Local Flavor: Hagerstown, Maryland

It's not a good sign when the first seven locals you poll for a noteworthy "local flavor" dining experience refer you to the Ryan's Steakhouse. It's definitely not local, and flavor becomes a relative term. The biggest draw for these queried locals was the volume of food available at Ryan's. It was as if "all you can eat" proves the existence of God, or least offers overwhelming scientific support to the theory of intelligent design.

With some digging, my crew and I did discover a Hagerstown gem in the Grille at Park Circle. Located adjacent to a truly beautiful city park, this re-modeled drive-in offers a dim and cozy dining room with plenty of privacy. This privacy, however, did not prevent our table of six from overhearing a heated conversation between a cocksure young man and an old flame he was trying desperately to rekindle. This foible-filled drama served as a satisfying dessert to a surprisingly good meal.

Even though the Grille at Park Circle is nowhere near the coast, it did offer a wonderful entre of thick, meaty crab-cakes with tender, pan-fried red potatoes and green beans. The pie we ordered for our real dessert was obviously boxed but good, if not excessive.

The bar area appeared to host a diverse mix of locals, and the steady murmur only added to the small-town atmosphere.

A genuinely warm conversation with the Grille's owner capped off a relaxing evening for a tired video crew.

Picture-phone evidence of an affair of the heart ended the evening for the amorous young man trying to spark an old flame. Instead of a warm glow, he got fireworks.

The details: Grille at Park Circle, Hagerstown, Maryland. 325 Virginia Avenue. 301.797.9100.
It's just off a traffic circle in an older part of town, with easy access from Highway 81 and I-70. It is near a large, old and beautiful urban park.