“My mother never threw away a leftover. Never, never,” recalls Deborah Flateman. “I learned from her that there’s a way to recycle food into other edible dishes. So, why would you ever throw it away?”

That philosophy should serve her well as the recently appointed CEO of the Maryland Food Bank (MFB). You see, Flateman hates the idea that someone somewhere in Maryland might be hungry. She takes it personally, the way grandmothers do when they fear someone might leave their house without having a fourth helping of mashed potatoes.

There's a place on Padonia Road that serves really great steaks, and this time, we don't mean Christopher Daniel. We're talking about Rib 'N Reef (22 W. Padonia Road, Timonium, 410-560-0906), which occupies the same space as the now-defunct Gibby's Seafood restaurant. That place was beloved by its regulars, and from what we see and hear, Rib 'N Reef is, gradually, earning its own legion of fans. It's easy to see (and taste) why—the menu takes good old American favorites and makes a few interesting adjustments.

Any place calling itself "Alabama BBQ" is bound to offer a new take on a familiar cuisine, and Alabama BBQ Company (4311 Harford Road, 410-254-1440, alabamabbqcompany.com) doesn't disappoint. You'll find the usual assortment of pulled pork, pulled chicken, brisket, and ribs, all smoked with a mixture of various fruitwoods and hickory.

A sweet little Ecuadorian storefront restaurant has survived for more than three years on Fells Point's Latino restaurant row, where storefronts tend to come and go. That alone speaks to the quality of La Cazuela, (1718 Eastern Ave., 410-522-9485), which distinguishes itself from its competitors with its genuine restaurant feel (beige tablecloths and spotless, sunny surrounds), the attentive ministrations of owners Enrique and Marina Tapia, and its consistently fine food. Yet on a recent visit, we were troubled to see the place nearly empty.

The cold, crisp weather that autumn sweeps in makes us long for fireplaces and warm, spicy seasonal foods. And with those fall dishes, we like to turn to heartier seasonal beers, like Clipper City's just-released Winter Storm ale. Richer and more complex than those watery light beers you drank all summer, this Imperial ESB also packs a mean punch with 7.5 percent alcohol. "Because of the hop availability, this year's is pretty much identical to last year's," says Clipper City honcho Hugh Sisson.

Now that Minato has moved from its basement digs to a bright first-floor location two blocks up on Charles, that spot below Donna's needed new tenants. Enter My Thai (800 N. Charles Street, 410-528-8737), yet another entrant into the Great Charles Street Thai Restaurant Sweepstakes. It's a strong contender; the brick-lined basement grotto feels cozy and urban, and we always enjoy the option of getting sushi, when we're not in the mood for pad Thai.

On first glance, Bartenders (2218 Boston Street, 410-534-2337) looks like any other Canton or Fells Point bar into which you might stumble: tin ceiling, plenty of TVs tuned to sports, and plenty of baseball-capped patrons downing their suds. But here and there, you'll see a couple leaning in close to each other and delicately touching thin-stemmed wine glasses. Bartenders has a surprisingly ambitious wine program— especially fun on Wednesday nights, when they feature four more unusual wines that aren't on their normal list.