Italian restaurants revisited
Well, Italian restaurants are certainly a hot topic, as we found out yesterday. I think 40 comments on one post is a record for me.
In case you missed it, Jim Seay raised an excellent point that certainly deserves a response:
I assume you have never owned a restaurant. The friends I have that do work incredibly hard to make their places a success. I am sure the food at Cinghiale is good (I feel I am practically an investor at their other restaurants I go so often) but to crown them as top ten without going there is a slight to those that have established successful businesses already such as Tiburzis in Canton. ...
(Amy Davis/Sun Photographer)
In an ideal world, Jim, you are absolutely right. Unfortunately, if you haven't read this blog before, you missed my Official Disclaimer. (Scroll down a bit.)
I have been to Tiburzi's, but that was before it expanded, which I'm gathering it must have by now. At the time I said, "Tiburzi's feels more like a neighborhood bar with decent food than cafe at the moment." I don't think it would be fair for me to judge it one way or another from that. Clearly I need to get back.
I like to think of my list as actually the Top Ten Italian Places Outside Little Italy I'd Want My Rich Uncle to Take Me to When He's in Town, but that's kind of a cumbersome title. So bear with me.
If it were that list, then I could rank the restaurants, and it would go like this:
1) Cinghiale
2) Osteria 177
3) Sotto Sopra
4) Cafe Troia
5) Pazza Luna
6) Trattoria Alberto
7) Liberatore's
8) Aida Bistro
9) Sammy's
10) Victor's Cafe (I've never been there either)
Think of me as someone you ask (because I eat in a lot of restaurants and hear from a lot of people about their experiences in restaurants), "I want Italian. Where should I go?" And I answer to the best of my ability. I take the suggestions of readers of this blog seriously, so knowing what I know now I might well have included Pasta Plus (remember, this is a joint effort), but unfortunately no one mentioned it when I asked for suggestions.
Comments
I too, like Jim Seay, was wondering how Cinghiale was a slam dunk on the top 10. We went there, read the menu, looked around, and thought that it seemed more like a place that belonged in Inner Harbor. Vito's Cafe in Cockeysville would get my vote over Cinghiale. We are at La Scala.
Posted by: Dave | October 24, 2007 1:28 PM
Tiburzi's, Tiburzi's, Tiburzi's. Quality, portions and service are all outstanding.
Posted by: Bobby | October 24, 2007 2:13 PM
Fazzini's in Cockeysville will earn no points for style. It's essentially a carry-out with seat-yourself tables and no ambiance to get excited about...
But the food! It blew my mind! They make all their own pasta, their sauces are out of this world, their pizza is delicious and they even have a great Cream of Crab soup. It's one thing I miss about living north of the city, being able to grab a Pasta Fazzini on the way home.
Posted by: Miles | October 24, 2007 2:17 PM
Places your wish your right uncle would take you? Come on Elizabeth. I know everyone in Baltimore likes to think of themselves as blue collar, but I don't think you can quite pull that off. Anyone who reads this blog knows you always off to LA or Rome, and that you probably live in Roland Park, Homewood or Ruxton.
That's why I can't afford to go to these places on my own :-)
Posted by: Robert | October 24, 2007 2:33 PM
I have been to Tiburzi's several times. The food, service, and atmosphere are excellent. Pasta and sauce is wonderful!!!!!!!!!!!!! Move over Little Italy, as this is the best.
Posted by: Missy | June 12, 2008 1:12 AM
Shill alert -- yet another post from some idiot trying to create traffic for a useless, uninformative website!
Thanks. EL
Posted by: hmpstd | May 3, 2009 7:38 PM
2009 update--Tiburzi's is gone and their web domain for sale. Tabrizi's is still there, over in the warm Harborview development on Key Highway...but not very crowded.
Posted by: chowsearch | May 4, 2009 2:15 AM
Tiburzi's in Canton has reopened under a new name. I'm thinking maybe it's Clutch? They painted it green recently, and I'm pretty sure that they are open now.
Posted by: RayRay | May 4, 2009 8:58 AM
The Best Italian eating experience is at DA MIMMO !
I took my husband Saturday at Da MImmo in the Little Italy to dine because it's the only place we love to go...no matter what you order, every dish is excellent! All servers recite a long list of their specialties without any "notes". The service is always awsome.I had the specialy "SEA BASS" and my husband had the "LOBSTER TETRAZZINI".Everything was to the perfection! I love the way Chef Masood presented the vegetables with my dish, in a red leaf cabbage.With Italian music playing in the back ground makes it a very nice touch!Da Mimmo has also a beautiful bar lounge, with a fire place and live music at 7pm. I never thought we would be as lucky as we were, but TONY BENNETT was dining there when we arrived! And we got to take a photo with him:) Thanks to Mary Ann Criccio who kindely asked Mr. Bennett if we could.
Anyone who loves good Italian cuisine should try DA MIMMO,we been going there for fiftheen years,and we will keep on going.You never know when you may see a Celebrity!!!
It was the best surprise ever for my husband to see Tony Bennett, and then we went to his concert:)It was awsome!
Posted by: Rosa | December 7, 2009 3:49 PM
Rosa, do you work at Da Mimmo?
Posted by: Hal Laurent | December 7, 2009 7:42 PM
I wonder if the 12 servers reciting tell her prices of the specials?
Posted by: chowsearch | December 7, 2009 10:33 PM
Rosa and hubby must have deep pockets, from what I've heard about Da Mimmo's prices.
Posted by: Dahlink | December 8, 2009 5:49 AM
Rosa sounds rather shill-like, reopening an old thread to post her "experience at Da Mimmo".
Peo- secede
Posted by: PCB Rob | December 8, 2009 2:59 PM
If I am not mistaken Victor's is gone from the dining scene as well, They moved from the Inner Harbor area (Ate there once, was not impressed) to Timonium in the old Donna's locale, and they left there as well. Did they move somewhere else that I'm unaware of?
Posted by: MDtopdad | December 8, 2009 7:02 PM
Victor's is indeed gone MDtopdad, but I'd heard that Victor's daughter had opened a place in White Marsh? or Harford Co or something?
Sad about the city Victor's. They had the view of all views at the time and really good cream of crab soup!
Posted by: Joyce W. | December 8, 2009 7:40 PM