We’ve all had lots of Mexican food, especially if you grab a burrito from Salsarita’s in the Commons on your way to class multiple times a week. However, it’s nice to eat at a quality Mexican restaurant and it’s even nicer to eat at one with a great atmosphere.
Holy Frijoles has a great name and is located in one of Baltimore’s most well known parts of town, Hampden. Home of hon culture, Hampden is a mosaic of eateries and local businesses, making it a hip hangout, especially for college-aged students. Holy Frijoles is right in the center of it all and offers a wide array of options for all food lovers. The disclaimer at the bottom of their menu reads “ALL OF OUR FOOD IS VEGETARIAN UNLESS IT HAS MEAT IN IT!” So, order your favorites without cheese or meat for some delicious entrees.
Appetizers range from nachos to taquitos and there are a few types of salads on the menu with added Mexican flare. I’ve heard great things about the fish tacos and potato burritos which have potatoes, melted cheese, chopped onions, and homemade picante.
I chose a vegan enchilada, which was just the right amount of spicy and had tons of delicious beans and corn topped with enchilada sauce. The chimichangas are also a crowd pleaser, enormous in size and fried to perfection.
For the 21+ crowd, Frijoles has a friendly bar and offers a creative selection of drinks that’s worth checking out.
ADDRESS:
908 W. 36th St
Hampden Baltimore, MD 21211
-Stefanie
When art meets food, you get something like Umami, a biennial event in New York in its second year that incorporates visual and performing art with food.
(Who knew there is a performance piece called Robert Kushner and Friends Eat their Clothes?)
The film Anarchy in the Kitchen, an amalgamation of short pieces, was created by students, faculty, and artists of the community. UMBC is actually an affiliate of Umami food and art festival, and I think it is pretty cool that UMBC participates. The movie was simultaneously shown at UMBC in the Center for Art, Design and Visual Culture Friday, March 5th at 7pm, and in New York City. So there are interesting things that happen on the weekends at UMBC lol.
At times thoughtful, entertaining, and disgusting (you’ll know what I mean when you see it) it is definitely worth a watch. But I will let the movie speak (or gesture) for itself.
Click HERE for the webcast!
What do you think of it?
I’m going to ignore my better judgment on this issue and go ahead and tell you all one of the best kept secrets at UMBC. If you ask a student where a good place to eat is they will most likely say The Commons or the Dining Hall. If they really know their stuff they might even say Third Floor Commons in the Sky Light Lounge. However, there is another place on campus to grab a bite; I’m talking of the little café on the first floor of the administration building. If you ever care to have a little adventure and explore the first floor of the administration building, you will find tucked away in the back left corner of the building a little café. This place is very small; maybe double the size of the original Spot (back in the day when we got our food from Sedxo).
The food they offer here is by far the best food on campus! Little surprise seeing how our President’s office is located on the 10th floor of the administration building. But I can’t blame the guy; their food is out of this world! Today for lunch, I had a chicken salad sandwich on toasted, white bread with lattice, tomatoes, and provolone cheese. I also got a bottle of water and an orange making this meal a whopping $6.65. Oh yeah, did I forget to mention that this is places offers the best bang for your buck on campus? Where else are you going to have a fat (Ph, and F) freshly made sandwich made right in front of you? Subway? Sure, if you enjoy eating preservatives. But maybe you’re not a sandwich person. That’s ok (well, not really) because they offer more than just sandwiches. They have the best breakfast UMBC offers; $5.50 for a breakfast platter. That includes eggs, bacon, hash browns (or some form of potato based product- home fries, tatter tots, etc…), and a drink. Why wouldn’t you come to this place for all of your on campus meals?
The only drawback to this place is that it closes at 2:00 pm every day. I know, lame! But come on, fresh real food and a low price made with love. I haven’t had a meal like that since I lived at home with my parents.
- Nick
Greetings once again, my UMBC Eats blog mates and readers! I hope everyone had a lovely month of February! I know that I did, and I also know another person who did- my mom! In particular, we had a lovely 24th day of February, as we and some of our family friends all got together and celebrated her birthday. One of the highlights of our celebration was the restaurant that we attended: G&M Restaurant, located on 804 North Hammonds Ferry Road, in Linthicum, Maryland. After suffering a fire in 2006, this restaurant went through remodeling in 2007, and now contains an expanded area for both dining and carry-out. Not to mention, it’s quite the hotspot for eaters of all ages, as I, my mom and our friends all watched the restaurant fill up with so many people that the line to get in almost went through the front door (and that includes all of the seating benches being filled)!
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Now on to the menu. Whether it’s a juicy steak, a magnificent stuffed shrimp (my mom’s personal favorite), or seafood to die for, it’s really hard to narrow down all of the appetizing choices and decide which is the absolute best. With that said, if you ever decide to walk in G&M and test your taste buds, I would definitely recommend ordering the combo of the Boneless New York Strip and a Crabcake Platter. The 18 oz. strip contains exquisite, juicy meat that is cooked to perfection when done medium-well, and the tasty crabcake is a fabulous example as to why Maryland is known for having the best crabs in the land, with minimum filling and succulent crab meat. Add two sides to this order (and there are so many delicious options to choose from, such as mashed potatoes, cole slaw, french fries with or without gravy, and homemade potato salad) and a “pre-game” salad to prepare you for the “main event” meal, and you’ve got yourself a fully satisfied stomach by the end of the night.
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If neither steak nor crabcakes fancy your liking, there are a variety of other options to select from, such as sandwiches, homemade soups, chicken specialties, and appetizers that vary from chicken tenders to fried mozzarella sticks. Finally, to top it off, the customer service is swift and courteous. However, on a side note, they do need to bring the tradition of the “birthday song and dance” back to the restaurant.
Overall, if you’re looking for a night of fine food, great customer service, and a comfortable environment of socializing and dining, then why not start off the month of March right and head on over to G&M, cause G&M is the place for you! See you folks in March!
- Ricky
Today, in the left corner you have Annie Chun’s All Natural Asian Cuisine Noodle Bowl: Pad Thai versus A Taste of Thai: Pad Thai Noodles. As a big fan of Asian cuisine, I love Pad Thai and I can find it in many places like Noodles and Company. My Asian girlfriend, Cynthia, also loves Pad Thai, was the one who introduced me to it. She got the Taste of Thai (ToT) Pad Thai while I got Anni Chun’s Pad Thai.
The ToT comes in a tall box and inside has tall hard noodles that are almost as long as the box. After pouring in the water and sauce, it seemed like would never soften, but after nuking it for 4 minutes or so and adding a little bit more water than required, we finally got the noodles to be soft and edible. Looking down in the box, the noodles didn’t seem to fill even a quarter of the box, and for 4 dollars, I was pretty upset. Then after taking a bite, the flavor was almost nowhere to be tasted. We had put so much water to soften the noodles that it took away from the flavor.
After that brutal upset, we try Annie Chun’s Pad Thai. With soft noodles to start with, I felt more at ease, and after microwaving it, I was pretty excited to try it. With the first taste, I took a pause―whoa, that’s real citrusy/sour-y. Normal Pad Thai comes with lime and peanuts, but the sauce that came with Annie’s Pad Thai had way to much lime and the sauce was too over powering.
If I was stranded on an island and had to choose between the two, Annie Chun’s would win, but not by much. I don’t recommend either, and for 4 dollars each, save your money at the Yum Shoppe, get something better.
Until next time, I’ll see you at the lunch table,
-Phil
As a commuter, I am usually on autopilot when I am driving to campus. So, this week I broke my driving daze and had lunch at the new Subway the bwtech@umbc Research and Technology park.
It’s on the lower level of the building so it’s a little inconspicuous, your only major cue is the neon “Open” sign. Once inside, you’ll notice the absence of fluorescent lighting, cheap metal chairs, and that old cafeteria feeling. This Subway is a Subway Café, a newer concept restaurant that serves espresso drinks, breakfast, in addition to the traditional subs. While I was there around 1 pm for lunch and it was pretty quiet which is nice if you want to get away from the hustle and bustle. They also have Wi-fi if you want to catch up on homework while you’re there.
Directions:
From the UMBC exit off RT 166, turn right at first stop sign and the building will be to your right.
From Hilltop Circle turn onto UMBC Boulevard. Turn left into bwtech@umbc Research and Technology park and the building is on your right.
- Alison
As students, sometimes we get in the “just deal with it” mentality of things. However, on of the perks of being at a school like UMBC is that you have the opportunity to really change the direction of campus policy. The new SGA Department of Health and Wellness was created by Conor Fowler and Kati Henry, two students who believed that there was not enough student input in creating campus policy and that the health and nutritional services provided by UMBC were not addressing the needs of students adequately.
More specifically, concerns with how University Health Services would handle the H1N1 crisis towards the end of last semester helped Conor and Kati come together to start talking about how students could make a difference and make services more effective. Furthermore, both were worried about the nutritional quality of food provided in the Commons and issues like cross-contamination, allergies, lack of labeling, and lack of vegetarian/vegan options in the dining hall and UMBC as a whole.
The department now has a decent member base, but is looking to expand. With sub-committees focused on UHS, Counseling Services, and Food/Nutrition that have the opportunity to work with the administration and entities on campus like Chartwells, the department is putting students in contact with the right people, encouraging change and helping the on-campus services get good student feedback.
Most recently, the Food and Nutrition committee has had meetings with Chartwells to discuss a permanent all-vegetarian option in the Commons and address cross-contamination in various dining locations. The committee will also be meeting with representatives from the Yum Shoppe to provide more edible options to those with allergies, religious constraints, or strict diets to bridge the gap until the necessary changes are institutionalized on a higher level.
Kati Henry, co-director of Health and Wellness is encouraging students to send an application her and Conor’s way. “We need to the meet the needs of those students who are suffering in silence. We’d like to become a model for other universities.” If you care about other people and are passionate about food on campus, visit the Health and Wellness website and download an application. They’ll be accepted on a rolling basis. If you have any questions about the department and what it does, please send an email to Director Conor Fowler and Co-Director Kati Henry.
Why do we eat? We eat to celebrate from birthday dinners to post-raise celebratory dinners. Food is always a part of our special moments. Does the food we eat also play a role in the mood we are in?
Photo Credit: Jedda
I honestly feel better if I have something delish in my belly. I spoil myself rotten! If I am feeling crappy and I want a candy bar or something salty and spicy I go for it.
Honestly, when you are down in the dumps are you really going to think if something is healthy? Did not think so.
Let’s talk science.
Tryptophan is an amino acid commonly found in meat, dairy products, nuts, seeds, bananas, soybeans and soy products, tuna, shellfish, and turkey. It is converted to the neurotransmitter serotonin.
What is serotonin?
The secret for a good mood!
I knew food made my mood better, now I even have science to back it up!
Top 10 ways to keep a positive/happy mood- Sana style 
1. EAT!
- Have a tickle fight
![clip_image001[1]](http://umbceats.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/clip_image0011_thumb.gif?w=15&h=15 "clip_image001[1]")
There is nothing like a good belly hurt’in laugh! - Smile at a stranger- don’t worry this is NOT creepy!
- Have a dance party- location, location, location ( library, rooftops,sidewalks, anywhere)
- Run through a sprinkler.
- Play a prank on someone that won’t hate you forever ( Woopie cushion, fake spiders, snake in a can?)
- Ask for free samples- how can this not make you happy?
- Dressing room photo shoot.
- Moonbounce/trampoline/ ballpit.
- Have a cuddle party (Me, myself and I do this all the time)
- Youtube ( hahah, we have all done this)
![clip_image001[1]](http://umbceats.files.wordpress.com/2010/02/clip_image0011.gif "clip_image001[1]"){kind=small}
What should #11 be?
- Sana
So during my first week back at school, my friends decided to call up their favorite place for some good eats – Pizza 786. I was at first hesitant but they talked me into it after mentioning that it offered free delivery for an order of over ten dollars. I decided to get an 8-inch personal pizza with pepperoni (I had the option of getting double cheese but passed. I know it’s plain but I didn’t have a menu in front of me) which was $6.49, while my friends got 10 piece buffalo wings for $9.99 with fries for $7.99.
Opening the box I noticed how there was a good amount of pepperoni, or as my friend Avery Brow said, it showed an “artful use” of pepperoni. I grabbed my fork and knife—yes, I use a knife and fork on pizza, I’m French, get used to it—and took my first bite. I found the pizza to be relatively good, yet I thought that there was a little bit too much marinara sauce. I found the whole pizza to be more of a pan or deep dish kind of pizza. Overall, the pizza was thick, which I like.
After I was done with my pizza I decided to try my friend’s buffalo wings. They had gotten 5 boneless and 5 with the bone. I took my first bite and was unpleasantly surprised by how dry it was. Also, due to fact that it was dry; the taste wasn’t as full compared to other wings I’ve had in the past.
All in all, I’d give them a 3 out of 5 because they had a pretty good personal pizza but their wings weren’t as kickin’ as they should have been. However, free delivery with an order of ten dollars or more is a pretty sweet deal.
Until next time, I’ll see you at the lunch table,
Want to eat here?:
Pizza 786
5209 East Drive
Halethorpe, MD 21227-2402
(410) 242-4342
Join the Mosaic Center this Tuesday, February 23rd, in the Commons (2B23) from 11am to 1pm as they serve up FREE delicious soul food dishes during their International Food Tasting. The event is in honor of Black History Month. Glenmore Catering will be supplying the following menu:
Fried Chicken - Tender Perdue roaster pieces soaked in buttermilk and dredged in flour and thirteen herbs and spices. Deep fried to a golden brown.
Stew - Boneless pork loin, sausage, carrots, raisins and apples simmered in a savory maple wine sauce.
Plantain Pastelon - With plantains, ground beef, cheese, eggs, tomatoes (similar to lasagna but uses plantains instead of pasta).
Red Beans & Rice - Long grain rice and red kidney beans simmered in chicken stock and Creole’ spices.
Mac N’ Cheese - Elbow macaroni blended with cream and five cheeses-Topped with bread crumbs and freshly grated.
Parmigiana – Reggiano cheese.
Collard Greens - Fresh collard greens simmered in vegetable stock with smoked ham bones.
Fresh-Baked Cheddar Corn Muffins
Southern Buttermilk Biscuits
Gooey Pecan Pie – drizzled with semi-sweet chocolate.
Soft drinks
Bottled Water
Save a meal and meet new friends while celebrating Black History Month. For more information, call The Mosaic Center at 410-455-2686 or email mosaic@umbc.edu
Be sure to keep your eye out for free events like this one on MyUMBC, fliers around campus (especially in the Commons), or follow the UMBCeats Twitter to receive Free Food updates right on your phone!
- Evan
