Exit 30B - MD-41 North (Perring Pkwy)

If Exit 30A takes you to house after house, Exit 30B takes you to shopping galore! And there is so much stuff down here. I'm not even talking about the food. This is the commercial side of Exit 30, and where there is shopping there is food.

So where to start? Well, driving around Perring Plaza and the surrounding complexes, I found three basic types of food options:

• strip mall eateries with (probably) inedible food. Okay, I shouldn't assume, but I have been burned so many times in the past that I'm just afraid to try the latest "China Fun House" hole-in-the-wall greasy wok or "Bubba's 'New York' 'Style'" long-forgotten, long-forgettable pizzeria. Please tell me if I missed something.
  
• strip mall eateries with more or less edible food. There were precious few of these, such as Mamma Lucia's Ristorante Italiano (da Fausto) (map), and Perring Parkway's own branch of Wockenfuss Chocolates (map). I'm not sure if Mo's Fisherman's Exchange (map) fits into this category or not. It's certainly expensive enough. Most people seem to like the place, so its probably worth a visit.
  
• stand-alone eateries, such as
  
• Pete's Crab House (map), by Satyr Hill Road. It's open "7 days a week" as the sign said, though there was no one there at the time (too early in the day to just get crabs, I reckon)
  
• Milano's Family Restaurant and Carry-Out (map), offering up typical subs, pizza, Italian and Greek delights
• and the Parkville branch of El Salto (map), which is still very much open!!!
  

After much hemming and hawing, I finally stopped by Mamma Lucia's for an extremely satisfying spinach and three-cheese stromboli. At $7, it was one of the cheaper lunch items on the menu (like most of the better Italian take-outs, the place ain't cheap). Not that they didn't have other things on the menu, but again, most of it was more than I could spend right now:

• Chicken Marsala, normally $15 (add a dollar for veal marsala), but today it was the lunch special for only $9
  
• Chicken Baltimore ($18) - chicken, shrimp and crab meat in a light marinara sauce
• Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce was the cheapest pasta, for $10, with Mostaccioli alla Napoletana (marinara and Parmesan) for $11, Fetuccine Alfredo for $12, and the standard Spaghetti with either Meatballs or Sausage (ah, a choice!) for $11
• And check out their seafood dinners, including the very Neapolitan Posilipo (mussels, clams, shrimp and squid in marinara) for $19, and Shrimp Cacciatore for $16
• Mind you, most entrées come with salad and garlic or non-garlic bread
  

When I have the time and money, I will certainly stop by to try some of these mouthwatering options. But for now, with computer and car repairs driving me batty, I am in a "what-can-I-get-for-less-than-ten-bucks" kind of mood. Mamma Lucia's doesn't have much in that way, but what it does have that cheap is still quite good.

The folks at Mamma Lucia's, which the proprietors boast is "owned and operated by an Italian family" (my ancestors would be pleased), happily point out that their customers swear their food tastes like homemade. Well, I've never had a homemade stromboli, but the one I had was, indeed, delicious. I finished the rest for dinner last night (not something I can eat in one sitting). Even after a 15 minute car ride home, it still tasted good and hot. My word, the marinara sauce was hot! I will have to go back for more of their strombolis.

My delicious stromboli, before...

...and after

Other Photos:

Aaaaah, majestic, sunny Perring Parkway. Or is this Joppa Road? Ah screw it.

So Dave's not here?

And here is Pete's - yes, empty during the lunch rush. How many people do you know who just order up a bushel for lunch?

Places I visited:

El Salto II (Mexican - visited the Brooklyn Park location off of Exit 3A) - 8816 Waltham Woods Road, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 668-3980

• Would I eat there again? Yes, at either location
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Otra vez, ¡sí!
  

Mamma Lucia's Ristorante Italiano da Fausto (Italian) - 1991 E. Joppa Road, in Perring Plaza, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 665-5900

• Would I eat there again? Same here - yes
  
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Ancora, si!
  

Places to look up later:

Milano's Restaurant and Carry-Out (Italian / Greek / American) - 8811 Waltham Woods Road, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 661-4352

Mo's Fisherman's Exchange (seafood / American - one of five locations around Maryland) -2025 E. Joppa Road, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 665-8800

Pete's Crab House (crabs) - 1946 E. Joppa Road, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 661-8210

Wockenfuss Candies (candy) - 8800 Waltham Woods Road, in the North Plaza Shopping Center, Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 882-5770

Exit 30A - MD-41 South (Perring Pkwy)

I almost gave up on this exit. I had some real trouble finding any food close by to Perring Parkway and Putty Hill. I wasn't going to give up on this post altogether, but I was planning to lump 30A and B together. After all, I know there is food in the other direction near the K-Mart and the Home Depot. Lucky for me I passed by Taylor Avenue, down which there were some good choices for lunch.

After all my car repairs, and probably computer repairs after that, I wanted as cheap a lunch as I could find. Most of the places here are in a cheap-eats sort of budget:

• Maria's Pizzeria (map) is closest to the intersection. It is fairly difficult to miss and will be the next stop when I am out this way.
  
• Hale's Seafood (map) - Dealin' in crabs, urshturs, and the like since 1953. Really nothing else to say here.
  
• Casa Mia's (map), whose lasagna and New York-style pizza definitely have their fans.
• Hill's Deli and Catering (map). That's all I know about it so far.
  

The nicest (and probably most expensive) restaurant down this road is local stand-by Pappas (map), who specializes in crabcakes and American cuisine. At the same address is the Western House, which appears to be your standard restaurant-bar

If you drive far enough, you will pass by the Moreland Memorial Cemetery, whose entrance looks like something out of the Enchanted Forest.

I finally stopped next door to Hale's Seafood, at Godfrey's (map), a small and simple place selling burgers (many varieties, none more than $4 with fries and small fountain drink), fifteen different varieties of wings (10 for about $7, and 30 about $17 and a quarter), ribs ($8 for 1/2 lb.), subs (glorious subs ranging from $3.50 to $6) and sno-balls (didn't catch the price - but it is indeed that time of year). There isn't anywhere to sit inside. It's pretty much a counter with a bench for waiting.

One thing Godfrey seems to excel in is their variety of burgers - twenty by my count. A few examples:

• The "Big G" (their priciest, at $4.25) - has everything but the kitchen sink, apparently: "LTM" (lettuce, tomato, mushrooms - or was it mayo?), ketchup, raw onions, jack cheese, mushrooms and bacon. This ain't health food, people.
  
• The Loyola ($3.75) - three cheeses, Swiss, Cheddar and Provolone. Mmmmmm.
  
• The Morgan State ($3.50) - Cajun spice, and that's about it.
  
• The Hawaiian ($3.95) - includes teriyaki sauce, Canadian bacon and pineapple.
  
• The Mexican ($3.95) - Monterey Jack, chili and jalapeños. Again, yum.
  

The one I got was the Coppin State Burger, topped with almost as much as the "Big G": Thousand Island dressing, onions, pickles, Cajun spice and cheese (your choice). It came with curly fries (Arby's style; you can also get fries and Boardwalk Fries) and a small fountain drink - I got Diet Pepsi, though they also offer root beer and birch beer. Grand total: $5. Nice price.

I knew it might not taste as well after 15 minutes in the car, so I had to eat some before I drove off. The burger was tasty and moist, and the toppings went nicely together. I hate to say that the Cajun spices got totally drowned out by everything else. I only remembered that it was supposed to be in there after looking back over the menu. By the time I got it home, the burger was still tasty, though a little less so after the drive back home. The fries were crispier and more flavorful than most I've had from take-out places, even though they lost their crispness on the way home. All in all, it was pretty good. Not the best burger I have had, but I'd get it again.

The burger on my coffee table. Okay, I couldn't wait. I was hungry, dammit!

Other photos:

Yes, this is a cemetery. Why does it make me want to go visit the Three Little Pigs?

Places I visited:

Godfrey's (burgers / subs / wings) -1803 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 668-7421

• Would I eat there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Probably not for the burger, though I would at least try a few more varieties first.
  

Places to look up later:

Casa Mia's (pizza / Italian) - 1717 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 882-2400

Hale's Seafood (seafood) -1801 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 665-4000

Hill's Deli and Catering (deli) -1748 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 665-9966

Maria's Pizzeria (pizza / Italian) - 1812 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 668-2926

Pappas Restaurant (American / seafood) and Western House (bar / liquor) - 1725 Taylor Ave., Parkville, MD. Phone: 410-661-4357

Exits 29A & B: Cromwell Bridge Road and MD-524 South (Loch Raven Blvd)

$423 for new brake pads and a new set of calibers. And $50 for car rental fees. AND $20 more for a 1/3 tank of gas!

It was this mindset that I took with me in my zippy new, gas-guzzling "economy" car - a 2008 Chrysler Sebring from Enterprise - with less than 1,000 miles on it. The car I own and drive - and have just four more payments on before it's all mine - is a 2002 Ford Escort with over 128,000 miles on it. It's no longer a nice one, though one mechanic told me he'd love to have a hundred Ford Escorts.

But lunch still waited, and I was gonna do this anyway, so.

First I headed off the Beltway to Cromwell Bridge Road. I had that pit beef truck - at the bottom of the hill, around the intersection of Cromwell Bridge and Gleneagle (map) - in mind that I saw on my confusing excursion off of Exit 28. But I passed it up, since I had no cash on hand and kind of doubted that the pit beef folks would take a debit card. Oh well. I have to come back for it then.

After wandering up the hill, I found no food. A veterinary ER, a natural store, etc., but nothing to eat. So after a few other turns I finally went the other way, in the direction of Exit 29B, Loch Raven Blvd and that road-that-won't-let-you-escape, Joppa Road. Now I’m not ignoring the fabulous Bel-Loc Diner, a place I’ve written about before. But since I’m writing about places I haven’t written about before, you’ll hear nothing more about them. Just remember they have a pretty good hamburger, more satisfying than most area diners I’ve been to (Towson Diner – okay, Double T Diner – pass).

So here I found a few other places I need to go back to, past the huge and comprehensive Beltway Fine Wines & Spirits (map - I've mentioned it before but never really talked about it) most of which are on Joppa. A non-exhaustive list (that is, I left some out), amid the various Subways, McDonald'ses and Hooterses:

*Pastore's Italian Delly (map) - yes, delly - with Italian meats and cheeses, sandwiches, subs and a whole other mess of Italian products that will likely necessitate my visiting the place soon.

*Casey's Bar and Restaurant (map), which has karaoke, live music and its very own MySpace page (Casey's is 23 years old, a Libra, and straight. It currently has no children but hopes to someday.)

In addition are a few places to get a good dose of crabs - crab cakes, steamed crabs, soft crabs - etcetera. These are all pretty difficult to miss.

* Orchard Landing (map), touting itself as the finest seafood and steaks in the area. They got crabcakes, hon.

* Conrad's Crabs & Seafood Market (map), selling what else? Crabs and seafood. This will be the next one I visit when I'm in the area.

And then there was Don's Crabs (map; their "www.donscrabs.com" website is down, but check out this review from Life in Baltimore). With three locations, Don’s has been around for about 30 years, as it proudly states on its takeout menus. It is prime crab steamin’ territory, with a large area that looks sort of like the shower in a locker room, but with numbered chest-high spigots on the wall (at least fourteen). When I got there the guys behind the counter were getting ready to steam a bushel in a large metal cylindrical, er, steaming thing. (What is that called again? A steamer, right? They’re not gonna revoke my Maryland citizenship, right? Right?) On my side of the counter is a big, chair-and-table-free central are surrounded by cases of frozen and fresh seafood. Behind one freezer door lie frozen softs and quarts of delicious crab soup. I pondered a soft shell crab sandwich, but as usual I was bewildered and baffled by all the choices available to me.

Don’s sells both raw and prepared seafood, and apparently at the same prices. The menu offers up many cheap sandwiches and lunch offerings under $10, though if you’re not careful it can easily go double that. Among Don’s offerings, many available as sandwiches and entrées

• 4 and 6 oz crab cakes, less lump or backfin and more special, which I like in its own right, no too much filling, and fried (prices start around $6 for the 4 oz.)
• padded oysters – individually fried, $1.89 each
• soft shell crab sandwiches – at the market price. The day I went a soft shell crab went for $4.50 frozen (out of season, of course)
• steamed crabs, at the market price. They are not cheap anymore.
• fish galore! Flounder, catfish, lake trout (prices vary - cheaper for a sandwich, about $7 to $8 each)
• plenty of sides, including hush puppies, onion rings, fries
• they sell both Old Bay – in all sizes – and their own seasoning mix

Since I wanted to try as much as possible, I ordered a combo ($13): one 4 oz crab cake, flounder and clam strips, with two of a limited selection of sides (others are extra). My sides were small fries and cole slaw, but I wanted hush puppies, for which I had to shell out an extra $2.50 (for six). Grand total after tax: about $17! This had turned into no small lunch, but I would later find that this meal would take several days to finish (it’s Sunday as I write this, and I am getting my third meal out of this combo lunch).

The grub - and no it's not a very good picture.

Some thoughts on the grub:

• I liked the flavor and texture of the crab cake, small as it was. Even though I usually get mine broiled (it’s a little healthier in my mind than a fried one), I prefer the fried ones when I want to splurge on calories (which is rare). Again, I’m fine with special meat. Heck, sometimes I am even more in the mood for it instead of lump or backfin.
• They gave me four or five fried flounder filets, which were totally bone-free. Still they were kind of bland, and upon reheating, a little tough on the ends.
• Same with the clams – a little bland, though more flavorful than the flounder, and a little tough when reheated.
• As with most places, I found the fries to be forgettable, Maybe I should just stop ordering fries.
• The hush puppies tasted great, though they were a little doughy inside. Reheating them seems to solve that problem, if you reheat the whole plate on high for a minute.
• Don’s seems to adhere to the “little finely puréed bits of cabbage and carrots” school of cole slaw thought. It has its merits, and the flavor is nice. Still crunchy after a few days.

I’d like to stop by and try their steamed crabs at some point, though after spending so much lately on car repairs, and then almost $20 more on lunch (I should’ve gotten something smaller – something I have to do for Exit 30), I will have to put that off for now. I must mention that their service was very helpful and friendly, especially to the little old lady who came in looking for another crab place. It took her a good while to get in and out of her car. She didn't leave empty-handed, mind you; she did buy something at Don's.

UPDATE: Mark wrote me about a few good places, which you can read about in the comments section. But there was one I forgot about but I did visit a while back. The Orchard Market & Café (map) is a pretty tasty, BYOB Persian restaurant. The prices seemed pretty reasonable. I went there on a date a few months back and meant to write about it, but I just kind of forgot (too much happening, guess it got lost in the shuffle). So just to mention it: Orchard Market - tasty Persian food.

Other photos:

Orchard Landing is pretty difficult to miss. Just look for the big purple letters and the Gardiner's Furniture marquis (unless you're coming from Towson, in which case you wil have missed it if you pass Gardiner's)

Places I visited:

Beltway Fine Wines & Spirits (market - beer / wine / liquor) - 8727 Loch Raven Blvd., Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 668-8884

• Would I shop there again? Probably
• Would I go out my way to shop there again? Probably not, since I live near a few good places already
  

Don's Crabs (crabs / seafood) - 1764 E. Joppa Rd., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 661-1232

• Would I eat there again? Probably, at least to try the crabs
  
• Would I go out my way to eat there again? Maybe

Orchard Market (Persian / Iranian) - 8815 Orchard Tree Lane, Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 339-7700

• Would I eat there again? Yes, I just haven't gotten around to it
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Yeah, I think so
  

Places to look up later:

Casey's Bar & Restaurant (bars and pubs) -1742 E. Joppa Rd., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: 410-665-9683

Conrad's Crabs & Seafood Market (crabs / seafood) - 1720 E. Joppa Rd., Parkville, MD 21234; Phone: (410) 882-1515

Orchard Landing (American / Maryland / seafood) - 1528 E. Joppa Rd., Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 823-5050

Pastore's Italian Delly (Italian / deli) - 8646 Loch Raven Boulevard, Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 825-5316 and -5317

Pit beef truck (pit beef) - near the intersection of Cromwell Bridge Road and Gleneagles Court

Exit 28: Providence Road

Providence Road leads to nowhere. I don't mean absolutely nowhere. There are hundreds of lovely little houses in either direction off of Exit 28. But in terms of businesses, especially ones catering to a hungry Homo sapiens searching for snacks, your immediate options are, well, limited. A Royal Farms and a bowling alley, and that's about it if you go towards Towson. Nothing but houses and bucolic scenery in the other direction (squirrel stew anyone? They did make it in Maryland at one time. I think they still do. And no I'm not making fun of the idea. Hell, I'd try it!)

As is my custom on these Beltway Snacking trips, I drove around a bit to look for a place to eat. Down Providence Road - cop behind me, I hope she doesn't notice my one burned out brake light. Five minutes down a winding country road with churches and, yes, more houses. Back the other way, Providence, Cromwell Bridge, and finally I am at the entrance back onto the Beltway - via Exit 29 (note to self: check out the pit beef truck for your Exit 29A post).

Okay, let's try this again.

Turning back toward Towson, I eventually came upon Goucher Blvd, Joppa Road and the popular Towson Place complex, the only shopping center I know of that has both a Target and a Wal-Mart. I find myself here on occasion, less often these days. There are few non-chains that I know of in this area. As an aside: a colleague at work notes that she and her husband have gotten some less-than-exceptional service at the Panera Bread in Towson Place (I guess none of the Towson Panera Breads are very good). There is one place to eat here, the Einstein Bros. bagel shop (map), a not-so-famous chain with locations in almost every state. I used to go to the Beltsville location long ago as a student at College Park. I've been meaning to stop into this one, but I haven't gotten the occasion. I catalogue it as a lunch option in case I find nothing else.

Across the street is Joppa Road, originally a Native American road that European and African settlers started using as late as the 1690's. We have a few more businesses that offer potential. And no, I don't mean the Qdoba or the Applebee's. I do mean the Glory Days Grill (map) next to the Army Recruiting Center. This Richmond-based corporation has many Virginia locations, plus five in Maryland and one in West Virginia. Again, something to keep in mind for the future. As I drive around to find a way out I come across the Pickles and Chips Deli & Grille (map; Adventures in Baltimore Restaurants got here in October, about three months after they opened). This could be a promising lunch place. The promise of "breakfast all day" and the cartoonish pickle and potato chips on the awning and on the windows of the catering wagon are certainly enticing the hungry patron to come in. So I come in.

It's noon, and the homey Pickles and Chips is crowded, with several lunchers waiting in line for sandwiches and burgers, a few others for deli meats in the separate deli case (several types of pickles on top, I might add). I have to excuse myself out of the line so I can get a better look at the menu, but I can't see a thing! So I find one of the few take-out menus lying around and glance at the offerings. Wow, this place must be popular with local newsies! Check out some of these sandwich offerings:

• the Marty Bass (tuna, tomato and provolone on toasted everything bagel),
  
• not to be outdone, the Bob Turk (turkey club and sprouts, on whole wheat toasted bread - ahhh, sunshine-y!)
• the Laurie DeYoung (grilled ham and cheese sandwich on Texas toast)
• the 98 Rock Hercules (big - it's just big)
• the Mark Viviano (roasted turkey, cheddar cheese, hot peppers, on a kaiser roll - and say, whatever happened to John Buren?)
• the Maria Dennis (I love this description: "A BLT with more BLT than a normal BLT")
• and of course, the Brian Billick (3/4 lb of hot corned beef, though I think it's recently been fired)
  

Their list of burgers is intriguing, at an aveage price of $8. That price includes homemade cole slaw, homemade potato chips, lettuce and two slices of tomato, plus a small fountain drink and (of course) a whole pickle - not a slice, not a spear, but a whole pickle. My eye gravitated right to the Loyola burger (mushroom and Swiss) and the Goucher burger (add green peppers and sautéed onions to the Loyola burger). As for their answer to Alonso's, their 2 lb burger: it seems excessive, but if you get through the entire thing (dine-in only), they'll take your photo and post it on the wall. I am not that hard up for meat, so don't look for my Polaroid on their wall anytime soon. When all was said and done, their Reuben burger was the most intruging: a half-pound of meat (the rarest they will do is medium, unfortunately), with sauerkraut, Russian dressing and streaming gobs of Swiss cheese, on a Kaiser roll. Since I didn't expect the chips to be enough, I ordered an extra helping of curly fries for $1.50. After everything was added up, I owed $9.75. About 10 minutes later I had my food, to go (don't worry about the receipt saying "Dine In").

I wanted to get home, where I knew it wouldn't be in the exact same hot and tasty condition it was in the bag, so I sampled a few items:

• the cheese on the burger really did stream off when I pulled a piece of burger off, much like in a commercial. This was promising.
• the curly fries were edible, but very forgettable. Flavorless and boring, but you will do worse at many places.
• the chips were interesting, though I'm still up in the air on how I felt about them. Ripple-cut, hard and crunchy, and very thick. Their flavor was more distinct than the curly fries, a little more "well done" than the fries
• I liked my pickle.
  

At home I plated everything (oh God, I never thought I'd use "plate" as a verb) and dove in. The rest of the burger was quite good, and lived up to its promise. The meat was tender and juicy, and the cheese was a nice complement. I couldn't taste the sauerkraut, so that was a throwaway. But the Russian dressing was a nice, even sweet addition that I didn't at first expect. I'd eat this burger again. The fries? No, those I would not get again. I might try their onion rings the next time I go back (which I probably will), but not the fries. Again, I'm still ambivalent about the chips. I wasn't used to the hardness of the potato chips, so that did throw me off. And again, they were a bit more "well done" than potatoes really should be. One thing these chips were good for: the tomatoes. Since I was halfway done my burger before I even thought about my tomatoes and lettuce, and since I couldn't really peel the roll off the burger - the top was glued on with cheese, the bottom was a little bit soggy - I just started eating the tomatoes a la carte. These were actually flavorful tomatoes, so I did enjoy them. But then I got the idea to put the tomato slices onto the hard potato chips and eat them like they were on crackers. It was a pretty good idea, I think. Plus, the chips went well with both ketchup and Ranch dressing. I guess my final opinion on these chips, which are one of the namesakes of the place I bought them: they are definitely worth eating if they're free, but I probably wouldn't pay much for them otherwise.

Mmmmmmm. Burger. Ehhhhhh. Fries.

Other photos:

Take me home, country road

Places I visited:

Pickles & Chips Deli (deli / burgers) - 1220 East Joppa Road, Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 321-1088

• Would I eat here again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat here again? I probably would, but I'm not getting the 2 lb burger. Ever.
  

Places to look up later:

Einstein Bros. Bagels (bagels) - 901 Goucher Blvd, Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 825-0420

Glory Days Grill (sports bar / grill) - 1220 E. Joppa Road, Towson, MD 21286; Phone (443) 901-0270

Exits 27A and B: MD-146 (Dulaney Valley Road, to Towson)

As with so many other exits, this one branches off into two directions. Foodwise, there isn't much down Exit 27B except for houses. If you want some history, head down to what was the US's biggest house in 1790, the Hampton National Historic Site, a massive plantation which is now a site of many lovely Christmas celebrations, so I understand. Hell, it's run by the park service!

Going the other direction, there are many places I have frequented. Many, many places. I've eaten so much in downtown Towson, and written about much of it. So in case anyone plans to accuse me of leaving them out: Kyodai, Jasmine's (now off Exit 22 - the replacement is yet another sushiería), Kabob Hut, Sushi Hana (the Mt. Washington location, though apparently the original one in Towson is better), and Café Spice, just to name the big ones. And of course, the Towson Farmer's Market on Thursday mornings during the warmer months, up and down Allegheny Street. It's puny, but still a nice excuse to get on out to Towson.

There are a few places I have visited on or near Allegheny and Pennsylvania Streets, and a whole lot more I have not. But it seems that the rule of thumb in Towson proper is that if you throw a rock at any restaurant, that restaurant will likely be Italian, Indian or Japanese. Of course, I don't want you going around throwing rocks at these places. They probably wouldn't invite me back if you did.

A few years ago I stumbled across the Kathmandu Kitchen (map), when I was looking for an Indonesian restaurant that had just closed down not too long before that. Out of this place and Kumari, I think the latter is a little better for Nepalese food, though Kathmandu has a good, basic Northern Indian buffet ($9) that is easy enough for me to get to. It's worth a look. Then there is the Thai One On/San Sushi Too (map), which i visited a few times until it just got too expensive. It's across from Kyodai. I visited a fw times, usually getting sushi though I should stop by at some point to try the Thai half of this place. I found their pork katsu to be overall satisfying, even if a little dry.

And get this: I still have yet to tackle a range of spots, and I know I am leaving many of them out because there are just too many (not a lot of chains outside of Towsontown Center, I might add): The Japanese-Korean Purim Oak Restaurant (map - it's nearby the Jerry's Subs, a small and diminishing chain that serves pretty average subs), Italian at Strapazza (map) and at Cafe Troia (map), the "New American" Vīn (map, a Great Tastes Show exhibitor), The Melting Pot (map - whose fondue everyone in the city raves about but isn't for me - $75 a meal? Oy - and which is a national franchise based in Florida), even more sushi plus Chinese at the Olive & Sesame (map) and even more Italian at Paolo's Ristorante (not bothering with a map - Really, Paolo's and O&S are right across from each other so why bother with a second map?). I totally missed A Taste of Philly (slow link from the Towerlight; here's the map) - apparently the taste here is pretzels, not cheese steaks.

There really isn't much worth eating in the mall, by the way. There, I said it.

The places I did get to on this trip were on the cheaper side.

Burger Bros (map):

After parking at Trader Joe's (yes I did that - sue me), I cut through the Barnes & Noble and made my way up Allegheny. I was not sure where I'd go, but the burgers smelled good and seemed like they would be cheap. So into Burger Bros. I went. The place is modest, as is the wait. And while it does take a little while to get you food, the burger, at least, is pretty satisfying. I should've asked for it rare, because it was well, but it was good apart from that.

$10 after tax got me this: one cheeseburger ($5.50) with various toppings (I chose "caramelized" onions and jalapeño slices with pepper jack cheese), a small fries ($(about $1.50) and a small fountain drink (again, about $1.50). They had Fanta birch beer - which I didn't even know Fanta made - but I went for the Diet Coke to avoid all that sugar.

The burger was good enough to back for, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. The fries were extremely salty, and that was before the Old Bay (so why did I put Old Bay on them? Because it was there). I finished the burger but only half the fries (I ate about $8 worth of my meal). Perhaps I will try the onion rings next time.

Mmmm. Burger.

Pasta Mista (map):

Located next to the Super Fresh on Dulaney Valley Road, in Dulaney Plaza, this is a VERY busy place. Just as small as Burger Bros., but with many more people shoehorned in. And my oh my! Lots of inexpensive slices of pizza sold at the counter, in so many different varieties. I got two massive slices. One looked like a buffalo chicken pizza (it had sparse but large cubes of chicken, and those were surprisingly tender) and the other was a tortellini pizza with pesto on it. I would've taken a photo just to remember all the varieties and ingredients, but I felt self-conscious even whipping out my cell phone, the guys behind the counter were that close. Each slice had delicious cheeses. I would've waited for the three cheese pizza to be replenished, but I didn't feel like waiting. I should've tried the mandragone pizza, a super thick-crusted pizza with thick slices of mozzarella and tomatoes on it, but I had already ordered, and I only had $6 with me. I waited a few minutes for my pizza, which they set for a few minutes in the oven to melt the cheese. And again, it was pretty busy during the 12 to 1 lunch rush. So much pizza I had to cut each slice in half - I will be eating them sometime in the next few days (average cost of a meal, for me at least: $2.30 - after tax these two slices were $4.60 so I basically paid a pittance for two meals). So many varieties, I have to go back and try some. Plus I think they serve pasta or something.

Tortellini on a pizza? I actually have seen stranger things. Wasn't bad, actually.

A note about Pasta Mista: It seems to be a favorite pizza place for transplanted New Yorkers, Garden Staters and Philadelphians who find themselves stuck in the Mid-Atlantic. Pasta Mista's was voted the best pizza in Bawlmer by the Towerlight (Towson U's magazine). Apparently, the pizza in Maryland sucks. Towson college students from above the Mason-Dixon line say this is THE one place that makes good pizza in Maryland. And I admit: I do like their pizza, and plan on getting more. It is tasty and cheap!!! But while I did like Pasta Mista's alot (I'm so trying not to be contrarian here), I might also suggest Tony's next to the Catonsville H-Mart at Rte. 40 and Rolling Road (or at least I would but I suspect they ripped me off when I went to get their tasty pizza, charging me for three instead of two - I said nothing due to the line and that it wasn't that much more money), and Pepe's up in Mount Washington (again, a tasty slice of pizza). But since I actually haven't eaten pizza in New York, I don't have a barometer to gauge what is good in NY terms.

Other photos:

One of many, many Italian places in Towson. And no, I'm predominately Italian so of course I have no problem with it. It's just strange to see us everywhere.

Here's the Macy's side of Towsontown Center. Again, not so great of a place for food. Just leave the mall and go somewhere else - like Trader Joe's! They probably will have free samples anyway.

Not a bar and grill. But wouldn't that be a great name for one?

Places I visited:

Burger Bros. (burgers / subs) - 14 Allegheny Avenue, Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 321-1880

• Would I eat there again? Yes, probably.
• Would I go out of the way to eat there again? Probably not.
  

Kathmandu Kitchen (Nepalese / Indian) - 22 W Allegheny Avenue, Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 847-9595 Pasta Mista (Italian / pizza) - 822 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 321-8855

• Would I eat there again? Yes - in fact, I have.
• Would I go out of the way to eat there again? Probably not. It's more convenience than anything else.
  

Pasta Mista (pizza / Italian) - 822 Dulaney Valley Rd., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 321-8855

• Would I eat there again? Yes - I have to try all those other types of pizza
• Would I go out of the way to eat there again? I might, especially if the New Yorkers are right about it being so good.

Thai One On/San Sushi Too (Thai / Japanese / sushi) - 10-11 W. Pennsylvania Ave. Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 825-0907

• Would I eat there again? Yes
  
• Would I go out of the way to eat there again? If there was no other sushi or Thai around, then probably.
  

Places to look up later:

Café Troia (Italian) - 28 W. Allegheny Avenue, Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 337-0133

The Melting Pot (fondue) - 418-420 York Rd., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 821-6358

Olive & Sesame (Japanese / sushi / Chinese) - 2 W. Pennsylvania Ave., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 494-4944

Purim Oak Restaurant (Japanese / sushi / Korean) - 321 York Rd., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 583-7770

Paolo's Ristorante (Italian) - 1 W. Pennsylvania Ave, Towson, MD 21204 (three locations in all, including Georgetown and Reston; is the Pikesville location still open?); Phone: (410) 321-7000

Strapazza (Italian / pizza) - 12 W. Alleghany Ave. Towson, MD 21204 (five locations in all, including Columbia, Eldersburg, Severna and White Marsh) - (410) 296-5577

A Taste of Philly (pretzels) -

to cell phone | to email address

40 W Chesapeake Ave., Towson, MD 21204; Phone: (410) 828-5600 Vīn (New American) 1 E. Joppa Rd., Towson, MD 21286; Phone: (410) 337-0797

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