Technology & MSG

I went to Victoria Gastro Pub for lunch today with some coworkers. While a tad too fancy for my day-to-day tastes, I liked it. The food was flavorful and filling. Servers dressed in black, providing excellent table service.
After eating at Hot Doug’s in Chicago, I was ready to try a Bucket of the Duck Fat [...]

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Second Chance Saloon is a nice little neighborhood joint, tucked back in the folds of Columbia. They’ve got live music, decent prices, specials, and best of all a kitchen that delivers.
For the most-part, the photographs speak for themselves.

Second Chance Nachos, consisting of “tortilla chips piled high and topped with seasoned beef, cheddar jack cheese, jalapenos, [...]

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I finally made it out to Coal Fire this week, a pizzeria where “charred to perfection” is their motto. Sure enough, they live up to it; their coal-fired oven produces a very thin crust with a crisp bottom and a charred top. It’s enjoyable but I didn’t notice any change in flavor. Should I have? [...]

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I had heard about House of India before. Good things, mostly. The word of mouth sort. I had read a favorabe review by a blogger whose tastes tend to resonate with mine. According to their web site, Shyam Prakash — the chef there — even had the privilege of cooking spicy lamb vindaloo for President [...]

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A group of my friends were in town for Thanksgiving, so we all went out to dinner at Pad Thai last night. The restaurant is located on West Street in Annapolis, just across the street from Stan & Joe’s Saloon and a brief walk from Rams Head Tavern. Warm and inviting, Pad Thai is filled [...]

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You’ll find fresh appetizers, good food and decent service at Los Portales, across Aviation Boulevard from the BWI airfield. I would eat there again, but only if I were in the area. If I were catching a movie at Hoyt’s or taking someone to/from the airport. The margaritas — supposedly the best in the area [...]

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After reading an online review of Hot Doug’s, I knew I had to go there. Billed as “The Sausage Superstore and Encased Meat Emporium,” I craved hot dogs for more than three weeks before my trip to Chicago (no thanks to Jon for that aspect). I’m back, having experienced Hot Doug’s in person. In short, [...]

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Pho. Pronounced “fu” as in fu__… yes, that’s correct. Vietnamese noodles and beef in broth. The ingredients can vary, but that’s the essence. It’s simple and tasty soup.
Pho 89 — based solely on its bland exterior — had the potential to be another strip mall gem that I would enjoy. Located on the south side [...]

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The Annapolis installment of Fado Irish Pub & Restaurant offered a much better experience than its Washington, D.C. counterpart. My biggest gripe there was that people would hover around your table, hoping to grab it once you were through eating. Not so in Maryland’s capital, where a host/hostess will seat your party. They take reservations [...]

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Don’t let the garish and almost comically blood red exterior fool you, Hunan Manor in Columbia is worth a visit. If you’ve got a group of eight or more, try the family-style dining. It’s a very reasonable way to try a lot of different dishes and it feels more like home even when you’re eating [...]

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Ever since one of the owners of Gourmet Shish Kebab (GSK) was in the news pleading guilty to spying for Iraq, I couldn’t in good conscience continue to eat there. Due to the quality of the food however, it continues to be my basis for comparison when it comes to kabobs.
Enter Maiwand Kabob, a small [...]

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I’ve been wanting to eat at Tampico Grill for a while. It’s small. It’s local. It’s been around for at least five years without any major changes, though some of my coworkers say that there used to be a cheese steak joint in its place. It’s got all the indicators that it could be another [...]

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Egyptian Pizza has been a longtime fixture of Belvedere Square, long before it was revitalized with upscale and trendy boutiques. Based on my experience Friday night — both good and bad — it is easy to see why.
The restaurant has a wall-mounted booth along the right side of the room, with about twenty tables spread [...]

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My last time at a P.F. Chang’s was somewhat disappointing, though my friends tell me that it’s more about the ambiance than the food and that my take-out experience shouldn’t count. In honor of a coworker leaving the project and moving onto other things, we went to Columbia for a luncheon.
The lunch menu consists of [...]

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I was invited to a screening of Sin Nombre at The Charles last night. In a word, it was intriguing. Unlike Traffic’s alternating light/dark-hues, the cinematography is rich and clear. The language is beautiful and like most subtitled films you don’t even realize you’re reading and watching after a short time. No noticeable camera tricks, [...]

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