Cinghiale always seems to get people fired up; some love it, others can't understand the fuss. What better way to break in a newbie than with an assignment sure to make half the people mad?

captcha: szegedin david

Is our new reviewer Hungarian?

Hopefully the new blog person will allow some topic swerve. :-)

Tulane drafting=Cleatus' old college football coach duties

In this case, change is good for you. We'll have to wait and see if it is good for us.
I kind of think the best way to gauge the new critic's style is for him/her to review an old Baltimore institution that everybody has been to. I'm sure there is something out there that is due for review. That creates the baseline for the critic to compare against trendy/ethnic restaurants.
And I notice that you have been avoiding the pleadings of your subjects to meet the Queen. What is this... "let them eat cake?" It's time for you to come out of your castle :-)
Please...

A meet up sounds like fun, but I'm not scheduling anything except a trip to San Diego Saturday. And I'm not coming back until you can promise me no more snow this season. :-) EL

EL, are you able to tell us if the new person is local? I think if they are moving in from out of town, they might not want to do an old favorite right out of the gate, especially if they don't have a good experience. We are a provincial town after all, and I'm not sure how well received it would be if some "carpetbagger" comes in an trounces the Prime Rib or Tio Pepe's.

Honestly, I don't know who it will be yet. It hasn't been decided. Are you applying? EL

What makes a blog like this successful is the amount of effort the host puts into it. Kasper's beer blog failed because he would go days with a new topic. It seems to me El puts a tremendous amount of time into this blog and I am not sure a new host will do the same.

As far as change goes I am a firm believer that the best thing a person can say or hear is "nothing new here."

EL, we understand if you'd like to close out with privacy so you can go merrily about your way in peace, maybe even eat out without coddling and drinks sent over...or whatever the kitchen sends out to those they think have wronged them...

Yes, that occurred to me. I think I'm getting a little paranoid in my old age. :-) EL

What about Richard?

Or Laura Vozzella?

Elizabeth, as a labor of love, I would love to be your replacement; however, as a career move the only thing that would be less stable than taking a job with a newspaper would be taking one in the auto industry.

Or in the restaurant industry.

RoCK, there aren't any jobs in the auto industry.

I agree that if the first few reviews are of restaurants that are familiar (Cinghiale, Peter's Inn) to folks, that helps us to get an idea of their style and preferences.

As for this blog...I hope whoever takes it over finds their own voice. They can't be Elizabeth and if they try to be, it'll be ugly.

I rather expect I won't be hanging out here after the 19th. That's fine. Nothing lasts forever. There are a lot of folks who don't like how this blog turned out, they should get their chance.

Lissa, come join me over at the pet blog (kidding!). But seriously, don't give up on it yet. Good point that we have to recognize that whoever takes over cannot and will not be just like EL. But, we may still be able to maintain some sense of "us". If not, maybe my captcha predicts our response...

mooners the

Review Golden West first!

Point to Carol in Hampden!

Particularly weird Captcha: concentrated bogart.

Lissa, before you, go, are there other SE places we should know about beyond Chicken Rico, and if any pop up, please consider dropping in at the follow-on blog attempt to let us know.

chowsearch, I'm fond of Tijuana Tacos, my neighbourhood Mexican joint. There is another one in Upper Fells, but I haven't eaten there. Probably not worth a trip from Owings Mills, but good, solid Mexican food, verified by a Texan (trusting a Michigander on Mexican food is like trusting a Republican on debt). Tortilleria Sinaloa is also well worth a visit, but I'm sure you knew about them.

But, yeah, Chicken Rico is worth a trip from Owings Mills, at least once.

Carol in Hampden, now you are just causing trouble. I like it!

Thanks. Any word on how far east the new incarnation of Eastern House is, and if it's worth a visit?

chowsearch, I'm embarassed that I've never eaten at Eastern House. Walked by it a million times, it is right there across the street from the Southeast Library (where I used to fill in from time to time), but always was seduced by the perfect skin of Chicken Rico chicken to continue on a half block down the street.

Just never been able to resist perfect skin on a chick, I guess.

I've been meaning to try both the Eastern House and Eichenkranz. They are on my Eastern Avenue to-do-list.

Eichenkranz was ok. Nice, old fashioned relaxing room with slow service and mediocre food off a small menu. I miss the German and Polish restaurants of Detroit.

Any changes you'd like to see incorporated?

Look....I'm trying to remain calm about this. Contemplating changes is not cconducive toward that end.

I didn't mean to stir things up by suggesting the Golden West Cafe as the first place the new reviewer should check out. I know that many D@L bloggers hate the place, and probably just as many like it. I'm in the latter category - never had a bad experience in regard to service or food. I think the new EL should review it first because no matter which way the review goes, there's gonna be protest. And that's alwsys fun,

Eastern House is entirely asian now. Mostly seafood/sushi. I did walk by during a snowstorm and there was a hand lettered sign that read "Warm up with a bowl of wanton soup".
I thought that Eichenkranz was just off of Eastern Ave.

Eichenkranz is about a short block off Eastern.