What a handsome guy!

Stopped in at Mi Viejo Pueblito Sunday for a late lunch. I had been to Fiesta Mexicana once, which was a tasty meal though a utilitarian location. MVP is not fancy, but the larger sized and brightly colored dining room was a nice spot for a sunny afternoon.

I got the quesadillas with chorizo and papas and pollo (not the spicy). They were crispy and hot, covered in crema and queso fresco and lettuce. The quesadillas are not the flat style but are folded over into a pocket and fried. The fillings are generous and highly flavored, though not overwhelming. I appreciate that my taste buds are not assaulted by my food. I managed to eat two of them and a plate of black beans and rice, which were nicely flavored and not too heavy. My only regret is that I was alone. I think the best approach here is to get several items and split them among your party.

My waitress was very nice, since the crowd was light the service was fast, and the owner dropped by my table and was happy to hear I'd learned about the restaurant via D@L.

It was a busy weekend, with a mix of terrific food, and eh…fast food.... I had to rush to a rehearsal at the Engineer’s Club on Thursday, so I had dinner at the bar. They make a really terrific bacon cheese burger on ciabatta. It paired well with crispy fries and a Famous Grouse. Friday was a performance night so I had to snag a spicy Italian from Subway (one of their better sandwiches, but still…Subway)…

Saturday was a nice surprise – Lunch at Turp’s, on the corner of Mount Royal and Charles. The service was really great, the food was terrific, and the prices were incredibly cheap for our neighborhood. Four of us ordered different sandwiches, which were all delicious, and came with house made potato chips. They were all less than $8, and the portions were enormous. This type of place is not usually something I enjoy, so we hadn’t been, even though it is only a few blocks from home for us. I was pleasantly surprised to have such a great experience here, and will certainly return. Saturday evening we visited The Owl Bar. We go there frequently, and the food was very good as usual. Meatloaf is not something I would typically order, but a friend of mine had raved about it the week before, so I decided to give it a try. It was absolutely the best thing I have eaten there, and I cleaned my plate, a rare occurrence for me. Friends at the table also really enjoyed the jambalaya and the pasta primavera. There were a few issues with our service, but nothing major, especially considering they were very crowded. Meatloaf…who knew?

Sunday was a crazy day, so I had to grab lunch at McDonald’s between gigs. I made peace with my squashed chicken sandwich, knowing the third gig of the day would feed we very, very well. The six course menu at Sotto Sopra is always impressive, and last night was my favorite menu there so far. The dishes were each distinctive, yet maintained perfectly complementary flavor profiles. The first course, Wallo Crudo with marinated artichokes, porcini-celery vinaigrette, pea shoots; the second course, White Asparagus Tartar with grapefruit, avocado, hearts of palm, black truffle mayonnaise; and the fourth course, Sunchoke Creamed Spinach Tortellini & Veal Sweetbread Spiedini with lemon feta vinaigrette and mint were the true highlights of the evening. Several of my friends were there last evening, two of them vegan, and one with severe food allergies. Once again the kitchen accommodated them graciously, and with a creative flair that was highly appreciated. Looking forward to next month!

thanks!

Friday evening D and I had a 5 course dinner (plus appetizer) at Christopher Daniel matched with 6 Heavy Seas beers. It was surprising how well each beer complemented each of the 6 foods. There is an extensive literature on matching foods and beers just like food and wine pairings. There are also beer aroma wheels analogous to wine aroma wheels that specify flavor-aroma profiles.

Had an unbelievably good meal at Uzbek restaurant Silk Road Choyhona in Pikesville. http://thisisgonnabegood.blogspot.com/2011/03/silk-road-bistro-choyhona-pikesville-md.html

I loved many of the new menu offerings at B&O. I didn't get to sample any of the entrees because I was there rather early and not in the mood for full dinner, but we ordered 7 apps and they were all great except for 2. We tried the grits, deviled eggs, pork belly, prawns, chickpea fritters, trio of housemade sausage, and green onion sausage flatbread. ALL were excellent except for the pork belly and flatbread. I've had flatbreads at B&O before and they were spot on, but this was too thin. Ok I understand it is 'flat' bread, but with the sauce, cheese, and sausage it sort of fell apart. The toppings were just too heavy for the flatbread. Pork belly was just ok. There was way too much fat and hardly any meat. I loved the potato hash though...I'd take more of that over the pork. I can say one thing, the B&O makes some awesome sausage. The green onion sausage was excellent and the trio of sausage was even better. Washed all that down with some Queen Bee cocktails.