Want to hear our new definition of torture? It's sitting next to a box from the Fractured Prune (8705 Harford Road, 410-661-9999), knowing you have a 20-minute drive back to the office during which you may not shove doughnuts in your face, no you may not, no matter how delicious they smell, no don't eat them don't eat them noooo! See, the Prune—originally a popular Ocean City landmark—fries its doughnuts to order, so they're still fresh and warm when you leave the store. And this is when they're at their best—even a plain one is fluffy-crispy heaven when it's hot.

For years, whenever someone asked me for vegetarian recommendations in Columbia (and in my particular job, you'd be surprised how often you get asked such things), two words instantly left my lips: Mango Grove. In fact, I'd recommend the popular vegetarian Indian eatery to all people, even those who eat meat. But I found that a lot of people weren't interested in a meat-free restaurant, no matter how tasty a bargain I said it was. Evidently, Mango Grove's owners discovered the same thing, because last year they opened Mirchi Wok right next door to their existing place.

Tucked onto a hard-to-find, one-way street near—but not walking-distance near—the Hopkins medical campus, 2031 E. Fairmount Avenue has always been a challenging location. For years, Simon's Pub managed to lure patrons with its upscale yet reasonably priced New American menu; after the pub closed, new owners never seemed to be able to bring in the needed crowds to their Simon's of Butcher's Hill, despite the delicious New Orleans cuisine and frequent live jazz.

It can be easy to miss a new addition to the cluster of Korean restaurants in the lower Remington neighborhood; they tend to have fairly blank facades, and most of their signage is in a language I don't speak. So it took me a little while to discover Nak Won (spelled "Noc Won" on the awning, but "Nak Won" on menus and business cards), which opened late last year next to the more venerable Joung Kak. I'm glad I finally went, though, because this is one of my favorite Korean restaurants in some time.

When exploring the business side of the wine world, it can be easy to develop prejudices that ultimately lead to a jaded view of the whole affair. But it's a new year, and I resolve not to let myself think that way. In that spirit, I went in search of wine types that I have been known to, well, think little of. Write off. Insult, even.

One of my favorite food trends is a renewed interest in locally produced ingredients. It's a movement with so many benefits: environmental (less gas used to transport things), economic (supporting local farmers), and aesthetic. Local ingredients tend to taste better, because not only are they fresher, but they're bred more for flavor than for being able to withstand long-distance shipping.

We sighed despairingly when rock-and-roll pie man Rodney Henry, pictured, closed up his little shop in Canton. Yes, we knew we could still order pies through his website (http://www.dangerouspies.com), but we also knew that we were lazy, capricious creatures who could not be counted on to plan our pie cravings ahead of time. Now, however, Henry and business partner Bob Kinnecome have opened a new Dangerously Delicious in Federal Hill (1036 Light Street, 410-522-7437).