Suppose that you head out the main campus gate and turn north. Within my five-miles-from-campus limit, what are your dining options? There are many restaurants and fast food shops scattered along this less-than-aesthetically-pleasing commercial strip of College Park and Beltsville. Let's explore two tiny ethnic restaurants, each of which has extraordinary as well as ordinary items.
Raju's Cafe (8145-E Baltimore Avenue in the Campus Village Shopping Center, tel. 474-8584) opened on December 31, 1992. Belated Happy New Year! Mr. and Mrs. Raju own and manage this vegetarian storefront restaurant, which serves food from their native south India. He has been in the south Indian food catering business for some years, and he is also a professional singer of songs from his home area.
The Raju menu is filled with Indian favorites: chapathi, biriyani, Bombay thali, rice pulav, sambar vadai, and so forth. On my first visit, I had overly thick-doughed samosas ($1.50) and a delicious masala dosa ($4.95). A simple way to describe the latter dish is vegetables rapped in a large (foot long), thin pancake. But that doesn't do justice. The so-called pancake is made of a grilled rice and lentle mixture. Inside, there are potatoes, peas, onions, chili, and a variety of mild spices. It is served with a sensational coconut chutney and a sauce that's like a vegetable soup composed of lentles, onions, and various sauces and spices. The order on the next visit included Oothappam ($5.95), a very enjoyable "pizza-like" thick pancake made of rice and lentils, topped with onions and tomatoes, and served with coconut chutney and a spicy vegetable sauce featuring tamarand, and three rather unexciting dishes: sagu ($5.95), a curry with mixed vegetables and spices served with rice; a potato paratha ($2.95); and sambar vandu ($2.95), a lentil, chutney, and spices dish that reminded me of mashed potatoes and gravy. I will definitely return for the masala dosa and the oothappam.
Myongdong, or "Oriental Noodle," is located at 11124 Baltimore Boulevard in Beltsville, two miles north of the Beltway in a small storefront cluster on the west side of the road (tel. 595-4173). The hours of business are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. The tables in this small Korean restaurant are usually filled shortly after noon, so if lunching be sure to plan accordingly. And it is encouraging to note that most of the customers are Korean -- including several of my Korean students (who sometimes suggest dishes and ways to eat them properly).
Co-researcher Bob Dorfman and I usually begin with an order of twelve dumplings, fried, boiled, or steamed. These are always well prepared. Indeed: terrific! The order will arrive with courtesy side dishes of kimchi and sweet and sour pickled radishes. My favorite noodle soup main dishes are Myong Dong Kal Guk Su, with chicken and vegetables ($4.95), and Jam Pong, a spicy combination of squid, mussels, clams, pork and vegetables ($5.50). I also like the Ja Jang Myun, noodles with black bean sauce, pork, onions, zucchini, and cucumber slices ($5.50); and Duk Bok Gi, sauteed rice cake in hot chicken broth with beef dumplings ($4.95).
Midday Mondays through Fridays, there is a luncheon special priced at $4.95. Included is bulgogi or rice bowl beef, chicken, or pork as well as a salad and two pieces of fried dumpling. Frankly, I prefer the regular menu; the luncheon main dishes seem to me to be too close for comfort to very ordinary Chinese dishes.
Automobile satisfaction: It is true that commercial strip U. S. Route 1 in and around College Park is quite different than scenic California Route 1 along the Pacific Ocean. But our road has quite a few interesting restaurants, including the two reviewed in this issue. Please let me know your favorites so that I can pass along the good news. Write me at 1117 LeFrak Hall or use my E-Mail address BHANNA@BSS2.UMD.EDU.