I was waiting for a car inspection, and the service manager recommended Kelsey’s. I was seated in the formal dining room and allowed to read in private. I was surprised by the attentive wait staff, who respected my concentration by quietly serving me.

I will return to Kelsey’s, bringing my family for a meal.

(posted by iPhone)

 

The national chain restaurant was much less than I expected. I ordered a shredded beef burrito, my wife a chicken burrito. Neither was appetizing; they were each barely edible. The mushy, sticky burrito was overstuffed with rice and beans, leaving little room for meat or seasoning.

We ordered a taco salad for one of our daughters, and she was happy with her dinner; however, she had none of her usually positive comments that follow her meals.

I suggest that you pass Qdoba in favor of a locally owned restaurant the next time that you feel like eating a bit of Mexican food.

The restaurant at which we ate was in Ellicott City, Maryland:
9050 Baltimore National Pike
Ellicott City, MD 21042
410-203-0010
410-203-9191 fax

 

My family and I were promptly seated, just before the dinner rush on a Wednesday evening. We accepted a booth between the hostess’s stand and the kitchen, and this may have accounted for the quality of our service.

Our server was prompt and polite. She was efficient without a hint of being brusque: friendly and focused. Our drinks arrived within two minutes, and our food arrived just a few minutes later. I honestly felt as if we were the only patrons in the restaurant.

While we were sipping our drinks, a party of nine entered the restaurant. Chips and salsa were efficiently placed on the large table before the party was seated. The manager choreographed the staff’s efforts so that this large party would be well cared for and would not disrupt our server’s responsibilities toward the other tables.

Our food was well prepared and neatly presented. I am a finicky eater, and I found nothing amiss with my family’s meals.

I recommend On The Border, locations and menu details are available online.

 

I ordered a tuna and bacon melt on sourdough bread. Peggy ordered the crabcake melt on sourdough. Although my tuna sandwich was great, I should have ordered the crabcake; it was out of this world!

The service was quick and seamless. Our server was attentive and polite.

The restaurant, now three week’s old is considering expanding into the space next door, which I think is a great move. We waited 20 minutes for our table on Friday evening, and the restaurant was filled throughout the dinner hours.

I am glad to see that the restaurant has a solid clientele. The word must be getting around town that this is the place to eat…both lunch and dinner.

I hope to see you soon at Soto’s Grill. You will find the restaurant at 8001 Hillsborough Road in Ellicott City 21043 (map). If you would like to call ahead for reservations, the phone number is 443.574.8989.

 

Soto’s Grill opened at the end of May 2007, and I have twice eaten at this upscale, yet relaxed, restaurant. Serving Greek, Italian, and American fare, Soto’s Grill is a respite from the noise and commotion of the national chain restaurants.

I suggest that you order the stromboli. You will have sufficient food for two meals. I have talked with many diners and everyone likes the restaurant and the food. This is a must-see restaurant.

Located at 8001 Hillsborough Road in Ellicott City 21043 (map), the restaurant faces the community recreation park and the woods surrounding old Ellicott City. The restaurant accepts reservations, 443.574.8989

 

I have avoided eating at this restaurant, because my experience tells me that mall restaurants often cater to diners who do not expect proper service, so long as the food is delivered quickly. I was in such a good mood after our religious services, that I wanted to eat with my family, regardless of the restaurant that we selected. I let my guard down, and we ventured into P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.

We were politely greeted and warned of a possible 25-35 minute wait. The greeters were courteous to overestimate the wait, and they seated us within 20 minutes. However, from there, the service stopped.

Our server was surly and abrupt, interrupting my family as we placed our drink and food orders. Her interruptions caused her to misunderstand our preferences, and she failed to accurately deliver our preferred beverages.

She then dropped two wet and dirty empty plates in front of my daughters, well before our meals were to be delivered. I asked that the plates be removed and replaced with clean ones. The server clanked the plates together next to my ear and quite literally huffed off to the kitchen. One of the replacement plates was also soiled, and the server demonstrated her displeasure by asking me if she should stand there while I inspected the new plate.

We left before our food was delivered.

I cannot, in any good conscious make a recommendation about this restaurant other than stay far away from P.F. Chang’s China Bistro.

 

I was on my way to the university, this evening, and I needed to grab a bite. I dropped into the Frisco Grille & Cantina for a sandwich and fries, and I discovered a little bit of south-of-the-border heaven.

When I first entered the foyer, I almost walked out…it’s not much to speak of, visually, but a bartender saw me and pointed out the menu. The cook prepares meals in full view of the carryout counter, so you’ll what’s going into your meal. This setup doesn’t present well, but it’s an informal combo southwestern-sports bar and restaurant; I took the ambience with a grain of salt. Good thing I did.

I ordered the Sante Fe burger with fries. It was prepared quickly and fully-cooked, as I asked. The cook prepared the platter well, and the portion was more than generous. This was a dinner that made me happy.

The bar serves 19 different microbrews, and every week features a different brewery. Weeknights have a happy hour from 2-6, and Thursday-Saturday nights different musicians come into entertain, starting at 9.

The menu includes burritos, tacos, quesadillas, enchiladas, nachos, taquitos, fajitas, salads, and burgers. A kid’s menu includes quesadilla and chicken fingers.

The restaurant is located at 8865 Stanford Blvd, off Dobbin Road. The restaurant’s phone number is 410.312.4907, and the website is friscogrille.com.

When you stop in tell ‘em that you heard about the food on SaysDave.com.

 

My youngest daughter and I were running errands, today, and we were looking for a restaurant on the east side of Columbia. We found the Blue Cow Cafe in our Entertainment book, along with a “buy-one-get-one-free” coupon. The coffee shop was so inviting that I’ll return, even without another coupon!

The menu serves a wide selection of grilled and cold sandwiches, but we took our server’s recommendation of the grilled turkey and cold tuna fish sandwiches. Both were ample, and the turkey was out of this world. I describe it, without hesitation, as the best turkey sandwich that I have ever eaten. Garnished with avocado, it was a healthy, filling lunch. I added a bowl of chili that beats mine (and I judge that I make a mean chili).

The decorations include artwork from local artists, most of which is available for purchase. Board games, newspapers, and magazines are available to diners, and a free lending library fills one shelf. I suggest that you bring a book to swap, when you visit.

An old-fashioned ice cream bar sits along one wall, and it appears that the staff can make more than just milkshakes.

This is just the type of restaurant that every community deserves. The owner, Karen Blue, shows her true colors by not only supporting her local Thunder Hill community, but those from far away. Following Hurricane Katrina, Karen’s family invited four survivors to their home, and Karen offered them work in the coffeehouse.

This is a restaurant that we must support.

Blue Cow Cafe
5134 Thunder Hill Rd
Columbia, Maryland 21045
410.772.8999
410.772.1343 fax

Specials
Free limite area delivery with $20 minimum order.
All credit and debit cards accepted
10% teacher discount on Mondays

Additional details
Modern Babies & Children review
Yahoo! Local

 

Ellicott Mills Brewing Company is an cozy restaurant at near the top of the hill in Ellicott City, Maryland. Beers are brewed on the premises and the process is visible through floor-to-ceiling glass walls, a nice visual touch in the main-floor bar area.

The upstairs dining area is enclosed by brick walls and supported by a solid wooden floor, which combine to create a casual, yet historic, ambiance. I have dined here with my immediate and extended families, at both lunch and dinner; every visit becomes a special visit.

Tonight, Peggy ordered fried fish fillets, and I ordered alligator gumbo, both from the evening’s list of specials. Whew! My alligator stew was out of this world! I could have easily eaten enjoyed another serving, if the first were not so generous. I had two tall glasses of Dunkel, a dark German-style beer, that earned the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company the distinction of having the “Best Beer in Baltimore” in Baltimore Magazine’s 1998 survey.

Our server was prompt and polite. She created a convenient dining experience, without intruding on our private conversation. I look forward to being seated in her section again.

I urge you to visit Ellicott Mills Brewing Company as soon as possible. Tell ‘em that I sent you.

 

I have written about Orville’s Restaurant before, and I think it is worth writing about, again. The restaurant is small, quiet, and family-friendly. I pulled up in the Civil Air Patrol plane that I was flying for the day, and parked right next to the restaurant’s entrance.

The dining area was pleasantly full, with many diverse and and friendly conversations in progress. I ordered a half turkey sandwich and bowl of soup. My food arrived in only a few minutes, and my waitress recognized from my uniform (and vehicle) that I was probably in no mood to hang around. She had my check ready, and I was back in the air soon after finishing my meal.

If you are in the York Pennsylvania area, I suggest that you stop by Orville’s for lunch, regardless of whether your vehicle has three wheels or four.

 

I usually like the beef fried rice from China Kitchen, and the previous restaurant on the same pad, The Pagoda Box, and I’ve ordered it on a half dozen occassions; however, this evening, the each of the entrés and the egg rolls tasted as if they were cooked in chicken fat. There was a pervasive sweet odor and taste to each meal.

I ordered chrispy beef, sesame chicken, and my standby favorite, beef fried rice, along with four egg rolls. I sampled all , and I was so hungry that I cleaned my plate, but I wasn’t pleased. Af first, I thought that I was just being picky, but my wife and our daughters each pushed themselves away from the table, leaving their meals mostly untouched.

I think the restaurant may be under new management, and that could be the reason for the change in menu preparation, and it’s too bad. I won’t be back.

If you’d like to sample some really bad Chinese cooking, try…
China Kitchen
6501 Huntshire Dr, Suite 111
Elkridge, MD 21075
(410) 579-6990

 

We arrived at 6:00 P.M., and we were seated a bit after 7:00. Our meals weren’t served until a few minutes before 8:00. I realize that we arrived on a Saturday evening, but the restaurant was largely unoccupied. Some of our party thought that the wait staff could have been short handed, but I thought that there were plenty of servers running with meals and trays. Even if the restaurant were short a hand or two, how could the manager have let that happen on busiest evening of the week?

Our waitress was surly and a bit impolite, noticeably to my wife, the birthday girl. Our server was polite to me, but I may have looked like one of the people likely to pay the check.

Our meals were served well past their serve-by times and our table went largely unattended. None of the fou meals that should have sizzled were even remotely hot. All but one of us received cold french fries, and our drink glasses were often empty.

But worst of all, I again received the greatest insult a restaurant can throw: our check included a 15% gratuity. I was a server in my earlier days, and I know how hard it is to work in the service industry, but please, do not assume that group of well-dressed adults with teenage children will stiff you, when it comes to a gratuity. I leave a gratuity of 30-50%; however, whenever I see the gratuity assumed on the bill, I respect it. It’s the server who suffered in this instance, although she deserved it; her service matched the quality of the food. But had the gratuity not been assumed, I would have left at least 30%.

To the manager:
Demonstrate leadership. Teach the three greeters to welcome guests. Consider offering drinks or snacks in the waiting area, especially when the anticipated wait approaches an hour. These don’t have to be complimentary, we acknowledge that you are responsible to make money for the owner.

Teach the servers to say "Thank you" and "How may I serve you," rather than, "What would you like?"

Most of all, under now circumstances allow a dinner party to wait 45 minutes for their appetizers. No restaurant is so busy that you can’t whip up a few buffalo wings in 10 minutes.

When you have improved the quality of food and service at your restaurant, drop a comment to this article. I’ll come back, but not until then!

 

I was out for a bit of early fall proficiency flying in a Civil Air Patrol Cessna 172 that is based at Tipton Airport. My goal was to practice a few crosswind landings at Carroll County Regional Airport/Jack B Poage Field and York Airport, but my stomach started growling. I pulled up in front of the FBO at York and asked if the restaurant was still open.

Luckily for me not only was the restaurant open, but another pilot, also named Dave, was just sitting down for lunch. We shared a table and a couple of bowls of the best crab soup that I’ve had in a long time.

The soup was full of large chunks of crab meat, fresh vegetables, and a well-spiced broth. It’s definititely worth plotting a course to York and stopping by Orville’s Restaurant…just remember, the restaurant is closed on Mondays.

I hope to see you at Orville’s soon!

 

We’ve tried a few other crab shacks at the beach, but Tom & Terry’s is the only one that has been consistently reliable. Give them a call at 302.539.4311, the next time your at the The Quiet Beaches.

 

Couches and wing armchairs, arranged in small groups, encourage conversation and relaxation. Bookshelves present a selection of reading materials, including a book swap. I’ve picked up John Barry’s The Great Influenza, but I haven’t decided which of my books I’ll leave in return (they are all so dear!).

Light fare is served from 7:30 A.M. until 4:30 P.M. (6:00 P.M. on Fridays and Saturdays). A good selection of coffee flavors, both high-test and decaf is always on tap.

Private internet kiosks rent for $5.00 per half hour. If you bring your own wireless notebook or PDA, wi-fi access is $5.00 per three-hour session^*. I signed up for a full-week’s wi-fi access for $28.50, so I can access the net 24/7, even from my car or the benches on the building’s front porch. Last week, I relied on dial-up access, and the low-bandwidth was more than annoying while I was teaching online courses.

I’m glad that I wandered into 2Bean yesterday and noticed a small note on the counter indicating that wi-fi access was available…I think that I’ll suggest to the owners that they post an advertising notice in the café’s front window.

*2Bean’s wi-fi is 802.11g, 54Mbps bandwidth

 

Click here for the restaurant’s website.

The restaurant is located right on Route 1 (Ocean Highway), just a bit north of the stateline border with Maryland, it’s only a short drive from the north end of Ocean City, Maryland.

Built as a replica the Indian River Coast Guard Station, restaurant is open and comfortable. The staff is friendly and polite.

I stronly suggest that you stop by Warren’s Station. If you’re not sure of finding the restaurant, call ahead, (302) 539-7156.

 

Our server, Kate, was friendly and very accomodating. I arrived with a headache, and she turned down the background music and helped me get a few aspirin from a convenience store across the street.

We sat on the second-floor patio dining area, and were able to enjoy not only the evening air but the excitement building in anticipation of a skywalker that was to walk between two hotels. The wind was picking up, and at the last minute the 61-year-old skywalker, Jay Cochrane cancelled his evening tightrope walk, but promised to meet guests at ground level to sign free posters. He accepts donations for his performances, and all proceeds are given to charity. We’re disappointed that we weren’t able to watch the performance…we had front-row seats!

For dinner we ordered chicken fingers, cuban steak kabobs, teriaki chicken, shrimp spring rolls, and cookies & ice cream. Every single item was well prepared, but it was the shared dessert that really topped off the meal. It was Kate who suggested the dessert, and her advice was right on the mark.

Following dessert, a street performer joined us on the patio and entertained us by juggling balls, knives, fruit, and fire. When asked how long he had been performing, he sheepishly admitted that he started only two months earlier. His act is polished and he still retains the enthusiasm that comes with starting a new career.

I honestly can’t remember having a family dinner that was more enjoyable. Please stop by Café Tu Tu Tango, when you visit Niagra Falls, Ontario. You won’t be disappointed!

 

The 2-2-2 breakfast includes two eggs, two pancakes, and two sausages. Even though the price is raised on weekends and holidays to $3,75, it’s a breakfast worth flying for. The pancakes filled the plate, and the well-browned sausages were fat and juicy.

We both ordered the 2-2-2, although with diffent egg preparations: scrambled and fried. I have yet to have a bad meal at Jimmy’s Restaurant…I might even drive up to Georgetown, this summer, while we’re vacatationing at the Delaware beach.

 

La Fiesta (two locations: Columbia and Sykesville Maryland) serves up, for my palette, the best Mexican food. Our youngest daughter is at a birthday party sleepover, and my wife and our oldest daughter are attending a concert, this evening. I was left home in care of the family dog, a cocker spaniel that’s great company, so long as I’m either feeding her or letting her sleep her life away. So, since I’m baching it for the evening, I headed out to grab a chimi.

My server spoke little English, and I speak no Spanish, but that didn’t seem to bother us. My meal arrived in less than 10 minutes, and I was left in peace to read Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond. I munched chips and salsa and nearly feasted on my chimichanga.

During the 45 minutes that I was in the restaurant, it changed from practically empty to all-tables-full, typical for a Friday evening.

La Fiesta gets two thumbs, way, way up from me. Try one of their convenient locations, the next time your in the mood for real Mexican food.

 

We have an annual discount card that advertises hundreds of dollars in discounts; however, the fine print is so confusing that we’ll be lucky to recoup the $25 investment we made in the card. The year’s starting to pass, and it’s time that we started to put the discounts to work.

It appeared that we were the second table to be seated; the restaurant had only opened an hour before we arrived, at 12 Noon. My family were seated, and I headed off to wash my hands. The facility was passable, not too dirty, but not at all what I’d expect early on a Sunday, and the paper towel dispenser was just about empty…I pulled out the last six inches of towel.

When I arrived at our table, my wife mentioned that our server had described the Mediterranean stew, something that she thought I would like. When our server returned, she described the stew to me, and it really did sound good. I asked if it would be a sufficient entry or should I order a sandwich, in addition. Our server assured me that the stew would be a “hearty portion.”

Our server was friendly and helpful; she brought us an extra basket of bread, and made sure that we were well attended. The next time we visit on weekend, we’ll be sure to request this server. I’m keeping the server’s name private, but more on that, later.

Our meal arrived, and I was surprised to find the hearty portion of stew was a bowl of rice with a small ladle of stew on top. This is not a portion that I’d consider appropriate for an entree, it was just the right size for an appetizer or side dish.

Fortunately, the women in my family (my wife and our two daughters) came to my aid and shared portions of their meals with me…just as if we were eating at home!

Our server was clearly upset and offered to make amends, when my wife mentioned that the portion size wasn’t as described. As it turns out, today was our server’s first day returning to work after her maternity leave. She gave birth to a handsome son a few months ago, and the boy looks like he’s a joy to be with. It’s too bad that our server is only able to work weekends, now (she stays home with her son during the week)…we’re limited as to when we can come back to her service.

The last tribulation of the visit was an automatic 18% gratuity that was added to our bill. Dear Manager, that’s rude.

I made sure that our server earned the gratuity that I judge she earned, almost
double the automatic gratuity; however, I’m still piqued that a restaurant would automatically add a gratuity to the bill of a four-person family lunch…do they really think that a mom and dad, with daughters in tow, would stiff a server?

So, what’s the bottom line on the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company? It’s got stable fare. Not much changes from one visit to the next. Cigarette smoke from the bar below the restaurant is noticeable in the dining area, the crab cake sandwich fair, and the stew is stingy in its portion, but the hamburgers and other sandwiches are out of this world, the beer selection is eclectic and well managed, and the servers, especially the lovely woman who attended our meal, today, are excellent. And, in my book, that’s the secret to success…great service.

With the service far outweighing the minor disappointments of today’s lunch, the Ellicott Mills Brewing Company earns a big thumbs up from Dave.

 

This is the fifth or sixth time I’ve eaten at this restaurant over the last sixteen years or so…and with each visit, I’ve noticed that the service has gotten worse.

This morning we waited over 45 minutes to be served, and the food wasn’t prepared as we asked. I requested no cheese on either my bowl of chili, yet it was delivered with a full coating of cheddar. I asked the waitress to confirm that I had requested no cheese, and she offered to replace my meal. After a 10 minute wait, the chili was re-served; however, the cheese was clearly visible on the bowl, although all had been removed from the surface of the chili.

OK, I understand that resaurants need to make a profit and often operate close to the bone; however, at least put the chili in a clean bowl.

My wife just joined me on the porch, and she’s laughing that I must have a lot to say about our experience at TooJays, this afternoon…more than you could ever imagine, but politeness prevents me from telling you all of the truth.

I’ll never return to TooJays. Had I listened to my father’s suggestion, we would have avoided this entire lunchtime fiasco. From now on, when we want a light lunch, I’ll take my family to Boulevard Deli, across the street from the Doubletree Hotel…we’re always served quickly and with a smile when we breakfast there!

 

We practiced landing under the control of the tower folk at Salisbury, and then flew north to Sussex County, a small uncontrolled airport, very near to my family’s summer vacation spot.

Airport restaurants are typically good places for lunch, and Jimmy’s Restaurant at the Sussex County Airport was true to form. The service was friendly and the food came out quickly and well prepared, it was one of the best $100 hamburgers I’ve ever eaten. The next time I’m flying or driving near Georgetown, Delaware, I’ll definitely eat at Jimmy’s. I suggest that you do, too.

 

The only disaapointment was the chocolate volcano dessert. The chocolate sauce and the plate were too hot for kids to touch, but it made a nice dessert for two adults to share. There was so much sugar in that dessert that it made my eyes hurt!

BTW, our server was super and he earned his oversized tip (which our guests graciously left).

We’ll be back.

 

Before ordering, I asked the server what was inside the chocolate mouse (yes, a square block of chocolate with a chocolate mouse on top). He didn’t know about the dessert, and I had to guide him to the shelf and specific dessert tray … he said, “Mousse.” I said, Not the mousse,” which was a cake on the shelf immediately about the mouse, “the mouse,” I continued.

This conversation went back and forth a few times, but eventually, I settled on the fact that I wasn’t going to find out what was in the mouse, unless I ordered it…

Guess what was inside the mouse! You got it, mousse!

A chocolate mouse mousse; who would have thought?!? What a great dessert idea.

As much fun as my family and I had ordering the mouse mousse, we still waiting almost ten minutes for our order to be taken, and then another 15 minutes after we were finished…until the check arrived. It was a really blatant case of bad service.

It will be a while before we return to the Double T Diner.

BTW, there’s something with the servers at that diner; the last time we ordered Spanish rice, and it looked surprisingly like spinach…go figure!

 

I had the Mog (an egg salad club), Joe had the Emily (a turkey sandwich, I think), and we shared an order of fries. I suggest that you order a half-and-half iced tea, when you visit for lunch.

 

My oldest daughter suggested that I start publishing my critiques of restaurants that we visit, and I broadened her suggestion to include publishing about everything that I critique.

This is my first step.

BTW, the restaurant with the poor service is Copeland’s, and we’ll never return.