Sichuan street food, oxtail and old-school sandwiches made in the back of a variety store all have found a home among Howard County’s food scene. But if you’re not dedicated to discovering new foods or make a livelihood out of creating dishes from scratch, you may miss some of these classic spots.

So, as we did in Baltimore County, The Banner’s here to show you the breadth of local eateries operating in the area from the people who know best: chefs.

We reached out to a variety of chefs manning restaurants across Howard County to find out where they like to dine — that’s not their own establishment. To the food-obsessed: It’s time to upgrade your next meal, and eat like you know how to cook.

Chad Wells, chef of Rosie’s Delicatessen and Walker’s Tap and Table

The skills required to prepare sushi still wow Chad Wells, who sees the meal of raw fish as the ultimate treat. Umi in Ellicott City does just about every roll right, he said. “I’m so obsessed with everything they do.”

The Rosie’s Delicatessen chef said that when it comes to sushi, you have to be able to manipulate the food through texture versus cooking, and it all comes down to creating one really good bite. Working with raw ingredients is extremely challenging, Wells noted; it requires an awareness and dexterity that other chefs don’t necessarily have. But at Umi there’s flavor, depth and a comfortable outdoor patio that the Walker’s Tap and Table chef can enjoy alongside his wife on special occasions.

Another favorite is the Indian food at Kinara in Eldersburg, where Wells said “they do so much with heat and spice” that even the most basic dishes like chicken tikka masala are worth ordering.

Daven Pan, chef of Takumi

Pan preferred to answer questions about his favorite local spot via a translation service.

Daven Pan’s yet to settle on a favorite food, often grappling with the decision between Vietnamese and Korean. But through that internal conflict emerged a love of dumplings — specifically xiaolongbao, or soup dumplings.

Recently he’s developed a “soft spot” for the rainbow soup dumplings at Dumpling District, an Ellicott City eatery serving Shanghainese and Szechuan food. The dish comes in varying colors with six different flavors: mala, or spicy pork; chicken; pork; shrimp and pork; shrimp and zucchini; and black truffle pork.

“I enjoy the bold flavors,” he said, especially the richness of the broth. “It feels like a nice break, something to look forward to after a long week!”

For Japanese food, Pan enjoys Rakugaki, a cozy neighborhood spot in Bethesda.

Isaac Poku, chef at Chick N’ Friends

Between frying up chicken dinners and making sandwiches, Isaac Poku searches for a hearty Caribbean-inspired meal.

Often he’ll head to Dat Jerk’s location in Columbia, only 10 minutes north of his own restaurant, for a combination of oxtail, rice and plantains. Unlike many other chains found in the read, Poku said the restaurant’s food tastes fresh and is well-prepared. “It’s all really well-seasoned,” Poku said. “It also feels really authentic.”

Poku added that he enjoys supporting the locally grown business for its dedication to creating a satisfying, remarkably filling dish that’s both affordable and a quick get for after-hours snacking.

Johntay Bedingfield, corporate chef for Food Market Columbia, La Food Marketa and Food Market Hampden

Johntay Bedingfield is on a nutrition kick, so when he’s not scarfing down bowls at Cava or cooking at home, he goes for a meal brimming with nostalgia — a classic, homestyle sandwich.

At the Duchess Variety Store, a cash-only spot in Ellicott City with a bare-bones interior, sandwiches are customizable and milkshakes are hand-spun. “It really reminds me of how your mom would make you a sandwich,” he said. “Really simple, but old school.”

Bedingfield’s go-to is braunschweiger, a type of liverwurst-style deli meat and sausage made of pork livers, on untoasted white bread with white onion and yellow mustard. “It’s just a very carefully curated sandwich,” he said, with proportions of meat and bread artfully designed to give you the perfect bite. The woman behind the counter slices each tomato in one hand, which has convinced him he’s in the presence of an expert. “She’s very meticulous and takes her time.”

Evan Orser, chef of Manor Hill Tavern

When Evan Orser is off the clock and looking for a meal, he takes the path of least resistance. There, he finds Mr. Souvlaki, a family-owned Greek eatery in Perry Hall that feels fresh and authentic, and is fairly close to Orser’s home.

“It’s great seasoning-wise, portion-wise, price-point-wise,” he said of the shop, where his go-to orders are the chicken shawarma or a pork gyro. He can tell they prepare it “the right way” with meat that tastes rich and well-cooked. Mr. Souvlaki is unlike many of the chains Orser has seen in the area who he said have a nasty habit of just “pulling stuff out of the bag.”

It feels like there’s thought behind the preparation and execution, he said, and it’s always a hit with his children’s soccer and cheerleading practices. Orser also enjoys the Food Market in Columbia, which he called a creative spot able to “take your meatloaf and glorify it.” He and his wife especially enjoy the pork belly and ahi tuna.

Dillon Kalmbach, chef of Bushel and a Peck Kitchen & Bar

Dillon Kalmbach often ventures into new food territory alongside his friend, Walker’s Tap sous chef Eli Morris. Their most recent obsession: Sichuan street food.

Out of what appears to be a growing scene for the spicy Chinese cuisine within the county, the pair found Pepper House. The tiny family-run spot off Route 40 offers intimate, cafeteria-style seating and food that is “pushing the envelope,” Morris said. They gushed over the “masterful” flavors: spice that doesn’t overwhelm, with heaps of noodles soft enough to slurp yet able to retain “a little bit of spring as you’re chewing them,” Kalmbach said.

Both chefs usually start with the Chengdu dumplings in house-made chili oil (the key is to ask for extra sauce, according to Kalmbach). There’s also a rotating array of specialty appetizers, but Morris tends to settle on the classic dan dan noodles while Kalmbach opts for a more stir-fried noodle — most recently the special with Shanghai-style noodles. “They’re not very thick and very thin, mixed with a subtle broth,” and come with chunks of bok choy, adding another dimension to an already texture-focused dish, Kalmbach said.