Photos by Michael Oberman

At a recent gathering of HoCo bloggers I had the pleasure of meeting local photographer Michael Oberman. He takes world-class photos of wildlife and other many other things, mostly right here in Howard County. His shots of heron, ducks, raptors and other denizens of Centennial Lake, Lake Kittamaqundi, Wilde Lake and other unsuspecting local wildlife refuges are quite wonderful.

Michael has over 4,000 photos posted on flikr.com under the name ozoni11. Check them out when you get the chance, and be amazed at what's in your back yard. I suggest starting with the Explore/Interestingness set. If you like what you see, you can contact him directly to purchase prints. Also, he and other local artists will be exhibiting at the "Out of the Bins" show at Slayton House Gallery on February 21 from 11:00 am -4:00 pm.

Restaurant Events for February, 2009

We keep you up to date on special events at area restaurants. February is a busy month, beginning with the Super Bowl, then Valentine's Day the 14th, Mardi Gras on the 24th, and Howard County's Restaurant Weeks promotion running February 23 - March 8. Make your plans now for several special days or nights out!

Sunday, February 1: The River Hill Sports Grille has a Super Bowl Party with open bar and all-you-can-eat appetizers for $39.95 per person, starting from 5:00 pm. Reservations required.

Sunday, February 1: The Diamondback Tavern will have an anti-Steelers Super Bowl Party (or pro-Cardinals depending on which way you look at it) with $2 drafts (all taps, all day) and prize giveaways.

[Note: oZ Chophouse and The King's Contrivance will be closed on Sunday, February 1.]

Wednesday, February 4: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts an Afternoon Tea. Seatings 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. $26.50 per person. Reservations required.

Tuesday, February 10: Aida Bistro & Wine Bar hosts its first Wine Dinner for 2009, featuring Bill Owen from the Owen & Sullivan Winery in Washington State. The Dinner includes a special four-course menu featuring seven different wines, and runs from 6:30 - 9:30 pm. $79 per person. Reservations required.

Tuesday, February 10: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has an Adult Cooking Class with Chef Dan Wecker from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. $80.00 per person. Reservations required.

Tuesday, February 10: The Iron Bridge Wine Company hosts its annual Wines of Love dinner at 6:00 pm, with a special menu and selected wines, each with a love story behind them. $80 per person. Reservations required.

Friday, February 13: Aida Bistro & Wine Bar offers a special prix fixe Valentine's Day and a limited a la carte menu.

Friday, February 13: The Elkridge Furnace Inn offers its regular dinner service beginning at 4:00 pm. Reservations seated by 5:30 pm will receive 10% off their entire check. Reservations required.

Friday, February 13: The Iron Bridge Wine Company is offering a Sweetheart's Three-Course Menu option for $40 per person, in addition to its regular menu. Reservations suggested.

Saturday, February 14: Aida Bistro & Wine Bar offers a special prix fixe Valentine's Day menu.

Saturday, February 14: The Elkridge Furnace Inn offers a special Valentine's 3, 4 or 5 course prix fixe menu beginning at 4:00 pm ($65-80 per person). Reservations seated by 5:30 pm will receive 10% off their entire check. The Inn is also offering a very special "Top of the Inn" 6-course dinner, ($175 per person or $250 paired with wine). Reservations required.

Saturday, February 14: The Iron Bridge Wine Company has a special four-course Valentine's Day menu for $75 per person. Reservations required.

Saturday, February 14: The King's Contrivance will offer a special prix fixe Valentine's Day menu.

Saturday, February 14: oZ Chophouse has a special five-course Valentine's Day menu for $100 per person. Reservations required.

Saturday, February 14: Ranazul has a special five-course Valentine's Day menu, including a bottle of wine, for $150 per couple. Reservations required.

Saturday, February 14: Tersiguel's will have a special Valentine's Day Chef's Menu and no a la carte service. The Chef's Menu is $55 per person from noon - 3:30 pm, and $75 per person from 4:00 pm - 11:00 pm. Reservations required.

Sunday, February 15: The Elkridge Furnace Inn offers a special Valentine's Champagne Brunch from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm for $29.95 per person. The Inn is also serving a special Romantic Couple's Wine Dinner from 4:00 pm for $85 per person. Reservations required.

Sunday, February 16: The Iron Bridge Wine Company is offering a Sweetheart's Three-Course Menu option for $40 per person, in addition to its regular menu. Reservations suggested.

Thursday, February 19: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts an Afternoon Tea. Seatings 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. $26.50 per person. Reservations required.

Friday, February 20: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has a Varietal Wine Tasting from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. $29 per person. Special prix fixe dinner available after for $30. Reservations required.

UPDATE: Monday, February 23: Bistro Blanc hosts a Cooking Class with Chef Marc Dixon at 6:00 pm. $65 per person. Reservations required.

Monday, February 23: Howard County's Winter Restaurant Weeks begin, running through March 8. More than 20 of Howard County's finest restaurants offer special prix fixe menus ranging from $10.09 to $40.09. We'll have more details in a separate posting.

Tuesday, February 24: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has an Adult Cooking Class with Chef Dan Wecker from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. $80.00 per person. Reservations required.

UPDATE: Tuesday, February 24: The Ellicott City Restoration Foundation is hosting a Mardi Gras Magnifique event from 5:00 - 7:00 pm. The $25 tax-deductible ticket will give you one free drink at participating restaurants, a Ghost Tour ticket, and a raffle ticket. Restaurants include The Rumor Mill, Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, La Palapa and the Phoenix Emporium, each of which will also feature reduced drink prices and nibbles. For more information and tickets, call 410-313-1900 or email Ecrfpres@aol.com.

Thursday, February 26: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner from 7:00 - 10:00 pm. $56.00 per person. Reservations required.

Saturday, February 28: The Iron Bridge Wine Company is having its first Open House of the year. Wine to taste, food to snack on and 20% off all purchases of 12 bottles or more.

Yelp

Yelp is one of the more active user review sites for Howard County restaurants that I've found so far. There are plenty of fresh reviews for the more popular local restaurants, and the quality of the reviews is often surprisingly good. For example, Sushi Sono has 30 reviews, about half of which are from within the last 6 months.

Yelp covers a lot of business categories beyond restaurants, but I think restaurants account for a lot of the site's activity. Yelp is a national (now international) site, so you get comments from travelers, which is not a bad thing. Yelp also definitely skews toward a younger crowd, and emphasizes its social networking aspects, but that's what keeps it fresh and energetic...and some of the folks actually write really well.

It's easy to search for a restaurant if you know its name, and Yelp does a decent job showing other restaurants nearby (like Urbanspoon, they're hoping people use it from cellphones to see what's nearby). It's also fun to find a reviewer you like and see what else they think. It's a bit difficult to browse for restaurants in Yelp, though. If you ask for restaurants in Columbia, you get over 400 listings from all over the area. Ask for Ellicott City and you'll get nearly 400, nearly all overlapping with the Columbia list. You can use filters to narrow things down from there, but it's a little cumbersome.

The ranking system appears to be a combination of the number of ratings and number of stars. For example, Pub Dog comes up as the number one restaurant in Columbia, even though it averages 4 out of 5 stars. I found a more than a dozen other restaurants with 4-1/2 or 5 stars, but they had fewer total (or recent) ratings. I couldn't find a good explanation of Yelp's ranking system, so it seems a little suspect to me. There are no links to other published reviews or blogs, so you have to rely on the credibility of Yelp's reviewers. If there are enough of them, that's fine, but when there are only a couple of reviews, you have room for doubt.

Best features: Active community of reviewers, decent depth and freshness of reviews, comprehensive coverage of area, easy to add information/restaurants

Room for improvement: Hard to search/compare whole county at once, doubts about the ranking system, wish there were more ways to filter or compare restaurants

Who do you trust when it comes to restaurant reviews? Who does the best job of covering Howard County restaurants? I hope my blog is a help, but there are certainly lots of other resources available on the web. This is one of a series of Restaurant Review Site postings that aim to find which are really the most reliable when it comes to local coverage.

Coho Grill

The Coho Grill, located at the Hobbit's Glen golf course clubhouse, is Columbia's egalitarian take on country club dining. It's a pleasant public restaurant, open year round, with friendly service and a broad menu that's not just for golfers. The sandwich, burger and bar food choices are plentiful, but there are also good crabcakes, steaks and prime rib. The dessert menu and coffee choices are also above par (how can you resist a golf pun?). In good weather they have a nice outdoor area for dining, too.

The Coho Grill seems sometimes overlooked on the local scene, tucked away as it is in a golf course setting in a residential neighborhood. But it's locally owned, has a venerable track record and a loyal clientele. It's a solid choice for a casual lunch or dinner.

Urbanspoon

Who do you trust when it comes to restaurant reviews?  Who does the best job of covering Howard County restaurants?  I hope my blog is a help, but there are certainly lots of other resources available on the web.  This is one of a series of Restaurant Review Site postings that aim to find which are really the most reliable when it comes to local coverage.

Urbanspoon is one of the most comprehensive sites for coverage of Howard County restaurants.  It's also very friendly to bloggers, letting us link directly to each restaurant page and providing other blogger-friendly tools.

You can't browse or compare all of Howard County restaurants at once, but you can browse by Ellicott City (86 restaurants), Columbia (159), Elkridge (79, though mostly in Anne Arundel county), Clarksville (19), or Glenelg (4).  For each city, you get a Top 10, and can sort by alphabet, popularity or price.

For each restaurant listing you can find published critic reviews, blogger and user reviews, along with an indication of how many users like or don't like the restaurant.  The published critic reviews are usually from legitimate sources like the Baltimore Sun, Washington Post and City Paper.  Blogger posts are great since they feature HowChow and this blog a lot.  

The user reviews in Urbanspoon, however, are thin.  There are not very many and they don't aggregate from other sites.  Also, the "like"/"don't like" ranking system is not very helpful or reliable.  And the results can be confusing.  For example, the "Best" restaurant in Columbia according to Urbanspoon is Eggspectations (which in itself I find questionable).  Yet, when you sort Columbia restaurants by popularity, Eggspectation is not in the top 10.

Urbanspoon has a very cute iPhone app that's gathered a lot of press and is even featured in Apple TV commercials.  But it won't be truly useful until the ranking system is more reliable.

Best features: Comprehensive list, easy to add information/restaurants, good links to published reviews and blogs

Room for improvement: Few user reviews, can't search/compare whole county at once, questionable rankings of favorites

The Crab Shanty

For 30 years now, the Crab Shanty has ruled the roost on its corner of Route 40. The King family has owned the restaurant the whole time and spared little expense in building one of the largest and physically most impressive dining operations in the county.  The decor features antiques and objects from all over the region, warranting its own page of the Crab Shanty's excellent web site.

The menu is large and wide-ranging, though I find it hard to stray from the various crab and oyster specialties.  There's always a variety of fresh fish, prepared most any way you want.  The portions are large and the preparations are more classic than trendy.  The Crab Shanty does what it can to appeal to everyone.  There's a Sunday Brunch (menu), curbside pick-up service, and you can always go across the street to the large Sea King seafood market and Pig Pickers barbeque if the Shanty is too crowded.

If you're interested in other brunch options, see our list of Howard County Brunches.

Mink's Tavern

If you've driven past the intersection of Rt. 97 (Georgia Avenue) and Rt. 144 (Frederick Rd.), you've seen the sign for Mink's Tavern "coming soon" for several years. The time has finally come. The tavern is now open daily from 11:00 am until midnight or 2:00 am on weekends. It's a sports-oriented bar with a few tables, lots of flat-panel TVs, and a pool table.

The menu for now has only a few basic hot sandwiches and some appetizers, so don't make a trip just for the food. But Mink's aims to be a friendly neighborhood place to watch a game or just hang out. There's also an open mic night on Wednesdays. We wish Mink's success in the wilds of western Howard County.

Mink's Sports Tavern
14600 Frederick Rd.
Lisbon, MD 21765
410-489-5446

Update: See this post from blogger/photographer Randy Santos about his evening at Mink's on open mic night.

Howard County Summer Camps

Well, it's January, so it must be time to figure out summer camps for the kids. Howard County and the surrounding region are blessed with a ton of camp and activity options for all ages, but it can be overwhelming to sort through them all, and the really good ones fill up fast.

The best local guide I've found is in the Maryland Family magazine. There you'll find scores of camps and summer programs, sorted into eight categories: academic, arts, general day camps, preschoolers, outdoor adventures, special needs, residential, and sports.

We've had more than ten years of experience of finding camps or summer programs for my daughter and friends and here are several we can recommend:

The Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts runs several Performing Arts Camps through the summer. The kids and counselors do a pretty amazing job of of putting together a full show in just two or three weeks. Camp details and registration will be available next week, says their website.

Earth Treks has several different climbing and kayaking camps for different age groups. Some of the camps are run out of Timonium which means the kids are on buses from the Columbia location, but our daughter enjoyed it enough to repeat if for several years. Registration is open now.

The Howard Community College Kids on Campus program offers an impressive variety of one-week programs from June 22 - August 7. The Kids on Campus printed catalog is available now; course information will be online January 23. Registration opens February 10.

For this summer, I'm hunting for local tennis camps and welcome any suggestions.

Filene's Basement Closing

The Filene's Basement store in the Snowden Square shopping center in Columbia will be closing February 28, 2009. The intrepid shoppers in my family let me know that signs were posted on Monday, and today's article in the Sun confirms it. So get your liquidation shopping in soon.

That adds to the sad list of retail stores we've lost in the past few months, which now includes Linens n' Things, Tweeter, Chip Smyth Jewelers, and Beverly's Hallmark in Dorsey Search.

Pachanga Grill

Pachanga Grill (or Pachanga Cocina Mexicana) is another outpost in Gilbert Cortes' local empire of Mexican restaurants (see also El Azteca and La Palapa). The menu is similar to what you'd find at El Azteca, though somehow the El Azteca versions come out seeming fresher and made with more care. On the other hand, you rarely have to wait for a table at this western Route 40 location. Pachanga offers decent Mexican fare, but I haven't found anything to go out of the way for, yet.

Pachanga Grill does not appear to have a web site, but the menu is similar to El Azteca's.

Pachanga Grill
10291 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott Cty, MD 21042
410-461-4266

Double T Diner

There are eight or so Double T Diners in Maryland, but the only one in Howard County is on Route 40 across from the Enchanted Forest shopping center. It's a favorite option for breakfast, lunch or dinner, with a huge menu available most any time. The menu offers something for everyone; it's hearty fare served in prodigious volumes. I like the Greek-oriented specialties, including gyros, souvlaki and the Hercules omelette. If you eat in the restaurant, most meals come with a choice of homemade soups that are a nice treat.

It's amazing to me, but the Double T does not appear to have a web site. You can see a sample of their extensive menu here (but no prices).

Double T Diner
10055 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott Ciy, MD 21042
410-750-3300

Brunch in Howard County

Looking for a Saturday or Sunday brunch in Columbia, Ellicott City or elsewhere in Howard County? There are a wide range of choices, from simple breakfast items to extravagant buffets.

Saturdays

Update: The Asian Court serves its Dim Sum menu from rolling carts from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Reservations accepted.

Cafe de Paris offers a weekend brunch menu from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm featuring Crab Benedict, Belgian waffles, Mediterranean frittata and our favorite steak & frites. Items priced from $7.95 to $13.95. Reservations accepted.

Clyde's of Columbia offers its brunch menu (but it's not available online) from 11:00 am -4:00 pm. Reservations accepted.

Donna's Cafe at Snowden offers a weekend brunch menu (that is at least similar to the one posted online for its Charles Village branch) from 11:00 am [corrected] with most items under $10.

eggspectation runs its all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner menu (which basically works out to be all-brunch, all-the-time) from 7:00am every day.

Victoria's Gastro Pub offers a brunch menu from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Items include a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and entrees priced from $7 to $15. Reservations accepted.


Sundays

Update: Alexandra's Restaurant at the Turf Valley Resort offers a Jazz and Champagne Brunch from 11:15 am - 2:00 pm. $28.95 for adults, $14.95 for children,and under 3 are free.

Update: The Asian Court serves its Dim Sum menu from rolling carts from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm. Reservations accepted.

Cafe de Paris offers a weekend brunch menu from 11:00 am - 2:00 pm featuring delectable items such as Crab Benedict, Belgian waffles, Mediterranean frittata and our favorite steak & frites. Items priced from $7.95 to $13.95. Reservations accepted.

Clyde's of Columbia offers its brunch menu (but it's not available online) from 10:00 am -4:00 pm. Reservations accepted.

The Crab Shanty has a brunch menu from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm, featuring entrees from $8 to $13. Reservations accepted for parties of five or more.

Update: The Diamondback Tavern serves brunch from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm with a choice of menu items including Rockfish Benedict, Scotch Eggs and $2 mimosas and bloody marys.

Donna's Cafe at Snowden offers a weekend brunch menu (that is at least similar to the one posted online for its Charles Village branch) from 10:00 am with most items under $10.

eggspectation runs its all-day breakfast, lunch and dinner menu (which basically works out to be all-brunch, all-the-time) from 7:00am every day.

The Elkridge Furnace Inn offers an elegant brunch menu from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. The fixed price of $26.95 gives you a choice of appetizer, entree and side, along with beverages and pastries. Reservations recommended.

Kelsey's has a Sunday Jazz Brunch from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, featuring an all you can eat buffet. Items include a variety of breakfast meats and fruit, eggs cooked to order, and pasta of the day. $11.99/adult, $5.99/child. Reservations recommended.

La Palapa has a brunch menu from 11:0 am - 3:00 pm with Mexican specialities from $6.99 to $9.99.

Shannon's Saloon offers a brunch menu (not online) from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm.

Update: T-Bonz has a brunch menu from 9:00 am - 1:00 pm.

Tersiguel's offers its excellent lunch menu of French country fare with added specials from 10:30 am - 2:30 pm. Menu items range from $11 to $24, or there is a prix fixe option for $21.95. Reservations recommended.

Victoria's Gastro Pub offers a brunch menu from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm. Items include a wide variety of salads, sandwiches and entrees priced from $7 to $15.

The Waterside Restaurant in the Columbia Sheraton Hotel offers a champagne brunch with full buffet for $28.95 ($14.95 for children under 14; free for children under 5). There are three seatings between 11:30 am - 1:30 pm.

Victoria Gastro Pub City Paper Review

I just got around to noticing that Victoria Gastro Pub had a recent (12/08) full review in the Baltimore City Paper. Have a look if you haven't seen it.

I think the reviewer's a little unfair to judge the restaurant only on the basis of one visit on a crowded Saturday night, but she does get some things right. Sometimes the throngs at Victoria's can overwhelm the kitchen, and some of the dishes can get a little too trendy for their own good. I've enjoyed trying many of the different menu items, but haven't yet found ones that really knocked my socks off...though the burgers and fries are mighty good, now that I think about it.

But overall, and especially at less busy times, Victoria's offers food, drinks and atmosphere that are far above the Howard County average. Maybe Victoria's doesn't warrant a drive from Baltimore for the City Paper crowd, but from my perspective it means not having to travel all that far for innovative and fun food and spirits.

I do give a positive nod to the City Paper's Eats+Drinks web site. It's an easy to search and browse listing of restaurants in our area. Just "Browse by City" for Ellicott City, Columbia or others to see snapshots and archived reviews of other local spots. Local restaurant owners can enter information directly in the database, and I encourage them to do so.

Victoria Gastro Pub is on our list of Howard County's Best Restaurants.

Kelsey's

Kelsey's is a locally owned Irish pub and restaurant that has been holding down (and expanding) its corner near the Normandy shopping center since 1994. The bar side has grown just about as big as the quieter dining room side, but both areas are welcoming and enjoyable. Kelsey's aspires to be "your neighborhood meeting place," and indeed it has a comfortable and well-worn ambiance that shows they're doing something right. With the fireplace in the dining room, plenty of TVs scattered about, free wifi, lots of fans for football or basketball games, live music some evenings in the bar, and a live jazz Sunday brunch, Kelsey's seems to have a little something for everyone.

You get the same full menu in the bar or dining room, with wealth of appetizers, sandwiches and entrees to choose from. There are a few nods to the Irish theme, like a good stew or corned beef and cabbage, and some Chesapeake area staples with crab or oysters. But mostly it's straight-ahead pub and tavern fare done well and served in hearty portions. It's not especially cutting-edge cuisine, but it feels mostly home made and satisfying. For lunch or dinner, weekday or weekend, Kelsey's is a reliable choice.

Daily/Weekly Restaurant Specials for January '09

I'm not sure if Howard County restaurants are running more daily or weekly specials, or if I'm just noticing them more. Whatever the case, I wanted to update this month's listing and split it apart from the individual Monthly Special Events list.

Mondays

Aida Bistro hosts Neighborhood Pasta Night, with a range of pasta entrees from $9.99 up.
Clyde's of Columbia has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
The Friendly Inn has 1/2 price burgers and discounted beer and tequila.

Kelsey's has discounts on crab cakes.

La Palapa offers 1/2 price pitchers of sangria and margaritas.

LeeLynn's has Crab Cake Monday, $11.50 for a sandwich or $13.50 for dinner.
Mama Lucia has Pasta Night: buy one pasta entree and get the second for $3.99.
Ram's Head Tavern in Savage Mill has one and one-half pound lobster dinners for $19.95.
River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price burgers and discounted beers.
Serafino's has 1/2 price entrees, excluding specials.
Ten Oaks Tavern has discounted burgers, chicken breasts and martinis
Victoria Gastro Pub has its Beer Club night from 5pm to close.
Waverly Grill has 1/2 price pizzas.

Tuesdays
The Friendly Inn has 1/2 price appetizers and a bluegrass jam session from 6:00 - 9:00 pm.
Greystone Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Kelsey's has 1/2 price wings and discounted beers of the world.
La Palapa offers All You Can Eat Tacos.
LeeLynn's Burger Night, $6 burgers with any two toppings.
Mama Lucia offers Pizza Night: buy one large pizza and get the second for $2.99.
Ram's Head Tavern in Savage Mill has prime rib dinners for $14.95 or $18.95.
River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price wings and discounted beers in the bar.
Second Chance Saloon has 1/2 price burgers.
Serafino's has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Ten Oaks Tavern offers Lobster night: 1 and 1/4 pound lobster for $15.99.
Waverly Grill has 1/2 price burgers.

Wednesdays
Kelsey's has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
La Palapa offers 1/2 priced appetizers.
LeeLynn's has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Mama Lucia has Wine Night: 1/2 off any bottle with purchase of an entree.
Ram's Head Tavern in Savage Mill has baked stuffed shrimp dinners for $15.95.
River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price wine and 1 and 1/2 pound lobsters for $18.95.
Serafino's has 1/2 price appetizers.
Ten Oaks Tavern has crab cake dinner special for $14.99
Waverly Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine and kids under 10 eat free (with adult entree).

Thursdays
Kelsey's has 1/2 price quesadillas and nachos, and discounted beer and margaritas.
La Palapa offers Free Dessert.
Ram's Head Tavern in Savage Mill has homemade meatloaf dinners for $11.95.
River Hill Sports Grille has a steak and shrimp combo for $15.95.
Ten Oaks Tavern has Prime Rib night: various cuts from $14.99 - 22.99.
Victoria Gastro Pub has 1/2 Price Bottle of Wine night after 5pm.
Waverly Grill has 1/2 price pasta (excluding seafood).

Fridays
Waverly Grill has Early Bird special 10% off entire bill between 4-6pm.

Saturdays
Kelsey's has discounted wings and beer before 5:00 pm, and 1/2 price desserts and coffee drinks after 5:00
Waverly Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine and 1/2 price appetizers (excluding seafood).

Sundays
Kelsey's has a Jazz Brunch buffet from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm, and discounted oysters, shrimp and burgers all day.
Greystone Grill has Prime Rib for $19.
oZ Chophouse offers Sunday Football in the Bar from noon.

Waverly Grill offers 10% off your entire dine-in check.

Hooray for Howard County Libraries

One of the finest community services available in Howard County is the public library system.  It's ranked first for its size in the nation for 2008, an accolade that's well deserved, in my opinion.  Our family is a frequent user of the library, but I'm continually surprised at the depth and quality of resources available, all for free.  It's worth taking a refresher tour once in a while to find out for yourself.

You expect a great selection of books in all sorts of categories, but there's also a terrific assortment of music, movies, TV shows, audiobooks available.  If a particular title is not on hand at your branch, it's easy to transfer from other branches.  For more obscure titles, the librarians can help locate them in other Maryland library systems or beyond.  We once requested a hard-to-find detective novel and within a week or so we had it in hand via a library in Idaho.

The library website is particularly rich and getting better.  You can search the entire catalog and request or renew titles from home at any hour of the day.  We particularly like the "My List" function that acts like a wishlist of items we hope to get to sometime.  I've recently found the Highly Recommended section very helpful -- it's actually a staff blog written by various library employees.  It adds a little local personality that's fun.

There are also lots of classes and events at the various branches, with a good searchable calendar online.  Each branch has plenty of computers with free Internet access, and free Wifi, too.  And on top of it all, the reference librarians, circulation staff and volunteers are almost always friendly, informative and helpful.

The Howard County Library is a great place to spend some time, either in person or online.  If you're not already a regular user, you're missing out.  If you are there regularly, take some time to explore and you'll probably be surprised what else you'll find.

Shannon's Saloon

Shannon's Saloon is an everyday neighborhood restaurant that has been a Howard County fixture on Route 40 for 25 years. They handle the basic burgers, sandwiches, soups and entrees without a lot of flair or fuss. Don't go in expecting ambitious or trendy cuisine, but a friendly atmosphere and a competent take on the standards. There's also a set of reasonably priced daily specials, including a $15.95 lobster on Mondays and $12.95 prime rib on Tuesdays. The dining room and separate bar also have plenty of TV's for the sports minded. Shannon's is not necessarily a top priority dining destination, but a good weekday lunch or dinner alternative.

Howard County Restaurants in Baltimore Magazine Lists

Baltimore Magazine's recently renovated website includes two "Best of" lists that feature several Howard County restaurants. Our congratulations to each of the winners.

The Baltimore Magazine list of 41 Best Restaurants includes Aida Bistro & Wine Bar, The Iron Bridge Wine Company, Jordan's Steakhouse and Tersiguel's. I'm happy to note that each of these are included in our own list of Howard County's Best Restaurants.

Baltimore Magazine also has a list of 55 Neighborhood Specials which are described as reasonably priced local places that don't make the Best Restaurants list. Howard County representatives include Kelsey's, Ellicott Mills Brewing Company, Luna Bella, Mango Grove/Mirchi Wok, Sushi King and Sushi Sono. Of these, Sushi King and Sushi Sono also make our list of Howard County's Nearly Best Restaurants.

I do have a bone to pick with Baltimore Magazine: in this day and age, couldn't you have posted these lists in some sort of searchable format and included links to the restaurant websites? Why post these lists as long individual articles that are hard to search, sort or print? Check out the Washingtonian 100 Best Restaurant list and database as a better approach.

Baltimore Magazine Restaurant Poll

Baltimore Magazine is currently running a reader poll for area restaurants which, as far as I'm concerned, includes Howard County favorites. The poll is open until January 23 and I encourage you to vote. You can optionally enter to win $100 gift certificates from Christopher Daniel or The Oceanaire, both fine places if you haven't tried them.

One quibble with the poll: you are required to make an entry for every one of the 27 categories or else your ballot is invalid. They say this is to reduce ballot stuffing, but I think the net effect will be to let some places skate by on reputation (or simply invalidate a lot of entries). I seriously doubt every reader has a firm, up-to-date opinion on every one of the 27 categories. I know I don't, and I'm more or less in the business of having such opinions.

So, we know in advance the results are going to be less than statistically accurate and we'll have the right to argue about them once they come out. Nevertheless, I encourage you to vote and I hope you win the other gift certificate.

Restaurant Web Site Do's and Don'ts

Tom Sietsema of the Washington Post recently held a reader roundtable of what folks want in a restaurant website. Here's an excerpt of what he wrote:

When I invited participants of my food discussion group, Sietsema's Table, to tell me what they most wanted from a restaurant's Web site, I got an eyeful.

At the top of diners' wish lists: descriptions of dress codes, driving instructions, the ability to make reservations online, current menus with up-to-date prices, Metro accessibility information, hours of operation, photos of the restaurant's entrance and interior, and information regarding special needs...

What a lot of diners say they don't want from a Web site: flash, animation and, as another poster put it, "music that makes my co-workers think I'm on a porn site when I'm just trying to find a menu."

I love some of the other comments in the roundtable, especially "if you need a button labeled 'Skip Intro,' you need to remove that intro."

How would the websites of Howard County restaurants fare? Some of them not too well. A website is at least as important as the restaurant's front door and street appeal. I get aggravated when the website is out of date or lacks basic information, and while I don't want to make this blog a place to flame on specific sites, I'll make it a point to let restaurateurs know when their site could use an update. You can too.

British American Auto Care

British American Auto Care is a perennial winner of "Best Place for Auto Repair" awards from Columbia and Howard magazines, including the most recent in 2008. The magazine endorsements encouraged me to try them several years ago and I am now a hearty convert.

The world of auto care is largely a mystery to me. I just like to get the necessary maintenance done with a minimum of fuss and no hard-sell surprises. The folks at British American, starting with owner Brian England who's often there himself, are friendly, concerned and knowledgeable. They generally know you'd prefer to be almost anywhere else than having to get your car fixed. They try to make the process about as painless as it can be, and are tolerant of dumb questions from folks like me (they don't call 'em idiot lights for nothing).

I also like that Brian and his company appear dedicated to the community and the environment. British American has a focus on hybrids and recycling, highlighted at its alternate web site, Go Green Car Care. Brian is also a director of the Howard County Citizens Association and a member of the Columbia Association Watershed Advisory Committee.

If you're fed up like I was with the indifferent service and high prices of regular auto dealers, I bet you'll like British American, too.


If you're still looking for other car care places, the Honorable Mentions in the 2008 Howard Magazine reader poll were Hillmuth Certified Automotive, Harper's Farm BP, and O'Donnell Honda.

Baltimore Restaurant Week

Nearly 100 restaurants are participating in Baltimore Restaurant Week from January 23 through February 1, offering three-course dinner menus for $30.09. Many of them also offer lunch, weekend and special events as part of the promotion, and many allow you to book online through OpenTable. It's a great way to sample a few of those places you may have always wanted to try. Some of my favorites are Aldo's, Cinghiale, Ixia, Pazo, and Sotto Sopra, but I think we'll aim to try something new.

The Elkridge Furnace Inn is the only Howard County restaurant participating in the Baltimore Restaurant Week. But have patience, Howard County will have its own two-week Restaurant Week starting February 23.

UPDATE: Many of the Baltimore Restaurant Week restaurants have extended the promotion one more week to February 8. Check the website for details.

Restaurant Events for January '09

We keep you up to date on special events at area restaurants.

Wednesday, January 7: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts an Afternoon Tea. Seatings 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. $26.50 per person. Reservations required.

Tuesday, January 13: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has an Adult Cooking Class with Chef Dan Wecker from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. $80.00 per person. Already Sold Out.

Friday, January 16: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has a Port Wine Tasting from 6:30 - 8:00 pm. $29 per person. Special prix fixe dinner available after for $30. Reservations required.

Tuesday, January 20: Aida Bistro & Wine Bar hosts its monthly Wine Tasting from 6:30 - 7:30 pm. $25 per person for six wines and light appetizers. Special three course meal matched with wines after for $32. Reservations required.

Thursday, January 22: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has an Afternoon Tea. Seatings 11:00 am - 2:30 pm. $26.50 per person. Reservations required.

Friday, January 23: Baltimore Restaurant Week kicks off today through February 1. Nearly 100 area restaurants participating with three-course dinners for $30.09 and other specials.

Sunday, January 25: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts two special five-course Edgar Alan Poe dinners. Seatings from 1:00 - 4:00 pm are $30 with no wine included. Seatings from 6:00 - 9:00pm are $50 paired with wine. Reservations required.

Tuesday, January 27: The Elkridge Furnace Inn has an Adult Cooking Class with Chef Dan Wecker from 7:00 - 9:30 pm. $80.00 per person. Reservations required.

Thursday, January 29: The Elkridge Furnace Inn hosts a Murder Mystery Dinner from 7:00 - 10:00 pm. $56.00 per person. Reservations required.

Note that Tersiguel's will be closed January 5-7, reopening Thursday, January 8.


All Month Long

Mondays: Aida Bistro hosts Neighborhood Pasta Night, with a range of pasta entrees from $9.99 up.
Mondays: LeeLynn's has Crab Cake Monday, $11.50 for a sandwich or $13.50 for dinner.
Mondays: Mama Lucia has Pasta Night: buy one pasta entree and get the second for $3.99.
Mondays: Waverly Grill has 1/2 price pizzas.
Mondays: Ten Oaks Tavern has discounted burgers, chicken breasts and martinis.
Mondays: River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price burgers and discounted beers.
Mondays: Serafino's has 1/2 price entrees, excluding specials.
Mondays: Victoria Gastro Pub has its Beer Club night from 5pm to close.
Mondays: La Palapa offers 1/2 price pitchers of sangria and margaritas.
Mondays: Clyde's of Columbia has 1/2 price bottles of wine.

Tuesdays: La Palapa offers All You Can Eat Tacos.
Tuesdays: Waverly Grill has 1/2 price burgers.
Tuesdays: Greystone Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Tuesdays: LeeLynn's Burger Night, $6 burgers with any two toppings.
Tuesdays: Mama Lucia offers Pizza Night: buy one large pizza and get the second for $2.99.
Tuesdays: Ten Oaks Tavern offers Lobster night: 1 and 1/4 pound lobster for $15.99.
Tuesdays: River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price wings and discounted beers in the bar.
Tuesdays: Serafino's has 1/2 price bottles of wine.

Wednesdays: La Palapa offers 1/2 priced appetizers.
Wednesdays: Ten Oaks Tavern has crab cake dinner special for $14.99
Wednesdays: Waverly Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine and kids under 10 eat free (with adult entree).
Wednesdays: LeeLynn's has 1/2 price bottles of wine.
Wednesdays: Mama Lucia has Wine Night: 1/2 off any bottle with purchase of an entree.
Wednesdays: River Hill Sports Grille has 1/2 price wine and 1 and 1/2 pound lobsters for $18.95.
Wednesdays: Serafino's has 1/2 price appetizers.

Thursdays: La Palapa offers Free Dessert.
Thursdays: Waverly Grill has 1/2 price pasta (excluding seafood).
Thursdays: Ten Oaks Tavern has Prime Rib night: various cuts from $14.99 - 22.99.
Thursdays: Victoria Gastro Pub has 1/2 Price Bottle of Wine night after 5pm.
Thursdays: River Hill Sports Grille has a steak and shrimp combo for $15.95.

Fridays: Waverly Grill has Early Bird special 10% off entire bill between 4-6pm.
Fridays: River Hill Sports Grille has $4 martinis.

Saturdays: Waverly Grill has 1/2 price bottles of wine and 1/2 price appetizers (excluding seafood).

Sundays: oZ Chophouse offers Sunday Football in the Bar from noon.
Sundays: Waverly Grill offers 10% off your entire dine-in check.
Sundays: Greystone Grill has Prime Rib for $19.
Sundays: River Hill Sports Grille has $4 Bloody Marys all day.

Happy New Year!

Best Wishes to one and all for a safe,
prosperous and Happy New Year.