Baltimore City needs to support its A-rabbers, dammit!

Something is sticking in my craw right now. It's soapbox time!!!

I am listening to the Mid Day with Dan Rodricks show on WYPR right now. As you may know, the city has dealt its next blow in its quest to end the A-rabber tradition in Baltimore, by having the horses seized for living in inhumane conditions. According to the A-rabber spokespersons on the show today, the city really hasn't bothered to help them find a place to keep the horses in cleaner conditions. Of course, they never intended to.

This frustrates me, because sometimes the A-rabbers - who now may have much more difficulty paying the bills - are the only source of fresh food to some communities in Baltimore. The horses need to be treated humanely, but the City has an obligation so far as I am concerned to help the A-rabbers do this. These folks aren't independently wealthy, and I can only assume that most of them probably cannot house their horses on their own. The intentions of the humane society in seizing them are noble so far as keeping the horses healthy, but a little racist as far as disregarding the livelihood of the A-rabbers, who are disproportionately African-American. Again, I blame this more on the city than the humane society, who are just doing their job to keep the horses healthy.

So that's my opinion: the city should be stepping in to help the A-rabbers find a place to keep their horses in clean and safe areas, perhaps find a way to give training or even create a few jobs in this bad economy by hiring a handful of people to care for the horses. Optimistic on my part, but I feel this is the only way to protect this tradition, the A-rabbers, the horses and the consumers who may rely on the A-rabber carts for produce.

What do y'all think? What should happen with the A-rabbers and their horses, and this important city tradition?

Picture linked from the Arabber Preservation Society homepage.

Georgia on My GPS Part 2: Snacking around Augusta

I just got back from visiting my cousin's family in Augusta. Mostly it was just going around running errands with his wife and the girls, but I was happy - the important thing is that I got to spend some time with them. Much of what we ate was in house, so not a lot of eating out. But my cousin's wife discovered by accident a very good way of making your pork loin extremely tender (we're talkin' cut-with-a-fork tender): cook on about 250°F for 30 minutes before cooking at normal temperature. I didn't catch the normal temperature (note to self: call or email her and ask her what it was). It was about two pounds, enough to feed five people and then some. That, and her neighbor just dropped by and gave us some homemade manicotti. It was a nice appetizer.

One thing I am kicking myself over not having done was stopping by the various produce stands in Augusta and on the extremely scenic drive back to the Savannah area. One thing that I really wanted to peruse was a stand of fresh strawberries and peaches (they don't call it "the Peach State" for nothin'). Yeah, I know we have fresh produce stands in Maryland, too. But here's the thing: you're going to find what is locally grown. Our peaches probably won't be as good as Georgia's, though you can still find them locally grown in Maryland. The same goes the other way for our blue crabs. What bums me out is that I rarely get the chance to support locally grown produce away from my own home. So before I leave Hinesville (near Fort Stewart, where my brother-in-law is stationed) in a few days, I must root out the local produce. I am determined to bring some locally-grown Georgia peaches home with me (easier since I drove instead of flew).

Oh, in case you decide to make the 3 hour drive between Augusta and Savannah (especially if you have made that drive before), be prepared for the following: Unlike the drive between most of Georgia's major cities, the drive between Augusta and Savannah is not connected by any major interstates. But at least it's mostly 55 mph. To wit, some photos of life along Hwy 196 and US 25:

I got more of those delicious boiled peanuts at the Dixie USA while pumping gas. I'm getting better at eating them while driving, though splitting them with your teeth isn't really the correct way to do it. Oh, don't eat them while driving.

Down a street in Claxton, GA - a thrift store, an income tax preparer, and a Chinese restaurant. Jennifer 8. Lee was right: there are Chinese restaurants everywhere in America!

A kudzu-encoated silo along US 25. Kudzu: the scourge of the South

Along the way, I got to see where golf carts are born.

Um, where am I again?

I didn't get to visit Augusta's Salsa's Bar & Grill, but it is one of many Mexican restaurants in the area. In fact, it was perhaps the most common cuisine I've seen in either Augusta or Hinesville.

Because it's Easter Sunday (Western Calendar) (Post #997)

Oh just watch the damn thing.

I tried to give it a pretty pastel border. Cuz it's Easter. Didn't work.

Oh, here are the eggs in my sister's house. Deviled:



And encapsulated in a potato salad:

Reminds me faintly of the jamón y huevos ($4.99) I had at Tapas Teatro last night - three half hard boiled eggs covered in crispy Serrano ham, caper oil and "cracked pepper corns" (that's upwardly mobile for "freshly ground pepper" - which is upwardly mobile for "pepper").

Oh, and just one more thing to afflict y'all with this Easter. Just by accident, I stumbled upon this on YouTube while looking for an awful Finnish music video. One thing led to another and before I knew it, my sister and I were too familiar with the varied works of limo driver-turned-"rock" "musician" Jan Terri (and to the sometimes witty, sometimes stupid, usually badly misspelled comments posted by YouTubers). She was recently on The Daily Show from what I hear. Anyway, forthwith, the worst music video ever, which will henceforth always remind me of Easter:

Oh, and check out Jan's brief foray into country! Awful. Funny and awful.

Thanksgiving shopping at the 33rd Street Farmers' Market

My family decided this year not to buy or make too much for Thanksgiving (unlike last year when we went way overboard). I hope we can stick to that. Cathy is holding it at her house this time but I am making the turkey. She wants a whole slew of vegetables (which, again, can go overboard). So I went to the Waverly Farmers' Market today after work to look for stuff to get.

Among other things, I got this humongous butternut squash for only $5. And it wasn't even the largest one - there was one the size of a medium-large pumpkin for $8. A bundle of rosemary for $2 and three heads of garlic for $1, plus a dollar of jalapeños almost rounded it out.

And then I saw these...


They're so cute! Little green grape tomatoes! You don't even need to slice 'em up. Just roll 'em around and fry 'em whole.

Exit 42 - MD-151 (North Point Blvd, to Sparrows Point)

I've gotten as far as I can on North Point Boulevard, as my travels took me right up to the Sparrows Point Industrial Complex. I've never seen it. In fact, I've never seen anything off this exit. I know it's sad, but I have never been to Sparrows Point, Edgemere or North Point State Park. And don't even ask about Fort Howard. It looks as if I'll never see the Sparrows Point Complex, as it has a great big, inviting sign at the entrance that says:

PRIVATE PROPERTY

It seemed like the perfect excuse to do a U-ee and head into the heart of Edgemere, er, Sparrows Point. Actually, where the heck does Edgemere start and Sparrows Point end?

Anyway, Edgemere and Sparrows Point, in my opinion, are pretty little communities. They're right by the water and the North Point State Park. It's almost like our tiny little slice of the Eastern Shore right here in Bawlmer County, hon. And while some exits have been pretty skimpy on the food worth eating, this one has a few hidden food gems that a boy raised in the southwest part of the county would never have even known about.

Before you even get into Edgemere, you find a few dining options on the way towards Sparrows Point. Keep going along North Point Blvd and you eventually pass by the Pizza Roma (map), which looks like it's moving into a brand new location being constructed nearby. Close to that is Micky's Package Liquor (map), your typical liquor store / deli / hot wings / Maryland Lottery place. Here I got some Western fries ($2), which were okay, though not as good as many I have tasted made from scratch in some gas stations and grocery stores. Back when Eddies had a Lansdowne location, we always got Western fries there. But that was 25 years ago. I think it's an IGA now. Do they still have those fries? Anyway, I only finished about half of the ones from Micky's.

Why we call them "Western fries" I will never know. I know they don't call them that out West.

I finally headed onto the North Point Peninsula - and more Defenders' Day signs - and on to Edgemere and Sparrows Point proper. Here I found more than a few dining options to help me wash down those Western fries. Strangely, most of these businesses looked like they were closed. No cars (not even of employees), no lights, no foot traffic, etc. Maybe things just close early in Sparrows Point?

• The Edgerock Cafe (map) looks like a fun place to get some food. I can find little about it beyond customers rating it about 4 out of 5 stars. Not a lot of customers either.
  
• JJ & Mina's Cookie Cafe (map) also had no traffic around it, but that's probably due to the time of day. Their new website prominently displays their motto "Glorifying God Through Cookies", which is ironic since their cookies look deliciously sinful. The pineapple upsidedowncake cookie alone is worth investigating, not to mention their many chocolate and chocolate chip creations. They also serve breakfast and lunch.
  
• Capt. Jimmy's Crab House (map) seems to have two very close locations in Sparrows Point, on North Point Road and Chesapeake. It's the second crab house I have found in this area with a $1 crab day. The Salty Dog (Exit 41) has them on Tuesdays, and Capt. Jimmy's - at least the North Point Road location - has 'em on Wednesdays.
• The Edgemere Wok (map) looked closed to me. It seems like another unassuming little Chinese restaurant.
• Then there is Maria's Pizzeria and Carry-Out, which may also be called "Thee Maria's" (map). It's a very unassuming pizzeria and sub shop - but mostly a pizzeria - at the end of a motel. I think it's a motel anyway. I put it in the back of my mind for later.
  

I headed further towards Miller's Island Road and North Point State Park, passing the Bay Shore Bar & Grill (map), a place that touts 1/2 price burgers on Tuesdays (take that, City Café) and $8 shrimp on Wednesdays. I made a stop at the little produce stand on the other side of the intersection, near a small sign that pointed out that Fort Howard was only 3 miles away. They had some expensive fresh food and some very cheap fresh food. I got a humongous tomato for just 75 cents. Just one blemish and the price drops half from $1.50. If it weren't so out of the way for me, I would be there often. The folks are friendly, and the woman was cheerfully apologetic when she saw me there waiting. No skin off of my tomato!

The tomato

I could have gone to Miller's Island, but instead I cut things short and went back into Sparrows Point. After much deliberation, I finally stopped at Maria's. You don't expect it to smell so good, but it did smell wonderful, more so than most pizzerias I've visited. The painted sign has chalkboard strips next to each entry, updated as the price changes or as dishes run out. In fact, at least two menu options had no price but simply said "OUT". Empty pizza boxes were piled out of the way everywhere, while a small little dessert case caught my attention a little too late for me to order any of the cake slices held inside.

For all of less than $5 I got a slice of cheese pizza ($2), a hot dog covered in ketchup, mustard and raw onions (around $1.75) and a can of Diet Coke (less than $1).

The perfect dinner

The hot dog was alright, a little messy with all those onions falling everywhere. The flavor and texture were above average. Of course I happily ate it since I love hot dogs, and only a truly awful hot dog will turn me off. This is by no means a bad hot dog. It's just not a super one. What really shined was the pizza, which was cheesy and had a great flavor and soft, chewy texture. Yes, it was a bit greasy, but that can be overlooked. The crust wasn't overly doughy, something which irritates me about many pizzas I eat. I'll have to go back and try some of the others, though I'll have to buy them whole (only cheese and pepperoni are offered by the slice). The one that intrigued me the most: the anchovy pizza, which sounds like my kinda pizza!

Other photos -

Just about the most popular historical flag in the Baltimore area. It's not the Live Free or Die flag (which I've rarely seen around these parts). It's not the Confederate flag (which I've seen around town more often than you might think). It's the 15-star flag we had during the War of 1812. This one is hung on an overpass around Exit 42 or 41.

En route to the Industrial Complex. Most of that smudginess is not coming from my windshield this time.

The road to Fort Howard, Miller's Island and Scenic North Point State Park

If you can see this view, you are at that produce stand I was talking about.

It looks even fresher when you're right there.

It's Edgemere! It's Sparrows Point! It's Edgemere!! It's Sparrows Point!! AAAAAAAAAAA!

Could someone tell me what this is? I only got the chance to pass by it. It's next to the Food Lion near the middle school. I not only cannot find it online but can't even figure out what it's called!

Places I visited -

Maria's Pizzeria and Carry-Out (pizza / subs / Italian / Greek) - 7111 North Point Road , Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-8174

• Would I eat there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Maybe for the pizza, not for the hot dogs

Micky's (deli / liquor store) - 5200 North Point Boulevard, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-1696

• Would I eat there again? Maybe
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? No
  

produce stand at Miller's Island Road - intersection of Miller's Island Road and North Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219

• Would I shop there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to shop there again? It's pretty far out of my way to buy produce, so no. But if I was in the area I would.
  

Places to look up later -

Bay Shore Bar & Grill (crabs / bar & grill) - 8214 North Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-1646

Capt. Jimmy's Crab House (crabs / seafood - with a second location on Chesapeake Avenue) - 7214 North Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-0775

Edgemere Wok (Chinese) - 7120 North Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 388-2003

Edgerock Cafe (American) - 2307 Sparrows Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 388-1060

JJ & Mina's Cookie Café, Inc (cookies / American) - 2400 Sparrows Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-5863

Pizza Roma (pizza / Italian) - 2304 Sparrows Point Road, Sparrows Point, MD 21219; Phone: (410) 477-1722

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Exit 39 - Merritt Blvd (to Dundalk)

My next stop off the Beltway is Exit 39, and here I am back in unfamiliar territory. I admit that I hardly ever get to Dundalk all that much, so for me, Merritt Boulevard really is uncharted wudder, hon. Pretty much all my exposure to Dundalk is of the "Hey Hon, Take a Walk Down..." variety (too bad I can't find it anywhere on the internet - and I mean anywhere).

Exit 39 only exists along the inner loop. The outer loop skips right over it from Exit 40 to 38E (or B, or whatever). Exits 38 through 40 are another group of exits that seem to take you to more or less the same place. One notable landmark that is pretty tough to miss are those big twin domes that are impossible to get away from in Dundalk. You know - these:


What are they for again? Not being snotty. I'm just from the other side of town, so I really don't know.

The first thing you notice once you get down onto Merritt Blvd are the strip malls. Sooooo many strip malls here on your way to CCBC Dundalk (map), where I ate once during a day of meetings. The food is cheap and not very good, as with most college food. Theirs is about on par with the other two CCBC campuses, at Catonsville (Exit 12C) and Essex (Exit 34).

As for those strip malls: again, most of your dining options lie in those malls. I was surprised to find any free-standing places to eat (NB: that does not make them better or worse than strip-mall eateries, so don't say I said that). One of the most prominent and popular of restaurants in the free-standing category is the Boulevard Diner (map). I wanted to go here, and I would have. But to be honest, I've been eating at so many diners lately that I just wanted a break. So the Boulevard Diner will have to wait. Maybe when I'm done this Beltway Snackin' series I'll pull a Guy Fieri and visit the diners of the Bawlmer area (only I'll be less irritating than he is - really, he's becoming Rachael Ray with a goatee).

Back to the strip malls. They all look pretty easy to get to, though I can't vouch for the food (reviews on some of the below links are pretty mixed):

• The requisite Chinese places include the House of China (map) in the Lynch Manor Shopping Center on Wise Avenue, and the New China Restaurant, né China Garden (map) on Merritt. I can find no info about New China whatsoever.
• A few pizzerias are in and around Merritt, including Filleti's Pizza (map) - just a hop, skip and a jump from the New China Restaurant - and Caldarazzo's Pizzeria (map) near the Aldi's and the Walmart. (See UPDATE II below).
  
• Captain Harvey's Submarines (map) - in Danville Square, one of the brighter strip malls in the area. They have their own website, touting current contests where you can win a free (of course free) sheet of chocolate chip brownies if you can guess the total number of chocolate chips therein. Sounds like a plan, yes?

There is indeed a sufficient amount of sit-down restaurants around here that also caught my eye. Most of them are not in strip malls, including a few restaurants that clearly don't fit the "hole in the wall" category:

• The Poplar Inn Restaurant (map) has been serving Dundalkers for fifty - no, fifty-five years, hon. They have live music every Friday and Saturday night. I love their website - it has to be one of the best I've seen for a local restaurant. Check out their daily specials.
• The City Paper clearly seems to prefer the nearby Scoozzi Restaurant and Lounge (map), at least for its "down-home bar food", of which they say Scoozzi's has the best in the area. Can't say I'm a big fan of their website, though. They got some purty crabcakes in their photos.
• Merritt House Restaurant (map) is one of the few that is in a strip mall (again, not that there's anything wrong with that). You have to go past the Boulevard Diner and the big, welcoming "Welcome to Dundalk" sign to get to it. It's in the big, gloomy looking strip mall past the intersection of Merritt and Holabird/Wise, but the few reviews I found were pretty good, so maybe this is a well-hidden place worth getting to.

A few other places of note off this exit:

• Howard's Pub (map) serves your standard American food, and has a DJ and (of course) happy hour.
• Dundalk Xpress (map), which doesn't look like a Damon's Grill from the outside, has hot wings and the like. At least I think it does. Next door is the snowball stand du jour Moochie's (same map). (UPDATE OCTOBER 5, 2008: the website is changing soon, and Dan from Dundalk Xpress, who noted to me that they do a bang-up business in wings and ribs, let me know that DX is not affiliated with Damon's Grill. Thanks, Dan.)
• Several places to buy fresh or cooked seafood, including the Shore Produce and Seafood (map) - which is almost impossible to find online; the Wise Avenue Crab House (map) - next to an Icy Delights ice cream and snowball place (same map); the Crab Net Inn Dining Room (map); and Ross' Seafood (map). This last one is right on North Point on your left as soon as you get off the exit.
• Also check out the massive North Point / Plaza Flea Market complex (see UPDATE II below)-
  
• There are also a few bakeries to take note of near Merritt Blvd. The Cake Connection (map) has gotten a few reviews - all positive from what I can tell. It's conveniently located on your right as soon as you leave 695. And then there's the difficult-to-miss multiply-rounded roof of Herman's Bakery (map). The Urbanspooners - ummm - don't seem too keen on it but there are indeed positive reviews.

I stopped in Herman's, and the place is just a field of cakes, cookies and other sweets. I got a few things. I kept my eye open for my favorite kind of cookie, but alas, no chocolate tops. They did have a round cookie with a chocolate dot in the center which was okay, but it tasted very almondy. You may love it for that very reason, but I'm not big on almonds, so I wasn't a fan. I did also pick up a black bottom to kill for, and would gladly get it again.

Here they are: Herman's cookies...

...and black bottom.

Unlike most bakeries, Herman's had several slices of sheet cake laying amongst its mock-ups of wedding cakes. Probably, somebody never bothered to pick it up. Lucky me that I got to taste one of their sheet cakes without buying the whole cake. The buttercream (not Bettercreme, God forbid - I hate the stuff) was white, an end piece with a red rose. Both the icing and the cake were buttery and moist and so together were much better than any random slice of cake you'd find at Giant for twice the price. Altogether, the cookies (about 4 of them), black bottom and cake were a few nickels shy of $5. Pretty sweet deal (sorry, had to go there).

Herman's slice of cake, with real buttercream frosting. Honestly, I have no idea why people like the flavor or feel of that Bettercreme sh*t.

My final stop in Dundalk was the eye-catching Weenie World (map), another favorite of the City Paper. Next door to a Rita's, it is a nice little place to sit in or outside with a hot dog or two. Oh my God, the variety of hot dogs easily outdoes Zack's of White Marsh, which is saying something. In addition to their standard corn dogs, footlongs, kielbasas, and Italian sausages you'll spot many varieties of regular hot dogs piled with quite a bit of things. Among the more sinful selections I spotted, both on a massive black chalkboard and the easier-to-read take-out menu, were their Junkyard Dog (a hot dog covered in pork BBQ), their Reuben Dog (a hot dog with Reuben toppings), the Weenie Burger (a hamburger shaped like a hot dog), their Bull Dog (steak and cheese and hot dog on a potato roll), and - I love this one - the Politician ("bologna wrapped around a weenie").

My selections

I opted for a Volcano Dog (chili, jalapeños and Tabasco sauce) and a simple corn dog (grand total: about $3). Both were amazing. They pride themselves on using all-beef hot dogs. I wish I knew the brand, because it's a delicious one. If you choose the right frank, then you are one step closer to a great dog. Their chili was delicious and the jalapeños and Tabasco didn't make it too challenging for me - throw on some habaneros and you'll have me in real pain. As for the corn dog? A little greasy (as are all corn dogs fresh out of the fryer), but crunchy and juicy and hot. That was the best part about these weenies - they were both hot. Granted, it was painful to eat them, but I'd rather have hot and fresh than lukewarm and, well, blah.

UPDATE I - A few of you mentioned Squire's (map), which is indeed in Dundalk. I looked it up and it turns out that I didn't get far enough on Holabird to get there. But it looks rather easy to get there from Exit 44 (Broening Avenue) so instead of listing it here as a place to visit off Merritt, I'll just save it for my Exit 44 excursion. In fact, thanks to y'all there's now one place I already have on my agenda to try out when I get that far - which shouldn't be too much longer. The Beltway only goes up to 44. I am nearing the end of my mission. Thanks to Minx and thanks (and apologies) to I Am So Wise.

UPDATE II: Driving around today, I just discovered how much closer to Exit 40 the North Point Flea Market and Caldarrazzo's are. I don't usually do this but I have since removed them from this post, and am featuring them in the next one (for Exit 40), since it's right there on the exit.

Other photos:

Welcome to Dundalk, hons!

My humps, my humps - my lovely bakery humps!

The Poplar Inn Restaurant. Every little town has a place like it. This is one of Dundalk's.

And the invisible-to-the-internet Shore Produce. Since it's not easy to find online, here's a photo.

Places I visited:

Community College of Baltimore County, Dundalk Campus (cafeteria food) - Building K, 7200 Sollers Point Rd, Dundalk, MD 21222

• Would I eat there again? Only if I had to
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Um, no.

Herman's Bakery (bakery, with locations in Dundalk and Towson) - 7560 Holabird Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 284-5590

• Would I shop there again? Yes
• Would I go out of my way to shop there again? Yes

Weenie World (hot dogs) - 1099 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 284-9495

• Would I eat there again? Oh, yeah!
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? Definitely

Places to look up later:

Boulevard Diner (diner) - 1660 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 285-8660

Cake Connection (bakery) - 700 Merritt Boulevard #A2, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 285-2064

Captain Harvey's Submarines (subs) - 1543 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288 8990

Crab Net Inn Dining Room (crabs) - 7703 German Hill Road, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 282-6267

Dundalk Xpress (subs / wings) - 7620 German Hill Road, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 282-0902

Filleti's Pizza (pizza / Italian) - 1784 Merritt Boulevardl, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288-5628

House of China (Chinese) - 7820 Wise Avenue #B, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 284-2288
Howard's Pub (bar / pub) - 7312 Holabird Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 282-6050

Icy Delights (ice cream) - 7812 Wise Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 285-3400

Merritt House Restaurant (American) - 1780 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 285-2321

Moochie's (snowballs; next to Dundalk Xpress) - 7620 German Hill Road, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 282-0902

New China Restaurant (formerly China Garden Restaurant - Chinese) - 1163 Merritt Boulevard, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288-0191

Poplar Inn Restaurant (American) - 7700 Wise Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 285-2590

Ross' Seafood (seafood / crabs) - 1109 North Point Road, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288-1200

Scoozzi Restaurant and Lounge (American / seafood / Mediterranean) - 7625 German Hill Road, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288-1060

Shore Produce and Seafood (seafood / crabs / produce) - 7802 Wise Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 288-2547

Wise Avenue Crab House (crabs / seafood) - 7812 Wise Avenue, Dundalk, MD 21222; Phone: (410) 282-5275



for Herman's Bakery



for Weenie World

Exits 38A & B: MD-150 (Eastern Blvd)

The first exit after the MD-702 off-shoot takes you not to the mythical Exit 37 (who knows where that would have taken you) right back to Eastern Blvd. The inner loop divides this 38th exit into two, the outer loop does not, but they all take you to the same place - so I'm just doing them together. And if I had driven too far in either direction, I would have wound up at locations I have previously hit up (qv Exits 33A and 36).

Exit 38A: East Point

Until you get to Hopkins and the Broadway Diner, there are relatively slim pickins going this direction. This exit's main attraction is the new and improved Eastpoint Mall (map). I didn't head in - pretty much fast food. This doesn't count the Golden Corral, which closed down - not a rarity among businesses in this area, sadly. Now the only food you can see driving by Eastpoint Mall is the Checkers. Yes, this Mobile, Alabama-based chain is a big chain, and yes it is fast food. I never realized they are, according to Wikipedia, the largest double-drive-thru fast food chain in America. That's a pretty unique distinction, no? Their sings are starting to bear a striking resemblance to the ones at Hardee's, now a subsidiary of California's evil Carl's Jr. Hell, even Hardee's and Carl's carbon-copy websites clog your arteries!

If you're really hankerin' for a buffet, too bad. But there is a Cactus Willie's (map) across the street, which serves many of the same types of foods you'd find at a buffet. It's one of five in existence.

Fleeing Easpoint Mall, you could turn up MD-151 to North Point Blvd. I stuck with 150 and headed a bit further west, towards the city and Oak Lawn Cemetery. In case you were wondering, this isn't the same cemetery you can see off of I-95 just out of the tunnel. You've seen it. It's the one that slopes down a steep hill and looks like it's about to fall onto the freeway but never quite does. I think it's Mount Carmel.

A few of the offerings I found between Eastpoint and Oak Lawn Cemetery and the city/county line:

• Zetto Subs & Pizza (map) - This is a smallish pizza and subs place across the street from Eastpoint Mall. I didn't get the chance to stop in here. It's one of the few places other than McDonald's in this stretch of Eastern Blvd.
• Oh look! Another Mo's Seafood Restaurant (map)!
  
• Greek Village Carry-Out (map) - Greektown's influence reaches as far as the county with this place. They're all on vacation until mid-August, so I'll have to wait before I can go there.
  

Exit 38B: Back River and Essex

The lack of options off 38A is made up for when you go the other way, as your options really open up past the Back River. Even before that is the Blue Fins Seafood Restaurant (map), which is really difficult to photograph while driving by. I passed by this riverside seafood restaurant a few times (once around the dinner hour, once around lunch time), and each time it looked like there were a few cars. Hopefully I will get a chance to check it out at some point. I might not, though, since it's up for public auction. Let's wait and see.

Far more options lie on the other side of the river, where Eastern Avenue magically transforms into Eastern Boulevard. Among the ones I saw on the way:

• Safa Pizza and La Nueva Esperansa Grocery (map). I put them together because they have the exact same address. This caused me some confusion at first - is one open while the other is closed? Nope - they're just in the same building. I should have stopped by La Nueva Esparansa since I needed to pick up one or two things, but I'll have to go back. Safa is a small local chain with three locations around the southern side of the Beltway, including ones in Glen Burnie, Dundalk and here in Essex. One reviewer liked the pizza at the Dundalk location. Nobody seems to have reviewed the one in Essex.
• The Smokehouse Barb-B-Que (map) hasn't even opened yet. I think they'll be selling barbecue. Coincidentally, it's scheduled to open on the day after this post goes up - August 4.
  
• Man Hing (map), with just about the most colorful and fun sign of any Chinese restaurant I have seen, well, anywhere in Baltimore. I didn't stop in but if the owners are putting as much care into their food as they do in their signage, then maybe it'll be one of the better Chinese restaurants in Baltimore County. I haven't found anything negative about it yet.
  
• So many crabs! At least three locations in the stretch of a few blocks. Since the bank account doesn't afford a sit-down crabfeast at this time, I didn't stop in. But with so many around there is just no excuse to not go back and visit at least one.
  
• One place, CC's Crabs and Catering (map), is in a big, square yellow building and does catering as well as eat-in. Plus, CC's is also a bar and grill-type establishment, with nightly happy hours, almost nightly Ladies' Nights, and the occasional karaoke contest and entertainer. Their happy hour extends not just to their drinks, but to their crabs, crab cakes and pit beef sammiches as well.
  
• Across the street is better-known Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn (map). Mr. Bill's is next to Man Hing, and advertises its crabs prominently on its sign. They sorta have to. The Sun's Liz Large visited a few years ago. The food and the atmosphere were both good, though the service was closer to fair than to fine. Since it gets touristy around this time of year, now may not be such a good time to visit. When you do, based on reviews like these and these, you'll probably like it.
• A few doors down from Bill's is Crabland (map), "Home of the Big Dozen", which is next to, and certainly affiliated with, the "Home of the Big Bushel", Fruitland (same map). They also share a parking lot and the world's largest crab basket. Karen Lee Ryan includes both Crabland and Fruit near the northern terminus of her College Park-to-Baltimore "Road Trip" for the Washington Post.
  

I didn't stop in Crabland, but I did pop into Fruitland for a minute. They do sell fresh, raw, local seafood (local meaning Chesapeake, though much of it is from Maryland). And they do sell lots of produce. I wanted to snap a photo or two before I bought anything but the folks there give you almost immediate service (and it's embarrassing to explain that you just want to take a picture of the place before you go shopping). It was strange, actually: it was as if I wasn't allowed to browse the produce (most if not all of it is locally grown - again mostly Maryland). A few things I learned here: peaches are now in season in Maryland, and the guy who helped me said he picked the corn he was selling that morning. Whether or not, I bought six ears for $2.75, a bit less than at most farmers' markets. I also got me six soft-shell crabs for $10 (larger ones went for 3 or 4 for $10).

Mmmm. Soft crabs and corn.

I stopped in two restaurants over the course of as many days. My first visit was to Uncle Eddie's (map). They caught my eye because not only were they the same yellow color as CC's (lighter shade - looks a lot better than the older color), but because I had an Uncle Eddie when I was a very young child. But he died in the mid-70's so my memories of him are, at best, vague.

Uncle Eddie's is a family restaurant-type establishment, with that familiar family restaurant smell, only a bit darker and dingier. Price-wise, the offerings at Uncle Eddie's are about mid-range. If you want a full-course meal, expect to pay about $20. That's what I did. I wanted to go for one of their nightly specials, but one dish that Uncle Eddie's touts as a mainstay for the past 60 years is its pan fried haddock ($15). I thought it'd be good to try a signature dish and I spent the few extra dollars for it. With it came a complementary soup (I went for the Manhattan clam chowder) and my choice of two vegetables. I chose corn - a safe bet - and fried sweet potatoes. Not sweet potato fries, not sweet potato hash and not mashed sweet potatoes. These were just chunks of sweet potato, fried, probably in butter, maybe with a little brown sugar. I couldn't tell. I also got free bread with my meal. I'm not sure if Uncle Eddie's believes in portion control or not.

One note about the service: it is pretty friendly. They seem to have a rapport with the patrons here (makes sense in a 60-year-old establishment). My waitress constantly asked if the food was alright and if there was anything wrong. I like that kind of concern.

The Manhattan clam chowder. I never got a good shot of my entrée.

But while the service was good, the food was pretty mixed. Here's what I liked and what I didn't like:

• The Manhattan clam chowder - which is red, not white - was still the creamiest I had ever had. I liked it, and only had one chewy-beyond-belief clam. I'd eat this again. Same with the fried sweet potatoes, which were delicious once cooled down.
• Sadly, I didn't care for the haddock. I really wanted to like this, but with every bite one thought kept running through my mind: "This has been a popular dish for six decades?" Maybe I just caught them on an off-night (since there are a few good user reviews floating around about this place): I got a pound or so of fish, which was dense, heavy, a little dry and not flavorful at all. The most disappointing part was the breading - if the breading is crispy and tasty I can forgive the rest, but while it wasn't greasy at all, it also was not crispy or, again, flavorful. The texture was literally as if they warmed up a brown paper bag, wrapped the haddock in the bag, and then gave it to me. And there were some hard bits on the breading that weren't very good. The corn was pretty bad - I hardly touched it.

With tax and tip - you tip for service, not for how the food tastes - I paid about $19.

A bit better was what I got the next day at the Essex Diner (map). It's easy to miss if you're racing down Eastern Blvd (which you shouldn't be doing in the first place), but driving at a normal pace you'll find this diner on your right just after you cross eastbound on the Back River bridge. It must be relatively new, as just three year-old photos of this building show the Casa Luna Pizzeria Restaurant.

If Uncle Eddie's is dark and dingy, the Essex Diner is brighter and more colorful. Essex Diner is not a shiny, flashy diner like the ones I have visited recently. It's actually more of a beige color. And it's pretty small and cozy, with photos of staff, friends and family all up and down the doorway into the kitchen. This does not detract from the soaps playing on the two TV's at either end of the restaurant.

The menu is not small, and has all the typical offerings of your standard Baltimore diner: the pastas, the subs, the burgers, the platters, the Greek selections, the Italian selections, the breakfasts, and the refrigerated case of pies and cakes (well, cake slices at least). I wanted a regular burger but instead opted for a plate of sliders (3 for $5.50) and some gravy fries (about $2.50). With tax I paid about $8.50.

Sliders and gravy fries. Jerry O'Connell not included.

I should've eaten there because they would probably have been moister right out of the kitchen, instead of sitting in a styrofoam container for a half an hour car ride (oh, and I went to Fruitland before I got home). So I understand why the sliders, tiny things that they are, were as dry as they were. Plus, it was easy to lose all that meat underneath the massive pile of fried onions and chopped-up pickles on top of each slider (they used dinner rolls for the buns - good idea). There were about as many onions on this slider as I would've put on a regular-sized burger. I'm not knocking the flavor. They were tasty. The fries were filling - very filling. I liked the flavor, but the gravy was really the only thing making me like them. I love 'em gravy fries.

Other photos:

They're coming to get you, Bar-ba-ra...

Eastern Avenue, looking east towards Eastern Boulevard (and Essex)

Jus' speedin' bah de Back Rivver, Mis'r Po-leece Man, hon. Ah didn't wanna fall in. 'Oniss!

Welcome to yer Essex Wunnerlaaaand!

That's a big bushel!

Places I visited:

Essex Diner (diner) - 15 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 238-1400

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

Fruitland (market - local produce) - 106 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 574-9866

• Would I shop there again? Sure
• Would I go out of my way to shop there again? Probably for the seafood, but maybe not the produce - local farmers' markets have much the same stuff without me using as much gas to get to it.
  

Uncle Eddie's (American / family restaurant) - 424 1/2 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 686-1321

• Would I eat there again? It depends on what I ordered
• Would I go out of my way to eat there again? No
  

Places to look up later:

Blue Fins Seafood Restaurant (crabs / seafood) - 8247 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MD 21224; Phone: (410) 282-5050

CC's Crabs and Catering (crabs / American) - 409 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 780-2626

Crabland (crabs) - 120 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 687-6260

Cactus Willie's (American - one of five locations in Maryland and Pennsylvania) - 7940 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MD 21224; Phone: (410) 282-8268

Greek Village Carry-Out (Greek) - 7308 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MD 21224; Phone: (410) 282-1700

La Nueva Esperansa Grocery (market - Latin American) - 437 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 686-1000

Man Hing (Chinese) - 204 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 687-2010

Mo's Seafood Restaurant (seafood / crabs) - 7600 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MD 21224; Phone: (410) 288-2424

Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn (crabs) - 200 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 687-5996

Safa Pizza (pizza) - 437 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 682-3806

Smokehouse Barb-B-Que (map) - 210 Eastern Boulevard, Essex, MD 21221; Phone: (410) 686-7888

Zetto Subs & Pizza (pizza and subs) - 7842 Eastern Avenue, Essex, MD 21224; Phone: (410) 288-2833




for Essex Diner



for Uncle Eddie's