Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Dining Prospects Are Looking Up for the Old Town Area

This past week with our ongoing Spring like weather I was thinking about how fortunate we are in Old Town Laurel that in the past year two new – and very different – eateries have joined our community. It’s no secret that I’m a fan of Salute Italian restaurant. Last week was their first anniversary. Congratulations to Meriem and her lovely family. Their eggplant alone should keep them on the map for a long time.

Double Dip is our other excellent addition. Readers might remember that back in the Fall I was happy they were coming but wistful they were not on Main Street. I still am – but they’ve made a perfect home for themselves on Montgomery – and I have to believe the proximity to Pallotti and St. Marys provides a good continuous and hungry group of customers. I’m also pleased to report a very good experience, too with their sandwiches.

The new deck and patio with benches was a nice place to enjoy that dish of chocolate last week. Our warm spring has meant Ken & I have had many (too many) trips to the DD for ice cream – and hot chocolate made with real milk and syrup on those cold days. None of that wimpy packet stuff. I predict as the weather gets even warmer we’ll see lines out the door.

Put these two new additions with our other eateries, and the prospects are good and growing for Old Town to be the place to go for non-chain food. Salute, Double Dip, Linnys (still the best chicken salad around), Toucan Taco (had the queso there today with the LHS Volunteers), RHB (we were their second outlet so chain doesn’t apply), Tampico, and La Mia. All walkable. All good. Isn’t that what we want in a neighborhood? What’s your favorite walkable dining place?