After last call in Canton, the drinking masses need not wait until dawn to begin their recovery. Simply Marie's (3023 Elliott St., 410-342-0822)—a new carryout specializing in breakfast that feeds the soul—is quickly becoming an end-of-the-night staple. Open from midnight to 1 p.m. weekends (and 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays), its various combinations of eggs and swine hit the spot at any time. Omelets ($7.50-9.50), pictured, are made with three eggs and ample portions of meats, cheese, and vegetables.

The Reserve, a refurbished bar on the outer edge of Federal Hill, opened a few years ago with a menu that seemed to define the whole gastro-pub movement. As early fans of the place, we were surprised on a recent visit to find more conventional options: burgers, crab cakes, salmon, pasta, along with a trendy lobster mac and cheese and fish tacos.

The change is purposeful, according to owner Tom Brown, and the menu is more befitting of his youngish Federal Hill clientele: "I'm looking for someone who's going to buy a meal and stay around for a few hours and drink."

When celebrity chef Mario Batali visited Baltimore in April, he ate lunch at The Seasoned Mariner (601 Wise Ave., Dundalk, 443-242-7190) after hitting the links at Sparrows Point Country Club. I was curious about the restaurant's allure. Now, I understand. The Mariner is perched on Bear Creek with a prime view of the waterway and the pleasure boats cruising by or docking at the restaurant.

Riesling is the world's most versatile and food-friendly grape variety, but it is woefully misunderstood and often ignored by wine consumers. It can be a stylistic chameleon—from very dry to tooth-meltingly sweet, making it difficult for the novice consumer to decide whether he or she likes it.

Rarely is the sweetness level of the wine evident on the label, so ask your local wine shop for guidance. Here are three Rieslings that represent various stages of sweetness.

Chris Becker—recently named an executive chef for the Bagby Restaurant Group in Harbor East and a former executive chef at The Wine Market in Locust Point—shares a favorite barbecue recipe that you can make at home.

Grilled Skirt Steak Bulgogi

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup olive oil mixed with garlic powder for shrimp plus 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil for gazpacho
2 cloves garlic (optimally softened by grilling in an aluminum foil packet while you grill the shrimp, see below, then coarsely chopped)
1 slice white bread, crust removed
3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
15 tomatoes, pureed and strained through a China cap strainer, plus 6 tomatoes, seeded and diced, for gazpacho
9 Kirby cucumbers, stripe-peeled, seeded, and diced
4 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced

Bakeries are popping up faster than city food trucks! Hamilton Bakery (5414 Harford Rd., 410-254-0797) added its fresh-baked goods and breads to the ever-growing northeast culinary corridor in May. For co-owner Ruben Hernandez it was the fulfillment of a dream. "I'm a foodie at heart," he says. "I thought I'd like to do this." Evidently, so do a lot of others. Roland Park Bakery and Deli moved to a Hampden location in April after its Roland Avenue location closed. When customers asked owner Anita Ward if she was going to continue operating the bakery, she had no doubts.