So you STILL haven't answered the question, which I had also planned to ask, where is Maple Lawn? Never heard of it.

It's in Scaggsville, in southern Howard County off of Rt. 29.

They changed the name of the area from Skaggsville to Fulton to Maple Lawn. I like Skaggsville better, but that's just me.

Thanks. Maple Lawn sounds more like a cemetary to me.

I am so with you on that. What were they thinking of? EL

Oh, Skaggsville!
Well, why didn't you say so.

I agree with you, Tweety Cat. Sounds like a place out of that Evelyn Waugh novel, "The Loved One".

I didn't know where Maple Lawn was, either. And I'm with Tweety Cat. And Trip Klaus. Skaggsville sounds like it has a story behind it. Maple Lawn is where my late cat is buried.

Regardless of the name the restaurant is worth visiting.

I believe they chose Maple Lawn because the land was either once part of or is very close to the Maple Lawn Farm.

Lissa, too funny! Am getting funny looks from co-workers again...

A similar thing happened north of Baltimore where the "elite" didn't like Cockeysville and had to invent "Hunt Valley".

and half of "Hunt Valley" is really plain old Reisterstown....

I've always found Ranazul to be a total yawner. Nothing going on, not much fun. Tapas Taetro has WAY better food for 1/2 the price.

Having read your article about our all-time favorite Howard County restaurant, we beg to differ with your opinion. Dining there frequently, we love the concept of being able to order and try a variety of terrific tantalizing "tapas". Our palate is particularly pleased by the succulent fried oysters, crab toast, fried shrimp, lucious lamb chops, great salads and potatoes au gratin. We love the ambiance and the atmosphere which is open and casual allowing us to feel free to roam about and talk to our many other friends who go there. We have always found the service to be superb and epecially enjoy the congenial and charming owner, who greets almost everyone. We would personally give the food a "4 star" while rating the service and ambiance at at least "3 1/2". There is a reason why this restautant has been very successful while two others at Maple Lawn have failed. Ranazul's is simply the best and should be rated as such!. My wife and I find it a great place to eat and meet with our firends.

Um...Mr. Menz? 3.5 stars is the kiss of death around here. You might not want to wish that on your all-time favourite Howard County restaurant.

And half of Reisterstown is "Glyndon"...

Rick Menz, it's hard to tell whether that was a shill or the best parody of a shill I've seen in a long time.

I especially enjoyed the "emphasis quotes." That particular abuse of standard English always gives me the giggles.

Back when the Iraq war started, the county where a close friend lived sprouted signs in nearly every yard that said;

Pray to "God" for Our Troops

Which I couldn't help but read in standard English, of course, as "Pray to your so-called deity for our troops."

Not the effect the authors of the sign had in mind, I'm sure.

Or maybe he just really likes the place.

Or maybe he just really likes the place.

Maybe. But that doesn't explain the extravagant prose. Ordinary people don't write like that. Heck, extraordinary people with any sense of taste don't wite like that. PR people and shills do write like that.

Our palate

And then there's the royal we. Or is that editorial we.

We ate at Ranazul once last year...and did enjoy the food quite a bit. However, the service was terrible. We were completely ignored for thirty minutes after being seated; none of the wait staff would look up and acknowledge us.

We were saved by the bartender, of all people, who took our orders and watched over us for the rest of the evening. He did a great job, so kudos to him.

But there are lots of great places to eat in HoCo that have excellent service. We've not been back to Ranazul, and have no intentions of doing so again.

"Skaggsville" makes even my parents giggle. They don't know why. It just sounds nasty.

Of course, renaming away "history" just happens out in the 'burbs. Never in histotic, sophisticated places like Baltimore. "Harbor East." That rings of history -- like 2004.

Didn't "Charles Village" used to be "Peabody Heights"?

I think you are right, Dahlink.

My neighbourhood used to be Baltimore-Linwood, which at least was clear. Canton used to be microscopic. I suspect Bayview might be a rebranding for A-J, but I'm still learning Baltimore geography.

I've eaten at Ranazul many times, and I've always had good service! We don't go at peak hours, so maybe that has something to do with it. I really enjoyed everything I had there!

The town is called Scaggsville. It was named after the Scaggs family who at one time owned a great deal of land there.

The Maple Lawn development was named after the Maple Lawn farm, since the owners of the farm (the Iager family) sold part of their land to the developers.

Maple Lawn isn't really in Scaggsville, it's in Fulton. Which has not been renamed Maple Lawn. Only the development goes by that name. Those of us who are from the area still refer to the town as Fulton.