A Side of Cheerios

What's Up?

2008-10-28T09:31:00.001-07:00

You may have noticed that I haven't updated this blog much lately. There simply isn't much to report on the dining front.

If you follow my other blog than you know that my husband recently had a "wake-up call" after receiving bloodwork results during a routine physical. Yes, the joys of bloodwork are routine once you hit that 40 mark (sorry Jim). The results were pretty terrible.

Jim processed this information and the sad reality of the fact that chicken wings and Italian cold cuts were indeed not man's best friend, and he decided to be proactive about his health. Why resign yourself to a life long of medication when you can first try to do something about it? And that is what he did.

So, here we are, two months later. His cholesterol has dropped over 100 points (yes, really!), he has lost 20 lbs. (yes, really!), his blood pressure is the best that it's been in a decade (yes, really!), and he's sticking with a regular diet/exercise routine.

Needless to say this radical departure in eating habits has left us eating at home more often. I used to strive to hit 2 or 3 new restaurants per week so that I could blog about it; but now the desire to support my husband (which can only help my own need to be healthier) is more important than food blogging.

So, my friends, thanks for being a reader... and happy healthy chow'ing to all.

Lebanese Taverna

2008-10-07T08:50:00.000-07:00

I've been quick to "eat out" and slow to "post about" lately. My Mom friends and I -- WAIT, scratch that - My intelligent, sexy and independent minded gals pals and I went out for a much needed reprieve from daily house life a few Fridays ago to the Lebanese Taverna in Harbor East. If you haven't been to Harbor East lately then your residence could quite possibly be under a rock. This area between the Harbor and Fells Point is booming with vibrancy that includes new retail shops, great hotels, and plenty of restaurants to choose from. Lebanese Taverna is a chain, so perhaps you're familiar, but this is the first opening in the Baltimore area.

Location: 719 S. President Street, just past the roundabout. Valet parking is available but if you don't mind a walk you can park for free two or three blocks east of the restaurant.

Decor: I kind of felt like I was dining in D.C. when I stepped inside the restaurant. The space is airy, mod, and gentrified. Think Morton's Steak House meets Roy's, minus the tablecloths. The restaurant seems to attract a diverse crowd, including young and old. We arrived to a mostly empty restaurant around 7:30 and then left a nearly full restaurant around 9:45. Clearly the bar and dining area come to life in the after hours.

Food: We started with the Baba Ghannouge, which seemed smallish in portion for the price. It was good, although no where near as good as my favorite in town at the Ambassador. I like a smidge more lemon and garlic in my ghannouge than LT offered. For dinner I had the Samake Harra (second picture above), which is a fresh whole fish broiled with cilantro, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pine nuts and olive oil, served with a medley of vegetables. I'm not sure how to describe it other than to say that it was "a'ight." Our server seemed genuinely surprised that I was ordering this, I'm not sure why. The fish was fish, it wasn't bursting with freshness or scrumptious in flavor. I did eat the whole thing though, it was a nice light dish, not drowning in oil or seasonings. It was pretty much just fish.. if that makes any sense. For dessert my friend and I intended to split the cheesecake. At first bite we both couldn't stand it. It was intolerably floral in taste - as though someone had dumped perfume in the mix. It was just... bad... so we returned it. The rest of the table enjoyed the other dessert though (forgive me, I can't remember what it was, but it had ice cream and that was delicious :) Overall we agreed that it was "o.k.", but more than that, the company of friends was fantastic.

Service: The service was adequate enough. The waitress was attentive, cleared glasses that weren't being used, and did not charge us for the dessert that we returned.

Kid Considerations: This is a tricky one. The restaurant is close enough to the tourist trap Harbor area and local hotels that I think you can get away with kids here, although I would certainly dine early. I didn't ask about high chairs, but there were plenty of generic enough items on the menu, including a kids section, that indicate that the Lebanese Taverna welcomes children. My suspicion is that other patrons might give you a glare if you request a high chair after 8pm.

Bathroom: I've never seen a bathroom like this before, ever. The entrance to the bathroom is veiled by a heavy metallic bead curtain (sort of like the one that "I Dream of Jeanie" had to use to get through to her circular couch inside of her genie lamp). Once you pass through the curtain you'll notice that the bathroom is mostly unisex. There are six bathroom rooms (meaning floor to ceiling doors, not stalls); one on each end is labeled Women and Men, the remaining in the middle are not labeled. Each stall room has its own commode, sink and mirror. Oh, and mouthwash. There is also a general sink area in the stall lobby portion of the bathroom. The bathroom was interesting enough, but I wasn't crazy about it. I prefer to separate the sexes when it comes to restrooms and I wasn't crazy about wrestling the heavy bead curtain (that messed up my hair) at the bathroom's entrance.

Aftermath: No problems here.

Overall: The meal was nice. I'm not dying to call my friend of 20 years and insist that she dine with me there, but I would return to Lebanese Taverna if I were in the area. The place has a cool, mature, upscale vibe and you kinda feel trendy for eating there; if that feeling interests you than perhaps it will be enough to overlook some of the "misses" in your meal.

Hamilton Tavern

2008-10-03T06:39:00.001-07:00

My husband and I finally got around to checking out this latest and greatest buzz worthy place in the heart of Hamilton. Normally I would have low expectations about a restaurant's revamp on the not-so-lively Hamilton strip, but given the well received addition of Clementine one block south and the knowledge that one of the Brewers Art partners had taken over, I felt encouraged and excited that this would be a worthwhile experience. And it was, but not so much for the crumb-grabbing crowd (i.e. kids). It will be hard to pull off my "8 Elements" checklist with this one because this is not a kid friendly restaurant. I'm not sure it's even a big kid friendly restaurant. Here's what I found:

Location: 5517 Harford Road, in the heart of Hamilton. Street parking is available and there is a parking lot behind the strip center.

Decor: Think Brewers Art basement meets sunshine and high ceilings. You will notice that the tavern boasts the same simple pub vibe that Brewers Art basement has but in a more refined way. Seating in this corner restaurant consists of nearly two dozen seats at the bar on the left and a long pew-style bench with assorted tables and chairs on the right. There is also a small step-up dining area at the rear of the restaurant. My not-exact seat count put table seating at about 35 patrons plus 20 or so bar stools. In other words, the place is cozy (read: small) so get there early if you want to sit. We dined on a Wednesday night at 5:30 PM, by 6:30 it was standing room at the bar and a line forming for tables.

Food: You won't spend an hour perusing the menu here. The menu is thoughtful, succinct, and short. My understanding is that it changes based on the availability of local ingredients. I ended up ordering the steamed shrimp with hush puppies and the roasted root vegetable plate; my husband ordered the steamed clams and the smoked tuna salad. The steamed shrimp, served with onions and hush puppies, were delicious. They were of adequate size and the cocktail sauce was exceptionally good - especially if you like yours with a horseradish kick. The accompanying hush puppies (two large ones) were tasteful... as far as hush puppies go... and not in the least bit greasy. I even asked my husband if he thought they were baked. Jim's steamed clams were served in a thoughtful bath of white wine, garlic, smoked tomatoes and a side of butter and bread. They were delicious, rich with a smoky flavor. The sauce that they were in was crisp clean and fresh. There was absolutely no oily reflection or "heavy" taste that you often find with flavored mussels and clams.

I was torn between the veggie burger and the roasted root vegetables. The server told me that the burger was "huge". I wasn't in the mood for "huge" so I went with the vegetables, which were a combo of parsnips, carrots, rutabega, and butternut squash. The blend was tossed with bleu cheese and toasted walnuts. This was utterly delicious. I'm tempted to get 10 to-go plates and serve it with Turkey on Thanksgiving. This dish kept the theme of "crisp clean and fresh" going too; as with the hush puppies and steamed clams there was no heavy oil or butter taste, it was quite enjoyable. My husband ordered the smoked tuna salad, which consisted of golden beets, fennel and celery root over mixed greens and dressed with lemon thyme vinaigrette. At first impression I was disappointed that it wasn't a hunk of fish displayed atop the greens, rather it was chopped pieces spread throughout. We quickly got over that when we realized that the amount of fish in the salad was quite satisfying. The touch of fennel in the greens was an excellent compliment to the smoky flavor of the tuna.

Service: The service was prompt but not rushed. The waiter was knowledgeable about the menu (I grilled him on a few options before I settled on my final choices) and he was courteous and efficient throughout our meal.

Kid Considerations: Absolutely none. We talked with our server briefly about this. He said that the tavern doesn't have a single high chair, he further went on to say, "there really isn't anything on the menu that is typical kid food either." And he was right. I wouldn't bring my 5 year old here, let alone my 13 month old. In fact, I'm not sure that I'd bring a 14 year old here. It just has a grown up vibe, and I can appreciate that.

Bathroom: I really liked the bathroom. It was dainty and feminine without being frilly. It is a single cell bathroom (an odd made-up term that I use in my head, I trust that you know what I mean) painted in a girly ivory white color. The fixtures are new and very clean. And how goofy is this... I noticed that the water pressure was really exceptional :) Anyhoo, the wallpaper consists of pages from various great novels - a nice touch.

Aftermath: The meal was great. You don't feel stuffed afterwards, just satisfied.

Overall: We'll definitely return to this place when we can get out of the house without either child. It's a cozy place with a lively warm vibe. My only ding was the lack of a happy hour. I expect to pay full price for drinks in a large upscale restaurant on a Wednesday at 5; but in the early evening on a weeknight at the tavern in Hamilton I'd like to get my glass of wine for a bit less than $7.

Starbucks Thinks Healthy

2008-09-29T06:33:00.000-07:00

As it turns out, Americans want to be healthy - and luckily Starbucks is trying to accommodate us. In early September Starbucks launched a new line of breakfast foods that are healthy, guilt-free and satisfying. I've had the pleasure of trying each of them. Oh how tough it was to drag myself to Starbucks to accomplish this goal, but somehow I managed. Here is a list of the new offerings, followed by the Starbucks description and concluded with my personal take:

Perfect Oatmeal - Each order can be customized with three different toppings; a portioned 50-calorie pack of brown sugar, 100-calorie pack of dried fruit and 100-calorie pack of a nut medley, and contains 140 to 390 calories depending on topping selections, up to 7 grams of fiber and 1.5 servings of whole grains – half of your daily needs.

I liked the oatmeal, the serving size is smallish, but packing something with dried fruit and nuts really makes a difference in satisfying your hunger throughout the morning. I feel like it's pricey ($1.75), given that I can buy a big cylinder of the stuff for $2, but when you remember that pricey and Starbucks pretty much go hand in hand you get over it.

Power Protein Plate - a hearty combination of a cage-free hard-boiled egg, 100% whole wheat bagel, peanut butter, cheese, and fresh fruit. At 330 calories, this wholesome breakfast or snack has 16 grams of protein (about one-third of your daily needs) and 5 grams of fiber.

This plate has everything I love. It's really a convenient choice if you're "on the go." Especially with kids, it's hard to spoon oatmeal and steer, but you can easily split a bagel, fruit and an egg with the kids. Again, it's not cheap, but we got over that with the oatmeal right?

Berry Stella - This product was one of the first healthy choices available, launched in July of this year. A 100% whole grain breakfast pastry that delivers a hearty blend of fiber, whole grains, real fruit and more than 200 mg of Omega-3s at 280 calories.

I like the Berry Stella, it's a good choice when you really want that oversized muffin on espresso chip brownie that you know you shouldn't have. It will satisfy your sweet tooth, but unlike the protein plate and the oatmeal you likely will not feel as though you've had a "meal." It's just not satisfying in that sense, perhaps it's the lack of protein. Also, it's very crumbly, if you give one to the kids expect to have it strewn throughout your carseat for the next several days.

Apple Bran Muffin -Made with whole wheat flour, oats and wheat bran, and baked with real apples, tart cherries and honey, this muffin is a perfect option with 7 grams of fiber, 7 grams of protein, Omega-3s and 330 calories.

I liked the muffin o.k., but the berry stella is better in my opinion. The muffin had an overly sweet taste to it, perhaps it was the honey? I'm not sure, but I'm not crazy about sweet sweet stuff, and this muffin is my least favorite of the new offerings.

Multi-grain Roll -served with a choice of savory almond butter and strawberry preserves. Made with seven different seeds and grains, and sweetened with honey, the roll boasts 7 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, at 280 calories. The almond butter spread is pre-portioned to a 100-calorie pack, while the strawberry preserves contains 40 calories.

I had this roll with the almond butter option. It was good, but like the berry stella, not quite "a meal." Again, if you want sweet without the guilt go for this roll, if you want something to hold you over until lunch go with the oatmeal or protein plate.

Chewy Fruit & Nut Bar - Full of whole, nourishing ingredients including oats, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and honey, the Chewy Fruit & Nut Bar contains heart-healthy Omega-3s and 250 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.

This is the only one that I haven't tried. Frankly I didn't know about it until I read the press release related to this blog. Will have to check it out.

I'd be remiss to not mention the two new Vivannos being offered, banana chocolate and orange mango banana. I am addicted to these things, if I get one at 2pm it holds me over until dinner - and for those of you in Weight Watchers land it is 5 pts, and worth every blasted one.

From the Starbucks Press Release: Introducing Vivanno™ Nourishing Blends, a line of blended beverages developed with a strong nutritional goal in mind. The Orange Mango Banana and Banana Chocolate flavored beverages provide at least one serving of fruit, 16 grams of protein, and 5 grams of fiber and contain 270 calories or less and no artificial colors, artificial sweeteners or high fructose corn syrup (nutrition based on 16 fluid ounces).

In summary, Starbucks is still a worthy stop in the morning, or anytime really. The green siren still has me in her clutches and with this new line of good for you grub I don't see myself parting ways with her anytime soon.

Grind On Cafe

2008-09-14T14:16:00.000-07:00

We decided to check out Harford Road's newest coffee (and stuff) place in the late afternoon on Sunday. Grind On suffers from the same parking dilemma that Red Canoe suffers from, but it isn't a deal breaker. We parked at the top of the Pep Boys lot and squeezed through the narrow edge of the fence to the cafe's entrance. Around 2:30 pm the cafe was surprisingly buzzing with customers; a bit more than half of the tables were occupied. I felt that I would like the place from the moment I stepped inside.

Location: 4607 Harford Road in Lauraville. The cafe was formerly a short lived antique/consignment shop. The intimate yet airy space really lends itself well to its new function as a cafe.

Decor: The Cafe has wonderful full panel windows that brighten the already brightly yellow painted seating area. The seating area includes a kids corner (I just love that this concept is spreading, how very cool!) complete with small bins of toys, a child sized couch, a play rug, and books. The rest of the area seats about 20 patrons with a mix of round tables and long square tables. The order counter is in the rear of the restaurant, and it includes a refrigerated desserts and pastries case, an ice cream freezer, an espresso station and a 'make your own sandwich' station. A charming chandalier is the centerpiece lighting of the cafe and the walls throughout highlight the paintings of local artists.

Food: The menu is simple. Grind On offers coffee (our beloved local favorite "Zeke's Coffe", the menu includes espresso drinks), organic sandwiches, ice cream (Sylvan Beach), desserts and pastries, and bagels. The coffee is fantastic, but not inexpensive. This was my first visit, my hope is that the coffee is consistently fantastic (unlike Its local competitor Red Canoe -- in which the quality can really be hit or miss). I ordered a large house brew and my husband ordered a large Americano, which he declared to be "Every bit as good as Starbucks." We decided to order a sandwich, which is "make your own" style. The quaint chalkboard lists meat ingredients, toppings, and bread choices. We went with a turkey and swiss, topped with red peppers, cucumbers, spinach and avocado, on multi-grain bread. All organic (which you mostly notice by the price rather than the taste). The sandwich is served with pretzels and pickles. I will say, the sandwich was fanflippintastic. My son had the locally loved sylvan beach chocolate chip cherry ice cream cone. He raved about it (although I'm sure that I could buy him the cheapest version of generic Napoleon and he would rave about that too). To confirm his fanfare I decided that it only made sense to sample this frozen wonderfulness - and yes, it was all that. Our bill for the two drinks, ice cream and sandwich came to $15.00. Not the cheapest game in town, but not worthy of an eye flinch either.

Service: Friendly, fast, and eager to please. The ordering system is counter style, you place your order at the register. If you're not eating in then you pay at the time of your order. If you are eating there then your order will be served to you and you will pay at the end of the meal. Every now and then the gal behind the counter would come around and ask 'is everything o.k.?' I viewed her more as a thoughtful cashier/sandwich maker than a waitress.

Kid Considerations: Very kid friendly. This place could really catch on with the stay-at-home Mom crowd. The kid corner is just so thoughtful for those of us with kids. I wonder if it will be well received by the laptop mongers that want to go there and space out on wi-fi all day. There are also boosters, high chairs and good menu options (given the context of a small cafe) for the kids.

Bathroom: I forgot to check it out! So unlike me, obviously the coffee hadn't kicked in yet.

Aftermath: Not a problem.

Overall: I can see myself visiting this cafe weekly. The coffee was really good, comparable to Starbucks and better than the local contender Red Canoe. I like the "make your own sandwich" concept and I like that it's kid friendly... obviously. My only ding is that the coffee and espresso drinks are actually more expensive than Starbucks... evidently that is possible. For instance, a tall cappuccino at Starbucks runs just under $3 and at The Grind it is $3.25. For the sake of supporting local business I am willing to overlook this. Grind on? Heck yeah!

Editor's Note: I neglected to take my camera so I had to settle for this random Zeke's coffee shot.

Ale Mary's

2008-09-12T12:41:00.001-07:00

My husband and I have been frequenting this on-the-fringe-of Fells Point pub for years now. In the past, pre-second baby, we dined out (childless) on Friday nights - thanks to a babysitting Grammy. Now that we have two children we often tote the youngest, our 13 month old daughter, to various restaurants. It has been interesting dining in our usual mainstays with a babe, and figuring out what works and what doesn't work. Thankfully this pub works. You are about to find out why.

Location:

Ale Mary's is a corner row home pub located on the corner of Washington St. and Fleet St., just east of Fells Point and west of Canton.

Decor:

The resturant owners have painstakingly made efforts to stick with their theme -- a sacreligious play on words. Ale Mary's is decked out in abstract religious art, wood trim that seems appropriate enough for a confessional booth, various decorative chalices, and rustic wooden tables and chairs. This is a row home pub, so space is limited. The bar area seats about twenty and the dining area seats about 30. There is also outside seating in the form of cast iron tables with four chairs each.

Food:

Over the past three years we have sampled most of the menu, and we always take advantage of a daily special if it's in line with our taste. I will admit that recently it seems as though the kitchen has hit a glitch (why oh why change the wing recipe?!? Bring smokey back!) Nonetheless this place is still on my recommend list. There are certain dishes that are always reliable. They include: steamed shrimp, the well-sized house salad, Mary's Gumbo (voted best in Fells Point, 2006), *usually* the grilled buffalo wings, chicken cheese steak, the various pizzas (don't be afraid to ask for toppings that aren't listed - they usually can, and are willing to, accomodate), and most dinner specials.

There are a couple of things that we aren't crazy about on the menu, such as the Ruben dip. It is very rich with cream cheese, and simply too filling. After you eat this you'll wonder if you just swallowed a mortar brick. They offer an ahi tuna sandwhich, and also ahi tuna as a garden salad topper. It's not ahi tuna in the pure sense though, it's a bit more cooked than an ahi tuna diehard would like.

The beer menu is extensive and the house chardonnay is good. Every so often they have private beer tasting parties served with small plates. If you can attend one of these, please do. On the two ocassions that we did the food was splendid and the beer was excellent (of course.)

It's interesting to note that this place does not have a deep fryer. You will never be served greasy fried food here, it's impossible. Even their trademark side dish, tater tots (nice tots!), are baked, not fried. As are the grilled chicken wings, although we do wish that they'd return to their original smokier wings recipe instead of the current too-tobasco'ey wings recipe.

Service:

The service here is prompt, friendly, and efficient. You don't leave feeling like the waitress is your best friend, but you certainly don't feel ignored or forgotten either. The owners are often around, and they make an effort to get to know their patrons somewhat. What I especially appreciate about Ale Mary's is that they are willing to please, and aim to fulfill an offbeat requests. On more than one occasion I have asked for them to add broccoli to my garden salad, or to bring a slice of cheddar cheese out for the baby, or to make a shrimp and bacon pizza despite it not being on the menu, and usually they are happy to oblige.

Kid Considerations:

Yes: High chairs, solid noise level

No: Kids menu, changing tables, sink stool, boosters

Other: The menu is basic enough that any child could find something agreeable on it, such as pizza, tater tots, or sandwiches. The owners and staff love babies, and although you may get a glare from a patron that doesn't like the company of an infant whilst trying to get his buzz on, you'll never sense that your children are an imposition to those who actually work there.

Bathroom:

Surprsingly nice! There is a no touch hand towel dispensner, quality liquid soap, and pub appropriate wall hangings. Nice lighting accents, a charming tile floor, and shiny fixtures. The bathroom is always clean and well tended to.

Aftermath:

Never a problem here... unless you OD on the spicy buffalo wings.

Overall Impression:

We've been going back for years and we will continue to do so. It's always wise to check out the daily specials -- the ingredients are fresh and the entrees can be innovative.

The Orient

2008-09-07T14:35:00.000-07:00

We have long been fans of The Orient in Towson as our mainstay for sushi dinners. We've sampled quite a bit of sushi in this town, but we always seem to come back to The Orient. Why? Perhaps it's their child friendly environment, or maybe the non-pretentious tone of the dining room? Or perhaps the reasonable prices? I guess it could be all of the above... read on to learn more.

Location:

The Orient is located in the heart of Towson, just south of the Chesapeake Avenue and York Road intersection; 319 York Road.

Decor:

The decor is pretty outdated. It's kinda like arriving at an ocean condo that hasn't' been updated by the owners since the early 80's. They could stand to rip up the carpet, put in hardwood floors, and update their table dressings, but this isn't a deal breaker in my opinion. Especially since a bunch of people bring their messy kids in to smear up the place anyway.

Food:

We have a standard order here. It includes miso soup, seaweed salad, edamames, and a few specialty rolls and a few sushi pieces. We're never disappointed. The miso soup isn't the best, but at less than $2 it's perfectly acceptable. The edamames are such an enticing food for kids; I highly recommend that if you are dining with children and edamames are on the menu, order them. Think about it, it's practically an activity. Ben loves these things. Sometimes he mixes the beans in his miso soup and touts his "recipe", it's all good for kid-mind-occupancy... which is always a challenge while dining. The sushi here is good. My husband lived in Manhattan for several years and ate a whole lotta sushi, as a young married couple we lived in Southern California for several years and, again, ate a whole lotta sushi. We both concur that The Orient passes the test. Again, it won't be the best that you ever had, but you won't compromise freshness and size either. My five year old loves the stuff too, and lucky for us the friendly waitress always provides kiddie chopsticks.

Service:

The staff is top notch with kids here. You might even feel like they linger at your table talking to your children for too long. That's o.k., it all makes for an easy and stress-free environment.

Kid Considerations:

There is no specific kids menu, but I suspect that you could easily find an appetizer that would satisfy your child. Also, if you order from the standard chinese food menu be aware that the serving portions are HUGE. I mean, really big. You can certainly feed a child off of your plate, and possibly another adult. There are high chairs and booster for the dining room, as well as a low sink for the bathroom.

Bathroom:

The bathroom is about what the dining decor is (think condo that hasn't been updated). The good news is that you have to travel nearly the entirety of the building to get there, so it's a nice diversion of time when you're waiting for the food to arrive.

Aftermath:

We've eaten here several times and have never had a problem.

Overall:

As I said earlier, this is a mainstay of ours. We always enjoy the ambiance, the service and sushi. Generally our bill for three eaters comes to $50'ish. A bonus of this outing is its proximity to the Towson Library. Usually our dinner at The Orient ends in a trip to the library -- which the kids always love.

Ocean City, Maryland - Hon!

2008-08-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry for the hiatus of reviews -- what is worse than a blog that isn't updated?! Anyhoo, we've been enjoying a final blowout summer vacation Downey Ocean Hon. Ocean City is... well, it is what it is. It's a tradition in my family. I can remember vacationing here when I was "knee high to a grasshopper" as my Grandmother would say. It's practically a requirement in my family. Who cares if you went to South Beach, Newport Beach or Boca Raton, what they really want to know is when are you going to O.C. babe?!?! So, we've done it. We've fulfilled our requirement.

We stayed at Captiva Bay on 85th St., bayside. A perfectly pleasant 3 bedroom condo. The rooftop pool was slightly small and cheesy, but overall I would recommend this building.

Let's talk about what we really care about... the food. Truly I didn't eat out that much, we actually cooked in quite a bit, but here is a quick rundown of what/where we did eat:

1. Satellite Cafe on 46th Street. I checked my Chowhound source for the best breakfast spot in 0.C. This place came highly recommended... with the caveat that it may have changed hands in 2008 and could quite possibly have lost its quality and edge for good service. My Mom and I decided to check it out nonetheless, with my 12 month old daughter. This place was slightly too quiet for my liking, when it comes to dining with kids anyway. You could opt for the patio seating outside, which would muffle the noise, but we sat inside. I ordered the egg and cheese croissant sandwich. It was perfectly acceptable, and adequately priced at $7.25. My Mom ordered two scrambled eggs with cheese, toast and a side of scrapple. She was pleased with her meal as well. Our bill for two came to $21.00 (coffee was "gourmet" thus more expensive), but it was a decent value for a beach breakfast gig. If you're curious the #2 breakfast spot, according to Chowhound recommendations, would have been Happy Jacks on Philadelphia Avenue. Next time folks, next time.

2. Billy's Subs on 119th Street. Ehhhh, my husband was a bit, shall we say... "swampy" after his italian cold cut sub. My cheesesteak sub left me feeling a bit greasy, like a kid in need of Stridex. Not a place that I would recommend.

3. Seacrets. Ohhhh, I know what you're thinking. Yes it is a booze fest meat market, but they actually have food! Don't get me wrong, we stayed until the night club was hopping, but we did eat as well. We ordered the fried oysters and the steamed shrimp. Both were surprisingly good (I guess we weren't expecting much). They don't give it away though, those too "small plate" entrees cost us $25.00 - add two drinks and our dinner bill was over $40. Yowza. It was worth it though, it's the one time a year that we actually boogie our bumpers on the dance floor.

4. Fish Tales (Twenty something st. and bayside). This place is possibly the most kid friendly restaurant that I've ever been too. There is a full-fledged playground next to the dining area - does it get any better than that?!? I think not. The dining room is pretty much on the "beach" of the bayfront, so be prepared for wind and other outdoor elements, but also be sure to enjoy the beautiful bayfront views. The food? Well, the food is served in a plastic basket with a paper liner, and that is probably all you need to know. In all seriousness, it's about what you would expect of a bayside kid friendly restaurant. I will say that they really go out of their way to accommodate the kids, my child's "fish bites" meal came served on a Frisbee that he could keep as a souvenir. I ordered the shrimp salad wrap, which was perfectly acceptable. My husband ordered the fried flounder sandwich, which was, again, perfectly acceptable.

5. Waterman's on Route 50. This was the best dining out meal of our vacation. Last summer my husband asked the Hilton hotel employee "where do the locals eat crabs?" and she revealed the secret that is Waterman's. Our party of six all ordered the Original Feast for $26.00 per person. It included endless steamed crabs, silver queen corn, steamed crabs, hush puppies, and french fries. The corn was touted as being local, and it was truly fantastic. Definitely the highlight of the meal. The steamed crabs were abundantly adequate as well, but we have been spoiled by Dundalk's Salty Dog carry crabs, which leaves us little room to be overly enthusiastic about any other steamed crabs. The other endless items were tasty and well prepared, although the shrimp was likely pre-frozen. Overall it was a good meal for the value, add attentive and friendly service, and we had a homerun.

6. Pino's Pizza. This pizza shop is a chain here, and family owned. The manager even invited my son to the kitchen to make his own pizza. The outing to pick up lunch became a tuturial in preparing pizza - and my son just loved it. The pizza was mighty good as well.

And that concludes my quick rundown of Cheerios' O.C. experience. Thanks for reading.

Eden's Lounge

2008-08-11T17:32:00.000-07:00

We secured a babysitter last Saturday which allowed us a quick night out for the last of restaurant week. We decided to go to Eden's Lounge, a night club'ish place in Mount Vernon. We've actually dined here before, about 18 months ago, and it was a positive experience. We decided to check it out again with our critic hats on. Here is what we found:

Location:

Eden's Lounge is located in the heart of Mount Vernon, at 15 W. Eager Street. There is plenty of metered street parking as well as a lot across the street.

Decor:

Cool, crisp, eclectic. This really is no place for kids. There are some actual dining tables, but most of the establishment is a mish-mash of lounge couches, low-rider chairs, and streamlined short round tables. All of which is decked out in nightclub lighting, streaming fabrics and chic wall hangings.

Food:

We dined here during restaurant week. I ordered from the three course menu. My first course was beef spring rolls, my second course was baked salmon, and for dessert I had the key lime pie. The spring rolls were very flavorful, crisp, and not overly greasy. They were a beef and lentil mix, with a sweet sauce on the side. The baked salmon was cooked perfectly and served with a heavy cream dill sauce. The sauce was a bit heavy for what I typically like on my salmon, but the taste was still dreamy. The key lime pie was your standard frozen pie, dolled up with whipped cream and a lime slice.

My husband asked the waitress what the most popular menu items were. She said that most people order the bar fare since this place is known for its happy hours (2 for 1 specials on mixed drinks, beer and wine). She told us that Eden's is really hoping that more patrons will explore the menu and order entrees, especially now that a new chef is in the kitchen. My husband decided to do a little bit of both. He ordered the buffalo wings for an appetizer and he also ordered the house specialty entree, Ethiopian Awaze Tibs. The buffalo wings were pretty standard. Not great, not bad, not in any way memorable. The price was good at $5. As expected, his entree was much more impressionable. The Ethiopian Awaze Tibs Dinner consists of tender berbere spiced beef tibs cooked with Ethiopian butter, onion, green pepper and jalapenos and is served with seasoned pita bread, Ethiopian veggies and white rice. Awaze is a type of marinade that is very sweet. One of key components of awaze is honey wine, which explains a lot. If you don't like your meat sweet, then you may not like this. My husband enjoyed the taste, but it isn't something that he could crave on a regular basis. The portion was smallish, and if he hadn't ordered the rice with it (an extra $2) it would have been lacking in consistency - like a pile of meat with nothing to rest on.

Service:

Our server was very attentive. The owner was also present on the night of our visit, and he was very gracious and communicative as well. He visited our table twice to inquire about our experience. He even indulged us for a bit with information about Eden's Lounge after we revealed that we would write up our experience in this blog. The management is really striving to become as much of a dining destination as it is an after hours destination. At least, that is the resounding message that I received after our chit-chat session with our server and the owner.

Kid Considerations:

I really wouldn't bring either of my children here (1 year old and 5 year old). Which is fine, since we came here childless on a date night. My husband mentioned to the waitress that we scope out restaurants that are "not chains" but good for kids and she politely nodded and commented that they welcome children. But I think she only half meant it... if "half" at all.

Bathroom:

The bathroom was alright. They could stand to hang some new sheetrock up in there to get rid of the cellulite wall effect. It kinda looks like a last minute decor job, with slight attention to detail. The ladies room does have a decent vanity mirror area for primping. My husband noticed recent patch work in the men's room that had not yet been painted. Overall the bathroom is fine, but it doesn't jive with the sleek ambiance of the dining room and lounge.

Aftermath:

Hmmm, the meal sat a little heavy on me, but not in an overwhelming sense. I think the weight of the ingredients caught up with me. With the creams, the honey, and the fried wings - it's a bit more than I'm used to. Next time around I'll order light.

Overall:

I would/will come back to Eden's Lounge (sans children). The happy hour special is good, the food is good, the ambiance is cool and chic, and the service is great. My guess is that if you come here after 9pm on a hot night you might get some great people watching in too.

80th Annual Saint Gabriel Festival - Little Italy, Baltimore

2008-08-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

My husband and I actually went to Ryleigh's twice in the last seven days (really.) On the drive over last night I noticed the banner above the intersection of Light and Pratt Streets announcing the Saint Gabriel Festival in Little Italy. I did a bit of research about the event when I returned home and deemed it blog-worthy... and most definitely kid friendly.

So, without further adieu, here is the "what" on this festival:

Date - August 16th and 17th

Time - 12:00 pm to 8:00 pm each day

Fee - $1.00 admission/donation per person

What to expect - Come and experience good Italian food, live music, craft and merchant tables and many other fun activities.

Ryleigh's Oyster

2008-08-05T06:42:00.000-07:00

'Dude, I'm making love to this sandwich.' That was my husband's response when I asked him if his sandwich was good. This passionate reply pretty much sums up our entire experience at Ryleigh's. From start to finish this place does it right. Read on.

Location:

Ryleigh's is located at 36 E. Cross Street, right in the heart of Federal Hill across from the Cross Street Market.

Decor:

Simple, clean, nice, and pub'ish. There are a mix of high top tables, an average size bar, and regular dining tables. We dined during restaurant week so we were sure to make reservations. The place was pretty full when we arrived on Friday night, just before 5:30 pm.

Food:

The restaurant week menu offered 3 courses for $30.00. For my first course I ordered the panko encrusted fried oysters. The portion size was smallish (3 fried oysters) but the flavor packed a mighty punch. They were wonderfully plump inside and fantastically crispy on the outside. They were seated inside their halfshell, atop of a bed of blended salad greens with flecks of bacon and cream dressing - described on the menu as a "mini cobb salad." For my second course I got the grilled seafood salad. The salad was a mix of grilled Hawaiian blue prawns, lump crabmeat, grilled calamari tossed in a well seasoned (and not too spicy) jalapeno vinaigrette and adorned with grilled cherry tomatoes. It was awesome. The dressing was more oily than tart with vinegar, which nicely complimented the grilled taste of the seafood and tomatoes. I would definitely order this as a stand alone entree on my next visit... it was just that good. For my third course I had the grilled salmon, which came with grilled leeks and a roasted red potato salad. The salmon was above average, but not a "knock-out." I like my salmon just crisp on the outside and slippery and smooth on the inside. I felt it was a tad overcooked, but not a deal breaker. This is a personal preference thing too, nothing that I would fault the kitchen for. There wasn't a single bite left on any of my three plates, it was all so very good.

My husband ordered the raw oysters because he likes to live on the wild side of life (not really.) He's becoming quite the aficionado of oysters lately -- which is good because their happy hour includes $1 oyster specials . He asked for a 1/2 dozen of the jumbo Noanks and a 1/2 dozen of the Prince Edward Island oysters. The jumbo Noanks were very jumbo indeed. They were bigger than any blue point that he has received in this town. My husband commented that the adductor muscle was cut (this always impresses him. Note, the only other place that has served raw oysters with the muscle cut is Duda's of Fells Point), the oysters tasted strikingly fresh, and they were served very well chilled. The PEI oysters were considerably smaller and slightly saltier, but still delicious. And let's not forget the love sandwich that he ordered as his entree, the Oyster Loaf. The loaf is pretty much a BLT with fried oysters and tartar sauce. Given the profound bravo that the sandwich received I thought it wise to snap a photo. The sandwich is also served with homemade potato chips. The chips are so thin, so crispy, slightly salted and slightly garlic flavored, and all the way delicious. I think I ate most of his chips. The waitress commented that the chips are made fresh every morning.

Service:

The service was spectacular. We made reservations for two adults and a highchair. When we arrived our corner table was already set up, with highchair in place. The waitress visited often, the oysters came out fast, and the three courses that I ordered came out at well placed intervals. A special awesome bonus is that we received a $10 gift card at the end of the meal as a "thank you" for visiting Ryleigh's during restaurant week. What a great way to ensure that we'll come back, although we would have come back without the bonus gift card.

Kid Considerations:

The waitress told us that they are well stocked with boosters and highchairs. She said that it isn't uncommon to see kids in the restaurant. The crowd here is more of a 30-50's crowd than a under 30's Federal Hill'esque singles crowd - so we felt comfortable being here with our babe.

Yes: Kids menu, highchairs, boosters, kids coloring placement, good noise level

No: changing table, sink stool

Bathroom:

The bathroom was fully adequate. It wasn't knock your socks off (like Oceanaire) but it served its purpose. I was amused by the writing on the Men's room door (below the wet floor sign):

Aftermath:

Jim had to pop a Tums or two that night, but he did eat that gigantic sandwich...

Overall:

When you walk into a place with your reviewers hat on you have to remember to grade the experience based on the context of your setting. When we stepped into Ryleigh's I put my "bar/pub" hat on. I was so pleasantly surprised. This is a real dining experience, far above what you would expect from a bar or pub. There is plenty to explore on the menu too, which is often updated based on the availability of fresh seafood and other ingredients. In a nutshell... or oyster shell... good vibe, good service, good value, great eats.

Giovanna's

2008-07-30T18:13:00.001-07:00

I've driven by this place hundreds of times. I never really noticed it before other than being impressed by the grapevine trellis out front. When a well regarded poster over at Chowhound called out Giovanna's as his single best "chowhound find" I took notice. Hey, this place is close to home, I should check it out. And so I did. This is what I found:

Location:

7401 Harford Road (410-254-8128), just at the Baltimore/Parkville border. Giovanna's is primarily a carry-out place, but they do have a couple (literally, a couple) of tables inside and some outside as well.

Decor:

Carry-out clean. No decor to speak of other than your standard rack of Utz chips, fridge case of desserts, and pile of menus. It pretty much is what you would expect it to be.

Food:

My chowhound tipster already told me to stick with the Old Italian classics. We ordered the tortellini (red sauce), lasagna, antipasto and a 10" cheese pizza (for the kids.) My bill came to $27. The food was packaged nicely and still quite hot by the time we came home to unwrap it all. The kids loved the pizza, and it did taste homemade (crust included). The lasagna was fantastic. It had a layer of meat in it that was so classic in flavor that you might think it came from your Grandmother's kitchen. The tortellini was wonderful as well. Perfect cheese filled pasta puffs in a red tomato sauce. All of Giovanna's pastas are homemade, and it shows. The antipasto was more of a salad than what I would call a traditional antipasto. When I think antipasto I think of a plate of cheeses, olives, peppers, salamis, and a few marinated vegetables. This dish was mostly rolled meats (ham and salami) with olives, peppers, tomatoes, and a hard-boiled egg over a bed of iceberg lettuce. Slightly disappointing given my ingrained impression of antipasto, but it still tasted good.

Service:

There is no room for complaining here. I personally witnessed my dinner being wrapped by the owner of the establishment -- who still bears a thick Italian accent. Meanwhile my 5 year old son was being entertained by his lovely and gracious wife. This is a genuine "Ma & Pa" shop. They want to know their customers and they want you to know them. More importantly, they want you to come back. The service was excellent. The owner had an employee carry my bag of deliciousness to my car. Meanwhile the owner himself chased me down with his umbrella so that I would not get wet during the sudden thunderstorm. Chivalry lives on my friends.

Kid Considerations:

It's a carry-out place, so I can't add much to this category -- other than to say that the owners just ooh'ed and aah'ed over my kiddies.

Bathroom:

N/A

Aftermath:

Everything settled well -- and this is richer food than our norm.

Overall:

I definitely recommend, and will go back to, Giovanna's. They truly are authentic... in their food, in their service style, and in their family owned business module. I'd give the lasagna a slight edge over the tortellini, but it is all worth checking out. Yum yum, magnifica!

Samos

2008-07-26T07:30:00.000-07:00

Lately I've begun to fear that I'm turning into a one-trick pony with my onslaught of pub reviews. To combat this we headed to Highlandtown Hon! More precisely, Greektown. If Mahaffey's screams BEER! Samos screams FAMILY! So much so that you'll likely talk to the fine folks at surrounding tables when you dine at Samos -- as if they were family. Heck, they might as well seat us all at large cafeteria style tables so we can be even more intimate... but there are space constraints.

Location:

Samos is in Greektown, just off of Eastern Avenue. 600 Oldham Street; Baltimore.

Decor:

Samos started out as a carryout place in the 70's. They have since expanded into the adjacent building -- which allowed them to establish a dining room. The dining room is small. It seats about 35 people. The adjacent carry-out side seats about 10 people. The kitchen is open and in plain view upon entry. The dining area is bright and the walls are painted with scenes of Samos, a Greek island in the Aegean Sea.

Food:

We were good and hungry when we came to Samos. We wanted to truly have "the experience." And we did just that - we ordered "The Tour of Samos." This meal is $22.50 per person and includes a Greek salad, tzatziki and pita, kalamari, spinach pie, chicken souvlaki, dolmades, lamb chops, garlic shrimp, gyro, and roasted potatoes.

Everything was awesome. The low man on the totem pole was the kalamari -- but I'll just break this down for you in real people terms. No. 1 is the favorite, and so on... you know I love lists:

1. Dolmades (tender grape leaves stuffed with rice and lamb) 2. lamb chops 3. chicken souvlaki 4. garlic shrimp 5. Greek salad 6. spinach pie 7. gyro 8. tzatziki and pita 9. roasted potatoes 10. kalamari

The top five listed are so close in awesomeness and perfection that it was hard to deem their placement. The chicken and shrimp just bursted with wonderful flavor. The greek salad (and signature dressing) were irresistible, and the lamb chops were beautifully seared on the outside and pinkish and tender on the inside. My ding would be that the roasted potatoes were swimming in oily butter and that the kalamari was just sort of "ehh" compared to everything else. This is nit-picking though, because everything else shined so very brightly in taste performance.

Service:

This literally is a "line out the door" place. We knew this before we departed, so we made a real effort to get to Samos at 5 on the dot. We arrive around 5:10 and there were only two open tables in the small dining room. Thankfully we got one. The wait staff is cordial enough, and prompt with delivery and follow-up; but they don't go out of their way to "wow" you. That's o.k. with me. I remind myself of the context of this place -- a former carry-out that is now a full service restaurant. Don't expect kiss-your-butt pampering here, but you can count on competence and efficiency.

Kid Considerations:

Yes: High chairs, boosters, kid menu items, appropriate noise level.

No: Changing table, sink stools.

Other: The staff made us feel completely welcomed with our babe in tote. As I mentioned earlier, surrounding tables freely communicated with us about the baby, about life, etc. This is not a starch environment unwelcoming of children by any means. I would go as far to say that babies are even expected in this dining room.

Bathroom:

Really nothing great. It didn't seem particularly updated nor well attended to. No changing table, no kiddie stool. It was merely adequate.

Aftermath:

Nothing. The food must not be high in sodium either (relatively speaking). I'm a daily weigher, and I didn't have a jump in pounds after this meal the way that I do after eating sushi -- which I blame on the soy sodium factor.

Overall:

We would definitely go back. Our food experience was wonderful. There are so many other things on the menu worth exploring. I would certainly bring a guest too. Be aware that there are some special considerations. For instance, this restaurant does not accept credit cards (although, conveniently, there is an ATM machine by the restrooms). Also, they will be closed for vacation from 7/28 through 8/10. Samos is a BYOB establishment. A corkage fee of $2 per person will be applied to your bill.

Last but not least... this place feels authentic, feels "family, and feels worthwhile. Just be prepared to wait in line if you don't get in with the early birds.

Baltimore Restaurant Week

2008-07-25T18:48:00.000-07:00

So we all know that restaurant week is quickly approaching. From July 26th-August 3rd you will be able to dine on delicious three course meals at a fixed price of $30.08. Some participating restaurants are offering lunch specials as well.

I perused the list of participating restaurants and realized that I've been to quite a few of them. So, for kicks and giggles, I thought that I would break the restaurants up into a few categories. Perhaps this will help you decide where to dine as you take advantage of this fun opportunity to explore Baltimore's restaurants.

For category #1, I've inserted "+" signs to indicate my enthusiasm for the place. Four "+" (++++) indicates that I'm gaga for the grub/atmosphere/service.

1. Been there, done that, would do it again:

Abacrombie Fine Foods (++)

b Bolton Hill Bistro (+)

Babalu Grill (+)

Bicycle (++++)

Blue Agave (+++)

Brewer's Art (++)

Brighton's (++)

Eden's Lounge (+)

Helmand (++++)

Ixia (+, this almost made it to the list below)

Jack's Bistro (+++)

James Joyce Pub (+)

Matsuri (+)

Meli (++)

Minato (+)

Pazo (+++)

Red Maple (+)

Tio Pepe (++)

Roy's (+++)

Sascha's 527 (++)

Sotto Sopra (++)

Slainte Irish Pub (+)

The Oceanaire (++)

Ze Mean Bean (++)

2. Been there, done that, no urgent need to do it again:

Bertha's

Blue Sea Grill

Brass Elephant

Caesar's Den

Cafe Hon

Capital Grille

Corks

ESPN Zone

Fleming's Steakhouse

Della Notte

G&M Steakhouse

Louisiana Restaurant

McCormick & Schmick

Mo's Fishermans Wharf

Petit Louis

Phillips Harborplace

Pisces

Rusty Scupper

Ruth's Chris

Sabatinos

Valleggia's

3. Haven't been there, but have heard good things:

Aldo's

Black Olive

Gertrude's

Ryleigh's Oysters

Sammy's Trattoria

Saute

The Prime Rib

VIN

The Wine Market

Tsunami

Tabrizi's

4. Haven't been there, not interested:

None! Hey, I'll try anything... once. The joints that aren't listed are ones that I'm not familiar with, but am willing to check out.

The Cheesecake Factory

2008-07-25T18:29:00.000-07:00

Thank God for frivolous holidays. Did you know that July 30th is National Cheesecake Day? I wonder if foodies that take their food love one step too far could claim this as a personal holiday with their employer?

The Cheesecake Factory is offering cheesecake slices for just $1.50. What better way to celebrate this important day?!

Mahaffey's Pub

2008-07-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the recommendation of a fellow food lover we decided to hit Mahaffey's in Canton for Saturday's date night. The sign outside proclaims, "Good Beer, Good Food, Good Friends." It would be better suited to say, "Good Beer, Good Food, Good Friends, Good Service, Good Price, Good Time" -- but I suppose that would be pushing it for an exterior sign.

Location: In Canton. On the drive over I kept telling my husband, "You know, that street behind the Safeway." That's where it is, 2706 Dillon Street.

Decor: This is a corner rowhome bar. Think Ale Mary's meets Dead Freddie's. The ownership obviously takes pride in their specialty, beer. You'll note that several tap heads decorate the ceiling, as a border would. There are a mix of high tables and regular tables. The dining room is smallish. I suspect that you may have difficulty finding a seat during prime time hours.

Food: We started off with the calamari, served with a tomato aioli. The calamari was fried to a crunchy golden crisp, no greasy run-off here folks. I do wish that we had a lemon to squeeze over it, but not a deal-breaker. My husband especially appreciated the mix of tentacles with the rings. He's a tentacle kind of guy. For our entrees I ordered the grilled romaine salad with shrimp skewer and my husband ordered the buffalo wings, garlic style. The grilled romaine salad is a generous portion (practically two whole heads), seasoned with balsamic vinegar and some other stuff that tastes really good. The shrimp skewer had five perfectly cooked shrimp; a nice add-on to the splendid salad. The wings arrived to our table very hot, always a plus. They were meaty, well seasoned, and well portioned. We were pleased with all three dishes that we received. In the future we will likely try the jerk chicken and Vicki's chicken burger. A quick side note, the menu on the website is not the current menu being offered.

Based my first visit I get the impression that you can't talk about Mahaffey's without talking about the beer menu. This place prides itself on its selection of beers, and the frequency with which they rotate out the taps. For you hop hogs they even offer a "100 Beer Club" incentive to keep your taste buds coming back for more. The price is right too. Mahaffey's offers a happy hour special 7 days a week. The happy hour special on Saturday night was three 10 ounce beers for $4, and there is no shortage of selection to choose from. I wonder if you would get heckled for requesting a Coors Light?

Also, I was tipped off that the bartender, Alice, makes a mean mixed drink. I asked her to serve up her specialty for the day. She returned to the table with a watermelon mojito, complete with yummy pink chunks at the bottom. It was every bit as awesome as promised. If it's available when you go to Mahaffey's, be certain to order it.

Service: The service was great. Our waitress/bartender must have an amazing memory. Between the beer samplings and the entrees she never wrote a single request down. Impressive. We also spoke with the chef, Jack, for a bit. We told him of our positive impressions and he told us what we should order on the next round. I'm already hungry for more...

Kid Considerations: I told our waitress that we usually dine with a 12 month old. She quickly said that the dining room can definitely accommodate children. The noise level is right, and the menu is diverse enough that you could easily find something to order your child. I sense that I could dine here with kids successfully, but frankly, I probably wouldn't.

Bathroom: A pleasant surprise. The bathroom seemed to be recently refurbished, with a touch-free faucet and other modern amenities.

Aftermath: Nada.

Overall: We'll definitely return to this place. My husband might have to be hazed into the 100 Beer Club, he is a homebrewer after all. The menu is worth exploring, the service is outstanding, and the overall vibe of good cheer will lure you back for more.

Claddagh Pub

2008-07-21T06:36:00.000-07:00

Our stint in Canton started out a bit rocky. We intended to eat at Mama's on the Half Shell, which is somewhat of a cheat for this review since we have been there dozens of times before. We were feeling frugal on Wednesday night so we had our minds set on taking advantage of Mama's happy hour specials. We also had the big clunky baby stroller with us. The bar area isn't ideal for high chairs and the upstairs dining room doesn't offer the price deals on mussels, shrimps, and assorted spirits that we were looking for. We were content to eat outside, but we learned that the five tables on the sidewalk are credited to the dining room, not the bar, thus no price break. All in all too much hassle and overall unaccommodating to our family unit.

So we strolled around the square and happened upon Claddagh's, a place that neither of us had been to. We stalked an outside table that was convenient to the stroller and the manager quickly came out. We asked if the happy hour specials extended to the sidewalk tables. Again, they did not. He explained that it's a liquor licensing issue and that the sidewalk tables are zoned as "dining room." He was quick to offer us a resolution though. "I can hold your stroller in my side garage and carry a high chair to the upstairs lounge for you." His eagerness to please was duly noted, so we made our way inside.

Location: Canton Square; 2918 O'Donnell Street

Decor: The bar area is pretty much what you'd expect. It isn't a very big area, but it makes up for that by having two full bars upstairs as well. The outside tables and the inside dining room tables are decked out in white tablecloths; yet ratcheted down with paper placemats. The upstairs area is, well, really cool. It is divided into three rooms, two of which have full service bars. Two of the rooms are game rooms with bar stools, pool tables, foos ball and the third room is a lounge area with oversized leather chairs and intimate candle lighting. We sat in the lounge area. We arrived fairly early, around 5:15, and were the only ones in the upstairs lounge.

Food: For starters my husband ordered the wings while I ordered the special appetizer for the day; mussels in a white wine garlic sauce. The wings came out piping hot, and I mean steaming! The wings were traditional style ("industry standard" as my husband says) and plenty meaty. They weren't greasy or breaded either (thankfully). My mussels were perfectly plump and well tossed in their white wine bath. Very good. For our entree we both ordered salads. Jim got the Black and Bleu salad (blackened chicken, crisp bacon, red onion and tomato served over spinach tossed with bleu cheese) and I got the Greeley's salad (Mesculin greens, feta cheese, roasted pecans, tomatoes and red onions tossed in rosemary-red wine vinaigrette topped with chilled poached shrimp). They were both outstanding, well portioned and tossed with a pleasantly precise amount of dressing.

Service: The service was great. From the manager that whisked my stroller away to the garage to the bartender who indulged my efforts at review writing by talking to us at length about Claddagh's. Superb.

Kid Considerations: The waiter told us that the upstairs lounge is a good spot for kids. The noise level is appropriate and the seating is flexible. If you dine here with kids, I would avoid Friday and Saturday nights and I'd do my best to be in by 5pm and out by 6'ish. It's obvious that this place turns into a singles scene in the later hours.

Bathroom: Surprisingly nice. Not what I expected. It was updated, maintained, streamlined and clean.

Aftermath: I'm starting to feel awkward about this section ;) No Tums necessary.

Overall: We'll definitely return, on a date night or with kids. The waiter recommended that we try the seafood club sandwich or the prime rib sandwich on our next visit.

Starbucks

2008-07-18T20:21:00.000-07:00

I distinctly remember when Jim and I moved back to Maryland in July of 2003. Our first thought was "Where is the STARBUCKS?!?!" We drove miles and miles to the only local location in Lutherville, Maryland. It was awful. When we lived in California we were used to a Starbucks store at every two mile interval.

As the years passed Starbucks stores seemed to populate the area. First there was the store at Loch Raven Blvd., and next the store at Belvedere Square. It seemed as though my desire for a grande skim cappuccino would always be quenched.

Unfortunately, like most of capitalist America, Starbucks is feeling the pinch. There are several Maryland stores that are closing, you can review the full list here: http://wjz.com/local/coffee.Starbucks.closing.2.774154.html

Alonso's

2008-07-16T12:32:00.001-07:00

Remember how I said that I emphatically check the Baltimore City Health Department restaurant closure website? I wasn't kidding! Today June's listings popped up - another doozy on there. Alonso's, much to my surprise, was shut down for the day due to mouse infestation and unsanitary conditions. This is a pretty popular joint among the eastside urbanites.

Tacos anyone? I'll stick with Nacho Mamas.

My Five Rules

2008-07-15T06:13:00.001-07:00

Here is "Georgie Three Teeth" (said in my best Goodfellas gangster voice) -- the real critic. Together we've recovered plates of dumped food, endured minutes of loud wailing, and experienced many other undesirable behaviors while dining. As a result of this nonsense we've come up with five golden rules of dining out with children.

My Top 5:

1. Dine before 7pm. No one wants to see your sweet apple-cheeked child at a time that they perceive is "past bedtime."

2. Don't go to a quiet restaurant -- at least not until your child is over the age of three or four.

3. Be responsible for your mess. If there is an entire second entree under the high chair do your best to pick it up.

4. Arm yourself with toys and other kiddie distractions. Don't rely on the power of playing with sugar packets to entertain your child while you wait for your food.

5. If your child is fussy or loud do everyone a favor and leave the restaurant. In this case, misery does not need company.

Kooper's Tavern

2008-07-13T08:48:00.000-07:00

Last night was date night (thank you Auntie and Uncle) so we had the opportunity to dine sans kids. Never fear, we still take notes for the "kid considerations" portion of this review. We wanted someplace close, someplace informal, someplace interesting and someplace fairly inexpensive. We went to Kooper's Tavern in Fells Point. We kind of violated the unwritten rule on pub food, and we really should have known better. In poker terms it's like raising a pair of sevens dealt to you when all face cards show on the flop - bad idea. Read on to see where I'm going with this...

Location: Koopers Tavern is a waterfront pub located in the heart of Fell's Point on Thames Street. The setting is picturesque complete with cobble stone streets, water taxis, and plenty of people watching.

Decor: The tavern is essentially divided into two parts, the basic bar on the first floor and the quieter and more formal dining room and bar on the second floor. The first floor doesn't particularly have a style, not unless "Fells Point Bar" can be considered an adjective. It resembles a place that you could eat peanuts in and toss the shells on the floor. As you go upstairs it gets nicer. The stools at the upstairs bar are upholstered, the wood floors and tables are nicely polished, and tall windows showcase the pretty waterfront view.

Food: We had our wanna-be critics hats on so we decided to order appetizers. My husband got a 1/2 dozen raw oysters. They were large in size, plump and slightly salty. Off-season raw oysters are a gamble and these definitely hit the mark. I ordered the cream of crab soup (such a waistline no-no, but...) It was disappointing, a more appropriate name for the soup would have been cream of Old Bay because there certainly wasn't any crab in it. Not unless you count the minced stuff that oddly floated in my cup. I'm born and bred in Maryland and I want lumps. It's a shame, the soup had a nice flavor, but it was void of the most important ingredient (and the one that justifies the cost), the crab.

We were undecided what to order for dinner. The menu was intriguing and ambitious. This was, after all, a Fells Point bar. Should we just order bar food? Or should we give one of the more sophisticated entrees a try? There was ahi tuna, grilled pizzas, muffaletta sandwich and other off-beat-for-a-bar choices. As we contemplated the menu we realized that we were already feeling fullish from the oysters and cream of cream soup. We didn't want the evening to be a belly-buster so we decided to split an entree, the Surf n' Turf. The plate consisted of a steak (the Tug Boat steak, marked as "chef's special") and a crab cake. It also came with two sides. I asked the waiter if we could have a side salad and a baked potato. He said that it comes with mashed potatoes and veggies. This was fine, but I countered that I'd still like to have a side salad.

The meal arrived in a timely manner and the presentation was fair. The crabcake looked far more impressive than it tasted. It was a great size, but unfortunately it wasn't all crab. I'm not sure what kind of crab was in it, but it was a little minced and indistinguishable in the middle with some token lumps on the outside. Other than the butter that it was broiled in there wasn't much in the form of taste. It also tasted previously frozen. At least the crab cake looked good, which is more than I can say for the steak. I had high hopes for the chef's special Tug Boat steak, but the meat that was on our plate looked better suited for a Denny's steak and egg plate. It was a common sirloin, grilled, and fairly tasteless. It was also cooked unevenly and medium rare, when we asked for it to be cooked medium.

The salad was good. It was a blend of candied walnuts, juicy pears, tomatoes and cucumbers atop a bed of mixed field greens. The disappointing thing about the salad is that we asked for a side salad, they ended up giving us the Kooper's salad, a $9 salad. The menu clearly stated that a salad can be substituted for a side for $1 extra. I felt a little rail-roaded over the $8 difference.

Service: The service was very good. The staff greeted us as we entered the pub and our waiter was very attentive and kind throughout the course of our meal. Each course came out in a timely manner and our beverages were well tended to.

Kid Considerations: Overall my opinion is that this restaurant should stay in the date night category. Kooper's website says that there is outside seating, but we didn't see any tables out front last night. Perhaps if you could bring a child in a stroller and sit outside you might be comfortable, but I don't think this pub makes the kid cut with its indoor dining set-up.

Bathroom: We didn't use it. I know, another self-imposed rule broken. My assumption is that it was probably just o.k.

Aftermath: No indigestion... or any other nonsense.

Overall: Getting back to the unwritten rule mentioned in paragraph one... more often than not when you're dining at a bar you should simply get the bar food. I know that there are some exceptions to the rule, like Peter's Inn and Henningers, but this is not one of them. I liked how the menu looked, but maybe they should scale back on their offerings and simply try to do fewer things better. This wasn't a very good (or even good?) dining experience, but we both decided that we would go back. Next time, we'll try the wings and steamed shrimp, or something else more in line with our setting. What really rubbed me wrong is that our bill, with tip, came to $86 -- and that is far too much dough to spend in a pub on a bar-lined street with subpar food... and a split entree to boot!

Canton Dockside

2008-07-09T16:39:00.000-07:00

This will be a brief review. I dined here on a rainy night at a time that neared the kids bath/bed routine. We were in and out and didn't order appetizers or desserts, so my apologies for not thoroughly sampling the menu. Nonetheless it was a positive experience and kid-friendly, thus worth writing about.

Location: Canton Dockside is located next door to the tallest building in Canton, the First Mariner Bank Building on Boston Street. Parking comes easy with a lot adjacent to the restaurant as well as street parking. There is also a nice view of the east side of the Harbor.

Decor: The interior is appropriately decorated for a Baltimore American Fare/Seafood joint. Think Bowman meets Red Lobster. There are tasteful paintings of local landmarks (Annapolis highlights, Johns Hopkins), *interesting* lighting (giant globes hanging from the ceiling), and comfortable-not-too-crowded wooden tables and chairs. The bar and the main dining room are in one large space with a low divider wall. There is also patio dining in the form of picnic tables (for crab crackin I presume.)

Food: Again, forgive me for the fact that the table ordered such similar items. My five year old son had the fish fry sandwich. He said that it was "good" but towards the end of his fish he began peeling the fried layer off - which means that it could have been too greasy or heavy for his stomach. I had the broiled crabcake with a house salad and baked potato. The crabcake was a nice consistency, lots of meat and not much filler. Unfortunately it lacked taste. I don't think that I've ever done this in my life but I actually sprinkled table salt and a dash of old bay on it. I also didn't like that it had a dollop of butter on top. It's not really a Maryland thing to mix your crabmeat and butter - this isn't Red Lobster. It was still acceptable, but I wouldn't order it again. The potato and salad were... well, a potato and salad. My Mom got the crab fluff, which she seemed to enjoy, but again, it lacked seasoning. It was a beautiful golden brown fluff though, not too greasy and seemingly cooked to perfection. It was worthy enough for her to take the remainder of her portion home in a carryout container. She had the fries (perfectly acceptable) and cole slaw (very good) as sides.

Service: The service was fantastic. Our waiter was very attentive and friendly. He put my five year old son's order in first (always a plus) and it arrived slightly before our entrees arrived. Passer-by waitstaff stopped to ooh and aah at my eleven month old as well. All of this attention, in addition to prompt service, made us feel very welcomed.

Kid Considerations:

Yes - kids menu, high chairs, booster chairs, appropriate noise level

No - changing tables, sink stools

Other - again, the service was great. The waiter even asked me if he should water down my son's lemonade since it was "very sweet."

Bathroom: The bathroom didn't seem overly well attended, but it was cute and comfortable. Unfortunately no changing table in the handicapped stall - which I desperately needed - but oh well.

Aftermath: None! Although maybe I should ask my 5 year old about the fried fish....

Overall: I will definitely go back here and sample the rest of the menu, maybe even crack a few crabs on the lovely patio. This place is about *service service service*. On future visits I expect that the food will likely land somewhere between acceptable and good. More impressively, based on this visit, I expect that the staff will be anxious to accommodate us so that we enjoy the dining experience at Canton Dockside-- in a beautiful setting too.

Info: 410-276-8900; 3301 Boston Street; Baltimore, MD 21224

Baltimore City Health Department Food Closures

2008-07-09T05:23:00.000-07:00

I discovered this website about six months ago, and fanatically click on it weekly waiting for the new list to pop up. If you scour through the months of closures most of them seem pretty in line with the type of establishment that you might expect to be forced to close. The most common offenses seem to be roach infestation, rat infestation, fly infestation, improper license and no hot water.

Be sure to go back 12 + months. You will find some zingers in there that you wouldn't expect -- Austin Grill, Red Fish, Sotto...

http://www.baltimorehealth.org/foodclosures.html

Clementine

2008-07-02T16:53:00.001-07:00

My husband, babe and I ventured to Clementine this evening, a two month old restaurant in the heart of Hamilton. I've heard rumblings that the Lauraville'ites want you to think that it's an expansion of the Lauraville kinda-boom, but truly, it's more of a precedent of the we-hope-it-happens "new" Hamilton.

Location:

The Hamilton strip, complete with a view of "CVS" in red letters. There is complimentary parking at the lot adjacent to the CVS, however the crosswalk is inconveniently located one block south.

Decor:

Think Cracker Barrel meets Bicycle. The interior is more spacious and sprawling than Chameleon Cafe (the natural competitor for this area and target audience). Clementine is part of a strip retail building, but it doesn't feel like it. So why the Cracker Barrel reference you ask? When we entered there was classic country (complete with Johnny Cash) playing on the XM satellite radio. That, combined with the unfinished wood tables, chairs and the collection of knick-knacks surrounding the kitchen/server area, gave it a Cracker Barrel feel. This description isn't an insult though... if you've dined at Bicycle then you know it isn't an insult.

At the entrance the place screams "We Welcome Kids!" Which, of course, is music to our ears. To the right you have a stylish waiting area complete with sofa and high table chairs, and to your left you will find a cozy kid area complete with toys, a chalkboard, and a flop sofa. I immediately felt comfortable about dining with my 11 month old babe.

We dined on a Wednesday night. The restaurant was nearly empty when we entered at 6pm, but it was half full when we left at 7:15 pm.

Food:

The waitress really wanted us to order the mac n' cheese. We had the baby with us, so why not? The mac n' cheese came out piping hot. It wasn't too rich nor too cheesy. It had a slight tang to it and was speckled with tomatoes and green onions. It was delicious, but I didn't need to finish the plate. An interesting aside, my 11 month old didn't care for it at all, although my five year old gladly ate the leftovers that we brought home.

For our appetizer we ordered the $12 Charcuterie, which is essentially a festival of various meats, in small portions. The plate included a shrimp and crab pate, served next to a spicy honey cocktail sauce, a duck pate, served with a tomato ginger marmalade, a homemade smoked sausage (consisting of Duroc pork, paprika and roasted onion), bread and butter pickles, and a large slice of manchego cheese. The pates were flavorful and light in texture. We're not big fans of pate because often they are too rich, but the consistency of both the duck and the shrimp and crab pates were light and airy.

For the main course I ordered the Airline Chicken (interesting name eh?), it is decades better than its title suggests. The entree is a roasted basil-brined chicken breast served over a large roasted sweet potato slice. The duo is surrounded by a wonderful cardamom ginger honey cream sauce and topped with lemon-apple pickled green beans. The chicken was cooked to perfection... juicy, tender, and perfectly portioned. The sauce was deliciously creamy without being too creamy. The meal was piping hot, so it struck me as odd that the green beans were cold, but in hindsight seeing that they were described as "pickled" I guess I shouldn't have been surprised. Also, my 11 month old loved this dish. She ate as much chicken as I cared to part with.

My husband ordered Jonny Bip's sambar curry with cauliflower, zucchini and lentils. The dish was colorfully garnished with carrot and red cabbage relish. The dish was flavorful with a shot of heat (in the spice sense). Unfortunately the rice was obviously undercooked, which distracts from the almost-there goodness of the dish. In the days of shows like Top Chef and Hell's Kitchen it's surprising to get undercooked rice and pastas - how many trash cans has Gordon Ramsay kicked to the wall in tantrum-like fashion at the hands of undercooked grains? Don't chefs know to always sample before you serve?

We passed on dessert. The sweet offerings included a brownie, a coconut cream pie, and sweet biscuits topped with fruit. None compelling enough for our already full stomachs.

Service:

My husband and I enjoyed the service here. We are local to the area and we welcomed the local flavor of the service attendants. I can appreciate that the servers at Chameleon Cafe try to act somewhat upscale, as though they're imports from a "real" fancy restaurant, but given their setting in a row home along Harford Road it comes off as a bit strained. Whereas the servers at Clementine seem comfortable, confident, enthusiastic and eager to make you like them. Our 11 month old was adequately ooh'ed and aah'ed over, our food came in a timely manner, and the server refilled our wine at the appropriate meal intervals. I should mention that the restaurant does not have a liquor license as of yet, and there is a $5 corkage fee per table (not per item).

My only wish is that the ceiling fans weren't going full blast during our stay. The A/C seemed to be doing a fine enough job and having the ceiling fans set on "high" did nothing to keep my food warm. That is nit-picking, but still.

Kid Considerations:

Yes: High chairs, booster seats, solid noise level

No: Kids menu, changing table, sink stool

Other: The children's area at the restaurants entry is impressive, staff obviously welcomes kids

Bathroom:

Oh I hate to say it because I like Clementines, but I think about 10 hours and a $200 budget went into the bathrooms. Jim wasn't much impressed with the men's room either. I'll start with the positive, it was clean, the hall leading to the bathroom is wide and nicely lit. Unfortunately the bathroom itself is poorly lit. There is not much in the way of decor, and it pretty much felt like a kinda-icky bathroom at the back of a strip retail joint.

Aftermath:

All clear!

Overall:

We will certainly go back. It feels fancy enough, without being too much. The prices are reasonable, and the service is great. We soooo want this restaurant to do well, and perhaps spread the enterprising spirit to other restauranteers that may be considering this corridor of Harford Road. And most importantly, yes, you can dine with kids here, and comfortably so.

Baltimore Pho

2008-06-29T08:43:00.000-07:00

Hold the cheerios. What better way to kick off this blog then by contradicting my intent with a review of a non-child restaurant? This was an interesting enough place that it warrants a review, but it will live in the category of "date night" places - meaning - no kids.

Firstly, the owners of the establishment must really want you to pronounce the restaurant name correctly because an asterisk (*) with the following - Pronounced Fuh - is on all of their literature and signage. I appreciate their desire for me to be phonetically correct when I talk about the restaurant.

Location:

Baltimore Pho is located across from the Hollins Street market in SoWe Baltimore, an area that could really use a place like this.

Decor:

We dined at 6:15 on a Saturday night and the dining room was about half full, with a few seats taken at the bar as well. The decor is chic, sharp and clean. Think Ixia meets Jack's bistro, add primary colors.

Food:

We were very excited to dive into this culinary experience, it's not often that a new Vietnamese cuisine place opens up in Baltimore. After being greeted by our waiter he presented us with prawn chips to nosh on while we reviewed the menu. The prawn chips are made in house and they are delicious. They are served with a sweet pepper sauce that compliments that slight peppery after kick of the chip.

We both ordered soup appetizers, my husband got the Thai-style spicy shrimp soup and I got the sweet corn and crab meat soup. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his soup and later declared it his favorite "taste" of the evening. It was heavy on the lemongrass and had a spicy, yet floral, flavor. My sweet corn soup was cooked Vietnamese style with a good dose of oil and egg. It was mildly spicy and overall good, although I thought a tad oily.

For our entrees I ordered the caramelized fish and my husband got the combination Pho, "Hollins style" (which means that the ordered was made with half-noodles and half-vegetables rather than all noodles as in the traditional style). The caramelized fish was good, but I would not order it again. It was appropriately sweet but incredibly oily. It came with a spoon but I would never dream of slurping up the oily broth, instead I picked out the fish and floating seasonings and chives with chopsticks. I would have really enjoyed this dish had it not been for the, too much in my opinion, floating oil. Jim's Pho was very good but it was not piping hot, or even moderately hot (see service notes below). The Pho is served with a side dish to dress up your Pho as you like. The side dish includes bean sprouts, basil leaves, mint leaves, jalapeno peppers, red pepper sauce and a mildly sweet hoisin sauce. The serving of Pho was large. The broth was very mild, thankfully the fixings plate can make up for that. It wasn't the best Pho ever but we both agreed that we would order it again.

We also ordered a side of the battered green beans. Again, the green beans were oily, which muddied the intended crispness of the batter. They were also fairly bland. They were sitting in a pool of some underwhelming brown sauce. They would have been better if served with a chili infused dipping sauce. We actually used table salt (something we rarely do) to add a little taste to them.

Service:

The staff and manager are very friendly, but service is where Pho (*Pronounced Fuh) meets its match. There are some kinks that need to be worked out, "delay" was the service theme of the night. Our drinks (a bottle of beer and a glass of chardonnay) were not served at the same time, it also took about 10 minutes to receive the first one.

I was distracted by the servers room, which is visible to the entire dining room, where the cooks line up food under heat lamps as it waits to be served. I watched our appetizer soups sit in the server's window for at least ten minutes. There were servers milling around the area, but I guess that they don't impose a "deliver the food regardless of whether or not it's your table" rule. Unfortunately our waiter was MIA for a good while as our soups became less and less steaming.

The prawn chips, as good as they were, did not need to be refilled. I found it odd that our waiter brought us a second batch of chips without asking us. I know, I could have sent them back, but...

The menu leaves you with the impression that dishes are meant to be shared, although it doesn't fully disclose the "family style" intent. If this is true then the staff should provide tasting bowls and serving spoons for the entrees. I received my entree about 15 minutes before my husband received his bowl of Pho. Again, I spotted his Pho helplessly losing steam in the server's window.

My last pick on service is that they aren't incredibly knowledgeable about the menu and the food itself. Our waiter was average but we felt embarrassed for the waiter serving the table behind us. He was so inadequately informed about the flavors, the spiciness, and the portions that to hear him try to answer his table's questions was just painful. Normally wait staff can fuddle their way through such questions, but this menu is so unique that, in my opinion, the staff should taste and be well versed in every item on the menu because there WILL be questions.

Bathroom:

I think that scoping out bathrooms is a necessary element of critiquing a restaurant. A lot can be said about a place by checking out their bathroom. The bathroom here was clean, tastefully decorated, and obviously frequently tended to. Thumbs up.

Aftermath:

Let's be frank, sometimes a meal tastes really good going in but then you have the aftermath factor of indigestion, cramping, and other things I won't mention. The meal passed the aftermath test - no side effects.

Overall:

Both my husband and I decided that we would gladly go back to Baltimore Pho. We really enjoyed the hip ambiance, the reasonable prices and the friendly staff. The menu is intriguing in a way that makes you want to experience more of the place. The service mishaps do hamper the experience, but as time goes on and the wait staff matures in their knowledge this problem can easily be resolved. Also, we wish that they weren't so heavy handed on the oils. An interesting note is that this restaurant can easily be done cheaply. The Pho portion is large, and well priced. A couple could easily get two beers, one appetizer, share a Pho, and be in and out for less than $30. Not bad for a place that leaves you with the impression of being somewhat upscale, especially given the context of its setting.

Baltimore Pho; 1116 Hollins Street; Baltimore; 410-752-4746