Meredith

I was there over during the winter Restaurant Week. I thought it was a good introduction to the restaurant. There was a choice of three for each course, and I doubt that would change for the summer Restaurant Week.

If you don't want to go to Jessup, then Asian supermarkets are your best bet. Added bonus, they clean the fish to order. There's a Lotte right as you get off RT 29 to go into Ellicott City. There's also a Han An Reum in Catonsville down Rt 40, near the Silver Dinner and it might actually be better bet then Lotte.

I've had the pre-theater menu, and it's just okay. There's salmon, pork, and chicken. I think a much better bet is to just order what you like off the regular menu.

The Asian markets for fish. Cheap, interesting stuff, and they clean them for you. In the summer, I stop along the side of the road in Charles County for shrimp. There's one guy right before 5 & 301 split that has the best shrimp *ever.*

Cheese! <B>Goat</b> cheese! Near my mom's! Whoo-ho! Sadly, I don't recall any of the stores near her carrying any of Firefly's product. Of course, I might just be looking in the wrong places.

http://www.southmountaincreamery.com/ The website is badly designed, but I think the product and the prices are good.

In that vein, I liked the $10 challenges to local chefs. It was fun! It was interesting! It was just really kinda cool. It also proved that you didn't need a huge budget to eat interesting food. However, I didn't like the handing the chefs takeout food, and asking them to do something fancy with it. It just made me go 'But why...?' I'd like to ditch the love affair with supermarket takeout actually. I'd like to see Eve Ziebart moved into the Food section, and given more column inches. She's buried in the Weekend section, and is probably forgotten about by most readers. I'd also love to hear more about local suppliers. I'd like to see something serious South Mountain Creamery. Our about any of the farms in Western MD. Hell, even the remaining farms in Southern MD. The only time we hear about local food/farmers/orchards are in the mini little trip articles in the Source. (Our is it Travel? I can't remember.) It's around, how about traveling out of the city a little to see it? And, yes, publish the market guides and you pick guides <B>before</b> the seasons start.

How sad! Bonaparte was my first introduction to good French pastry and breads, and I'd hate to think they pastries are become subpar. Maybe moving the pastry making to Fells Point has hurt the Savage shop. I'm going to have to make a special trip out that way, and see how it's changed.

Perhaps the Bonaparte Bread in Savage Mill? It doesn't have the unusual (to us) European cakes and pastries, but it does do lovely French pastries and breads.

Muzzleloader season for deer has started in PA, but I don't know if my supplier (aka Mom's boyfriend) has gotten any yet. Since I'm the only one in the kids who'll eat and cook venison, I'll doubtless be getting lots. Once he gets one... Personally, I'm hoping he manges to bag some turkeys again. Those were really good.

I'm hoping it makes it too. The place never seems to have crowds when I visit. I was just there Friday night after a movie at E Street. I had the duck confit there on Friday night and was happy. The skin was sooo crispy and the potato/mushroom/garlic mixture made me very happy. The service upstairs seems a little spotty, but I've never had an issue when I'm sitting down stairs.