B-more dining scene: 'Interesting and diverse'

Those were the words of Tim Zagat of the Zagat restaurant surveys on NPR this morning. He then went on to cite the variety of restaurants in the city, mentioning The Helmand, Charleston, and Samos. And while we may not always get national recognition, Tim said we rank among the best in the country. We’re just smaller than L.A. or New York, he explained.

Those inspiring culinary thoughts come on the heels of Bon Appétit’s new restaurant issue, which includes Cinghiale in a story on the new breed of Italian restaurants in America. The magazine collected recipes from "our 12 favorite places across the country," including two from Cinghiale chef Julian Marucci. His wild mushroom crostini and fresh artichoke and white bean crostini sound amazing.