Technology & MSG

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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So The Men Who Stare at Goats has its moments, but not enough. Sadly, it is a case where the trailer holds most of the good stuff.
Clooney is a face actor. One of those guys who can bring intensity and disbelief at the same time. Like a lot his past movies — Burn After Reading, [...]

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It just occurred to me that I’ve seen a lot of movies lately.
I really enjoyed Zombieland. Funny, violent, and quirky, with a spectacular cameo. It was just as someone described it to me: “It’s definitely a zombie movie, but different than anything I could have expected.” I almost went to see it again this past [...]

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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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An unexpected gem, as seen on TV.
The opening credits of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang grabbed me right away, drawing me in knowing absolutely nothing about it. Really well done. As are the main character’s monologues directed towards the audience. As are the titles interspersed throughout the film.
I found it a quirky and clever whodunit with [...]

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The Kite Runner glossed over the immigration issues and the bulk of the extrication issues, themes that were prevalent in the book. It also glossed over the suicide attempt, which I thought was important to the story.
If I had to guess, I’d say were chopped for time. I would hate to be an editor with [...]

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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 saw Public Enemies last night. Opening night, apparently. You could have fooled me, the mall was vacant. Sign of a Wednesday night? or one of the times?
I remember seeing the trailers in the theater and saying “damn, I’ll surely be seeing that.” With Johnny Depp and Christian Bale facing off, how could you go [...]

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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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I’ve been reading a lot lately.
Newjack: Guarding Sing Sing is the fascinating account of one journalist’s one year stint as a correctional officer in a maximum security prison. Effectively undercover and unknown to the state (which wouldn’t grant this sort of access), he really immerses himself to get a taste of what goes on behind [...]

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After several years hearing about it, I finally made it to Pasta Plus in Laurel.
All the reviews and stories about the surrounding strip mall being somewhat dilapidated are true, but it still retains some classiness inside. Dressed in jeans and t-shirt, I felt slightly underdressed walking into one of the three dining rooms. A collared [...]

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