Food versus Food: Buffalo Chicken Challenge

You know the phrase, "better late than never"? It applies here. Food versus food returns!


I've already mentioned that I like wings. For this battle, I decided to pit two twists on the "buffalo chicken" combo. I suspect I should go into an analysis of the (surprisingly contested) history of "buffalo chicken," but I'm simply going to say the combination of hot sauce (+butter) and bleu cheese is excellent. So, like I did with each of the dishes below... I'm just going to dive in! (hocofood@@@)




Contender #1: Buffalo Bills calzone from Players Bar and Grill in Woodstock.


Players Bar and Grille is a fairly new restaurant in Woodstock (about a 20 minute drive from Columbia) - they just had their official "grand opening" last night. The restaurant (very sports-bar) is huge, with a nice enclosed patio and a big bar.  It was quiet the afternoon we stopped by, although I suspect business will pick up (I didn't realize how new it was). Players is located at 10795 Birmingham Way, Woodstock, MD.


A calzone might seem like an unorthodox treatment of buffalo chicken (or unorthodox for a sports bar, but Players seems to be a mash-up of sports bar and italian restaurant - we entered through a door that was (at that time) beneath and "Italian" sign. Plus, it reminded me of how plenty of foods can (and, dare I say it, should?) come in calzone form - something I learned ordering from DP Dough (aka, the American Calzone Company) in college.  Service was a little slow, but good, and the staff was friendly.

Buffalo Bills Calzone from Players Bar and Grill.

How does a buffalo chicken calzone work? Simple: Dough, buffalo chicken, and blue cheese. I asked for blue cheese dressing on the side, which didn't seem typical but was no problem. The calzone was $8.99.


First off, the meal was huge. I totally ate might have eaten all of it, but I was pretty hungry. The crust was excellent - crisp, flavorful, crunchy on the edges, and not at all tough. I really liked the sauce, too. There was a little bit of spice - enough to pleasantly contrast the cool dressing, but not so much that it burned my mouth or overwhelmed the crust. The chicken was tender and cut to bite-size pieces  which is pretty important to minimize filling-floppage when it comes to calzones.


Was I left wishing for more?  A little bit. I couldn't really taste the blue cheese in the calzone itself, except for in a few spots. I would have liked some mozzarella inside the calzone as well, to make it a little cheesier. Overall, though, this was a pretty delicious lunch, and could easily have been two meals for me.


Fortunately, my buffalo chicken craving was not quenched and I was able to handle....




Contender #2: Buffalo Chicken Club from Baldwin's Station in Sykesville.


To be fair, Baldwin's Station is not in the HoCo. It's right on the line between Howard and Carroll counties (about a 25 minute drive from Columbia). HOWEVER, from where we were sitting, I literally could have thrown my fork and hit Howard County (which would have been pretty rude, so I did not) - I've decided it's eligible for FvF.


Baldwin's Station is a cute restaurant with indoor and outdoor (covered patio) seating, converted from a train station on the CSX railway that was built in 1883. Trains still go by, which is a cool feature (if a little loud, for 30 seconds or so). Baldwin's has an upscale feel with excellent service and reasonable prices (especially for lunch).

Buffalo Chicken Club at Baldwin's Station.

Skimming the menu, I saw the buffalo chicken club sandwich - served with House-made chips for $8.95. Yes, please!


I really liked this sandwich. The bread was all toasty from the grill, which added to flavor and gave it a nice crunch.  Plus, the default was wheat bread, so it felt healthy and was quite tasty. There was a (perhaps too) generous slather of mayo, avocado, fresh tomato slices, lettuce, and fried chicken that had been coated in buffalo sauce.


There was also supposed to be bacon, but I don't actually remember seeing bacon as I was eating. Normally this would be a HUGE fail, but the chicken had an incredible amount of crunch and flavor. So the bacon might have been there, just in hiding. Either way, if it wasn't, I didn't miss it. 


And though I've already mentioned it, I'll say it again - the crunch of the chicken was amazing - I'm not sure how the chef got it to stay as crispy after the sauce went on, but it was great.  The sauce itself had a pleasant kick, especially when contrasted with the avocado and mayo, but was definitely not even close to too-spicy. The house-made chips were also delicious, crunchy, salty, and slightly warm.




The Decision: Both restaurants were entirely new to me, and both meals were quite good. Still, in my mind, there was a clear winner - Baldwin's Station. Despite my nostalgic love for all things calzone, Baldwin's put together a killer sandwich at a great price, and delivered with excellent service. I'll definitely order their Buffalo Chicken Club again (and next time, if I can keep my mind on anything other than 'OMG TASTY,' I might even check for the phantom bacon.




Somewhat Random Disclosure: I will be marrying Matt (aka, the future Mr. SwimWriteRun) at Baldwin's Station in 2012, so I obviously really like it; however, that decision was made after the results for this FvF battle were decided.

C: Chopstixx

C is for Chopstixx. 


Double X intentional - you see, it's the name of one of our favorite takeout restaurants, located off of US-1 in Elkridge (at the shopping center at US-1 and MeadowridgeMontgomery Road).


I play favorites when it comes to takeout. I have my go-to pizza joints, my go-to for wings, etc. Chopstixx churns out consistently good food, be it the better-than-"usual" suspects or their slightly more enticing street meals menu. The food is an excellent value, too - big portion sizes and fresh ingredients. I don't ever get the sense that I'm nom'ing chopped by-product when I go to this place.


They also serve bubble tea. And the staff is super friendly. And the service is very efficient.


Other than that, I'll let the food speak for itself...

Malaysian Kway Teow
Rice noodles, chicken, shrimp, scallions... this was spicy and tasty.

Thai Fried Rice.
Jalapeños give it a spicy kick.

General Tso's Chicken.
Classic. Not too greasy. Tasty.

Miso Soup and Steamed Shumai
Perfect with an ice cold beverage.

Meat Stew Rice w. a Simmered Egg (link courtesy of Min)
(pork and five spice, daikon radish pickle, interesting egg...
this is AWESOME and a great value)

House Seafood Soup with crispy wantons
(I put it in a glass to make it pretty)

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This post is part of the A to Z Blogging Challenge. (hocofood@@@) Click on The Link for more info and other participating blogs!

Dining at the Kings

I am about to commit a great sin in food blogging; I am going to discuss a meal at a restaurant without pictures. :(  The food was very pretty, but I get strange looks from time to time when I whip out my cell phone and start snapping away at restaurants - and that's when I'm out with Matt. Tonight, I was out with my book club, and although they're very nice women, I don't know most of them that well. So I decided to keep the strange-factor to a minimum. 


But I do want to blog about the meal, because we were at the King's Contrivance. I've never been there, and it's higher up on the scale of restaurants than I normally visit. So here we go! (hocofood@@@)


The King's Contrivance is high-end "New American" dining. The restaurant is in a converted house off of Shaker Drive, atop a hill with a pretty circular driveway. Once you pass through the front door, a brilliant shade of red, you can see that the dining "room" is actually "rooms" - which makes the setup seem more intimate. The Maitre d' guided me upstairs to the party I was meeting, a group of about sixteen which took up the whole of the one large table in the room. This would be a great space for a dinner meeting or family celebration.


The restaurant offers a prix-fixed menu for 29.00, as well as their full menu. They offered a surprising number of options for the prix-fixed menu, though, so while I was tempted by some of the other offerings (escargot, panko-crusted brie, and the roquefort-crusted filet, to be precise) I went for the three-course meal.


I started with a bowl of seafood bisque, which was creamy and loaded with a few shrimp, big chunks of fresh crabmeat, and a few spoonfuls of rice (which was interesting, I've never had rice in bisque before). The soup was incredibly rich and had just a touch of sherry. I was really impressed with how perfectly the shrimp were cooked... I was less impressed with the fact that the cook did not remove the tail vein (which made one piece actually gritty). I know it's a pain to remove; I do it when I cook shrimp at home (and I don't need a gadget). Maybe I'm being picky, but seeing shrimp that's not properly cleaned, particularly at a nice restaurant, seems like carelessness or laziness to me.


The main coarse was pan-roasted Norwegian salmon, a thick slab of fish that came propped up on a thin corncake about the width of a waterglass. The salmon was very pretty, golden-crisp around the edges. It came drizzled with a wasabi vinaigrette that wasn't at all spicy, but lent a tangy salty flavor (like miso and rice wine vinegar) to the fish. Microgreens and a few fried wontons gave texture and crunch. The fish melted away in my mouth, perfectly cooked all the way through. Fantastic. Room-falls-silent-as-everyone-digs-in good. 


Alongside the fish were small, equally-sized mounds of seaweed salad and pickled ginger. I usually think of pickled ginger as a condiment or palate cleanser, so it was a little confusing to see so much of it... but I love it, so that totally worked for me. The corncake was nice with a fancy scalloped edge, mild in flavor, studded with whole kernels. This main dish was awesome. I could eat it every day.


For the last course, I chose the dessert of the day - strawberry shortcake made with strawberry gelato. Given the chill of the weekend, this was like a taste of spring. The biscuit was light and sweet and tender, a nice contrast to the cold, dense gelato. A dollop of heavy whipped cream decorated the plate and punched up the richness factor, but the intense strawberry flavor of the sauce (with some chopped fresh strawberries) kept the richness from becoming overwhelming. The portion size was perfect after the first two courses.


The service was polite and efficient. 


As someone who doesn't go out to high-end restaurants often, I'm pretty satisfied with my meal. Everything I tasted was delicious, and other peoples' food looked awesome. I'd like to go back some time, maybe for a very special occasion, and try some other items on the menu. I'm also curious to see if the experience is different for a party of two or four (versus a group of 16; I always wonder if I'm seeing the best side of a place when I go there for the first time with a large group). 




Have you been to The King's Contrivance?  Where are your favorite splurge-dining-spots? Tell me in the comments below!

Food versus Food: Taco Tour

There are (should be?) moments between couples where one person looks at the other and thinks "yes! This is one of the many reasons why I love you."


Now that I think about it, good friendships have the same. "Yes! This is why we are friends."


In either case, these moments might be while hanging out and sharing good beer. Or during a movie where you laugh at the same parts.


Or they might go something like this...


Mo: *walking in to the house* Hey, you're home.
Matt: Yep, I worked late and decided not to go to class.
Mo: Oh! Well, I'm glad you're here, because I brought something home that you have got to try with me.
Matt: *expectant look*
Mo: *triumphant smile, hoisting plastic bag high in the air* GAS STATION TACOS.
Matt: *moment of silence* Ok. Great!
Mo's Internal Monologue: Srsly, I <3 you.


Which brings us, in a roundabout way, to today's Taco Throwdown (hocoblogs@@@)....




Contender #1: Tacos (carnitas and barbacoa) at R&R Tacqueria (aka, the door to the right of the main door at the Shell at Rte 1 and Rte 175).


It's easy to drive right past R&R, and never know it's there.  It's also easy to drive past knowing it's there - not only is the place tucked away in a gas station, but (for me) it took some time to adjust to the idea of Shell Station Tacos despite rave reviews from many, including HowChow.


Still, by the time I made it, I was glad I did.


The place is small. One menu is laminated on the counter, and more items are scrawled on a sheet taped beside it. I ordered a 2 tacos + soup special, and went with carnitas and barbacoa.

Carnitas, left. Barbacoa, right.

The tacos came with a generous handful of cilantro and onions, and a side of limes and salsa verde - awesome. These looked a lot like some amazing tacos I had en route to Santa Barbara last year. I was psyched. (see conversation above)


The meat was lightly seasoned, a nice departure from the typical fast-food taco. I loved the salsa verde, a green splash that brightened the flavor of the tacos. I found myself spooning the leftover salsa onto other food after the tacos were gone. The squeeze of lime was perfect. 


The carnitas were by far my favorite - tender, flavorful, meaty chunks. The barbacoa was stringy and tough, even though it tasted great - I'll definitely be picking a different meat when I go back. I found the flour tortillas tasty, and fairly standard.

Soup. I don't know what's in it, besides Awesome.
And I don't really care.

But honestly, the highlight of this meal was the soup. Hot, perfect for a bitter cold night, and spicy - it had an interesting backburn that wasn't unpleasant, and was at the same time just a little sour. There were a few kinds of meat in this soup, thinly sliced, vegetables, a tomato base, and herbs. Not being able to ID the meat didn't bother me at all. Each piece was tender and flavorful. I could have eaten much more of this.


Thinking about it now, I may have to make a stop this weekend.


The combo clocked in at $5, plus a few more for a bottle of grapefruit soda (like Fresca but with a ton of sugar).  Since Matt and I split the meal, I definitely wasn't full, but I thought this was a decent amount of food for the price, and pretty good quality.




Contender #2: Tacos al Pastor from Lily's Mexican Market.


Lily's Mexican Market is located at 6490 Dobbin Center Way, in the same shopping center that houses an MVA express and Sushi King. I've been here before for hard-to-find items, but each time they'd already begun packing up the food. There is a butcher counter and pick-up food service in the back of the store.


I ordered a Tacos Platter with Tacos al Pastor (pork). The platter came with black beans and rice. Adding a drink brought the meal to $9 plus tax.

Tacos al Pastor Platter from Lily's Mexican Market.

The first thing I noticed was that the tacos came on two thin corn tortillas - I consider this a good sign. The gentleman behind the counter was generous with the onions and cilantro, as well as fresh tomatoes (I will pass on the pico next time, though, and stick with straight onion). I asked for salsa verde on the side, and ended up applying it sparingly. It had a nice tang and kick, and a little went a long way.


The beans were pretty standard, tender without being mushy, and a great side - as was the rice, colorful and flavorful.  But the tacos were clearly the star.


The pork was hot, seared from the griddle/grill in the back, and packed full of flavor. While there was definite spice, it didn't prevent me from tasting... well... pork. And this is an important distinction, because after all, pigs are tasty. To be honest, these weren't what I was expecting from Tacos al Pastor, but I've seen the definition stretched to include 'marinated pork' and 'marinated beef' so.... whatever. It tasted good.


The first taco I ate doubled up, the second I split between tortillas - there was some breakage, but I didn't mind. In both cases, the copious amounts of filling rendered the use of fork necessary. Huddled over one of the few tables available for "dine-in", I probably looked like a huge mess.


Trust me, I didn't care.


I left Lily's feeling quite full for a reasonable price, and looking forward to my next visit.




The Decision: Both Lily's and R&R brought tacos to a level I hadn't imagined in the HoCo. How I got by with Chipotle alone for so long - or why - is beyond me. Sure, these places are not in conventional locations, but the food was fresh and flavorful - definite future go-tos when I find I need to rely on takeout. Moreso, this tentative first experience has me looking forward to trying items to which I'm not accustomed - like gas-station ceviche or tacos de lengua  


Based on this Taco Tour, however, I declare Lily's Mexican Market the winner!






Where do your Taco Loyalties lie?  Tell me in the comments below!

Food versus Food: Beef BBQ

I'll be up front: this post worries me.


You see, people are passionate about their barbecue. They have opinions.  In some cases, opinion morphs into dogma - and I'm not just talking about gas or charcoal.  There are feelings about spice rubs and sauce, searing and braising, Carolina or Memphis or Texas or Kansas City, or pit bbq... 


Strong feelings.


Not to mention, it's hard to compare different styles without prompting a war, and I don't carry the proper credentials.


Still, I love to eat barbecue, which counts for something. It aggravates me when people say they can't get good barbecue in Maryland (I've heard it more than once). Until now, I've always pointed them north - to Andy Nelson's or Charcoal Deli - because that was where I'd found great meals in the past.


I never looked closer to the HoCo - not beyond chains like Famous Daves or RH&B. (hocoblogs@@@)


BUT - I have now seen the error of my ways, thanks to this week's food versus food. Which brings us to our contenders...




Contender #1: Beef Brisket Cheesesteak at Kloby's Smokehouse in Laurel (Maple Lawn).


Kloby's, located at 7500 Montpelier Road, was opened in 2009 by a former firefighter/paramedic who then moved into food service. (It was formerly located in Woodlawn) Kloby's has received excellent reviews from HowChow, Urbanspoon, and pretty much every person I've asked since. 


The first thing I noticed was the casual atmosphere. And the smell: delicious, smoky, intense. I got hungry just walking in the door.


I bypassed all the tempting menu selections and zeroed in on this baby, the Beef Brisket Cheese steak. The total, with combo (1 side and a drink) was about 10 dollars, + tax/tip. 

Beef Brisket Cheesesteak at Kloby's. 

This sandwich was amazing. The beef was crisped and seasoned on the edges, but fork tender and melt-in-the-mouth after that initial crunch. A tangy, spicy sauce complemented the flavor, but it surely was not needed and in no way overwhelmed the sandwich. There was a little lettuce and a soft roll, and pickles. I can't even tell you what kind of cheese was on it (sorry) because it wasn't smothering the meat, a good thing in this particular case. I didn't really care about any of that stuff, although the bread was tasty. I just wanted more meat. (that's what she said!)


As a side, I was eyeballing the handcut fries (not technically a side) but went instead for Collard Greens. I love greens. When they're good, they're good.


When they're bad, they're something else entirely.


Kloby's collards had small bits of onion and pork in them. The leaves still retained some shape and texture - this is sort of the difference between mushy over cooked pasta and al dente pasta. You feel the difference as much as taste it, and Kloby's got it just right. The greens had a nice flavor, not bitter at all.


An amazing meal. One I couldn't even finish - but the sandwich tasted just as good the next day.




Contender #2: Texas Beef Brisket Sandwich Platter at Pig Pickers in Ellicott City.


Pig Pickers is owned by the same family that operates Crab Shanty. It's actually right across the street, at 3417 Plum Tree Drive, and shares a space with Seafood King (same business, more seafood and catering). They specialize in Memphis-style BBQ.


When I walked in, the place had a few people in it. There are tables to sit, cafe-style, or you can carry out your meal. In the air was the same smokey, pleasant scent I've begun hoping for in BBQ joints.


My order was ready when I got there: Beef Brisket sandwich with Mac n cheese and collards.

Beef Brisket Sandwich Platter at Pig Pickers.

The roll was a generic kaiser - I tossed the top one aside, but I was glad for the bottom piece because it soaked up some flavor from the brisket. The meat itself was sliced to about an 1/8 inch, and so, so tender. I could see the seasonings along the edge of each piece, though try as I might, I couldn't pick them out. They melded into a flavor that could only be described as "beefy-good." The portion was huge - a stack of meat.

I was glad they left the sauce on the side, because I was less of a fan. I dipped a few times, but mostly left it alone. I think this was because the beef tasted so good on its own.

The mac and cheese was fabulous - the woman who took my order recommended it - but the Collards... made me sad. They were mushy, like wet tissue paper, and I saw no sign of pork. Next time I will get the slaw.

Overall, though, I finished dinner, stuffed, for approximately $9.00. A fabulous meal, and a great place for Memphis BBQ.

The Decision: Both places were excellent, I enjoyed my meal at each. I'm so glad I got to try Kloby's and Pig Picker's - new places for me. Never again will I navigate 695/83 for the sole purpose of BBQ. 


Still, at the end of the day, there was one I liked slightly better... Kloby's Smokehouse! 




Where do you go for your BBQ fix? Tell me in the comments below!

Chen Hibachi Buffet

I had a hot date tonight. We went to Chen Hibachi.


I know, impressive, right?


The last time I was there, the restaurant was Panda Buffet, and the experience left me... under the weather. Since then, we've stopped going to buffets for the most part.* The whole "eat until you pop" thing doesn't fit in the lifestyle anymore.


But we wanted sushi, Sushi King is closed on Sundays**, and Chen Hibachi beckoned, the great unknown entity that it was.


Good news: I think I finally learned not to stuff myself how to eat at a Buffet-style restaurant. I do not feel ill.


Better news: This was a fairly economical way to dine out, and we found coupons online.


Best news: There was some pretty decent food here.


What makes Chen Hibachi special is the Hibachi and Sushi stations.


Also, the staff was extremely attentive, friendly, and polite.


The Hibachi station offered made-to-order meals - what I would call teppanyaki, I guess, although I suspect I might be missing the right word(s). In any case, all the ingredients laid out looked both fresh and tasty.  I chose to focus on the sushi buffet, however.

Selection from the Sushi Station at Chen Hibachi

There was one guy working the buffet, and he was working hard to occupy roughly a dozen plates with different nigiri and maki: tuna/salmon rolls, shrimp or fish tempura rolls, and rainbow rolls were the most recognizeable. There was also a nice roll with pickled daikon and tamago, something that looked like uni although I'm not convinced, and eel. At different points there were salmon, tuna, shrimp, salmon skin, and red snapper (or so it looked) nigiri. 


The place filled up a few minutes after we arrived, and people would step up and clear the plates in one fell swoop. 

Maki from the Sushi Station at Chen Hibachi

Still, the sushi chef was chatty and pleasant, explaining to us what each item was and encouraging me to try different ones. Which is definitely never a problem. The hardest part was patience.


I made a few forays into the center, where for the most part deep-fried American-Chinese fare lives, along with a few oddities like potato wedges, pizza, and ribs (spare ribs and BBQ) - stuff that reminded me of the old Panda Buffet. They also offered the standard buffet-items like melon, canned fruit, jello, salads, etc.


A few small pieces of cake - 2-3 bites each - were a pleasant way to end the meal.


We'll be back - and probably just for the sushi and hibachi. Since it took us a visit to get the system down, I figured I would summarize it below to save you the trouble.

Try to stay in the blue zones. (You will thank me.)

Chen Hibachi is located in the Lotte Plaza in Ellicott City (8801 Baltimore National Pike). (hocoblogs@@@)










*There are exceptions. The one that comes to mind is Todai, but that's a hike from Columbia.


**I know there are other sushi joints in Columbia, but we have our preferences. This may be fodder for a later blog post. Part of me still mourns the passing of Narita Sushi.




Have you been to Chen Hibachi?  Have a favorite spot where you wine and dine your honey on the cheap?  Tell me in the comments below!

Food versus Food: Skewered

Over the holidays, an old friend of mine came into town and we decided to get together and catch up.  On the appointed day, I found myself at work late - so we exchanged a flurry of text messages that went something like this:

Me: Work is slower than I thought. Re location... in a coffee mood? Pub mood?

Him: No preference, and I'm not working, so entirely up to you! I'll be at the ready. Just let me know what you're feeling in the stomach region.

Me: Ok :-) Will text you soon

passage of time. some intense thought.  some work, of course.

Me: How about Maiwand Kabob?

Me: Or pub? (Kelseys or Michaels)

Him: First instinct is usually best when it comes to food.

Insightful point.  He was right.  


Meals like the ones at Maiwand encompass many of the things I like about food: good spices, a grill, interesting flavors.  Vegetable curry and chicken tikka masala are recent appearances in my own kitchen, so the flavors are still pretty different from what I'm used to.


Maiwand, which serves Afghani-style kabobs, has been my local go-to place in the past, but I was eager to expand my kabob-horizons. So, after my friend and I enjoyed our dinner, I went in search of another spot. (hocoblogs@@@)


The logical conclusion might have MiMi's Kabob in Clarksville, which has been featured on HowChow, since they also serve Afghan-style food; however, I wanted to see a slightly different take on the whole meat--cooked-on-a-stick. I ended up at Turkshish Kebap, formerly Cazbar Kebap House, which bills itself as serving Mediterranian cuisine with Turkish influence.


Which brings us to our contenders....




Contender #1: Chicken Shish Kebap (sandwich) at Turkshish Kebap (with fries).

Turkshish Kebap is located at 10840 Little Patuxent Parkway in Columbia.  It's a casual place with a walkup counter and a few tables.  I thought it was a nice casual - the sort of place you go for good food and minimal fuss.  The area behind the counter is pretty open, enough that you can watch the staff preparing your food.  


I opted for the chicken shish kebap, which comes as a sandwich ($8.00) or a platter ($11.00).  The sandwich is basically a wrap with chunks of marinated chicken, lettuce, onion, and tomato, and a tangy sauce.  A yogurt sauce (think tzatziki) comes on the side, along with the choice of rice or fries.


The rice looked good.  Really it did.  I wish I had tried it.  But I had had a rough day and really wanted fries, which came crispy, hot, and dusted with a nice seasoned salt.  Don't judge.  They were awesome.

Chicken Shish Kebap sandwich with fries at Turkshish Kebap.
Well.... half of it.

The sandwich was ready in about ten minutes (the time it took to grill the chicken and assemble).  My first impression?  Tasty but chewy.


I really liked the flavor of the sauce on the sandwich, and the vegetables had a nice crunch - great texture in the sandwich.  Still, for several bites I couldn't figure out why the chicken was so rubbery.  Then I realized that the chicken was fine - it was the bread, what they called homemade pita bread on the menu.  It reminded me of a tortilla - nice flavor, but chewy.


The chicken itself was flavorful and tender, though the spice was pretty mild.  It's hard to see tucked away in the wrap, but the marinade/spices made the chicken a nice light orange color.  I promise that in this case, orange chicken is a good thing.  


The yogurt sauce was good but not really necessary - it's something I'd want if I was eating something pretty spicy, to temper the heat.  

In terms of serving size, this was definitely enough.  I really enjoyed this meal, and look forward to trying some of the other menu items on later visits.

Contender #2: Chicken Kabob at Maiwand Kabob (with naan, rice, salad).


Maiwand Kabob has two locations, one at 5467 Harpers Farm Road in Columbia, and one in ElkridgeLinthicum Heights.  I usually go here when I know I have time to sit, wait, and eat.  It takes a while, but fresh naan is hard to beat.


Maiwand has a walkup counter and tables.  It's nothing fancy, expect paper/styrofoam plates and plasticware, but the decor is warm and pleasant.


I went with the Chicken Kabob on my last visit - one skewer of chicken that comes with vegetables, salad, rice, naan, and chutney, for $8.99.  Ask for extra chutney (+$0.25).  It's quite tasty.

Chicken Kabob at Maiwand Kabob in Columbia.
Extra chutney not pictured.

I really loved the bright color and flavor of the chicken.  A little spicy, with some char from the grill, the pieces were juicy and tender.  The vegetables - a few pieces of onion and a wedge of tomato, dusted with a spice I couldn't figure out - could have used similar treatment - just a quick flirt with the grill for some sweetness and flavor. The onion was pretty much raw, but not in a way that added to the chicken.  


The salad was crisp, fresh, and gave color to the plate.  I added a drizzle of chutney.  Srsly, that stuff is good.  


The naan literally came out of the oven and onto the paper plate/my table.  It was fresh, hot, crunchy in some places and soft in others.  The rice was seasoned with cinnamon, and possibly some other spices.


I came to Maiwand hungry, and left stuffed - that day, dinner time came and went and I had no real desire to eat.  Definitely enough food, and definitely delicious.

The Decision:  This was a pretty difficult call (as many of these seem to be) - old favorite versus new treat.  One thing that did surprise me was that the flavor and spice of the chicken was pretty similar despite the differences in restaurants - Turkish/Mediterranean and Afghani.  I think the differences between Maiwand and Turkshish are probably represented better in other menu items.  

In any case I was really happy with both meals, and look forward to going again for other menu items.  But for this meal, I declare Maiwand Kabob the winner.

Do you have a favorite go-to for quick, good, unique food?  Where do your kabob loyalties lie?  Tell me in the comments below!

Food versus Food: Wingin' it.

Few things go better with a Ravens' game than wings and a frosty beverage.


Ok, wins.  Wins are also good.  But wings are tastier. (It's all about the immediate gratification.)



Buffalo wings first became popular in the 1980s, although their (disputed) origin came a few decades earlier. The record for most wings eaten is held by a woman named Sonya Thomas, who ate 181 wings (just over five pounds) in 12 minutes. She did this at the 2010 National Buffalo Wing festival in Buffalo, New York - a festival that has been held since 2002. That's right, it happens every year.


238 days and counting.


As you might have guessed, I like wings.  They make a cheap, easy dinner when paired with salad.  I'm a drummie person, although I still enjoy the wing portion.  I'm not a huge fan of sticky, sweet sauce.  And there are few things worse than a soggy wing. 


For this reason, while buffalo wings are good, Old Bay wings are better.  


A couple of Sundays this season I made it out to bars to watch the Ravens play (hocoblogs@@@).  And, of course, I ordered wings.  Which brings us to our contenders....

An order of Old Bay wings from
Second Chance Saloon

Contender #1:  Old Bay wings at Second Chance Saloon.


Second Chance Saloon is a neighborhood bar in Oakland Mills.  It's the first place that comes to mind when someone asks me about a local place to grab a drink.  It's kind of dark, definitely no-frills, and overall it's comfortable.  They have a large bar and several big flat-screen televisions that make it a great spot for catching the game.


Second Chance is located at 5888 Robert Oliver Place
Columbia, MD 21045.  They offer reasonable specials, including $2 drafts and half price wings.  That put these babies at $4 for 8 wings.


The wings came out hot and glistening.  They were coated with just the right amount of Old Bay - not so much that I needed to chug a gallon of water, but not so little that they lacked punch. They were crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside, and really didn't need the small container of bleu cheese dressing that came on the side.  


The celery, on the other hand, looked as if it had frostbite.  They must have realized it, because the next order for our table came sans-vegetation.


Still, the wings were a pretty hefty portion - crisp and tender, just slightly messy, and great for snacking while I watched the game.

The wings at Twist and Turn.  There were more, but
we dove in before I thought to take a picture.
(we were pretty hungry)

Contender #2: Old Bay wings at Twist and Turn Tavern.


This was my first time at the Twist and Turn, a small bar located in Highland, in Howard County (down 108 past Clarksville).  We stumbled upon the place en route to somewhere else and had the opportunity to watch the game.  I will say the Tavern was a great place to watch.  It's separated into a bar and a small dining area, and even though we sat in the dining room we had great views of several televisions.  Game viewing, no problem.


Twist and Turn opened in 2010, at 13380 Clarksville Pike, Highland MD 20777.  It's a pretty standard tavern-type place with a lot of horse decor (I think they were going for a Western motif).  Their game-day offerings include buckets of beer ($15 for domestic, $20 imported), $5 glasses of wine, $5 sliders, and $6.50 for wings or nachos.


Our Old Bay wings (8 total) came out a warm golden brown, very crunchy which was an extra bonus - they were about as crispy as they could be without being dry and overcooked.  It's a happy place.  They were rolled in a nice amount of Old Bay, not too much.  The wings were a little small, but we were ok with that because we had more food on the way.   Our order came with some celery logs and a small ramekin of bleu cheese dressing.




A Disclaimer:  In the spirit of fairness, I do want to mention that I've been to Second Chance several times before and ordered wings on many occasions.  Twist and Turn didn't have the benefit of multiple visits, so I focused my notes to the plate of wings I received on each day -- not on past visits.






The Decision:  I really enjoyed watching the game at both places, and will keep them in mind for remaining games.  It was close.  Both wings had a good balance of Old Bay and crunch.  But in addition to being tasty, the wings at Second Chance were bigger and offered at a better price, so I declare Second Chance Saloon the winner of the Wing Challenge!




Where do you like to go watch the game?  More importantly, do you have a go-to wing place?  Tell me in the comments below so I can get my next fix!