Restaurant and Bar Guide

T U E S DAY, S E P T E M B E R 17, 2 013

RESTAURANT AND BAR GUIDE

2

THE DIAMONDBACK | restaurant and bar guide | Tuesday, september 17, 2013

Local bars serve up more than alcohol In addition to drinks, students find food options at popular bars

By Sara Goodwin @thedbk For The Diamondback With many lunch, dinner and even brunch options, College Park bars are serving more than just alcoholic drinks.

Four College Park bars — Cornerstone Grill and Loft, R.J. Bentley’s, The Barking Dog and Looney’s Pub — offer lengthy menus that invite customers to try dishes such as burgers, wings and sandwiches. Although these places are more recognized for their latenight drink deals and dance floors, some students view them as great places to enjoy a meal, too.

Patrick Cronin, manager at Cornerstone, said although Cornerstone is more of a bar than anything else, the business will begin tranforming the establishment into more of a restaurant starting in October.

The first of many changes is the chicken cheesesteak, a recently introduced item that Cronin said has been popular. He will also add an Asian-style barbecue sauce to go with Cornerstone’s chicken wings and bring crab cakes back to the menu, he said.

“Cornerstone has good food deals for happy hour,” said Megan Hadley, a junior biology major.

Bentley’s, on the other hand, has created its own niche by offering Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The brunch menu features egg dishes such as Maryland Benedict, omelets and homemade waffles.

See bars, Page 8

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 | restaurant and bar guide | The Diamondback

How quickly can you get here?

By Quinn Kelley @quinnkelley Senior staff writer When the craving strikes for one of College Park’s delivery options, any wait seems too long. Such was the case Thursday night, when Diamondback staffers tested how long it would take restaurants to deliver to our newsroom, above the South Campus Dining Hall, at about 6:45 p.m. Our results below:

Jimmy John’s — 19 minutes Jimmy John’s came in first place, with a delivery time of just less than 20 minutes. The sandwich shop

3

some of the other items we ordered, so this time seemed reasonable.

Shanghai Cafe — 45 minutes

Shanghai Cafe, which took 45 minutes to deliver, lands right in the boasts a “freaky fast delivery” time, middle of our list. The restaurant may and most deliverers use bikes rather be more known among students for than cars. its cheap late-night boxes, but it also offers a variety of Chinese takeout kiyoko express had the third-fastest delivery time; it took 35 minutes. rachel george/for the diamondback classics and delivers.

Fox’s Pizza — 30 minutes restaurant we ordered from, and Avenue near Papa John’s, comes in the delivery time reflected it: The last place at an hour and 12 minutes.

Although Fox’s Pizza, near College D.P. Dough — 54 minutes Chinese/Japanese restaurant took Maybe they were having a busy Park Diner and Proteus Bicycles, is the farthest of these restaurants from the D.P. Dough, across the street from an hour and eight minutes to deliver. night, but it was difficult to wait so long knowing delicious Pad Thai and newsroom, it came in second place. The Varsity, took 54 minutes to deliver.

Fox’s is one of the few pizza places in Although delivery times upward of an Aroy Thai — 1 hour, 12 minutes panang curry were on the way. the area to offer truly gluten-free pizza, hour can be common for the calzone as opposed to just wheat-free. restaurant, many students find the Aroy Thai, located on College qkelleydbk@gmail.com cheesy concoctions worth the wait.

Kiyoko Express — 35 minutes

Seven Seas — 1 hour, 8 minutes

Kiyoko Express came in third, with a 35-minute delivery time. Hand-rolled Seven Seas, located on Route 1 near sushi tends to take longer to make than Berwyn Road, is the second-farthest

4

THE DIAMONDBACK | restaurant and bar guide | Tuesday, september 17, 2013

Students with dietary needs have options

By Catherine Sheffo @thedbk For The Diamondback Grabbing a bite to eat on Route 1 is as much a part of the university’s traditions as rubbing Testudo’s nose for good luck, but for students with dietary restrictions, finding a good meal outside the dining halls can be challenging.

Whether they are due to lifestyle choices such as vegetarianism and keeping kosher or medical conditions such as celiac disease, unique food needs take a little prep work and planning before eating out.

Each category below lists a few dining options available off the campus.

VEGETARIAN AND VEGAN Vegetarian and vegan students have plenty of eating options in College Park beyond Sprouts in North Campus Diner.

Ovo Simply Veggie, located on Route 1 across from CVS, serves only plant- and grain-based fare, along with a wide selection of organic sodas and teas. The trendily decorated restaurant serves entrees such as a rice bowl with several choices of vegan protein and flavors like Sarcha BBQ and coconut green curry.

Danielle Buffa, a sophomore anthropology major, frequents Pho Thom, the Vietnamese and Thai restaurant near R.J. Bentley’s, for bowls of pad thai. She also orders burrito bowls at Chipotle without the cheese.

“Taco Bell is probably the most vegan-friendly fast food place I’ve ever seen,” said Jacqueline Maranville, a sophomore physics major.

“Even the beans there are vegan.”

KEEPING KOSHER For Jewish students who keep

kosher, the best place to find a satisfying meal off the campus is the Hillel dining hall. However, it’s easy to get a tasty dessert.

“Apparently, there used to be a [kosher] place before we came, but it closed,” said Amiad Fredman, a sophomore psychology major.

Keeping a truly kosher diet involves extensive restrictions that are difficult to follow in a normal restaurant environment. Strict observers limit what types of meat and fish they consume and also time meals to keep meat and dairy products separate during digestion. Some diets also require that kosher foods be prepared using utensils not used for any nonkosher foods.

While some restaurants in College Park might be acceptable, “It depends on how strict you are,” said Joelle Lang, a sophomore journalism major.

Cold Stone Creamery and Rita’s Water Ice make the cut as long as nonkosher mix-ins such as gummies and marshmallows stay on the counter.

Lang, who went to Cold Stone recently to try its new frozen yogurt, recommended the banana blend.

GLUTEN-FREE While eliminating gluten, a protein found in wheat and other grains such as rice and barley, may seem daunting, gluten-free students can dine out at many Route 1 establishments.

“I don’t think it’s that hard,” said Kelsey Kenel, a junior civil and environmental engineering major. Kenel switched to a gluten-free diet after learning she was allergic to wheat.

Mediterranean-inspired meals like those served at Garbanzo are usually safe bets for those looking to avoid gluten. Additionally, most Jimmy John’s subs can be wrapped in lettuce instead of served on bread, and Sweetgreen’s salad combinations provide plenty of variety for nearly any diet. newsumdbk@gmail.com

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 | restaurant and bar guide | The Diamondback

New local restaurants

experience success

By Talia Richman @thedbk For The Diamondback A new crop of restaurants in town is offering local diners options beyond College Park mainstays, and the diversity is paying off.

Slices Pizza Co., The Maryland Smokehouse and Garbanzo Mediterranean Grill, all of which opened between March and

August this year, have attracted students looking for more dining choices in the area. And although chains such as Chipotle and McDonald’s retain popularity, Michael Stiefvater, the city’s economic development coordinator, said restaurants that take students outside their culinary comfort zones are thriving in College Park.

“Some of the more successful restaurants offer something unique,” Stiefvater said. “We’re seeing places that are a little different from the

5

standard college town offerings do well.”

One such restaurant is The Maryland Smokehouse, which opened in late April. Located on the ground floor of The Varsity, the restaurant fills the previously unoccupied barbecue niche in College Park.

“Business has been pretty good, and it’s definitely on the upswing now that students are back,” owner Chris George said. “We were actually very thankful that summer was a little slow because it gave us a tremendous amount of time to perfect our food. We thought we were great before, but now we are even more confident that we make the best wings, burgers and barbecue that you can find in the community.”

George said the diverse student body drew him to College Park.

To appeal to college students, The Maryland Smokehouse gives a 10 percent discount to anyone with a valid university ID, as well as free

samples at some football games.

“We want to have strong roots in the community at large and make sure we take great care of everyone who walks through our doors,” George said.

Nate Yurow, a sophomore economics major who lives in the University View, said there are enough new restaurants close to the campus; however, around the View and The Varsity, options are more limited. He said he’s happy to see new businesses in the area, especially after Roti Mediterranean Grill, his favorite, closed two weeks ago.

“I got the pulled pork sandwich and thought it was really good,” he said. “I was happy to see a barbecue place move in because we don’t have one yet; plus, everything else over here is closing.”

Although Roti recently closed its doors, College Park still offers Mediterranean fare: Garbanzo, which opened in March, serves made-to-

“i was happy to see a barbecue place move in because we don’t have one yet; plus, everything else over here is closing.”

NATE YUROW

Sophomore economics major order pita sandwiches with fresh falafel, shwarma and hummus.

“I really like my Greek salad from Garbanzo,” said Anya O’Neal, a sophomore environmental science and technology major. “It tasted authentic, seemed healthy and there are a lot of options. I’ve had Roti before and I definitely liked this place better.”

Slices, which opened Aug. 29, has quickly gained a reputation among students as a late-night hot spot for pizza by the slice. Its menu features more than 12 types of pizza, including mac and cheese and Taco Loco, a pie topped with refried bean spread instead of tomato sauce. Slices also offers wheat-free, gluten-free and vegan options, as well as panini, pretzel logs and Nutella rolls.

“You walk in here and your mouth automatically starts watering and you want to try everything,” said junior Jenn Fabula, an education and physics major. “Ratsie’s is only good when you’re drunk — this is a pizza place you can go to during the daylight hours and actually enjoy.”

Unlike Domino’s and Papa John’s, Slices is a family-owned business. Cofounder Gennaro DiBenedetto studied culinary arts in Naples, the fabled birthplace of pizza, before moving to See success, Page 7

6

THE DIAMONDBACK | restaurant and bar guide | Tuesday, september 17, 2013

The secret lives of late-night deliverers

By Carlos Alfaro @thedbk For The Diamondback For many students studying into the night at McKeldin Library, stumbling home from bars or just craving a late-night meal, nothing is more desirable than a jumbo sub from Jimmy John’s or a cheesy calzone from D.P. Dough. And for late-night delivery drivers and bikers, that leads to plenty of interesting stories.

By day, Eric Endres is a senior biology major who spends free time studying, hanging out with friends and playing video games. But at night, Endres becomes a Jimmy John’s delivery guy, saving many procrastinating students from hunger and satisfying the drunken cravings of the 21-and-older College Park populace.

“I get yelled at by a lot of drunk people,” Endres said. “Most drunks are fine, though. I would rather have loud drunk people than boring people.”

Local restaurant managers and employees often send student employees to deliver food to areas on and around the campus into the wee

tions when it comes to payment.

Once, someone tried to give Hebbel a scratch-off ticket when the customer realized he had no money with him.

Some customers have stood him up, leaving him without a tip after delivering their calzone, Hebbel said.

Despite facing difficult customers, Hebbel has also encountered his share of generous ones. A student once tried to tip him $40, which he refused, and another tipped him $23 on his birthday.

While these students may make jimmy john’s employs bikers who deliver subs to customers late at night. kelsey hughes/for the diamondback part of their living delivering calzones, subs and other types of fast food, they are still students, juggling school, work and social obligations.

Endres said he is trying to manage it all, although his job doesn’t cause him too much stress.

“I’m trying to figure it out. I have two shifts, one late night. Not a big deal,” he said.

While dealing with drunken customers and working late hours aren’t always selling points for students looking for a job, Endres said latenight delivery has its perks, too. “[Customers] tip better when they’re drunk,” he said.

hours of the night. Senior economics major Jeremy Hebbel, who delivers for D.P. Dough, said late-night delivery poses its own set of challenges.

“I’m always watching out for people walking out of the bars,” he said.

Although delivering after hours causes safety concerns for some, according to Josh Mitman, a senior government and politics and philosophy major who delivers for Jimmy John’s, the only thing delivery people need to traverse College Park is a sense of direction.

“You have to be aware,” he said. “It doesn’t really seem unsafe.”

Mike Falamoun, manager of local pizza place Ratsie’s, said he only allows his student drivers to deliver near the campus at night for safety reasons.

Hebbel has been working at D.P. Dough for four years now, and although delivery isn’t the safest job, the variety of characters he meets throughout the night keeps his position entertaining.

He said sometimes students offer him money to give them rides, which he has accepted on several occasions. newsumdbk@gmail.com Students have asked Hebbel, “’Ey, you a D.P. Dough driver? ... I’ll give you five bucks to take me wherever,’” he said.

With an often inebriated clientele, Hebbel has also faced unique situa-

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2013 | restaurant and bar guide | The Diamondback

7

success From PAGE 5

they extended their hours in order to appeal to their demographic.

The restaurant is now open until midnight on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday, 2:30 a.m. on Thursday and 3:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. Slices also plans to start delivering within a year, DiBenedetto wrote.

“Late nights were rough in the beginning as we worked to see how business would be after midnight,” DiBenedetto wrote. “But when students hear we are open late, they are so happy.”

Despite the recent increase in the diversity of dining options, students are still hoping for more.

“I think it’s definitely nice that you can get things like Vietnamese or Thai, all within Route 1,” O’Neal said. “I would like to see them bring in a Panera, though. I ate it all the time back home and I’m having withdrawals.”

For others, the new restaurants can’t compete with the older campus favorites they are replacing.

“They need to bring back Panda,” junior dietetics major Hannah Kutzin said.

According to Stiefvater, no matter what the genre of food, the basic qualities of a successful restaurant are the same.

“To appeal to college students, restaurants need to offer a quality product at a reasonable price,” he said. “Obviously, students have a limited budget and aren’t looking to go to a fancy steakhouse, but they still want good quality and a fun atmosphere.”

the United States in his teens.

“Gennaro’s father taught him the importance of good, fresh food and how to prepare and cook it,” co-founder Stefanie DiBenedetto wrote in an email. “His father would wake up early every day to stand by the docks and wait for the fishermen to come back with their catches of the day. This mentality is evident in our food’s quality and freshness.”

Senior Alex Krefetz, an environmental science and policy major, said it’s nice to eat at a restaurant that is more like a mom-and-pop shop than a big, national chain.

“It seems like everyone who works at Slices is actually happy to be there,” he said. “A lot of other pizza places are just trying to work fast, but here, you can tell they really are putting time into the food.”

Stefanie DiBenedetto wrote she is very grateful that business has been good since the restaurant’s opening, and she loves seeing first-time guests’ faces as they peruse the many pizza varieties.

“The perk of having a restaurant in College Park is that our customer base is students and faculty of UMD,” she wrote. “They are so positive and supportive and I think that comes with the fact that we are in a college town where ‘team spirit’ is alive and flourishing.”

Originally the DiBenedettos planned on closing Slices at 11 p.m., but Stefanie DiBenedetto wrote newsumdbk@gmail.com

8

THE DIAMONDBACK | restaurant and bar guide | Tuesday, september 17, 2013

bars From PAGE 2 In addition to brunch, Bentley’s serves a variety of bar staples for the dinner and happy hour crowd.

Rachel Marget, a sophomore communication and Spanish major, said Bentley’s spinach dip and Looney’s macaroni and cheese are her favorite dishes. Julie Etheridge, a junior bioengineering major, named the crab pretzel at Bentley’s as hers.

The Barking Dog has the smallest menu of the four and sticks mostly to hot dogs, burgers and sandwiches.

Sarah Henry, a junior criminology and criminal justice major, said the crab dip is “to die for,” but most of the entrees she’s tried have been burnt.

“I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who isn’t solely interested in eating crab dip,” Henry said.

Looney’s Pub, which opened less than two years ago, is one of

the most recent additions to the College Park bar scene. Despite being a relatively new fixture in the city, manager Ryan Keysey said, the restaurant gets a great mix of customers, from freshmen living in The Varsity to graduate students.

Unlike Cornerstone, Looney’s is more of a restaurant than a bar, Keysey said. On an average Friday, he said, the restaurant might have 600 to 1,000 people come in to dine.

Looney’s classic dishes are its

crab pretzel and Old Bay wings; Keysey said Looney’s crab dip is one of its most popular dishes.

Although crab dip is a staple at several local bars, Elaina White, a sophomore enrolled in letters and sciences, said the Looney’s version is her favorite dish to eat of any of the four bars’ offerings.

Sophomore finance major Andrew Grosse said he prefers to eat at Looney’s because its menu features a wide variety of items.

301-864-8220

7400 Baltimore Ave. STORE HOURS MON-THU 11am-2:30am FRI-SAT 11am-3:30am • SUN 11am-12am

www.ratsies.com

Pick-up or Delivery to All of College Park

$3 Off 2 Combos Large Cheese Pizza (Sub, Fries & Soda)

Valid 11:00am-11:00pm Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs.

With coupon. Not valid with any other offer.

Valid for pick-up or delivery. Expires 11/12/13.

Only $7.99

Valid 11:00am-11:00pm Mon., Tues., Wed., Thurs.

With coupon. Not valid with any other offer.

Valid for pick-up or delivery. Expires 11/12/13.

Etheridge said although students often overlook bar menus, bad bar food can be more of a myth than a reality.

“More people should go to the bars for food, because they have good food,” she said. newsumdbk@gmail.com

Check back here next Monday, Sept. 23, for The Diamondback’s Career Guide and Oct. 14 for The Diamondback’s Sex in College Park Guide