Cease fire declared in restaurant war that never was
Chef Patrick Morrow of soon-to-open Bluegrass in South Baltimore would like you to know: He wasn’t talking trash about Langermann’s.
In EL’s final Table Talk column in The Sun the other day, she wrote: “I asked Morrow how he would compare his menu to Langermann’s and he described it as ‘more refined. It’s not barbecue and collard greens.’”
Baltimore Magazine’s food blog ran the comment by chef Neal Langermann and reported that he’d been surprised by it. Headline on the item: “War of the South.”
Morrow phoned me today to say he’d been misunderstood. (He’d also tried EL, but she was already out the door.) Morrow said he wasn’t comparing his restaurant to Langermann’s, but to a traditional barbecue joint.
“I’ve never eaten there and I definitely don’t want them to think I’m talking bad about their food,” Morrow said. “I don’t want another chef in the area thinking I’m talking down about him.”
For his part, Langermann told me he’d never been upset by the comment. Spicy Baltimore Magazine headline aside, the blog had only quoted him noting that his Canton restaurant offers more than traditional Southern food. (Barbecue, yes, but “not all over the menu,” he later told me. And not a collard green in the house, though “I imagine they’ll poke their head up on a special at some point.”)
“I wasn’t offended in any way, shape or form,” Langermann told me. “People are talking about it but certainly there’s no competition between myself and anybody.”
(Photo of Neil Langermann by Barbara Haddock Taylor/Baltimore Sun)
Comments
New headline:
Morrow Holla Hollow: The Rub? No Ribbing
And that's why I gave up suggesting titles for my guest posts for D@L and Midnight Sun.
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | February 19, 2010 5:17 PM
Good reporting. It's a pleasure to see you plunging right in.
Posted by: Michael A. Gray | February 19, 2010 6:26 PM
What if they gave a restaurant war and nobody came?
Posted by: hmpstd | February 19, 2010 6:40 PM
too bad you learned it was nothing BEFORE you posted! Then it could have become something!
Posted by: Joyce W. | February 19, 2010 7:37 PM
Maybe we could form a committee (like they do in Annapolis) and investigate why this never was! I think I see a week's worth of blog entries here.Captcha turnbull needed is that prophetic or what?
Posted by: Big Al | February 19, 2010 10:06 PM
Link spam at 11:49 PM! (It's shilling fake designer footwear from China.)
Posted by: hmpstd | February 20, 2010 6:52 AM
It is not a Southern war until someone says: "Sir, you have offended my honor" in a Foghorn Leghorn voice
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | February 20, 2010 9:27 AM
I'm picturing that RoCK and cracking up!
Posted by: Joyce W. | February 20, 2010 1:12 PM
Yeah, an older gentelman in a white linen suit and a Van Dyke beard slapping the offender with his glove.
Posted by: RayRay | February 20, 2010 1:27 PM
I am reminded of a certain Southern gentleman that Christopher Walken played on SNL. I believe he was a Colonel.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 20, 2010 3:22 PM
My girlfriend loves Colonel Angus.
Posted by: RayRay | February 20, 2010 3:40 PM
*sigh* When IS that Blue Grass gonna open, anyway? It's been delayed enough, no?
Posted by: Maggi | February 20, 2010 5:19 PM