Far-East feasts, kosher sweets and Caribbean eats

Winter is coming, so why not get fat?

But in order to do so, you need to know where to go. Try the Silver Spring and Wheaton areas; they have lots of great restaurants for hungry hungry high schoolers. Each offers unique tastes of international cuisine at affordable prices.

Noor Kabobs
15535 New Hampshire Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20905
301-989-8600

The man behind the cash register flashes a welcoming smile at patrons as they enter his family restaurant, located at the rear of the NAPA Autoparts on New Hampshire Avenue in Cloverly. "Can I help you?" he asks.

The answer to his question: yes, please do. Bring me the best Indian and Pakistani cooking in the area and do it in a timely fashion and with prompt, polite service.

The man smiles. This he can do without trouble.

Chicken and lamb tikka are especially good picks for the hungry tummy. With these meals, customers are provided with juicy chunks of meat smothered in a rich marinara sauce. Put them over rice or eat them with still-steaming naan—doughy bread that is freshly baked in a clay oven.

Naan is also great with any of Noor Kabob's four curries. The chicken curry for $6.99 is a superb choice, with its zesty spices and small pieces of meat. Another curry worth the hurry is palak aaloo. It also sells for $6.99 and features a creamy combo of spinach, potatoes and spices.

Max's Kosher Café and Market Place
2319 University Blvd West
Wheaton, MD 20902
301-949-6297

Tucked away behind the CVS on University Blvd West lies Max's Kosher Café and Market Place—a great place to go for anyone looking either for Jewish people or simply a tummy-licious meal.
But beware: all orders must exceed a minimum of $5. Luckily, ordering too little will not be a problem thanks to the
excellent-quality food.

Dishes ordered from the Middle Eastern portion of the menu are prepared by a restaurant worker right before the eyes of the customer, whose mouth is undoubtedly watering. What service! It's like Subway but better because the food is full of spices.
Especially tasty from the Middle Eastern selections is the falafel plate for $6.25. In this meal, the customer decides what fillings should go with his falafel balls, which have a steamy chickpea center surrounded by a hardened spice-flavored crust.

Fillers include juicy tomatoes, hot pepper and raw onions for a pang. Also included are two pita bread halves that can be stuffed full of as many of the above-mentioned ingredients as the customer can take.

For all Middle Eastern selections, a word of caution: if the store attendant says an ingredient is spicy, he is not kidding! Piling on hot peppers is not for the weak of heart; so unless you are feeling devilish, dare to say "no." The food is great even without the fireballs.

Stay true to the Jewish tradition for only $6.95 by ordering the succulent hot corned beef sandwich from the deli. On the side, chow down on an order of large french fries for $1.90. Like everything at Max's, these fries are not the run-of-the-mill Micky-D grease balls. Instead, they are juicy morsels of goodness sprinkled with tasty spices.

Negril: The Jamaican Eatery, Inc.
965 Thayer Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-585-3000

The Ansel Adams framed photograph on the wall is sideways. Its waterfall flows horizontally. Other than that, the Negril Jamaican Eatery in downtown Silver Spring appears to be flawless.

There are a variety of meat and seafood entrees. Meat entrees range from $5.85 (chicken roti) to $7.95 (oxtail). An especially delicious dish is the curried shrimp roti, at $8.95. It is a heavenly blend of potatoes, onions, peppers and tomatoes mixed with a generous helping of shrimp in a spicy sauce and enveloped with flaky pastry. Take a walk on the wild side and use those fingers!

For the vegetarian crowd, do not fear. Negril has just the answer to your grumbling meat-averting tummies. Curried vegetables for $5.60 is a wonderful choice. Delicious chickpeas, small bits of eggplant and stewed tomatoes take the stage in this parade of flavor.

And to quench the thirst generated by all of those tongue-titillating spices, take a swig of the uncommon drinks featured at Negril: pineapple soda and ginger beer, each of which sells for $1.