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Ranazul, Tapas on Maple Lawn Boulevard in Fulton - Owner Linda Doolittle Comes From Sierra Grill in Beltsville


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I noticed that there isn't a thread on Ranazul (at least that I could find, mods please correct me if I'm wrong) so I thought I would start one.

Here is the website.

Ranazul offers a number of small plates, tapas style with a really nice wine program. I would say the food tends to be spanish influenced, but you shouldn't expect your checklist of traditional spanish tapas dishes although some standards like patatas bravas are there. I would like to see a more seasonal bent to the dishes and more frequent updates to the menu, but after having eaten there a number of times, I can say that across the board the food tends to be consistently good. The lamp chop, scallops, and duck breast from the hot tapas are several of my favorites and the fritto mixto is always well prepared. I also think the specials are always a good choice. The wine program is headed by Julie Dalton who has completed level 3 (Advanced Sommelier) in the Court of Master Sommeliers. The wine list offers over 2 dozen wines by the glass and 1/2 glass with many of them being good values.

Overall, I think it's one of the better places to eat in the area, with really good food and wine, great service across the board (the regular bartender is especially attentive and friendly), and a lovely decor.

I should offer the disclaimer that I know Julie personally as I became involved in a blind tasting group that meets at Ranazul, but I had eaten at and enjoyed Ranazul several times before becoming involved.

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I ate at Ranazul yet again this past weekend. Ordered 2 of the specials. The first was scallops which were perfectly seared and served with roasted squash, apples, caramelized pearl onions and a brown butter sauce. This dish was incredibly decadent and rich, the scallops (4 of them) were cooked perfectly, the sauce was amazing, and the caramelized onions gave a richness that almost made me want a red wine (opted for a Riesling instead, which was perfect with the scallop and apple). My only minor complaint is that I felt the squash was a tiny bit undercooked. Overall a dish I would be happy to have again. The second dish was duck confit with roasted pear and caramelized onions (or maybe shallots). This dish was rich, also delicious and perfect for fall. One thing Ranazul does quite well is caramelize a nice onion. :) The total for both dishes, which are technically tapas but which left me quite satisfied was $25.

Sadly the reason that I was there was to say goodbye to Julie, the sommelier, who is moving on to another wine job in NYC. Her replacement Jillian was friendly and helpful so I'm hopeful the wine program will continue on the positive path it's been on.

Hoping someone else will go sometime so it's not just me giving this place praise. :)

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My wife and I were in the mood for something different for an early meal so I went on OpenTable and made a reservation for a place I've never been, Ranzaul in the new Maple Lawn development off of 29and 216 in Howard County. (Does this development remind you of Pleasentville?)

We ordered 6 tapas:

We started with a cheese plate - smoked gouda, a sharp cheddar, Point Reyes blue, and a goat cheese that I can't remember the name of but I really enjoyed. Served with a bunch of delicious grapes, sliced bosc pear and green apple. Excellent.

Sautéed Asparagus with garlic, shaved parmesan cheese, and caper anchovy butter. 6 large stalks of asparagus well sauteed and lots of flavor. Enjoyed it very much.

Fritto Mixto - mix of crispy fried shrimp and calamari served with tartar sauce, and habanero salsa. Fried in a very light and well made coating, the salsa was forgettable, the tartar sauce not bad at all. The calamari was very good the shrimp less so but ok. I'd prefer it with just the calamari if I could get it that way.

Grilled Artichokes with proscuitto, mozzarella, and tomato vinaigrette. The artichokes were tasty, the proscuitto was more a smoked ham than proscuitto and a little tough but good flavor. Not my favorite of the meal but again, not bad.

Bruschetta Rojo - tomato basil bruschetta topped, and toasted with Gorgonzola cheese. Not quite what I expected as it was more of a half of a small bagette with the tomato basil on it with the gorgonzola on top then heated under a broiler. It then was sliced into three pieces. That said, the flavors were good, but I prefer a true bruscheta.

Pan Seared Scallops over spring veggies, and crab meat on a crispy potato nest with lemon butter sauce. This was my favorite. The scallops were cooked perfectly, the potato next was crispy without being to much so, the crab meat and veggies was delicious. My wife loved it.

They have a very good wine list. Well priced and a lot of variety in a range of prices. I ordered a 2008 Wolfgang Vineyards Grüner Veltliner Gru-Vee that at $30 was a very good buy. (it was a compromise, I didn't want a riesling, my wife doesn't like Chardonneys)

The restaurant it self is fairly large, with large tall windows dark tables and a modern look. As we were there early, it was not very full so I can't say how the noise level would be in later in the evening. Service was excellent. If I had one suggestion it would be that they offered menus and a wine list when you were seated instead of having the server bring them when he comes to the table. On busy nights I could see why this would irritate some folks if the server was busy.

Service was excellent. Our server was very efficient and friendly. The tapas came out two at a time and we were not rushed or over crowded on the table. Empty plates were wisked away without delay but without being obvious. Everyone kept an eye on the table and our water glass was always full. I told the server I'd pour the wine after it came, and thankfully he did not try to do so from then on.

A nice addition to that end of the county, too bad I hate those kinds of planned communities and main streets. I'll return however since I really enjoyed my meal.

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I've read about it over the last couple of years. It's over in Fulton/Maple Lawn I believe. The guy who does HowChow is probably most informed. I have not been. I hear it is delicious, but expensive and the portions are small. But that whole neighborhood is pretty pricey period so there you go. The good news is that IMWine is nearby and they still are a decent liquor store after it changed ownership maybe 18 months ago.

Let me know how you like it if you go.

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Yo Pool Boy, have you ever been to a place called Ranazul, and if so what did you think?  It's not really in Laurel but I need a quick answer.

Well I'm not Pool Boy, but I've been many times. :) I like the food there a lot. The menu doesn't change much, but in some ways I suppose that's good as my favorites never let me down. Some of those include the ceviche, tuna tartare, pan-seared scallops, asparagus, and fried oysters. The filet and the lamb chops are also always delicious and a lot of the sides like the potatoes bravas, potato gratin, and spinach are solid.

They also have a decent wine list. It's hard to keep track of their wine program. Several years ago they had an excellent sommelier in Julie Dalton, but she left to work with Terry Thiese in NYC and then landed at Wit & Wisdom in Baltimore. The last I heard (which may have been as much as a year ago), a server who has been there for a long time took over managing the wine list. He's not a sommelier but was often a part of our blind wine tasting groups so I think her influence remains to a small extent. Like the food menu, the wine list doesn't seem to change much, but I can always find wines that I enjoy.

If you are thinking about prices in terms of MD suburbs, one would probably consider it pricey. If you think of it in terms of Maple Lawn, you wouldn't. :P I actually consider the portion sizes good to generous depending on what you order given that they're intended to be tapas, but prices are listed on the online menu so you can easily decide that for yourself. Typically if I go with a friend, we'll order 4 tapas between us, or if we're feeling feisty we might order 5.

Decor is also nice and service friendly. All in all I'm a big fan of Ranazul. I'd go more often if not for the price point when you make a full meal out of it, including wines. I hope that's helpful.

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No, you may not. :P    I had no idea.  We have two friends who live kind-of out that way, who we see about once a month for dinner.  This time they chose the restaurant; Ranazul is one of their favorites and they've been wanting to take us there.

I don't do Groupon.

Also, Don, if you're going to move posts to different threads can you include all of them - like the one in which I thanked Choirgirl for her reply?

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Also, Don, if you're going to move posts to different threads can you include all of them - like the one in which I thanked Choirgirl for her reply?

[Only if you agree not to question moderation decisions - or, in this case, *typos* - in a public forum, and write me via PM instead. -_-]

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4 tapas for two people is a .....snack. :)

I'll forgive you for this comment since we haven't had a meal together so you couldn't know with certainty that I can put down food like a champ. ;)

No, you may not. :P    I had no idea.  We have two friends who live kind-of out that way, who we see about once a month for dinner.  This time they chose the restaurant; Ranazul is one of their favorites and they've been wanting to take us there.

I don't do Groupon.

Also, Don, if you're going to move posts to different threads can you include all of them - like the one in which I thanked Choirgirl for her reply?

Have you been to Facci? That's another good option in that area next time you're considering meeting up with them. And you're welcome. :)

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There were 7 of us on a Tuesday evening in Fulton, and Ranazul was our destination. There isn't much to add from previous reviews. We pretty much tried everything on the menu, and I would grade it a solid B-.

Disappointment #1 was that there was no octopus anywhere on the menu, and one might think that a righteous tapas experience would include at least one instantiation of pulpo. If there even was a disappointment #2, it was the jovial bar waiter who said that the Angel's Envy he poured me was finished in sherry casks, when it was probably finished in rum casks.

No other disappointments would be encountered. The menu was shrimp-forward, with ceviche, shrimp diavolo, shrimp orzo, and the frito mixto of shrimp and calamari. I had them all, and I declare the frito mixto the winner. It was fried nicely, as if the kitchen knows how to fry food properly. The frying skills were evident in the fried chicken and the batatas bravas. In second place overall was the lamb shank, which was fall-off-the-bone tender and very flavorful.

I don't typically go for desserts, but don't avoid them here. the sopapillas and the carrot cake were superb.

Who would have thought that credible tapas could be had in Fulton?

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