Dining@Large: Monday Morning Quarterbacking - Baltimore restaurants: The dish on the restaurant scene, memorable meals, dining trends and more

I feel like I've abandoned you this morning. I'm still in vacation mode, I guess, and having trouble doing anything on schedule today.

I'm just proud that I don't have to label this Monday Afternoon Quarterbacking.

Among the many hundreds of e-mails that were in my inbox when I got back was one from Stephanie Charles about my review of Sushi Hana in Lake Falls Village:

You don't have to "guess" why Panda Gourmet closed; you could have asked. This successful Chinese restaurant closed because it's owners reached retirement age, and their children who have professional careers chose not to continue in the restaurant business.

I can't help but wonder why you devoted the entire lead paragraph of your review of Sushi Hana to the Panda speculating that perhaps it was the "quality of the food" that caused it to close. What was the point? ...

Actually I devoted the whole lead paragraph to speculating that there were a number of things that might be the reason it closed: the hidden location, the lack of a liquor license. The point of the lead was that those things are still true. In the past several years whenever I was in there, the Panda was empty except for carryout orders. That's in stark contrast to Sushi Hana's early success.

The owners may have retired, but to me that's not a reason for its closing. If the Panda Gourmet had been as successful as Ms. Charles suggested, my guess is that the new owners would have kept the restaurant as it was.

I liked the Panda Gourmet, and the owners and staff always seemed really nice. I can see how people who were regulars would feel angry at me for pointing out that maybe the food wasn't the greatest and that toward the end it didn't seem to be doing as well as it had in the past.

(Algerina Perna/Sun photographer)

Comments

Did this seem like the longest week ever?

Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | June 23, 2008 11:35 AM

Stop thinking and start typing, Review Monkey!

Necessary emoticon: >|8>)

What is the retirement age for pandas?

Posted by: This Owl Machine Kills Fascists | June 23, 2008 11:46 AM

TOMKF, since all the pandas I've seen have been doing nothing but eating, sleeping, and mugging for the cameras, what would retirement mean to a panda? I mean, what else would she or he do?

Posted by: Mr. Old Fart | June 23, 2008 12:00 PM

I see Owl Meat is channeling Woody Guthrie.

Posted by: Hal Laurent, VoR, WTF | June 23, 2008 12:01 PM

It did seem like a pretty long week. But I hope EL had a great vacation, everyone needs a break now and then.

Posted by: Rob in PCB FL | June 23, 2008 12:51 PM

Bravo Laurent. I was just in a fascist killin' mood this mornin'.

Don't forget, this land is your land (and other socialist non-ADM approved thoughts).

Posted by: This Owl Meat Kills Fascists | June 23, 2008 3:18 PM

I would be curious what Sushi Hanna is doing to the other Chiyo Sushi in Mount Washington.

I know that since Sushi Hanna opened up, I haven't been to Chiyo even though I've always had good food there.

Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | June 23, 2008 9:51 PM

Panda retirement home