Jasmine

As promised, I will continue talking about the amazing meals we've had over the past few months. There's plenty to write, as after all, just because the blog seemed to be on hiatus, our appetites were not.

One of our favorite places to visit has been California Tortilla. Eventually, I will get to that, but right now it's only being mentioned because it is a means to the next delectable location.

For a few weekends in July, California Tortilla would randomly close early (which was quite sad, some of the time). However, on one specific occasion, we made lemonade out of the lemons known as "closing early". We'd been eying some nearby places for awhile, and this seemed like the most apt time to take a chance on one. We took a short walk around the corner and ventured into Jasmine Asian Bistro's Quarry Shopping Center location (Greenspring Ave):

The interior of Jasmine was gorgeous and simple, some Asian-themed decor and a slightly dark atmosphere (not too much in the way of overpowering lights!). Overall, though, we didn't get a good look at it during this visit (but we did on a later date), but instead ended up enjoying the great outdoor seating on the patio.

Out on the patio, the sun kept us warm, and the breeze kept us cool, and the building across the street provided decent shade from the setting sun. The wire-frame tables were fitting for the patio atmosphere, and the accompanying chairs were some of the most comfortable patio chairs I've ever had the pleasure to sit on while eating.

The food at Jasmine is a mix of Chinese (American Chinese), Japanese (some American, some traditional, plus sushi - including American sushi ideas), and Korean (specifically, they're big on Korean BBQ). My PIFC felt that it was the perfect day for sushi, and thusly ordered a plate of Philadelphia rolls. I went for a favorite staple of mine, chicken, and ordered "crunchy honey sesame chicken", which seemed like a great combination of ingredients.

When the food arrived, it looked absolutely amazing. The Philadelphia rolls looked just like normal sushi rolls, but tightly rolled with a gorgeous piece of fish and wonderful, fluffy bit of cream cheese. The chicken was golden-brown with a hint of red tint, slathered with sesame seeds and served on a bed of rice noodles.

Both orders lived up to their appearance: the chicken was crispy and sweet, while the sushi was soft and delectable. I usually hate cream cheese, but I loved it in the combination it came in.

The only real drawback to Jasmine is that it's a bit pricey compared to similar destinations.

Been busy... Eating.

My PIFC and I have been very busy. We've still been eating (or else I wouldn't be here to write this, I suppose), but I haven't had enough time to sit down and write anything on here. Soooo, as a consolation, I'm going to try to sum up some of the awesomeness we've experienced since early July.

First, and foremost (only in chronological order, though, I suppose), we tried out the delicious food of Quarry Bagel & Cafe on Greenspring Avenue:

At the Quarry Bagel & Cafe, they sell an assorted array of sandwiches and salads. Some have interesting names (they call egg on a bagel an "eggle), while others are simply WISIWYG (like the turkey burger). Their prices are little higher than you'd expect when buying a simple bagle (3.25 for an Eggel, which is simply egg on a bagel), but it's well-worth the money, in my opinion.

The first time I attended (no photos, sorry), I had a delicious turkey club. The bread was perfectly toasted, and the tomato was probably one of the juiciest tomatoes I've ever had on a sandwich. The turkey was dry, but that kinda cold dry that is what you'd want on a club. My PIFC had a delicious salad, full of vegetables and other assorted goodness, all piled high on a square plate.

The second time, I got my BREAKFASTY SUPER SPECIAL SANDWICH: A blueberry bagel with bacon, egg, and cheese. I "created" this abomination (well, some call it that, but I call it "awesomeness") by accident, years ago, when I worked at a deli. A daily breakfast customer came in, and we just happened to be out of almost every type of bagel. In fact, we only had one type of bagel: blueberry. So, he asked me if I thought it would be a good idea have his BEC on a blueberry bagel. I told him that I wasn't sure, but I'd try it if he would. We both ended up loving it - the blueberry gives a nice fruity, sweet taste to offset the mounds of sodium in everything else on the sandwich. It was a hit with me, and a hit with him - he came back and got his BEC bagel on blueberry every day from then on - and I continued the craze, too. But enough about the history, I suppose...

Their version of this was awesome. I don't know where they get their bagels, but I wish I did, because I'd buy bagels from that place constantly! The egg was thick and fluffy, and the bacon crispy... While the cheese melted nicely over everything.

Soon after, we made it back to The Rumor Mill^[1]:

At The Rumor Mill, we partook in various parts of that weekend's "Market Menu",^[2] as well as things from the regular menu. I had their Orange Cashew Chicken as an entree, while my PIFC ordered a rice ball appetizer and something else that I can't remember right now.^[3]

The Orange Cashew Chicken came with tiny, tiny, tiny chopped-up pieces of cashew, and a delicious orange sauce (I am guessing it was probably manadarin, as it had that kinda sweetness to it), as well as bowl of crispy vegetables and rice. It was an absolutely delicious take on a simple "American Chinese" food dish. And while that was great, I have to move on to one of the most interesting things I've ever seen in a restaurant.

From the appetizer menu, we ordered FRIES AND KETCHUPS. Yes, that says KETCHUPS. The fries came with four flavored ketchups: Mandarin/orange, Ginger, Truffle, and Spicy. All four flavored ketchups were absolutely amazing and each added a unique flavor to the slightly salted, crispy fries.

Finally, from the Market Menu, my PIFC ordered a delicious banana beer, and we shared an amazing chocolate cheesecake (also from the Market Menu).

Next up: Jasmine Asian Bistro and Ikea (yes, I fucking said Ikea!)^[4]


1. Earlier entry on The Rumor Mill.
2. Our waiter described it as a menu of special things for a particular weekend, made up of foods purchased from local stands and distributors.
3. It came in a bowl and was delicious, though, apparently.
4. And yet to come... Z-Burger, Chili's (yeah, we had something that's wroth writing about on here), Osaka Asian Fusion, unknown-named diner @ an Amish Market, and the wondrous, magical, masterful Mexican grille: Mari Luna.

Tour de Cupcake 2010

Tour de Cupcake 2010: A day of cupcake joy.

My PIFC and I spent all of the 3rd of July eating cupcakes. We ventured from one location to the next, buying cupcakes and consuming them. In the end, we only had three cupcakes each, but that was more than enough to kill my desire for cupcakes for another few days. Now, it's not that they were bad or anything - in fact, quite the contrary is true. However, eating pretty much nothing but cupcakes for a day chips away at your sweet tooth.

At Wegman's, we sampled some silly-looking confections that were quite delicious.

Later, we visited Barnes & Noble, where we picked up a chocolate cupcake made by The Cheesecake Factory.

Finally, we bought "Fresh Bakery" cupcakes from a kiosk at Towson Town Center.

In the end, the clear winner, by knockout in the third round picked unanimously by us was... Fresh Bakery. The cupcakes were both the most attractive and the tastiest!

Another day of delicious desserts...

The Falls Rd-Greenspring-Mt. Washington area is so rife with delicious dessert foods, I'm not sure if I can ever "collect them all". But, as long as they're there, the internet exists, and I'm alive, I'll keep writing about the best ones. Or the worst ones.^[1]

Today, I'm writing about "Bonjour French Bakery & Cafe" on Fall Rd. This place is a quaint little building, adorned with cute things and drowned in purple paint. The color really makes it stand out from just being another little old house on Fall Rd. Once you drive by it, you'll probably never forget where it is... And, if you do, you'll find it again pretty easily. But I digress, as this is not called "the exteri0r dec0rati0n bl0g".

So, what does this place sell? All sorts of delicious dessert foods. They had pies, cakes, cookies, pastries - and even dog treats!

I got a delicious chocolate mousse cupcake, which was one of the most velvety soft chocolate things I've ever had. The icing part was smooth and full, and the cake part was chewy, yet mushy. But that's not even the beginning of how awesome this place is! You see, my PIFC got something so much more awesome than that.

My PIFC got some sort-of mocha dessert with whipped cream... That came in an edible chocolate tea cup.

I recommend this tiny bakery to anybody that likes delicious sweet stuff.

Their website: http://www.bonjourbakerycafe.com/

1. If I find a bad one, I promise to write about that, too.

The Most Decadent Cake... Ever!

Do you like chocolate? I mean, do you REALLY, REALLY LIKE chocolate? If so, I have the the food for you: Triple Chocolate Brownie Cake from Fresh Market.

This is a two layer, rich, fudge-y cake. It comes with pile of rich frosting (with some chocolate chips mixed in) on top. And, to complete the ensemble, all-star dessert, it's also got some fudge-y syrup-y stuff, and some white chocolate lines for accent!

This was one powerful cake. It kicked my mouth's ass. Once we each had eaten a piece, both my PIFC and I were afraid that we wouldn't have any sorta restraint around it; it's really just that fucking good.

So, if you like rich, chocolate-y cake, have $6, and don't mind driving to Greenspring Avenue, you should check this cake out!

Fresh Market is located at the Quarry Lake Shopping Complex on Greenspring Avenue, a little over a mile south of the the Greenspring exit on 695.

When A Generic Chinese Food Location Isn't So Generic...

Anyone ever been to Hunan Chef on York Road in Lutherville/Timonium? Well, if you have, then perhaps you know what I'm talking about.

From the outside, it looks like an unassuming, typical Chinese takeout location. I'd venture to say the inside looks pretty typical, too, complete with the giant back-lit photograph of a beach-front with a giant stone structure jutting out from the forest behind it.^[1] Even the menu, in many places, is that of a generic Chinese takeout menu; all of the normal favorites find a place on Hunan Chef's menu.^[2]

Beyond that, though, we get to the nit-and-grit of it all: the food. The food here was absolutely delectable. I ordered orange chicken, and when I devoured it, it blew my fucking mind. It had a bit more kick to it than your average takeout orange chicken - it lit my mouth on fire in a good way. The chicken itself was juicy and soft, with a nice crisp coating of batter. Strewn throughout the sauce were hearty chunks of orange peel and quite a few hot peppers of some sort. Like a typical Chinese takeout, it came with some broccoli. The broccoli wasn't real anything special, but I did appreciate its crispness.

My PIFC (also known as the Worst Vegetarian Ever) ordered a "cheesesteak egg roll".^[3] Yes, that says CHEESESTEAK and EGG ROLL, folks! It contained steak, cheese, a little bit of mushroom and onions, and was absolutely delicious-looking (and actually delicious, according to her).

The price was in-line with normal Chinese takeout prices for the area, and the guy who took our order was super friendly and genuinely interested to see us there. He even let us in at 11:36, when the hours stated they closed at 11:30.

1. You know the picture, you've probably seen it before... And at several different places.
2. With a few small, but amazing differences.
3. This being one of those small, but amazing differences.

Rumors abound...

In the past, I've heard rumors about a great place in Ellicott City, MD. The rumors sad that The Rumor Mill (pardon this terrible pun sequence) was a great place to eat. And, as it turns out, those rumors were most factual.

The Rumor Mill is, as it labels itself, a fusion bar and restaurant. They serve a good mixture of Asian and American-inspired entrees, as well as some other stuff. My PIFC suggested we go to it, since she'd always wanted to go. Having heard good things myself, and then reading the menu, I couldn't resist. So, my PIFC I went there for my birthday last month, and it was one of the best experiences either of us have ever had. If my memory serves me, the food, the atmosphere, and the service were all magnificently awesome.

I'll start by describing the service, which was top notch. We had a waitress, a hostess, a guy that brought us alcoholic beverages, and two other random guys that brought us part of our meal. All five of these people were friendly, outgoing and professional.

The hostess greeted us politely at the door, and asked us if this was our first time there and if we wanted to sit at the bar or not. We informed her that we had a reservation (not that we needed one), and she quickly went to the computer nearby to find our reservation and to help us to our seats. Most impressively, when my PIFC called, she made the reservation for "Team Awesome", our once-secret moniker.

The fact that the restaurant allowed her to make such a reservation impressed me. They look like a fancy place, but they obviously know how to have fun. Apparently, when they called her earlier in the day to confirm it, they asked for "Misses Awesome" on the phone. Ten points for going along with our silly nonsense, Rumor Mill. Ten free points, right there!

As it was our first time there, the waitress gave us a quick rundown of the menu and suggested a few things for us. This was definitely helpful, as the menu was full of waaaaay too many delicious-sounding items. In addition to that, she stopped by several times during the meal to ask us how everything was and to offer us refills on our glasses of water, which seemed friendly and not too overbearing. Personally, I can get annoyed if a waiter or waitress comes by too often during a meal. However, this young lady never got annoying, and I think it was because of her friendly and outgoing attitude - she really seemed like she wanted us to be there.

The atmosphere was spectacular. The restaurant and bar inhabit a small, back-alley house in historic Ellicott City. The bar was right inside the front door, and the restaurant seemed to mostly consist of the second floor of the house, with an additional small area of seating on the first floor.

To get to the dining area, we had to walk up a magnificently grand staircase. It was twice as wide as a typical staircase. It seemed to be made of its original wood, which, with its aged and stained look, was quite classic-looking. The staircase also had what was probably its original railing and banister.

When we reached the top of the staircase, the world was open to us. The were an entire second floor up there, fit into what looked like it might've been some sort of attic or something. We were basically in a loft, at this point.

The decorations on the second floor were minimal, but classy, while the paint on the walls was of a muted tone and perfect for the setting, and a row of windows (which started at your feet) lined the wall that faced the alleyway. And, being able to look down at the entrance and bar really made the place feel more open.

And, finally, the food. Oh. My. Gods... THE FOOD.

THE FOOD.

THE FOOD. WAS. AMAZING.

My PIFC ordered a "tomato tower", which was basically balsamic vinegar and basil-infused goat cheese layered between fresh tomatoes, and drizzled with extra-virgin olive oil. I have never, in my entire life, had a juicier tomato than the ones in that tower. I wish I knew where they got the tomatoes from, as they were juicy, red, and delicious. The olive oil and balsamic vinegar really added to the tomato-eating experience. And, while I personally don't like goat cheese, my PIFC said it was absolutely delicious.

I ordered chicken tempura, which came with a zesty orange sauce and BBQ sauce, both of which are apparently made "in house", and both of which were absolutely delicious. On the outside, chicken tempura really appears to simply be chicken strips. And you know what? Maybe it is. Maybe I really did order glorified chicken strips at The Rumor Mill. But guess what? They were the best damned chicken strips I ever had, then. The chicken fell apart in my mouth, like a piece of fish might. The batter was soft and flaky, and went perfectly with the sauces. To be honest, I think the batter's flavoring actually helped bring out the intensity of the sauces' flavors.

And... Those were just our appetizers!

For her dinner, my PIFC ordered crab dumplings. I don't eat crab (worst Marylander ever, I know), but I must say, these things were absolutely delicious. The actual dumpling part was soft, but also crispy (which sounds like a contradiction, but it's not). The meat inside was mixed with several things, most notably a dijon-mustard flavoring. According to their website, roasted garlic and Old Bay are also a part of the mixture, but to me, the dijon flavoring stood out the most, and that's what I remember. They were served with "sweet soy sauce", which was a perfect companion.

For my main course, I ordered what might seem as a boring, normal item: chicken teriyaki. However, I assure you that it was not boring or normal at all. The chicken was cooked to a slight perfection, just tough enough to be chewy, the way chicken teriyaki often is, but perhaps a little softer than most restaurants. The teriyaki sauce seemed to be some sort of "sweet"-flavored teriyaki sauce, and the assorted vegetables were fried to perfection. The only thing that was normal at all was the rice: the soft, puffy white rice that came with it was actually pretty average for white rice.


After we finished eating, our waitress asked us if we wanted dessert. And you know what? As full as I was at this point, there is no way I could ever turn it down. My logic was as follows: As great as the rest of the food was, the dessert couldn't possibly be anything other than amazing.

And, I was proven correct. My PIFC ordered us banana wontons. Yep, I actually just said banana wontons. It was a mixture of brown sugar, cinnamon, chocolate, and banana all wrapped up in a delicious, crispy shell. The order came with three delicious little wontons, drizzled with some sorta chocolate sauce, and served with Kahlua espresso ice cream. Yep, I said Kahlua ice cream. Mmmmhm.

Before our appetizers ever arrived, my PIFC also ordered some sort of delicious alcoholic beverage that I can't remember the name of. However, I'm pretty sure it involved blood oranges.

All-in-all, it was a fantastic experience, and I would suggest it to anybody that cares to try Japanese-American fusion food. If you haven't tried anything like that before, this would most definitely be a great first experience for you.

1. I used their website description for more accuracy in the meal descriptions, because I can't be expected to remember every detail from a month ago.

Crepes, crepes, crepes.

Yes, today I am writing about the wide, wonderful world of crepes.

Crepes are a delicious food from Brittany, a region of France. Not only does this food hail from France, but it is actually quite French: elitist, aloof, airy, and sometimes fruity.^[1]

I digress, though. I think that is quite enough about all of that word/food etymology and the like!

Crepes are a type of thin pancake: a very, very thin pancake. Sometimes, they are so very, very thin, they actually resemble a flour tortilla more than a delicious pancake. People sometimes eat crepes plain, but usually they come with something on them. The most popular way to eat them is as a "sweet crepe", usually with fruit or a fruit spread on them (or caramel). Another popular way to eat a crepe includes putting meat on them/in them/around them.

Now that I've explained to the ignorant masses what a crepe is, on to the true purpose of this blog: a dining experience. I'm going to set aside the rest of this entry to discuss a particular crepe I found enjoyable: a chicken, tomato, and cheese crepe from Mina's Crepes in Towson Town Center.

Mina's Crepes is still kinda the "new kid on the block" (no relation to Donny Wahlberg's music group) at Towson Town Center, but that means nothing in the scheme of things. Mina's might be new, but they are 100% delicious and awesome.

Mina's serves very tasty, very, very thin crepes, which they make to order. You can order them with a variety of delicious accouterments, including both sweet things and meat things.

I went to Mina's last Sunday with my PIFC. We both ordered different things, and both were amazingly delicious. I got my crepe with chicken, tomato, and cheddar cheese on it. When I bit into it, it was like a tasty little bundle of salty joy. It was especially good accompanied by whatever honey mustard they use there.

The crepe itself was soft and tender, not too chewy or tough. While I had a little difficulty cutting it with a plastic knife, that had no real bearing on how good it was. The chicken was some of the best chicken I've had as a filling in anything I've ever ordered that had chicken as a filling, and the tomatoes were crisp and fresh. The cheese was perfectly melted: with each bite, strings of cheese fell from my mouth, down to the plate below.

My PIFC ordered a sweet crepe which contained caramel, granola, and strawberries. It looked like an adorable little breakfast-y pocket of goodness. In addition to the delicious caramel inside, some more caramel was drizzled across the top of the finished crepe, which made it glisten with sugary delight.

In her own words, "the strawberries were really fresh, and the granola gave a nice, crunchy contrast to the strawberries". That sounds delicious, and I really wish I'd tried it now.

Not only was the food delicious, but the staff at this eatery was particularly friendly and helpful. Everybody behind the counter seemed to genuinely be happy that we were there, and were just as friendly to the other customers that came before and after us.

In addition to the friendly staff, and delicious food, the prices were absolutely fantastic. A crepe costs $2.39, and any meat is $1.00 to add to it. Tomatoes and cheese were $0.50 each. The fresh fruit seemed to follow the pricing of meat at $1.00, and granola and other similar items were like the tomato and cheese: $0.50. My PIFC and I ate for about $13, which included our crepes, a bottle of water, and a medium fountain soda. These days, I don't think you could even pull that off that cheap of a meal at McDonalds, and the quality of the food at Mina's is a thousand times better!

Mina's might be the best thing in the mall (which, admittedly, isn't hard to do).

1. You know, the word "crepe" is even a French word, now that I think about it.

This is about blueberry muffins.

I love those things; they're absolutely delicious!

In my experience, the best blueberry muffin experience for your money can be found at Double-T Diner. Their muffins are slightly buttery, of quite a a decent size, and they a good, full flavor of grain and fruit. And what can be better than that? You can order them slightly grilled for an extra bit of awesomeness. These muffins are a perfect side dish for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. They also make a great stand alone item, and go quite perfectly with a cup of hot chocolate, especially if you get the hot chocolate with whipped cream on top.^[1]

The muffins so good that I often find myself craving these wonderful little bakery items at the oddest of times. I have found myself driving somewhere and simply thinking about them randomly, then craving them. The mere mention of Double-T (or the sight of it) conjures up powerful cravings for these things: they're that addictive.

Sadly, Double-T has found themselves embroiled in some controversy and lawsuits. According to news sources, allegations of sexual harassment of employees by management are common, so I personally no longer feel comfortable eating here. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a restaurant with as good of a blueberry muffin.^[2]

1. For an added bite, order a glass of Irish Mist or some other sweet alcohol, and mix it into your hot chocolate.
2. If you're not looking for a sit-down experience, Safeway's bakery section has what is probably the best muffins of any grocer's bakery section. They're rather huge, quite buttery, and filled with chunks of blueberry.

Why?

This blog is dedicated to the culinary adventures of myself and my PIFC (partner-in-food-crime).

We often find ourselves venturing far and wide (okay, far and wide from our respective locales, but not far or wide from Baltimore itself) for food experiences. Sometimes they can be as simple as trying something different at the local Chili's. Other times, however, our adventures bring us to a strange fusion restaurant where the menu is so diverse, we really just want to order one of everything.

Having experienced so much delicious food in the past, we feel the need to share our experiences so that others can make an educated choice. So, from time-to-time, one (or both of us) will write about the delicious food we find ourselves ingesting.