YUM! Sushi and Korean
After a long and hard work out, all one wants is some delicious and healthy food. With this thought in mind, I headed to the H-Mart on Rolling Road and Rt. 40 to satisfy this taste. When trying international food, I make it a rule to try the food with someone who is accustomed to the cuisine for at least the first outing. After that, I would call myself a connoisseur (not really, sarcasm), and order like a pro right?!
In high school, my Korean friend’s mom would always make me delicious Korean BBQ and other delicious cuisine, so I have grown to love Korean food. Even the dreaded Kimchi was one of my favorite side dishes when I first tried Korean food. From bulgogi, Korean BBQ, galbidolsot, jjajangmyun and jigae, I LOVE KOREAN FOOD.
I had decided to go to Hanoori Town, next to H-Mart, but somehow I ended up in H-Mart at their little Korean restaurant in the corner.
I decided to order some galbidolsot and my friend, Patrice, ordered a variety of Sushi. I am not a big fan of sushi, but I had to try it. The food was, as always, very delicious. The steak was marinated to perfection and everything tasted amazing; just like what April’s ahma (mother in Korean) used to make.
The prices of the sushi and the Korean food are very reasonable. They give you so much food that you can split it into 3 servings. The sushi was also a very good deal. Patrice got 30 rolls for under $25. The sushi was also very good, which was a surprise to me. I normally don’t like anything that smells like seafood, which sushi does exactly, but I really liked it.
This is the menu for the restaurant. They do not deliver but they do take orders over the phone and have a sitting area to eat in. Even though it seems weird to sit in a grocery store, just eating food, it doesn’t feel awkward and you may forget that you are in a grocery store once you are delving into your bowls of deliciousness.
A Top 10 Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Grilled Cheese and Co was recently named on the Top 10 Best Grilled Cheese in the U.S. list on Delish.com, overcoming competitors from New York, Boston, Chicago, Washington state, and a plethora of California based restaurants. Located right here in Catonsville, the choices range from crab infused, Maryland-style delights to hand-crafted NASCAR favorites. Kenny Wallace designed his own entree with provolone cheese, turkey breast, pickles, and honey-mustard sauce.
Isabelle Garcia, a graduating senior at UMBC, has this to say about her experiences at Grilled Cheese and Co:
“When I first went inside the restaurant, I was impressed by the creativity in the menu. Before I got inside, I only expected a couple of variations of simple ham and cheese sort of sandwiches, but Grilled Cheese had everything from the Crabby Melt (my personal favorite) to the Veggie Delight Sandwich.
I got the crabby melt and it was heavenly – it was messy (I had to eat it with a fork and knife) but it was so good that I had to embrace the messiness. They definitely don’t skimp on the crabby filling (hence the messiness) and they make it fresh, right in front of you. When you get your sandwich, it’s wrapped in white paper, but it’s so fresh that you can see the steam fogging up the paper a bit. When you take a bite out of the sandwich, you’ll burn your mouth, just a little, but it’s not so hot that you can’t taste the soft, creamy combination of crab and cheese with the crispy, buttery toast.
You also have the option of grabbing a cup of fries with it. Some people like their fries really thick; others like them thin. If you belong to the latter, then you’ll hit a jackpot with these fries. They’re very long and thin, crispy fries – almost like a hybrid between a potato chip and a fry. Since they’re so thin, they’re also really light…but don’t worry because Grilled Cheese and Company gives you a lot of them. The only downside to these fries? They’re pretty addictive.
Really, there’s nothing bad to say of this place. It’s clean. The service is good and they make the sandwiches pretty fast. The sandwiches are also a pretty good size, so you definitely get your money’s worth. And if you’re worried about the cost – don’t be. It’s not exactly the dollar store of sandwiches, but the food is pretty affordable for what you get.”
Head over to 500 Edmondson Avenue in Catonsville to try your own grilled cheese sandwich!
Fancy Dinner
This year was definitely a treat for my holiday party. My association bought the staff, the small bunch that we are, lunch/dinner at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood. I was very hesitant because I am not a big fan of seafood. Other than salmon, shrimp, tilapia, and blue fish, I am not one to dabble in the proteins of the sea.
First when we walked in, we were greeted by some of the nicest staff I have ever encountered. They all went out their way to make us feel welcome. The decor in the restaurant is not too upscale that it comes off stuffy and pretentious, but it wasn’t a Red Lobster either. One can tell that real detail was put into designing and creating a warm environment. The view of the harbor and surrounding areas was very appealing as well. Nestled near little Italy and PowerPlant and gazing over the Inner Harbor, there are so many gorgeous views surrounding you while you eat.
For our appetizer, we ordered the Calamari Frito Misto and the Crab, Shrimp, and Artichoke dip with Pita Chips. The Calamari…I gave it a chance but its consistency reminded me of scallops and I despise scallops. They were lightly battered and fried and came with a homemade ketchup. The pita chip dish was amazing. Everything from the chips to the dip was exciting.
For drinks I ordered a German Riesling, that was said to be sweet. I didn’t think it was that sweet though but it was a good wine, just not for me. My next drink with dinner was a delicious Basil and Cranberry Margherita. It had tequila, triple sec, basil and fresh cranberries. A very exciting and holiday themed drink.
For lunch, though it was closer to 4:30, I had the Spicy Shrimp Linguini. I loved that dish so much. It was the perfect blend of spice and full-bodied flavor I want from my foods. Everyone seemed to love their plates and it brought a smile to everyone’s faces as we terrorized our plates. From the crab cakes, salmon, burgers and shrimp, we all could do nothing but rave about our dishes.
Then it was dessert time! We ordered an apple pie a la mode, an oreo cookie dessert, a creme brûlée, and a triple berry cheesecake and shared around the table. The best one on the table was….drum roll please…the apple pie a la mode. That pie is probably the best pie I have ever had in my life. The vanilla ice cream created to accompany it was soo good I am convinced that the cow is in the back somewhere just providing the milk to churn into ice cream.
All in all, I would highly recommend this restaurant for all you lovers and friends out there. Even for a family dinner, this would be a great place to have a meal with the parental units. The downside: unless you are really, really wanting to foot the bill, I would advise you to take the parental units or a money machine because this restaurant is a bit over the college budget. The drinks were at least $10 each and meals range from $12-$27. Unfortunately, I couldn’t take any pictures to share with you all. That is all the more reason to go and see the place for yourselves 
Pretzel Sticks!
Yummy holiday gifts you can make in your dorm!
Meet My Dates: Stuffed Dates
First, I removed the icky pit
Next I gathered, up my stuffing ingredients. Powdered sugar and cream cheese!
And some orange peels!
And they were good to go after a whirl in the food processor! I am pretty sure I washed the orange before a peeled it…..
I just added 2 table spoons of cream cheese with one table spoon of powdered sugar and orange peels!
Tada! How do you like my festive dates?
Finger-licking Deliciousness!!
Have you just wanted some good ‘ole BBQ without having to do all the work?! Well here is the place for you!
Shane’s Rib Shack in Laurel is some of the best BBQ Food I have ever tasted. Everything is slapped, slopped, and soaked in delicious marinades and sauces that will make you just fall out out of your seat. The staff is friendly and the food is amazing!
I went there one night after a long day of driving to Virginia and back to Baltimore with no food to eat. I wanted something that I could just sink my teeth into, get my clothes dirty, and lick my fingers. Yes, it was one of those days! My friend suggested to me that we go to Laurel and try Shane’s Rib Shack. Now my first question was, “Who is Shane?” After a lot of laughter, she told me that it was a restaurant that had amazing wings and to die for ribs. That was all the information I needed, and we headed out.
Once I entered the Shack (it wasn’t really a shack), I was surprised how nice the place was. It wasn’t a fru fru fancy restaurant, but the décor was very fitting for the place. It had memorabilia on the walls, nice booth seating, and tvs to watch the games. When it was time to order, the staff was extremelly patient with me, even when I was so indecisive.
I decided to order the Shack Sampler, you know, just so I could try all the best stuff. My friend ordered a tray of wings and some sweet potato fries. I thought it would take a while to get my food, but the food was ready and delivered to our table in under 20 minutes.
Boy o boy, was that food delicious! Nothing bad could be said about that food. In the same regard, you can’t know how good it is until you taste it. I strongly recommend Shane’s Rib Shack to anyone looking for a casual and different place to eat BBQ. They have two locations: Laurel and Alexandria. I have posted the menu which has the addresses for both locations. If you get the chance to go, send me an email and tell me about your experience at the Shack!
Free Food Events!
It’s just after Halloween and after all that candy you just want to start eating healthy, right? Well, only if the price is right. And when the price is free, maybe diet isn’t so important! Check out these events where you don’t have to pay a dime to enjoy a meal, or maybe just a sweet snack.
How to Decorate a Cake - TODAY at 7pm in the Student Org Space. Come learn how to frost a cake, then enjoy the fruits of your labor as you learn how to eat a cake! No experience is necessary. Bring your sweet tooth!
Football and Wings- Ravens vs Steelers - Sunday, November 6th at 8:30pm in the Sports Zone. This is one of the biggest games of the season for the Ravens! And with their win in week 1, they will need all the support they can get to beat the Steelers again! Enjoy free chicken wings as you watch this Sunday Night Prime Time game.
Shriver Center Lunch & Learn Series - Monday, November 7th at 12pm in the Commons 331. Grab some free lunch and chat with panelists Martin Ford, Rhonda Ray, April Matthews, and Joyce L. Wright. More information can be found on the myUMBC event page.
Good Morning Commuters Breakfast – Tuesday, November 8th at 8:30am in the Commons. Not everything can be free. Use your Gold card to get breakfast all semester for just $5! Or you can pay $2 to enjoy this one alone. These breakfasts are served every Tuesday morning.
Wake Up and Smell the Coffee – Wednesday, November 9th at 8am in the Commons. Stop by for some free coffee anytime between 8 and 10am. Additional breakfast treats will be available! Skip the line at Starbucks or Au Bon Pain and get your cup of Joe for free.
Disney Breakfast and Bingo - Wednesday, November 9th at 8pm in the Gameroom. You read that right, it’s 8 o’clock in the evening. If you missed out on the last two breakfast opportunities, or you just don’t get up that early, then check out this event to score some free breakfast at an hour you can handle!
Be sure to follow the UMBCEats Twitter to get live updates on where free or cheap food is available on campus!
EATbmore.com
On Wednesday September 28th, Chris Jeffery was the guest for the Entrepreneurship Speaker Series hosted by the Alex Brown Center for Entrepreneurship. Students gathered to listen in on his story of starting a company that hosted restaurant menus online and eventually moved into the online ordering and advertisement business. LocalUp Solutions, LLC is now managing 55 different markets across the nation, each getting their own locally-branded website.
Baltimore’s very own EATbmore.com is outfitted with a wide variety of restaurants to choose from in the downtown Baltimore area. You can browse the site using the A-Z search or filter by neighborhood to find a new place to eat. All of the menus are right there for your viewing pleasure.
Starting October 10th, online ordering will be available for many of the restaurants! After you find the perfect menu item, just click the “order” button on the EATbmore site and your transaction will be securely processed. iPhone and Android apps are available to make ordering easier when you are on the go.
Check out the site and comment below to let us know what you think! Also, Mr. Jeffery hopes to expand the site to include restaurants in the Catonsville and Arbutus area so stay tuned for that.
Homecoming = Food
Do you have the Fever? Retriever Fever is hitting UMBC on October 10th! Starting with the Pep Rally from 12pm-2pm, free food will be given away on the Commons Terrace along with some other giveaways. Student Organizations will be performing for your entertainment.
Then, the Homecoming Parade, Bonfire, and Outdoor movie will take place on Wednesday, October 12th on Erickson Field around 6pm. After watching the parade make its way to the field, Buffalo Wild Wings will be serving up some chicken wings, and falafel will also be available. Enjoy this free dinner as the bonfire is lit. Feel free to bring marshmallows to make s’mores! Then, Transformers 3 will be gearing up for the outdoor movie. Finish this night with some popcorn to go with your summertime action flick.
But it’s not over yet! Saturday’s lunch can also be a free meal for you if you head over to the Quad for the Homecoming picnic. Students with a campus meal plan can use a meal exchange for admission. Lots of free grub will be served up as some interactive activities line the Quad.
Be sure to catch Retriever Fever this year and nurse yourself back to health with all the free food being offered throughout the week!
P.S. Stay updated on Free Food Alerts by following UMBCEats on Twitter!
The Everything Salad
I am honestly over a regular salad. I don’t want to feel like I am eating grass or leaves.
But the veggies happen to be good for us, so I suppose I might as well eat them.
Try this fruity salad and let me know if you are still bored with your veggies!
- Bed of lettuce
- Strawberries
- Mandarin Oranges
- General tso’s tofu
- Chickpeas
- Blue corn chips
Now that is a summer salad!!
