[This effectively turned into a Baltimore thread, so the Philly content has been split off. -Mod]
Folks, the AZLobo is soon to no longer be the AZ Lobo. I have accepted a job as in-house labor & employment counsel for The Hershey Company, and my wife and I will be moving to central Pennsylvania very soon. We will most likely be living in Lancaster for the first year. Now, we've been to Lancaster and it's a pretty small town...if you have any food suggestions for Lancaster I'll not only be surprised, I'd be ever so thankful....BUT...
Lancaster is about 60 miles from Baltimore, and about 70 miles from Philly. I'm completely ignorant as to the food scene in either of those cities. The Amtrak Keystone Service runs from Lancaster to Philly, and I hear it makes it there in just about an hour. I'd like any and all suggestions for either Philadelphia or Baltimore, as I expect we'll in those cities a lot.
Bonus points for suggestions in and around Harrisburg...
Baltimore
15 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Skillet Doux » Fri Jun 15, 2012 9:39 am
Completely bummed that you're leaving us, azlobo, but Baltimore, I can help with. We were there from 2007 to 2009, and I really miss that town.
Baltimore is crabs, right? Good crab shacks abound (as do bad ones), but the one that I settled into as a personal favorite was Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn. It's in Essex, about 15-20 east of the inner harbor, and it's a tattered, beloved barcalounger of a restaurant. It's been around forever, it was a bar long before it was a crab shack, the walls are covered with Baltimore Colts photos and press clippings, the staff has been there forever, and it's always packed with a mostly local crowd since they're a bit of a skip from the tourist areas. They always seem to have fabulous, heavy crabs (almost exclusively from the gulf -- local crabs are hard to come by and, given the sad state of the Chesapeake, not necessarily better these days), and they use an in-house spice mix that's similar to Old Bay, but a little mellower and, in my opinion, a whole lot tastier. You just order a ton of crabs, a bunch of Natty Boh and go to town. P.S.... eating the steamed crab au natural is the preferred method. Dipping in a touch of vinegar is a common variant. Melted butter is offered, but will probably get you some looks. Personal opinion? You don't need to add a damn thing.
Also, there are crabcakes, of course. Ask a dozen Baltimorons who makes the best crabcakes, you'll get a dozen different answers. Even after two years, I don't feel comfortable dipping my toes into that debate. But an extremely good place to stop for them is Faidley's. It's a local institution, located in Lexington Market, which is one of the city's six (seven?) public markets. The market itself doesn't provide anything amazing in terms of foodstuffs (though the seafood will obviously be a whole lot better than you're used to seeing), but it's as much a cultural experience as a culinary one. Faidley's is a counter service joint with a few high counters and no chairs, so it's a good quick stop.
The crabcake is how you find most of them in Baltimore. Almost all crab, very little binder/filler. In this case, just enough cracker and mayonnaise to hold them together, a touch of mustard and seasoning, and that's it. They're a little larger than a baseball and deep fried, and really, really good. There are better to be had, but not in better surroundings.
Of course, the crabcakes get the attention at Faidley's, but one of my favorite things there is the fried haddock sandwich. It's awesome. A huge plank of burn-your-mouth fried fish, hot and crisp on the outside and tender and moist in the center. Hot, fresh fried fish served between two cold slices of white bread. The temperature contrast, in this case, is a good thing. I always get a side of cole slaw, add some to the sandwich and give it a liberal splash of hot sauce. Another thing to try here is the coddie, which is another local specialty, albeit one that's kind of fallen out of favor. They're cakes made with flaked cod and mashed potatoes, breaded and fried. I understand that in times long past, these were more cod than potato. The reverse is now the case (I'd love to see somebody resurrect the historical coddie that everybody talks about). But they're still really delicious, and not something you're likely to find anywhere else. There's also a really good raw bar at Faidley's, and depending on your comfort level when it comes to raw oysters, it can be a real treat.
Given your inexplicable Arby's fetish, you need to have some pit beef. I've joked that Arby's is the bastardized, mass marketed version of this sandwich. It's another Baltimore thing... a tough chunk of beef (usually top or bottom round, I think) quickly grilled so that it's charred on the outside and still rare (preferably mooing) in the center, though the good places will let you choose your temperature (and you might even get it). Then it's sliced thin and served on a kaiser roll, and you add your preferred toppings -- onions, pickles, tiger sauce (creamy horseradish) and BBQ sauce are some of the most common.
The most famous pit beef place is Chaps Pit Beef, and it's worthy. Probably best for a first try if you're passing through. I also had great sandwiches from Pioneer and a little truck called Bull On The Run, if you can find it. I wrote about BotR's location here, but that was years ago and I have no idea if that's still where they park.
Given the dearth of good deli in Phoenix, Attman's is another place you should really check out. It's one of two (three?) surviving members of Baltimore's Corned Beef Row (an old Jewish neighborhood that's all but disappeared), and it's easily the best remaining. It's a real hole in the wall, and if you go at lunchtime there's a huge line that they cram into the narrow space. Again, a true cultural institution, and the kind of place you'd never find here.
It's all about the brisket here, in whatever form -- corned beef, pastrami, roasted -- held in the steam box and sliced to order. This is what I pine for when I keep trying corned beef and pastrami around town. This pastrami is so freaking good -- heavily spiced, garlicky, just the right amount of fat, warm and tender... drool. It's a huge list of sandwiches. Pick your preferred combination/permutation (either straight-up corned beef / pastrami or the Nosh or the Gay Liveration -- no typo -- are my personal faves), and go to town. The chopped liver is awesome, too.
Very near Attman's (and the Inner Harbor) is Baltimore's Little Italy, a beloved neighborhood and deservedly so. It's a wonderful place with wonderful people and oodles of character. Unfortunately, the food mostly sucks. Badly. Don't eat there. Unless you go to Piedigrotta. It's an Italian bakery a couple blocks off the main drag, and it's spectacular. The 800 lb. gorilla in that 'hood is Vaccaro's, and everybody will tell you to go there, and they are all WRONG. Vaccaro's is mediocre when it's at its best, and it kills me to see that place packed every night while Piedigrotta, just a couple of blocks away, is deserted. Anyway, PIedigrotta is run by a husband and wife from the Veneto, and they're just awesome, both as people and bakers. The husband, Carminantonio, has a highly credible claim as the inventor of tiramisu. Its first appearance has been pretty reliably traced to a restaurant outside of Venice, and it's been established that his pastry shop was supplying them with desserts when tiramisu first appeared on the scene. That the probable inventor of such an iconic dessert works mostly in obscurity on the edge of Baltimore's Little Italy is bordering on infuriating. But anyway, just go. Fabulous Italian pastries and cookies. And his wife, Bruna, makes some great savories as well -- stuffed pastas, meat pies, etc. It's usually reheated fare, but even nuked, it's better than most of what you'll get in the neighborhood's restaurants. If you go, you must tell Bruna that Dominic, Jennifer, Matteo and Giulia miss them dearly.
Take the total length of this post, quadruple it, and that's how much I could write about Grace Garden without breaking a sweat. It's in Odenton, about 20 minutes south of the city, and it's the greatest food nerd discovery that I've had the pleasure of being at the center of. It's a tiny, tiny joint in a dingy, ramshackle strip mall across from Fort Meade. They were hanging on by selling Sweet Sour Pork and General Tso's Chicken to the soldiers across the street, but it turns out the couple that runs the place, Chun and Mei, are from Hong Kong, and they're AMAZING cooks. They have a second menu that's filled with hordes of amazing traditional Cantonese and Sichuan specialties (Chun spent a lot of time studying in Sichuan province), as well as some slightly contemporary takes thereon. It's arguably the best Chinese food I've had this side of the Pacific.
You really need a crowd here, partly so that you can try a lot of stuff, and partly because some of the best dishes are special order and huge. If you want to go, drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with the local food nerds. Getting a crowd together for Grace Garden is not a difficult task (they're usually looking for a good excuse). But if you MUST go as a couple, some favorites include the fish noodles (the noodles are made of fish), the crispy Sichuan fish with rice powder, the Sichuan fish fillets, the Triple T (our pet name for the Sichuan beef tongue, tripe and tendon), the braised pork belly with mui choy, the Taiwanese style fish, the Hong Kong style curry beef stew... please just get in touch with the local nerds and go with a big group.
A couple others that are lower priority, but good stops nonetheless:
Woodberry Kitchen is a midrange restaurant that's gotten a lot of press. They were ahead of the curve on farm to table. It's all really simple, hyperseasonal food. Very homey, very simple, very, very delicious. And the best mint julep I've ever had by a wide margin.
Baltimore has a really nice Greektown as well, and my favorite there was Zorba's. I remember everything being delicious, but the big standout was the grilled octopus, which was outstanding... blackened on the outside, but still sweet and tender, doused with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Killer stuff.
If there's anything specific you're looking for, I can probably give you more info as well. But those are what I consider the most important stops.
Whenever you get there, PLEASE, PLEASE report back. I'm dying to hear what you think.
Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn
200 Eastern Blvd.
Essex, MD 21221
410-687-5994
Faidley's Seafood
www.faidleyscrabcakes.com
Lexington Market
200 N. Paca St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-727-4898
Chaps Pit Beef
www.chapspitbeef.com
5801 Pulaski Hwy
Baltimore, MD 21205
410-483-2379
Attman's Delicatessen
www.attmansdeli.com
1019 E. Lombard St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-563-2666
Piedigrotta Italian Bakery
www.piedigrottabakery.com
1300 Bank St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-522-6900
Grace Garden
www.gracegardenchinese.com
1690 Annapolis Rd.
Odenton, MD 21113
410-672-3581
Woodberry Kitchen
www.woodberrykitchen.com
2010 Clipper Park Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-464-8000
Zorba's Bar & Grill
4710 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224
410-276-4484
- Steamed Crabs @ Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn
Baltimore is crabs, right? Good crab shacks abound (as do bad ones), but the one that I settled into as a personal favorite was Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn. It's in Essex, about 15-20 east of the inner harbor, and it's a tattered, beloved barcalounger of a restaurant. It's been around forever, it was a bar long before it was a crab shack, the walls are covered with Baltimore Colts photos and press clippings, the staff has been there forever, and it's always packed with a mostly local crowd since they're a bit of a skip from the tourist areas. They always seem to have fabulous, heavy crabs (almost exclusively from the gulf -- local crabs are hard to come by and, given the sad state of the Chesapeake, not necessarily better these days), and they use an in-house spice mix that's similar to Old Bay, but a little mellower and, in my opinion, a whole lot tastier. You just order a ton of crabs, a bunch of Natty Boh and go to town. P.S.... eating the steamed crab au natural is the preferred method. Dipping in a touch of vinegar is a common variant. Melted butter is offered, but will probably get you some looks. Personal opinion? You don't need to add a damn thing.
- Faidley's
Also, there are crabcakes, of course. Ask a dozen Baltimorons who makes the best crabcakes, you'll get a dozen different answers. Even after two years, I don't feel comfortable dipping my toes into that debate. But an extremely good place to stop for them is Faidley's. It's a local institution, located in Lexington Market, which is one of the city's six (seven?) public markets. The market itself doesn't provide anything amazing in terms of foodstuffs (though the seafood will obviously be a whole lot better than you're used to seeing), but it's as much a cultural experience as a culinary one. Faidley's is a counter service joint with a few high counters and no chairs, so it's a good quick stop.
- Crabcake @ Faidley's
The crabcake is how you find most of them in Baltimore. Almost all crab, very little binder/filler. In this case, just enough cracker and mayonnaise to hold them together, a touch of mustard and seasoning, and that's it. They're a little larger than a baseball and deep fried, and really, really good. There are better to be had, but not in better surroundings.
- Fried Haddock Sandwich @ Faidley's
Of course, the crabcakes get the attention at Faidley's, but one of my favorite things there is the fried haddock sandwich. It's awesome. A huge plank of burn-your-mouth fried fish, hot and crisp on the outside and tender and moist in the center. Hot, fresh fried fish served between two cold slices of white bread. The temperature contrast, in this case, is a good thing. I always get a side of cole slaw, add some to the sandwich and give it a liberal splash of hot sauce. Another thing to try here is the coddie, which is another local specialty, albeit one that's kind of fallen out of favor. They're cakes made with flaked cod and mashed potatoes, breaded and fried. I understand that in times long past, these were more cod than potato. The reverse is now the case (I'd love to see somebody resurrect the historical coddie that everybody talks about). But they're still really delicious, and not something you're likely to find anywhere else. There's also a really good raw bar at Faidley's, and depending on your comfort level when it comes to raw oysters, it can be a real treat.
- Pit Beef @ Chaps
Given your inexplicable Arby's fetish, you need to have some pit beef. I've joked that Arby's is the bastardized, mass marketed version of this sandwich. It's another Baltimore thing... a tough chunk of beef (usually top or bottom round, I think) quickly grilled so that it's charred on the outside and still rare (preferably mooing) in the center, though the good places will let you choose your temperature (and you might even get it). Then it's sliced thin and served on a kaiser roll, and you add your preferred toppings -- onions, pickles, tiger sauce (creamy horseradish) and BBQ sauce are some of the most common.
- Grill @ Chaps Pit Beef
The most famous pit beef place is Chaps Pit Beef, and it's worthy. Probably best for a first try if you're passing through. I also had great sandwiches from Pioneer and a little truck called Bull On The Run, if you can find it. I wrote about BotR's location here, but that was years ago and I have no idea if that's still where they park.
- Attman's Delicatessen
Given the dearth of good deli in Phoenix, Attman's is another place you should really check out. It's one of two (three?) surviving members of Baltimore's Corned Beef Row (an old Jewish neighborhood that's all but disappeared), and it's easily the best remaining. It's a real hole in the wall, and if you go at lunchtime there's a huge line that they cram into the narrow space. Again, a true cultural institution, and the kind of place you'd never find here.
- Pastrami Sandwich @ Attman's
It's all about the brisket here, in whatever form -- corned beef, pastrami, roasted -- held in the steam box and sliced to order. This is what I pine for when I keep trying corned beef and pastrami around town. This pastrami is so freaking good -- heavily spiced, garlicky, just the right amount of fat, warm and tender... drool. It's a huge list of sandwiches. Pick your preferred combination/permutation (either straight-up corned beef / pastrami or the Nosh or the Gay Liveration -- no typo -- are my personal faves), and go to town. The chopped liver is awesome, too.
- Tiramisu @ Piedigrotta
Very near Attman's (and the Inner Harbor) is Baltimore's Little Italy, a beloved neighborhood and deservedly so. It's a wonderful place with wonderful people and oodles of character. Unfortunately, the food mostly sucks. Badly. Don't eat there. Unless you go to Piedigrotta. It's an Italian bakery a couple blocks off the main drag, and it's spectacular. The 800 lb. gorilla in that 'hood is Vaccaro's, and everybody will tell you to go there, and they are all WRONG. Vaccaro's is mediocre when it's at its best, and it kills me to see that place packed every night while Piedigrotta, just a couple of blocks away, is deserted. Anyway, PIedigrotta is run by a husband and wife from the Veneto, and they're just awesome, both as people and bakers. The husband, Carminantonio, has a highly credible claim as the inventor of tiramisu. Its first appearance has been pretty reliably traced to a restaurant outside of Venice, and it's been established that his pastry shop was supplying them with desserts when tiramisu first appeared on the scene. That the probable inventor of such an iconic dessert works mostly in obscurity on the edge of Baltimore's Little Italy is bordering on infuriating. But anyway, just go. Fabulous Italian pastries and cookies. And his wife, Bruna, makes some great savories as well -- stuffed pastas, meat pies, etc. It's usually reheated fare, but even nuked, it's better than most of what you'll get in the neighborhood's restaurants. If you go, you must tell Bruna that Dominic, Jennifer, Matteo and Giulia miss them dearly.
- Fish Noodles @ Grace Garden
Take the total length of this post, quadruple it, and that's how much I could write about Grace Garden without breaking a sweat. It's in Odenton, about 20 minutes south of the city, and it's the greatest food nerd discovery that I've had the pleasure of being at the center of. It's a tiny, tiny joint in a dingy, ramshackle strip mall across from Fort Meade. They were hanging on by selling Sweet Sour Pork and General Tso's Chicken to the soldiers across the street, but it turns out the couple that runs the place, Chun and Mei, are from Hong Kong, and they're AMAZING cooks. They have a second menu that's filled with hordes of amazing traditional Cantonese and Sichuan specialties (Chun spent a lot of time studying in Sichuan province), as well as some slightly contemporary takes thereon. It's arguably the best Chinese food I've had this side of the Pacific.
- Peacock Chicken @ Grace Garden
You really need a crowd here, partly so that you can try a lot of stuff, and partly because some of the best dishes are special order and huge. If you want to go, drop me a line and I'll put you in touch with the local food nerds. Getting a crowd together for Grace Garden is not a difficult task (they're usually looking for a good excuse). But if you MUST go as a couple, some favorites include the fish noodles (the noodles are made of fish), the crispy Sichuan fish with rice powder, the Sichuan fish fillets, the Triple T (our pet name for the Sichuan beef tongue, tripe and tendon), the braised pork belly with mui choy, the Taiwanese style fish, the Hong Kong style curry beef stew... please just get in touch with the local nerds and go with a big group.
A couple others that are lower priority, but good stops nonetheless:
- Potted Pork @ Woodberry Kitchen
Woodberry Kitchen is a midrange restaurant that's gotten a lot of press. They were ahead of the curve on farm to table. It's all really simple, hyperseasonal food. Very homey, very simple, very, very delicious. And the best mint julep I've ever had by a wide margin.
- Grilled Octopus @ Zorba's
Baltimore has a really nice Greektown as well, and my favorite there was Zorba's. I remember everything being delicious, but the big standout was the grilled octopus, which was outstanding... blackened on the outside, but still sweet and tender, doused with olive oil, garlic and lemon. Killer stuff.
If there's anything specific you're looking for, I can probably give you more info as well. But those are what I consider the most important stops.
Whenever you get there, PLEASE, PLEASE report back. I'm dying to hear what you think.
Mr. Bill's Terrace Inn
200 Eastern Blvd.
Essex, MD 21221
410-687-5994
Faidley's Seafood
www.faidleyscrabcakes.com
Lexington Market
200 N. Paca St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-727-4898
Chaps Pit Beef
www.chapspitbeef.com
5801 Pulaski Hwy
Baltimore, MD 21205
410-483-2379
Attman's Delicatessen
www.attmansdeli.com
1019 E. Lombard St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-563-2666
Piedigrotta Italian Bakery
www.piedigrottabakery.com
1300 Bank St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-522-6900
Grace Garden
www.gracegardenchinese.com
1690 Annapolis Rd.
Odenton, MD 21113
410-672-3581
Woodberry Kitchen
www.woodberrykitchen.com
2010 Clipper Park Rd.
Baltimore, MD 21211
410-464-8000
Zorba's Bar & Grill
4710 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224
410-276-4484
-Dom
-
Skillet Doux - Site Admin
- Posts: 2068
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Philly/Baltimore
by AZLobo » Fri Jun 15, 2012 12:45 pm
Holy smokes, Dom! THANKS! I'm bookmarking this - I already told Megan that I want crab for my birthday - was planning on Buddy's crab shack in Annapolis, but I may re-evaluate my choice(s) now!
- AZLobo
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:36 pm
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Skillet Doux » Sat Jun 16, 2012 9:37 am
AZLobo wrote:Holy smokes, Dom! THANKS! I'm bookmarking this - I already told Megan that I want crab for my birthday - was planning on Buddy's crab shack in Annapolis, but I may re-evaluate my choice(s) now!
Buddy's may be awesome. Like I say, there are a lot of great crab shacks. Mr. Bill's just happens to be the one that I adopted. It's not a patio, waterside kind of place, which, admittedly, is awfully nice. It has a real old-school working class vibe. The crabs are awesome and it's a great little piece of Baltimore, which is what I love about it.
I'll see if I can get crackers to jump in. She a dear friend who lives in Annapolis and works in Baltimore.
-Dom
-
Skillet Doux - Site Admin
- Posts: 2068
- Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2012 8:36 pm
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by CelticBellaAZ » Tue Jun 19, 2012 7:03 am
good luck in your travels!
Good food does not have to be difficult or expensive! Sláinte!
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CelticBellaAZ - Posts: 274
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 10:41 am
- Location: Mesa Arizona
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by gritsnyc » Thu Jun 21, 2012 12:13 pm
Cyrus -- I'm just now seeing this. NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
In all seriousness, mazel tov to you and the missus -- this is amazing news. I have many very good friends in Philly and I believe one old pal in Baltimore (need to check and see if she's still there). I will try and get some recs for you, particularly in/around Lancaster/Harrisburg. And, of course, I'd be more than happy to hook you up with them once you're settled and visiting the Big Cities.
In all seriousness, mazel tov to you and the missus -- this is amazing news. I have many very good friends in Philly and I believe one old pal in Baltimore (need to check and see if she's still there). I will try and get some recs for you, particularly in/around Lancaster/Harrisburg. And, of course, I'd be more than happy to hook you up with them once you're settled and visiting the Big Cities.
- gritsnyc
- Posts: 63
- Joined: Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:22 pm
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by AZLobo » Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:00 pm
Thanks for the well-wishes!
Awesome! Thanks, Stacey!
gritsnyc wrote:I have many very good friends in Philly and I believe one old pal in Baltimore (need to check and see if she's still there). I will try and get some recs for you, particularly in/around Lancaster/Harrisburg. And, of course, I'd be more than happy to hook you up with them once you're settled and visiting the Big Cities.
Awesome! Thanks, Stacey!
- AZLobo
- Posts: 62
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 8:36 pm
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by uhockey » Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:31 pm
I'll put a tempered review on Woodberry Kitchen in - I haven't had time to put the long winded one together for my blog.
Once you get past the service issues - which are myriad, particularly if you get seated upstairs - the food is outstanding and their concept of "farm to table" is so far ahead of what many supposed restaurants in that genre are doing that is hard to believe...they're canning and pickling more vegetables than most restaurants have on their entire menu.
Another spot well worth a visit in Baltimore is Michael Mina's "Wit & Wisdom" if only for Chris Ford's desserts. While I, like many, tend to find Mina's food a bit...safe...but generally well prepared, Ford's dessert textures are really pushing the envelope.
As to Philadelphia - I could go on and on, but I'll stop myself at three "must" visits for anyone into food: #1) Vetri, #2) Koo Zee Doo, and #3) Bibou. On the 'lower' end (though only in price) Paesano's, Osteria, and Kanella are all excellent.
Once you get past the service issues - which are myriad, particularly if you get seated upstairs - the food is outstanding and their concept of "farm to table" is so far ahead of what many supposed restaurants in that genre are doing that is hard to believe...they're canning and pickling more vegetables than most restaurants have on their entire menu.
Another spot well worth a visit in Baltimore is Michael Mina's "Wit & Wisdom" if only for Chris Ford's desserts. While I, like many, tend to find Mina's food a bit...safe...but generally well prepared, Ford's dessert textures are really pushing the envelope.
As to Philadelphia - I could go on and on, but I'll stop myself at three "must" visits for anyone into food: #1) Vetri, #2) Koo Zee Doo, and #3) Bibou. On the 'lower' end (though only in price) Paesano's, Osteria, and Kanella are all excellent.
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uhockey - Posts: 435
- Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 3:16 pm
- Location: Phoenix/Scottsdale
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Independent George » Tue Jan 29, 2013 1:51 pm
I'm cross-posting this with Dom's other home.
I've got a 4-5 nights (either Su-Th or M-Th) in Baltimore coming up, and could use some help finding restaurants within about 15 minutes by cab from the Inner Harbor. The standard 'Please-everybody Business Dinner' conditions apply:
1. Must take reservations
2. No communal tables
3. Entrees up to the $35 range
4. Be able to accommodate a wide cross-section of diners
Woodberry Kitchen looks like it fits all of the above. Sadly, Yelp says that Rinconcito Peruano has closed.
It looks like Attmann's and Piedgrotta are both within walking distance of the office, so lunch should be covered, but I'm really eager to try some Pit Beef. Are there any good spots in the area, or is that a dead zone?
Thanks in advance.
I've got a 4-5 nights (either Su-Th or M-Th) in Baltimore coming up, and could use some help finding restaurants within about 15 minutes by cab from the Inner Harbor. The standard 'Please-everybody Business Dinner' conditions apply:
1. Must take reservations
2. No communal tables
3. Entrees up to the $35 range
4. Be able to accommodate a wide cross-section of diners
Woodberry Kitchen looks like it fits all of the above. Sadly, Yelp says that Rinconcito Peruano has closed.
It looks like Attmann's and Piedgrotta are both within walking distance of the office, so lunch should be covered, but I'm really eager to try some Pit Beef. Are there any good spots in the area, or is that a dead zone?
Thanks in advance.
- Independent George
- Posts: 47
- Joined: Sun Dec 02, 2012 8:28 pm
- Location: Chicago, IL
Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Skillet Doux » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:04 pm
Yeah, Woodberry Kitchen sounds perfect.
Also, check out Salt Tavern (info below). It's even closer (maybe five minutes by cab) I loved it while I was there, and tatterdemalion, whom you'll also recognize from LTH, went there about a year ago and said he had a really nice meal. It's a small joint, cool rebuild of an old building, great drinks, creative, hearty food that's interesting but not too interesting for your purposes... it'd be another great option.
Yeah, Rinconcito Peruano is no more.
I don't know of any good pit beef right near the harbor. The good ones I knew were a little further out... kind of a low-rent thing, you know?
But poke around a bit. I'm almost four years removed at this point, and things change or I could be forgetting something.
It's too bad you have to play it safe with this crowd. Grace Garden would be such a special treat. If you want to sneak away, let me know and I'll see if I can hook you up with some Baltimore food nerds to chow with
Don't miss Attman's, and if you get to Piedigrotta, tell Bruna that we miss them dearly!
Salt Tavern
www.salttavern.com
2127 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-5480
- Kobe Foie Slider
Also, check out Salt Tavern (info below). It's even closer (maybe five minutes by cab) I loved it while I was there, and tatterdemalion, whom you'll also recognize from LTH, went there about a year ago and said he had a really nice meal. It's a small joint, cool rebuild of an old building, great drinks, creative, hearty food that's interesting but not too interesting for your purposes... it'd be another great option.
Yeah, Rinconcito Peruano is no more.
I don't know of any good pit beef right near the harbor. The good ones I knew were a little further out... kind of a low-rent thing, you know?
But poke around a bit. I'm almost four years removed at this point, and things change or I could be forgetting something.It's too bad you have to play it safe with this crowd. Grace Garden would be such a special treat. If you want to sneak away, let me know and I'll see if I can hook you up with some Baltimore food nerds to chow with
Don't miss Attman's, and if you get to Piedigrotta, tell Bruna that we miss them dearly!
Salt Tavern
www.salttavern.com
2127 E. Pratt Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-5480
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Skillet Doux - Site Admin
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Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Independent George » Tue Jan 29, 2013 2:28 pm
Skillet Doux wrote:It's too bad you have to play it safe with this crowd. Grace Garden would be such a special treat. If you want to sneak away, let me know and I'll see if I can hook you up with some Baltimore food nerds to chow with
I haven't booked my flight yet, so that might yet be a possibility; if I can get a Sunday flight (instead of the 6AM on Monday morning, which I'd rather avoid for obvious reasons), I should be able to bring along some of the more adventurous eaters from the West Coast contingent. I'll PM you if it happens.
I don't know of any good pit beef right near the harbor. The good ones I knew were a little further out... kind of a low-rent thing, you know? But poke around a bit. I'm almost four years removed at this point, and things change or I could be forgetting something.
Yeah, I figured. Heck, I'd be satisfied with the Baltimore equivalent of Portillo's; I can always accost a local when I get there. Depending on scheduling, I may make a stop on the way to the airport on Friday afternoon.
Don't miss Attman's, and if you get to Piedigrotta, tell Bruna that we miss them dearly!
That's almost a certainty. The Googoracle says it's a three minute walk from the office (621 E Pratt Street), so I'm fully prepared to throw a tantrum unless we go.
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Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Independent George » Tue Feb 12, 2013 11:44 am
Ok, so good news and bad news: The good news I actually do have Monday night free to venture out. The bad news is I'm scheduled to land at BWI at 7:35 PM, so Grace Garden (which closes at 9) is looking doubtful.
So I have a new query: what's a good place for me to go that's open for a 9:30 dinner on Monday night? No restrictions on the menu, but I'd still rather stick with something within 15 minutes of downtown (it is a school night, after all). What about a good place for drinks after dinner?
So I have a new query: what's a good place for me to go that's open for a 9:30 dinner on Monday night? No restrictions on the menu, but I'd still rather stick with something within 15 minutes of downtown (it is a school night, after all). What about a good place for drinks after dinner?
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Re: Philly/Baltimore
by Skillet Doux » Wed Feb 13, 2013 12:34 am
Eep... I'm not much help there. Man, it used to be impossible to find food late. I don't know how it is now. FWIW, though, Woodberry's open until 10 on Mondays.
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Skillet Doux - Site Admin
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Re: Baltimore
by tracik » Fri Apr 12, 2013 12:14 pm
If you like sushi, the owner of the most amazing sushi restaurant I've ever eaten at (Ken Tominaga of Hana Sushi in Rohnert Park, CA) recently opened a sushi place in Baltimore at the Four Seasons called Pabu. I haven't eaten there yet, but I've eaten at Hana twice; and my husband and I had the most amazing experiences both times. Based upon my experiences at Hana, I'd recommend trying Pabu.
"I cook with wine. Sometimes I even add it to the food." WC Fields
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tracik - Posts: 13
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Re: Baltimore
by Skillet Doux » Fri Apr 12, 2013 5:30 pm
We lived about four blocks away from the construction zone that would become the Four Seasons, and I'm so bummed Pabu wasn't open before we skipped town. I've heard awesome things from some friends back there. 1000yregg (friend of mine) went there not too long after they opened and put up a nice blog post about it:
Pabu Izakaya, Baltimore (This Is Gonna Be Good)
Pabu Izakaya, Baltimore (This Is Gonna Be Good)
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Skillet Doux - Site Admin
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