HowChowBlog

A few months ago, I was wondering whether Howard County had much Chinese food worth eating. I know people love their local joints, but average Chinese does little for me. Heavy sauces. Chopped up meat. Limp broccoli with the General Tso's chicken. I love Grace Garden in Odenton and enjoyed myself at Hunan Taste in Catonsville. But my old standard Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro was the only Chinese closeby that had drawn me back. My tastebuds and my email say that I was wrong. Red Pearl opened on the Columbia lakefront in May, and it drew me in with a menu of authentic Sichuan food. Last Saturday, we went for lunch and ordered across the menu -- kung pao from the "authentic" menu, a stirfried noodles with seafood from the standard menu, and a Chinese broccoli in garlic sauce from the specials. This was a surprising hit. The broccoli was tender, but still crisp with a sauce that clung to the green but wasn't heavy at all. The kung pao was spicy, but tasted of ginger as much as it tasted of hot peppers. And the noodles may have been my favorite -- tender noodles crisped up on a wok and then mixed with shrimps, scallops and huge chunks of fish. The fish fillets were cooked beautifully. The focus really came from the seafood. We gorged at lunch, then had two lunches -- plus some extra broccoli that I snacked instead of having dessert on Sunday night. On top of my meal, Red Pearl has been getting some raves from other folks. People have recommend potstickers with hot oil and flounder with soft tofu off the regular menu. The Minx of the Mix Eats blog had some authentic dishes along with Peking duck and crispy fried rockfish. And my real inspiration to visit was an acquaintance who wrote about how he had eaten Red Pearl's regular menu kung poa and then gone back for the same dish off the authenic menu: "The waiter repeatedly warned me about the spiciness. I assured him I was up for it. Well it was nothing like the American version with the gloppy sauce. The dish had lots of blackened dried pepper, ginger and other authentic ingredients. It was stir fried to smokey charred perfection with lots of flavor. The waiter warned me not to actually eat the dried peppers. I mostly followed his advice and the dish was complex and hot enough anyway. My mouth was numb at the end so I got the real experience. I can't go back to normal glop again." Red Pearl isn't just a corner joint. This is a kitchen that wants to do something special. They put the authentic menu -- fully translated -- on every table. For now, I'll push that menu and the items, like the tea smoked duck, in comments to old posts. Our waiter warned us twice that the authentic kung pao was spicy, and he wasn't kidding. The dish had the chicken and peanuts of the kung pao I grew up on, but it had a drier texture and a spicier bite than those old dishes. But it's absolutely delicious, and I'm already thinking about how I want to go back again. On top of it all, Red Pearl is bringing dim sum back to Columbia in August. We'll see how it compares to the Asian Court dim sum that sets the standard for now.

The Red Pearl has opened on the Columbia lakefront. It's a Chinese place that fills the old Jesse Wong's Hong Kong site next to Sushi Sono. I haven't been yet, but they have a Sichuan menu in Chinese and English. You may need to argue that you want authentic Chinese food. I have heard some reports that it's a pretty basic American-Chinese restaurant. But other people are getting authentic food. The menu is attached. I'd love to hear if anyone has eaten off it. REd Pearl Sichuan Cuisine-1.pdf

The R&R Deli (nee R&R Taqueria) was one of my favorite discoveries when I was just eating tacos and fresh fruit milkshakes. But the takeout in the Shell Station at Rte 175 and U.S. 1 has broadened its menu -- including a ceviche special that made a delicious lunch. For less than $4, you get a takeout shell filled with marinated fish and sliced avocado on a crispy tostada. This isn't exotic restaurant ceviche, but it's fresh and full of flavor with tomatoes, cilantro and onion. It's a nice mix of fish so that each bite is slightly different, and the marinating liquid soaked beautifully into the tostada. If you're eating lunch in Columbia, then you need to give yourself a break and try R&R. For the price of your regular sandwich, I got the ceviche and a barbacoa taco. Those tacos are still shockingly fresh with the deep flavors of barbecue and the fresh taste of herbs and spicy salsa. This is a takeout that wants to make exceptional food. The classic "hole-in-the-wall" that makes it fun to troll for new options.

Everything is an open kitchen at the new Honey Pig, which has added a casual, boisterous barbecue to Howard County's deepest ethnic cuisine. Everything is an open kitchen because everyone at Honey Pig grills their own meat. This is a place to go for fun and meat. It's a limited menu. It's a modern, almost-industrial feel. Tables fill with young people, and servers work the floor offering more meat, more kimchi, more soju. We had god pork belly and bulgogi, although I am going to try the brisket or one of the seafood options next time because other people have said that it beats out the bulgogi. Honey Pig is a great option for casual food. It's a lower price point and a smaller menu than standards like Shin Chon Garden. No bi bim bop when I was there, which is one of the dishes that I love. But that's the point. Consider Honey Pig like a pizza joint or a burger spot. You go for the house specialties and the casual vibe -- either an easy meal for the aficionado or a low-key introduction for people new to Korean barbecue.

The Grace Garden Web site says now that they're temporarily closed during reconstruction. Let's hope that means the damage was light enough that they can reopen soon.

You guys might experiment with a few other tones if you're looking to *encourage* people to post here. There are many people who live in Howard County with me and DanielK who consider this suburban DC. (I only assume DanielK's residence from his certainty about the opinions of everyone who lives here.) I love my memories of the 1970s as well, but that was when the DC TV stations didn't report on traffic outside the Beltway and the radio stations didn't report school closings in Stafford, Fauquier, or Anne Arundel counties. We would drive to Woodbridge, and it was country. Now, the DC suburbs run north into Columbia and far south past Woodbridge. Hell, I thought the Washingtonian barely got outside the MD Beltway, but even it named one of the "Top 100 Restaurants in Washington" in Columbia. You guys should run the site however it works best for you. I think it's great, and I have encouraged people to join. But it seems a little strange to write like this on a post that I thought was trying to encourage people to participate.

You may have already bought this gift, but I think the answer turns on whether you mean a "new cook" or a "new vegetarian." How To Cook Everything Vegetarian is a terrific book for someone doesn't cook a lot and wants to cook vegetarian food. I love it. Great recipes -- aimed towards the simple and full of good ideas. Bittman really talks about how you can eat vegetarian, how to use beans, etc. Some of those basic tips have been my favorite parts. Madison's book is wonderful, but it is really more complex and better aimed at someone who loves to cook. It is more recipe, recipe, recipe without the general sections about how to use certain ingredients. I love some of the recipes, but I don't pick it up on weekdays. I'd aim that at someone who already cooks and wants some vegetarian ideas. (I loved the Moosewood cookbooks 20 years ago, but I have to say that I think they're nowhere near as good or useful as Bittman or Madison.)

I hear that Honey Pig Gooldaegee Korean BBQ will open an Ellicott City branch on Rte 40 west of Rte 29. Howard County was still inspecting the plumbing as of today (acc'd to the building permit Web site), so I don't know the timetable to open. Nice posts about the 24-hour Annandale location here: http://www.donrockwell.com/index.php?showtopic=8982 Anyone know when it will open? I know that Rocks wants more Baltimore content. He needs to tell people that they can't post about new Ellicott City restaurants in the DC Dining section like this joker.

I went in October. It's still an amazing experience. We ordered from the cheese tray for the first time, and it's unbelievably expensive if you're calculating a per pound price for the cheese. But it's amazing cheese, and the food just makes it great fun to sit there. I'm also always amazed at how the people are enthusiastic without being stuffy. We asked about the cheeses (because you might as well if you're paying that much), and you could tell that the guy just loved the cheeses. He described their flavors. He made some suggestions. 99 of 100 cheese experts would sound ridiculous, but Charleston folks just sound enthusiastic, which makes the meal even more fun.

News at Bon Fresco -- People were saying this weekend that Bon Fresco will start serving breakfast as early as this weeks. Sounds like egg sandwiches and other items using the bakery's own breads.

Tables have collapsed under less food that Shin Chon Garden spreads out for its sliced meat barbeques. The restaurant renovated last year to add grilling tables from wall to wall. Each table has a built-in grill with a vent sitting overhead like something from a science fiction movie. This is one of Howard County's best restaurants with a full menu of Korean food. But the grilling tables make it a mecca for people who want to feast on meat. Go to Shin Chon with four people. Pick two orders of meat -- the basic sliced beef bulgogi, some sliced brisket, maybe the kalbi rib meat or the sliced pork. Supplement with something with a few vegetables like the rice and vegetable bowl called dolset bi bim bop. You'll be shocked at the way that the food flows. First, you'll receive your appetizers like steamed dumplings or a thin omelet. While you're still looking at that, your waitress will clatter down panchan, a half-dozen little bowls of side dishes. Mostly, vegetables like kimchi, seaweed, or lightly-pickled items like cucumbers or radish. A tofu. Maybe potato salad. Maybe shredded meat or a tiny dried fish. Once, we had a salad made with octopus, but you can ask if anything looks too adventurous for you. Then comes the meat. The waitress will light your grill and bring out a plate with your thin-sliced meat. She'll cover the grill with meat. Then one of you can take the tongs and turn the meat yourself. You don't need to be a top chef. The meat is cut so thin that you just watch it color from raw to cooked. Then, you start serving it out to everyone at your table. Take your time. Grill in three or more rounds so that everyone enjoys a leisurely pace. You'll get other plates as well -- covered metal bowls of rice and small plates of lettuce leaves. With bulgogi and dolset bi bim bop, we got a bowl of miso soup and an omelet in a cast iron bowl. You want to sample both. Just use a spoon to scoop out omelet. It's extremely hot, but deliciously light. We also got about three different sauces -- one to put on the bulgogi, one to mix into the bi bim bop, and an oil/salt/pepper mixtures that I think was dipping sauce for the brisket. The beauty of Shin Chon Garden is that you have a dozen flavors -- the panchan, the omelet, the main courses, the sauces. You pick and choose. For bulgogi, you make little wraps with lettuce, rice, meat and the spicy sauce. (Ask for rice noodle squares for an alternative to lettuce.) For the brisket, we dipped in the oil/salt and made more wraps. Alternate with tastes of panchan, which you can just pass around the table. Shin Chon is one my best restaurants of Howard County because every feast has been delicious. Waitresses are happy to answer questions -- to match each sauce with the appropriate use. Panchan change and offer small new treats. It can also be a bargain. For four people last week, we ordered a steamed dumpling appetizer and three main dishes: two meats and dolset bi bim bop. You're eating a huge shot of vegetables so you leave satisfied, but not engorged.

Howard County's butchers have added a spiritual flavor with Columbia Halal Meat that has opened on Rte 108 and stands out for lamb, goat and some other cuts perfect for winter cooking. Columbia Halal Meat is actually just across the line in Elkridge, but it's worth crossing Rte 108 if you want halal meat or if you're just looking for cuts like the lamb shoulder that I purchased over the weekend. Columbia Halal Meat is a small Indian grocery store with rice, spices, boxed meals and other items that you can get at any of Howard County's Indian grocery stores like Food Cravings and Desi Market in Columbia and Eastern Bazar or Apna Bazar in Laurel. As the name promises, Columbia Halal's claim to fame is the small halal butcher in the back. Obviously, the meat is crucial for Muslims who follow the religious rules. But it's an asset for anyone who wants to step outside the supermarket meat section. First, Columbia Halal sells cuts -- like whole lamb shoulders and whole goats -- that you can't just pick up in a plastic tray. Second, the butchers at Columbia Halal handle your order personally. They're running a bandsaw right in view, and they'll cut your order however you want. Clearly, not the spot for vegetarians (although I did see Mango Grove flyers next to the cash registers). But it's a resource for people who want that special attention. I bought a lamb shoulder. Initially, I couldn't find the "shoulder" on their list of cuts. I'm such a child of the supermarkets that the butcher had to point out that "leg" and "shoulder" mean the same thing on a sheep. It's not like sheep have arms. Overall, it's a nice store. A good resources for the basic Indian ingredients if you live near Rte 108. The butchers let me stand around for a while probably because I didn't look their regular customers, but they were happy to help once I explained what I needed. They sell chicken, beef, goat and lamb. Next time, I need to ask if they grind their own beef in the store. I'm looking for a source for hamburger that didn't come from a factory, and Columbia Halal might just be my partner to grill. The other option for halal meat in Howard County is Caezar's International Market in Elkridge (near Rte 103 and U.S. 1).

The news at Frisco Grille is that they're going to expand -- doubling in size and increasing the number of taps from 20 to 40, as reported on the Baltimore Beer Guy blog. The Baltimore Beer Guy also tipped me to Frisco Grille's secret menu back when I was bemoaning the fact that Hunan Legend's secret menu wasn't a secret anymore. To truly parallel the Chinese "secret" menu at Hunan Legend, Frisco's menu would only be readable by people with a slight beer buzz. But Frisco's "secret" menu is actually handed to everyone as a little sheet titled "adaptions and new items." Anyone can ask for specials like buffalo chili and a flank steak sandwich with chipotle barbeque sauce, sriracha sauce, avocado and goat cheese. I have had Gus' Green Tacos -- firm white fish sauted in a mixture of tomatillo sauce and the house-made green hot sauce. It's a nice taco, and I especially liked the mango salsa on the side. I always love food that surprises me. I don't know that I would have ordered tacos with a creamy sauce lined across them. But Gus' Green Tacos had a really nice balance -- little creamy, little lime-sour and just enough heat to be refreshing. That's a nice addition to a restaurant that serves a southwestern menu with highlights in the burritos and the pub items like onion rings and a unique spicy mustard. The food compliments a beer selection that is more curated than just selected and aimed to please beer aficiandos. Most of the Frisco Grille secret menu is modifications of the regular menu, and they warn that they're mostly served spicy. I doubt they're hitting the heights of, say, Korean food, but that Adam Bowl lists chipotle, two hot sauces and spicy mustard in a single dish.

Spectacular. I went to Bar-B-Que House based on this post, and it was terrific. Best part were the onion rings that were the answer to days of craving. Crispy rings. A sweet onion taste inside. Thin, golden coating. Spicy barbeque sauce for dipping. The rings stayed warm and crisp while I ate a pulled pork sandwich, and each ring lived up to the hope that had driven me since last weekend. The pork was a really tasty sandwich, although it was more sugar and less vinegar than I normally want. But that's just personal preference. The meat was tender, and it had the real flavor and texture of pork. Mass-produced meat can be so soft that it disappears into the sauce. The Bar-B-Que House serves real meat, which I doctored with the spiciest sauce, and I didn't leave until I had dipped every bit of the every-day roll to savor that spice. In the end, the sandwich was on par with the Kloby's Smokehouse sandwich, which the post office also calls Laurel, but which is actually between Columbia and Fulton on Johns Hopkins Road. That's well-cooked pork with an interesting sauce.

Still not open and definitely not the place pictured on that Web site. It looks like a nice take-out or "eat-at-a-counter" place. As of today, there were still construction permits on the door and no food in the displays, but otherwise, the place looks ready to open.

The takeout taco is the food discovery of my four years in Howard County. Back in Arlington, I stopped occasionally at a stand that appeared on good weather weekends, but you can count on the joints around here for a front-seat feast of tacos, salsa and a squirt of lime. These are $2 treats that usually spice up a day when I'm out doing errands. Now, you can count on the tacos at the R&R deli in Elkridge -- a new takeout spot for breakfast and Mexican food at Rte 175. R&R serves great tacos. I tried the barbacoa, the carnitas and the carne asada on Monday, and they're spectacular. Heaped meat, good tortillas, a nice salsa. R&R is near the Shell Station where Rte 175 hits U.S. 1. Okay, let's admit it: R&R is in the Shell Station where Rte 175 hits U.S. 1. That's why Mrs. HowChow has not yet sampled the tacos there. But it's not like you're ordering food in a gas station. The restaurant's owners have a separate door, and they set up a bright commercial kitchen separated by a glass wall from anything automotive. The tip about R&R came from a comment last month by Alberto A. Flores. The R&R tacos were stuffed, and they're in the league with the best takeout around, certainly in the league with my favorites at Pupuseria Lorenita's taco truck in Elkridge and Lily's Mexican Market in Columbia. R&R's big standout was the milkshake that I had with my tacos. The guys there whipped up milk and real strawberries in a blender, and it was a refreshing, delicious drink. Not the dessert of a milkshake at The Duchess in Ellicott City. It was more like strawberry milk, but real strawberries that they had pulled from the fridge and hulled right in front of me. The R&R Deli serves a pretty broad menu from American or Mexican breakfasts to tortas sandwiches to platters of beef, cajun chicken, or blackened salmon. I really liked the guys there, who chatted and gave off the vibe of folks who were really interested in serving good food. Now, I just need to convince my wife.

More Peruvian chicken is coming to Howard County -- this time Chick'N Pollo to the Hickory Ridge village center in Columbia, according to an email from someone who stopped by today. Chick'N Pollo restaurant is apparently getting ready to open on the back side near the Dominos. The sign says that they'll carry Peruvian chicken and Mexican food. The woman who stopped by says it appears like it could open any time (although I remember waiting months for Fatburger!). Pollo Fuego opened the first Peruvian chicken restaurant in Howard County last spring in Jessup. Until then, we had to drive to Mega Chicken in Laurel for chicken, yucca fries and the spicy sauces. I don't know how Chick'N Pollo will stack up against the places that people rave about. I'm hopeful. There is a Web site with the right address in the 6400 block of Freetown Road and the name "de Chick'n Pollo." For now, it looks like a dummy site because there are blank menus, photos of white tablecloths and china that can't be Hickory Ridge along with critical reviews commending the place that hasn't opened it. But I assume they'll add more information soon.

Asian Court's dim sum in Ellicott City won "Best of Baltimore 2009" from the Baltimore City Paper. Congrats to Asian Court, which is on my list of places to try. It gets good comments, and Rte 40 is closer than Oriental East in Silver Spring. (And congrats to the City Paper, which is a good sport for coming so far into the 'burbs. Next time, try the Korean on Rte 40. Bethany Seafood Restaurant has to be edgy enough for you young folks -- three words: "live lobster sashimi.")

Bistro Blanc has served my best meal in Howard County and the worst meal of my life. You should check out Bistro Blanc on Rte 32 in Glenelg. You can get spectacular food. Imaginative food. A meal that Elizabeth Large thinks is worth a drive from Baltimore, so it's a no-brainer if you're lucky enough to live around here. But you need to be a tough customer. Bistro Blanc is trendy in the best possible way. The seasonal trend means changing, imaginative dishes. Small plates let you experiment and share a table's worth of fun. These are the trends that spawned Woodberry Kitchen and Iron Bridge Wine Co, and they created a magical meal on my first visit to Bistro Blanc. We thrilled through a series of bright, full flavors. A watermelon carpaccio. An avocado soup. A cheese tart with plums. Each course was inventive, then exceeded by the next. We ended with an herbed panna cotta that was so perfect that I strained to remember the details of the dishes that came before. I left convinced that it was the best restaurant in Howard County. That is why our Labor Day weekend disaster was such a surprise. We went back so that I could profile Bistro Blanc energized by great food, and we ended up with bad food and bad service. Really bad service. I have set aside my overly-detailed, overtly-angry first draft and offer instead some basic advice: If you get anything bad at Bistro Blanc, send it back immediately. Don't smile politely when they say your fig tart has no figs because they're out of season. Ask for a different dish. Bistro Blanc wants to serve magical food. If they fall short, tell someone -- politely. They want you happy. Stay on top of your waiter. Don't expect perfection. Both times, waiters we liked were a bit goofy and mis-described the menu or food. Fine with us. But our Labor Day disaster occurred because our main waitress took our order and never returned even though we were sitting 15 feet from the manager. By the time I made my stand, we had been abandoned to bad food and dirty dishes, and our evening was a mess. Nothing at Bistro Blanc should be a mess. When the kitchen is on, the dishes are beautiful. Unique, sculptural plates with unique, sculptural food. The chef Marc Dixon started at Iron Bridge, and Bistro Blanc shares the same concept of wine store / wine bar / restaurant. I love Iron Bridge for the cozy atmosphere and the sometimes funny food -- the "burger, fries and a milkshake" that Mrs. HowChow and I still talk about. Bistro Blanc is more precise than funny. Imagine a fruit and cheese tart covered with greens on plate dotted with sauces. That could be a vegetarian thicket of bitter lettuces, but it came together beautifully. Great flavor. The illusion that I controlled the dish by dipping in sauces, but the truth was that the chef had thought out each piece and assembled something that I would never imagine at home. (And it would have been worth ordering if it had figs.) Bistro Blanc's owner heard about my disaster because I mentioned it to someone he knows. The owner emailed to apologize. It turned out my wife had been right to wonder whether people had taken off the holiday. The second team -- no Chef Dixon, no owner out front -- had ruined the tuna and served the fig tart with watermelon. Don't let that anomaly keep you away. Bistro Blanc still serves terrific food, and there are surprises -- of the good kind -- yet to eat out there.

The Dutch Country Farmers Market has re-opened in Laurel, and it is still worth a drive by anyone interested in exploring food -- it's just a drive on Rte 198. This market was a Burtonsville landmark for years, and, you could go to Laurel just for the spectacle and the pretzels. Dutch Country is the size of a small supermarket with a dozen vendors selling everything from meat to candy, fresh-squeezed juice to ribs you can carry out. The new market has shopping carts and wide aisles. But it is still chaotic. It's still friendly. It's still a well-stocked middle ground in a world where so many stores specialize in organic or cheap. Start your trip with a $2 hot pretzel from Lydianne's Soft Pretzels, which is right at the front door. They're literally right out of the oven, and you can't beat that kind of treat. Personally, I ask for a pretzel that hasn't been dipped in butter. They dip everything in quarts of melted butter. That's delicious, but I prefer a little more crisp and little less butter. Then, take a walk. As far as I can tell, the vendors are all people from Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Obviously, this is a perfect place if you like Pennsylvania Dutch food. Think pasta and potato salads, sweet desserts like cheesecake, fudge and pies, and canned items like jams, pickled vegetables (brussel sprouts!) and pickled eggs. Don't expect a "Whole Foods" array of ethnic items. The meat counter has three different kinds of bologna, but doesn't sell pastrami. The prepared foods sells lots of fried chicken and ribs, but you're not going to get Asian-flavored grilled chicken breasts. Sample your way around the Dutch Market to see what catches your eye. I have found great ingredients to cook and many little treats. The Laurel market has a machine that stamps rice cakes similar to the popped rice bowls at H Mart. They blow out of the machine every nine seconds, which would be a little show if you shop with kids. Usually, I'm in the midst of errands, and the full selection of vegetables -- clearly not grown in Pennsylvania -- always makes me wonder whether they're really "farmers market" special or just nice-looking stuff from a wholesale market. But you should definitely check out the central stall with bulk candies, spices, and baking items. (This weekend, I saw the wafers/cookies that you use to make ice cream sandwiches. You could make your own with your favorite ice cream.) You should also check out the restaurant, which had lines out the door from 8:30 past 9 am. These are my current favorites: The hot pretzels, including the breakfast "bacon, egg, and cheese" pretzel log. (I'm not kidding.) The fresh-squeeze orange juice and lemonade at a stand that is in the center across from the BBQ and meat stands. Juice can run $7.89 and $3.59 for a half-gallon respectively, but it's delicious. You can buy smaller bottles as well ($4.29 and $1.99). The dairy products -- including Trickling Springs Creamery regular or organic milk in glass bottles -- in a dairy section across the aisle from the juice stand. It is right next to a machine that makes rice cakes. The Beiler's Meats counter with a broad selection of steaks, veal, pork, interesting sausages, organic meats, and butcher-store specialties like ham hocks, cow feet, and goat meat. Beiler's sells three levels of meat -- USDA grain fed, a "natural grain fed" free of steroids, hormones and antibiotics, and a certified organic. Bacon. Come on -- a few slices of thick-cut bacon are better than a pound of plastic-wrapped stuff at the grocery store. Beiler's sells pepper, smoked or regular bacon. The baked goods, including all kinds of dinner rolls, sweet breads, cakes and even loaves from the Breadery in Ellicott City. But read the ingredients. This is a business, not just home baking. Some of the items are packed full of of potassium sorbate, polysorbate 60, and other not-so-country ingredients. The market is on Rte 198 just east of U.S. 1. It is very convenient from downtown Laurel or I-95. Watch for the Home Depot and then turn right at the next light. There is a Jerry's Subs in the center -- along with a Filipino market.

In the midst of recession, someone has a pair of cajones to invest in a new restaurant that looks upscale and unique for Howard County. The Azul 17 restaurant looks ready to open on Snowden River Parkway in Columbia. I don't know much about what sounds like a Mexican restaurant, and I'm trying to keep my expectations low because nothing beats discovering an unexpected treat -- like Bon Fresco's great sandwiches and bread. But I'm piecing together hopes that Azul 17 is going to open something special. Talk of upscale Mexican. Ads for fine-dining waiters on the door. Glimpses through the window of modern furniture that certainly looks like it'll compete with Aida Bistro for classiest spot in a strip mall. The new sign says "Mexican Cuisine & Tequila Lounge." They registered the Web site http://www.azul17.com/ in mid-August. Again, I don't know much. A few weeks ago, someone sent me an email that Azul 17 had been advertising for bartenders and servers on Craiglist. He mentioned a chef/owner named Damien. A few days later, someone else told me about how Lily Soto (owner of Lily's Mexican Market) and a restaurant to be opened by her husband Julio maybe in October. Apparently, Lily Soto said the food would be authentic but with a more contemporary preparation, offering over 100 tequilas, and live lounge djs on friday and saturdays. I am so excited to have a new and hip place to hange out on the weekends, Can't Wait! I love Lily's Mexican Market -- ironically because it feels authentically local, like a place Mexicans would do their basic shopping. Modern banquettes, 100 tequilas and live DJs would be a very different feel. On Tuesday, we drove past on our way back from sushi, and it looked like there were televisions playing inside Azul 17. I caught only a glimpse from Snowden, but it got me excited. But trying not to be too excited! What else do you know about Azul 17?

Jordan's Steakhouse in Ellicott City has been closed this week with a threatening poster from the landlord on the front door. It appears to be a rent dispute. It is unclear if this is temporary or the end of the Main Street landmark. The owner of Jordan's just bought the former Oz Chophouse in Fulton off Rte 216. At the time, it sounded like he was going to open a second location there. This blog knows the most: http://writing-the-wrongs.blogspot.com/2009/08/exiled-on-main-street.html

Oz Chophouse apparently closed on Saturday night, and Jordan's Steakhouse from Ellicott City will take over the Maple Lawn space in Fulton in a joint venture with the owners of Ranazul, according to Elizabeth Large in the Sun. I missed Large's post on Thursday, but someone emailed me that said Oz would close. I didn't want to rub salt in the wound by just asking "Are you closing?" and then hanging up. (Reporters like Large have a job to be blunt. I haven't knocked on a door since 1995 to ask "Can you tell me about the murder victim?") So I called the Fulton restaurant Saturday to ask if I would need a reservation for Sunday evening, and the hostess told me that Oz was completely full for the entire day. Even full in the bar, she said. No availability, she said. I'm really bummed for the Oz folks even though I'm not a steakhouse addict. I enjoyed the bar, and the loss of Trapeze and Oz leaves Ranazul and its tapas as the last kitchen from the first generation of Maple Lawn eating. But Jordan's is a terrific restaurant in downtown Ellicott City. They're one of my best restaurants in Howard County, although I haven't eaten there in years Large's post: http://weblogs.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/dining/reviews/blog/2009/08/two_more_restaurant_closings.html Although not mentioned in the post, Large apparently talked to Jordan's owner who said that the new restaurant will be a joint venture with the owner of Ranazul. They're going to call it "Carlos and Jordan's Steakhouse." So they're expanding, not moving the original Jordan's. Either way, Maple Lawn's developer has to be very happy -- especially after scoring a parking-lot-packing success with Looney's Pub.

Sarah & Desmond's Bakery & Cafe is the coffee shop that I wish was in my neighborhood. The bakery and sandwich shop sits just off Main Street in downtown Ellicott City, and it fills on a Saturday morning with sunshine, slow-moving people, and the smell of muffins fresh from the oven. With the traffic just outside the plate glass windows, you could almost believe that you were in a city. Sarah & Desmond's offers a robust menu for a small bakery. Sandwiches. Salads. Muffins. Cookies. Cupcakes. My most-recent trip was a morning when I really needed something good, and I bought a blueberry muffin that went straight from the baking tray into my takeout box. It was so warm that it crumbled, and I ate greedily in the car -- light and fruity cake with a sugary crisp top, nothing like the dense, plastic-wrapped muffins that haunt so many breakfast places. With the muffin, you can get Zeke's coffee. For a dessert, you should definitely try the cupcakes. Like Touche Touchet in Columbia, Sarah & Desmond's offers an adult cupcake -- delicious cake, a stiff frosting with flavor (not just sweet), and a size that you actually want to finish. If you want something more substantial, you can buys sandwiches, salads, quiches or soups. By now, I hope that you're inspired to try out the joint. That's why I'll mention at the end that Sarah & Desmond's is a vegetarian bakery and cafe. They even do some vegan baking, and the vegan cookies are good although nothing beats a warm muffin. Vegetarian options should be an added plus for anyone who wants them, and it shouldn't scare of the meat-eaters among us. It's a bakery. Most baked goods are vegetarian. You'll eat well. I haven't tried the sandwiches yet, but there is a broad menu -- and nothing fake. It's good-looking vegetables with flavors like olives, goat cheese, artichoke hearts, etc. No one is tricking you with mock deli meats. Give it a try. Sarah & Desmonds Bakery & Cafe 3715 Old Columbia Pike Ellicott City, MD 21043 410-465-9700

Can anyone compare Oriental East in Wheaton to Asian Court in Ellicott City? I just went to Oriental East and had a great time. A Chinese friend in E.C. waved us off Asian Court and said she only eats dim sum in Rockville or Wheaton, but I was thinking that she might be discounting the local option.