Really? Giant Eagle?

Normally, I like to post about places that I have eaten and fill you in on my own personal opinion – not necessarily shared by everyone. However, today I have opted to instead talk about grocery shopping.

I am not a terribly efficient grocery shopper. I don’t clip coupons, wait for sales, or scour the paper for deals. I don’t plan the family meals a week in advance and then collect all the necessary ingredients so that I don’t have to keep running back and forth to the store.

Rather, I’m the one who ,mid-afternoon, is hit by the realization that two hungry teenagers will actually be expecting dinner at some point. So, I open the fridge and take a gander. 12 types of mustard, 8 jars of miscellaneous Indian concoctions, Thai chili sauce, hoi sin, sesame oil, nuoc nam, sambal oelek, sweet pickles, sour pickles, gherkins…oh you get the gist. There’s no food in there – only condiments.

Anyway…..the kids are expecting some kind of chewable food-type item for dinner – not just a selection of condiments. So, I ponder the options. More often than I care to admit, this particular need is satisfied by the culinary delights offered at Costco. Not terribly healthful, but so completely convenient.

Sadly, we cannot live on fat and sodium forever – so I gird up my loins and head to the grocery store. I have a fairly large Weis right in my neighborhood. And I do shop there on occasion. Although it has improved over the years by adding new items and brightening up the place - shopping there is less than thrilling.

And then there’s my sweet little find. It looks like a complete dump from the outside. Plopped on the Olden Mile, outwardly it is as inviting as Fredericktowne Mall. It’s in that kind of rundown looking strip center that has a pet store, a dollar store, a diner and some other non-descript storefronts.

I’m not sure why I ever stopped there in the first place. I think that maybe I was in desperate need of dog food and so just kind of ran in on my way home from visiting the shoe repair guy in the mall.

Anyway, in I went. What???? Are you kidding me??? Where the heck am I? 10 different types of lettuce, 6 types of greens, 8 types of peppers – and they are all beautiful! Not the wrinkly skinned soft types I often find in my store – but beautiful, enticing oblongs of poblanos and jalapenos. Every single vegetable or fruit I wanted was not only available, but was presented in a clean, accessible and enticing manner.

So, I loaded up the cart. As I left the citrus behind, I lifted my head. There before me was the cheese department. Not just an unattended oblong display case with the same cheeses I can normally find at Costco (only more expensive) Oh no – this was a REAL cheese department. 400 types of cheese, fig jams, company- ready spreads . And….a real person working behind the counter! You want to try the smoked eggplant dip? No problem…here ya go. You want to taste how the fig jam works with the manchego….here, take a taste. I was completely impressed.

And could the cheese girl been any nicer? No she could not not. So I bought a bunch of cheese to go with all the peppers and arugula in the cart.

Next up: the “ethnic” aisle. Unlike other grocers I visit – the ethnic aisle in this Giant Eagle is an entire aisle. Not just a few feet tucked away at the end of canned beans. But the whole darned aisle (even though they do take some liberties with some of the so-called “ethnic” Italian items) . You want Mexican? No problem, there are a multitude of different salsas to peruse – and not just Pace and Old El Paso either. Plenty of flavors and options I’d never heard of. (Note to self: sometime this summer, I HAVE to do a jarred salsa tasting. I don’t have high hopes that I will like ANY of them – but I can dream). They’ve got Indian and Hispanic and Italian and British and Kosher. British is ethnic?

After adding 80 pounds of condiments to the cart, I was about done shopping. My three major food group needs were fulfilled: produce, cheese , condiments. Before I left though, I did take a gander at the meat and seafood departments as well. Nice. Not Trouts …. But nice…

Oh, and by the way....for all of you busy guardians of children - they have an on-site child care area where your kids can frolic while you shop. And... you can earn "Fuel Perks" that are good for a discount on your gas purchases at the Get 'N Go on Rt 40.

At the end of my excursion, I was just delighted with my “find” of a grocery store in Frederick. And I hope you find it a “find” as well. Now, if I could only find room amidst the condiments to put all the groceries away…..

The Shamrock - My Luck Runs Out

It was a perfect evening weather wise – so down the convertible top went and up the highway we went. Thurmont was our destination, the Shamrock our dining choice. It was my father’s suggestion to give this old Irish standby a try – and so we did. (In general, you should always listen to your father)

I actually liked the ambience – it was kind of old-fashioned, cozy with lots of clover decorations. It was kind of like your grandmother’s house if she were the nurturing, cooking, apron-wearing, chintz-covered sofa kind of grandma. (Mine was more the kreplach making, oy-gevalting, “No, you don’t need to change the lightbulb, Dark is Good” kind of grandma - so this was new to me!)

The menu was short, but the offerings were solid: fish, steak, chicken, crabcakes. On the recommendation of the server, we ordered crabcakes ($22) , the haddock imperial ($22) , and an interesting-on-paper mixed seafood platter ($20 something).

In short, nothing was great. Nothing was really even good. It was all “OK”. The crabcakes were indeed moist – but tasted more like mayo than crab. The tasted-like-it-may have-once-been-frozen haddock was as firm as number 8 on the Serta perfect sleeper, and the mixed platter – yawn.

Dinners were accompanied by a little bowl of green beans. Now, I happen to like green beans. I can eat them prepared in a myriad of ways. But, remember the grandma reference earlier? Well, she would be in luck with these veggies.

Grandma (or maybe even grandma’s grandma) could have eaten these mushy green cylinders even after her teeth were efferdenting-ing in the glass on the bedside table. Gee whiz - did they pick them up at the Golden Corral buffet?

I will now say something nice. The wine offerings were an amazingly excellent value. A full bottle of Kendall Jackson Reserve Chardonnay was about $23. That’s hardly any more than retail – and a fraction of the ridiculous markups that most restaurants embrace. So though the food made me sad...the wine made me glad!

Alas, a not so pleasant dining experience at the Shamrock. The clover didn’t bring us any luck at all.

Lucky Corner - Lucky You!

I have been a huge fan of Vietnamese food ever since my first taste back in the early 80’s. 25 years ago, this branch of Asian cooking was not yet the ubiquitous staple on the scene as it is now. I was duly impressed with the bright flavors and the generous use of herbs and aromatics to boost flavor. Pho and Bun became regular go-to dishes when I was in the mood for Asian.

Over the last 25 years since my first taste, I have had the chance to sample both wonderful and pedestrian versions of my favorites. I have found Lucky Corner at the corner of 7^th and Market Street to be a mostly pleasant place to have a meal.

As has happened with much of the ethnic food that is served in the US, the chefs , in an attempt to appeal to the masses, dumb-down their offerings. In Asian restaurants especially, this generally takes the form of dumping mounds of sugar into the dish. Yes, the kids will then love it – but adults with a hankering for authenticity can be thwarted by a sugar rush.

This is the case with some of the dishes at Lucky Corner. In particular, the Black Pepper Shrimp (or sometimes chicken) tastes more like dessert than an entrée. I know that sugar is a traditional ingredient in this dish – but it is an accent flavor and shouldn’t be the primary taste note.

The summer rolls are insipid – lacking any oomph to stand on their own. The hoisin/peanut/sriracha dipping sauce is an absolute necessity to get any flavor. I’m not sure why these are so pricy – they are mostly noodles topped by an almost transparent sliver of shrimp, a touch of mint and tightly bound in moistened rice paper. I will say that I am always impressed by how tightly they can roll these things. My attempts at home never duplicate their results.

On a brighter note – the pho is very good. A large portion filled with all the usuals – thinly sliced meat, bean sprouts, lime, jalapeno, noodles, aromatic with star anise. Sometimes the basil & cilantro are missing – but a request to bring an extra plate of them is always fulfilled quickly. The large is more than enough for two to share.

The Cha Gio are tasty – but as is common in restaurants, they aren’t filled with enough of the good stuff that you would expect for the price. I always hope for seasoned ground pork, shitakes, maybe some nice crab. There are just too many fillers in these bites to qualify as a good value. But, as a lover of just about anything fried – they do taste good – especially when wrapped in a lettuce leaf and dunked in the nuoc nam.

The bun dishes are very good – nice and light with plenty of grilled meat (the grilled pork is sweet and carmelized), perched on a bed of lettuce, chilled cucumbers, scallions and rice vermicelli. The nuoc nam is, of course, a bit on the overly sweet side – but is otherwise nice and pungent. It doesn’t have a kick like some do – so you have to add your own heat if you like some spice.

Overall, I do like Lucky Corner. It’s not the most authentic Vietnamese food I’ve ever had – but it’s definitely worth putting on your go-list.

Fajita Grande - Very Grand Indeed

Muy Bueno!! 2 little words that succinctly express my feelings about Fajita Grande out on the golden mile. As you may be aware, the golden mile is not generally renowned for its fine culinary delights. However – this tucked away space is worth seeking out.

Before I begin to extol its virtues, let me first mention the service. OK, I’ll start with my personal favorite: Sam. Sam makes the meanest margarita in the county. Perhaps in the 3-county area. (I’m still trying to sample all of them). I’m a purist, so admittedly I have only partaken of the standard margarita offering: tequila + orange liquer + lime juice + a bit of sugar. And Sam knows how to mix these perfectly. My friends who stray beyond the basics have been delighted with the berry-flavored margarita offerings: mango, passion fruit…. You get the picture.

Be warned however. When you polish off that first drink, you will think you want another and you will order one. Then you will drink it. And when you tip that glass and polish off those final drops of agave goodness – you better just hand the car keys off – because there is no skimping on the tequila poured in these grande glasses.

OK, the food. If you love traditional tex-mex style Mexican food – you are in luck. They take all the standards, and prepare them well. The free salsa provided upon arrival is just plain delicious. Tomato, cilantro, onion, pepper, and a little more cilantro…. Tasty! So tasty in fact, that many of my meals have been stowed in the doggy bag half-eaten due to my somewhat successful attempt to consume my body weight in those little bowls of spice.

On the occasions when I have saved room for dinner – I have been generally happy with the kitchens work. The chicken specials are normally very good – although there have been some slip-ups primarily due to overcooked boneless chicken breasts. It’s very difficult to keep a boneless breast moist & flavorful unless it’s drenched in sauce.

The menu isn’t wildly exotic– no huatlicoche or molcajete de arrachera – but they do whip up some pretty doggone decent flautas, fajitas & Tacos al carbon. Like I said – this is pretty standard tex-mex fare. But they do a better than a standard job of preparing it.

Looking to try some of this yourself? You will find Fajita Grande just off of Rte 40. on Willowdale, just behind the KFC. If you’ve lived her awhile – you will recognize the site as the former home of Sam’s Convenience Store & China King.

Luke's Pizza Company

Luke’s, Luke’s, how do I love thee? Let me count 5 of the ways:

1. That Chicken Modena Salad. Big hunks of white meat chicken moistened with a creamy glaze, nestled on fresh greens, sidled next to roasted sweet peppers, olives and topped with chopped pistachios. Thank you for allowing me to pretend that I’m being good by ordering a salad instead of the lasagna.

2. That Antipasto Salad. So much meat!!! An Italian cold cut lovers dream. Plus you throw in some eggplant slices, roasted rep peppers and soft, fresh mozzarella just to put it over the top.

3. That Sweet Italian Pizza – sweet sausage, caramelized onions, roasted peppers served sizzling hot on some pretty doggone decent pizza crust.

4. Those Foccacia Rounds – perfect for every single party I’m invited to where I’m instructed to bring an appetizer. The spinach and gorgonzola foccacia was a favorite – and not just with the vegetarians. And back to you cold cut lovers – imagine a circle of herb seasoned foccacia, piled, and I mean piled, with Italian meats, sliced neatly into diamonds and drizzled with Mike’s vinaigrette.

5. That fried artichoke appetizer. If you go there and don’t order this – something is seriously wrong with you. I don’t care if you’re no-carb, low-carb, low-fat, slow fat – these little nibbles are worth cheating for. Halved artichoke hearts are lightly coated and flash fried. The resulting morsels are hot and crispy on the outside while remaining soft and artichokey (yes, that is a word)-on the inside. As a bonus, they are served with a nice garlic aioli (don’t breathe on anyone)

On the surface, Luke’s appears to be one of those run of the mill little take-out places that dot the landscape of strip shopping centers all over this country. But don’t let its outward appearance fool you!

All ordering is done at the walk-up counter. You can choose to eat on-site at one of the few tables available at the Crestwood location. (no tables at the Spring Ridge location). Or, as most do, you can take your goodies home with you. Although, when I took my pizza home, the crust had already gotten soggy. Better to eat it there so you get the full benefit of the great pie.

The folks working behind the counter are exceptional. I am always treated as if they are genuinely happy to see me and are anxious to find out what I want to order! Service can sometimes be a bit slow , especially when they are backed up with phoned in orders.

Take the kids – this is definitely a friendly, moderately priced spot for the family.

Luke’s Pizza Company

http://lukespizzacompany.com/

6942 Crestwood Blvd.
Crestwood Plaza,
Frederick, Md 21703

Phone: 301.668.2424

Spring Ridge Location:

9009C Old Baltimore Pike
Frederick, MD 21704

Phone: 301.418.6328 | Fax: 301.418.6331

The Lodge at Blue Ridge Summit

As we drove up the driveway, still slushy from recent snows, the anticipation mounted. Things were looking good. The lodge appeared before us – unpretentious yet welcoming. The absence of other cars in the parking lot did not dissuade us. We were venturing out midweek and rather late for the typical lunch crowd: 2:00 on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-winter. Consequently, the lack of other diners was not surprising.

Rather than being concerned, we instead envisioned the delightful prospect of attentive service and one-at-a-time meals that we would enjoy as the only customers in the deserted dining room.

Through the front doors we stepped. What a show! As we gazed past the elegantly attired dining room, our eyes were drawn across the tables, through the enclosed outdoor patio and outward to an absolutely gorgeous panoramic view of the valleys and hills of nearby Eastern Pennsylvania.

While enjoying the amazing view, we were greeted warmly by the one young woman on duty who served as both hostess and wait staff. Allowed to select any table we desired, we decided on that one perfect table that provided views of both the great outdoors and of the wonderfully warm glowing fire crackling in the massive fireplace. The scent of wood smoke permeated the room generating a warm, welcoming sensation all around.

2 gold stars so far. View and ambience.

But, there’s more to culinary heaven than warm ambience. Time to peruse the menu. Oh, it was hard to decide. How to choose, how to choose? Appetizers alone created a dilemma. Crab bisque or roasted butternut squash soup? Sautéed mussels in a roasted red pepper saffron broth or herb & red chile accented grilled pizza dough layered with fontina, parmigianno-reggiano & mozzarella? Not a pedestrian selection in the group.

And, then there were the sandwich entrees. Each one sounding as enticing as the others. Ribeyes and crab cakes and big old juicy angus burgers and reubens on marble rye and, need I go on?

But wait, I haven’t even mentioned the most exciting part. This is M.L. Carroll’s place. You know you know who she is. ML is and has been the owner and top chef of Canapes catering in Frederick for years and years and is widely regarded as one of, if not THE top food executors in the area. Never disappointed with any of her catered affairs in the past decade – we were salivating at getting a taste of what she could do in her own restaurant.

We expected amazing culinary delights to come out of her kitchen when she didn’t have to make 250 at a time. We just knew that this would be the perfect venue for her to showcase her incredible talents. We were almost giddy with anticipation.

From all of the choices on the appetizer menu, we selected two: the crab bisque and the Avocado Spring Rolls served with a peanut sauce and a sweet chili dipping glaze. Props to the bisque. Actually very tasty with plenty of crab meat and flavor. The bisque was not overly thick as can often happen with less attentive chefs. So, yay for the soup.

Sadly, the praise must now come to an end. My mother always told me not to say anything if I didn’t have anything nice to say. So, if I were a good girl, and always did as my mother told me, then the review would end here. But who ever said I was a good girl?

For those of you who only like good news, I suggest you stop reading now. For there was nothing else we ate that lived up to its billing.

The avocado spring rolls? Well, they were hot. The delicate almost unseasoned avocado filling would have been far better served by a light wrapper – perhaps a phyllo dough or a thin spring roll wrapper. Instead, it was enmeshed in a hard eggroll type wrapper that did absolutely nothing to enhance the flavor of the dish. It could also have benefited by the addition of salt. And the accompanying sauces? Both overly sweet. And the peanut sauce had a clumpy skin on top – almost as if it had been sitting in the refrigerator without benefit of a lid.

The fire grilled ribeye? The generously portioned yet flavorless, unseasoned, unmarinated un-anything piece of meat had absolutely no grilled flavor - nor flavor of any kind. Oh, and the cracked peppercorn and horseradish cream with which it was supposed to be topped? Nowhere to be found.

Where the heck is the salt cellar in the kitchen? Did we somehow end up dining on “reduce your blood pressure day”??

How about the creamy lump crab cake served on toasted focaccia with a Chesapeake remoulade? Creamy is not the adjective I would use to describe the texture of this well portioned cake. More like, doughy. Too much filler, not enough lump crab meat. Oh, and like the topping for the ribeye, the promised Chesapeake remoulade was not to be found.

Hey, it’s not like the place was packed and the kitchen staff was working frantically to garnish plates. We were the ONLY people in the restaurant! You would think that they could pay a bit of attention to the food they were sending out.

Our server handled the missing items with aplomb, appearing promptly with replacements. The horseradish cream was fine. But the Chesapeake remoulade? Can you say mayonnaise with relish?

But, I have saved the best for last. The omnipresent “Pasta Creation” served with each entree. The creation that graced our plates consisted of old cold egg noodles with a few julienned pepper strips thrown in for color. And a slice of mushroom.

You know the hard edge that pasta gets when you have it in the fridge too long? Well, the Lodge’s pasta creation made an art of them. My guess is that at some previous meal, wide egg noodles were served as a side dish and there were just too many left over to throw out. Add a bare minimum of slivered veggies, sprinkle on far too little parmagianna and voila: Pasta Creation!

What the heck happened here? Where are the refinement of flavors and taste explosions for which M.L. is known and respected? Is she even in the workspace anymore or is she torn between too many responsibilities with the lodge, the inn and the catering business? Or was this just an anomaly - a single day when the chef was out of town and the staff members didn't step up?

Oh, we so wanted to love it there. The view, the ambience, the crackling fire. Sadly, our Great Expecations turned in to Bleak House.

Marsala's Is So FINE (except for the wine!)

I can, admittedly, be quite a fussy diner to please. I expect my food to be well prepared, served at the proper temperature, correctly seasoned, and worth the dollars I plunk down for it. Often, I am disheartened by the meals I order in restaurants.

But, every now and then, I unearth a gem. A rare ruby in a sea of cubic zirconium. And I found my latest gem at Marsala’s in Walkersville. Oh, how my mouth waters just thinking of the magic owner/chef Emilio creates. Appetizers prepared to order - actually served hot enough that you have to let them cool for a few moments before you can begin to savor them! And the entrees – wow. From the classics to the eclectic, Emilio definitely knows what he’s doing.

I have loved every single entrée I have had the pleasure of ordering at Marsala’s. Romano chicken sautéed to perfection, enrobed in a delicate crust and served over perfectly seasoned pasta, traditional lasagna so rich you want to stop eating but you can’t because it’s so delicious that you are physically unable to resist, eggplant parmesan made of thick slices turned velvety by his deft hand in the sauté pan.

The food is truly delectable. If you have been frequenting the dime-a-dozen “found in every town in America” Italian joints – then you owe your tastebuds a trip to Marsalas. Why buy fake when you can get the real deal?

The only flaw in this little gem of a restaurant is the meager wine selection. I do like a nice glass of chardonnay or pinot noir with my meal. Alas, the wine choice here is abysmal. I wish he would open a nice bottle that would truly complement his amazing food.

My only other concern is that often, we are the only diners there. Although I appreciate the individual service we get as the sole customers, I wish that more folks would venture beyond those ubiquitous cookie-cutter “dressing from a bottle” restaurants and come experience what good Italian really tastes like. We will all gain when we allow this diamond of a find to sparkle and enjoy the success it deserves.