Category Archives: Restaurant Reviews

A Friend in Review

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Stop…  

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a restaurant review, or anything for that matter. I have a multitude of reasons why and I won’t bore you with any of them. Despite my lack of posts, dining and attempting to live my life to its fullest has been at the top of the daily to-do list… Or at least I was under the impression that the latter was.

For those of you who remember or care, I had promised – on multiple occasions – that a review from me and a group of my friends of Mr. Rain’s Funhouse was on its way.  Did we dine there? Yes.   Did most of us find the food mediocre but the service exceptional? Yes.   Mediocre food and all, the evening was perfect. And in hindsight it was friendship that made it so.

A wonderful friend of ours had invited a small group of us together to catch up and grab a bite. We dined. We sampled one another’s dishes. We laughed at old follies and shared future plans. We hugged and kissed our good byes that evening. It was beautiful.

Breathe…  

Weeks passed by and the friend who planned the evening messaged me with: “when are you reviewing the restaurant?”, “I can’t wait to read what you thought.” & “I really enjoy your blog, Tammi…”

He meant ever word. He’s that friend who wouldn’t have said it, if he didn’t legitimately mean it. As I type that last sentence, I am reminded that now I have to refer to him in the past tense. Sadly, my friend has passed away.

Reflect…

I got TOO b u s y. Too busy to write something as simple as a blog review so that he could read it and comment. Too busy to insist that he RSVP immediately & promise to attend my holiday party so I could see him and his rosey faced smile. Too busy to give him a better and tighter hug that last time I saw him.  Too busy to tell him that I was too busy for a friend.

Embrace…

I am a believer in finding beauty in the spirit of those who pass away. My friend was one of the most reflective individuals I’ve ever known. That evening that we dined out I remember that he looked really happy. He laughed and shared random tid-bits of knowledge about things only he would know. He gave me a wonderful hug and shared that he had a great evening and thanked us for coming. He meant that.

As I reflect upon that evening and who he was as a person, his life inspires me to truly live my life to the fullest, stop allowing “too busy” to define me and do what he did so well in life:

Stop…               Breathe…               Reflect...               Embrace…

That’s my review Bill. I hope you would have enjoyed it.

Vacarro’s: Pastries, Gelato, Chocolate Martinis, OH MY!

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Buon appetito!

If you live in or are planning to visit Baltimore in the near future, I would highly recommend you stop-by Little Italy’s Italian Festival . A recent outing with the best friend and others lent to an afternoon of spectating intense Italian bocce ball matches, meeting spirited  Italian community members working hard to raise money to support local organizations and an introduction to a wonderful dessert experience at the well-know Italian pastry cafe, Vaccaro’s.

Despite a people-packed festival, we were politely and quickly seated in their cafe area. My group, having generously partook in a filling lunch earlier, decided to skip the menu’s sandwich offerings and order dessert.

My friend, Beth, ordered homemade cream puffs topped with chocolate gelato, whipped cream and a cherry. Given we are best friend’s, I thought it was only fitting that I offer to help her taste-test her dish. This dessert, called a BACI BALL ,
offered up wonderful chocolate gelato and a great presentation.  However, the menu indicated the cream puffs were supposed to be warm and this particular dish missed that part in the plating stage.

“Life is short, eat dessert 1st.”

Our friends offered to let me sample their dessert, MORTE DAL CIOCCOLATO “VACCARO STYLE”, otherwise known as Death by Chocolate. The menu describes this as, “your choice of a slice of our homemade Chocolate Cannoli Cake or Cheesecake served with Chocolate Chocolate Chip Gelato, and topped with (of course) hot fudge with whipped topping …”  The chocolate cannoli cake paired with the gelato was DIVINE! The flavor and moist cake reflected the unique dessert experience that only a cannoli can give, sans the crispy shell.

Dessert doesn’t  ALWAYS need to be in a solid state. Therefore I felt justified, having not order my own personal dessert, to imbibe in Vaccaro’s CHOCOLATE SWIRL MARTINI.  According to the lovely woman who waited on us, this drink is considered to be “heaven in a glass!”  Personally, I have no problem associating a well-made cocktail with a spiritual experience and it WAS heavenly.

Friendly + efficient service, the edgy-meets-traditional-Italian-bistro aesthetics, tasty libations and great tasting dessert makes Vaccaro’s a must-visit for locals + visitor alike. And the six pack to-go order of homemade CANNOLI  made the hubby + kids insist on a family visit in the near future  As they say in Italy:

Complimenti all cuoca!

 

The “Epicureal Magic” that is Alchemy

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al·che·my
noun
Whether you’re grabbing lunch at your tried and true neighborhood honkey-tonk or having dinner at an elegant 5-star brasserie, dining out should be an excursion. Alchemy, located in the quaint area of Hampden in Baltimore, delivered an excursion for the palette AND more!
Rumors through Twitter, friends and acquaintances indicated that the upstairs dining area was the best seating in the house.  Having already made the dinner reservations through Opentable a few days prior to dining, I called to see if my husband and I could request a spot upstairs. HEY if you don’t ask, you’ll never know! The woman I spoke to was very kind and indicated that she would do her best to accommodate us. The word HOLLA may have escaped my mouth after I got off the phone (random side note.)
The big day arrived and the husband and I were greeted by an upstairs table, chic surroundings and a first course dish that truly turned past ordinary mussel experiences into a new & extraordinary one.  Their Mojito Mussels are plump jewels cooked with kaffir lime, blood orange, cilantro, seafood-based broth, garlic, dark rum, mint and a chipotle butter. We were enamored with  Michael and Debi Matassa’s, the owners,  twist on a relatively common dish. Debi, who was stopping by each table to welcome guests shared the story behind the recipe. While preparing to make dinner at home, Michael needed white wine for the mussels. Debi, a sommelier, refused to sacrifice a $50 bottle of white wine to the kitchen gods… Rum was readily available and VOILA this  fabulous dish was born! I’m pretty sure they are food magicians.
My entrée, Tournedos Crab a Roony, presented two beef tenderloin medallions topped with marinated wild mushrooms and lump crab. This gluttony sat atop a bed of roasted garlic mashed potatoes with a béarnaise  glaze. The potatoes were whipped perfectly, the meat cooked to medium-rare perfection and the crab
meat… DO YOU SEE the SIZE of the crab meat people?!? Amaaaaaaazing.
The hubby’s Chile Rubbed Pork Tenderloin was a great choice as well. This was served with an ancho sauce, pecan butter and sweet potato tamales which melted in our mouths. My description to my husband after the first bite “oh my, the tamales taste like Grandma’s sweet cornbread!”  The pork rub had a nice chile flavor; however, my husband isn’t a huge fan of the chile and similar spices. I enjoyed what I did taste. My husband acknowledged his faux pas, but did note that the pork was tender and well cooked and he enjoyed the tamales.
The balsamic vinegar & chili olive oil turned run-of-the-mill bread into a tasty palette neutralizer, as well.  Side dishes of caramelized Brussels sprouts smoked with bacon and cream and roasted veggies flanked our main course.  The veggies were roasted to perfection and the Brussels sprouts were sinfully delicious. Only magicians can make Brussels sprouts sinful, right?!? Either way, bacon makes everything awesome and cream makes it doubly so.
And just when you think it can’t get any better and the thought that the dryer must have shrunk my dress interrupts my thoughts, our awesome server offered up the desert options. While neither of us have a sweet tooth, it was our anniversary AND if I’m going to review a place I may as well go all the way for you guys.  Sadly, I cannot recall the name of the deliciousness we had, but take it from me the fruit was fresh, the cream homemade and the chocolate divine. Our evening was topped off with a sweet anniversary surprise of champagne with a candle.   I did this for you guys, remember that!
 If owner’s, Michael and Debi Matassa, could bottle the  magic that they create in their hospitality, service and dishes this world would be a better place and the populace a “robust” one! Al·che·my is defined as “any magical power or process of transmuting a common substance, usually of little value, into a substance of great value.”  Common foods come alive at Alchemy and I recommend you see for yourself.
 

Alchemy: Here I Come!

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Next up this week for a dining review is Alchemy in Hampden. The husband and I will be celebrating our wedding anniversary and hopefully enjoying what their website describes as, “creative fare.” Be on the look out for the review!

Can’t Get Enough- San Sushi Too

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Can I Get Another? Fun dining friends can make a mediocre dining experience a good one. However in last week’s friend-filled dining adventure, San Sushi Too didn’t need any assistance. Located in the heart of downtown Towson, MD, San Sushi Too offers up fresh and fabulous Maki, Nargi, and Sashimi sushi options and other traditional Japanese fare in a relaxed dining environment.

Having lived in Japan for five years, I have a passion for traditional Japanese fare and an adoration for wakame (a.k.a. seaweed.)   Though the menu did not offer a black seaweed salad option, their green seaweed dish was a nice complement to our sushi extravaganza. Did you know that seaweed salad not only tastes amazing, but is also good for you AND can help burn fatty tissue? This mere fact totally justifies an extra roll or two, right?!?

From the dynamite and spicy tuna rolls to the Thousand Island maki roll – the words fresh, flavorful and fun are still foremost in my mind and that of the group.  Even the sushi-hesitant will be blown away by their options and happy that they went out of their safety zone. My husband, who is the last to offer up Japanese as a dining option, thoroughly enjoyed the food and his “surprise me” roll, that our server personally selected.

Our server was attentive, but not over-the-top and had a great sense of humor. The restaurant was relatively busy and clientele ranged from young families to couples looking for a sushi-fix.  San Sushi Too is also owned and connected to Thai One On and if you desire adding some Thai cuisine to your dining experience, feel free to let your server know. We tried their Plar Goong, which is a half cooked shrimp, lemon and lime grass leafs  with a spicy Thai sauce, and it was dynamite! Oh, and SPICY... They’re not kidding when they use that descriptor folks. I enjoyed it, but my friend Rachel was a bit taken aback by the heat.

So, you might be saying, “there has to be something that this restaurant doesn’t do well.” Honestly, I didn’t find anything but a great casual dining experience. Maybe their bathrooms could use an aesthetic update… or perhaps, they could change the “motif” of their extra-large Saki service set. The Saki was wonderful, but I will admit that we referred to the set as the “hulk-stick” and may have ordered a 2nd and 3rd by this name. As you can see for yourself above. The verdict from the group was: San Sushi is a do-over, again-and-again! Have fun and grab yourself a “hulk-stick” while you’re at it.

Grand Cru = Far from Grand

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Good customer service is hard to come by these days. Should you plan on dining at Grand Cru in the near future, plan to keep on searching.

This wine bar is located in the Belvedere Square area of the Baltimore City and suburbia-Towson corridor. Parking can sometimes be a challenge, but the neighboring Belvedere Market is worth the hassle.  The wine bar on the other hand, not so much.

As far as wine and beer selections go, they do provide a nice array of options for the intermediate to above-average wine crowds. For Baltimore County resident’s who have few options for wine and beer “to-go” purchases on Sundays, Grand Cru is open for your imbibing fix.

My partner in wine/beer crime, Rachel, joined me here last night for some small snacks and a drink. Upon our entrance and inquiry about a table, the server stated, “I will take care of you when I’m done taking care of this dirty table.” Note; there were a number of clean tables available. After cleaning the table and shooting the proverbial shit with the bartender for ten minutes, he decided we were worthy of assistance.

With beverage and small plate orders in mind, we eagerly awaited – for another 10 minutes – to give our order. This was done by politely asking the bartender if we could order and if there was table service. His response was, “I guess I can walk over there and take your order.” P.S. There is table service, but apparently they weren’t in the mood and our original server never reappeared.

Our frosty beverages arrived in a timely fashion. Rachel selected a hoppy beer and apparently enjoyed it, given she ordered another later in the evening. (Yes, I did too!)  Yard’s Pale Ale. was my selection and it was quite refreshing.

Charcuterie and an alsatian creme fraiche, onion and lardons”pizza” arrived. Fortunately I was ravenous; however, I will not order the latter again.  The carmelized onions and lardons (savory cubed pork) overwhelmed the hands and palate with grease.The charcuteire was fairly well presented and tasty, but wasn’t a stand-out for these smoked meat fans.

If you’re in a bind on a Sunday and need a nice bottle of wine or a varied selection of beers for a dinner party, Grand Cru can serve this purpose. As far as serving up good service and a nice small plate to go with a fabulous glass of wine, don’t bother. This is not my first visit nor the only time the staff behaved like they’re doing me or my guests a favor.  So do yourself one instead – save your money and your pride.

After seeking out the bartender, successfully ordering and finishing one last pint, we decided we would call it an evening AND our last time at Grand Cru.

Clementine: Kick Arse Bloody & an “It’ll Do” Brunch

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After a Saturday evening of good libations with great friends, a Sunday morning brunch is a must-have for this gal.  While it doesn’t happen nearly as often as it should, when it does happen I call upon one of my many go-to dining pals to join me.  This Sunday Megan graced me with her presence and an appetite at Clementine  a quaint farm-to-plate restaurant in the Hamilton area of Baltimore.

After a small wait at the hostess stand, we were greeted by our server and seated in front of the charcuteire window. I’m pretty sure that smoked meat – of any form – cures most problems, so the location wasn’t too shabby. But let’s get down to what you really want to know about. What was the food like? 

Their Bloody Mary’s ROCK the Casbah! If you like your bloody with a subtle kick, this is your drink. Though not an olive fan, their’s comes brimming with three fat ones and lots of flavor. This is a must-do-again.

Cheesy grits and Spanish smoked paprika catfish spoke to me from the menu. Unfortunately, the grits were the only shining item in the dish when it arrived. The catfish was tender, but the paprika was bland and no hints of this Spanish smokiness was found.  HOWEVER, the kind server offered up some of Clementine’s homemade habanero hot sauce and all was well with the world… because hot sauce is another food game changer in my world.

According to Megan, her breakfast scramble with eggs, house made sausage, peppers, potatoes and cheese choice was a good one. I can’t weigh in on eggs, because I am not a huge fan. Given that she is my friend,loves to dine like I do and I’ve trusted her to get me home after many evening’s of drunken debauchery, I will trust her opinion on this one.

The restaurant is family-friendly, has a nice causal and unique ambiance and their brunch is very reasonable priced. Though the catfish was a downer, I’d go back again for their grits and definitely for more of the yummy Bloody Marys! If you’re looking for a little Brunch bang for a few bucks try Clementine.  And for those of you who read into that last line, shame on you 😉

http://bmoreclementine.com/restaurant_breakfast.php