Review of The Frog and Onion Pub

This past October, I did a 5 night cruise to Bermuda on Royal Caribbean's Grandeur of the Seas. One of the things I was looking forward to was checking out the microbrewery in the Royal Naval Dockyard. It's the only one in Bermuda. As I remember, they offered 8 varieties of beers and ales. I ended up trying the Somers Amber Ale which I found pretty good. The ale came in 2 sizes - 9 ounce ($5.99) and 20 ounce ($10.99). For $5 more, they have a deal where you get to keep the glass. What they do in that case is you take your receipt to their gift shop and, they'll give you a new souvenir glass. I ended doing this option as I enjoyed the pub so much.

The pub does offer various food but as I was on a cruise where I had plenty of free good food already, I didn't try any of their food.

The pub also had entertainment the night I was there. It was a 1 man band who played various songs.

The pub is in a 150 year old warehouse and has a wonderful atmosphere.

Overall, I was very pleased with the pub and will definitely be back when I return to Bermuda Memorial Day weekend 2020 on Grandeur of the Seas. If you're in Bermuda, this place is worth checking out. I give it 2 thumbs up.

Baltimore Hard Rock Cafe Review

I haven't been to the Baltimore, Maryland Hard Rock Café in months so, I thought I'd treat myself to lunch there today. Here's how my visit went.

I got a surprise when I walked in as the Baltimore Hard Rock Café underwent a $4.5 million dollar renovation (source: the bartender). The café looks a good bit different. The biggest change I noticed was at the bar area. Previously, there was a real Cadillac above the bar. They removed the car and put a good size multi-light fixture about the bar. There are also multiple tv screens there so patrons at the bar can easily watch the de rigeur rock videos (I particularly enjoyed the Night Shift video by the Commodores - great song).

Service at the bar was excellent. The bartenders never let my glass run empty and were very willing to get me some items I wanted from the gift shop.

Food wise, overall, it was very good. I wasn't wiped out with the taste of the strawberry basil lemonade. It just didn't taste very good to me and normally I like strawberry lemonade. Also, I wasn't wiped out with the price - $8.40. I had to 2 sides as well as their turkey burger. The skewered shrimp was very good. You got 6 medium size shrimp for $6.75. Also, since I like onion rings, I ordered some of those. They were a good size serving of them and came with a fine bar-b-que sauce to dip them in. They cost $5.75. The main course i.e. turkey burger was pretty good. It came with pepper jack cheese, avocado slices and tomato with an order of fries or salad on the side. I'd never had a turkey burger before and found it pretty tasty though I could tell the difference between it and beef. The cheese and avocado helped give it a nice flavor. The burger cost $14.95.

Gift shop wise, I found the folks there helpful though to be honest, there wasn't a while lot I wanted there. I already have 2 Baltimore Hard Rock Café t-shirts and don't need another. They had some nice hoodies but who needs a hoodie when it's 80 plus degrees outside. I think their selection could've been better.

Overall, I was very pleased with my visit to the Baltimore Hard Rock Café. I'd definitely recommend it. The service was great and, the food was very good. Also, they do participate in the new Hard Rock Rewards program so, you can earn points there toward your next award certificate. Bon Appetit all!

Little Caesars Bacon Honey Mustard Wings

There's a Little Caesars pizza shop in the same strip mall that has a Shoppers Food Warehouse on Maryland  198 in Laurel, Maryland. I decided to treat myself to 1 of their already prepared pizzas. When I looked at their menu, I saw they offered various flavors of wings for sale. As I'd never tried any of their wings and, I haven't had any wings in a while, I decided to buy some. I bought their Bacon Honey Mustard wings as I like honey mustard. I got 8 wings for $6 plus tax.

I found Little Caesar's wings to be decent. I couldn't taste the bacon on them or in the sauce. The sauce itself was runny and a fair amount of it dropped off the wings into the container the wings are packaged in. The wings meat wise and size wise were average. I did like the fact Little Caesar's wings weren't breaded. I can't tell you how their price compares to other places that sell wings. The biggest plus for their wings in my opinion is that they are ready to go. You don't need to order them in advance. This can be a real convenience.

Overall, I wouldn't go out of my way to get some Little Caesars wings. They are average. In my opinion, Cluck U's wings are better. The biggest plus for Little Caesars is the convenience of being able to buy them on the spot and take them immediately with you i.e. no wait. I thought the price was alright though my readers who eat more wings may be able to tell me how the stack up against other shops that sell wings. Bon Appetit all!

Lantz Restaurant

1 of the businesses I've wanted to try out at the Laurel, Maryland Pennsylvania Dutch Market is the Lantz Restaurant. It's 1 of 4 eateries in the market (5 if you count Stoltzfus Bakery). The restaurant's decor isn't anything to get excited about and, it's real charm is the Amish who work there. The lady who worked the cash register and took orders for take out was incredibly sweet. The restaurant offers dining in and take out. I decided to do take out as I didn't feel like hanging around after a LONG day at work.

I'm particularly partial to Reuben sandwiches and, I checked the restaurant's menu to see if they offered 1. They do for $5.69 (I believe) and offer a side of fries for $1.79. I thought the prices reasonable. However, I wasn't wowed with the food. The fries were limp though adequate portion wise. The sandwich was decent but nothing to go out of your way for.

Overall, I wasn't impressed with food at Lantz Restaurant. I do hope to try some of their other items and see if they're better. The restaurant prides itself on its Lancaster County recipes and, the fact there aren't any preservatives in a number of its items (Per the restaurant webpage on the market website http://www.burtonsvilledutchmarket.com/default.asp). Stay tuned for another review on this restaurant at a later date.

Mega Chicken Laurel Maryland

I drive and ride on Maryland-198 a lot. As a result, I've passed by a restaurant called Mega Chicken (address 3485 Ft. Meade Rd i.e. Maryland-198) a number of times. The restaurant claims to sell charcoal cooked chicken Peruvian style. As I have fond memories of my Globus tour of Peru, I've been wanting to try out their chicken for a while. Today, I decided to treat myself to some. I bought their half chicken meal for $7.25 which comes with a small standard salad (iceberg lettuce and shredded carrot pieces) and a choice of either rice, standard french fries or yucca (sweet potato) fries. Also, they include 1 small cup each of an unidentified yellow sauce and an unidentified green sauce.

The salad was nothing to get excited about and came with a small cup of a salad dressing I couldn't identify. As I wanted to try something different, I went with the yucca fries and was glad I did. I didn't find them very sweet but, they were pretty good. I enjoyed them more than having the standard french fries. I dipped the yucca fries in the 2 different sauces. I found the yellow sauce all right and very mild. The green sauce reminded me of a dining mishap I had in Peru. During my tour there, on our way back from Paracas, we stopped at a restaurant for lunch. They served a salad with the meal I ordered. There was a slice of what looked standard green pepper. I promptly stuck the whole thing in my mouth and munched it. I found out very quickly that was a big mistake. It wasn't your standard green pepper. It had plenty of zing and, I had tears coming down from the fire in my mouth. I'm pretty certain the unidentified green sauce is made with the same green pepper I had in Peru. In regards to the chicken, I found it tasty and tender. It readily came off the bone and, it was easy to eat.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with Mega Chicken. Parking was good, service was prompt and, the food was pretty good (better than good). I thought it was reasonably priced too. I particularly liked the yucca fries which is something you can't find routinely here in the U.S. I saw on the menu they offer fried plantains which I've tried once in St. Lucia and, I'd like to try again. Also, they sell the national soft drink of Peru i.e. Inca Kola. They offer it in 16 ounce plastic bottles for $1.25. This isn't the best deal as down the street at Shoppers Food Warehouse, you can get a 2 liter bottle for $1.59 I believe. I like Inca Kola but, I will warn soft drink drinkers, it tastes VERY different from your standard cola drinks (more like bubble gum). If you would like to try some Peruvian charcoal cooked chicken, this place is worth checking out.

Laurel California Tortilla Closed

This may be old news to some but, I thought I'd post on it any way. A couple weeks ago while I was delivering mail in the Contee Road and Route 1 area, I noticed that the Laurel California Tortilla was closed. Their outside sign had been removed and, I didn't see any activity inside the former restaurant. I was saddened by their closure as I felt they sold good food which was prepared quickly. I was curious why they closed as from I'd seen, they did a good bit of business.

I found a post by California Tortilla's Marketing Manager on www.yelp.com dated July 5, 2012 stating that the restaurant franchisee had been unable to come to suitable terms with the landlord regarding the future use of the property. California Tortilla corporate tried to put in a new owner for the restaurant but failed. So, the restaurant was permanently closed. The marketing manager also stated that California Tortilla hopes to return to Laurel soon. Anyone who has any further questions about the closing can email California Tortilla at: skane@californiatortilla.com.

I hope the chain succeeds in opening a new Laurel restaurant. I liked them a lot. I thought their chicken honey lime burritos were particularly good. Also, I liked their turkey chili. I'll let my readers know if I hear anything more on California Tortilla re-opening in Laurel. Happy dining all!

Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood House

It's been at least 2 years since I last visited the Laurel Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood House. It isn't that I don't like the restaurant. It's just that I'd been cutting back on eating out. With my travel friend Harvey coming up for our flights to Toronto, Canada, I recommended the restaurant as something good and different for dinner. The drive to the restaurant is easy enough. You take Maryland 295 to the Maryland 197 exit toward Laurel. You drive to Contee Road and turn left onto Contee Road. You got to the 3rd stoplight (where Route 1, Baltimore Washington Boulevard is) and turn left heading toward Washington D.C. The restaurant is on the left side of the road just before the Academy Ford car dealership.

The restaurant is one of those Japanese restaurants where the cook puts on a show while preparing the food. He juggles eggs with his spatula, makes a smoking volcano out of onion rings, cracks jokes and basically entertains the customers while preparing their respective orders. It makes for an amusing and more enjoyable dining experience.

The prices are very reasonable in my opinion. I had Teppanyaki steak and shrimp for $21.95. My unlimited sodas cost $2.15. A choice of 1 starter (chicken livers, sauteed mushrooms or 2 shrimps), a bowl of some kind of very good onion soup, a salad with an unidentifiable salad dressing, vegetables (broccoli, onions, carrots, squash, bean sprouts), and either white rice or fried rice come with the main entree. If you go to the Sakura website http://sakurasteakhouse.com/, you'll find coupons that could save you an additional 10%. Hours wise, the Laurel restaurant starts serving dinner at 4:30 p.m. I don't remember how late it stays open. Also, they have lunch hours. I don't know what those are.

Overall, I was very pleased with my dinner at this Sakura restaurant. The food was plentiful and tasty. The cook was very amusing and skilled. My waiter did a great job of keeping my glass filled with soda and was very prompt in serving my appetizer, soup and salad (depending on the rice you want, the cook may provide that i.e. fried rice). I would heartily recommend this restaurant to anyone who likes Japanese food. I definitely plan on going back myself. Bon Appetit all!

Little Caesar's

I haven't eaten any pizza in a while so today, I decided to try out Little Caesar's already made large pizza deal. I'd seen their advertisements lauding how you can get a hot fresh large pizza with either cheese, sausage or peppperoni for $5. You don't have to order in advance. You can walk right in and, they have them in a warmer already to go. From 4 to 8 p.m., for $3 more you can get a 3 meat pizza (bacon, sausage and pepperoni) or a deluxe supreme (green peppers, onions, sausage, pepperoni and mushrooms). As I like a pizza with lots of stuff on it, I decided to try out the supreme. I arrived before the Little Caesar's at 3431 Ft. Meade Rd in Laurel, Maryland started making its pre-prepared pizzas. However, they said they'd give me the $8 deal and, the pizza would be ready in less than 10 minutes. I said "cool!" I found the pizza decent. It isn't the greatest I've ever had but, the price was really good and, I liked the short wait (which wouldn't have happened if I'd arrived after 4 p.m.). The large pizza is supposedly 14 inches across and is big enough to supply 8 slices of pizza. If you want some decent pizza with no wait, you might want to take Little Caesar's up on the $5 large pizza deal. Bon Appetit.

Quiet

It's been quiet at my end of the woods. I haven't been doing anything exciting because I've been trying to save the money so I can pay off the scooter I'm in the process of buying. I paid $1,100 on that this past Tuesday. I still owe $1,070. I should have that paid off later this month. I'll be glad to finally get the thing and see what it's like to ride it. I found out that scooters can depreciate just like cars can. If I do decide to trade the thing in down the line for a bigger better scooter, I can expect to lose around $550 in depreciation in the first year (about a 1/4 of its initial value). Crap! Also, to my surprise, there is a value book put out on scooters by NADA. I found out about that from a friend at the Post Office. I didn't know there was such a thing. Scooters are sublisted under motorcycles in the book.

The Post Office continues to be filled with drama. For some reason, upper management has repeatedly visited the Post Office where I work. They seem to be looking for every little possible error. This is annoying as I have enough to worry about with trying to deliver the mail correctly and in time. It's anybody's guess what is going to happen to the Postal Service itself. The upper management folks keep saying we're going to run out of money. They say we're not bringing in enough. That's possible. I have definitely seen a drop in mail volume. Part of it is technology and part of it is the piss poor economy. I repeatedly receive notices from my credit union asking wouldn't I like to go to paperless statements. They even offer to put in for a drawing for a cash prize. I decline in part because of my job at the Post Office and in part because I like receiving a hard copy from them. I'm especially leery of going paperless with bills as it is very easy to forget an email notifying me of an upcoming payment. It's harder for me if I have something in paper I can see reminding me. The bad economy makes me leery of spending the money I earn. Especially, when I'm sure what is going to happen with my job at the Post Office.

I continue to slog away at my stories about my Egypt trip for the Globus exchange travel stories website. To my surprise, my last story which was about the day excursion to Alexandria received a superior rating. I liked that. I suspect I got that because I did some research which I included in the story like when Alexandria was created by Alexander the Great and some of the gods that had been worshipped at the Serapeum (temple complex) in Alexandria. I'm working on my next one about our visit to Saqqara and Old Memphis.

I finally finished off the boneless wings I bought from Cluck-U. I found them good. I'm pretty certain they weren't wings at all but, breasts coated like buffalo wings. While they were more expensive then the regular wings, you do get a LOT more meat with them. I thought the honey hickory flavor was good. I'd like to try the Caribbean jerk flavor and see if that is any good. We'll see on that.

Lastly, I've decided I'm going risk it (see previous comment about job insecurity) and order a new laptop at the end of this month from Dell. My current one is running fine but, it is getting old and the warranty is going to expire on this month. That scares me. I don't want any computer problems which I'd have to pay for. While I haven't had any major ones with my current Dell laptop, I'd like to play it safe and have a computer that is something goes wrong with it, they HAVE to fix it and pick up the tab. I haven't forgotten how expensive ($400) it was to replace the motherboard on my first laptop (a Sager). I plan to go with Dell again as the laptop I bought from them has had so few problems and their tech support has been great when there were glitches. I feel they're reliable. Also, Dell is offering a nice deal on certain models where I can get 12 months interest free credit. I'm certain I can pay the new laptop off in 12 months. I'll be excited to get the new laptop as it'll be a neat new toy I can play with. One thing I have found true is that as I've gotten older, my toys have gotten more expensive. Oh well.

That's all from my end of the woods. I think you can see why I'm not posting much. There isn't anything terribly exciting to blog about. I will have some neat future adventures to blog about in mid-summer. That's when I go on back-to-back tours with Globus. I can't wait to do that. I'm counting the days. I hope all is well with you reader of my blog. Take care and God bless.

Cluck-U

I've been hankering for some chicken wings for a while. There is a chain called Cluck-U that specializes in the things. They used to have one in the town that I live in but, for some reason, that store closed. While driving back from church one day, I saw a person in a chicken costume promoting a Cluck-U restaurant in Lanham, Maryland. Today, I decided to see if I could find the place and satisfy my hunger for some chicken wings.

I didn't know where the restaurant was in Lanham. However, I remembered that my Garmin GPS unit has names and addresses of restaurants. I decided to see if it had a listing for the Lanham Cluck-U. To my delight, it did. I clicked on the listing and, my GPS promptly figured out how to get me to the restaurant. Within a minute, it had the directions. I subsequently followed and found the place with no problem.

I decided to try their family pack which is 30 wings and four 8-ounce sides. They have a number of different flavors of wings going from super mild to super hot. I wimped and went for honey mustard. For my 4 sides, I decided to try their yellow corn, cole slaw, black beans and rice and mashed potatoes. The total cost with tax was $27.55. I believe it took them approximately 10 minutes to prepare my order.

The wings had a decent amount of meat on them and, the honey mustard flavor was all right. As I didn't want to make a pig of myself, I ate the yellow corn and mashed potato sides. Mashed potatoes tend to taste lousy cold and, corn goes with mashed potatoes. Both sides were all right. Overall, I was pretty pleased with the food and, I'll definitely buy some more wings from the Lanham Cluck-U restaurant when I'm out that way sometime. Cheers all!

Hanover Five Guys Restaurant

Earlier this week, I had a nice chat with my friend Harvey. He mentioned that he'd gone to a Five Guys restaurant within the past week and really enjoyed it. It'd been a while since I visited a Five Guys restaurant so I decided to check out the new one that had recently opened in Hanover, Maryland. This review is about that restaurant.

The Five Guys restaurant in Hanover, Maryland is very easy to get to. It's located just off Arundel Mills Boulevard when you take the Arundel Mills exit off of Maryland-295 (Baltimore Washington Parkway). It's located in a small shopping center called Arundel Preserve.

The restaurant is like other Five Guys restaurants in that the decor is a bit spartan. The most noticeable thing about the restaurant was the copies of articles that had been written about the chain and how many times it had various awards for the best hamburger restaurant or cheap eats.

However, I would have to disagree about its claim to be cheap to eat at. The small burger as they call it costs $3.19 and comes with 1 beef patty and a large selection of toppings. It is the toppings where Five Guys separates itself from other hamburger joints. You can get fried mushrooms, fried onions, green peppers, A-1 sauce, jalapenos, hot sauce or the standard ketchup, mustard, mayo, pickles or lettuce all at no charge. As far as I know of, no one else offers such an extensive list and at no extra charge. The only 2 toppings that do cost extra are cheese and bacon. Those come at a stiff 60 cents each. I tried their regular burger with bacon, cheese, fried onions and fried mushrooms. The regular burger which has 2 beef patties costs $4.19. In my opinion, for an extra buck, you might as well get the extra patty. With cheese and bacon, my burger ended up costing $5.39 which wasn't cheap.

Five Guys also offers 2 types of french fries. They have Five Guys flavor and Cajun. They come in regular and large size. A regular will cost you $2.40 while a large fry will cost you a stiff $4.19. I tried their large fries and I did get a good portion of fries but, $4.19 isn't cheap.

Five Guys offers hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches if you're not in the mood for a burger. I didn't try either of these but, a friend at the Post Office has tried their hot dogs and he raved about them. For those who are vegetarian, they also offer a vegetarian sandwich.

Lastly, Five Guys offers the standard line of soft drinks such as Pepsi, Hi-C, and some kind of Root Beer. A regular drink will cost you $1.79 while a large will cost you $1.99. They also offer bottled water at $1.79. For those who dine at the restaurant, you can get unlimited free refills. If you are going to eat the restaurant, you might as well save yourself the 20 cents. If you're not, you should spend it and get the large drink. I tried the Root Beer and the lemonade and both were fine.

Overall, I found Five Guys a cut above your average hamburger joint like McDonalds or Wendy's. All the hamburger they use is fresh as are their french fries. They actually keep sacks of potatoes where customers can see them. Price wise, they are a bit more expensive than McD's or Wendy's but, their burgers are good and their service is prompt. If you want a better burger or want one with some of their excellent toppings, you should try them out. They are very good. Bon Appetit!

Washington D.C. Hard Rock Cafe

I had dinner at the Washington D.C. Hard Rock Cafe yesterday. After I finished a D.C. Duck tour (see previous blog), I took the Metro to MCI Station. From there, I walked to the cafe. The cafe was fairly busy. Since I was by myself, the cafe greeter wanted to sit me at some cocktail tables they have. I wanted a regular table. They granted my request but, I was seated in a corner where I was easily forgotten. My waitress Lori was also very busy with other customers so didn't have a lot of time to check on me.

I had their pulled pork sandwich and sinful sundae for dessert. The sandwich was nicely presented and came with 2 small sides of cole slaw and baked beans with a main side of french fries. Everything on the entree tasted good. Concerning my sundae, when you make a sundae, aren't you suppose to pour the chocolate syrup over the ice cream then cover it with whip cream and nuts? That's what I think and they didn't do. They poured it into this plastic glass and it went straight to the bottom of it. The ice cream itself was Haagen Dazs and was very good. They also did a nice job with the whip cream and sprinkles though I think they forgot the nuts they were supposed to put on the sundae.

Overall, the food was average and the service was below average. I wasn't pleased with this visit. The only thing I was pleased about was the waitress getting the credit right on my All Access Membership. For those of you who don't know, All Access Membership is a program the chain has where you can earn credit toward free t-shirts, pins or food. For every $200 you spend, you get $20 in credit. It's a nice program. I was very close to getting my next $20 credit which was why I really wanted to eat at the Hard Rock Cafe. At some of the cafe's I've eaten at, the waitresses haven't known how to enter the All Access information properly so I haven't gotten the proper amount of credit I was supposed to get for my purchase. Thankfully, Lori did know how to enter it and I earned my next $20 credit. Now, I have a $100 credit that I can use for whatever I want at any Hard Rock Cafe. I'm pleased about that. Barring that, I don't see myself busting my butt to visit this cafe for a while. I wouldn't recommend you do so either. Bon Appetit!

Restaurant Review - Rita's

Rita's isn't a restaurant per se as a shop that specializes in flavored ices and frozen custard. I found out about it when I was delivered some mail to them. The stop is located in Laurel, Maryland on Maryland 198/Fort Meade Road just past the Maryland 295 Parkway. It's in a mall called the Corridor Marketplace.

The shop offers at least 8 different flavored ices as well as vanilla and chocolate frozen custard. They change the flavors of the ices regularly so they always have new flavors to try. They also offer cold drinks that combine one of the frozen ices with one of the custards. One item I've tried a number of times is their Misto shake. It is part ice and part custard thoroughly mixed together. Some of the flavors of their shakes have been very good. I particularly liked their Root Beer Float shake and their cream cicle shake.

Price wise, I've found Rita's reasonable. A large ice will cost you $2.50 and a large Misto shake will cost you $4.30 including tax. They have a card that you get stamped every time you visit. After your tenth purchase, you get a free item of your choice.

Parking is a little limited though I've never had a problem getting a spot. If necessary , you can use the bigger parking lot which is behind the shop.

Service has always been prompt, polite and knowledgeable. Also, there has rarely been a line when I've visited.

If you want something to cold to drink on a hot day here in Maryland and you happen to be in Laurel, you might want to give Rita's a try. They offer cool refreshing shakes, gelatis and ices that will make the heat more bearable. Cheers all!

Chik-Fil-A

Because my friend Modestine works at the Chik-Fil-A on Maryland 198 just off of the MD-295 intersection, I decided to treat myself to lunch there yesterday. It became something of a small course on Chik-Fil-A. For example, I learned that they make all their salads fresh on the premises. They must be awful busy in the morning getting all that stuff ready. Also, their lemonade is the real stuff with real squeezed lemons minus the pulp which they strain out. Modestine also gave me small samples of some of the stuff they sell. Their chicken strips were very good. Also, their sweetened ice tea had a good flavor. I liked their cole slaw which is made fresh every day. I'll be buying some more of that next time.

For my lunch, I tried their spicy chicken sandwich. I found that it wasn't terribly spicy. It was good. I had a large order of their waffle fries which were really good. Both the fries and the chicken were fried in peanut oil which I guess is lower in fat and has a less oily taste. Also, I had a large lemonade. I found their lemonade to be a bit tart. I wonder if it taste better if they sweetened it more. It was still good.

Overall, I had a nice lunch there and I plan to go back. Modestine has tempted me into trying some more of their items. So stay tuned for further updates on Chik-Fil-A.

Sakura's

It had been over 6 months since I last ate at Sakura's Japanese Steak and Seafood House here in Laurel. In my opinion, it's one of the finer restaurants in town. It has a nice decor, great food, excellent service and the chefs who prepare the food are very entertaining. I was reminded of the place last week when I delivered mail twice on rural route 15. The restaurant is one of the businesses on the route. So, I drove out there today.

The restaurant hasn't changed a bit. It still has a pleasant decor and service was excellent again. I was promptly seated and my order taken. The meal came with the standard soup (which is great) and salad (which is good). I had the scallops for an appetizer with the filet mignon, shrimp and chicken for the main course. The main course also came with a choice of appetizer and rice. For my second appetizer, I had the sauteed mushrooms and I chose their fried rice as it has more flavor than steamed rice.

The filet mignon was well prepared and very good. The shrimp was very tasty. The chicken was little dry. The fried rice and vegetables were excellent. The sauteed mushrooms were very good and the scallops were excellent, especially with some of the seafood sauce which the chef called yum yum sauce.

Overall, the meal was superb. My glass was rarely empty for long and my plate was filled up with food. Two people that ate across from me had to get doggie bags because of the large portions. Price wise, lunch cost me approximately $36 without tip. If you live in the Laurel, Maryland area, Sakura's puts out a 10% off coupon in the monthly Valupak you get in your mail. I used the coupon and it saved me $3.44.

I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Like I said previously, the food and service are excellent. The restaurant also has decent parking. The restaurant is located just off of Route 1 on the right before you reach the Route 1 and Contee Road intersection. Bon Appetit!

Restaurant Review

My friend Modestine Baldon works as an assistant manager at the Chik-Fil-A at Corridor Marketplace which is right next to MD-198 close to the MD-295 Baltimore Washington Parkway. I've promised her I would stop by her restaurant and give it some business because of her. Thursday, I got the chance to do so.

I dropped in around 1 p.m. and I was surprised how busy they were. Their parking lot was nearly completely full. They had lines at 4 cash registers. I ordered their 12 nugget combo meal with a large lemonade and large vanilla milkshake.

The combo meal consisted of 12 small chicken breast nuggets and an order of waffle fries. I wasn't impressed with the nuggets. They tasted fine but they were SMALL. Considering I paid over $7 for them and the order of waffle fries, I thought I got ripped off there. The waffle fries were good and I'd guess they were a medium size order.

Their vanilla milkshake is reportedly hand spun. Whatever. I thought it was decent milkshake though it could've used some more vanilla flavoring in it.

The lemonade was allegedly fresh squeezed. I thought it was decent also. One thing I did like and I wish I'd known about was the free refills. I would've bought the medium lemonade in that case and skipped the milkshake. Oh well.

If you have kids, you might like this restaurant as they have kids play area and give out free balloons to the kids.

Overall, I wasn't wiped out with the place though it was decent enough. I definitely wouldn't order the chicken nuggets. If you go there, get one of their chicken breast sandwiches instead. Do take advantage of the free refills at the restaurant. One last item of note, all Chik-Fil-As are closed on Sundays. I think it's because the owner is religious. That's what I've heard. Bon Appetit all!

Laurel Tavern

I visited the Laurel Tavern today. It's name is a bit of a misnomer as it's actually a very small shop that sells primarily donuts and other breakfast pastries. The tavern closed over 6 months ago and underwent a slow refurbishment. Finally, it reopened on January 2nd. I visited it today to see how it was. I found out that they've changed the focus of the restaurant/shop. Before, it was more small burgers and coffee. Now, it's primarily donuts and pastries though they still offer their mini-burgers.

I decided to try their mini-burgers. I bought six of them for $5.49. The tavern does give you a slight discount if you buy more than one. A single burger would cost you $1.29. Taste wise, the burgers were good but not very filling. I ate all six that I bought and I still wasn't filled up. Compared to McDonald's, I think they're a little expensive.

As far as pastries go, they had an all right selection. It isn't as impressive as Dunkin Donuts. One note I must make. I arrived at the tavern at 4:00 p.m. and what I saw as far as pastry wise may have been the dregs. They may offer a better selection when they open. I haven't seen what they offer when they open at 5 a.m.

Hours wise, they are open Monday to Saturday, 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those hours are definitely handy if you want to buy something for breakfast but not if you want a burger later in the day.

Parking is the same as it was: limited. This is a place where you run in, order what you want, get it and eat it some where else. There aren't any seats in the tavern and there is a limited area where you can stand.

Overall, the tavern is better than what it was before but, it still isn't very impressive. As it is down the street from the Post Office, it would be a handy place to grab a donut on my way in to work in the morning. But, it isn't a place I would go out of my way for. If you happen to be on Maryland Route 1 in Laurel around breakfast time and you're hunkering for a donut, you might give them a try but, I wouldn't recommend you go out of your way to find the Laurel Tavern. Bon Appetit!

Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood House

Restaurant Review

Another restaurant who I deliver mail to is the Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood House on Baltimore Avenue just down from the Academy Ford Dealership. From the outside, it looks like a nice enough restaurant and it has decent parking. I decided to try it out today.

When I walked in, I was promptly greeted and taken to a seat that sat to the side of the grill the chef was going to use to cook the food. In this type of Japanese restaurant, the chef slices and cooks the food right in front of you. He'll also show some of the juggling skills by throwing the spatala and cooking fork in the air and catching them. It's an impressive display.

Food wise, I decided to splurge and I ordered the lobster and a ginger ale to drink. I racked up almost 19 hours of overtime this week at the Post Office so I felt I deserved a treat. In addition to the lobster, all entrees come with a complimentary appetizer, soup and salad. I found the soup to be outstanding. My only complaint of sorts was I would've liked to have had more. It was that good. The salad was decent enough. It had some kind of salad dressing that I couldn't identify. Also with an entree, you get a choice of steamed or fried rice. I was glad I chose the fried rice as the chef did a great job with it. The vegetables were firm and nicely cooked. The rice tasted superb. Appetizer wise, I had two shrimp flambe which I found good. The lobster was wonderfully prepared and I enjoyed every bite. The restaurant did offer some desserts but I decided to pass on those.

Price wise, I thought the restaurant was good value. My ginger ale cost me $1.95 and came with unlimited refills. I know that for a fact as I put a hurting on them there. My lobster entree was $29.95 and was a very good deal. I received 2 lobster tails and the food I've already mentioned. Service was outstanding. My glass was rarely empty for long before our great waitress promptly filled it up again.

Overall, I was completely satisfied with this restaurant. I definitely plan to go back. Also, I plan to take my friend Harvey there when he comes up this way some time. I think he'd really enjoy it. This is one restaurant I'd definitely recommend. If you like Japanese food, you should try the Sakura Japanese Steak and Seafood House. They have locations throughout Maryland. Their website is http://sakurasteakhouse.com. Bon Appetit!

Restaurant Review

One of the businesses I deliver mail to on rural route 15 is the Cold Stone Creamery at 13600 Baltimore Avenue. Every time I've walked in there, the place has smelled of delicious diet busting treats. Because of that, it moved to the top of my list of restaurants I had to try. Today, I visited the creamery. Here are my opinions on what I thought of the place.

I walked and found out that the creamery doesn't have small, medium and large sizes for their ice cream. They have like it, love it and gotta have it sizes. According to their website, they think this is cool though I found it annoying when trying to place my order. How much do you get ice cream wise for a like it ice cream? You get 5 ounces. The love it translates to 8 ounces and the gotta have it equates to 12 ounces. In regards to shakes and smoothies, they only have like it and love it which are different from their ice cream sizes. A like it shake will be 12 ounces while a love it shake will be 20.

After seeing what they had, I decided to try their very vanilla milk shake and a creation ice cream. Their very vanilla milk shake has french vanilla ice cream, skim milk and caramel (source: http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/drinks/drinks_faq.html#shake_serve). For a milk shake that was supposed to be very vanillaish, it wasn't. I was very UNIMPRESSED with their milk shake. I was also a bit shocked by its price. A gotta have it size milk shake will set you back a still $6. In my opinion, that is some serious change for a milk shake. Frankly, I think you could make a better one at home for less money. My rating on their vanilla milk shake is they're a rip-off.

Cold Stone Creamery features 3 types of ice cream dishes. You have just ice cream, you have what they call a creation which is ice cream with 1 item of your choice and they have their signature creations. As to what you can get mixed with your ice cream, the creamery offers a large and impressive choice of items. You can get gummi bears, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, sprinkles, walnuts, pecans, Heath toffee bars, Snickers candy bars, Butterfinger candy bars, Reeses peanut butter cups, Oreo cookies, almonds, M&Ms, brownies and still many more. You decide what items you want mixed in though the more items you choose, the more you pay. Signature creations are ice cream dishes that the creamery has come up with and found so popular that they are part of their regular menu. Examples of these are Banana Caramel Crunch, Berry Berry Berry Good and Cookie Minster. If you want to see the full list of signature creations, see this webpage: http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/icecream/original_creations.html. For your information, as the signature creations have the most ingredients in them, they are the most expensive ice cream dishes the creamery has though the largest size signature creation cost $5.40 not including tax at the restaurant I visited.

I decided to try their gotta have it size butter pecan with pecans added. I found the ice cream decent. I enjoyed the pecans I had added. I found it interesting to watch the person filling my order mix the pecans in. They have a special counter where they slap the ice cream, flatten it, pour the ingredients to be added on top and then knead the ice cream like you would bread dough. Once the person is done mixing the ingredients, their scrape the concoction off the counter and put it in the appropriate size cup. If you tell the staff that it is your first visit to the creamery, the entire staff will cheer out FIRST TIMER. They will also cheer out a happy birthday if you or someone in your party is having a birthday. Cost wise, my ice cream was $4.79 plus tax. For what I received, I thought that was reasonable. Their prices are comparable to Dairy Queen with the plus that you are getting better quality ice cream.

Overall, I thought Cold Stone Creamery to be pricey and in the case of their shakes, a rip-off. Their ice cream is all right but in opinion, it isn't better than Breyer's or Hagen Daz. If you are in the mood for an ice cream treat but don't want to mess with fixing it yourself, you might want to try them. Their website has a restaurant/shop locater tool that will help you find the closest creamery to where you live. http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/. Cheers!

Pasta Nostra Restaurant Review

I've been wanting to try out the restaurant Pasta Nostra for a while. It's located in Laurel and, it sounded like a decent restaurant. Pasta Nostra is located just off Van Dusen Road at the Laurel Park Shopping Center across the street from the Laurel Regional Hospital. It serves Italian food including pizzas and calzones. The restaurant is a bit different in that in you walk up to the counter, place and pay for your order, they give you a number and then, you find a seat and wait for your food. There aren't any waitresses. or assigned seating.

Food wise, I tried their fried calimari, salmon imperial and profiteroles. Their fried calimari was approximately $7. They gave a decent serving and, I thought it was good calimari. They didn't give any pieces that were rubbery i.e. impossible to eat and they gave a reasonable portion of marinara sauce. The salmon was nice and included a small portion of pasta topped with crab meat. I thought the salmon good but the portion seemed small. The salmon cost approximately $11. The profiteroles which are cream puffs covered with chocolate sauce/pudding and chocolate powder were good. You received three cream puffs with plenty of chocolate sauce. The profiteroles cost approximately $6.

All totalled, I spent under $30 for lunch. I thought the food was decent. The decor of the restaurant isn't anything special. Service was good and courteous. Overall, I'd say Pasta Nostra is a decent restaurant though not one I'd go out of my way to try. Location wise, it isn't very easy to get to unless you're travelling on Interstate-95 in which case you take the MD-198 exit for Laurel, turn right at Van Dusen and look for the center on your left. There is plenty of parking. Bon Appetit!

Update: This restaurant has either closed or changed its name to Bella which is operating in its location. I don't know when Pasta Nostra closed.