The Capitol City Brewing Company in the Inner Harbor closes for good tonight, but before it does the brew pub is throwing a party starting around 5 p.m. The beer won't be free, says company president David von Storch, because of liquor board regulations; but it will be substantially discounted. And the food will be free.

Harborplace loses another tenant for the usual reasons: the seasonal nature of the business and high rents. It's getting so only national chains can afford to be in the complex. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

If you’re happy with your neighborhood Indian restaurant’s lamb saag and chicken tikka masala, I’m not going to urge you to try Indigma. Owner Tony Chemmanoor’s biggest challenge is going to be to find enough Baltimoreans willing to expand their horizons a bit. 

Upscale Indian may not be the easiest concept to sell around here, but the Ambassador Dining Room has managed to succeed for many years, and surely there’s room for one more place along those lines. Those lines would be an appealing setting, a place in the general scheme of things for wine, even though this is Indian food, and dishes you simply don’t get at many Indian restaurants.

But do they taste good? as food writer Calvin Trillin used to ask. For that, you’ll have to read my review in next Sunday’s Arts & Life Today section.

(Monica Loppossay/Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Review Preview
        

Ex-deskmate Steve (he's moved over to The Sun's metro section), had one last request before he left. He wanted me to do a Top Ten places to get pancakes. 

I decided not to, although I like the variety (as opposed to always doing types of restaurants), because I can't think of ten. ...

 
(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

The photo is from Two Sisters Grille in Remington, and I could also list Gertrude's at the BMA, Miss Shirley's on Cold Spring Lane, the Blue Moon Cafe in Fells Point, Spoons in Federal Hill, the Golden West Cafe in Hampden, XS in Mount Vernon, Morning Edition Cafe in Butcher's Hill, and First Watch in Pikesville; but that's about all.

Actually, that's nine, and I'm sure I could come up with one more; but I'd be grading the pancakes on what I think of the restaurant or cafe in general, not that I'd tried all the pancakes.

If you would eliminate any of these, or if you have a tenth one for me, please post below. Steve will thank you for it.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

 
If I opened a restaurant, God forbid, the first order of business (after the food, service, decor thing) would be to design -- or have designed for me -- a really compelling Web site.

When people have heard about your restaurant and are trying to decide whether to eat there, a lot of them are going to sign on both to look at the menu and to get a sense of what the place is like from how the Web site looks. That's a no brainer.

So why don't more otherwise savvy restaurateurs make good use of this tool? Here are...

...four examples of what I'm talking about.

The Watertable site (pictured above) almost doesn't need commenting on. The Renaissance Harborplace Hotel's main dining room is open and it's been open long enough for me to review it positively. It's not opening next July.

Pazza Luna in Locust Point is a restaurant I liked a lot. The Web site gives a good sense of its style, the music is nice, the intro isn't too long. But where's a dinner menu, even a sample menu if it changes too often to post a current one? It may be there somewhere, but all I found was a lunch menu when I clicked on "Visit the Pazza Luna Blog," not the first place I'd look.

Tabrizi's Web site does a pretty good job, I think. It shows you a lot of attractive food photos, and gives you an idea of what the place is like. The menus are easy to find and comprehensive. But why not put the address and phone number on the home page? Sure, you can find them under "contacts." But what's the downside to giving people that info immediately?

Finally, a site I'm on the fence about, Cinghiale. It's funky and fun, BUT I WANT IT TO HAPPEN FASTER. How about a "skip intro" button for those who need the information quickly. Thousands of Baltimoreans are probably clicking on it because the latest Foreman-Wolf project is the hottest new restaurant in town. They are either enchanted or irritated, I have no idea which.

I guess in the end it all depends on whether you go to a restaurant's Web site mainly for information, which  I do.

Of course, by the time you read this post, any of these places may have redone its site, and this entry will be inoperative. But I'm sure you can think of other examples of what I'm talking about. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

 
A new Mexican restaurant, Las Palmas, has opened where the Brazilian place Aquarales was at 1622 Eastern Ave.

As Sam, who took this photo for me, says, Mexican will probably do better here. This looks like the real deal, with the most expensive item on the menu being bistec encebollado (steak and onions) for $10.95.

The  menu says it's open Monday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m., but I can't decide if that means  "through Sunday" -- in other words, daily. My Spanish isn't up to asking, either. Those hours mean that breakfast is also served. 

Feel free to comment below if you've tried it. 

(Photo courtesy of Sam Sessa)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Earlier C mac asked this in a post:

Can't the webheads figure out a way to add a side link to recently posted comments?

While I was away, Web Editor Mary found a way to do just that. It's under Recent Posts on the right. I haven't quite figured out how it works because it doesn't actually post Most Recent Comments, it's more like Three Most Recent Comments and Two Others. But I'm not complaining. For instance, Julie V. just commented on an entry I posted on June 21. You would never have known except for the rolling comment list.

Also it's only on the main page of the blog. So if you don't see it on the right, click on "Main" at the top of this entry. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

When I got in this morning -- first day back -- I had 637 new e-mails in my computer's inbox. Already as I'm slogging through them I see a lot has happened in 10 days. Nothing earthshaking maybe, but enough so I'll have plenty to post for the next few days. (They have to be checked out first.)

For instance, Ze Mean Bean Cafe in Fells Point is reopening after major renovations, but I don't have any details yet. Dogwood in Hampton has reopened or is about to. And I'm tracking down a new sushi place on Eden Street. Stay tuned.

(Photo courtesy of Ze Mean Bean's Web site)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Sam Sessa, formerly Carry Out Sam, was kindly covering my beat on his blog, Midnight Sun, while I was gone. In case you missed it, here's a link to his info on Charlie Gjerde's new place in Fells Point, Alexander's Tavern at 710 S. Broadway, which is supposed to open next week. (I lifted the photo from Sam's blog.)

Supposedly it's a casual family restaurant as well as a bar. In any case, I imagine the food will be a cut above traditional bar eats.

 (Photo courtesy of Sam Sessa)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Now that I'm home I'm having a craving for Thai food. Not, however, pad thai, or any other noodle-based dish. Give me a week or two. So next Tuesday's Top Ten will be a look at the area's Thai restaurants. Please feel free to nominate your favorites.

Also, If anyone has tried Ten-O-Six since it changed hands, I'd be interested to know what you think. It happened very quietly.

(Doug Kapustin/jSun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:22 AM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

Still craving: coffee with hot, foamy milk and sugar-topped croissants for breakfast; brick-oven pizza made from scratch while you watch, even in the airport; Italian arugula; the bread in Rome; the meringues in Florence; a mild cheese we bought for an informal lunch one day in Rome (I didn't get the name of it); cooked spinach in Florence and Venice; Italian table grapes.

Not pasta. Not yet. No mas, or however you say that in Italian.

Glad to be back to: dollars (did the euro have to hit an all-time high on our trip to Italy?),  Honeycrisp apples from the farmers market, toast, my own cooking, free water in restaurants, SportsCenter.

High point of the trip: No, not the Great Monuments of Western Civilization. It was when the waitress who spoke no English was so dazzled by my Italian that she said to me, "Come si dice....?"

Unfortunately what she wanted to know was, "Come si dice...zucchine?" 

Actually it was funny that the English version of many of the menus translated "zucchine" as "courgette" (the French word for the squash) for those of us who couldn't figure out what "zucchine" meant. To be fair, that is what the Brits call zucchini.

Putting things in perspective: In the supermarket my daughter shopped at, no bottle of wine cost more than one euro. Doing one load of laundry in a self-service laundromat in Rome cost us nine euros. (That's about $13.) Italy is a country that has its priorities set.

(Photo of the remnants of our last dinner by me, as well as photos below) 

And if you're not sick of travel photos, here are a few more. I never got around to asking what the pink croc was on the Versace building in Venice, and then I saw a pile of them down by the docks.

And which of the two following would you rather have as your main means of transport? The first photo was taken outside our bedroom window. Nice hat. The second is at what seems to be a public charging station.

 OK, I'm a little obsessed with Smart Cars.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

We never had to take a taxi, bus or metro in Italy -- there was a train from the airport in Rome and a boat to the airport in Venice -- but the drive home from Dulles last night was a doozy.

Of course, my eyes popped open at 3 a.m. here (9 a.m. Italy time). I thought as long as I was up, I'd respond to a couple of comments.

My internet access was so limited in Italy I didn't post most of the comments myself, so I didn't get a chance to address a few I wanted to, like this one from L.D. ...

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

If your husband is a Ravens fan, don't tell him your hotel has internet access. It's scary to think the success of the balance of our trip depended on yet another last-minute field goal.

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

By that, of course, I mean about eating in restaurants in Italy. This list is for first timers. You world travelers will know all this already. And please feel free to add any suggestions of your own:

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

There is an antidote for Venice crowd-claustrophobia and a way to get away from all those guys selling faux Fendi bags out of plastic garbage bags every few meters. Go to the other side of the Ponte Accademia and stroll along the canal that's even larger than the Grande Canal. The promenade is sunny and spacious, the water and sky very blue, and many of the other tourists have magically disappeared. There are also trees. ...

Just across the bridge is the Hotel Belle Arti, where I want to stay the next time I come to Venice. Why on earth stay near Piazza San Marco, no matter how nice your hotel is. You still have to walk out the front door sometime.

As my daughter said, she was never planning to come back to Venice until our walk this morning to some of the rest of the city.

(Photos of tables on the water and the hotel on the other side of Ponte Accademia by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Gelato Girl steered us right. Birraria la Corte in the Campo San Polo was just what we were looking for: a reasonably priced restaurant and pizzeria with good food, a pleasant outdoor eating space and not many Americans.

Excellent ravioli with pumpkin, veal loin in a Madeira sauce -- and good pizza. Even the salads were made with garden lettuces, something that's been hard to find. Tonight we go back for the bronzino.

We don't have the lighting for food photos, but here are a couple of shots from the place. ...

(Photo of bruschetta courtesy of Gailor Large) 

Also, I'm sorry for all my mean words about gondoliers. As we were walking home last night in the dark with an almost full moon, one solitary gondola floated quietly by with one couple. Their gondolier was singing softly, beautifully and unaccompanied.

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

1) In case you didn't realize it, gondolas are not as romantic as they seem. They come one after another under our hotel room's window, like a circus parade. The gondoliers are bored, noisy and flip cigarettes into the canal. Often the tourists are drinking wine or beer while they ride; and they get pretty boisterous.

2) You may eat at an Italian restaurant that isn't great, and I've done that plenty this week; but the pasta itself will always be perfectly cooked -- not over, not under.

(Photo courtesy of Gailor Large) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The cold breakfast that comes with our room at the Hotel Kette is the most elaborate yet. There are all sorts of coffees and teas, plates of meats and cheeses, hard boiled eggs, rolls, chocolate and sugared croissants, tea cookies, cereals, yogurts, juices and, for the first time, fresh fruit.

I'm a good traveler because my eating routine is pretty flexible, but I'm beginning to miss hot, buttery whole grain toast at breakfast.

(Photo of her breakfast courtesy of Gailor Large) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

This morning things started looking up. First of all, the girl behind last night's gelato stand was from the Bronx. She's been here two years and told us where Venetians eat. Her directions went something like this:

"You go to the Rialto Bridge and make an immediate left. You follow the streets which twist and turn but basically go straight. I don't know any of their names. Anyway, follow the streets until you come to the Campo San Polo. I don't know what the name of the restaurant is, but it's the only one on the square."

We did an exploratory run this morning and found it, so I made a reservation for this evening. But I forgot to get its name. I do have a photo (above).

You quickly realize the most important thing for walking around Venice. ...

(Photo by me) 

All streets lead to Piazza San Marco. They also all lead to the Rialto. If you try to use a map, it will only make you crazy, so put it away and just orient yourself in relation to one of those two landmarks. You will never get lost, because there are signs to one or the other when you have to turn right or left, like blazes on a hiking trail.

Two other tips: 1) Come here in late November. 2) It doesn't hurt to read The City of the Falling Angels first, which I did by chance. It's by the same guy who wrote Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.

Before I took a lot of photos of crowds looking at sights, but now I'm obsessed with finding empty spaces, or comparatively empty spaces, to photograph.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Walking everywhere got a little more complicated once we got to Venice, although you'd think it would be easier. No cars, no Vespas, no bikes to get in our way. But to get from the train station to our hotel, the Hotel Kette near Piazza San Marco, involved a hundred little bridges with steps up and down over small canals, which I knew but we did anyway. We travel light, with only carry on bags, but still.

And it wasn't just the steps. Rome and Florence were deserted compared to Venice. When I was last here, it was a Venetian city. Now it's been taken over by tourists. Walking on these narrow streets, no matter what time of day, is like being in the post-game crowd trying to get to your car. I've hit the wall as far as other tourists are concerned. Last night I was ready to stay in my room until we leave Tuesday. The city is overrun with foreigners.

Still, ...

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Of course, next week there won't be a review because I'm on vacation. I'll be back by then, but I work ahead.

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Review Preview
        

We catch a train to Venice later this morning. Who knows what the internet possibilities will be there. I've gotten spoiled here because the desk clerk sweetly told me I could pay 5 euros an hour to use their computer or I could use my laptop in the breakfast room, where for some reason, she didn't understand why, wireless computers worked.

Well, it seems to me obvious. They are pirating somebody else's service, but to say that was a little beyond my Italian.

Trattoria 4 Leoni was a good choice, Jason. Thanks. We decided on it when we stopped to ask directions of two Swedes (they were smoking as they walked so we thought they were Italian), and they told us it was "world famous." I don't know about that, but the food was good. 

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 1:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I was going to give you a list of my Top Ten Italian restaurants, but that was before I got here.  By our very haphazard way of finding places to eat, I don't think I can come up with ten. 

We did wander around south of the Arno this afternoon -- ignoring the Pitti Palace -- until we came upon Jason's recommendation of Trattoria 4 Leoni. (The only Trattoria Cibrio we could find, Jason, was north of the river.)

Anyway, instead I'm going to make it a list of Top Ten Things You Need to Know About Eating in a Restaurant in Italy. Save it for when you get here.

(Photos of Firenze by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

I want to thank everyone who has made a suggestion for this trip. I'm taking note of all of them -- but it may be for the next trip to Italy. On the way to and from the Great Monuments of European Civilization, I duck in and out of likely looking places to have dinner and get their cards. (Another advantage to going everywhere on foot.) But by the time we get back to our hotel, we are so wiped out we barely drag ourselves out again for dinner at the nearest ristorante.

Exciting news. ...

...The front desk called me yesterday and I knew how to answer because of my Italian CDs. "Pronto." Unfortunately, that unleashed a string of rapid-fire Italian, of which I only understood a few isolated words like "but" and "then" and "tell me."

I was complaining to my husband that my CDs hadn't taught me any useful words like "glass," but then I realized you don't need the word in Italian. If you order a glass of wine and the waiter understands English, you still get a pitcher.

I have found one person who doesn't roll his/her eyes and laugh at my Italian (including my husband and daughter), and that's the hotel maid. She's actually grateful since she doesn't speak a word of English, and I can say "Now is fine" and "I wish to eat lunch at one o'clock" (I didn't learn any plural or third person verbs yet), meaning that's when we won't be in the room.

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

My daughter has been here a week longer than us (on the Amalfi Coast), and she is angling for Chinese food tonight. I'm not going to comment on that.

So far we have stuck to no taxis, no buses, no metros, and no horse-drawn carriages. However, she has discovered that the best gelato place in Florence is so far away it's practically off the city map. I don't know how long I'll be able to hold out.

Wow. I knew Florence had upscale shopping, but this is like Rodeo Drive on steroids, only in tiny shops tucked into beautiful medieval buildings. There are so many tourists my husband says it feels like Disneyland; they ought to charge admittance at the airport. Weirdly, we're having a great time so none of us minds much, although obviously later in the year would be better.

So far I haven't bought anything to take home. In fact, I haven't bought anything but three postcards. I got unnerved by the Uffizi Gallery's gift shop, which was larger than many department stores. OK, a slight exaggeration, but it did go on for room after room. 

(Photo of a shop window by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Today was Uffizi Gallery day. This is the best Italy tip I can give you if you don't like lines. Use TickItaly.com before you leave the States and get your tickets in advance to any important site. It costs more, but what is your time worth here? Especially in high season you can wait up to five hours in line to get into the Uffizi. Also, make your reservation for 8:15 a.m., the first time you can request, because as the day wears on it gets more and more crowded. No surprise there.

The first time I visited the Uffizi ...

...I had just finished an art history 101 class, and I wandered from room to room saying, "That was in my beginning art textbook. That was in my beginning art textbook." No cameras allowed inside, but I took some pictures around the gallery.

And don't forget to visit the 300-year-old olive tree that was planted (well, I guess transplanted) in 1993 to commemorate the car bombing that destroyed part of the museum.

(Photos of around the Uffizi, the rooftop caffetteria, the entrance hall and the olive tree by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Having wine with lunch every day could get to be a habit.

(Photo of the night sky in Rome by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

More news from Taste editor Kate Shatzkin:

Now the folks at Cinghiale -- the newest Tony Foreman-Cindy Wolf restaurant -- have decided to start their dinner service even before the aforementioned lunch opening. They'll start serving dinner tomorrow night. Starting then, dinner will be served 6 p.m.-10 p.m. Monday - Saturday. Starting Monday, they'll have lunch 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The restaurant is at 822 Lancaster St. in Harbor East, 410-547-8282. There's complimentary valet parking.
 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

First, Italians who live in Florence seem to like Americans more than Italians who live in Rome do.

Second, you can tell Italian women from the American tourists because they are the ones wearing beautiful shoes who are smoking in the street. 

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 9:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Everybody really is a restaurant critic these days  if they want to be. I discovered that looking around at some of the good local food blogs. I've mentioned Marginal Foodie, Sullicom and, in case you missed it because it was in a comment, Pigtown Pigout. I also wanted to tell you about MinxEats, a knowledgeable blog by Kathy, who is a sometime commentor here.

I know there are more I haven't discovered yet, so please post below. And don't be shy about posting your own URL if you feel like it.

(Photo courtesy of MinxEats) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Wandering around the city once we had checked in, we came across the Hotel Berchielli, where we spent five days of our honeymoon. What I remember about it was that we were both so sick with a stomach bug they brought a doctor in to treat us, and finally when they needed the room (we had already overstayed our reservation by a couple of days), they put us in a taxi and sent us, having eaten nothing for days, on our way to the airport and our next destination, Majorca. It was a very rough flight, and the two of us were the only ones -- I'm not exaggerating here -- who weren't sick because our stomachs were empty. Beautiful hotel, though.

The only food I remember from my last visit to Florence was a dessert of meringue, whipped cream, tiny strawberries the size of my fingernail and chocolate shavings. Of course, I don't remember what the name of the restaurant was. But I've only been here a few hours, and I've already stopped at a pastry shop and bought meringues in honor of it.

(Photos of wine bars and the Ponte Vecchio with a few tourists by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

I want a Smart Car. They are almost as numerous as Vespas in Rome. Look how they parallel park. Wouldn't that be great to have in Baltimore?

Oh, wait. This is a restaurant blog.

OK, I had great luck with Elizabeth's On Foot Method of Seeing Rome, but with food, not so much.

I was right not to spend much time beforehand poring over guidebooks. (Do you really need someone telling you to visit the Colosseum and St. Peter's?) Every day we just picked up our breakfast place mats at the hotel, which were maps of the city, and headed out.

Walking everywhere worked very well. I recommend it. ...

We got to the Spanish Steps, Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain twice, Quirinale, Piazza della Republica, and more other piazzas than I have time to list. We walked along the Tiber to the Bridge of Angels, Castel San Angelo and St. Peter's Square. And we walked to the train station this morning.

True, the only interior we visited in Rome was the Pantheon's, but that was OK. I'm a little crowd-phobic, so I'm happy to go back sometime in January to see more of the city. Even then, I'm not sure it will be off season.

It was the restaurants I should have researched. I had recommendations from two different sets of relatives and two friends who are Italian. I just didn't bring them with me.

We had good pizza, pasta, bread and wine everywhere in Rome, of course. But when I ventured further, I was disappointed. For instance, last night I ordered roast suckling pig and it was too dry to eat. At the same time, my daughter had gnocchi with eggplant that I would have killed for.

The best meal I had was a first course of thinly sliced eggplant and zucchini with olive oil and lemon juice followed by fusilli with fresh tomatoes and pine nuts.

The photos of Roman restaurants below are just me having fun with my camera. 

(Photos of the Smart Car and restaurants by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

We got caught in a rainstorm walking back from the Vatican and stopped at Caffeteria Pasquino, a tiny coffee shop on Via del Governo Vecchio, one of the ancient cobbled side streets that are almost alleys compared to the main thoroughfares.

Until this I didn't realize that there were any off-the-beaten path, non-touristy spots left in the heart of the city. For lunch we'd given up and had been buying crusty rolls, cheeses, prosciutto and fruit and eating on our hotel's rooftop garden. It's the Hotel King, by the way, near the Spanish Steps.

My tip is obvious. ...

In spite of what you might think, it turns out you don't have to spend three euros for a cappuccino in Rome. The Pasquino, the first place we've been in where there were only Italians, charges one euro. There were several ristorantes and pizzerias along the street, all of which were comparatively reasonably priced; and if we had the time, we would walk back there for meal. But it's on to Florence by train today.

I'm driving my family crazy ducking into lovely little ristorantes and trattorias on the way to important historical sights and monuments. This one, Ristorante Archimede S. Eustachio on the Piazza dei Caprettari, was particularly charming.

We didn't eat there, though. I took a look at the menu; and to give you an idea of what it would cost, the fish course prices ranged from 60 to 80 euros. When last I checked, one euro was worth $1.39. You do the math.

(Photos of St. Peter's, Pasquino and Archimede S. Eustachio by me)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I wish I could remember the name and the name of the chef of a small
Spanish restaurant in the basement of an apartment house on Charles and
33rd (I think) just across from the Hopkins campus.  I am going back about
20 years but following a very good review of the place by the Sun, I tried
it and was astounded by both the quality of the food and service.  I
returned many times before I moved back to Washington, DC  I remember the
chef used to take great pride in his place and would always come out of the
kitchen with little tasting plates for diners.  Always had a very good time
and never left wanting.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

From Taste editor Kate Shatzkin:

It figures that while Elizabeth's in Italy, an eagerly awaited restaurant witha Northern Italian theme is opening in Baltimore. Cinghiale, the fourth restaurant from culinary power couple Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf, is to begin serving lunch next week. (Dinner to follow soon, we're told.)

For now the hours will be 11:30 to 2 p.m., Monday-Friday. You can eat in either dining room of the 9,000-square-foot restaurant -- the casual "enoteca" or the dressier "osteria" -- and valet parking is complimentary.

The web site isn't up yet, but reservations can be made at 410-547-8282. The restaurant is at 822 Lancaster St. in Harbor East. The name (pronounced ching-GYAH-lay) means "wild boar" in Italian.

Judging from his blog, Foreman will be happy to finally have the place up and running. At the end of August, he wrote that the final days of construction at Cinghiale made him feel like "the kid with all the baseball gear you can imagine; he's waited all winter to play, and he wakes up to rain on the morning of the first game. He just stares out the window and mutters at the rain clouds..."
 

Posted by Sarah Kickler Kelber at 6:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

First, there are a few other tourists here. We couldn't even get close to the Fontane di Trevi because of all the people. I don't think Italy has an off-season anymore. My goal now is to walk everywhere, not to take a taxi, bus or metro while I'm here. The upside, you've walked off the pasta. The downside, carbon monoxide poisoning.

Second, everyone eats gelato. And I thought pasta was the representative dish of Italy, but there are more gelaterias than there are trattorias, it seems like. They eat it anywhere, anytime, including sitting on the curb of a street. With these drivers, that seems like a foolish thing to do.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

I'm on vacation, so I thought it was time you did my work for me. This week's Top Ten lists some of my favorite posts -- that someone else made.

Some comments on this blog are informative, some are insightful, some are simply agreeing or disagreeing with me or another poster.

Then there are the comments that make me smile or even laugh out loud when they appear on my computer screen. Here are ten of the best:

* From Dave, commenting on Commenting, part trois, in which I announce I've had 900 comments:

901! Look at me! I am commenting on the comment thread!

* From Frank on an entry about whether a publicist for the restaurant had written the too-positive review for the Inner Harbor's new Fogo de Chao on Chowhound.com:

Any "glowing description of a visit to the new Fogo de Chao" is obviously spam if it's anything like the one in Atlanta.  

* From Stan, in response to a photo of almost burnt spareribs.

Wow. That is one unappetizing-looking half rack of ribs. I've seen cows struck by lightning that came out better.

* From Kathy, on a Next Sunday's review post about Watertable in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel: 

Am I the only one who thinks Watertable is a lousy name for a restaurant ??? 

* From TS, commenting on the photo of my daughter's very empty fridge:

She has better taste in jam than she does in beer. 

* From Mark, commenting on Peppermint Ice Cream Help

So upset no one has gotten back to you yet...I need some peppermint ice cream

*From Regina, commenting on the 1,000th comment award:

congrats, Hal!  I was really coveting that prize that may or may not actually be received...lol.

* And Regina again, voting for continued coverage of both local restaurants and chains.

Now, with all that being said  remember that I am the person who thinks broasted chicken is a great dish so I might not be considered an authority in this area.

* From Liz, correcting a mistake I made:

Hopefully you can start getting something right, or maybe just go away into your tasteless culinary abyss. 

* And finally, from Rich, who doesn't know how long I've had this gig:

The fact that P.F. Chang's is on your list convinces me that you should visit a few more restaurants around this great city before blogging about them. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

My first meal in Rome (because I couldn't eat the breakfast on the plane) was a tomato omelet at lunch in Ristorante de Olimpio, a little trattoria on Via Degli Avignonesi. Of course, there was also crusty bread.

Water and wine cost the same, 2 euros, so it seemed to me the choice was obvious.

For dinner we found a charming rooftop garden at a hotel too expensive for us to stay in, the Albergo Ottocento. Dinner cost more than we should have spent, too (the bottle of water was 5 euros), but the setting was worth it.

I am learning that you can't just wander around and expect every meal to be wonderful, in spite of what everyone says. My husband's pasta at this very beautiful ristorante was oversalted.

(Photo by me) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Here was my dinner on United's flight from Dulles to Rome: three strips of chicken on mashed potatoes, nine green beans, an ice cold roll (with unsalted butter, for some reason), a romaine lettuce salad (nothing else in it) with balsamic vinaigrette and a square of carrot cake.

For breakfast the next morning: a packaged mini-banana-nut loaf in cellophane and a tired-looking fruit cup.

Here was my daughter's meal on her flight on Alitalia:

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

I got an announcement Friday that the second location of Sofi's Crepes will be opening today in the old luncheonette counter downstairs at the Woman's Industrial Exchange.

The hours will be 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Give them some love and stop in their first day. But call first at 410-727-5737. You know how reliable restaurant's opening dates are.

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I’m not sure why, but somehow I never made it to the SoBo Café in South Baltimore until now — the tenth anniversary of this small, funky favorite. I gather from reading the review in our archives, written just after it opened, that the place hasn’t changed much in all that time. It’s still a popular neighborhood destination with a Bohemian vibe that regularly gets rave reviews. Prices are higher now, of course, but still reasonable. 

I had a few issues with the place when I ate there; but if you want to find out if I think the benefits of a meal at SoBo Café outweigh the quirky disadvantages, you’ll have to check out my review next Sunday in the Arts & Life Today section.
 

(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Review Preview
        

Hey, I'm on vacation. You can do the work for me.

Next Tuesday's Top Ten will be the Top Ten comments that make me laugh out loud, or at least smile.  

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I've just found out I can write some entries in advance and schedule them to post automatically next week, just in case I can't post often from Italy. You know I don't like to be out of touch for long.

Is this internet thing cool or what?

As for the Sistine Chapel, it's pictured because I found out it would cost 49 euros to get in to see it. I'm too lazy to do the math, but isn't that close to $75? I think I'll give it a skip this time.

Actually I started going through the guidebooks and looking at their lists of not-to-be-misseds in Rome, and my stomach started to hurt. I began feeling like I did this last week at work: Too much to do and not enough time to do it.

And if one more person told me about the gypsy children who were going to steal all my money, I was going to cancel the trip.

I just quietly closed my books and decided not to plan to do anything but walk around the city (my purse clutched to my chest, haha) and eat some good meals. Let's see if I can stick to it.  

Don't be too shocked. I do have my ticket to the Uffizi.

Oh cripes, I just went to the museum's Web site to create a link, and there was this message: ...

Please note that on 16 September 2007, some museums may be closed due to a strike by precarious workers.
We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

I wonder what "precarious workers" are. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

Please take a look tomorrow at the story I wrote for this Sunday's Ideas section on the people who comment on this blog.

It should be online as well.

(Editor's note: Here is the story. Enjoy!) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

The new Indigma at 802 N. Charles St. has an intriguing small plate concept for lunch. It's much more appealing to me than the usual buffet, but be warned: You'll probably end up spending more than you planned because the food is imaginative and good, and these small plates add up.

The idea is...

(Monica Lopossay/Sun Photographer)

...you choose from four starters ($1 each), six vegetarian entrees ($2 each), six lamb or chicken entrees ($3 each) and three breads ($1 each). If you get four small plates, the salad and dessert bar is free. On the weekends there's a $3 charge for the salad and dessert bar.

The lunch menu is much more conventional than the dinner menu, and I haven't eaten lunch at Indigma yet, but I can vouch for the food at dinner.

The restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. for lunch.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I leave tomorrow night for my Italy trip, but not to worry, faithful readers. I'll have a Macbook and my Digital Elph, and I'm hoping to blog from there.

At the very least I'll be able to e-mail Web Editor Extraordinaire Sarah and she'll post for me.

Think of it as my version of Gourmet magazine, where travel is an important part of the mix. Only this is the budget edition.

The last time I was in the Mediterranean, I had an abscessed tooth and...

a root canal in Greece. We were staying in an unair-conditioned hotel in Athens in July. (Yes, we were doing Europe on $5 a day.)

When I finally stopped crying, my husband took me to the Athens Hilton and fed me a milkshake, cheeseburger and french fries in its frigidly air-conditioned coffee shop. It may rank as one of my top ten best meals ever.

I'm hoping to find some on this trip that top it.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Are restaurant publicists writing some of Chowhound.com posts? One reader asked rhetorically in an e-mail to me. His example, this glowing description of a visit to the new Fogo de Chao in the Inner Harbor. It would be irritating if such a good foodie tool as Chowhound -- especially useful for finding info on low- and mid-range dining options -- got hijacked just to publicize a place. ...

(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun Photographer)

Sometimes the Web Masters of the board do take action. Here's a blog entry about one such example in another city. (The original newspaper article is no longer available.) But it can't be an extravagantly glowing review that triggers removal. It must be the number of suspicious posts about one restaurant, especially by people new to the board, which Fogo clearly didn't get.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

I just discovered that one of my Web Masters, those mysterious creatures who make this blog tick, is also a secret foodie who has his own personal blog, Sullicom. I was floored.

It's the cutest, so check it out. It also fits into the Pig Day theme, sort of, because he's extremely interested in barbecue.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Somehow this day is turning out to have a piggy theme. Total coincidence, I assure you. Since no one came up with anything to approach or equal the Blow Fly Inn as, let's say, an unusual restaurant name, I'd like to nominate The Oinkster in Eagle Rock, Calif. Its slogan is "slow fast food."

No less a luminary than Pulitzer Prize-winning restaurant critic Jonathan Gold has named it one of the 99 essential restaurants for the LA area. Here's what he says: ...

(AP Photo/Arizona Republic, Nick Oza)

"A converted Eagle Rock joint saturated with the smell of wood smoke, red roof gleaming in the late-afternoon sun, Oinkster is the newest child of André Guerrero, who is chef of Max and Señor Fred. Oinkster is a perfected fast-food restaurant, the old-school paradigm of pastrami, burgers and chicken reinvented for a new age."

Maybe I should just proclaim today Pig Day, and start another thread on barbecue.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Under Tuesday's Top Ten, SGI posted this tactful comment:

I'm so happy you excluded chains in this top 10 and hope you consider doing the same for future lists.

I'm very sympathetic to this point of view, and for many years I refused to review chain restaurants when they opened up in this area. ...

But that changed when I noticed a couple of things.

First, some of the newer, more upscale ones were better restaurants than some local places. Often their wait staff was better trained. They simply had a stronger economic base to work with.

And second, if I never reviewed chains, I'd never be writing about restaurants a majority of my readers ate in and wanted to read about. I can't think of better proof of that than Clyde's being the Most Popular Restaurant in the current Zagat, a survey that reflects the tastes of people interested enough in eating out to take the trouble to vote. If I considered myself a reader advocate, and I did, not to review them didn't make sense.

What's more, things got complicated with local places that turn into chains like Donna's. Or regional chains that move in and are well worth a review like the Lebanese Taverna.

People also need to know if the very expensive chains like Oceanaire Seafood Room and Roy's are worth the money, just as they need to know if the casual ones have something they can't get elsewhere in Baltimore.

It's a debate I continue to have with myself. Obviously I don't need to review every Morton's that comes to town, but I do try to go to the first of an upscale or upscale-casual chain that moves in.

At the same time, I love our uniquely Baltimore restaurants so I want to support them. (As long as they continue to do a good job. I'm always a pain in the neck about it if they slip.)

If I'm reviewing chain restaurants in the paper, it seems to me that some of them should probably make their way onto my blog lists. But I'd like to hear the other side of the argument.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

Photographer Chiaki took this photo of the owner of Aloha Tokyo in Locust Point today, which she confirmed is opening Sept. 17 at noon.

However, he now wants to be known as Sean, not Seon, Kim. Here's what she reported back:

His real name is pronounced "Kim" "Song" "Pill," but his neighbors were calling him Sean (like Shawn). ...

(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Some of the folks at Chowhound.com have mounted a campaign to support a small, relatively new Peruvian restaurant, El Rinconcito, at 1801 E. Lombard St. I haven't been there yet, but it sounds good -- a mom and pop place well worth saving. (When I say saving, I mean from going out of business because of a lack of customers.) ...

(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

Traditionally Peruvian restaurants haven't done particularly well in Baltimore; I'm not sure why. I'm still puzzled why La Cazuela, the Ecuadorean restaurant in Upper Fells Point, isn't always filled with customers.

Maybe I should get up a Top Ten list of restaurants that need saving.

Sorry I didn't have a photo of El Rinconcito. That's La Cazuela's seared pork with hominy and fried plantain. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Faithful readers know how much I love good bread, but after eating at Mama's on the Half Shell in Canton this weekend I'm struck once again that it's disappearing from restaurant tables. ...

It seems ironic because never before have Baltimore restaurants had access to so many sources of excellent artisan breads. But I suppose their customers aren't eating it when they put it on the table automatically or restaurants wouldn't have stopped. Is this just more fallout from low carb diets? Or have I just been eating at the wrong restaurants lately?

My friend and colleague Intrepid Reporter Sam (he got a promotion) came up with a very reasonable explanation for this. He thinks the reason may be economic: Artisan breads are so expensive that restaurants aren't as generous with them as they used to be.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 9:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Well, this was a first. I posted a comment this morning about the Blow Fly Inn that was kind of heated and made no sense to me, but it didn't seem like spam. Then I realized it was posted in response to an entry that at first I didn't even remember making, The Burnt Wood Roadhouse. (This is where the search function to the right of my entries comes in handy.)

I started Googling, and it turns out... 

...that the Blow Fly Inn -- in Gulfport, Miss. -- is quite the local phenomenon. It specializes in seafood, like a whole fried flounder (check out the photo of this baby), fried oysters and gulf shrimp.

Apparently it got its name because it was next to a cow pasture. It was originally Hickory's Bar-B-Que, but another restaurant owner got frustrated, so the story goes, because people were always asking directions to the other place, so he said, "Make a right and follow the string of blow flies."

My favorite part of the story is that after the owners changed the name to the Blow Fly Inn, they tried for years to get it listed with the phone company, which refused because the name was "inappropriate." After the phone company continued to be deluged with directory assistance inquiries for several years, it finally gave in.

I did find one appetizing photo on the Web -- except for the giant blow fly on the window -- but it took a fine photographer, Bill Strong, to make it happen. This is his Web site. 

Feel free to post any restaurant names that can top this one, or even come close.

(Photo courtesy of Bill Strong)

(Top two photos courtesy of the Blow Fly Inn's Web site)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

There's a new kid in town. Yes, I know everyone wants to be a restaurant critic, and with the Internet that's possible, but Marginal Foodie brings something new to the table.

He's an economics professor who recently moved to Baltimore and likes to blog about the economics of eating out as well as how the food tastes.

Sometimes the economics interest me, sometimes not. But I am interested in what a newcomer to our city thinks of our restaurants.

(Graphic courtesy of Marginal Foodie)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I'm running out of photos to run with blog items about True, or Not True, or Almost True as I like to think of it now. Here's the latest from Sherry Cohen:

As the Director of Food & Beverage for Admiral Fell Inn Catering, I am pleased to announce that the space formerly known as True will re-open for dinner in the Spring of 2008.  In the meantime, we continue to offer breakfast daily. 

I gave her a call and asked about why I had been told it was closed for good. She said, "You were given misinformation."

So the latest is that when the basement dining room of the Admiral Fell Inn reopens, it will have a new name and a new concept, most probably "contemporary American seafood with a fusion twist."

And what was wrong with True's local, organic, natural concept? "It was a bit premature for this area," Cohen said. "In four years it would fly."

(Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun Photographer)
 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Hal has claimed his prize, so you can stop sending those e-mails to Marketing Manager Extraordinaire Anne pretending to be him so you can get his travel mug. He just sent me this e-mail: 

When I got home in the evening, I found this cryptic email from a friend: “Congratulations! Are you going to take you 50 closest friends out for a cup of coffee and let them all drink out of your new stainless steel mug?”
  As you might imagine, I found this message very strange until a bit later when I read your blog and found out about the 1000th post prize. ...
 P.S.  I got an email from Anne Burger (what a great food name) a few minutes ago, and I sent her my mailing address.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

This wasn't as easy as it looks. What I didn't tell you in advance, because I wasn't sure I could pull it off, was that I wasn't going to include the popular chains that people don't even think of as hotel restaurants. That would be too easy.

For instance, Pier 5 Hotel has off its lobby both a Ruth's Chris and a McCormick & Schmick's. Shula's is in the Sheraton Baltimore City Center Hotel, while the Sheraton Inner Harbor is the home of a Morton's.

In fact, I think I've discovered a trend here, although I don't know if it's national or not. Not only has the grand old hotel dining room all but disappeared, but many hotels have simply thrown in the towel and brought in sure-fire winners so travelers will feel right at home. 

So why should you care about hotel restaurants as opposed to any other kind? Well, they are often conveniently located, especially if you have out-of-town visitors you're meeting for a meal.

For this top ten, I think I'll rank them, and I'll tell you why they might be useful to you and what their strengths are. (As usual, it's not always about the food.)

In general, hotel restaurants get a bad rap for being overpriced and having mediocre food. That's not true of these if you go for the reasons I suggest.

Here's my list: ...

(Monica Lopossay/Sun Photographer)

1) Sherwood's Landing in the Inn at Perry Cabin in St. Michael's. I know I said I wasn't going to do boutique inns, but Perry Cabin is a large hotel in spite of its name. Chef Mark Salter's elaborate continental menu includes dishes like hazelnut- and herb-crusted wild rockfish with Italian lentils, wild mushrooms and a clam-maderia cream. Eat here on your honeymoon. Very expensive. (The vegetarian entree costs $30.)

2) Watertable in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel downtown has been revamped to the tune of $3 million, so that the decor is now contemporary but still comfortable. The emphasis is on fresh, seasonal and local, and the food is quite good. The service wasn't perfect when I ate there recently, but the wait staff was so good-natured I didn't mind. I love the fact that every seat in the house has a great view of the Inner Harbor. Expensive.

3) Pisces in the Hyatt Regency downtown has a view every bit as spectacular as Watertable's. I like the fact that it's unabashedly a seafood retaurant, and I like the somewhat limited menu -- what the kitchen does, it does well. But unless you're on an expense account, you may well balk at the prices ($40 for crab cakes). It has a pricey but excellent champagne brunch. Very expensive.

4) Grille 700 in the Marriott Waterfront, Harbor East. Its dark wood and swooping curves suggest a luxury ocean liner, and the large windows open out to a watery view. There are brick oven pizzas, but most of the dishes are serious food: elaborately presented creations with a nouvelle Mediterranean sensibility. Moderate to expensive.

5) Spice Company in the Inn at the Colonnade in Homewood breaks the mold for hotel restaurants. The menu has dishes that acknowledge the global quality of today's American cuisine, like a grilled tuna with a spicy bok choy salad; but in general the well-executed food isn't too fiery in spite of the name. It hopes to attract neighborhood diners, so you will find dishes under $20. Moderate.

6) Azure in the new Westin Annapolis Hotel is a water-themed restaurant, in keeping with its Annapolis location, with lots of seafood and lots of watery blues in its contemporary decor. The 68-seat dining room and 150-seat outside patio both have fireplaces. The cuisine is American fusion. Moderate to expensive.  

7) Brightons (pictured) in the InterContinental Harbor Court Hotel downtown -- with the closing of Hampton's, now the hotel's main dining room -- was uneven in both the food and service departments when I ate there this spring; but the romantic setting is so charming, even luxurious, it has to be on this list. The highlight of our meal was our appetizers, so maybe the way to go is small plates. Expensive.

8) Petticoat Tea Room in the Admiral Fell Inn is the hotel's only dining room now that True has closed. OK, pink walls and lace tableclothes may not be your idea of fine dining; but you can get a charming afternoon tea here as well as sandwiches, salads, homemade soups and homemade desserts. If you want more, go to Ruth's Chris in another of the chain's hotels, Pier 5. Inexpensive.

9) Cinnamon Tree in the Baltimore Marriott Hunt Valley Inn in Hunt Valley isn't exactly an undiscovered gem, but it's more likeable that you would expect. There isn't much in the way of dining outside of chains up this way once you get past the Oregon Grille and Milton Inn.  It's a good place to take the visiting in-laws if you're in that area and want something safe but with a bit of flair. Moderate to expensive.

10) Crossroads in the Radisson in Cross Keys was once the Village Roost, the place to power breakfast in Baltimore. In its new incarnation it isn't as cozy, but it's still convenient to the JFX and everything it connects. I'm not sure why the place has lost its lock on the breakfast meeting set. I had excellent eggs with all the fixings last time I ate there, and my friend was happy with her Belgian waffle. Moderate.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (27)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

As you know, this weekend Hal Laurent was the 1,000 commenter and the lucky recipient, maybe, of an advance copy of the Sun's dining guide.

Well, I have exciting news, Hal. I just got an e-mail from Anne Burger, marketing manager for BaltimoreSun.com, who says she wants to sweeten the pot. She wants to send you a $50 Visa gift card, to spend at the restaurant of your choice, and...wait for it...a stainless steel BaltimoreSun.com travel mug.

You will need to e-mail her your address at acburger@baltimoresun.com. This is not a scam.

However, I would not give her your Social Security number. Ha ha. Just kidding.

On second thought, I'm going to give her your e-mail so she can get in touch with you directly. I can only imagine the number of people who will write in saying they are Hal so they can get that mug.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In an interview on Zagat Buzz, Cornell University professor Brian Wansink talked about some interesting research on noise in restaurants. If it's noisy, an eating place can turn tables more quickly, and yet people spend roughly the same amount of money.

"But here’s where things really backfire," he says. "...If it was not noisy a restaurant makes a lot more on alcohol. We were finding the average bill for alcohol was about 40 percent higher if it was a quiet place instead of a noisy place. People wanted to stick around longer and socialize."

Restaurants, please take note. ...

(Photo courtesy of Zagat Buzz)

Wansink's Food and Brand Lab has also shown in numerous studies just how much what we eat is influenced by external cues. No surprise there, but he has some advice if you tend to overeat in restaurants.

He calls it the Rule of Two.

"We tell people you can have any two items you want besides your main course, but that’s it," he says. "You want an appetizer and a drink? Fine, no bread. You want a second glass of wine? Fine, but don’t get anything else. We find that it actually really empowers people."

Wansink's book, Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than We Think, was published last month.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:05 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I get a million press releases about wine dinners and special events -- too many to pass along -- but I thought this one sounded like fun if you have the cash.

It's an upscale restaurant version of that  old standby, the progressive dinner. Only instead of getting your neighbor's baked beans, the evening will feature courses at five Harbor East restaurants: tapas at Pazo, appetizers at Lebanese Taverna, some kind of seafood from Oceanaire Seafood Room, meat from Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, and dessert at Roy’s.

The date is Wednesday, Oct. 3, with two seatings, one at 6 p.m. and one at 7 p.m. Guests will be taken from restaurant to restaurant in two groups of 20.

The cost is $89 a person, which includes food, tax and tip. Reservations are required. (Call 410-659-0099 for more information or reservations.)

And if anyone goes, please report back.
 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

My upcoming trip to Italy almost had a disastrous glitch. The one thing I tried to get tickets for in advance through TickItaly.com was the Uffizi, and I got an e-mail Friday saying it was booked.

I was devastated, but on the other hand, by Alice's Law of Compensatory Cash Flow, more money to spend on a good meal.

Alice's Law of Compensatory Cash Flow, in case you're not familiar with it, is a precept I live by. Alice was writer Calvin Trillin's wife, and the law went something like (I'm paraphrasing here): Any purchase even fleetingly contemplated and then not made, you have that amount of money to spend as a windfall.

But what happens when it turns out TickItaly.com made a mistake, and I do have tickets for the Uffizi after all? Somehow I feel like I still have that extra money. 

This trip is on my own dime, not the Sun's, so I'm planning to eat in small, untouristy, not-so-expensive restaurants (like every other tourist to Rome, Florence and Venice), and I haven't done my homework yet. Suggestions welcome. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 9:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

When I posted an entry about commenting a few days ago, I mentioned that I, as the comment "publisher," get to see them all as they come in, so I don't miss any. Some people new to my blog must go back and read a lot of entries at once, so if there's a subject you were interested in, like places to get great coffee, it's worth going back every once in awhile to see if anyone has added to the list.

C mac asked this in a post:

Can't the webheads figure out a way to add a side link to recently posted comments? 

I asked a couple of our Web Masters, but they said probably not. So I'm taking things into my own hands and repeating worthwhile comments from the past week on older entries. (Of course, every comment is worthwhile, and I love them like my own children, but I probably don't need to repeat "chocolate rocks" to you.) ...

* Is Rub authentic?

From Steve: "I went to Rub and liked it very much. I grew up in Texas and consider myself a BBQ expert. Mesquite wood is not the wood most BBQ with. Hickory wood is the number one wood. Mesquite gives off a very strong flavor. So, mesquite is used in small qunatities on top of other wood or charcoal. Rub has great ribs and brisket, just like home in Texas. I love the decor."

* It's Doughnut Wednesday

From Leigh: "The bakery in Galena, on the Eastern Shore, is Village Bakery.  I believe it's about to move to Chestertown, though." (In response to Jessica, who couldn't remember its name but thinks it has the world's best doughnuts.)

* Top Ten Restaurants Worth the Gas Money

From c mac: "I agree with Chris' comment about Shark's Cove, but it's out of date.  The place was sold to the same group that runs Blue Coast (Bethany), Fish-on (Lewes), and one other place I can't remember.  What was Shark's Cove is now Catch 54, and the change seems to have reinvigorated the restaurant.  More casual than before, I think, but very good seafood, better wine program, and nice cheap menu of "bar snacks" to munch on the dock." 

* The wine doggie bag law

From Hal Laurent, commenting on this previous comment about ordering wine from another state: "I really don't think that teenagers looking to get drunk are going to do so by ordering a case of Merlot.

Contrary to what many people think, the liquor laws aren't about public safety or morals, but rather about economics.  Those who currently have the legal power to distribute alcoholic beverages in Maryland are loathe to share that power with others, and their lobbying power with the legislature is substantial."

* Fab Five Friday: Worst Moments

From Scott Jay Regner: "Shame about Peerce's--That used to be THE spot to go for folks in my area (Carney, cub Hill) back in the day (like 1970's). They used to have a prime rib with a green peppercorn sauce that was really good & back then they had excellent service. Great location too--you could sit outside and watch the sun go down over Loch Raven."
 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

  
Three… probably has a Web site, but with that name, who can find it? (If anyone knows the URL, please post below.)

Here’s the information you’ll need if you want to try Patterson Park’s newest bistro: 2901 E. Baltimore St., 410-327-3333.

When early on one of the owners of Three… left — and that one was also the executive chef — I thought to myself, This place is in trouble. I was wrong. The two remaining owners brought in Peter Livolsi, who opened Pazo in Fells Point.

I wanted to give Three… time to regroup, but now I’ve eaten there.  Look for my review in next Sunday’s Arts & Life Today section. 

Wow, those dots — which are part of the name — are confusing in a sentence.

(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun Photographer)
 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

We have a winner! My 1,000th comment was just made by Hal Laurent, some 5 months after the first one. 

Here's what he had to say:

I was just mentioning this discussion to my wife, and she said that a place that she really misses is the old Harvey House on Charles St. 

Hal is the lucky winner of, er...an advance copy of our dining guide, which will be out in October.

If I can get my hands on one. (It isn't in production yet.) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

The good Top Ten suggestions are coming thick and fast, and I'm afraid I'm going to lose track of them if I don't make another master list. 

Regina just suggested places with good happy hour food.

Someone wanted sushi bars, but I can't find the comment (or e-mail) now. Stand up and take a bow if you read this.

Chris is feeling nostalgic about restaurants that have closed, like the Wild Mushroom (pictured).

That got me to thinking about Jeannier's in Homewood, good for when I craved traditional French food. And the original Woman's Industrial Exchange downtown for chicken salad and aspic. 

Marconi's, of course.

And I loved the Ruby Lounge in Mount Vernon. I remember walking up from the Sun one snowy day for lunch when no one much was around. I sat at the bar where I could see the pizza oven, so it was a little like eating in front of a fireplace.

(Sun Archives 1995)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (17)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

The October issue of Every Day with Rachael Ray features restaurants across the country believed to be haunted. One of them is in our area, the Middleton Tavern in Annapolis.

Here's the ghost story that appears in the article, as told by Jim Gunning, a former bartender:

 “A séance once revealed that our resident ghost, Roland, liked cognac.  One day, I was talking to a customer when a bottle of Remy Martin cognac flew off the shelf, like someone had pushed it.  I asked the guy if he had seen it and he said ‘Yes, check, please!'"

I don't know. That just doesn't scare me. It's an 18th century building. Maybe the shelf was a little wobbly. Or am I missing something here? Still, always nice for a local place to get some national publicity.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I'm going to tackle hotel restaurants next Tuesday. With the closing of Abacrombie, the Peacock Cafe and True, this could be something of a challenge. What's more, I'm going to limit myself to hotels and motels as opposed to boutique inns and bed and breakfasts.

Motels, you say? Well, isn't one of the Bombay Grill group's restaurants in a motel? And Chef Benny Gordon is cooking at some motel's restaurant, so we ought to at least think about them in relation to what else is out there.

Suggestions welcome.

(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

*Hold one piece of sushi sideways with the fish side towards you by either using your fingers or chopsticks.

*Dip the fish side into the soy sauce. Avoid dipping the rice in the sauce. 

*Place the whole piece of sushi in your mouth and enjoy!

These are tips for beginners from sushi master Nobu Matsuhisa. Here's the whole interview on the New Asian Cuisine Web site.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I just got this e-mail from the marketing manager of the Admiral Fell Inn in Fells Point. I called the inn and left her a voicemail, and when she calls me back I'll post something about what they plan to do with the space.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

 
I got an intriguing letter -- yes, snail mail -- from Seon Kim, a Korean-Japanese businessman who came here a few years ago from Japan.

He asked me to review his new restaurant, Aloha Tokyo, which he said is about to open where the French Quarter was at 1120 E. Fort Ave. in Locust Point. 

It will be a Japanese restaurant, not a sushi bar, he told me.

"Yakitori, Odeng are our representative cuisine. We also serve Sake, Soju, rice wine, Korean fruit wine and beer."

The most distinguishing features of Aloha Tokyo, his letter continued, are the fusion interior and the Hawaiian and Japanese music.

I called the restaurant number, and it rang and rang. No one answered. The phone number of the French Quarter is continually busy. Kim's cell phone was off, and he hasn't returned my voicemail or e-mail. The Web site is only a domain name under construction. 

I'm used to restaurants trying to stay below my radar until everything is shipshape and under control. It's a first to get an invitation to review a place before it's even opened.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

I'm intrigued by Selina's recent suggestion for hotel restaurants as a Top Ten Tuesday, but I'm wondering if I can pull it off.

I'm not sure I can think of ten, and it's bound to be controversial -- both of which make it more fun to think about.

Anyway, I gave the Admiral Fell Inn a call because there's something funny about the dining options on their Web site; and, sure enough, its fine dining restaurant True is closed, supposedly until the first of the year, for "refurbishing."

Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I just couldn't let that quote from the back of the new Zagat survey 2008 go. For those of you who didn't read my entry yesterday, the quotation read:

As for food, Zagat is the only acceptable option. --Baltimore Sun

Naturally I feel that I, too, am an acceptable option, and my newspaper should agree. I decided I had to type a few keywords into the computer archives use all my reportorial skills, finely honed through years of experience, to find out where and when the quote had appeared in the paper.

Ha. Intrepid reporter Melissa Harris said it in a story about visiting New York that appeared in our Travel section last year: 

As for food, the 2006 Zagat Survey guide to New York restaurants ($13.95) is the only acceptable option.

I feel better now. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I wonder what sparked the recent explosion of restaurants extolling the virtues of local, natural and whenever possible organic ingredients.

I know it's been a trend for several years -- and chefs like Cindy Wolf have been doing it for longer than that -- but suddenly it's not a trend but THE trend.

I think True in the Admiral Fell Inn (pictured) was the first mainstream restaurant to embrace  local and all-natural,  down to its somewhat awkward name. Then places like Dogwood in Hampden came along. Let me state the obvious here and say I'm not complaining.

Once we were lucky if we found out that the sea bass was Chilean. Now menus tell us the name of the local dairy that produced the butter we're about to eat. Remember when exotic ingredients were a good thing?

What got me to thinking about this was a new listing in the 2008 Zagat: Restaurant Local in the Tidewater Inn in Easton, with a menu that "showcases regional, locally sourced ingredients."

I remember well when the dining room in the Tidewater was stuffy and old school. Now it couldn't be trendier.

(Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Deskmate Steve tells me he walked up to the Garden to have lunch today because it was such a nice day. This is the pretty outdoor lunch spot at 4 E. Madison St. Unfortunately it was closed. After Labor Day the hours are Thursdays only, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Now those are limited hours.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

That caught your attention, didn't it? It was what a publicist once told me to get me to pronounce Zagat correctly: "Rhymes with kill the cat."

I just got my hands on a copy of the Zagat survey 2008. Most impressive is how many new restaurants are included, like a place I just went to for a review, Three... in Patterson Park.

There are no huge surprises in the ratings from last year. The top ten most popular are the same, starting with Clyde's in Columbia, The top ratings for food are still being given to two sushi places, Sushi Sono in Columbia and Joss Cafe in Annapolis.

One nice new feature is a list of key newcomers. Another is a little Z to highlight Zagat Hotspots. And here's a bit of good news: The price hasn't gone up from last year. It's still $13.95.

And now for the bad news. Baltimore is still second fiddle to Washington. When are we going to get our own survey, guys?

Also there's this quote on the back cover:

"As for food, Zagat is the only acceptable option." --Baltimore Sun

What am I? Chopped liver? I've been stabbed in the back by my own newspaper.

If you have any questions for the Baltimore editor, Marty Katz, please post below. I might or might not be able to get him to answer them.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

It's been more than a year now that the state law known as "the wine doggie bag bill" was passed that allows us to cork and take home a bottle of wine if we don't finish it at a restaurant.

But as much as I eat out, I don't think I've seen anyone do this. I wonder if it's really changed things as much as restaurateurs thought it would.

Do people now order a more expensive bottle knowing the choice is no longer either finish it or leave it behind? Are they embarrassed to ask when there's just a few inches left, while they wouldn't hesitate to take home a couple of ounces of steak "for the dog"? Or have diners just forgotten that this is a possibility?

Maybe if so many restaurants didn't have lots of good wines by the glass these days, people would be more likely to order a bottle and plan to drink what's left later.

By the way, if you do decide to take a half-finished bottle home, don't forget to either lock it in your glove compartment or put it in the trunk of your car.

(Christopher T. Assaf/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 1:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Wine and Spirits
        

I liked Mitch's idea of a Top Ten Cups of Coffee a lot. In fact, I want to read it myself. I can't call myself a coffee expert because pretty much the only time I drink it is in a good restaurant after dinner. (I'm lucky that caffeine doesn't keep me up.) And not always then.

I do drink lattes sometimes, but I don't think they count. In the morning I drink tea. 

So it's up to someone else to come up with suggestions for the best cups of coffee, with reasons why one is better than another. A couple of people besides Mitch have had good things to say about Zeke's coffee on this blog, but nobody has told me what its strengths are.

I picked the photo because of something like spilling the beans, not as an endorsement of Starbucks; but I'd be interested in if and where you think Starbucks falls on the list.

 
(Photo by Daniel Acker/Bloomberg News)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

(Jed Kirschbaum/Sun Photographer)

It looks as if the restaurant review photos in the new Arts & Life Today section will often be printed in black and white, so I'm going to start a new feature here on Sundays called "Today's Photo in Color."

Our photographers are simply too good for me not to show off their pictures in all their glory. Of course, if I forget to grab the photo out of our archives before the weekend, it will have to be "Yesterday's Photo in Color" or, in the case of today, "The Last Two Sundays' Photos in Color." Above is the fried chicken at Yellow Dog Tavern, and below is a fried crab at Watertable. They look weirdly alike, don't they, even though the two restaurants couldn't be more different.

(Mauricio Rubio/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I got a very nice and complimentary e-mail from Tina -- always the best way to get me to listen to criticism -- in which she also said this about my review of Watertable this Sunday: ...

(Mauricio Rubio/Sun Photographer)

Just fyi, in comment to your recent notes about Watertable..we DO appreciate knowing where the chef's ingredients are secured. We are committed to buying local and want to support restaurants who make the effort--and spend the extra $$--to support the local food growing and crafting community.  No matter what your politics, what could be more patriotic than supporting your neighbors?

Her point is very well taken. The last thing I want to do is sound like I'm discouraging restaurants from using local suppliers. And they should brag about it all they want. My comment about naming the butter's producer must have come out more critically than I meant it.

I believed the restaurant in the first place when they said they support local farmers and producers whenever they can, so somehow it felt a bit more like an ad than a menu item. That was all I was trying to say.

So buy South Mountain Creamery butter! You can find it at the Waverly Farmers Market. And support restaurants that use local farmers and producers.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I had a tough time with this week's Top Ten Tuesday because there were so many choices. Setting is as important, maybe even more important, than food; and more restaurants have wonderful dining rooms than have wonderful food.

What's romantic to me may seem stuffy and old-fashioned to someone else; but a beautiful dining room, shimmering candlelight, well-spaced tables, soft music if any, and excellent, unobtrusive service are qualities that put a restaurant in contention. 

I liked Janet's idea (see comments under previous post) of including restaurants that you might be surprised to find as romantic, but I'm not sure if any of these qualify. If any occur to you, please post below. ...

(Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun Photographer)

*Best Place for a First Date. When you think he or she might be The One, why not have your first date in one of the most beautiful settings in Baltimore? If you aren't sure, you might want to go to an edgy hotspot or a fun ethnic place. With The One, start with where you can return for your 25th anniversary. That would be the Brass Elephant in Mount Vernon.

*Best Place to Propose. Antrim 1844 in Taneytown is lovely, but the Smokehouse dining room itself isn't romantic enough to qualify. The Oregon Grille in Cockeysville doesn't have enough history yet. I suggest the Milton Inn in Sparks, Baltimore's favorite destination restaurant. The menu has broad appeal, the service is amiable, and the wine list approachable. She (or he) will say yes.

*Best Private Dining. Andy reminded me that Aldo's in Little Italy has a wine cellar dining room with one table. It will seat four, but how much nicer if there are only two. The restaurant's other dining rooms are good-looking, and tables are well-spaced, but I like the idea of your own dining room.

*Most Romantic When Price Is No Object. Linwoods in Owings Mills. The handsome dining room with its dark wood, swooping curves, white table linens and candlelight is formal but not staid. Fabric everywhere creates a pleasing hush. The elegant but comforting food and excellent service are there when you can stop looking into your beloved's eyes long enough to pay attention.

*Most Romantic, Budget Edition. b Bistro in Bolton Hill. Like other urban bistros, it can be crowded and noisy. But if price is a consideration, I can't think of another moderately priced restaurant that has the white tablecloth polish and candlelit appeal of b. And there's plenty to love in the lower end of the entree price range.

*Most Romantic Outdoor Setting. The rooftop dining room of the Metropolitan in Annapolis. Built-in benches, covered with white cushions and fat white throw pillows, line the walls. The tables are set with white linen and candles. And, of course, Annapolis is spread out below. Like romantic love, though, its season is short -- catch it before it gets cold.

*Most Romantic Ethnic. Ambassador Dining Room in Homewood. The Tudor-style dining room with its high-backed chairs has what's been described as Old World elegance. As the days get cooler the garden patio becomes an enclosed porch, with fireplaces on either end. It's a bit more expensive than other Indian restaurants, but the romantic setting is worth it.

*Most Romantic for Carnivores. Jordan's Steakhouse in Ellicott City. Of course you know that the Prime Rib will be elegant and fun. But it's the obvious choice, and it can get busy and loud. Jordan's has the let's-fall-in-love thing going, eschewing the men's-club look of many steakhouses for a softer, more romantic ambiance.

*Most Romantic for Vegetarians. Most of the area's vegetarian restaurants seem like just the right place to wear your Tevas. Great Sage in Clarksville has white tablecloths, soft lighting, organic wines, and a reasonably sophisticated way of presenting vegetarian and vegan food.

*Best Place to Snuggle and Coo. With its dim lighting and small, intimate nooks and booths for two, the Melting Pot is a surprise entry in this Top Ten. Thanks to Mary for the suggestion. As she pointed out, sharing fondue can be an intimate experience. Just don't splash hot oil on your loved one.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

Have you noticed that in the past few years the whole concept of a restaurant's signature dish is disappearing? In 1996 the theme of our dining guide was "Signature Sensations," an idea that now seems seriously outmoded. ...

(Photo courtesy of Prime Rib) 

I was struck by this while I was researching the Top Ten places worth the gas money. When I called and asked for a signature dish, almost all of the restaurants insisted they didn't have one. Most places worth their salt these days have seasonal menus that use local ingredients whenever possible, so no one dish is available year round. I had to do some serious  cajoling to get them to name something that would at least give readers a concrete idea of the kind of food they served -- as opposed to, say, "contemporary American cuisine."

Of course, there will always be Bertha's mussels, the Prime Rib's prime rib, and Tio Pepe's shrimp in garlic sauce and pine nut roll cake -- God bless them -- but newer restaurants often don't have one dish you can count on being on the menu. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

This is such an ugly photo I wouldn't even be posting it if I didn't need proof. Can you guess what it's a picture of? ...

We took my 93-year-old mother-in-law out to dinner in DC last night to her favorite spot, Chadwick's Pub in Friendship Heights. (She's a very hip 93-year-old.) I like it only because it has nice outdoor seating -- a beautiful deck set back from Wisconsin Avenue.

Anyway, my husband ordered the dish pictured, a garden burger -- with bacon. It sort of made me queasy to think about it.

I'm trying to look on the bright side. I guess it's better for him than a bacon cheeseburger. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Kolpers, a tavern with upscale aspirations in Hampden, is one of those restaurants that no one seems to know much about. As usual, it’s the location, location, location thing. Even if you know where you’re going, it’s hard to find.

As for the food, cream of crab soup and blackened ahi tuna are on the menu as well as Buffalo wings and steak subs.

Is it a hidden gem, or just a place to go for bar food and a beer? Find out what I think in next Sunday’s review in the Arts & Life Today section.

(John Makely/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I was loading the photos from my trip onto my computer just now, and came across this one of Milk, an LA hot spot. Actually my daughter took it.

I'm thinking I should quit my day job and open a place called Butter, or maybe -- because I am concerned about other people's health -- Lettuce. All I need, from what I can see, is a retro decor, some things made with butter -- or lettuce -- a mention on Daily Candy and, voila!, I'll be set for life.

(Photo courtesy of Gailor Large) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I got this e-mail from Andy. I love the idea, but because I usually don't review lunch places, I'm not enough of an expert to come up with the best ten. I'm hoping readers will suggest some more:

What about a top ten lunch bargains?
 
I just had a wonderful lunch and it prompted that idea.  I was in Whole Foods in Harbor East and they have a special at the seafood counter.  For $7.99 you get a piece of steamed fish, veggies and rice with terriyaki sauce on the side.  Sounds healthy but boring.  Let me tell you, it was wonderful.  I'd easily pay triple in a restaurant what I paid for this same meal.  They take the fish (either tilpia, catfish or a boneless steak fish) right out of the fresh fish case and steam it (so it takes about 10 mins) but tastes so fresh.  Not sure how they seasoned it but it was delicious so I didn't even use the side sauce.  They serve it with a medley of grilled veggies (with grill marks and char taste to boot!) consisting of squash, zucchini, yellow and red peppers, onions and broccoli and the boring rice was actually a wild rice/barley combo with different exotic mushrooms.  What a bargain!

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Don't even think about Sunday brunch Kali's Court in Fells Point if all you want is eggs over easy. This is a three- ($35), four- ($45) or five- ($75) course meal. That last leaps in price a bit because it starts with caviar.

For most of us, a typical brunch at Kali's Court would be the $35 version, which might include a poached pear salad, followed by crab cake benedict, and ending with  a lemon panna cotta. There are several choices for each course.

Brunch is available from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The kitchen, by the way, has a relatively new head, Rashad Edwards. He took over as executive chef from Brian Martin in May.

(Monica Lopossay/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Brunch