Within the past year, two Mexican restaurants with the same name and owner have opened in the greater Frederick area.
In Review
The back patio of Ayse Meze Lounge in downtown Frederick looks and feels like a scene out of the early 1900s — surrounded by greenery, brick floors, white linen cloth tables, stringed lights hanging overhead and vintage metal chairs painted in white and shades of blue.
Whenever I try a new Italian restaurant, I go in skeptical, because more often than not I end up slightly disappointed.
Lunches can get boring. Salads, sandwiches, leftovers. Falling into the same weekday lunch slump is easy, but luckily there are plenty of options in Frederick County to get you out of that slump.
With the arrival of The Great Frederick Fair this week came some great food options. Of course, you can still go to the fair and get your typical fair fare — see what I did there?
If the packed tables at lunchtime don’t draw you in, the aroma will.
Why did the human cross the road? To check if their local Popeyes had a chicken sandwich.
Calorically, the Burger King Impossible Whopper is nearly identical to its meaty counterpart (630 versus 660 calories, with a full 100 milligrams more sodium).
“I was so focused on the beets, it took me a minute to notice the meat,” a friend told me on our way back from lunch at Boxcar Burgers in Brunswick.
If heaven is a place on earth, my nirvana is being stuffed with good Mexican food for five days straight.
Review Guidelines
In the interest of fairness, accountability, and transparency, The Frederick News-Post and 72 Hours have adopted a set of guidelines governing our food reviews. Those standards are listed below:
- Reviews are conducted anonymously to the furthest extent possible. If our food reviewer is recognized by a chef or owner, or suspects that she received special treatment based on her identity, it is noted in the review. The goal is for our critic to experience the restaurant as an ordinary patron would.
- Our critic visits each restaurant at least twice before writing a review — and up to four times if scheduling allows — with the understanding that food, service and atmosphere can differ dramatically from meal to meal. She is generally accompanied by one to three guests, allowing her to experience a greater variety of dishes.
- The full cost of every meal is paid in full by our reviewer and reimbursed by The Frederick News-Post. We never accept free meals or gift certificates.
- Our reviewer samples the full range of the menu, from appetizers to desserts. All guests are required to order different dishes. Dishes are occasionally ordered more than once to assess consistency.
- Our reviewer orders alcoholic beverages if relevant to the dining experience. A restaurant that advertises its wine program, for example, will be assessed on its wine program. The same principle applies to craft cocktails or beer. If alcohol is not a strong focus of the restaurant, it is not ordered.
- In fairness to new restaurants, our reviewer generally waits at least one month to review an establishment after it opens. However, on the occasions when a new restaurant attracts greater-than-average attention from the community, a review may be conducted sooner. In those cases, efforts are made to reassess the restaurant after it receives more time to organize.
- National chains are not eligible for review.