Exit 26A and B: MD-45 (York Road, to Lutherville and Towson)

Both branches of Exit 26 seem to lead, eventually, to the same place. If you don't wind up on York Road in Lutherville, you will wind up smack-dab in the middle of Towson (see Exit 27, if I've put it up by the time you read this). In this stretch of York Road there are a few strip malls, McDonald's, chain stores (CompUSA just closed down forever today), and a few places to eat. Even though I live around here, I hardly know this stretch of York Road. So it's good that I try getting to know it a little better. All I know of it is the Towson Diner (map), where I have enjoyed the occasional hamburger. Not a big fan of their fountain drinks, or any fountain drink you can get from a diner (it's not so much them as it is any diner). I do put theirs above the Double T's at least. Apparently their breakfast is pretty good, though I'm not really the "big stack of pancakes" type.

I also got the crazy idea to submit something to the Washington Post Peeps photo contest (never got around to it, but I might still try to make one just, you know, for fun). So I headed to the Michaels by that big Borders and across from the Mars supermarket. Along the way I stopped in Ridgeley Plaza to find a cheap lunch. I saw pizza (Olympia Pizzeria, map) and Chinese (Panda King, map), but I wasn't in the mood for either. Again, places to look up later.

Heading back down York Road, towards Towson, I passed by a few places that have caught my eye before, mostly seafood places. One place that always hits me is the Nichi Bei Kai (map), which always seems to be closed when I pass by. Are they? And are they affiliated with the ones in Columbia? I don't know. I should try it out, though I have been reading both great and grating reviews of the place. I also passed by Tako Seafood (map), which seems to be a market that also has eats, including sushi.

My attention was drawn to the Ocean Pride crab house (map). Just the idea of steamed crabs at this time of the year seemed too enticing to pass up and I had to investigate. This place has a main bar and restaurant area (no more smoke - Yippee!). I went into the carry-out area instead. It had a nice fridge case with fresh, raw shrimp and urshters, freshly made (I think) cole slaw and other stuff. The counter had mallets galore for the buying (75 cents each), and a big shiny, fancy mallet in a box (price?).

I was also taken by surprise to see a wall of wine bottles. On a Sunday! I don't know how they get away with it; I just hope they continue to do so. (Should I be saying this? They won't get into trouble I hope.) Maybe it's because they have a bar.

So I glance over the menu that the guy behind the counter gives me (there's also a plastic letter menu above the fridge counter). Various things caught my attention, mostly of the "more than I want to spend" variety. Since it was crab I had my eye on, I gave up and splurged this time. I saw many different preparations of crab, but one I hadn't seen was the fascinating (fried or broiled - I got the latter) crab cake wrap, with Old Bay ($11). I also got the onion rings ($3), which I had no idea would be so large.

The onion rings were a little soggy after the 15 minute car ride. They may have been crispier and better otherwise. The flavor was good - had they not gotten soggy I would've liked them better. But they were very very greasy. I brought some for lunch the next day, and it took several paper towels, soaked to translucence, to remove half of it. I didn't finish them. I did finish the pickle wedge. I love pickles.

Damn, that's a lot of onion ring for $3. A potato chip is held in place for comparison.

The wrap didn't smack too much of Old Bay, but I am pleased by many a crab cake, and this is an original and convenient way to serve one. I probably would get it again, but definitely not the onion rings. Too much grease. I will have to stop by to try the crabs.

The crab wrap, bisected

The plated food - yummm

Places I visited

Ocean Pride (crabs / Chesapeake / seafood) - 1534 York Road, Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 321-7744

• Would I eat there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Maybe.
  

Towson Diner (diner / Greek) - 718 York Rd, Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 321-0407

• Would I eat there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Mmmmmaybe.
  

Places to look up later

Nichi Bei Kai (Japanese / sushi) - 1524 York Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 321-7090
Olympia Pizzeria (pizza) - 1764 York Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 252-4740

Panda King (Chinese) - 1770 York Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 561-5888

Tako Seafood (market - seafood / sushi) -1540 York Rd, Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 339-7966

Exit 23B: MD-25 (Falls Road)

I made my most recent beltway stop before I hit New York the week before last. I just have not had the time to write about it! In retrospect, there was a lot I still need to see off of the Falls Road exit off the beltway. This stop takes you to Greenspring Station. I think it really does hold true: one never truly gets to know his hometown until he leaves it. In the few years I lived in California, I would explore things when I came back to visit that I never had even heard of. Then I moved back, and went right back into "Eh, I'll get around to seeing it sometime" mode. Had it not been for this weblog, I still would be stuck in that mode. It's really forced me to explore this city and state in ways I did only on occasion.

I say that because I had no idea that Greenspring Station even existed. And why would I? I never get up to that part of Falls Road. Sure I understand it's kind of new, but still, no clue over here. It's one of those upper-middle-class sort of places where it's not quite easy to find something affordable to eat. I was about ready to smack this one guy I passed by - he was telling someone, a security guard I think, how he usually takes a limo from the airport or something. Something that caught me off guard, as a wee bit pretentious.

Likewise, my first impression of Greenspring Station - after that it was there in the first place (!) - was that it was a little expensive. It's a fun little place for shopping, tailoring (women only), eating, even going to the doctor. Just expect to lay down some moolah. I set out to not lay down too much. My target lunch: $10 or less.

It's strange, but as nice a place as this is, one would think they'd have a web site or something. No. The powers-that-be didn't seem to have that kind of foresight. So I won't be able to give a play-by-play of all the places I saw. I just don't remember them all. That's all the more reason for y'all to go see it for yourselves. But a few of the ones that I do remember include:

• a little liquor - er, wine - store-slash-deli that I didn't get to. It's a place to keep in mind for later.
• likewise, a little specialty store that sells specialty nuts and things. Again, check it out later.
• a new steak house opening up in Greenspring Station. Because doofus forgot to take a photo of it, I can't remember its name either.

I did stop in the Stone Mill Bakery (map) to see what they had to offer. Cozy yet not cramped or even that small, Stone Mill is divided up into two sections, a smaller, comfier "ready-to-eat" side and a larger, brighter bakery and deli counter side. Each side, however, serves all the same menu items. I thought I'd step up and order something, and looked at the menu. I had no idea that a Reuben could cost $10.50. In fact, most of the dishes - okay, all of the dishes - were a little pricier than I was looking for. It looks like a nice place to eat, but it will have to wait.

I next found the Poulet Gourmet Catering and Restaurant (map). I thought it was a chain - it's a small one - but I'd never been in so I took this opportunity. Wow, it does have lots of different things in it. It's like a rotisserie/combination pit beef/"ready-to-eat" sandwich shop/Boston Market gone Cajun/creperie/ice cream parlor. In fact, the City Paper calls Poulet's ice cream the best in the city for 2005 (eat that, Cold Stone).

With so many choices, Mr. Indecisive was in trouble. What to get? Out of all the things I saw, their wall of sweet and savory crepes looked particularly interesting. Each is named after a different local Catholic or other private high school - there's the Notre Dame, the Gilman, the Loyola (Dons, not Greyhounds), the Boys' Latin, etc. The Loyola particularly caught my eye, because its description basically reveals a "Reuben crepe": corned beef, Swiss cheese, Russian dressing and cole slaw all melted together into a delicious savory crepe ($7). So I ordered that, along with a large homemade chocolate truffle ($1). I ate the truffle in the car, which was a mistake - chocolate truffles should be eaten at room temperature, not fresh out of the fridge.

The Reuben crepe was probably better in conception than execution. For one, it was kind of messy, with Russian dressing all streaming out. This is not a crepe you can pick up. Not that I was going to, but try it and you will get covered in Russian dressing (you have been warned). It was also pretty difficult to cut apart. I blame this not so much on the knife as on the brand of corned beef. It was plasticky in its texture, difficult to chew or even cut, and not terribly exciting in its flavor. Note to Poulet: choose a new brand of corned beef. This one is not very good. The Loyola crepe also doesn't hold up too well on reheating, becoming even more of a big, Russian dressing-soaked mess after a few days in the fridge. I might try this on my own, if I could only make crepes very well at all (note to self: invest in a crepe maker - and a food processor, because you need a new one). I would definitely go back to Poulet, as there is just too much there to not try. But if you're looking for gourmet crepes, steer clear of Loyola.

Places I visited:

Poulet (rotisserie / deli / crepes / ice cream / catering) - 2436 W. Joppa Road (Green Spring Station), Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 339-3900

• Would I eat there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Sure, at least to try some of the other stuff

Places to look up later:

Stone Mill Bakery (bakery / deli / cafe) - 10751 Falls Rd (Green Spring Station), Lutherville, MD 21093; Phone: (410) 821-1358