Tag Archives: #BaltimoreDining

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.