On Wednesday night, I had dinner in Columbia, MD with J.Y., one of my favorite former colleagues. Since I have not found a Chinese restaurant I like in the Sarasota-Bradenton area, I suggested that we dine at Hunan Manor (http://hunanmanorrestaurant.com/), a Chinese restaurant I have enjoyed in Coumbia, MD when we lived in the area. I was very happy to see that the food there is as delicious as ever.
I know nothing about authentic Chinese food. However, I have always seen a number of orientals dining there. This visit was no exception.
In addition to the menu which has many of the Americanized Chinese dishes found in most U.S. restaurants, there is also a section of the menu entitled "Authentic Chinese Menu."
We shared an order of two spring rolls and two entrees. The entrees were:
1. Beef, chicken, shrimp, and vegetables over pan-fried noodles. It was great!
2. Salt and Jalapeño Pepper Shrimp, Calamari, and Scallops. This was listed as a hot dish, but I asked the waiter if it could be made mild. It was. The seafood was lightly breaded. It was fantastic. The latter dish came from the "Authentic Chinese Menu."
Although I should probably have chosen a white wine, I selected a MacMurray Ranch Pinot Noir. As usual, this wine was very nice.
The atmosphere is more upscale than most Chinese restaurants, and the service was excellent. Dinner for the two of us came to $81, including wine and the taxes, but before tip.
Hunan Manor currently has three restaurants, all located between Washington, DC and Baltimore. The one where we dined is located at 7091 Deepage Drive, Columbia, MD.
Showing posts with label Maryland Restaurants. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Maryland Restaurants. Show all posts
Friday, April 29, 2011
Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery, & General Store - A Maryland Treat
Tuesday of this week, I had a very pleasant & tasty dinner with friend & respected colleague, V.M. At her suggestion (actually, her nephew's suggestion), we ate at Franklin's Restaurant, Brewery, & General Store (http://www.franklinsbrewery.com/) in Hyattsville, Md.
Although I prefer wine, I felt I couldn't pass up the brew produced at Franklin. I tried the Sierra Madre West Coast-style pale ale hopped with Cascade hops with citrus aroma for $4.50. Just to be sure that I loved it, I had two of them. The second one confirmed my initial judgement.
I started my dinner with an "appetizer." It was described as "Nickel Curves." There were three lamb merguez burger sliders topped with tzatziki sauce for $8.50. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was tempted to order more.
My next course was a healthy one (contrary to my normal instincts) - a salad of asparagus, beets, hard-boiled eggs, greens, and Cherry Glen goat cheese topped with red wine vinaigrette for $9. It was very tasty.
For dessert, we shared a huge and tasty caramel bread pudding for $6.
The clientele was generally young - probably many drawn from the nearby College Park campus of the University of Maryland.
They also have a general store, which I did not check out.
The address is 5121 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville. Phone 301-927-2740.
I recommend it. I plan to go back for the Nickel Curves.
Although I prefer wine, I felt I couldn't pass up the brew produced at Franklin. I tried the Sierra Madre West Coast-style pale ale hopped with Cascade hops with citrus aroma for $4.50. Just to be sure that I loved it, I had two of them. The second one confirmed my initial judgement.
I started my dinner with an "appetizer." It was described as "Nickel Curves." There were three lamb merguez burger sliders topped with tzatziki sauce for $8.50. Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was tempted to order more.
My next course was a healthy one (contrary to my normal instincts) - a salad of asparagus, beets, hard-boiled eggs, greens, and Cherry Glen goat cheese topped with red wine vinaigrette for $9. It was very tasty.
For dessert, we shared a huge and tasty caramel bread pudding for $6.
The clientele was generally young - probably many drawn from the nearby College Park campus of the University of Maryland.
They also have a general store, which I did not check out.
The address is 5121 Baltimore Ave, Hyattsville. Phone 301-927-2740.
I recommend it. I plan to go back for the Nickel Curves.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
A Chinese Food Fix in Columbia, MD
On a recent trip to MD, I decided to try to get a Chinese food fix - because we haven't found a good Chinese restaurant near where we live in Florida. With a little Googling, I came up with the Red Pearl Restaurant in Columbia, MD.
My friend M.C. met we there, and we had a very nice meal. He had Mongolian Beef for $11.95, Hot & Sour Soup for $2.95, and a large can of Sapporo beer for $8. He said that the Mongoligan Beef was delicious and compared very favorably to a Chinese restaurant he enjoys near his home. In fact, he thought the beef at Red Pearl was of higher quality.
I had two mouth-watering vegetable spring rolls for $3.25, and a delicious dish called Hunan Delight for $17.95. The dish had jumbo shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef, baby corn, mushrooms, broccoli, and pea pods in a Hunan sauce. Since the Hunan sauce was described as spicy and I wasn't sure how spicy it was, I ordered it mild. It was very nice. I also had a riesling wine called "Relax" for $7 for a very generous glass.
The menu was extensive and included Sechuanese, Hunanese, and Cantonese dishes. In addition to the dishes one finds on menus catering to Americans not of Chinese origin, there were a number which seemed intended for a Chinese clientele, including duck tongue, jelly fish with "Chef Special Sauce," Beef Tendon & Tripe with Spicy Sauce, and Sliced Boneless Pig Feet.
The restaurant also offers dim sum dishes during the afternoon, and I have read rave reviews about them.
The atmosphere was very pleasant and the hostess was very attentive.
The restaurant is located lakeside in Columbia at 10215 Wincopin Circle, 410-715-6530.
My friend M.C. met we there, and we had a very nice meal. He had Mongolian Beef for $11.95, Hot & Sour Soup for $2.95, and a large can of Sapporo beer for $8. He said that the Mongoligan Beef was delicious and compared very favorably to a Chinese restaurant he enjoys near his home. In fact, he thought the beef at Red Pearl was of higher quality.
I had two mouth-watering vegetable spring rolls for $3.25, and a delicious dish called Hunan Delight for $17.95. The dish had jumbo shrimp, scallops, chicken, beef, baby corn, mushrooms, broccoli, and pea pods in a Hunan sauce. Since the Hunan sauce was described as spicy and I wasn't sure how spicy it was, I ordered it mild. It was very nice. I also had a riesling wine called "Relax" for $7 for a very generous glass.
The menu was extensive and included Sechuanese, Hunanese, and Cantonese dishes. In addition to the dishes one finds on menus catering to Americans not of Chinese origin, there were a number which seemed intended for a Chinese clientele, including duck tongue, jelly fish with "Chef Special Sauce," Beef Tendon & Tripe with Spicy Sauce, and Sliced Boneless Pig Feet.
The restaurant also offers dim sum dishes during the afternoon, and I have read rave reviews about them.
The atmosphere was very pleasant and the hostess was very attentive.
The restaurant is located lakeside in Columbia at 10215 Wincopin Circle, 410-715-6530.
Friday, December 17, 2010
Il Pizzico, An Italian Gem in Maryland
The night before last, I had a great meal at il Pizzico (http://www.ilpizzico.com/home.shtml), a real Italian restaurant in the Maryland suburbs of Washington. The meal was terrific.
I started with an appetizer of Arancine Rivisitate for $9.95. Arancine are Sicilian rice croquettes. These were filled with veal and mozzarella cheese, with a taleggio cheese sauce. They were fantastic.
My second course was a half-serving of a pasta dish, Maltagliati al Ragu di Vitello - maltagliati pasta in a veal ragu - $8.95. (They do half-servings of their pasta dishes.) This dish was incredibly delicious. The pasta was home-made, as are all their pasta. Maltagliati pasta is flat pasta made from scraps of other pastas. The name means something like "bad cuts" or "badly cut."
For a second course, I chose Tagliata di Manzo Boscaiola - grilled Hereford steak with wild mushrooms in a Barolo wine reduction sauce - for $25. This dish was very tasty, but not incredible like the first two.
For dessert, I had Torta di Mele, an apple torte, for $7.25. It was very tasty.
After dessert, I had a nice espresso for $2.75.
The wine I had was a half bottle of Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico for $19. It was very nice. The wine list was excellent, and included wines by the glass and half bottles.
The ambience was very warm and friendly. The dining room was full of patrons who were clearly enjoying their meals.
The Maitre d', who is from Palermo, was the perfect maitre d' - constantly overseeing every aspect of the dining room operations.
The service was terrific. Although my server was from Latin America, he spoke excellent Italian, which he had learned on the job. He was very professional.
Il Pizzico is located in a small strip mall at 15209 Frederick Rd. (Rockville Pike). It is one the east side of the road just below Gude Dr.
I started with an appetizer of Arancine Rivisitate for $9.95. Arancine are Sicilian rice croquettes. These were filled with veal and mozzarella cheese, with a taleggio cheese sauce. They were fantastic.
My second course was a half-serving of a pasta dish, Maltagliati al Ragu di Vitello - maltagliati pasta in a veal ragu - $8.95. (They do half-servings of their pasta dishes.) This dish was incredibly delicious. The pasta was home-made, as are all their pasta. Maltagliati pasta is flat pasta made from scraps of other pastas. The name means something like "bad cuts" or "badly cut."
For a second course, I chose Tagliata di Manzo Boscaiola - grilled Hereford steak with wild mushrooms in a Barolo wine reduction sauce - for $25. This dish was very tasty, but not incredible like the first two.
For dessert, I had Torta di Mele, an apple torte, for $7.25. It was very tasty.
After dessert, I had a nice espresso for $2.75.
The wine I had was a half bottle of Lamole di Lamole Chianti Classico for $19. It was very nice. The wine list was excellent, and included wines by the glass and half bottles.
The ambience was very warm and friendly. The dining room was full of patrons who were clearly enjoying their meals.
The Maitre d', who is from Palermo, was the perfect maitre d' - constantly overseeing every aspect of the dining room operations.
The service was terrific. Although my server was from Latin America, he spoke excellent Italian, which he had learned on the job. He was very professional.
Il Pizzico is located in a small strip mall at 15209 Frederick Rd. (Rockville Pike). It is one the east side of the road just below Gude Dr.
Mamma Lucia in Maryland - Not Worth the Bother
During a recent trip to Maryland, I was looking for a restaurant close to my hotel. I saw Mamma Lucia Restaurant, a restaurant and pizzeria. I had read mixed reviews on the Internet, but thought I'd give it a try. I knew better than to expect real Italian at a place like this. All I hoped for was good food. My entree was decent, but not worth a return trip. The garlic bread was pathetic. After three weeks of incredible Italian food in Italy two months earlier, this was a poor comparison.
Mamma Lucia's (http://www.mammaluciarestaurants.com/) is a local Washington, D.C.-area chain with eight restaurants. They advertise "down-home cooking."
I had Penne Norcina, penne pasta with sausage in a cream sauce for $14. It was decent, but nothing to tweet home about. The garlic bread that came with it was pathetic. I took two bites and gave up.
They had no wine list, just three reds that the waitress mentioned by type. Only one was an Italian type - chianti, and one was a Malbec - from South America. How hard is it for an Italian restaurant to carry a few Italian reds. They also had a couple of whites. I had a glass of the Chianti for $7. It was ok.
One sign of attention to deal in an Italian restaurant is the use of correct Italian names for its dishes. It's very easy to get this right. Mamma Lucia's menu is full of errors. A couple of examples are:
- "Penne Norcina" instead of "Penne alla Norcina"
- "Pollo alla Florentina" instead of "Pollo alla Fiorentina"
- "Ravioli Romana" instead of "Ravioli alla Romana"
- "Spaghetti Carbonara" instead of "Spaghetti alla Carbonara"
- "Spaghetti al Funghi" instead of "Spaghetti ai Funghi"
- etc., etc., etc.
One curious menu item was the "Pollo Brunello." Pollo is chicken, and the only Brunello I know is the famous red wine type from Montalcino, Italy. The menu describes this dish as being cooked in Marsala wine.
Mamma Lucia's (http://www.mammaluciarestaurants.com/) is a local Washington, D.C.-area chain with eight restaurants. They advertise "down-home cooking."
I had Penne Norcina, penne pasta with sausage in a cream sauce for $14. It was decent, but nothing to tweet home about. The garlic bread that came with it was pathetic. I took two bites and gave up.
They had no wine list, just three reds that the waitress mentioned by type. Only one was an Italian type - chianti, and one was a Malbec - from South America. How hard is it for an Italian restaurant to carry a few Italian reds. They also had a couple of whites. I had a glass of the Chianti for $7. It was ok.
One sign of attention to deal in an Italian restaurant is the use of correct Italian names for its dishes. It's very easy to get this right. Mamma Lucia's menu is full of errors. A couple of examples are:
- "Penne Norcina" instead of "Penne alla Norcina"
- "Pollo alla Florentina" instead of "Pollo alla Fiorentina"
- "Ravioli Romana" instead of "Ravioli alla Romana"
- "Spaghetti Carbonara" instead of "Spaghetti alla Carbonara"
- "Spaghetti al Funghi" instead of "Spaghetti ai Funghi"
- etc., etc., etc.
One curious menu item was the "Pollo Brunello." Pollo is chicken, and the only Brunello I know is the famous red wine type from Montalcino, Italy. The menu describes this dish as being cooked in Marsala wine.
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Maryland Crab Cake Mecca
There are many restaurants that claim to have great Maryland-style crab cakes. However, few if any can hold a candle to G & M RRestaurant & Lounge (http://www.gandmcrabcakes.com/).
On a recent trip to Maryland, I had to have a crab cake fix. The first thing I did after arriving at BWI Airport and picking up my rental car was to head to G & M.
G & M did not disappoint. It was fantastic. I had a single crab cake sandwich for $13.75. The sandwich was very large. You can have it served on a roll or crackers. The sandwich comes with a choice of cole slaw, chips, or fries.
I also had a cup of cream of crab soup. It was very tasty, but I've had better. My friend Bill B., who grew up in Baltimore, considers cream of crab soup a yuppy abomination. For him, the only real crab soup is the traditional tomato-based version. However, cream of crab is a favorite of mine. The soup was $4,95.
G & M has 10 draft beers - domestic and imported - ranging in price from $2.75 to $5.50.
They have 29 wines ranging in price from $26 to $46 and one for $58. They also have several Beringer wines for $4.50 a glass and $22 a bottle.
My waitress was Amanda, and she was excellent.
It's very easy to get there. From the airport, head north on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. You take the Nursery Rd. exit which is the first exit north of the expressway to the airport. At the traffic light at the top of the exit, you turn left onto Nursery Rd. You take the Nursery Rd. west to Hammonds Ferry Rd. G&M is located at that intersection - at 804 Hammonds Ferry Rd.
The restaurant is large, but it is very popular and can be crowded. I was there at abot 2 p.m. on a Sunday, and it was almost full.
It has an extensive menu, which you can see on its web site. However, I only go for the crab cakes.
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