Knowing that restaurants present their best looking dishes in the best possible manner and that the Sun photogs take the best possible photos, that is one unappetizing plate of ... purple meat egg roll? Not a clue.

It's a roast beef wrap. Didn't they pay attention when the Sandbox decided that wraps were so last century?

Purple roast beef? That looks like something out of the HMS Scurvy. Why do you have photos of food that is not reviewed? Yeah, even Subway decided wraps are lame. It looks deep-fried to me.

American cheese? Red flag.

I read the review. What I took away from it was that the soup was good and that if you lower your expectations everything else ranged from barely adequate to awful.

Rev'Ed, you like spray on crab flavour?

I'm wearing it right now, thank you very much

Correction, the gumbo was good enough for his low expectations. I think of gumbo as soup.

There seems to be a bit of a blue cast to the plate's color in that photo. Perhaps the white balance is off and that's why the alleged roast beef looks so awful.

If I cared more (or had excess spare time), I'd suck that picture into Photoshop and test my theory.

Maybe I'll ditch my Axe body spray when I'm trolling for broads in Dundalk and try some of that crab spray.

Richard whould have read my post on this place a while back and saved himself a bad meal. I didn't think the beer was very good either.

EL, "bad" may be too strong a word; I'd describe Richard's recent choices as "indifferent." When I worked at UMB, I had lunch a couple of times at Wharf Rat. The food was pretty much what Richard described today ... unimpressive. It's a pity ... the place is ideally situated to snag a lot of traffic, but if the food ain't worth it, why bother?

Here's my twitter review: If you're really hungry, they have food.

EEL --

Of course I read your post :) !!!

Richard

Sunshine,

I drank the ESB on cask when I was there and didn't think much of it. I was wondering what you had that you liked.

Mark

I've had a bunch of the brews there and never liked any of them. They feel unfinished.

When you're reviewing off-beat restaurants, the odds on having a lousy meal (or on having a surprisingly good one) go up. Richard calls it like he tastes it. Which may not always endear him to chefs and owners. But it works for us.

Cask-conditioned ales are an acquired taste for Americans. The lack of "expected" carbonation is disconcerting when one is used to American (and German, for that matter) beers.

Oddly, I don't think I've ever cared that much for one in the States, but I drink them when I'm in England.

Since I drink my dinner perhaps too often, I consider beer to be worthy of this blog. That said, I am fond of Oliver's offerings. Their 3 Lions, Manchester Cream Ale, and Old Habit are all worth a try (or ten).

When you're reviewing off-beat restaurants, ...

Off-beat? Off-beat like American cheese on burgers? Or chicken wings? Yeah, that's crazy stuff.

The tasselled tooth picks on the purple meat are kind of wacky in a, say, 1967 upscale luncheonette, original Darren. kind of way.

Jeeeeeeaaaaannniiiieeeeee ... get me out of here....................

I don't like highly carbonated beers. I just think their's are without nuance and complexity.

Voodoo Pork, you're right -- my wording could have been better. I meant "off the beaten track" restaurants, those less likely to be reviewed than larger, newer or more traditional restaurants.

Speaking of cask ales, last week I tried a Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale. It was very good, creamy and had subtle bourbon flavor.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can get it in Maryland. I went to Wells to see if they could special order it, but no. Does anyone one know of a liquor store that might be able to help me out?

Unlike Hal I have found cask ales I love all over the US. My first was an IPA at the Phantom Canyon Brewpub in Colorado Springs. Cellar temperature, no artificial carbonation. I fell in love immediately. The best I have found in this area are the stout at Appalachian Brewing and Hop Devil at Victory. Normally brewers put their best, most complex beers on cask for people to enjoy slowly not chugged out of an ice cold mug. That is why I choose the ESB on cask at Pratt. Believe me there is nothing extra, nothing special, and most certainly nothing bitter about this beer.

Since we are on the subject of beer I haven't had a really good Porter since Capital Brewery closed at the Inner Harbor. Any suggestions? Other than traveling to DC or Virginia for Capitals other locations.

Unfortunately, I don't think you can get it in Maryland. I went to Wells to see if they could special order it, but no. Does anyone one know of a liquor store that might be able to help me out?
hey robert, contact me at walther liquors, if it can be got in Md I can get it.
-Ken

Yea, I looked at the Ky Bourbon Barrel Ale website, and it says it is only available in Kentucky.

Unfortunately, our liquor laws in Maryland prohibit mail order sales, so I'm going to have to wait until I make it back down there again.

EEL

I had the ESB as well, and I thought the same thing as you. I struggled over how much to include about the beers in the review. I ended up thinking that you could wander into PSAH and leave not knowing that beer is being brewed there. (I know the menu talks about them, but they just didn't feel essential.)