EL, I love the idea of this new weekly feature! I've actually been a little surprised not to have more commenting on Sunday's review on the blog.

The only time we went to Kali's Court (on someone else's dime) it was a freezing, snowy night, and the whole place was quite cold--but that was a few years back.

I saw the MMQB section yesterday on the side bar. When nothing came up, I just figured it was a bug in the blog software. Perhaps the Ravens blog was encroaching on your blog.

I should be so lucky. Maybe my philosophical guru, No. 52 , would comment on it then sometime. EL

Could you include a link to the Sunday review in case we didn't see it or couldn't find it online?

Will do. If I can find it online. EL

Were you offered the table because you've been "outed" by management?

I really love Kali's Court- last summer I got to sit at the little table on the upstairs (outside) balcony- it was beautiful. You really can't go wrong with Mezze either- which is why i'm excited to try the new one in the group- Meli.

Let us know what you think. EL

Dining@Large was mentioned today on WBAL. The guy who runs Baltimore Foodies was on talking about the foie gras ban, and he mentioned how the response was so overwhelming that the blog was shut down.

Now, this is not entirely true. Yes, that part of the blog was shut down, but that was due to your decision. The site didn't crash or anything.

He also said that your blog normally gets like 5 or 6 comments, but the foie gras post got 350. Yes, many posts only get 5 or 6 comments, but there are many besides foie gras that get dozens of responses, such as crab cakes, burgers and of course tipping.

That being said, I'm glad Baltimore foodies spoke out against the foie gras bans. It is certainly a passion issue with me, and I tried to do my part as well, both on your blog and by contacting my state reps.

Is that skate in the top photo?

Yes, with forbidden rice. EL

Going back to the discussion on stars, after reading your thoughts on the food in the review, I am a bit confused why you only gave Kali's 2 1/2 stars for their food. That seems to be a much harsher criticism than what comes across in your review. Based on your review alone, I am inclined to think that a trip to Kali's would be very enjoyable and that the food would be very impressive, but based on the stars, I would probably not consider it as a dining option.

Yes, that worried me. But my dish, the bouillabaisse, really wasn't up to the rest of the meal -- even though it was priced at $36. The ravioli and pork chop I thought both had too much going on to be completely successful. The carrot soup was too sweet. That's a lot of complaints, even if they are minor ones, for a restaurant where our check was in the $300 range. Which raises another question: Should I take price into consideration when assigning stars? Whether I should or shouldn't, I do. Also, remember that two and a half stars is better than "fair or uneven." EL

Clearly foie gras makes you crazy or at least innumerate. 350 comments?

Thanks for the explanation. I agree that price should certianly be a factor included in a restaurant review. If the prices are that high, as are Kali's, then the kitchen better deliver nearly flawless food. There is nothing worse than leaving a restaurant feeling like you've just been duped.

To follow the spirit of the ever lovely Dahlink's opening comment, and since we are breaking new ground, I have an idea.

Open Table

Many times an idea occurs but none of the current threads is appropriate (such as commenting on Sunday's review going into the market in the rain.) If Open Table were a Category you could always jump to it, post and bring OT into the current active blog listings.

That's a great idea; but unfortunately, the software won't work the way, say, Chowhound's does. If you posted under an Open Table entry, all it would do is show your comment for awhile in the five most recent comments section to the right. You can accomplish the same thing simply by using the search function for Open Table. But your thoughts will get more readership by posting your comment under the most recent entry, whatever it is. It's not like anyone else stays on topic; why should you? That's one of the things that amuses me about the blog. I can never figure out how we sometimes get from point A to point B, but often the off topic ends up being more interesting than my original post. EL

I agree with XS... if you're going out for a $300+ meal, then your expectations are a lot higher than for a $50 meal.

There is a Baltimore food blogger who does price/food ratio reviews. I think that the person is an economist by trade, so it makes sense.

This quarterbacking idea is neat. When reading the review yesterday I noted the $30 prices. I think you are totally justified to consider price, because your expectations are higher at Kali's Court, Black Olive, Charleston, etc. I think that a $36 bouillabaise, fisherman's soup, better be able to deliver the haute part of the cuisine, or it's just fish soup de jour. And then again can you reconcile spending $36 for fish soup? By the way did it have rouille on the side?

Maybe it was the Greek version. EL

Last spring, friends and I were seated at the table you can see through the window and to the left in the photo above... it was one of the most beautiful settings I've ever eaten in. We were surrounded by flowers and greenery, and we felt almost as if we were alone. Who could imagine that we were actually just steps from Thames Street.

Big props to Kali's Court for having outdoor seating and doing it right.

I would agree about price needing to be part of the equation. While there's nothing worse than $300+ for a night of culinary mediocrity, there's that great feeling of finding something really, really good without busting one's wallet.

I suppose that fin de siècle still means the end of the 19th Century? I sure hope I never go to an expensive restaurant that evokes the end of the 20th. What would that be like? Posters of the Blair Witch Project, Fight Club and the Matrix? Celine Dion, Madonna and Shania Twain in the background? Sounds like a recipe for the Fin de la Vie Club.

I keep forgetting that. EL

+1 for including price in your overall rating. I'm thinking (atmosphere + food + service) / price.

I took my mom to Kali's for brunch when she visited in February and we sat at that table. Who knew I had connections? Ok, there were only like 8 other guests in the whole restaurant. She said she thought it would be a really interesting spot to be seated if rain was pouring down at the windows. We had the three-course brunch, and I thought that both the food and the waiter were pretty great. My basil-tomato soup could have had a little more je ne sais quoi, and my mimosa could have a little less pulp, but the salmon omlette and the cheesecake finale were pretty spot-on. They also sent out a slightly-boozy spiced nut bread after we were seated, and my mom loved that. I eat at fancy-pants restaurants often (sign of a fancy-pants restaurant: someone refolds your napkin while you are in the john), but there I thought the price was fair for the food, service and atmosphere,

I would imagine the fin de siècle restaurant would have to serve a tower of Chilean Sea Bass, Ostrich and polenta with an accompanying trio of foams.

I feel a separate entry coming on. EL

Does anyone here actually LIKE foam? To me it just looks (and feels) like spit --or some horrible byproduct of a surgery gone wrong.

oops, I intended to type that I DON'T eat at fancy restaurants often (what a snob) as evidenced by my love affair with Five Guys, my special-occassion $3 greasy breakfasts from McDonald's, and the steaming bowls of poverty (+Guinness) that I will be cooking up for St. Patty's Day.

Heather, "je ne sais quoi" sends up a fancy-pants flare, "spot-on" makes me want to slap Madonna with a trout, but "steaming bowl of poverty" tickled me fancy. Bravo. Plus Girl+Guinness=Awesome. SgtGrumbles gets the award for best name of the day so far. I've noticed an explosion of interetsing names lately. Thank god, now the mean Robs may stop picking on me. I'm a delicate flower.

Does anyone here actually LIKE foam?

I believe Elizabeth's husband likes beet foam, followed by a garden burger with bacon.

I'm not going to tell him you said that. Especially the beet foam part. EL

The Greek influence is because the owner is Greek. Hence Mezze (or mezza) which is Greek for appetizer. I could literally eat at Mezze everyday (and have) and love Kali's for special occasions.

Would you be willing to add what you thought of the wine that you had with the meal? Maybe if the server recommended a wine that went well with the food? I do realize that you are not reviewing wine.

I allow myself one glass of wine -- before dinner -- when I'm reviewing, although I know that's unusual. But I feel strongly there needs to be a designated driver, and because I'm the one working, it might as well be me. That's why I don't say much about the wine although I'll mention the list itself. Usually everyone else orders by the glass, occasionally because they want a cocktail and a glass of wine, sometimes because they want a red when someone else wants a white. (The exception is a place like Cinghiale where I wanted to see the sommelier in action.) EL

Wine? Of course she is reviewing wine. WIne is part of the meal Crisco kid. Wine!

Yes- please include wine as part of your review (I'm guessing you always dine solo- some reviewers in other cities have a cadre of friends that they dine with; if nothing else you can enjoy wine with dinner knowing the other person can drive home), and a thousand nays (or non) to foams. It just clutters up good food and takes away from everything; I see a big dollop of foam on something, and I'm thinking "why would you ruin a perfectly good entree with foam; what is the chef trying to hide?". I think foam would be good on those Steaming Bowls of Poverty though.

Voodoo Pork- the 1990's are the new 1890's. Behold Ricky Martin!