Bamboo Café — Restaurant in Maryland

It is a CRIME that this place isn't better known! On the Western side of Antiques Row in Kensington, on Howard Avenue - an industrial street lined with auto repair shops and antique stores lies this lone little eatery run by some absolutely sweet Hispanic ladies who sing in the kitchen and make some absolutely great food! The Bamboo Cafe' is a real blue collar, working class lunch eatery. No pretense. No nonsense. Just a hole in the wall with a solid menu for breakfast, lunch, and early dinner. Don't let the outside fool you. I was fortunate enough to wander in while my tires were being changed down the street. Maybe one of the more fortunate accidents I've ever had.

The menu is straight-forward. A mixture of Salvadoran and American foods for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Want breakfast? Eggs? Sausage? Bacon? Hash browns? Pancakes? French toast? Breakfast sandwiches? You're set! How about some fried plantains? Red beans? Tortillas? Tamales? Pupusas? No problem! Subs, burgers, wings, tacos, quesadillas, wings, fajitas, and carne asada all live peaceably next to each other on the menu. During lunch, much of this Salvadoran food is on a hot table and it can be dished up quickly for those on the run. I also noticed some items that weren't on the regular menu, like chicharron. It all smelled wonderful...and the prices were incredibly reasonable!

For my first visit to this place, I chose something very Salvadoran: Beef Soup (Sopa de Res) For anyone who has never had this, prepare for a REAL meal. Incredibly rich, clear, beefy broth with chunks of carrot, yuca, corn on the cob, green beans, plantain...and the most tender, braised beef short rib that you're likely to find anywhere. It's accompanied with a side of rice, jalapeno, and lime that can be added to the soup. Oh, yeah!! Also, two hot, fresh, thick corn tortillas! This is a SERIOUS meal! All for $10.99!

One more thing. There is often a tendency for non-Hispanics to avoid Salvadoran eateries. They often don't speak English or cater only to fellow Hispanics. Not the case here. While the majority of customers are Spanish-speaking, the management speaks wonderful English and the very sweet ladies are extremely hospitable and nice. That's why I saw folks of every race (including many from neighboring businesses) crowding in for lunch. So, don't be shy. The food and the friendliness here...

Both the service and food were top notch. Despite the restaurant name, they serve Authentic Mexican food. It smelled like my abualitas kitchen when I walked in, so I knew the food was going to taste great - which it did. Both the kitchen and dining area were exceptionally clean and I'd say it's a great place to stop and get some tacos or orchata while you wait for your car to get fixed or once you find out how good it is you'll probably come back anyways. It is a true hole in the wall restaurant that I hope gets the recognition it...

A hidden gem in Kensington. I discovered it about a week ago and I have already visited twice. Fresh, DELICIOUS, flavorful food. I had the chicken quesadilla, corn tamales and chicken fajitas. Everything...