Say what you will about Baltimore restaurants, even the best ones aren't arrogant. (Feel free to disagree by posting below.)

Last year my daughter's college roommate and her family traveled up from San Diego to attend a performance at the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles. I happened to be in town at the same time, and her parents kindly took us out to dinner at one of LA's premier restaurants, Patina in the concert hall complex.

It's a wonderful space, the menu was intriguing (and very expensive) and the company was good. We were having a great time. But when the food arrived...

(Photo courtesy of the Patina Group)

...the head waiter interrupted us to recite in a hushed tone, almost as if he were in church, what was on each dish as it was placed before the recipient -- and each of the ingredients. It stopped the conversation cold, of course. This happened for all three courses.

I felt like saying, "I know what I ordered, thank you very much," but as a guest I didn't want to be rude. It struck me at the time, though, that no chef in Baltimore would think his food was more important than the conversation of the diners. Or maybe he would, but he wouldn't do anything about it.

I have to say, though, that my lobster and scallop entree was so good it was almost worthy of all that awe.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Everyone in the area who loves traditional French food ends up at Tersiguel’s in Ellicott City sooner or later. This is the place to get escargots, sweetbreads, and steak with bearnaise sauce fixed tableside.

The setting, a 19th-century white clapboard house with six cozy dining rooms, is pleasing; and the service is attentive. 

But since my last visit, one important thing has changed at Tersiguel’s. Owner Fernand Tersiguel and his wife have semi-retired, and their son Michel is in charge of the kitchen. He's introduced some new ingredients and techniques to the menu, like chicken with ginger-lemongrass jus. To find out whether I think these innovations are a good thing, you’ll have to read my review in next Sunday’s Arts & Life Today section.

(Doug Kapustin/Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Review Preview
        

I got this e-mail recently from Dan S. in Fallston:

In favorably commenting on "Ray's the Steaks" the Wash. Post (10/14)
said you would pay about half of what it would cost for a similar
dinner in DC. Are there any "Ray's" type places in the Balto area where
you can get a good steak without paying Prime Rib/Morton's  prices?

I can't think of any that aren't chains, but please feel free to offer suggestions. There was one in Canton on the square, whose name escapes me now, but it closed. (And if you can come up with its name, you get a gold star.) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

It took awhile, but the Salsa Grill in Woodlawn has finally reopened. (The original date was July.)

This is the popular Peruvian and regional American restaurant that nearly burned down, thereby giving the owners a chance to redo the interior and create a state-of-the-art kitchen. ...

(Photo courtesy of the Salsa Grill Web site) 

Here's what John Staley, manager and part owner, had to say in an e-mail:

...We are up and running, all of our old customers came back in droves and we are doing great. The place is completely new and has a modern/Peruvian look. It's really unique! Jay [Angle, chef and co-owner] and I would love to have you stop by and give us a try. The web site has been updated with new pics of the dining room. Jay is a Greenbrier-trained chef and is one of the best chefs currently working in the Baltimore area. ...

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Eating at Fogo de Chao the other night got me to thinking about doggie bags. (One difference between eating there and an American steak house that costs the same money is that I take home half my meat at an American steak house, something you can't do with the all-you-can-eat format.)

There should be a whole category of stars for how well a restaurant handles doggie bag requests. For instance, ...

...does the server bring you the container and expect you to do the transferring yourself? Is this a good thing because one fewer person is handling your food? (I want nothing to do with it, but not everybody feels that way.) I wonder when this trend started; I do know it's fairly recent.

Does the server hold the doggie bag in the kitchen till you're finished or deposit it on the table where it sits unattractively while you're eating dessert?

Is there a certain point where the restaurant is so grand you don't feel comfortable asking for a doggie bag for fear the server will sneer? Or conversely, do you ask for a doggie bag to make the server feel better when you don't like your food -- and then toss it when you get outside the restaurant?

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

Glarus Chocolatier of Timonium now has a second location at 644 South Exeter St. in Harbor East. It's scheduled to open this Sunday or Monday.

Yes, the assorted boxes of Swiss chocolates, the bars and the barks, not to mention the truffles, will be offered at the new Glarus. When last I looked, the Web site didn't reflect the change yet, but all the information about ordering and services applies to both, co-owner Jennifer Hauser told me.

Hours will be Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

 
Thanks to Hal for first alerting me to this. 

(Photo courtesy of Jennifer Hauser) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Make that two mysteries. Apparently Warthog turned himself in to Iggies. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, let me refer you to a previous post.

And then Joshau Hill sent me an e-mail saying he's doing restaurant consulting at the moment, but hopes to open his own place in the spring.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I just heard about a couple of cooking classes given by local chefs to benefit the Family Crisis Center of Baltimore County. The bad news is that the first one is being held next Monday, Oct. 22, so you don't have much time to sign up. Pauline Spiliadis is the chef, and it will be held at the Black Olive.

The second one is Tuesday, Nov. 20 at the Rumor Mill in Ellicott City. The chef is Tim Daugherty.

Tickets are $30 each, or $55 for both. It's an intriguing duo when you think about it. If you're interested, call 410-285-4357.

The FCC gives women and children who are victims of domestic violence housing, food, counseling and access to legal counsel.

(Photo courtesy of the Rumor Mill's Web site) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

When Peerce's Plantation closed for good, I got several inquiries from people wondering what they could do about gift certificates they had never used. I didn't have any advice.

(The wonderfully depressing photo, by the way, was taken when Peerce's was about to be auctioned off.)

The best advice I can give people about restaurant gift certificates  is...

(Jed Kirschbaum/Sun Photographer)

...when you get one, use it. Right away. Most restaurants don't give much, if any, notice before they close their doors. And would you want to eat there anyway under those circumstances?

When a restaurant reopens under new owners, they will sometimes honor gift certificates to get customers to try their place, even though they are under no obligation to do so. But don't be surprised if they don't. 

It may sound obvious, but if you're giving a gift certificate, make it to a place that seems rock solid.

One way to go might be to buy Restaurant Association of Maryland gift certificates, which can be used at many different restaurants; but even if they are safer, they don't feel as personal.

Buying certificates from nice chains is another possibility. You know if one Ruth's Chris goes out of business, there's always another one right around the corner.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Don't look now, but Perry Hall may be the next hot spot for Baltimore foodies.

You may laugh, but consider the instant success of Phat Pug, the area's first coal-fired pizza.

And then... 

(Kenneth K. Lam/Sun Photographer)

...talking to Kevin, one of the owners of Soup's On, I learned that he and his twin brother have returned to Perry Hall from LA to be near their mother, and they offer all sorts of cutting-edge creations at their soup emporium like bok choy and shiitake mushroom.

In the trend reporting business, if you have three examples, you have a trend. All I need is my third. I don't know the Perry Hall area well, but if you have a suggestion, please post below.

There was this comment, but I'm not sure we're talking the requisite level of trendiness here.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

...Restaurants that make one thing so well you can't bring yourself to order something else. Pad Thai at Ban Thai is one of mine. I've actually ordered one other dish there, it was delicious, but not good enough to make me order anything but the pad thai since. I don't get there frequently enough to risk going with any but a sure thing. Cioppino at Brass Elephant: As long as they have cioppino on the menu I may never eat another entree at the B.E.

The photo, by the way, is of the Midtown Yacht Club, and is so old the owners (pictured) have probably redecorated and sold the place. But it was all we had. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Don't Know Tavern in Federal Hill has been open awhile, but the grand opening isn't going to be until Nov. 14. That's because the sibling of No Idea Tavern has only recently gotten serious about its food.

Chef Dustin Hammersmith (pictured) describes the food this way: ...

(Photo courtesy of Jessica Novak)

 "I do Classic American Comfort food and American Bar food, all fresh made with a contemporary twist. We prep everything from scratch here and everything is good. No one will walk out saying that they've never had anything like that but hopefully they will all walk away comparing the food that they had here to the food they grew up with. ...We are still very much in our infancy as a restaurant and we are not even close to working out all of the kinks, but we do serve very good food and large drinks."

I like his honesty.

He goes on to say that the tavern has $4 cheese steaks on Monday, a $10 half rack of rib platter on Tuesday, a $12 12-ounce NY strip platter on Wednesday, and half price crab cakes on Thursday.

"Right now we do not have a very large group of regulars but those who we do have are very loyal, some literally dine here 4-5 nights a week sometimes."

If you've tried the place, let us know how the food is.

 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

I think I've recovered enough from my trip to think about Italian food again. A Top Ten I've been meaning to do is Top Ten Italian Restaurants Outside of Little Italy.

Why should Little Italy get all the love?

Naturally I'd love to hear any suggestions. I have definite ideas of the ones I like, but some of them I haven't been to recently, and it's always reassuring to hear they are still as good as I remember. So please post below.

(Sun archives 2000)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

If you missed your chance this summer, it looks like you'll have a second shot at eating at some of Baltimore's best restaurants for a very reasonable $30.08 for a three-course dinner ($20.08 for lunch).The dates for Winter Restaurant Week are now official, Jan. 28 through Feb. 3.

The call for restaurants just went out so the Web site hasn't been updated yet, but...

(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

...so far more than a dozen places have signed up. Restaurants and their menus will be posted on the Web site as they come in once it gets going by the end of the week.

This summer's event was a huge success, with Open Table reporting almost a 100 percent increase in reservations over the first year. If you're interested, make your reservations early. Some of the most popular places this summer were booked solid.

Here are the restaurants that are on board so far:

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I got this e-mail from Shannon after my review of Tabrizi's appeared in the paper Sunday:

 I must say that I was shocked to read that chef Joshau Hill had left Tabrizi's so soon. I had the opportunity to eat at
Tabrizi's recently and I actually got the chance to meet with Joshau. I became an instant fan.  Do you have any idea as to where he is now?
Just curious.

I haven't heard anything, but...

 (Barbara Haddock Taylor/Sun Photographer; Hill is on the right with owner Michael Tabrizi)

...he's an interesting figure who keeps popping up in my work life.

First, he was executive chef at Truffles in the Belvedere when I was working on a Make Over My Meal story there.

Then he turned up at Red Fish as an owner/chef, but left in the blink of an eye, which seems to be what happened here. I could pick up the phone and call Tabrizi's, but I'd probably get a diplomatic answer, not that he quit in a huff when a customer criticized his etouffee. (Note to Mr. Hill's lawyers: Just kidding.)

Anyway, he seems to read this blog every once in awhile (see previous post) so maybe he'll let us know what he's doing now.

And no, that isn't a misspelling. He was christened Joshau, although he goes by Joshua as well.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

In case you missed it, and unfortunately I can't link to it, the Wall Street Journal's "Power Tables" featured Charleston this Saturday.

According to the article, the tables in the wine room are most requested...

(Kim Hairston/Sun Photographer)

...because the room is "quiet and intimate." It's also cooler than the rest of the restaurant, so shawls are offered to women who get cold. (No word on what men do.)

You need to see the chart to see what the real power tables are. (Condoleezza Rice sat at table 4, for instance, although it looks a little close to the kitchen for me. But maybe she's a foodie. According to the article, foodies like to sit near the kitchen to greet owner/chef Cindy Wolf.)

At least I don't have to worry that I was recognized when I ate there a couple of years ago. We weren't seated at an A++ or an A+ table, which was fine by me. I don't like to be cold and I don't like to be near the kitchen.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

You can't say it's exactly soup weather yet -- these cool but sunny fall days are too beautiful for that -- but after an unusually hot early October, soup suddenly seems mighty appealing.

I'm sure there are some great places for soup that I simply haven't gotten around to trying yet (a couple of people have mentioned Steve's Lunch to me), but here's my list when you're in the mood for a steaming bowl of comforting soup: ...

(Photo courtesy of Atwater's Web site)

*Atwater's at Belvedere Square and Kenilworth is best known for its rustic breads; but with the opening of a couple of retail locations with cafes, its soups have become a draw as well. Typically there are four offered: a seafood, meat, and two vegetarian, at least one vegan. This Saturday the selections were mushroom, shrimp and crab bisque; cabbage beef; potato-cheese with broccoli and chard; and beet and lentil. In season, Atwater's uses produce from local suppliers like One Straw Farm.

*The new Bouillabaisse Cafe (316 Park Ave.) has three soups daily (none of them bouillabaisse), usually hearty selections like ham and bean, chicken and dumpling, 16-bean and chili, made by the owner's wife. Don't be thrown off by the Asian facade; this place is American through and through.

*Two or three soups are available every day at all the Donna's locations, but I recommend the ones Chef Andy is turning out in Charles Village, which might be a Mediterranean white bean, Moroccan chickpea, tomato bisque or cream of cauliflower. Seafood, meat and chicken soups are also in the mix, but there is always one vegetarian one.

*One World Cafe in Homewood has three or four soups daily: miso, vegetarian chili and a soup or two of the day. There might be one vegan, like black bean, and one cream-based, like creamy corn chowder. The kitchen also produces various Asian soups like coconut milk-based Thai soups and Indian curried soups.

*The Vietnamese food at Saigon Remembered (5857 York Road) in Govans gets mixed reviews, but the pho and Thai noodle soups are usually reliable. The pho really is a meal in itself, with lots of broth, thinly sliced beef, slithery noodles and a plate of bean sprouts, lemon, hot peppers and cilantro to add at your discretion.

*Sascha's 527 in Mount Vernon always has two soups available.  For dinner, there are Maryland crab and what's called on the menu "the other great soup." At lunch the soups could include Thai vegetable, Tuscan spinach and artichoke, mushroom bisque or lemongrass pea soup. Thanks to SIM for reminding me of this place.

*Twin brothers moved from L.A. and opened Soup's On in Perry Hall in January. The more than 250 varieties are made from scratch: vegan, vegetarian, meat, seafood and dessert. Soups come with spoon, napkin and crostini. You can also buy pints (refrigerated or frozen). The top sellers are Maryland crab, French onion, chicken vegetable noodle, and cream of crab. A big plus: They are low sodium.

*Soups On at Rose's Cookies in Hampden (842 W. 36th St.) isn't connected with the Perry Hall Soups On. Chef/owner Cynthia Shea has three or four kinds every day (always one vegetarian) and presents the bowl prettily arranged with Bonaparte bread. The day I called, the choices were chicken, sausage, orzo and spinach; split pea and prosciutto; and carrot ginger.

*Soup is the single biggest seller at the Stone Mill Bakery in Lutherville. The same guy has been making them for nine years, and it's his full-time job. The Stone Mill sells 50 quarts of no-fat vegetable a day. Other hits include tomato basil, turkey chili, chicken noodle and black bean. Fall soups are available now: carrot ginger, butternut squash and pumpkin.

*Whole Foods supermarkets always have a couple of soups available on their hot food bar, as well as lots of varieties that are refrigerated to take home. I've enjoyed the butternut squash bisque, minestrone and gazpacho; but never investigated much further. Other people, however, swear by the seafood soups and chili. Interestingly, the Web site has recipes for tons of soups that seem to be the same ones they sell.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

Jiffy posted this comment under my online review of Tabrizi's yesterday, and I thought it was an interesting topic for discussion.

I also had the chance to read about the new Tabrizi's in the past month or so in Baltimore Sun and Urbanite magazine, and I wonder what purpose does it serve to mention to the readers how many "deads" that location claimed?!!

I think Tom Peddy was probably getting at the same thing in his post under my entry on the Longo's space. (And did you notice he gave us the name of the new place, Tark's Grill?)

I see their point, and yet...

(John Makely/Sun Photographer)

...not to mention something so central about a restaurant seems like ignoring the elephant in the room.

I'd like to make two lists: one of restaurant spaces that have had lots of tenants (Red Fish is another one) and one of places that have finally found the right fit, although there has been a lot of turnover (maybe The Spice Company, pictured?). If you can think of any other examples, please post below.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I just got a copy of The Diet Detective's Calorie Bargain Bible in the mail and noted that there was a long section on "What to Eat When You're Eating Out." I don't think there are any huge surprises, but the advice will reinforce what you probably know. (Fried foods are bad for diets, for instance.)

Author Charles Stuart Platkin also suggests specific substitutions that are "calorie bargains." For instance, when you crave ice cream... 

...a Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream Bar is 300 calories, 21 grams of fat and 24 grams of carbs. You could save 40 calories with a Good Humor Bar (260 calories, 17 grams fat, 24 grams of carbs). Frankly the difference doesn't seem worth the difference in taste to me.

Best case scenario, he says, save 240 calories with a Fudgsicle: 60 calories, 1.5 grams fat, 12 grams of carbs.

If you're anything like me, I'd feel so unsatisfied with the Fudgsicle I'd probably follow it with the Haagen-Dazs Bar, thereby increasing the number of calories by 60.

Still, it doesn't hurt to be reminded that a wonderful slab of prime rib in a restaurant-size portion delivers between 1,350 and 1,400 calories, plus more than a day's worth of saturated fat (up to 45 grams).

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A few years ago when I was writing a story on tipping, I interviewed Michael Lynn, an associate professor at the Cornell School of Hotel Administration who has studied the subject for years. My daughter was working as a waitress in Washington at the time, and when I told her about Lynn she thought she'd give some of his techniques to increase tips a try. Yes, they worked.

Now he's offering a free pamphlet for servers about his research. (If it helps, you can send him a "tip.") It's also interesting reading for the rest of us. Here's the link.

Some of his "tip enhancing actions" seem pretty off the wall, but he says he's got the data to back them up. For instance, waitresses who wore a flower in their hair saw a 17 percent increase in tips. (He adds that many of these wouldn't be appropriate for very formal restaurants.)

I won't list them all, but here are some of the more surprising ones: ... 

(Nanine Hartzenbusch/Sun Photographer)

*Squatting down next to the table increased tips by 20 percent.

*Using tip trays with credit card insignia increased tips by 22 percent in cafes and 25 percent in restaurants. 

*Telling a joke, 40 percent more.

*Writing thank you on the check, 13 percent more.

*A waitress drawing a smiley face on the check, 18 percent more. But waiters who drew smiley faces saw their tips drop. Weirdly, bartenders who drew suns on checks got 37 percent more. 

Most but not all of Lynn's techniques come down to being a nicer, more cheerful person. I guess it's not so surprising being nice to your customers would increase your tips. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
Categories: Tipping
        

Who would have thought the Mount Vernon area needed another Thai restaurant so desperately? My Thai must be doing something right, because on a recent visit almost every table was taken in two of the three dining rooms; and on weekends, our waiter told us, the line stretches out the door.

My Thai, which replaced Minato in the basement of the 800 N. Charles St. building, has been a success from the word go from what I hear. A genuinely nice staff and very reasonable prices plus a high-energy atmosphere have helped. But is the food better than you can get at the Thai Landing to the north or Ban Thai to the south? Read my review in next Sunday’s Arts & Life Today section to find out.

(Mauricio Rubio/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Review Preview
        

I hear that the new Vespa (1117-21 S. Charles St.) is having a soft opening tonight, another next weekend, and then is planning to be open officially the week after that. The new owners may have decided to keep the name, and why not. The first Vespa, in the same location, was a local favorite. Or it may be called Junior's Wine Bar. My source has gotten conflicting information.

Please post below if you happened to be there. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Midnight Sun blogger Sam snapped this photo for me at Iggies the other day with his camera phone.

Cell phone tip: I knew immediately he must have an LG because every time I've had to have my cell repaired, which has been often, I've asked the Verizon "technician" what kind of phone he has, and it's always an LG. But I digress.

Apparently Wart Hog is the user name of someone on the Chowhound.com board who has been saying nice things about Iggies, and they want to thank him/her. I'm not sure why Iggies hasn't been inundated with people claiming to be Wart Hog in the hopes of free pizza, but maybe folks are more honest than I think.

(Photo courtesy of Sam Sessa) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

It's official, CakeLove lovers. A branch of the popular Washington-based bakery will be opening in Canton in the Can Company complex at 2400 Boston St.

"In the trapezoidal-shaped building, across from Safeway. Our door will face Boston Street," is how owner Warren Brown described it in an e-mail I got this morning. That can't be where the Outback Steakhouse is. They're still answering their phone (well, not at 6 a.m., but I got a long message in an Australian accent when I called just now) so I can't quite figure out what it will be replacing.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

In spite of all the mean things I've had to say about cupcakes on this blog (here are exhibit A and exhibit B), I love the fact that Baltimore Cupcake Company has a happy hour from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Cupcakes are $1, and there are often lines. Thanks to Amie for telling me about this.

(Nanine Hartzenbusch/Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Here are two more good ideas, posted earlier by Bill, that I would have trouble coming up with ten of but would make for an interesting discussion.

top ten places with great food and questionable service.

I hesitate to label restaurants as having bad service months after I've been and reviewed them officially, because I always hope the owners try to do something about my complaints when they read them in print. But if you've had a recent experience and want to mention it, feel free. Remember the other side of the coin: The place also has to have great food.

As for places you keep going back to although you don't know why, mine would have to be...

(Amy Davis/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (22)
        

Actually, the latest on the space in Green Spring Station that was Longo's and before that a lot of other restaurants, and before that for many years, Harvey's.

After a multitude of calls to different people, I finally got to the one I should have thought of in the first place, Tom Peddy, an owner of Foxleigh Enterprises, Inc., Green Spring Station's management company. He sent me this e-mail: ...

(Kim Hairston/Sun Photographer)

We do have a signed lease with a very exciting group of local entrepreneurs.  However, they have asked for a confidentiality clause in their lease.  I told them early on that you had an interest in what was going on and they felt that only they should be allowed to give out information.  I can tell you that they are in full planning mode and have a contractor on board.  They anticipate opening after the first of the year.  They are going to spend an enormous sum of money and the plans that I have seen so far will be great.

I did manage to track down the new owners through a different source, and they're willing to talk to me after their liquor board hearing Monday (assuming all goes well), so stay tuned. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:18 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

It looks like this year's Dining Guide will be coming out on Thursday, Oct. 25. What's different this year is that it will be a tab inside LIVE. The good news is that it won't get lost among the coupons and inserts; the bad news is that you have to open up LIVE to find it and pull it out.

I didn't phrase that quite the way I meant to. ...

...Nothing against LIVE, but the Dining Guide won't be its cover. You'll have to hunt for it, is what I meant. Although LIVE editor extraordinaire Sarah says, "the guide is going to be PROMINENTLY promoed on the cover, no matter how odd it might look since it will be the halloween issue."

Anyway, the theme will be restaurants that are good deals.

The Powers That Be are talking about publishing dining guides twice year. If that happens, we'll need lots of themes (think Top 40 instead of Top Ten) so if any of you have a subject you'd like to see covered, please post below.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

I like this idea from aussiewonder a lot, maybe because I'm cold today. You may have missed it if you read my entry before the comment was posted, so I'll repeat it here:

W/ the cooler weather coming, how about a Top 10 Soup Spots? And while I love a good chilli or MD Crab Soup, sometimes it's nice to have a wider selection. So maybe places that you know have more than two SOD (Soups of the Day) or places that go beyond the original two.

Off the top of my head I can't think of ten places, so I'll have to do a little research. Suggestions welcome.

(Algerina Perna/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
        

Last night two family members independently suggested Top Ten Tuesday ideas that I can only describe as terrible. It just goes to show this isn't as easy as it looks.

First, my husband came up with... 

Top Ten Foods You No Longer Have to Eat for Your Ex's Sake. I pointed out I wasn't divorced so it would be hard for me to come up with ten (although if I were divorced there would no longer be soy milk in the house, not that I've ever tasted it). And besides this is a restaurant Top Ten. He said, OK, restaurants you no longer have to go to. 

Then my daughter called from California to suggest Top Ten Hottest Bachelor Chefs. This is a regular feature in LA Weekly, or whatever their city magazine is, I'm sure. I told her I wouldn't know what chefs were hot, let alone single, because I try to stay out of their way and anonymous.

This idea reminds me of a Web site a college classmate of hers started and made a million bucks off of called Smoking Hot Waitresses (slogan: "When 20 Percent Just Isn't Enough"), which is sort of along the same lines. So much for an Ivy League education. Interestingly, I feel insulted that no one has nominated any waitresses from Baltimore.

Anyway, if anyone would like to contribute to foods your ex liked that you no longer have to eat, restaurants you no longer have to go to, or Smoking Hot Bachelor Chefs, please post below.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 6:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

You may have missed architecture critic extraordinaire Ed Gunts' story a couple of Sundays ago on the design of Spike Gjerde's new farm-to-table restaurant Woodberry Kitchen in the Clipper Mill complex.

The photos were in black and white, so here's a color version.

Ed tells me the planned opening date was tentatively Oct. 16, but as I haven't gotten any call backs yet, I'm guessing that's been postponed.

(Colby Ware/Special to The Sun)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Be sure to check out my friend and colleague Happy Eater Rob Kasper's beer blog, which debuts today. I'm not a beer drinker (actually I've never had a beer in my life; I don't like the smell), but I still plan to read it because he's so entertaining.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Warren Brown, host of Sugar Rush on the Food Network, told me he's close to finalizing negotiations for a lease in Canton for a CakeLove, the popular Washington-based bakery chain he owns that specializes in cakes and small sweets made from scratch.

"I'll be very excited to get the project/build-out going," he said, "because many people have been supporting us from Baltimore -- whether coming to the DC locations, emailing, or sending good vibes."

He said he'd let me know when the deal is closed, but the architectural drawings have to be approved by city officials first. I'm sure there are lots of CakeLove fans out there, so I'll keep you posted.

(Photo of Warren Brown courtesy of the CakeLove Web site) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

I was quite curious about the Cirque Harbor East Dinner Promenade but hadn't heard anything about it, so I was delighted to get this report from Nicole. It sounds like a great evening. ...

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 5:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

I'm used to the concept of rock 'n' roll sushi from spending so much time on the West Coast, but it will be interesting to see if Baltimore is ready for it.

The folks at Ra Sushi think so. Sometime next year, probably as early as February, the Arizona-based chain will be opening a branch at 701 S. Eden St.

If you're into the Zen of sushi, this high-energy concept isn't for you. I asked their marketing people to send me a couple of photos from other locations, just to give you an idea of what I'm talking about. Slip a rock CD into your computer and turn the volume up full blast to get the full effect while you look at the photos.

(Photos courtesy of Ra Sushi)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)
Categories: Sushi
        

I started off researching this by going through the archives and checking any stories by myself or LIVE reviewer Karen Nitkin that contained the words "charming" and "restaurant." (Me: 81; Karen: 31.) That didn't help much except to remind me not to overuse the word "charming." Too often one of us was describing a dish or one feature of the decor, not the general ambience.

That's what I'm going for here: Baltimore restaurants I would call charming. I'm limiting myself to the city because these are the places that put the charm in Charm City.

I know how subjective this is, so please feel free to disagree or suggest substitutions.

Here's the list: ...

(Doug Kapustin/Sun Photographer)

* A friend of mine once called Abacrombie "precious," which is a guy's reaction to this charming dining room (actually rooms) in the B & B of the same name. In the past, the food has been so good you didn't mind the addition of a little beet foam on the amuse bouche. Yes, I know it's not open now; but I hear the new owners are targeting November.

* The owners of the Ambassador took an old-fashioned, frumpy Baltimore apartment house dining room and by adding Indian food and black-tied waiters got restaurant critics talking about its cool raj decor. How charming is that? Check out the enclosed terrace decked out for the holidays with red ribbons, fairy lights and fires in the two fireplaces if you want to see real charm.

*Maybe because it's a truly Baltimore restaurant, the Brass Elephant has never been a pretentious restaurant -- in spite of the high-ceilinged Edwardian dining rooms, the wonderful appointments, the crystal and glitter and gilt.  I don't know if the place still uses doilies, a practice you can't get away with at Serious Restaurants; but then Serious Restaurants don't usually have this much charm.

*Help me out here. Of all the Little Italy restaurants I've reviewed, the only one I described as charming was Dalesio's, with its deep green walls, an intimate setting and "charming" appointments. The problem is that I was last there in 1999. If things have changed, I'm sure you'll let me know. No matter what, you have to think it's charming that Dalesio's introduced the concept of spa cuisine to Little Italy. Are you kidding me?

*The last time I reviewed Ethel and Ramone's in Mount Washington, I described its "tea room decor." (The only reason I'm not including tea rooms in this is that I plan to do a Top Ten on Places to Go for Christmas Teas in December.) I've also heard people call it quaint and cozy, all charm code words. Karen, who ate there more recently than I did, confirms it's still just as appealing. Plus a tea room sort of place that serves up jambalaya and ribs seems very Baltimore to me.

* If I had to give a vote to Baltimore's Most Charming Ethnic, surely it would go to the Helmand, with its fresh white napery, flickering candles on each table, and Afghan textiles decorating the walls. Sure, the tables are too close together, and you can feel rushed when it's busy; but most admirers would point out that you usually get good food at these prices only in hole-in-the-walls.

* With its eclectic decor, kitschy and arty, Henninger's Tavern's sweet little dining room epitomizes what I have in mind when I say Charm City charm. I know a tavern should be the opposite of charming, but then a tavern shouldn't be serving arugula salads and paella. A few years ago, it was awarded Most Romantic Restaurant by CitySearch, which you don't expect from a tavern either.  

* I know, I know. You're outraged that anyone would describe a Highlandtown culinary icon like Matthew's as charming. Sorry, folks. My first reaction when I walked in recently (my first time there after all these years) was "Oh, isn't this place cute." I like the cozy dining room, the sweet murals,  the, yes, charming appointments, and the folksy waitresses. The pizza wouldn't have tasted as good if we'd carried out. 

* The Prime Rib is supposed to be tres sophisticated, but don't you find it charming that a place with leopard-skin carpeting, black walls and suave piano music also has those cute little fringe lamps, and serves hot, crunchy potato skins for an appetizer and bread pudding for dessert? Of course, if you aren't on expense account, you might not find the bill charming. But that's what rich uncles are for.

* It's not the stylish setting or the artful plates of Korean food that put Suzie's Soba in Hampden on this list. It's the outdoor space out back, part deck and part enclosed garden, decorated with fairy lights, candles, shells and other odds and ends. I know you probably won't be able to eat out there much longer, but remember this charming spot for next spring.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

I have to admit I'm struggling with the Top Ten Places That Put the Charm in Charm City. The problem is that I've fallen in love with the slogan even though it's so broad as to almost be meaningless. Plus people have given me so many good suggestions that I'm thinking there are really two Top Tens here: restaurants that have character unique to Baltimore, and restaurants that have charm.

So tomorrow I'm going to deal exclusively with charm, and feature restaurants with character later this year. Any thoughts?

(Gene Sweeney Jr./Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

Deborah Ottley had this to say to me when I got in this morning (by e-mail):

I visited Indigma after reading your review  in the papers yesterday. It was not a great experience.  When my husband and I were seated the waiter brought only one menu and gave it to my husband. I had to ask for a menu and when I was given one it was the wrong menu. Service was deplorable. We waited 35 minutes to receive our appetizers and another 45 minutes for the main entree. We observed customers requesting a menu after being seated for several minutes, asking for their drinks that they had ordered, and  one family actually walked out so annoyed that they did not wait for their food. If this restaurant is competing with Ambassador then they will not be around for long. I have been to Ambassor many times and the service is always consistently outstanding. Though most of the dishes we ordered were good ( butternut soup was awful) the chaotic ambience made the evening a waste of our time.
This is the second time that I have tried a place that the Sun has critique and I was diappointed. The other was The Spice Company in the Colonnade.Therefore I am left to wonder if restaurant critics are paid to say wonderful things about these restaurants.

Well, of course restaurant critics are paid to say wonderful things about these restaurants, but ...

(Monica Lopossay/Sun Photographer)

...we're also paid to say horrible things about these restaurants. That's the great thing about this job.

The reason I'm posting this e-mail is to point out once again that the best time to visit a restaurant is not the day it gets a positive review in the paper. I never tell the owner in advance anything about the review, so he or she doesn't know whether to lock the doors and go home, or bring on extra staff.

Since Ms. Ottley was complaining about the service and not the food, I'm guessing Indigma got slammed and just couldn't handle the crowd. When I ate there, only a few other tables were filled, and the service was attentive.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)
        

Matthew Dornic sent me a bunch of photos of the newly renovated Ze Mean Bean in Fells Point and its glammed-up decor. I wish more owners would do this. I can't go myself to take pictures; it would be too obvious it was me. I can't send a Sun photographer until there's a Table Talk or review to be done. But  when a place has just opened, I think readers like knowing what the restaurant looks like, and I can post photos here if I can get my hands on them.

Anyway, Ze Mean Bean isn't new, but it has made major changes. And not just in the decor. Here's what Dornic wrote me: ...

"Chef Dennis Keruly [pictured] has just recently returned to Ze Mean Bean [and] has prepared one mean menu that will debut in the coming weeks. 

"Keruly, a graduate of Baltimore International College, has 13 years of culinary experience under his belt.  He apprenticed under Master Chef Roland Jeannier before leading up kitchens...at Truffles, the Brass Elephant, and the Camden Club. A former executive chef at Ze Mean Bean, Chef Keruly has recently returned to the Bean's kitchen. ...

"Chef Keruly's new menu will showcase dishes such as:

"Tomato-Brined Sage-Crusted Sea Bass with Roasted Butternut Squash Compote; Maple-Marinated Pork Tenderloin with Honey and Horse Radish Glace de Veau; Grilled Bison Bistro Filet with Caramelized Chanterelles and Candied Shallots; Lobster Kluski Slonski (Potato Dumpling) with Lobster Butter, Fresh Lobster, Asparagus; Basil-Cured Hot Smoked Black Cod Basquaise with Chorizo and Crab Relish; and Soy and Apricot-Marinated Tofu Roulade with Napa Cabbage, Daikon Sprouts, and Borowik Consomme."

Whew. 

More pictures below.

(Photos courtesy of Matthew Dornic) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

It's been awhile since I've been to the farmers market under the viaduct, what with the trip and all, and I was surprised to see that besides the expected fall bounty (apples, pumpkins, chrysanthemums etc.), Gardener's Gourmet still had beautiful heirloom tomatoes. The guy behind the counter said they would continue until first frost, which the way things are going may be never.

Unfortunately, I didn't know about the planned parking lot implosion. When it blew I was walking back to my car, and I thought the world had ended. Freaky. The noise was ear-shattering. The smoke was so dense you couldn't see ahead more than a foot or so, and the fumes smelled toxic. The cops directing traffic had gas masks; I hope they warned the farmers.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

I expected more buzz about the reopening of Tabrizi's after almost a decade, but the lack of it may be because it's arrived in the shadow of Cinghiale.

The new Tabrizi’s has been open for almost two months now, and I’ve heard very little about it. The owner has had a chance to work out the inevitable new restaurant snafus without much notice being taken.

I had dinner there recently, and while you'll have to wait for my review next Sunday in the Arts & Life Today section to get the full report, I will say that you won't be sorry if you try it out before then. Particularly if the weather holds and you get one last chance to eat outside at a table overlooking the harbor.

(Barbara Haddock Taylor/Sun Photographer)

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

Faithful Reader Frank Gomez passed along this link to VegBaltimore, a vegan and vegetarian guide to Baltimore. As he says, nice to see so many vegetarian listings.

In case I haven't said it enough times, I love tips. Tips are great. Thanks! 

(Kenneth K. Lam/Sun Photogrpaher)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
Categories: Vegetables
        

Matt Teri posted this comment under an earlier pizza post. I'm repeating it here because I've been meaning to do an entry on Phat Pug. It's gotten a lot of attention on Chowhound.com.

I recently tried a pizza from Phat Pug, in Perry Hall -- their claim to fame (or their schtick, depending) is that they use an actual coal-fired oven.  I was pretty darned impressed with the pizza -- thin and crispy, with some tasty burned spots and a really excellent (sweet-ish) sauce.    Anyone else been up there yet?

Here's the info courtesy of the Chowhound board. (Phat Pug doesn't have its Web site up yet.):

The Phat Pug Coal Fired Pizzeria
8814A Bel Air Road
Perry Hall, MD 21236
410 256 5700

If you want to know more about the process, here's an article from Pizza Today.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
Categories: Pizza
        

I was cleaning out some e-mail that piled up while I was away, and realized I had never posted an entry on the New York Times' first restaurant review, circa 1859. Here's the link to a posting about it on Kottke.org.

Thanks to Paul Johnson for bringing it to my attention.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

OK, I admit this photo has nothing to do with this entry. I was looking for art of a cup of coffee in our photo archives and couldn't resist. The caption is posted below.

Anyway, I got the following e-mail from Nona Nielsen-Parker, chef/manager of Atwater's in the Belvedere Square:

We have started to make a new product that still isn't that well known in Baltimore. It's called Cold Brew Coffee. Would you be interested in writing about it? Stopping by for a taste?? It's really good with no hot water added making for a much smoother and less bitter coffee. We, the staff at Atwaters are addicted to it. At the moment we are serving it as our iced coffee not as our hot coffee.

I'm not a coffee expert, although...

I won't turn down a nice cup of Kona, so I didn't rush out to try it. Cold-brew is supposed to be lower in acid and caffeine, which is good, but here's another (and pretty funny) view of it at How to Brew Coffee (Dot Com).

If you have an opinion, please post below.

And here's the caption information:

A squirrel cleans the last drops from a beverage cup found blowing in the wind in Hoyt Park in Saginaw, Mich. (AP Photo/The Saginaw News, David A. Sommers)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 11:26 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

I was reading the story about Tio Pepe in the current issue of Baltimore magazine, and that got me thinking about the last time I reviewed our city's favorite Spanish restaurant. It was a couple of years ago. (Here's the link to the review.)

Anyway, I still smile when I think of it because it's the No. 1 example of You Can't Win in Restaurant Criticism.

I got two pieces of mail in response to the review. One was a snail letter, clearly written by someone who's lived here a long, long time, outraged by my negativity, nastiness and small-minded pickyness toward one of the city's great treasures. The second was an e-mail, even more outraged if possible, expressing total disgust at my fawning review filled with undeserved positive comments. It ended by saying I must have been paid off by Tio Pepe's owners.

You have to wonder if either of them read the same review I wrote. Or maybe that's when you've done your job, when you annoy everyone. I can't quite decide. 

(Elizabeth Malby/Sun Photographer)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

SR wanted to know what the new restaurant in Harborview is, and I could help him/her by sending Tabrizi's URL. But then he/she stumped me with this:

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 3:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

I laughed out loud at some of the October issue of the pop culture mag Radar. The cover story is "The Overrated 100," and I could relate to the food part particularly.

Cupcakes are No. 2, right after Posh and Becks. But maybe you have to see people standing in line for an hour in LA or New York for an overpriced version of this overfrosted confection.

BTW, Rating alert: Some of Radar doesn't belong on a family blog.

My favorite part was Anthony Bourdain's Overrated Menu, where he dissects some of the current overhyped ingredients, techniques and phrases. For instance...

* Pea soup garnished with truffle oil

"Truffle oil is the lazy chef's way to add 'value,' by which I mean, charge more."

*Mesquite grilled Amish organic free-range chicken served with Fijian mango chutney and accompanied by foraged mushrooms

"It should never take a waiter more time to describe your dish than it takes you to eat it. Mango chutney was innovative when Bobby Flay did it in 1978. 'Foraged' mushrooms? 'Amish' chicken? Who gives a **** who picked the mushrooms? And does it really matter if the people who raised your poultry wear aprons and bonnets?

*Cruelty-free Berkshire pork with shallot reduction and Yukon potato gnocchi

"You killed the thing -- what's cruelty free about that?"

*Cayenne pepper-infused freeze-dried chocolate nuggets bathed in marshmallow-star anise foam

"There are maybe two or three decent practitioners of molecular gastronomy in the world, so unless you're culinary legend Ferran Adria, it's probably best to save the foam for your latte."

And so on from there. You get the idea.

You will be glad to know that not everything is negative. In a side list of things that aren't overhyped (Meryl Streep, iPods) are cheese and In-N-Out Burger.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

No, not from Bhumibol Adulyadej telling me that Talay Thai is a fabulous restaurant. The owner of the Blow Fly Inn wrote. Actually it's kind of interesting because I didn't even think that Katrina might have affected it.

I feel a road trip coming on.

Also, boys and girls, I haven't gotten any suggestions yet for next Tuesday's Top Ten, the Top Ten Places That Put the Charm in Charm City. I don't want any complaints when P.F. Chang's is one of them. (Love those giant stone horses that could crush a restaurant critic with one stamp of their foot.)

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (12)
        

I was struck by SGI's comment under The Last Night, which I'll repeat here:

This post reminded me of a thought I had the other night while eating and drinking in the Tusk Lounge at the Brass Elephant - the top ten places that put the charm in Charm City. The space there is just so wonderful and beats the heck out of those mammoth chains mentioned by both Robert and you. Other places that come to mind - Brewer's Art, Birches, John Steven Ltd. and Owl Bar.  

One of the reasons I like the idea of Top Ten Places That Put the Charm in Charm City is that it sounds so civilized. It's hard to imagine anyone getting really angry over, say, someone picking Birches instead of Brewers Art.

On the other hand, ... 

(Kenneth K. Lam/Sun Photographer)

...maybe charm is so much in the eye of the beholder that the concept is too personal. I'm not sure. And I'm a little vague about what charm is in this case. (Of course, I feel the same way about the city slogan.) I see and totally agree that Tusk Lounge has great charm, and I can't imagine it existing anywhere but in Baltimore. But John Steven, Ltd.? If it has charm, it must be less physical than the Brass Elephant variety.

This will probably end up being a lot harder than it looks. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

I had heard from a reliable source that the Mt. Washington Tavern had been sold, although each party involved vigorously denied it when I called. But I see that a Liquor Board notice of transfer (of the liquor license) confirms it.

The new owners are employees -- well, I guess ex-employees -- and I'm also guessing they're of the "if it ain't broke" school of new ownership, or they would have talked to me about the sale.

When I get over being grumpy about the whole thing, I'll call back and try to get details about any changes being planned. Probably not many, if any. Why mess with success?

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 8:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

After yesterday's contentious Top Ten, I've settled on a more soothing topic for next week, but I want to get into work so I can get a nice piece of art to go with it before I make an announcement. Check back later.

Actually I was delighted to get so many good recommendations of places I had never heard of. I've started a list, and my next Top Ten Thai Tuesday may be all restaurants I haven't even been to yet. Well worth the grief I took!

(As an aside, I wish Thai restaurants would give themselves names that would differentiate themselves more. That's the best thing about Lemongrass and, yes, a second one is coming to Baltimore later this year.)

Anyway, it struck me that I should have an Official Disclaimer (like a car ad) that I link to with every Top Ten Tuesday. Faithful readers of this blog have heard me say it again and again, but for those who only check in when a list interests them, I need something every time.

It would go something like this. ... 

Official Disclaimer

At the most I only review 50 or 60 restaurants in a year. Let's say it's 50. If I made a Top Ten only out of those places (and even some of those early ones would be out of date in a year) that would take care of five weeks of Top Ten, leaving nothing for me to do for the other 47 Tuesdays.

So these Top Ten Tuesday lists are for entertainment purposes only, made up with the help of other Sun foodies with input from knowledgeable readers of this blog. They are to get the discussion going, and I appreciate your corrections, disagreements and substitutions -- posted without profanity or actionable statements, please -- and I understand that mean comments only reflect your passion for the subject.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)
        

I just got an e-mail from Mimis Cafe, a press release telling me my local Mimis will be selling over 1,000 Thanksgiving dinners this year.

I didn't even know I had a local Mimis, so I went to the Web site and checked out the closest one. It turns out to be on Dulles Town Circle in Sterling, Va., not really convenient for me, I don't know about you. (And anyway, it's "coming soon," so I'm not sure it counts.)

But that at least galvanized me to start thinking about gathering together a master list ...

...of good places to go for Thanksgiving dinner if you want to have it at a restaurant. (Upside: You won't have to eat sweet potato casserole with marshmallows. Downside: You won't be able to sip a glass of champagne in the kitchen while you're putting the finishing touches on dinner.)

I haven't heard from anybody else but Mimis yet, and I really can't recommend it unless they're better at construction than most restaurants. No, I'm wrong. Corks in South Baltimore had something on its special events list ($59 a person), but I feel like I've already given them an awful lot of press. Nobody else has sent me anything yet.

I'd like to start a Thanksgiving category that people can click on who are thinking about eating out that day. So if you have any recommendations, please post below, and when I get information from restaurants closer than Sterling, Va. that I've heard of, I'll do another few entries on the subject.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 2:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (11)
Categories: Thanksgiving
        

 
Asian restaurant chefs seem to move around even more than other cuisines' chefs, if that's possible, so the food at a Thai place I loved when I went six months ago may be completely different now. Therefore I particularly appreciate the help of LIVE reviewer Karen Nitkin and the folks who posted suggestions earlier this week.

With that caveat in mind, here's my list of the area's Top Ten Thai Restaurants. Apologies to places like My Thai in Mount Vernon and Pad Thai in Annapolis, which are too new to have been reviewed yet. ...

(John Makely/Sun Photographer)

* Ban Thai in downtown Baltimore. This pleasant and decidedly unhip little place has managed to hang on and even win a couple of "best of" awards. With cooler weather around the corner, the Winter Warm-Ups, signature noodle soups, are a good bet. The red curry is authentic, and the noodle dishes go beyond just pad Thai.

* Lemongrass in Annapolis. It has a contemporary decor, with-it young servers and decent wines that actually go with the cuisine. The food isn't necessarily more interesting than the usual suspects; but it's tasty and inexpensive. Sometimes you just want a little style with your pad Thai.

* Little Spice in Hanover. The two sisters who own it grow most of the herbs they use in their own garden. The food is thoughtfully prepared and prettily presented. And you have to love a place that serves dishes called Happy Calamari and Spicy Crispy Ducky Salads. Relatively new, this little strip mall gem is already developing quite a following.

* Talay Thai in Fells Point. For the most part, the menu is straightforward curries, stir-fries, and noodles; but the house specialties like the Big Three (mussels, shrimp and scallops) excite. The addition of a few American appetizers and entrees to the menu means you can more easily get your S.O. who doesn't want Thai to come when you crave spicy noodles.

*Ten-O-Six in Federal Hill. There is less fusion food and more straight Thai on the menu than there used to be. (But still, think of it as Thai cuisine in the French style.) Sigh. The end of summer means no more Tempura Soft Shell Crab as an appetizer.

* Thai Aroma in Ellicott City. This unassuming restaurant tries to incorporate local ingredients into traditional Thai dishes, often with success. (The jury is still out on the deep-fried coconut crab cake.)  Still, give the kitchen points for creativity, and for treating meats and vegetable with care in dishes like the grilled lemongrass beef.

* Thai Arroy in Federal Hill. It may not be breaking new ground, but this sweet little restaurant is a festive neighborhood spot that can get crowded in a good way. The duck dishes are specialties, like pa-nang ped,  duck, snow peas, fresh basil and lime leaves in coconut milk sauce.

* Thai One On in Towson. Don't be put off by the fact that both Japanese and Thai dishes are offered here. It's worthy of being included if only for the fried whole fish. Maybe you don't get the variety you would elsewhere because of the joint cuisine, but what you get will be very good.

* Thai Restaurant in Waverly. Once Baltimore didn't have any Thai restaurants. Then along came the Thai. I've had good meals and not-so-great meals there, but I have to give it credit for being the first. It was a revelation to a city that thought Asian food meant Americanized Cantonese Chinese.

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (24)
Categories: Top Ten Tuesdays
        

 
Corks in South Baltimore gets my vote as the serious restaurant having more (and also more imaginative) special events than any other I know of.

I don't want to list them all, but here are the major ones: ... 

(Kenneth K. Lam/Sun Photographer) 

* Every Sunday there's a three-course Farmers Market Menu for $30 created from ingredients bought that morning at, you guessed it, the farmers market.

* Tuesdays are half-price wine night, including bottles over $100, as long as you buy dinner.

* On Wednesdays starting in October, there will be an Omakase Menu a la chef Edward Kim. One ingredient, such as scallops or duck breast, will be the basis for four or five courses. The food will be paired with wine, the cost will be $75, and the limit will be 12 guests.

* The Visiting Chef series brings in another local chef who, with Corks chef Levi Briggs, creates a five-course tasting menu that includes both their styles. (Remind me not to eat at the other restaurant that night.) With wine, the cost is $145. The event is limited to 12 guests.

* The last Monday through Thursday of every month, Corks features a Restaurant Week-style menu of three courses for $30 or four for $40. 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 4:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

 
Often when a restaurant closes a long time for renovations it's not a good sign. In the case of the Dogwood in Hampden, however, my fears were unfounded.

A friend I trust has eaten there since it reopened recently and says the space is much nicer, and the food just as tasty.

Dogwood, by the way, was awarded Best New Restaurant in Baltimore Magazine's Best of Baltimore 2007 issue, so I guess it's good it did reopen.

It's hard to fault the place, which is about as eco-gourmet as local restaurants come, for anything except it doesn't have a liquor license yet.

Tip: It's worth getting on Dogwood's e-mail list to get deals you wouldn't know about otherwise.

Tip No. 2: The restaurant has its own parking lot in back. 

(Kenneth K. Lam/Sun Photographer) 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)
        

I got this e-mail recently from a pr person for OpenTable.com, the online reservations system: 

I noticed on your blog that you wrote about OpenTable a few months back (May 18), and I thought you might be interested in learning a bit more about its recent growth in the Baltimore area. ...

I had noticed that the system has added new restaurants lately, and not just fancy ones (Mustang Alley's!!??), so I said sure, and shot off some e-mail questions to Ann Shepherd, senior director of consumer marketing for the company. Some of the answers were a little pitchy, but there was enough of interest to make them worth repeating here in shortened form: ... 

What sparked the growth in the Baltimore area this year?

We're currently at 98 restaurants online -- that represents a 38% growth over last year. ...Besides actively selling in the market, we've had terrific referrals from our existing customers. Restaurateurs and their employees tend to be our biggest advocates and often "sell" their industry friends on the OpenTable system.

More Baltimore restaurateurs understand the benefit of replacing their old index-card method of noting diner preferences with the OpenTable system. OpenTable allows restaurateurs to maintain a guest database so they can treat every diner as a VIP by remembering their and dislikes, such as allergies, special occasions and other information that can enhance the dining experience.

Why are there sometimes odd times available like 6:15 and 6:45 but not 6:30, and yet there are tables available if you call?

The availability that you see on OpenTable.com is a direct reflection of the way that the restaurant has set up its reservation book. Each restaurant sets its book up differently, to reflect the unique dining patterns and management needs of that business. When a diner searches OpenTable.com for restaurant reservations, the results reflect the actual availability at that restaurant at that point in time. Because a restaurant may have flexibility to reconfigure tables (combining two tables for two into one table for four, for example) or reassess the expected completion time of a previous dining party, hostesses are sometimes able to accommodate diners by phone. However, it's important to note that the availability of tables in restaurants changes quite literally on an hourly basis, as diners make, cancel and tweak reservations.  OpenTable.com users often report reserving a table online after having been told over the phone that the restaurant couldn't accommodate them.

Have you made any recent changes in your site to make it more user friendly?

We recently added some new features to search, including the "Find a Restaurant by Name" feature that allows diners to type a restaurant name in the search box to find local matches on OpenTable. We also enhanced our "Search by Location" feature to remember a user's selected geography so that it is pre-populated on the next visit. Finally, we made improvements to our OpenTable Favorites section, an area where registered users can select and store their favorite restaurants.

If you do decide to use the system, be sure to sign up for the Diner Rewards program. I haven't heard much negative about OpenTable, but if your experience hasn't been good, let me know.

 

Posted by Elizabeth Large at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)