Baltimore magazine - Dining Reviews

The Show Must Go On

Derrick — Tue, 07 May 2013 13:37:24 +0000

The Mt. Washington Tavern blends the old with the new after the fire.

BY SUZANNE LOUDERMILK

This is not the Mt. Washington Tavern of your college days and frolicking youth. Oh, you’ll still find the preppy crowds at the bar talking lacrosse and hunt clubs, but the surroundings have been given a major facelift that inspires awe if you flash back to the Tavern’s pre-fire days. Then, the bars and dining rooms had a rumpled, worn-shoe look, befitting a structure built in the late 1800s. The floors were uneven, the corridors meandered, and the décor was, well, dated. Ferns, anyone?

The Newest Prime Rib

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 18:02:57 +0000

Baltimore’s venerable steakhouse plays to win at Maryland Live.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

It’s no coincidence that The Prime Rib’s swank, supper-club vibe has been showcased in a TV show like The Wire or often brings mention of the retro era of Mad Men. The restaurant exudes an elegance and allure that appeals to diners—whether it’s a young drug-gang leader like D’Angelo Barksdale trying out the luxe life or a slick advertising guy like Don Draper.

A Step Back In Time

Baltimore magazine — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 14:57:57 +0000

Retro Johnny Dee’s has modern-day appeal.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

Fifty years ago, Johnny Dee’s Lounge was a fledgling restaurant in Baynesville (now considered Parkville). Today, the throwback eatery continues to serve many of the same hand-made foods of its past to diners who have been going there for decades. It’s also attracting new customers who want to experience a taste of old-style Baltimore dining. When you call the restaurant to make reservations, a hostess inquires whether you’d like a table in the dining room or lounge. But the lounge does not mean the bar area.

New in Roland Park

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 15:26:19 +0000

Foreman Wolf’s Johnny’s strives to keep up with the group’s other restaurants.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

Of course, there’s tons of pressure when you’re one of the top restaurant names in Baltimore, and you’re opening up a new concept that’s completely different from your other venues. For co-owner Tony Foreman, the stakes are high. After all, his high-end restaurants Charleston, Cinghiale, Pazo, and Petit Louis have consistently garnered praise and awards, including numerous “Best Restaurant” nods from this magazine.

A Friendly Takeover

Baltimore magazine — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 09:09:47 +0000

The Chameleon transforms into Maggie’s Farm with a new chef/owner.

By Bianca Sienra

For more than a decade, Lauraville’s The Chameleon justly inspired deep devotion from its patrons. The owners, Jeff and Brenda Smith, were farm-to-table advocates long before most Baltimoreans had heard the word “locavore,” and Chameleon was the first city restaurant I can remember where waiters lovingly recited not only the name and provenance of the locally sourced dishes, but passionate accounts of how they were prepared.

À la Chesapeake Bay

Baltimore magazine — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 14:47:22 +0000

DelMarVa’s Southern Café in Canton takes a “fast-casual” approach.

By Martha Thomas

DelMarVa’s Southern Café, the new “fast-casual” restaurant on Boston Street, looks like a homey cafe with its shelves of canning jars near the entrance. Then you realize the menu is mounted to the wall, and orders are placed at the counter, fast-food style. Not that it matters. Friendly servers take over from there. The Canton spot, in the rustic, repurposed Broom factory building, is the first in a mini-chain.

A Chef Finds a Home

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:22:05 +0000

Cyrus Keefer brings his cooking skills to Birroteca.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

He’s back. The well-regarded Cyrus Keefer has found his way into a restaurant kitchen again. The chef had the misfortune of working at several places in town that shifted culinary gears during his tenure, including the short-lived Brasserie 10 South, Maisy’s, and the defunct 1542 Gastropub. But there’s no mistaking his culinary talent.

A Triple Crown Win

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 22:32:49 +0000

Fleet Street Kitchen complements its two sister restaurants by offering an upscale option.

By Bianca Sienra

Among the bumper crop of welcome new restaurants sprouting up around Harbor East, Fleet Street Kitchen arrives with a promising pedigree. Fleet Street, which opened in September 2012, is the latest entry in a trio of restaurants owned by the Bagby Restaurant Group, a family-run business founded by Sinclair Broadcast Group’s David Smith. Smith, for whom restaurateuring is a passion, has staked his company’s fortunes on the risky concept of offering three interrelated but distinct dining experiences in one venue (in this case, the eponymous Bagby Building).

Sardinian Outpost

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 07 Jan 2013 21:51:56 +0000

Daniela serves up Italian pastas and pastries in Hampden.

By Martha Thomas

Most diners opt to take the food at Daniela Pasta & Pastries to their homes. There, in the comfort of their own kitchens, they can divvy up an oversized serving of enticing lasagna, layered with thin-sliced ham or spears of asparagus; reheat a bowl of deliciously fresh-tasting, basil-tinted tomato soup; and spoon the cool slices of fresh mozzarella from a Caprese salad onto a serving plate. Or maybe they’ve chosen the pyramid-shaped crab ravioli, packed with shredded crab and a hint of shrimp, topped with chunky tomato sauce with a spicy bite.

Having No Regrets

Baltimore magazine — Thu, 13 Dec 2012 17:26:14 +0000

A Brewers Hill restaurant succeeds in the hands of a brewer and new head chef.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

One day, edgy chef Ted Stelzenmuller is in the kitchen at Of Love & Regret, whipping up crispy pig ears, grilled duck tongues, and a burger sprayed with edible gold paint. Then, the next thing you know, he’s gone, severing a collaboration with brewer Brian Strumke of Stillwater Artisanal Ales. What happened at the Brewers Hill restaurant remains a mystery, known only to the main players.

A Greek Revelation

Baltimore magazine — Fri, 07 Dec 2012 18:25:17 +0000

Ouzo Bay brings stellar cuisine to Harbor East.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

The sign—“Coming Soon Greek Authentic Cuisine & Lounge”—was plastered on the Harbor East building for so long it became like wallpaper you hardly notice. The nondescript, awkwardly worded announcement certainly shed no light on the stunning restaurant that was to be unveiled in late August. Ouzo Bay may offer several traditional Greek specialties on its menu, but this is no blue-and-white-checkered-tablecloth eatery with a requisite mural of the Aegean Sea on the wall. The restaurant, at the corner of Lancaster Street and Central Avenue, is far more upscale.

Werner's Breathes Again

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 21:37:01 +0000

A longtime downtown staple is revived with a new owner and menu.

By Martha Thomas

A segment of Baltimore surely would have mourned the loss of Werner’s, a one-time power center for those members of the downtown legal scene who didn’t have an expense account. The iconic Art-Deco, wood-and-chrome diner, opened in 1950, is also a ubiquitous bit player in local films—see Mayor Tommy Carcetti cutting deals over coffee in The Wire and the cramped eatery’s appearances in Ladder 49, Liberty Heights, and Tin Men.

Bistro in the Burbs

Baltimore magazine — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 21:56:14 +0000

Towson Tavern goes for grown-up tastes in a college town.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

What? Arugula salad, charcuterie with grilled rabbit sausage, grilled Duroc pork chop—on a menu in downtown Towson? Yep, it’s true. Towson Tavern has raised the bar for fine dining in the suburban county seat, where the beer-swillin’, wing-lovin’ appetites of the college crowd usually rule. The menu is seasonal, and we caught the summer offerings on the cusp of the autumnal equinox when tomatoes and fruits were bursting with flavor. We’re looking forward to seeing what executive chef Daniel Henry, formerly of The Capital Grille Baltimore, does for the cooler months.

A Fine Taste of Japan

Baltimore magazine — Mon, 05 Nov 2012 15:43:21 +0000

Pabu presents a high-end setting – and price tag – for sushi, small plates, and charcoal-grilled skewers.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

This isn’t your typical neighborhood sushi joint, though there’s certainly sushi, sashimi, and nigiri to be had. It’s much more sophisticated than grabbing a to-go order in a paper bag. After all, Pabu is attached to the glitzy Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore with all its pomp and circumstance. Heck, there are even sake sommeliers. And that was one of our favorite parts—being initiated into the ritual of sake. We aren’t regular sake drinkers, so we were baffled by the dozens of offerings. Thankfully, a sommelier gave us needed guidance.

Growth Spurt

Baltimore magazine — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 17:06:51 +0000

Willow, Stuggy’s newest offspring, branches out with Tex-Mex fare.

By Suzanne Loudermilk

The Stuggy’s empire continues to grow with the opening of Willow along the same Fells Point block that already houses the hot-dog shop and Rye, a cocktail bar—all owned by Ryan Perlberg, in partnership with his dad, Stuart Perlberg, at Stuggy’s and with Richard Rosen at Rye and Willow. The newest location joins the other places in the 800 block of South Broadway in a space once occupied by Sam’s Kid. The redo is mellow with earth tones and pale greens dominating the palette. A red-tiled bar is a colorful counterpoint.