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Ranazul, Still A Local Favorite
Ranazul Restaurant opened in September of 2007. In March of 2008 we
reviewed the small plate restaurant located in Maple Lawn in Howard
County. The writer gave the restaurant a raving review and we decided
to return to see how things were going. So on a recent Monday evening,
my friend and I returned and enjoyed a fantastic meal. It is still
without a doubt Howard County’s most elegant and hospitable
restaurant. The elegance is reflected in the lovely dining room with
its caramel and black furnishings and the hospitality in the attention
of the staff.
The spacious dining room is expertly designed
and furnished in earthy tones with splashes of blue. There is a cozy
seating area with lush leather sofas which invite one to linger over
drinks and conversation. Off to the right of the entrance is a semi
circular bar where one can also enjoy food. Soft music can be heard
but is not overwhelming. All in all the entire atmosphere is very
relaxing and conducive to conversation.
Our server Jamie was
attentive while not intrusive. She also served as our sommelier as
Julie Dalton, the Directora de Vinos and Sommelier, was not on duty the
night we visited. Jamie was knowledgeable and assisted us in choosing
wine parings for our food. The wine list is extensive and offers a
wide variety of choices. It also includes a full page of wines which
are available by the glass and half glass. As I sometimes dine alone,
this is particularly appealing to me. I quite like the option of
trying new wines without breaking the pocket book.
We shared a
variety of small plates and started with a fantastic Ahi Tuna Tartare
which was dressed with a light marinade of soy sauce, sesame seed and
Japanese bread crumbs. The Arepas were light corn cakes topped with
crab, shrimp and a light tomato ragout. I enjoyed a glass of
Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay while my companion opted for the Albarino.
The selections are artistically arranged on plain white plates. Don’t
forget to order the Pal del Dia to soak up all the delicious sauces
that surround the various dishes. The Sautéed Scallops were perfectly
cooked and paired with mushrooms, pearl onions and bacon in a fennel
broth. I also enjoyed the Petit Filet which was presented on a bed of
Portobello mushrooms, a slice of potato and wilted spinach, then
drizzled with a red wine beef sauce... Yum! The Filet was cooked
medium rare as ordered and melted in my mouth. For the Filet I chose a
glass of Gerasole Pinot Noir which proved to be the perfect match. My
friend doesn’t eat meat but did enjoy the potatoes gratin and asparagus
with shaved parmesan. Lastly I ordered the lamb chops. Again
perfectly cooked medium rare and served with grilled purple potatoes,
aioli and red wine sauce. It’s a shame there weren’t more of us so as
to have a taste of more of this thoughtfully designed menu. We ended
our meal with a serving of carrot cake and ice cream. The carrot cake
was uniquely made in the form of a log. A thin layer of the cake
spread with a lovely cream cheese filling (not too sweet) and rolled in
finely chopped walnuts. Delicious….
Ranazul also offers a lunch menu which includes luncheon specials and sandwiches in addition to small plate offerings.
During
conversations we had with our servers, we learned that Ranazul prides
itself in using locally grown ingredients whenever possible. This was
evident in the freshness and quality of the dishes we tasted. Ranazul
also distinguishes itself in its participation in community events. In
addition to the Galleria, they will be the venue for a fashion show on
September 26th.
Carlos Venegas and Linda Doolittle are the
co-Proprietors of Ranazul and on our visit, Carlos was in attendance
and stopped by our table and graciously shared with us the history of
their establishment. We toured the Galleria which is in the rear of
the restaurant. The Galleria features the work of local artists in an
intimate room which is perfect for small parties or business meetings.
The room is also equipped with the capability of showing a Power Point
presentation. He also pointed out the wine lockers where patrons who
regularly dine here keep their wines. We were also told that Carlos
and a partner have taken over the recently-closed Oz Steak House and
will reopen the property under a new name after they have remodeled
it. We are looking forward to the opening and hope to do a review of
it in the near future. Good luck on this new undertaking.
Ranazul
also features special events during the week. Happy Hour is every day
between 3 and 7 PM and features reduced price drinks and special tapas
menu available only at the bar and patio. Tuesday night features live
jazz from 7 to 10 PM. Wednesday night is Ladies Night and Sunday Night
is Classical Guitar with Bruce Casteel from 6:30 to 10 PM.
Ranazul
(Spanish for blue frog – go figure) is a gathering place. It begs for
you to enjoy the fine food and wine, enjoy the entertainment and linger
with friends. It can be a place for a romantic dinner, a celebration
of life events or simply a place to have a scrumptious meal. I can’t
wait to return. This time I’ll give lunch a try.
Address: 8171 Maple Lawn Blvd, Suite 170
Maple Lawn, Md.
Phone: 301-498-9666
Open for Lunch Monday thru Friday, 11:00 am – 2:30 PM
Dinner: Monday – Wednesday 5PM – 9:30 PM
Thursday, Friday 5PM – 10:30 PM
Saturday Noon – 10:30 PM
Sunday, Noon – 9:30 PM
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City Living Source © 2007
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