By Sarah Skordas 

Study food reviews is back but not really.

September 26th 2018: The Better Chipotle

You read that right folks, we are going all the way back to 2018 (terrifying, I know). It was a cold September evening and a storm was brewing. My friends and I, being master planners, decided that it was on this day that we should shop for homecoming dresses. I think we were about halfway through Macy’s, three dresses tried on and vetoed, and our phones were shouting at us: weather alerts and text messages from concerned parents warning us about the monsoon that would soon be upon us. Instead of leaving before the storm hit, we made the rational decision and, after making final choices on our dresses and pantsuit (@ Hannah), we went to get food.

The drive home was a rough one–at the time I only had my permit, so we were at the mercy of my boyfriend and how well he could control his Prius as rain slammed into the windshield faster than those poor wipers could handle. Suffice to say, we all survived, and made it to homecoming (although that would be another article to adequately cover). Seeing my life flash before my eyes was, in hindsight, worth it for if we had decided to forgo our visit to the Westfield Annapolis Mall Food Court, then I wouldn’t have been able to discover the wonder that is Poke Bowlrrito.

A quick walk past the always-present mile line long in front of the Chick-Fil-A booth, and you are greeted with a bright red neon sign on a black background that reads, shockingly, Poke Bowlrrito. At the time, I had no idea what this was, but thanks to the large menus hanging underneath the restaurant’s sign and the patience of my sushi-loving friend, Em, I was quickly educated. In short, Poke bowls are basically burrito bowls, but with less burrito and more sushi. Hence, this establishment automatically being the better Chipotle. I didn’t want to get too wild at my first rodeo, so I went through the Chipotle-esque, cafeteria style line and ended up with a bowl full of a white, sushi rice base, tuna for my protein, avocado and cream-cheese for my mix-ins, and some masago and spicy mayo (10/10 would highly recommend). Due to all the responsibilities that senior year has thrown at me thus far, I have yet to go back and visit the Hawaiian (according to Google)  food stand, but I strive to revisit multiple times before the school year comes to a close.

December 3rd 2018: The Leaky Cauldron
Instead of going to Calculus on that lovely Monday in  December, I was in Universal Studios for reasons that I deem aren’t worth mentioning. After a morning of exploring the mysteries of Diagon Alley, taking a picture in front of the Night Bus, and strolling through Hogsmeade with my newly purchased Ravenclaw scarf and my overpriced plastic cup of frozen butterbeer, my parents, my sister, and I decided that it would only be fitting to qualm our hunger at the infamous Leaky Cauldron.

We dined underneath the looming wooden chandeliers and strands of garland that hung from the rafters, seated at long wooden picnic tables fit for the Grand Hall at Hogwarts. Considering the wizarding world is set somewhere within the UK, the cozy pub served fish and chips, among other meals fit for young witches and wizards. It was really good! The breading to fish ratio was on par (which I was thankful for considering ever since the fried mozzarella stick incident, I have been traumatized over the prospect of an unequal proportion of breading to actual food), the fish was seasoned just right, and as an added bonus, it wasn’t very greasy. I washed it down perfectly with another Butterbeer… and honestly as I am typing this I wish I could hop in a fireplace and teleport back (that’s a Harry Potter reference by the way).

January 5th 2018: The Birthday Party Spot

There’s this little place smack in the middle of General’s Highway, the road you would most likely be on if, for some unknown reason, you decided to pay Harvard on the Severn (aka Severna Park High School) a visit. It’s a quaint little spot, known for it’s cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, and killer Mexican food.

Gina’s Cantina is the best place if you’re looking for a quick Mexican fix, with killer guac, queso, and this bean dip that goes with warm tortilla chips. A house special are the Buffalo Chicken tacos, which if when you visit aren’t on the menu, be sure to ask for. A favorite of many, specifically my good friend Josh Kirk, who for the past two years I have been able to accompany at his birthday dinner towards the back of this fine establishment. Josh is a very smart dude, and not only does he know music and write music reviews frequently, but he knows and loves food (so much so that he will give you the gosh darn truth, no sugar coating necessary). So, if after all of this, you still can’t take my word for it, his would be a more than safe bet.

Authors Note:

Study food reviews is dead. It was a solid,two articles and one life-changing venture that was one of the few things that attributed to junior year not totally sucking for me. That’s not to say my career as a high school editorialist/journalist/all-around-suffering-student is over. Oh no, there is still an entire semester left to write about anything and everything food related. I just didn’t want to feel limited in connecting the places I review with places that would be good for studying. Junior Sarah’s thought process consisted of “Oh, this is a school newspaper, studying is a school thing, what a lovely connection.” Senior Sarah sees things more simply: “Teenagers eat food, teenagers are in high school. connection.”

I also just want to expand my horizons into other types of reviews and journalism in general, so please bare with me as I delve into the unknown. It should be fun, right?