Baltimore Diner should materialize soon. Things have to be done to it.

Meanwhile. wraps are gaining in popularity (Nation's Restaurant News)

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 8:26 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Cody Evans drinks lemonade on her front porch? (Baltimore Sun photo

Steamed crabs at Mr. Bill's Terrrace Inn? (Baltimore Sun/Colby Ware)

Diner?

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 6:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

Baltimore Diner opens tomorrow.

You will be able to jump on the blog from several places on the Baltimore Sun website., but your best bet is the main Dining page.

[I'll add a direct link as soon as it's up tomorrow.]

I think of Baltimore Diner as:

1) Diner, a place; the blog itself, a place where we all meet, informally, to chew the fat.

2) Diner, a person; you and you, men and women who live in and around Baltimore.  

I like it. (Probably because I thought of it.) I hope you do, too.

Note, please: "Baltimore" here certainly doesn't mean that we're narrowing our outlook. I just thought it sounded nicer than "Maryland Diner."

It's going to be an adjustment for me. The act of posting is fairly baroque in the new system. And of course, it will mean changes for you. In order to post comments, you will have to register. But other aspects of the new format, are subject to change, so don't hesitate to email me at richard.gorelick@baltsun.com with your feedback.

Good news: For the time being, you will be able to access the Dining@Large archives here.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 1:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)
        

So, let's use this space to say good-bye to Dining@Large as we know it.

Here's a link to Elizabeth's first month of D@L posting, from April 2007. 

UPDATE:

Well, I thought they were back. We're proceeding gingerly after  a spam attack that temporarily disabled them; the Tech staff is continuing to work through issues related to fully restoring commenting.   

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (8)
        

Man, the last days of Dining@Large remind me of HAL singing Daisy, Daiiiiiiizzzeee.

Tomorrow, I'll show the new blog title and logo. 

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 7:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)
        

Here's my Sunday review of Darbar in Fells Point and John Lindner's lunch review of Garry's Grill in Severna Park.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:12 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

All men are created equal, Paul Revere wrote on his Esquire blog, but are all daily deals?

That's what I was wondered after reading Jay Hancock's article in today's paper. I'm not sure dyed-in-the-wool cheapskates are going to plunk down $50 bucks for a Prime Rib deal (for $100 worth of food) and then whip out a calculator at the dinner table. That seemed more like a deal for twice-a-year Prime Rib customers who will now come in a third time.

I'd ask you what you thought, but the commenting is still down.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 9:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Last night at Woodberry Kitchen, the patrons dining on the patio, about 20 in all at separate tables, were informed by their server that a patron dining inside was picking up all of their checks. I heard this from one of the appreciative diners, a pay-it-forward type guy.

The patio diners were told that their benefactor just wanted to do it. The gentleman who paid the patio checks was quietly pointed out to the patio diners but his back was to them.

That sure was nice. Give or take, the checks would have come to $1,000.

Was it you?

Baltimore Sun photo/Kenneth K. Lam

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 9:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

The Farmers Market is ON for Labor Day weekend. That's great news.

I just got a call from Deputy Mayor Kaliope Parthemos confirming it. Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Parthenos told me, made the decision a few weeks ago. The market will be held in its regular location. 

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 1:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

UPDATE: The Farmer's Market is ON for Sunday, September 4. I just got a call from Deputy Mayor Kaliope Parthenos confirming it. The Mayor, Parthemos said, made the decision a few weeks ago. I hadn't been notified.   

Here's Michael Dresser's on the continuing traffic woes caused by preparations for the this summer's Baltimore Grand Prix.

There will be no Sunday farmers' market on September 4. Although the race track for the event doesn't cross the farmer's market grounds,  the city wants the  markets lots for event parking.

It's a drag for market-goers not to have the farmers market, of course, but it's a real setback for the vendors, particularly vendors. The Sunday of Labor Day weekend is among the most, if not the most, lucrative days of the market season. It makes sense. Summer produce is peaking, and folks are back at their routines.

I don't have a solution. I just know that there is one, if enough people want it.

A few farmers I spoke with said that a relocated market would be better than no market at all. 

If you have a good idea about how to save the Labor Day weekend Farmer's market, email it to me at richard.gorelick@baltsun.com and I'll update this post. Let me know if I can use your name.

Baltimore Sun photo/Algerina Perna

your responses below:

►Hi Richard, I'm sitting in a meeting and just read your blog - not knowing where the grand prix route is and thinking about easy access and parking - how about poly/western parking lots as an alternate site?

 
►How about hosting the farmers market in the parking lot of Western High School off Cold Spring and Falls Rd? It's just off 83 and is large enough. 

►Instead of using the under pass for parking and further adding to the congestion of get around for the grand prix, leave the under pass alone and keep the farmer’s market going that day. 
Use the parking lots at the Port Covington WalMart and now abandoned Sam’s club and simply bus people to the GP.

►Put the Farmer's Market in amongst all of the other vendors at the Grand Prix event.  Everyone hates the carny food that typically gets setup at events like this.  It would show off Baltimore's farmers.  It could be really cool.  Call the mayor.

►Perhaps at the location of another market but one that is closed on Sundays:  Waverly?

►What about the parking lot at Poly/Western? It's right on main roads and main bus lines. This will also keep it away from what will be a traffic nightmare in the heart of the city. - Kelley Ray
 

►my solution is have the big mkt spread out at all other mkt spaces that operate during the week.
call it farmers market day and highlight another great part of our city on a day people are watching. @bmoreconnected via Twitter

►Suggestion: Relocate the Market to Western/Poly’s Parking Lot. Big outdoor space that is convenient from the JFX. Also has a lightrail stop (Coldspring) and great service by bus. It is far enough away from downtown not to be TOO affected by Grand Prix congestion, but close enough to be convenient to typical Sunday FM customers. -David N. from Hampden.

►My solution is we tell the grand prix to sod off. Hanne Blank via Twitter.

►I'm sure Patterson Park could handle it. (Which is where it should be anyway! CookinLikKeller via Twitter.

►They should use the Falls Rd area between Maryland and Chestnut (near G-Spot, south)...under that massive bridge there. - via Facebook

►The business-unfriendly traffic tie-ups downtown are a hidden cost of this and will get worse. Other GP cities have been paralyzed. Course closings mean you can't even walk across town at the ones I've worked at. Already the crossing guards the city uses to police intersections apply baseless no left turn restrictions all over. the solution is to eat in Greektown. - via Facebook

►I’d recommend moving the Farmer’s Market to Patterson Park.  The park hosts several festivals throughout the year and the vendors will have access to the surrounding neighborhood.   I think it would be a win win.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A new edition of MasterChef begins tonight at 8 p.m. on Fox. Among the 100 amateur cooks competing for the MasterChef title is a single Marylander, David Bersch.

You may recognize Bersch from his front-of-house gigs at Three and Joe Squared.

[Actually, tonight is the first part of the two-part season premiere, which concludes tomorrow at 8 p.m. Bersch will appear at some point in the two-part premiere, and then we'll find out on Monday, June 13 whether Bersch has made the first cut, which awards to coveted "white apron" to 38 from the pool of 100.

I think.

A rep for the show tried valiantly to explain what we find out on the first three episodes, and when, but I'm afraid to commit to what I think the correct version is.]

Bersch sailed through the New York auditions with his roasted pork tenderloin marinated with brown sugar, cinnamon, cumin and coriander, which he serves with bacon-apple relish. "I was the last person they saw that day," Bersch told me about the New York auditions. "They're eyes lit up."

On the premiere episode, he'll be judged by host Gordon Ramsay (who plays a kinder, more supportive version of Gordon Ramsay on MasterChef) and the other judges.

Watch their eyes.

Check out Bersch's website. You can follow Bersch on his Twitter account: /DavidBersch

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 9:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Here's an extra big and alphabetical-by-blog-name roundup of recent posts from the blogs I follow.

I don't know how easy this kind of post will be with the new blog publishing platform. We'll see, but definitely let me know if you enjoy these posts and I'll find a way.

There are some links that I've been sharing on Twitter but not here, but I realize not everyone can abide Twitter.

Adventures of a Koodie: Eli's back! He's got a review of Peace A Pizza in Catonsville. This was actually a guest review Eli published on the Macaroni Kid website.

Amuse-bouche for Two: I liked this pretty post on pasta with tinned fish.

(a)Musing Foodie: Liza has a funny preview of the new Wegmans opening in Frederick on Sunday.

Beer in Baltimore: Alexander D. Mitchell IV posts the results of DuClaw's home brew competition. It's a peanut butter porter. Really. I learn a lot from Alexander's site. 

Center for Science in the Public Interest:  CSPI likes Choose My Plate, the USDA's new healthy eating  graphic, which is replacing the old food pyramid. But definitely see the Food Politics post below if you're interested in the topic.

Civil Eats: Vanessa Barrington wonders if we're in the first years of a Jewish deli Renaissance. Sure hope so.

Diner's Journal: I love the periodic What We're Reading post on the New York Times dining blog. (Once, they were reading me!) A recent round-up included this story on Pittsburgh's food-truck scene. Turns out food trucks there can't park within 500 feet of a brick-and-mortar restaurant AND the trucks have to move every 15 minutes!

Dining Dish: Dara always knows about things I don't know about, like the first Sunday cooking classes at Akbar and Amy Gjerde's 5@5 post on Eatrocracy about eating well gluten-free. Amy, of course, is the co-owner of Woodberry Kitchen.

Eater: An endless source of amusement. Eater generously rounds up the hot discussions on various national and regional dining discussion boards, like this Chowhound discussion on the funniest things a server has   said to you.

Food Politics: Marion Nestle has a big roundup of reactions to Choose My Plate, the USDA's new healthy eating graphic. 

Food Safety News: I haven't really been paying much attention to the E-coli breakout in Germany, for which the "prime suspects" appear to be vegetables. This post has advice for anyone worried about purchasing raw produce. UPDATE: Looks like it was sprouts.

HowChow: A post on the new BGR: The Burger Joint in Columbia, Howard County's first. Must reading for burgerheads.

In Good Taste: Suzanne Loudermilk has a post on Maryland Wine Week, which started on June 3 and runs through Sunday, June 12. I never got around to posting on it, so please read hers. 

Nations Restaurant News: I don't post often to this industry blog, but here's an interview with Arturo Paz, he executive chef of the new Bombora, which is shaping up to be the most ambitious restaurant to hit Ocean City in years. It's from the Phillips family.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 4:11 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Here's the Weekend Watch page. Well, let's see. It looks like a big music weekend.

Who said, "The only good concert is one that starts on time."? Oh, that was me.

Emmanuel Ax plays with the BSO all weekend at the Meyerhoff. Who's going to be dining where?

The Capital Jazzfest plays all weekend at Merriweather Post Pavilion. Natalie Cole!

Creedence Clearwater Revival and Three Dog Night are playing at Pier Six. ("One" is a great song. I love Harry Nilsson.)

There's the Rihanna concert tomorrow night at 1st Mariner Arena.

And the Starscape Festival (photo) begins tomorrow at noon and won't stop until the following morning at 6 a.m.

Elsewhere and otherwise, there's the Charles Village Festival on Saturday and Sunday.

What are you doing this weekend. Will there be music in your life?

And what about food? Where are you planning to eat?

Ah, the commenting function is completely haywire for now.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

Here's a link to the today's review of Orchard Market & Cafe by John Houser III.

Pictured is the duck fesenjune in pomegranate-and-walnut sauce, which I think belongs on a hall-of-fame entree gallery.

See if John's first meal at Orchard Market was a revelatory as it's been for other Baltimoreans over the past 20 years.

Baltimore Sun photo/Kenneth K. Lam

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
Categories: Your Weekend Dining PLUS
        

sooooo sorry if you've wasted time on it.

I'll let you know when the commenting is working.

The problem is system-wide and has nothing to do with this blog's move next week.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)
        

A few more farmers markets have opened or are about to open for the season.

The Saturday market at Green Spring Station returned on May 21 and continues through November 19. The market, which features two dozen vendors, runs rain or shine from 2-5 p.m. on the Stone Mill parking lot at Green Spring Station.

The third year of the farmers market at the Baltimore Museum of Industry started on May 21, too. The market will run every Saturday (except September 3) through October 8.

The Highlandtown Farmers' Market resumes on Thursday, June 9 with a new day and new location. The market will now operate on Thursday evenings from 4-8 p.m. on the 400 block of South Conkling Street.

A new Fells Point Farmers Market will debut this Saturday on Broadway Square from 7:30-11:30 a.m. and continue through November 12.

The Maryland Department of Agriculture publishes this online guide to the state's farmers markets. New ones are cropping up all the time. The new Go Life/Cylburn Farmers market starts this Saturday (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) on 2605 Banister Road., and new market at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center is scheduled to begin today, with a soft opening. The market will run on Thursdays from 3-6 p.m. The location on the campus across Physicians Pavilion North.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 12:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

Monday is moving day for Dining@Large.

The dining blog will look different, and readers will interact with it differently. 

The blog will have a new name. Can you guess what it is?

You should know, though, that from Monday forward, readers will not be able to easily access the Dining@Large archives. That's my understanding at least. 

I am constitutionally change averse, but I am looking forward to this one. Really. I mean it. 

What I mean is I am trying to keep things in perspective. (See photo.)

More details to come. 

Update: Friday, 10:25 - the move has been delayed until mid-week.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

Last month you were asked about last meals in Baltimore. We wondered, what would yours be?

It wasn't an idle question. A Dining@Large reader was preparing to leave Baltimore and wanted your suggestions. You gave them. You can read those comments here.

Now, it's really time for the reader to leave for San Francisco.

Here is an account of the reader's last meals in Baltimore, which are be publishing in two parts. Part one is here.

Thanks so much for this contribution. I hope I speak for everyone in Baltimore when I wish you a happy marriage and the best of fortune in your new city. Stay in touch!

Meal#3: Baltimore’s Finest

I had been to  Cindy Wolf’s Charleston once before for my parents 25th wedding anniversary a few years ago. My parents don’t drink alcohol and wanted to celebrate at the best restaurant in town but thought they should at least bring someone along who might enjoy the wine pairings and I happily obliged. This time my in-laws took us for my husband’s birthday and also as a prelude to our wedding weekend. It is still unquestioningly the best meal in Baltimore.

We started off the evening with a drink at the beautiful bar and were served a couple of crackers with a fine tasso ham mousse. Probably one of the classiest and best salty nibbles to go with a drink I’ve ever had. We then moved to our table in the elegant wine room and proceeded to indulge ourselves with nothing less than perfection from Cindy Wolf. We started with a little tasting plate with a lovely and salty salmon and caper salad, some kind of puff that I’m sorry I don’t remember that well, and a cornmeal fried oyster, so buttery and melt in your mouth delicious I wish that the oysters had been on the full menu because I could have gone for a whole plate.

I started with the rich lobster curry soup, presented beautifully with delicate pieces of lobster plated in the center of the bowl surrounded by drizzles of the arugula and curry oils with the lobster stock reduction then poured over top of the lobster tableside to complete the dish. I had remembered being told that Chef Wolf’s soups were a work of art in the past and this was no exception. Every bite was slightly different with the way the oils mixed into the soup but all wonderful nonetheless.

Next up for me was the cornmeal fried softshell crab. I made everyone order them and we all cleaned our plates. This dish is simple softshell crab perfection. If you go and it is still on the menu (I know the week is over) please order it, you will not regret it. After the crab, I had wanted to try the foie gras but since I’ve had one not so great foie gras experience before I opted to have it paired with a grilled magret of duck as opposed to the foie gras alone. While the duck and accompanying mushroom fricassee was good, I really should have gotten the whole foie gras dish as the piece of it in the duck dish was truly excellent.

I wrapped up the meal with a grilled Gunpowder Farm buffalo tenderloin accompanied by a creamy polenta, oyster mushrooms, and crispy shallots, yet again another rich and satisfying dish. My in-laws and husband covered a good range of the menu with their selections as well and absolutely everything was enjoyed. Dessert for me was a white chocolate strawberry dome with a little bit of a balsamic drizzle on the side. I loved this combination. We also got an accompanying plate of small candies and pastries, the best of which was a macaron.

I could go on and on about the food at Charleston, but I should also mention the service as well. Foreman-Wolf really knows what they are doing with service. What’s so great about it is that even though it’s such a well-regarded fine dining establishment, there is absolutely nothing snobby about the service. Everyone is warm and friendly, they are thoughtful when offering suggestions without being pushy, and plates are served and cleared from tables in such organized fashion it’s really an amazing to sit back and pay attention to all the careful thought they put into those details.

I will say though that the highlight of service for the night was when my father-in-law ordered port to go with his cheese. The server delivering the port ended up in conversation with us talking about our upcoming move to San Francisco. He actually offered restaurant recommendations in San Francisco for us and somehow managed to hit on lots of different things that excited me about the city that I want to explore there (a great banh mi for example). It was wonderful and I think really sums up about how I feel about Charleston. It’s a place where you go to have an experience in eating and everything about that experience is absolutely the best Baltimore has to offer.

Meal #4: A memory to last a lifetime

If the previous bit wasn’t enough of a Foreman-Wolf love fest for you it’s only going to get better because I can’t end this without talking about the rehearsal dinner we had at Cinghiale. I think when my husband and I first started wedding planning the thought of Cinghiale hadn’t really crossed out mind. We were looking for something simple and laid back. In comes my father-in-law who loves OpenTable and looked at the menu for every restaurant listed in Baltimore under the private dining section. When he found the menu for Cinghiale matched his passion for fine Italian food, the decision was made for us and we never looked back.

I won’t touch on all the details of the food since there is entirely too much to talk about but I will point out a few highlights. People couldn’t stop eating the tuna tartare, it was so simple yet so perfect in its flavors and freshness. I loved the russet potato gnocchi with lamb ragu and fresh mint. I could go on and on about all of the wonderful food, we enjoyed every bite.

The service again was amazing. Being the center of attention as the bride and groom of the weekend, my husband and I got pretty mobbed by guests trying to greet us while passed antipasti were being served. The staff noticed this and seamlessly found us in the crowd making sure we had a chance to sample everything and even bringing us our own plates of salame and bresaola since it was stationed at the opposite end of the room from us. I honestly felt like they were reading my mind the whole night, they anticipated everything I could have wanted.

My husband also loves gelato, and when we had tried out Cinghiale last fall to decide on the dinner he sampled a salted caramel gelato that he fell in love with. While we were initially told that serving 60 plates of salted caramel gelato at once would be impossible because the chef didn’t want anyone to have any melted gelato, they found a way. A member of the kitchen staff actually plated every single plate in the freezer and they made the salted caramel flavor special for us that night. I still am amazed that they were able to put together the gelato for us and I know it made my husband so incredibly happy.

The execution of the entire night was literally perfect and the folks taking care of us couldn’t have been friendlier. Chef Julian Marucci came out to talk to us at the end of the night and seemed so humble when listening to our litany of compliments. He is also incredibly young and I think will be doing amazing things for years to come. I am in awe of what Cinghiale was able to do for us and for anyone considering a private dining event, if you go with Cinghiale I guarantee you it will be something you and your guests will talk about for years to come. I know we will and I can’t think of a better way to close out how great of a time I’ve had with these last few meals and these last few years here in Baltimore.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 9:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)
        

In a just-issued press release, Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake says, “Baltimore’s food trucks are a unique extension of our diverse local restaurant industry. We must ensure that existing operations are able to thrive and new food truck ventures are encouraged to start”

At today's meeting of the Baltimore City Food Vendors Board, new rules for Baltimore's fledgling fleet of food trucks were announced. Food truck vendors are now allowed to vend from any valid parking location in Baltimore City, as long as they adhere to existing parking regulations.

Food trucks will no longer be prohibited from parking within 300 feet of a retail establishment that sells "similar merchandise." Instead, common sense and courtesy toward retail establishments will apparently be the only restriction on the truck vendors' movements. 

In addition, the City will create five Pilot Food Truck Zones, which will operate from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Signage marking the new food zones will be installed over the next several days.

The five zones are:

1) the 500 block of St. Paul Place and St. Paul St., on the east side of the street. (One space at each location for a total of 2 trucks)

2) The 1900 block of E. Monument St. on the south side of the street (One truck)

3) 500 block of W. Baltimore St. on the south side of the street. (One truck at this location.)

4) 300 block of S. Charles St. on the west side of the street. (One truck at this location.)

5) 500 block of E. Fayette on the north side of the street. (Three trucks at this location.)

The truck vendors were pleased at the turn of events.

The new rules were arrived at in meetings over the past few weeks between the newly formed truck vendors association and representatives from the city. 

"I couldn't be more pleased with the effort that deputy mayor Kaliope Parthemos put and food vendors board chair Alvin O. Gillard put into making this happen, said Patrick Russell, the owner of the Chowhound Burger Wagon, which is generally acknowledged to be the pace car in Baltimore's food truck fleet. "I believe they're really in favor of business in the city."  

"I'm shocked and thrilled," said Irene Smith, owner of the Souper Freak, whose misadventures with the Street Vendors Board precipitated the Mayor's announcement of a grace period to bring food trucks into regulatory compliance. The mayor also announced the assignment of a Mayor Fellow to the food truck issue. Tis summer a Mayoral fellow will "review all statutes, rules, regulations, and fees currently related to ALL street vending.

It's not entirely clear how the new pilot zones will operate, whether on a first arrive, first occupy basis, or b a pre-arranged schedule. There does appear to be a great deal of collegiality among the first generation of food truck vendors, who have just formed a truck vendors association. Presumably, the truck vendors will be able to police both the pilot zones as well as agree to handshake on general rules of fairness regarding bricks-and-mortar establishments. 

It is also not clear whether newly arriving truck vendors will have to join the truck vendors association.

"We might come across some snags," Russell said. "We want to coordinate with the city so we don't trample on each other. The more that we work together, the more the city will be willing to work with us.

All vendor licenses expire at the end of this year.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 2:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)
        

Jill Rosen has a story in today's Taste section about the enduring appeal of snowballs. Our friend who is moving to San Francisco will be happy to learn that an former Marylander is operating a snowball truck out there.

That's it there.

How do you take your snowballs?

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (7)
        

Miss Shirley's formally debuts its new food truck today at Tide Point, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Kooper's Chowhound Burger Wagon is near the University of Maryland at W. Fayette and Paca.

Souper Freaks is in Mt. Vernon, at Calvert and Monument streets.

Iced Gems is on Charles just north of Lombard until 11:30 a.m.

I'll add more as the Tweets come in.

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)
        

A commenter shared the news just now under this post - the new Druid Hill farmers' market starts this afternoon.

Here's a link to the Friends of Druid Hill Park page with details about the weekly market, which will be held every Wednesday from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Howard P. Rawlings Conservatory.

The new farmers market will be accompanied, on the first Wednesday of the month, by live jazz performances. Tonight, Baretta & Rollex perform. 

 

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 10:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)
        

Last month you were asked about last meals in Baltimore. We wondered, what would yours be?

It wasn't an idle question. A Dining@Large reader was preparing to leave Baltimore and wanted your suggestions. You gave them. You can read those comments here.

Now, it's really time for the reader to leave for San Francisco.

Here is an account of the reader's last meals in Baltimore, which I will be publishing in two parts.

My Last Meals in Baltimore

To tell you all a bit about me, I have spent most of my life in Baltimore, and despite some hands-on experience in seeing how this city is far from perfect, I love it anyway. I should mention that I’m a medical student and I think my love for food came out of the realization that you have to love things other than medicine, and having dinner reservations gives you a feeling that there is an end to every clinic and call and the knowledge that there is life outside of the hospital. Of course eating well is easier said than done on a medical student schedule and budget, but I am fortunate to have amazing parents and in-laws who’ve contributed greatly to my foodie adventures.

But now my time in Baltimore is drawing to a close, in March I matched to a residency program in San Francisco and I will be headed there in a few short days. While San Francisco is a truly amazing food city, I’ve been thinking about how to best celebrate what’s wonderful about Baltimore as my time here wraps up. So here it is, the story of some of my last meals in Baltimore.

Meal #1: Crabs and Beer It’s What We Do

Meal #2: A Pleasant Evening on Charles Street

My second adventure into eating was a bit more spontaneous. I was attempting to entertain my cousin and let her do the decision-making. The first thing that popped into her head was that she needed a good drink and maybe something tapas like. I had always wanted to go to Tapas Teatro having seen the crowds on many a weekend night but had never been that interested in braving the wait. I figured 8 p.m. on a Wednesday evening might be a bit smoother than a busy weekend and my guess was spot on, we walked right into the last empty table in the house.

We started with a pitcher of the red sangria ($10 in celebration of 10 years of Tapas Teatro). I really enjoyed their Sangria, it was bolder with stronger notes of wine and not nearly as saccharine-ly sweet as some of the sangria renditions that I’ve had lately and I admired that. Our first round of plates was a fried calamari and a mushroom, truffle oil, and garlic flatbread. The calamari were perfectly melt in your mouth tender with just the right amount of light breading. My husband had picked the flatbread, while it had a nice earthy taste to it, and he loved it, it wasn’t my favorite of the night. After those plates followed beer battered vegetables, spicy chicken croquettes, and grilled cumin chicken. I loved the kick in the chicken croquettes and the rich cumin flavor of the grilled chicken as well as the cooling balance of the aiolis accompanying both dishes.

We finished the meal with another round of sangria, a bit of coconut & chocolate chip ice cream, and a pistachio pannacotta. My cousin loudly blurted out at one point that we were there toasting to my upcoming marriage and the staff graciously threw in a piece of flan with a candle on top on the house. The ambiance of the windows opened onto Charles Street, the sangria, the flow of collectively nibbling on the delicious plates of food and the friendly staff all made for a lovely Baltimore evening.

Meal #2.5: The Bar Edition

For a little interlude, I did have a Bachelorette party, the details of which will most assuredly not be posted here but I will mention that this Bachelorette demanded a round at Brewer’s Art. Easily an excellent decision as the brews at Brewer’s never disappoint. 

Posted by Richard Gorelick at 9:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)