Friscos - Sandwiches, Salads, Potatoes - Oh My!

AKA Frisco’s

Wedgewood Blvd (off of English Muffin Way)

301 698-0014

I like this place. Even though every single person working there is:

Younger than I am

Cooler than I am

Now that I’ve gotten that ego basher out of the way….let’s talk. As I said, I like Frisco’s. They don’t have the best sandwiches in town (Juliet's Italian Market in downtown Frederick and The Buzz in Monrovia do), but they do have decent sandwiches, huge salads, fair prices, cool ambience, good cookies, and lots of avocado. Oh, and of course, Exploded Potatoes.

Let’s start with the exploded potatoes because, let’s face it, almost everybody does. Usually, you can expect every bite to be a hot, tasty combination of potato, cheese, onion and bacon. You will want to take that little plastic spoon and get into every nook and cranny to get the last bite out. But, sometimes - the kitchen has a bad day. Greasy potatoes, dry potatoes, over-dressed potatoes. I’m sure there’s a recipe back there – but given that a potato’s natural sugars and moisture content can vary – the cook needs to adapt to changing produce conditions.

Sandwiches – just a huge variety. From the all-veggie Mission with melted brie, to the S.F. Fatboy – a carnivores dream with ham, salami, bologna, provolone, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomato, Bermuda onion. The fillings are always generous and the choice of toppings vast.

Alas, I’m not a fan of the breads they use. Many are just soft, insipid, filling holders - they add nothing to the sandwich. A really fantastic sandwich is good inside and out. They need some real bakery breads (hello, Stone Hearth!). It might add a few cents to the sandwich, but it would be worth it for the added savory value.

Salads- trust me on this – even if you are a gezunde eater, you should order the small. (If you have no idea what gezunde means, then you obviously haven’t been to enough Bar Mitzvahs. I will help you. An example. You are at a reception. The “Harringtons” have enjoyed the cocktail hour and have consumed 2 chicken satay sticks and a mini-quiche. They are full and cannot eat dinner. Uncle Izzy scarfs down 12 satay sticks, 3 deviled eggs, a mountain of meatballs, a pile of pickled herring and has a roll tucked under his arm – just in case. He then polishes off the 4 course Cornish hen dinner with optional (yes I will, thank you) dessert. Uncle Izzy is, my friends, a gezunde eater).

So – unless you are Uncle Izzy, or are sharing, order the small. The aluminum pans they are served in are piled high with crispy lettuce and smothered in the toppings of your choice. The Santa Fe is especially good. Romaine lettuce topped with Southwest chicken and surrounded by veggies, pasta, sour cream, tomato salsa, & shredded cheese. Cobb Salad fan? Theirs starts with Romaine lettuce topped with diced turkey, natural pasta, crunchy fresh cut veggies, bacon, ripe California avocado, and shredded cheddar cheese.

Sounds SO GOOD. But alas, they ruin it. Why? Bottled dressings. Why oh why oh why would you take a deliciously fresh salad and pour nasty bottled dressing on it? Especially when it’s so easy to make dressing from scratch. You know, it’s one thing to have bottled dressing at Subway – but a restaurant that prides itself on serving fresh salads should go the extra step and serve fresh dressing as well. (A question for all you good people out there: Would it be rude to bring my own dressing with me? Lord knows I often have to ask for guidance when determining the rude-factor of something I am considering. Tact is not my strong suit. So – feel free to comment. If I love their salads and hate their dressings…would it be ok to bring my own? I await your response)

Soups – others seem to like them, but they have never made one that I was crazy about. They aren’t bad, they just don’t hit the right flavor notes with me. I can’t pinpoint what it is that I find lacking in them. They taste, and I hope like heck that I’m wrong, like they are made with canned goods. Maybe pre-made salsas and canned tomatoes? Too much cumin? It’s kind of like art – I can’t define why it’s not good, I just know that I don’t like it.

Wine – go on Friday to their wine retail store. All wines are just $1 over cost. Now’s the time to sample that luscious pinot that you have salivated for ever since Sideways.

All in all, I like Friscos. And with enough of that well-priced Pinot Noir – I can start to believe that I’m as cool and young as the cool, young people that work there...

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

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

The review below was written a few years ago. Sadly, I no longer can recommend Marsala's. The last few times we have gone the food just hasn't lived up to its past reputation. It's quite unfortunate as we had some very good meals there.

If you still are interested, here's what I wrote a few years back:

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.

The Quest for Pad Thai

Pad Thai is the “it” dish of Thai cuisine in our hometown. And we have lots of restaurants that serve it: My Thai, Thai Rice, Hunan Gourmet, Fuzasion, Café Kyoko. The list goes on… But where to go for a dish of that perfect pad thai. Those tender noodles redolent with garlic and shallots , perked up by a squeeze of lime and tamarind . Mmm hmmmmm! Soft and sweet and salt and crunch all in one bite! It is a fabulous little dish – simple to prepare and easy on the wallet.

But if this is what you expect to find at our local Frederick eateries – time to lower your expectations! I found a heck of a lot more Bad Thai than Pad Thai! Most of the offerings were great big gummy globs of coagulated noodles. Overcooked , over-sweetened and over-priced. But, if you insist on ordering the Sad Thai anyway – choose the version at Thai Rice on the Golden Mile. Though not quite perfect, it at least didn’t send my pour soul into insulin shock.

That’s it for this week’s Dining Diva.