Royal Farms, a Baltimore-Based Convenience Store with Food

[ol_ironstomach]

You've obviously never had Royal Farms fried chicken.

FWIW, I just noticed today that they've opened a location in College Park on Rt 1 about two blocks north of the UMCP main gate. (On a related note...when did gentrification hit Hyattsville?!)

[DonRocks]

I disagree.  I wouldn't eat a Wawa sandwich anywhere.  In contrast, I've heard Royal Farm has good fried chicken. 

Royal Farms has "okay" fried chicken - similar to Wawa, it works in a pinch (or if you're in Baltimore) I didn't say that.

[Bob Wells]

29 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Royal Farms has "okay" fried chicken - similar to Wawa, it works in a pinch (or if you're in Baltimore) I didn't say that.

It's not just the fried chicken -- which I like but don't eat as much these days as I wish I could, even though there are a few down in the Rehoboth Beach area, but I get my beach fried chicken fix filled at Jimmy's in Bridgeville, either coming or going -- but also the potato wedges, AKA Western Fries. We are actually getting a RF around the corner, at Tall Cedars Pkwy and Eastgate View Drive, across from the Harris Teeter and next to the still abandoned, partially built hotel. 

Few of my neighbors are from Baltimore so I am constantly telling them about RF chicken and Westerns. The thousands of kids around here will love it. 

This is an affluent section of the "richest county in the US" and the opening of a RF is big news. It's right up there with the recent opening of the cheesesteak shop in the BP down Route 50 towards Stone Ridge. (It's run by the guy behind the South Riding Food Truck Fiesta, which should be restarting soon.) Meanwhile the upscale Avonlea development (think One Loudoun or Loudoun Station) can't get off the dime.

That's right -- our most recent restaurant opening news is the opening of a cheesesteak shop inside a BP and a Marco's Pizza opening.  We suck. At least we have the solid MOCA Asian Bistro in the Harris Teeter plaza.

[DonRocks]

1 hour ago, Bob Wells said:

but also the potato wedges, AKA Western Fries.

I'm accessing deepest, darkest memory here (going on 25 years), but are these seasoned with Old Bay? They keep them in a stainless steel bin, and they're not always piping hot, right?

[Bob Wells]

2 hours ago, DonRocks said:

I'm accessing deepest, darkest memory here (going on 25 years), but are these seasoned with Old Bay? They keep them in a stainless steel bin, and they're not always piping hot, right?

Westerns are not served with Old Bay, but now that you mention it, that is a great idea! But yes, definitely plucked from a stainless steel bin. I cut my teeth on the Westerns at the old Homewood Deli on St. Paul Street in Charles Village (peculiar motto: "A pleasure dome of easy and filling foods"). The Homewood also had a small Silber's Bakery inside it, until the unfortunate rat droppings episode circa 1980 put paid to ol' Silber's.

Of course, let's not pretend that Westerns are something unique. It's just the name they go by in Baltimore. People of a certain vintage still wax rhapsodically about the "Fraked Potatoes" at Rummel's Dairy in Waterville, ME. When I got to Baltimore and saw Westerns my immediate thought was "Frakes!"

[Ferris Bueller]

They appear to be opening a  location in Ashburn in early March.

[Bob Wells]

4 hours ago, Ferris Bueller said:

They appear to be opening a  location in Ashburn in early March.

Funny thing -- the address they give for the new Chantilly store -- 25451 Lizzo Center Drive -- doesn't appear to exist.  It might be the management company's office, but that's really not much of a help, is it?

[TedE]

On 3/2/2018 at 5:26 PM, Bob Wells said:

Westerns are not served with Old Bay, but now that you mention it, that is a great idea! But yes, definitely plucked from a stainless steel bin. I cut my teeth on the Westerns at the old Homewood Deli on St. Paul Street in Charles Village (peculiar motto: "A pleasure dome of easy and filling foods"). The Homewood also had a small Silber's Bakery inside it, until the unfortunate rat droppings episode circa 1980 put paid to ol' Silber's.

Of course, let's not pretend that Westerns are something unique. It's just the name they go by in Baltimore. People of a certain vintage still wax rhapsodically about the "Fraked Potatoes" at Rummel's Dairy in Waterville, ME. When I got to Baltimore and saw Westerns my immediate thought was "Frakes!"

Oh, man.  Westerns!  I spent a large portion of my youth riding bikes around the greater Guilford area, and distinctly remember a place on the ground level of the Hopkins House off of University.  I have no clear recollection of the name, but it was pretty much a carbon copy of Homewood Deli; it may have been, unsurprisingly, the Hopkins Deli??   Among my friends they were the consensus best Westerns in our little sphere of the known universe.  We used to get them doused in gravy and then sneak up on the roof of the Hopkins House for a snack with a view.

Royal Farms had the best fried chicken and a superior assortment of Hubba Bubba, though.

[monsterriffs]

A Farms store south of Columbia??? Since when?!

RoFo chicken is pretty tasty, but if we're talking fast food fried chicken, I'm still going to Popeye's. Either way, having Western fries available pretty much 24/7 across the street from me (RoFo corp. headquarters!) is dangerous. I'm fortunate not to have succumbed to such temptation, but it is nice to have a spot for that stuff plus easy access to Berger cookies.