Tavern 101 in the new, green Fairfield Inn & Suites on President Street sounds like a great place to grab a bite to eat—inside and out. The courtyard is a cozy setting with a 32-foot lacrosse wall mural and a fire pit.

The menu ranges from burgers and wings to Maryland crab soup, crab cakes, and Old Bay-spiced shrimp. The executive chef is Levi Briggs, formerly of Corks in Federal Hill.

The hotel and tavern are built on the site of the former Baltimore Brewing Company, which was the home of DeGroen’s Beers for many years, according to Maureen McEnerney, who is part of the ownership group.

It makes sense that the restaurant would have happy-hour specials, too, from 3:30-7 p.m. on weekdays and 1:30-4:30 p.m. on weekends. There’s $5 valet parking. The phone number is 410-837-5000.

Spro Coffee is now open in Hampden, as of Friday (March 19). I stopped by today to check it out and talked to owner Jay Caragay, who also operates the coffee bar at the county library in Towson.

It’s a small, charming, unadorned storefront with no Wi-Fi, no music, and no art, and that’s just the way Jay wants it. "I want people to focus on the coffee and concentrate on their friends," he says.

This isn’t your ordinary coffee bar. There are several different brew methods as well as coffees. There’s even a coffee roaster on staff. But it’s not intimidating. The baristas are friendly and helpful.

I asked Jay about his proximity to Common Ground, Hampden’s other coffee spot on The Avenue, just doors from his location. He says there’s room for both. "People will see a different approach," he says. "It’s not better or worse. It’s just different."

Spro doesn’t have a sign yet, so look for the gray-striped awning and address, 851 W. 36th St.—or maybe there won’t be a sign. "I want to remain as low-key as possible," Jay says.

When you do find the place, you don’t want to just savor the coffee. Tempting treats from Puffs & Pastries are available as well as a delicious-looking red-velvet cake made by Jay’s mom Marieta Caragay. It won a blue ribbon at the Maryland State Fair, I’m told.

And lifestyle editor Janelle, who writes our Talk Shop blog, is happy to see Mexican Coke on the menu, which her husband loves, she says.

The shop is open from 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sun. Phone is 410-243-1262.

It’s true! Anthony Bourdain— host of TV’s No Reservations, author of Kitchen Confidential, executive chef at New York’s Les Halles, and sometimes bad boy—will be at the Hippodrome Theatre on Saturday, May 22. He’ll be joined by his friend Eric Ripert, chef/co-owner of Le Barnardin in NYC.

This event, called the Hippodrome Foodie Experience, is going to be so much fun. Bourdain and Ripert will share insider stories about what really goes on behind the kitchen doors and take questions from the audience.

Afterward, guests can join the duo for a sampling from some of Baltimore’s top restaurants as well as tasting wine and spirits. The program starts at 8 p.m. The post-show reception will be 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Prices start at $29 for the show. For $89, you get to see Bourdain on stage and go to the reception in the theater’s pavilion. There are also VIP tickets to meet Bourdain and Ripert.

Tickets go on sale Wednesday (March 24) at the Hippodrome box office, Ticketmaster locations, and online.

Photo courtesy of the Travel Channel

Looks like the reincarnation of Mount Vernon’s elegant Brass Elephant will have to wait a little longer. The potential buyer for the restaurant, which closed in August, backed out, according to the Baltimore Business Journal.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day. America’s oldest Irish pub, Patrick’s of Pratt Street, is adding another chapter to its storied past. Chef Zu Pinsker is introducing a new menu tomorrow (March 18), focusing on seasonal, fresh, and local fare.

"It’s going to be good, hearty food at reasonable prices," said Zu, who has been busy since the restaurant, established in 1847, reopened its doors last Sunday. Owners Patrick and Anne Rowley shut down Patrick’s for about 14 months while they opened an offshoot in Frederick. "We’re still alive and well," assured Patrick.

But today, the downtown pub will offer just what you’d expect on March 17: traditional Irish fare. Look for corned beef and cabbage (of course), steak and Guinness stew, potato-leek soup, and steak and Guinness pie among other dishes.

Zu, who worked at the restaurant before its temporary closing, is excited to be back. ""It has such a great history and feel to it," she said. "I’m just happy to get it up and open again."

The Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar will open an hour earlier this year, at 7 a.m., which should please all you early birds. I just got an e-mail from Carole Simon, manager of special projects for the Baltimore Office of Promotion and the Arts, who shared the update.

And, honestly, if you go to the Sunday market under the JFX viaduct, you need to get there early to get the best produce and avoid the masses, who gather as the morning progresses.

The seasonal city market starts May 2 and continues until Dec. 19 this year. Can’t wait.

Local crabs rule, of course. But McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant is showcasing a special menu from now until the end of April that tempts diners to "Discover America’s Crab!"

The à-la-carte choices include: California sushi roll with Dungeness crab, lobster ravioli with blue crab, crab cakes (Maryland style, pictured, $22.95)), 1 1/2-pound king-crab leg dinner, and a create-your-own crab surf and turf dinner (includes a 6-ounce filet mignon). Sounds like a great way to prepare our palates for our own steamed crabs, coming soon.