My favorite dish by far has been the Moo Shu chicken. I haven’t tried the pork and I imagine it’s great as well. The Egg Foo Yung is also delicious. Outside of that I try to mix things up each time. Everything on the menu is worth a try.

They have a sushi bar and just added a selection of Vietnamese dishes to their menu. I was eager to try and finally have. The sushi is worth a try, but it’s hit or miss. Some stuff can turn out great, while others can be a bit chewy or have a strange consistency. The Vietnamese dishes are good if you like to try something new. I had the Pho Tai Gan (rare steak with beef tendon) which comes in a bowl of soup and tasted great. My only complaint is that I would have liked to see more meat in it.

The Golden Szechuan Inn is a must. Go there and you won’t be sorry.

Location: 554 Baltimore Pike, Bel Air, MD 21014 (near Chili’s)
Rating: Try it or I’m never speaking to you again

We started with the Crab and Artichoke dip was amazing. It’s in the small plates section and it is the best crab dip I have tried so far. It is very crabby, with just enough cream to hold it together and make it more delicious. They also have a hummus which the next table over had; we thought it was crab and it wasn’t.

The fettuccine with chicken and sun-dried tomatoes is a delight. The chicken is lightly seasoned. The fettuccine is in a light cream sauce that is balanced by the tomatoes to make a great summer dish. The sauce tastes lighter than an Alfredo sauce and the plate is filled with a large, heaping portion as you can see below.

The roasted vegetables and goat cheese pizza took me back to the time I first had a goat cheese salad. While this is by far no salad, the vegetables are tender and rich in flavor. The crust is soft and moist, yet not flimsy due to having just the right amount of crisping on the bottom. The center of the pizza gets wet with oil but you can still hold it and it just makes it taste even better. This pizza does not fall apart over time and it tastes great (even 2 days later). It was well worth the $13.

For the main course (dessert) the Godiva chocolate cheescake is a chocolate lover’s dream. And the red velvet cheescake is my dream. There’s a cheesecake for every season and mood at this factory.

Location: 825 Dulaney Valley Road, Towson, MD 21204 (connected to the Towson Town Center)
Rating: Try it or I’m telling mom (why are you still here? go out. go!)

Overall this was a great date location, with a romantic yet semi-casual atmosphere. You can get dressed up or you can dress down, just make sure you wear at least some clothes. Live music filled the room as we devoured our crab dip appetizer. The dip was creamy and tasted of Old Bay. Surrounding it were toasted baguette slices. Together they created a pairing that could not be saved from being eaten. You could taste crab and you could also taste a lot of cream, which could sometimes overpower the crab. Still definitely worth your hard earned money.

For the main course our party had two specials: the Maryland Rockfish and the Pecan Encrusted Catfish. The Rockfish was amazingly tender and tasty. It wasn’t mine, although I did steal quite a bit of it.

The catfish was new to me and so I wasn’t sure how it should have turned out. The consistency of the flesh wasn’t uniform, with some areas harder than others. The dipping sauce helped make it more edible and I personally wouldn’t try the catfish again. The breading made it tougher than I would have liked, and I would have been better off with a fish that came out looking as soft as it tasted. Next time I will try something else as I’ve heard nothing but good things about this place.

If you’re looking for a nice place to take someone this is a great option. The place can get busy at times so reserve a seat in advance, and allow at least 5-10 minutes for parking as it can be a little tight and you may have to walk a bit. I promise the walk isn’t as bad as the search for a parking spot makes it feel. As always, let me know what you think of the Tidewater Grill in the comments below.

Location: 300 Franklin Street, Havre De Grace, MD 21078-2805
Rating: Try it for a special occasion

I had the crab cake meal. There are two of these meals on the menu. One offers two 4oz cakes and the dish I devoured came with two 6oz cakes. It turned out to be a great choice because there was more to share. It was the best crab cake my table had ever tasted. Each meal is $20+ and since this was a special occasion we decided to splurge. I’m not sure if cheaper items are on the menu because who could pass up a crab cake like that? Seriously, who?

The food is great and the atmosphere is elegant, yet casual. Their location right on the water makes for great views. Just make sure you call ahead for a reservation so you don’t miss out on the view, as the tables fill up fast on a Friday or Saturday evening.

Location: 301 Light Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 (on the Inner Harbor)
Rating: Try it for a special occasion (or if you have lots of money)

The lunch buffet runs from 11am until 2pm Tuesday through Friday. On Sunday the buffet is from noon until 3pm. If you don’t like how the buffet looks, or if they aren’t offering it when you visit, the menu is so wide and varied you will find something you like, except for brown rice. Maryland’s idea of brown rice is fried rice. The price of lunch will run you either $5, $6, or $7.

I had the buffet and everything I had was great. From the beef with broccoli to the general tso’s chicken to the chicken on a stick everything was how I remembered it from NJ. This is definitely worth a try if you like Chinese food.

Location: 971 G Beard’s Hill Road, Aberdeen, MD 21001 (next to Home Depot)
Rating: Try it or I’m telling mom

The turkey burger tasted great, and it came in under 15 minutes. When it was time to pay the waitress swiped my card right at the table and she only had to leave to get the printed receipt for me to sign. This is far and above better than any New Jersey TGI Friday’s experience I have had. Not many of them have these digital devices according to the waitress, and it feels like I’m in an Apple store. Very high tech and speedy.

Location: 615 Baltimore Pike # G, Bel Air, MD 21014
Rating: Try it

Location: 103 N. Washington Street, Havre de Grace, MD 21078
Rating: try it.

My table had the angus burger, the large Chilean sea bass, and the steak/crab combo upgraded to a filet mignon. The sea bass with the mango salsa paired a sweetness with a slightly spicy flavor. It was soft and delicious. The rest of the food was a hit with the table and worth the price.

Location: 696 J Bel Air Rd., Bel Air, MD 21014
Rating: If you don’t try it I’m telling mom

The crab cakes are filled with more jumbo lump pieces than I’ve ever seen, with only enough filler to keep them together. On a second trip I did notice there is quite a bit of filler and I still found it very good. The cost for one crab cake is under $20 depending on what you get with it. They taste soft and delicious, with no unnecessary cream to reduce the crab flavor. And I just made myself hungry writing this. Don’t be confused by the crackers they give you: you can make mini crab sandwiches if you want to.

The service was quick, courteous, and the seating has a family feel to it. It has traditional pizzeria bench seats on a grander scale. Wednesday you can get the crab cake special for a few dollars cheaper than usual, which comes with either a salad or fries.

Location: 2915 Emmorton Road, Abingdon, Maryland 21009
Rating: try it or I’m telling mom

The Green Turtle reminds me of a TGI Fridays or Houlihans, only more sports oriented and with every table having it’s own tv. The Seating areas are also more open and not as cramped.

The food went over well with my table, especially the mango vinagrette. My chicken wrap with sweet potatoe fries tasted fresh and zesty, and it was a nice way to eat semi-healthy. The loaded chili went over well, as did some sort of turkey sandwich.

Our waitress made sure to get us our food in time for us to head back to work, even with a large party in the back room that caused everyone a delay. If you are in a rush ask beforehand if there will be any problems. There’s a Panera and Taco Bell nearby if you need something quicker.

So to recap: the food was good and we had our own tv. It can take a little time to get your food and it’s worth it if you’re not in a rush.

Location: 1113 Beards Hill Rd # E, Aberdeen, MD 21001

Rating: try it