In Search Of

 

Sometimes you just want comfort food. My daughter had been through a rather challenging day and I told her she could pick where we would be ordering for dinner. Her request? Mashed potatoes. Not mashed potatoes alone, mind you, but as a signigicant component of the overall meal.

Precovid that would have meant a trip to Bob Evans. Sadly, our favorite Bob Evans has closed, we don’t eat inside restaurants these days, and Bob Evans carry out has disappointed us one too many times. So. What do you do?

I went to the Howard County Eats Facebook group and put it to them.

Best place to get mashed potatoes in HoCo that isn’t a wildly expensive proposition? We’ve got a comfort food craving over here.

Here are their responses:

• Wegman’s
• Boston Matket
• Ma’s Kettle
• Daniel’s Restaurant
• UNO’s
• Texas Roadhouse
• Grill Marx
• White Oak Tavern
• Ale House
• Stanford Grill
• Bushel and a Peck
• Whole Foods (Hot Bar?)
• KFC

Other suggestions that made me smile: buy Bob Evans mashed potatoes at the Giant, make your own mashed potatoes, and, the woman who maintained the best mashed potatoes in town could be found at her house.

Who knows? It may very well be true.

After discussing all these options, my daughter arrived at an unexpected decision. She suggested we order from Jason’s, and she got one of their enormous, dinner-sized baked potatoes. It made sense. Jason’s is a regular place for us. Their menu is familiar. Their baked potatoes definitely hit the spot after a rough day.

Have you ever found yourself searching your mind (or asking your friends) when seeking a particular food for which you have a persistent craving? Have you found any new restaurants that way? Also, since I seem to be keeping the comprehensive list now, can you recommend a place in Columbia/HoCo that serves great mashed potatoes?

Such a list might become a helpful public service.