I liked the expression "ethnic eateries" because of the alliteration, but when you look at the list you'll see that most of these aren't the holes in the wall that "eateries" suggests. 

Many of you serious restaurant goers have already been to all of these, I'm sure. It would be fun if some of you who don't know these places would visit each of them -- a sort global tour of Baltimore restaurants. And then, of course, let us know what you think.

Here's the list: ... 

I feel another post on children in restaurants coming on. How about this? Carey H kindly sent me a link to a story about a restaurant that has banned children under six. 

The woman selling them and I got to talking about strawberries, and she showed me (camera phone envy alert!) her LG with a photo of a giant strawberry next to a quarter. I can't understand why people want big strawberries, I say the smaller the better, but it sure was a beautiful picture.

Anyway, in other market news, Andy kindly e-mailed to tell me that the Baltimore Farmers Market is no longer going to be the only farmers market downtown.  He recently got this from Harbor East Property Management: ...

If you missed my review of the Brass Elephant yesterday, here's the link. It's a beautiful restaurant in an era when, now that I think about it, beauty doesn't count for as much as it used to (at least in restaurant decor). Do you think that's true? It's the high-energy restaurants that seem to be packed.

Even the Tusk Lounge upstairs was very busy the night we ate there. Of course, that's partly a function of what it costs to eat there as opposed to the main dining room. ...

How would you feel if you were sitting out on your little back deck where you enjoy a nice breakfast on a spring morning, and you looked up and saw this in the cedar tree directly above your head?

My photo doesn't convey the scale of the thing, or its ominous quality. It's clearly a nest, and it looks to be about two feet across. For some reason I keep thinking of giant wasps, but I guess maybe a vulture or a large owl is more likely.

I don't think I'll be eating outside anymore. Too nerve wracking. My husband says squirrels have large nests. I say not this large.

You may have a preconceived notion of what a patisserie and bistro named "honey" would be like. I know I did.

Meli, which means "honey" in Greek, is the Kali's Restaurant Group's third place. It's nothing like I imagined it. For one thing, it's much more of a restaurant and night spot than I expected. I'll be writing about our meal there next Sunday in the Arts & Life Today section. We can talk about it Monday.

(Chiaki Kawajiri/Sun photographer)

Anyway, she pointed out that Pepperidge Farm's Hardy Wheat Crackers had become Harvest Wheat Crackers since our last box. ... 

Then I headed for the Giant, which would normally not be newsworthy except that a woman was, exciting news, handing out free samples of Bagel-fuls. (No, I didn't have one. A bit early for me. Of course, any time would be a bit early for me.)

I reached for my camera so I could show I'm not making this up, but there was about as much chance that I had my camera with me as that I had remembered to take my shopping list. 

Oh, good. It's raining again. Isn't that a pleasant surprise.

I've been thinking a lot about death the last couple of days, what with the great weather and all, so Owl Meat's latest contribution to the blog, the URL to a Web site that lists actual death row last meals fit right in.

At least, I suppose it's actual death row last meals. You couldn't make this stuff up:

four fried pork chops, collard greens with boiled okra and "boiling meat", fried corn, fried fatback, fried green tomatoes, cornbread, lemonade, one pint of strawberry ice cream and three glazed donuts (John Washington Hightower, Georgia, June 26, 2007)

The only bright spot...
 

I've tentatively decided on Top Ten Uncommon Ethnic Eateries, with Top Ten Bistros a close second and open for discussion to use the following week, and Top Ten Places for Waterfront Dining (suggested by commenter extraordinaire Donny B) to be held for warmer weather, say the week after that.

If I remember.

I decided on ethnic eateries because I can list some restaurants that haven't appeared on too many lists before, because it's a topic that's been suggested before and I ignored it, and because the alliteration is awesome. Just kidding about that last one.

(Colby Ware/Sun photographer) 

Actually, I'm not sure you can give locavorism a bad name because it already has a bad name. However, the locavores I know are reasonable folks, who feel if you crave pineapple, buy a pineapple; but if spinach is in season, buy it from your local farmer rather than a California conglomerate.

Then a story like this comes along: ... 

Anyway, I'm not inspired this week so I'm open to suggestions, but someone wrote to me recently asking me for restaurants open Monday. There are a surprising number, she said, that aren't.

I might do Monday restaurants on Tuesday if the list is of interest to you. To narrow it down a bit, they would have to be a certain type: not a special occasion place but an after-work kind of restaurant.

What do you think? And don't just say too boring; come up with another suggestion. Owl Meat, you may only post under this entry before midnight. ...

I know we've discussed it before, but there is definitely a trend happening here. Restaurant bathrooms are better or at least more interesting than they used to be. I know this because I never noticed restaurant bathrooms except the time the hot water handle came off in my hand in the Roy's ladies room a month after the place opened. ...

Sragow, who has so far gotten a grand total of five e-mails (and I believe one of them was from Midnight Sun Sam, which I'm not sure counts), told Editor Tim about the campaign and the review, and now Editor Tim wants him to write a column about "Attack" and review it for next week. ...