curiouskitkatt

14 hours ago, Ericandblueboy said:

What's a good place for interesting Saturday lunch/brunch in Lancaster?

I may also add, a trip to Lancaster is not complete without stopping in at this coffee nook. I love coffee, and the folks at Passenger make it their job to love it too without sounding rehearsed. They are well versed in all their offerings in both coffee and tea. I don't think I have been to a store front quite like the Passenger. It is conveniently located right across from the Lancaster Central Market. 

32 minutes ago, Ericandblueboy said:

What's a good place for interesting Saturday lunch/brunch in Lancaster?

I would reccommend Barbaret Bistro on King St. The Chef served a few years at the renouned Le Bec Fin. It’s truly extraordinary to have a classically trained French chef in Lancaster, and we are fortunate to have him.

For something unusual, I also recommend this Trinidadian spot. It usually is only open for dinner, but have revised their hours for the summer. 

I hope you have some time to factor in a visit to the Lancaster Central Market as well. A stroll through this building houses the finest of goods Lancaster has to offer. 

If there is something in particular you are interested in, let me know. Happy to help!

More than Amish,

kat

Wow, this is huge. Luca at the Beard House. 

On 6/30/2018 at 11:04 AM, DonRocks said:

I had a Large Pit Beef (rare, with barbecue sauce and horseradish) at The Canopy two weeks ago, and it's just as good as it has ever been - best in the area.

I followed suit, and made a trip to The Canopy. I def prefer it over Chaps, hands down. I ordered a small with tiger sauce, honey bbq, thick slices of sweet onion and a sweet tea to wash it down. The flavor of the beef is actually better than Chaps as well, and the choice of bun is better too. I do like a potato roll, but sometimes a roll with a bit of chew is better to frame the beefiness. I find the flavor at Chaps meh. I thought maybe I just wasn’t a fan of pit beef. After having The Canopy, I can say I do like it. 

Meaty,

kat

1 hour ago, curls said:

The Canopy is a separate establishment from Pioneer Pit Beef. It has been years since I was at either one but back then, the Columbia/Ellicott City Canopy was far superior to Pioneer Pit Beef.

Thanks! Looks like a trip is in my future!

On 6/27/2018 at 11:28 AM, astrid said:

I am fond of the CA Olive Ranch oil sold by Trader Joe's.

I will bring basil too.  Growing Thai, Italian, lemon, and lime basil this year.

Have you tried smoked olive oil? I follow this vegan chef on the INSTA and it has me intrigued. I am tempted to track down this olive oil and bring it along with the incredibly fragrant salt that I purchase when I ""met" Dario. These two combined with the sweetness of tomatoes could be amazing.

We are one month away from the picnic! I am looking forward to seeing some familiar faces, and looking forward to meeting new ones. Just a friendly reminder, if you plan on attending if you could possibly mark that you will be attending either here or on the spreadsheet I have created. Once we are two weeks away I will compile a summary of who will be attending. I am looking forward to all the deliciousness!

Your cruise director, 

katt

1 hour ago, monsterriffs said:

I hear you on that --- unfortunately, those two spots you mention are probably the two worst outposts in all of R. House. It's worth a return visit to check out BRD, BeBim, Ground & Griddled, and Stall 11. I don't eat at the Mediterranean place because I can do that just fine at home, and I have zero interest in poke. The pizza place is reasonable too.

I’ll give it another try. Thanks!

On 6/22/2018 at 7:36 PM, Ferris Bueller said:

May check out the R House as well, than you - looks interesting.

 

 

If you are thinking about R House, may I suggest Belvedere Square? There are so many options there, you really can't go wrong.

On 6/12/2018 at 10:00 AM, pras said:

I was driving to Flying Dog Brewery yesterday afternoon and noticed that Chaps has opened a Frederick location at 4969 Westview Drive.

Add Rehoboth, DE to the expansion as well. #chapstakeover

On 1/13/2010 at 12:08 AM, Ericandblueboy said:

Thinking about stopping by this joint on the way back from NJ on MLK Day. Too lazy to do much research, should we go here or somewhere else?

ETA: Looks like we should go to Canopy but that's a little out of the way. Does the difference in quality warrant the extra driving (considering we'll be driving home from NJ, already a 4 hr trip)?

Is the Canopy also known as Pioneer Pit Beef? Just wondering. Word is that it is the best.

I have not been to BeBim at R.House on account I have been not been all that impressed with the other outposts in that space. I have had tacos, and arepas and  both were not noteworthy.  I'm not sure what it is about R.House, but I am not a fan.

A little bit more intel via Fishbowl Baltimore. I'm willing to give it a chance, cause bimbimbap. 

Thank you everyone for building what I know to be an incredible spread for the picnic. I cannot wait!

 Hungry Pigeon is a place where I could easily see myself hanging out all day. I stopped in for dinner one rainy evening, and was so pleased I wish I would have checked into a hotel so that I could wander back and have breakfast. But first,  let me tell you how delicious dinner was. Parking in Queen's Village can be a bit tricky, but I managed to snag a spot right in front. Consider myself lucky, and the night was off to a wonderful start. 

The decor of Hungry Pigeon is very comfy. I am certain many other restaurants spend thousands to execute the design that is accomplished  at the Pigeon. The room is peppered with lush green plants, artwork, and wooden tables throughout the space. There is a communal long picnic style table in the back that I find rather charming. I am not sure what the fuss is against communal dining. I happen to enjoy it. It affords the opportunity to engage in conversation with strangers, or a group of diners that are there for the same reason. On this night, I opted to have a seat at the bar, because let's be honest, it's the best seat in the house.

As soon as I sat down, I had the sense I was going to have a wonderful meal. There is nothing pretentious about this spot, and I fell hard for the bohemian energy that filled this space. Before deciding on coming to the Pigeon, I didn't do much digging in terms of learning about the menu. I read that Craig Laban, Philly's food critic, was a fan. He actually gave it three bells, and  for the last few years it has been the darling of the city landing on lists published by several of Philly's finest reads.  The spot serves  all day fare.  In the AM, it's counter service for breakfast and lunch, and at 5 it converts to full service for dinner with hand crafted cocktails, a bevy of local craft beers, and wines.  On the menu there is a category titled, " Let's cook for you," ($50) and I gladly obliged, and chose the cocktail pairing. ($25) Four courses paired with a cocktail for each course priced under $80, a total bargain in my opinion. 

The first course or shall I say an appetizer x 3 was delectable. I was expecting one, but was bestowed a flight of 3 apps. A beef tartare dressed in fragrant olive oil donned with briny capers, smoked cheddar and paper thin sliced shallots. Its was served with house friend crisp potato chips. Amazing. Second, a stunning salad composed of strawberries and cherry tomatoes served with farmer cheese and dotted with sumac. Thirdly, a ham cured in amaro presented with a few helpings of pickled zucchini. All of  this food was ample enough for 2, so I happily asked the server to pack up what I did not finish. This first course was paired with a delectable seasonal Negroni. A traditional recipes with the addition of a fragrant strawberry- rhubarb shrub. The aroma of the cocktail was like the most delicious strawberry field. That drink went down incredibly smooth. I could not get enough of how wonderfully delicious the drink's aroma had me captivated.   And the bread, oh my. Pat O'Malley, who recently returned from a run at Baltazar,  is the genius behind all of the pastries, breads, and sweets. For the first bread offering , a country rye is served with softened butter, and later in the meal, walnut bread follows.. For the first course, I nearly sopped the plate clean with the bread in the oil that pooled on the plate of beef tartare. 

Following the apps, a small plate of house made linguine tossed with tender squash, fragrant baby leaves of basil, butter, and a copious amount of grana padano. There was a fresh herb peppered throughout the dish that I couldn't quite put my finger on, but lent a slight bitterness to the dish. The bitterness was a welcome contrast to the richness of all the other components. A Tired Hand Pilsner was paired nicely with the pasta. Although I am not much of a beer fan in general, it was nice. A pilsner done in the style of a German hefeweizen. I am trying to expand my palate and open myself to enjoy beers, but I am not quite there. I don't enjoy the bitterness that is present in all beers, but I do appreciate the craft that goes in the production of beer and how in the last several years a beer renaissance has occurred. I took a few sips, and was looking forward to what the next course would present. A perfectly cooked loin of swordfish paired with a  vibrant salad of haricot verts and tomatoes was absolutely divine. The salad was a raw salad dressed in vinaigrette that I could only guessed to be perhaps champagne vinegar and a generous helping of garlic. There was something fishy about the vinaigrette that I could not stop going back to. Kinda tasted like perhaps a dash of fish sauce was added to the dressing. Can't say for sure, but there was a familiar flavor that reminded of me home. The wine for this course was a varietal produced in the Canary Islands. A bright Listan Blanco, a varietal of Palomino grapes that are popular in the production of sherry, paired nicely with the fish. 

And to wrap up this incredible meal , a honeysuckle panna cotta topped off with the sweetest strawberries ended a most delicious degustation. The final pairing was an Amarro produced in Croatia. I was informed the Amarro is distilled from orange tea leaves among several other herbs. It made sense to round things out with a digestive, and it was perfect.  All of the raves the Pigeon have received are so well deserved. This meal for what I paid, I would have gladly shilled more for. The quality of the ingredients to the attentive, yet relaxed service, will warrant me visiting several times over. Next visit will be to indulge in the full spectrum of pastries. I can hardly wait!

Royally fed in the Queen's Village,

katt

I think it's a great idea, but if more people would chime in about it, it would make it noteworthy to have a few options. But maybe people want variety. I am unsure. As long as people come to this picnic. 

1 hour ago, weezy said:

A thought crossed my mind over the weekend.  Since folks are coming from all over the area, does anyone want to do a Peruvian chicken comparison?  anyone who wants to participate can pick up a bird or two from their local favorite and then we can do a side-by-side to see how they stack up against each other.

hmmm, I like Peruvian Chicken. Would it be possible to compare it to El Salvadorean chicken too? I recall there being several outpost on Falls Church.

57 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Five Guys, SweetGreen ... why not? I'll say this much: Scott Drewno has certainly worked *very* hard in his life.

What ever they are doing, I dig it. I like how they have infamous Chefs through out the country, as well as local favs "pop" in and cook for the night. My inaugural stop at Chiko was when Sheldon Simeon was in town to lend his influence and cooking chops in the kitchen in the "After Dark" series.  I was hoping to snag a seat at the Chef's counter, but couldn't find anyone to be my +1. It all worked out for the best though. I happen to engage with chatty locals, and convinced a couple to dine with me in order to take advantage of the most the menu had to offer. Waiting in line wasn't so bad considering spam musubi was being passed out to everyone anxiously waiting.  A final bill of $80, this included 3 cocktails, provided an  absolute delicious feast. The most memorable bites were the little neck  clams. One would expect these to be served warm, but oh no, they were served chilled. Briny, spicy, fresh. What an incredible value at $3! Oh, can we talk about that furikake compound butter? So good. 

On 11/19/2017 at 1:24 PM, DonRocks said:

I would have said the same thing.

Given that "The Fried Rice Collective" consists of Danny Lee, Scott Drewno, and Drew Kim, and that all this experience is funneled into a restaurant flirting with being fast-casual (with 28 seats), and that their own website states, "CHIKO is the first restaurant from The Fried Rice Collective," it's a *very* safe assumption that their business plan is one of growth and expansion.

In other words, go now while they're overstaffed to get the best experience.

Chiko will be expanding , and opening up a location in San Diego. Expansion way beyond the Beltway. Congrats to the "The Fried Rice Collective".

Towson  location closed.

 I have been won over by Paco's Tacos. 

I recently sat down with the heart and soul of Pacos Tacos, a Taste Test audition that is one step closer to fulling their dream of owning their own restaurant. When I first started this thread, I wrote about Taste Test, a restaurant incubator that host pops up with  hopes to lead to brick and mortar. This spot is well on their way. After their "audtion" in the cafe, they were offered a chance to serve for a longer run. I took this opportunity to get to know a little more about the passion behind the success of Paco's Tacos.

There are two forces behind this successful taco pop up. Anisa Eden Diaczun and Brando Manue Jaimes- Diaz bring far more than passion to their baby, Paco's Tacos. Both locals of York, they both met at a technical school and got together and the rest as they say, was history. DIaz had worked at several noteworthy restaurants in the area, rewarding as it was, he was looking for much more.  He would occasionally prepare tacos, and ask Anisa what she though. He wanted to honor his Mexican heritage, and wanted to dig deeper and develop great tacos. So along came Taste Test, and they both took a chance and applied. This gave Diaz and Diaczun a perfect opportunity to test their idea of serving great tacos, as well other foods of Mexican Heritage. So this past January, they gave it a shot. 

In spite of it traditionally being a slow time for dining out, the pop up did well, and had several runs through out the city.  The menu includes starters like guacamole, and well as spiced mango with smokey chipotle grasshopper salt, and of course the tacos.  Recently I stopped in and had an array of tasty tacos.  I chose the drunk fish, the sweet n beet, and the mole chicken. All of these were vibrant in flavor , and seasoned perfectly. My favorite though had to be the sweet n beet. Lately I have been seeking out more veggie forward plates, and this happens to satisfy whatever meat cravings one would have. Roasted beets and the char on the sweet potatoes finished with pickled red onions, guacamole and radish micro greens  provide such an incredible depth of flavor, you really don't miss the meat. And to wash down the tacos, a margarita, naturally.

With all of the flavorful offerings, they  did face challenges. Guests were a bit hesitant on the price of the tacos at $5. Both Diaz and DIaczun assured guests that the tacos were worth every red cent. Nearly everything they serve is sourced locally, and scratch made. With that comes a slightly higher price tag than driving through Taco bell or choosing to dine at your big chain taco spots that bulk buy ingredients. Another challenge they face is the ability to reach out to guests outside the neighborhood.  York, much like other cities through out the area, face challenges to sustain a crowd on a consistent basis. The weekends the locals come out, but it seems that the majority of the diners live nearby and have heard of the spot through possibly social media or neighborhood chatter. So perhaps with the longer run of Paco's, they may reach out beyond the neighborhood. 

" So what is your goal with Paco's Taco," I asked. Diaz ultimately wants to create a triangle model, if you will, of Mexican dining. A model that provides, cheap street eats, as well as a fast casual dining spot, and an outlet for upscale fine Mexican dining. Three tiers of dining. The inhabitants of York have embraced Brando and Anisa so lovingly, success is with in their reach. They both want to feed the city that has in turn fed them with an opportunity to make their dreams a reality.  In this case I hope the dream becomes York's reality.

Satiated, 

katt

On 1/14/2018 at 10:44 AM, MarkS said:

Vin is in Eastport on a residential street.  Around the corner is a strip mall that is showing its age but has the Eastport Kitchen and Adams Ribs, both fallbacks when Vin has a 2 hour wait.  

So funny you mentioned this. I was there a few weekends ago, and stopped in for recommendations as to where to go until dinner service. The exact response was given by the staff at Vin.  We received  suggestions for returning by 4: 30 to line up for the first seating. Glad we did. This spot is a charming wine cafe that is known for it's pizza and creative use of seasonal ingredients. 

 For starters we had the Chesapeake clams in a smoke tomato broth seasoned with basil and crisp rounds of chorizo. I wanted to drink the broth.  Second course was  a candy sweet beet salad with honeyed pecans and  Maytag Blue Cheese dressed with crisp apple vinagrette .  But honestly we came for the pizza, and it did not disappoint.  The  pizza was the superstar. We ordered the house special, The Chef Moore. A magherita pizza topped with crispy sheets of procuitto and freshly torn basil.  All of the flavors married  harmoniously, and the texture of the crust was crispy goodness. If you order anything at Vin, don't miss out on the pizzas. They are delish! I would go again, 10 out 10 even with the possibility of lengthy wait. It is worth it.

Where the locals go,

kat

12 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Which locations are most reliable, Jeff?

I second the location in Frederick. I went there once, and it was good with the hopes that it would be up to par when I brought my family. Needless to say my family and I will not be returning to the Frederick location any time soon, if ever. The kimchee was awful, and everything tasted old. I have been to locations in Koreatown  in Manhattan, and it was incredible. 

Oops, I guess that revisit will not happen ever. Edited after seeing the post that mentions that the location in Frederick has been closed.

On 4/13/2016 at 9:27 PM, DonRocks said:

I have not, but here's a good article (and there aren't *that* many people named Gjerde in Baltimore):

Jan 7, 2015 - "Bar Review - Papi's Taco Joint Thrives in Fells Point" by Wesley Case on baltimoresun.com

Interesting there is no mention of Spike, Charlie's brother. Unless of course there is another Charlie Gjerde, other than the senior Gjerde.