some chicken pot pie fritters, which were nicely fried with a very warm, gooey filling. There was a nice mix of chicken and vegetables and the insides were a great temperature. It was essentially a pot pie in bite-sized form, which I thought was perfect. We both went with the fried chicken, which were seasoned nicely and the breading wasn't too thick or heavy. I wasn't a huge fan of the hot sauce, but there's nothing wrong with it - I just preferred to eat the fried chicken plain. The pickles and....pickled onions? were a nice addition on the side.

The traffic was heavy, but not overly crowded during the 12:00 hour on a Saturday. Overall I was very pleased and would definitely go again for a casual meal in the area. The burger is the only thing that comes to mind immediately while looking at the menu, but I remember seeing other dishes that looked worthy as well. Unfortunately, I did not get a chance to try an adult milkshake, I'm pretty sure I would have been much too full to function.

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Family Meal has just announced that they're planning on opening a third location in Baltimore (this, before opening their announced second location in Richmond).

The restaurant has been downgraded from Italic to Neutal - that's the bad news.

The good news is that in anticipation of it being something better than Sweetwater Tavern -  at least for now - Family Meal is being tentatively listed as the top American restaurant chain in the Multiple Locations Dining Guide, just ahead of Nordstrom Cafe.

Congratulations.

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I just learned of this place from a WaPo survey of local fried chicken. Many reviews on Yelp already, and they are all over the place. Anyone tried it yet? We will give it a shot, but I'd love to hear what people on here like and don't like foodwise.

I have Family Meal as the #1 American restaurant chain in the area in the Multiple Locations Dining Guide, but I also have it rated, not in Italic, but just plain text, the theory (still unconfirmed) being that what was once a very good, nearly excellent, restaurant in Frederick, has expanded to Baltimore, Richmond, and now Ashburn (what an odd foursome of locations), and Bryan Voltaggio is nearly irrelevant when it comes to the quality of these restaurants. Where has the talent in Ashburn come from, and how long will it be there?

These were diner-style meals that achieved excellence because they were executed with great care, and dare I say it, something that seemed like love; at this point, I don't care about the chain, which is nothing more than a money-maker, and it's something that hasn't even entered my mind in months. That said, the onus is on me to give the place a fair shot, and both my ranking (#1 American chain) and rating (plain text) should be considered preliminary, and absolutely secondary to your own experience.

In terms of the fried chicken, I always enjoyed it, and presumably each place is using the same recipe and hopefully similar methods of execution. But better still were the chicken pot pie fritters, which I suspect will suffer at the hands of expansion, but still retain interesting flavor; at their best in Frederick, they were just fantastic.

Now that I'm thinking about Family Meal, I realize how much I miss it - I loved this place shortly after it first opened, and went there at least three times.

Here's DCDining's review of the third visit.

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I'm going to have to throw a flag on the use of "exurbian" here, Don. :rolleyes: Frederick is its own town - has been for 270 years now. It might be in the Baltimore market and people commute down to DC to work, but its nobody's exurb. The Baltimore and Richmond locations are bang inside the city limits. Leaving only one notorious exurb out of the four. Unless you're counting Richmond, Baltimore and Frederick all as exurbs of DC. If that's the case then let me run out of the way of the flying rocks.

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I'm going to have to throw a flag on the use of "exurbian" here, Don. :rolleyes: Frederick is its own town - has been for 270 years now. It might be in the Baltimore market and people commute down to DC to work, but its nobody's exurb. The Baltimore and Richmond locations are bang inside the city limits. Leaving only one notorious exurb out of the four. Unless you're counting Richmond, Baltimore and Frederick all as exurbs of DC. If that's the case then let me run out of the way of the flying rocks.

[Perversely enough, both Richmond and Frederick are included in the DC forum, so from *this point of view only*, with DC as the center of the universe, they're considered exurbs (as is Baltimore, but it has its own forum and thus would have its own thread). I had a feeling someone might say something about this, but it felt funny writing "area locations" when they're not really in the area.]

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Those chicken pot pie fritters were (and probably still are) pretty darn great.  If I stop by again, that will be a major driving factor.

I do wish they would try a few more things with the menu.  The handful of times we went, I don't recall any specials, and the menu today appears almost exactly the same as ever...but maybe that is the diner idea.  They don't seem to be losing any business over it either.

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At the Frederick location I've noticed recently that things on the menu are rotating around quite frequently. They seem to have different desserts every time I go there, and there are entrees that cycle in and out periodically.

Of most obvious note, the dohnuts seem to change flavors every month or so. There have been Gingerbread, Red Velvet, and some kind of Strawberry just off the top of my head.

They also had a Jambalaya on the menu one time I went there, but it was not there when I went last week. It was quite good, but it almost felt too 'clean' for what I expect out of a jambalaya.  :D

The Restaurant week menu also had a few completely different items, which was annoying because they were only available if you got the whole prefix.

MOST of the menu is static mind you, but there seem to be x number of slots in certain categories that change up. This seems to be a pretty common strategy to me.

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Spurred on by this thread and a recent move to Ashburn, my wife and I gave Family Meal a go last night.  It was our first visit to any of the outlets, so I can't compare to the other locations.

The good - its always nice when the food is 'the good'.  Started with the Chicken Pot Pie Fritters, which I thought were quite good, but again have no basis of comparison to the original.  The Brussel Sprout Ceasar was a bit salty and rich for my tastes, but my wife really enjoyed it.  We both agreed the Mashed English Peas was the low point of the evening, the flavor was somewhat off-putting.  Braised Greens were delicious and we split a 3-piece order of that Fried Chicken.  I'm not a fried chicken devotee, this may be one of the first times I've ever ordered it in a sit-down restaurant, but on Don's recommendation we tried it and damn it was good.  The Banana Butterscotch Pudding seemed to be missing the butterscotch, but was still a passable dessert to share.  All of this, plus 2 cheap beers and a glass of wine, including tax and tip was $77.

The not quite so good - the decor was... non-existent.  This may very well be a result of it being new, and they will eventually find something to put on the walls, but it was not a pleasant space to spend much time in (the bar was particularly barren), which was unfortunate because...

The ugly - There was a ~40 minute gap between the time our fritter plate was cleared and our entrees hit the table.  A couple next to us who was seated 2 minutes before us had finished their meal and left the restaurant before our entrees arrived.  A group of 4 kids and an adult next to us came in, sat down, ordered and ate after us, and before we got our entrees.  Our waiter returned at several points and told us he was checking on the food and it was almost ready, so we weren't left totally stranded, but I was looking around for the manager when the food finally arrived.  I did not actively seek management as we were leaving, but thought it odd, especially for a new restaurant, that I didn't see a single manager on the floor all night.  No one asked our how meal was, waiter or otherwise.

I see myself returning if they allow takeout for that awesome fried chicken, but not sure I'll be rushing back to sit and eat there.

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Ate at the Baltimore location two weekends ago. Went in looking forward to a nice hearty simple meal after an afternoon on the historic ships tour at inner harbor. Some things were good, others pretty blah.

Started on a bad note with the hostess exuding the attitude that she really didn't want to be there. As we were sitting down, my mother announced she needed to go to the restroom, while standing right next to the hostess who stood there with a blank look. My mother had to say excuse me to get her attention and ask where to go. It was not as if the hostess was being especially attentive to us sitting down either. Service in general was pretty spotty. They were incredibly good at refilling our water, which was appreciated after a hot afternoon, but incredibly bad at getting my coke and any subsequent refills.

I went in to the meal with the intent of ordering the fired chicken, but the meatloaf sounded so much more appetizing, especially since in the past two weeks I had just eaten Bonchon and Jackie's fried chicken, though that was also part of the impetus to get the chicken, since the others were still so fresh in my mind. Ended up with the meatloaf which was disappointing. While I like the crusty outside that you get on meatloaf, theirs was like a meteor that had burned its exterior on re-entry. The crust was way too thick and overpowered the meatloaf and lacked the moistness that should counter that crust. The grits on my wife's shrimp and grits were probably the highlight of the entrees for me. Kids ate all the mac and cheese, so don't know how that was.

We also started with two appetizers, the pot pie fritters and onion rings. The onion rings came out cold so we sent them back. The fritters were cold to the touch but the inside was hot so we were' OK with them. They were really nice and everyone liked them as an appetizer. Onion rings were also good, but obviously tainted by the initial cold serving.

Dessert we split the PB&J cobbler. It was OK, but a little too sweet for me. Would have been nice if they just relied on the sweetness of the fruit without adding so much sugar, or perhaps the quality of the fruit they were using required the overdose of sugar.

While it is a plausible choice for dining in inner harbor, as if I'd go to Hard Rock Cafe, there are so many better options in Baltimore, and even just a short walk off the harbor. Definitely need to work on the service issues too.

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