Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Maryland Film Festival
This past weekend was the Maryland Film Festival in the Station North neighborhood. We decided to go this year when we saw there were two Korean films included in the festival. The two films included Daytime Drinking, directed by Noh Young-seok, and Treeless Mountain, directed by So Yong-kim. We decided to see Daytime Drinking since it was the only one we could see (had plans when Treeless Mountain was playing). Daytime Drinking was presented at the Toronto Film Festival last year and a few others since then. It was highly praised as a comedy but we really didn't think it was all that funny. Knowing a bit of the culture really let me see past the slap stick funny stuff and realized that what was going on in the film would not be a laughable moment in Korea. Interesting to have that perspective. Depending on the film listing next year, we may go back, we may not. Lots of film snobs at that event!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Peter's Inn
Peter's Inn
504 S. Ann Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-675-7313
Closed Sundays & Mondays
We have tried eating at Peter's Inn on two earlier occasions and both times were met with long wait times. Of course, both of these attempts were on Saturday nights. So, with the power out last night and it being our anniversary and all, we decided to try Peter's Inn on a weekday evening. Good choice on our part! We were able to find a table right away with no wait. The menu changes weekly so we weren't entirely sure what would be offered. We quickly noticed that the menu consisted solely of meat and fish dishes, no vegetarian options were offered (excluding the house salad, which isn't an entree). Even the garlic & potato soup came with salmon crostini. We both started with the house salad, served with a large slice of garlic bread. The salad was simple, just greens and a light dressing, and went well with the warm garlic bread. I ordered the wild rockfish fillet with a lobster, bacon and potato hash and Mr_BTM ordered the braised veal cheeks a la bourguignonne. My dish was pretty good and the hash did have large chunks of lobster, carrots and potatoes. The rockfish still had its' skin on, which made a nice addition to a regular fillet and added some much needed flavor. Mr_BTM's dish was also good, served with white onions, carrots and mashed potatoes. We enjoyed our dinner with a bottle of the petite syrah. The service here was good and overall had no complaints with the meal. I do hope they incorporate more vegetarian options in future menus, especially now that summer is coming soon!
504 S. Ann Street
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-675-7313
Closed Sundays & Mondays
We have tried eating at Peter's Inn on two earlier occasions and both times were met with long wait times. Of course, both of these attempts were on Saturday nights. So, with the power out last night and it being our anniversary and all, we decided to try Peter's Inn on a weekday evening. Good choice on our part! We were able to find a table right away with no wait. The menu changes weekly so we weren't entirely sure what would be offered. We quickly noticed that the menu consisted solely of meat and fish dishes, no vegetarian options were offered (excluding the house salad, which isn't an entree). Even the garlic & potato soup came with salmon crostini. We both started with the house salad, served with a large slice of garlic bread. The salad was simple, just greens and a light dressing, and went well with the warm garlic bread. I ordered the wild rockfish fillet with a lobster, bacon and potato hash and Mr_BTM ordered the braised veal cheeks a la bourguignonne. My dish was pretty good and the hash did have large chunks of lobster, carrots and potatoes. The rockfish still had its' skin on, which made a nice addition to a regular fillet and added some much needed flavor. Mr_BTM's dish was also good, served with white onions, carrots and mashed potatoes. We enjoyed our dinner with a bottle of the petite syrah. The service here was good and overall had no complaints with the meal. I do hope they incorporate more vegetarian options in future menus, especially now that summer is coming soon!
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Dangerously Delicious Pies
Dangerously Delicious Pies
1036 Light Street, Baltimore, MD - Federal Hill
and
3547 Chestnut Ave., Baltimore, MD - Hampden
410-662-PIES
Closed Mondays
We've had the pleasure of eating at the Hampden location and ordering pies to go from the Fed Hill location. The Hampden spot is located on the first floor of a rowhouse just off The Avenue and has a small bakery in the front and a few tables in the back. The place is really cute and offers coffee and tea in addition to the pies. We shared a generous slice of the mixed berry pie, which they warmed up before serving. It was a great way to end a day of shopping on The Ave!
We've never eaten at the Fed Hill location but have ordered pies from there. For Christmas we ordered a Lemon Chess pie for desert. This pie was really sweet and had a nice lemon flavor. However, we found that we could only eat half a slice at a time due to the sweetness of this pie. So, for our trip to Snowshoe, we decided to try one of the savory pies as well as getting another one of those mixed berry pies! We decided on the steak, mushroom and gruyere savory pie. We had this for lunch at Snowshoe and we warmed it in the oven for a delicious lunch, accompanied by a side salad. The savory pie was so delicious and packed with lots of meat, mushrooms and cheese! Simply delicious! The only downfall I see is that these pies are calorie laden and not very diet friendly. But, for an occasional treat, these pies are worth every penny!
1036 Light Street, Baltimore, MD - Federal Hill
and
3547 Chestnut Ave., Baltimore, MD - Hampden
410-662-PIES
Closed Mondays
We've had the pleasure of eating at the Hampden location and ordering pies to go from the Fed Hill location. The Hampden spot is located on the first floor of a rowhouse just off The Avenue and has a small bakery in the front and a few tables in the back. The place is really cute and offers coffee and tea in addition to the pies. We shared a generous slice of the mixed berry pie, which they warmed up before serving. It was a great way to end a day of shopping on The Ave!
We've never eaten at the Fed Hill location but have ordered pies from there. For Christmas we ordered a Lemon Chess pie for desert. This pie was really sweet and had a nice lemon flavor. However, we found that we could only eat half a slice at a time due to the sweetness of this pie. So, for our trip to Snowshoe, we decided to try one of the savory pies as well as getting another one of those mixed berry pies! We decided on the steak, mushroom and gruyere savory pie. We had this for lunch at Snowshoe and we warmed it in the oven for a delicious lunch, accompanied by a side salad. The savory pie was so delicious and packed with lots of meat, mushrooms and cheese! Simply delicious! The only downfall I see is that these pies are calorie laden and not very diet friendly. But, for an occasional treat, these pies are worth every penny!
Monday, February 2, 2009
El Trovador
El Trovador
318 S Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-6200
This past Friday for Caitlin's birthday, we had a rather large group that wanted to eat dinner together. After Iggie's didn't work out because of the wait, we decided to head to Fells Point. The Mr & I have been to this restaurant in Fells Point twice now and suggested it to the group since most of us had been to Arcos on Broadway already. The group was seated immediately and we all decided to have the Sangria as our beverage of choice for the evening. The menu here offers a variety of combo platters with both Mexican and Salvadorian options. I got the Jalisco platter with 2 beef enchiladas, one chicken taco and one pork tamale, served with sides of beans and rice ($13.95). I managed to finish only half of this platter as the portion sizes are generous. The Mr got the Plato Tipico Salvadoreno ($12.50) which included a fried plantain, a papusa, a fried corn tamale, skirt steak, rice and beans. He had no trouble finishing his dish, but did confess he ate too much at the end of the meal. The others enjoyed various dishes from the menu and everyone enjoyed their meal. While the Sangria was a little pricey ($20 per pitcher), the overall value here is quite amazing. We all had ample portions for a relatively low cost. The service was friendly and the decor nice. This place is a nice gem on Broadway and we'll be sure to visit again.
318 S Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
410-276-6200
This past Friday for Caitlin's birthday, we had a rather large group that wanted to eat dinner together. After Iggie's didn't work out because of the wait, we decided to head to Fells Point. The Mr & I have been to this restaurant in Fells Point twice now and suggested it to the group since most of us had been to Arcos on Broadway already. The group was seated immediately and we all decided to have the Sangria as our beverage of choice for the evening. The menu here offers a variety of combo platters with both Mexican and Salvadorian options. I got the Jalisco platter with 2 beef enchiladas, one chicken taco and one pork tamale, served with sides of beans and rice ($13.95). I managed to finish only half of this platter as the portion sizes are generous. The Mr got the Plato Tipico Salvadoreno ($12.50) which included a fried plantain, a papusa, a fried corn tamale, skirt steak, rice and beans. He had no trouble finishing his dish, but did confess he ate too much at the end of the meal. The others enjoyed various dishes from the menu and everyone enjoyed their meal. While the Sangria was a little pricey ($20 per pitcher), the overall value here is quite amazing. We all had ample portions for a relatively low cost. The service was friendly and the decor nice. This place is a nice gem on Broadway and we'll be sure to visit again.
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Charles Theater
The Charles Theater
1711 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
410-727-FILM
We've driven by this theater many times and have always said, "We should go see a movie there" but never had the chance to go. After a year of living in Baltimore, we finally made it to The Charles to see a movie. Tickets are only $8.00 during the evenings and the concessions are also reasonably priced. We got a large popcorn and 2 bottles of water for a mere $9.00! Compared to the prices at the Landmark Theater in Harbor East, this place is a deal! However, this place is cash/check only so be sure to bring money with you! The theater is in an old, renovated building that once housed cable cars and street cars. It's got great character on the inside and is a great local business, unlike most of the corporate type movie theaters around town. Our first movie was Milk, starring Sean Penn. The movie was pretty good but we got there late and had to sit in the 2nd row, not all that great. Overall, I really like this theater and hope to go see more movies here soon!
1711 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD
410-727-FILM
We've driven by this theater many times and have always said, "We should go see a movie there" but never had the chance to go. After a year of living in Baltimore, we finally made it to The Charles to see a movie. Tickets are only $8.00 during the evenings and the concessions are also reasonably priced. We got a large popcorn and 2 bottles of water for a mere $9.00! Compared to the prices at the Landmark Theater in Harbor East, this place is a deal! However, this place is cash/check only so be sure to bring money with you! The theater is in an old, renovated building that once housed cable cars and street cars. It's got great character on the inside and is a great local business, unlike most of the corporate type movie theaters around town. Our first movie was Milk, starring Sean Penn. The movie was pretty good but we got there late and had to sit in the 2nd row, not all that great. Overall, I really like this theater and hope to go see more movies here soon!
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Brewer's Art
The Brewer's Art
1106 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-547-6925
Mon - Sat 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Sun 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Full Dinner Service at 5:30 PM
In honor of our one year anniversary of living in Baltimore, we dined at The Brewer's Art for the first time! Located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, this restaurant has 3 distinct sections. The lower level is dedicated to a bar while the upstairs houses a lounge and a restaurant. We decided to get our dinner from the restaurant portion and we were not disappointed! We started out with the Duck Liver Mousse on Grilled Bread with Apple Chutney ($7) and the Pumpkin Risotto ($7). Both were good but the risotto was a little undercooked and the portion was a bit large for a starter. Second course was salads for us both, the Brewer's Art Caesar for Mr_BTM ($7) and the Roasted Heirloom Apples with Candied Nuts, Cheddar Cheese Brittle and Apple Cider Vinaigrette ($7). My salad was good but the Cheddar Cheese Brittle had no place on that dish. The cheese flavor didn't blend well with the bitter greens and the sweet apple. The Mr liked his Caesar and had it with extra anchovies. For our main course the Mr went for the Steak Frites with Rosemary Garlic Fries ($26) and I had the Baked Butternut Squash Ravioli served on a bed of winter greens ($18). The Mr's steak was a little tough but was cooked well and my ravioli was good and was delighted with the addition of the winter greens. The meal was good and the service was excellent. And the menu does change from time to time so next time there will be different selections, which I like.
But enough about the food, how was the beer? We both started with a pint of the St. Festivus, a brown ale brewed for the fall. The flavor was good but lacked depth and bite. For the second round I got the Resurrection Ale and Mr_BTM got the guest tap brew, which had a nice smooth taste and a strong aftertaste. It was the best beer we had all night. However, after living in the local brew pub capital of the world (I deem that place Portland, OR) the beer selection wasn't all that great but the few we did have were good enough but not great.
1106 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
410-547-6925
Mon - Sat 4:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Sun 5:00 PM - 2:00 AM
Full Dinner Service at 5:30 PM
In honor of our one year anniversary of living in Baltimore, we dined at The Brewer's Art for the first time! Located in the Mount Vernon neighborhood, this restaurant has 3 distinct sections. The lower level is dedicated to a bar while the upstairs houses a lounge and a restaurant. We decided to get our dinner from the restaurant portion and we were not disappointed! We started out with the Duck Liver Mousse on Grilled Bread with Apple Chutney ($7) and the Pumpkin Risotto ($7). Both were good but the risotto was a little undercooked and the portion was a bit large for a starter. Second course was salads for us both, the Brewer's Art Caesar for Mr_BTM ($7) and the Roasted Heirloom Apples with Candied Nuts, Cheddar Cheese Brittle and Apple Cider Vinaigrette ($7). My salad was good but the Cheddar Cheese Brittle had no place on that dish. The cheese flavor didn't blend well with the bitter greens and the sweet apple. The Mr liked his Caesar and had it with extra anchovies. For our main course the Mr went for the Steak Frites with Rosemary Garlic Fries ($26) and I had the Baked Butternut Squash Ravioli served on a bed of winter greens ($18). The Mr's steak was a little tough but was cooked well and my ravioli was good and was delighted with the addition of the winter greens. The meal was good and the service was excellent. And the menu does change from time to time so next time there will be different selections, which I like.
But enough about the food, how was the beer? We both started with a pint of the St. Festivus, a brown ale brewed for the fall. The flavor was good but lacked depth and bite. For the second round I got the Resurrection Ale and Mr_BTM got the guest tap brew, which had a nice smooth taste and a strong aftertaste. It was the best beer we had all night. However, after living in the local brew pub capital of the world (I deem that place Portland, OR) the beer selection wasn't all that great but the few we did have were good enough but not great.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Louisiana Restaurant
1708 Alicanna Street
Neighborhood - Fells Point
http://www.louisianasrestaurant.com/index.html
410.327.2610
We've passed this restaurant a handful of times and always were curious about what it had to offer. The menu looked appetizing but we never got around to going. Louisiana has gotten a few awards, but looking into the place, it never seems busy. Well, finally last night we made the leap of faith. Actually, our first choice had an hour wait, so we decided to check Louisiana out since we figured that the place would be open. As we had suspected, they didn't have a wait and they welcomed us in. We felt a bit out of place because the group in front of us were all dressed fairly nicely and we were just in jeans and a t-shirt. Plus, we were about half the age of the other folks. Anyway, we walked through the narrow hallway into a massive ballroom dining area. There were many tables, all surrounding a large hanging chandelier. On the other side of the room was an elegant staircase leading to upstairs seating area. We were amazed with the size of the dining area and decor. All fitting the southern creole style.
The menu offers three courses with a few classic dishes scattered within it. Mrs. BTM ordered the Crab Bisque and the Catfish while I ordered the Shrimp and Grits for a starter and the Pork Chops as my main course. We also ordered a bottle of one of our favorites, the 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir. The wine came out first and to my surprise, it was corked! Blah! The waitress apologized and brought out another bottle, which tasted delicious. She confirmed that the other bottle was corked and said that was her first time having a corked bottle.
Our starters came out. The Shrimp and Grits were amazing. Nicely seasoned. Probably the best grits that I have had. Mrs. BTM's Bisque was good and savory. I think she liked my dish better than hers. So far so good. Then we waited....and waited...and waited some more. Our waitress said that our food was on its way, but it never showed. After 40 minutes, she came up and apologized. She said that there was something wrong in the kitchen and offered us desserts on the house. *Sigh* After a long wait, our main courses came out. Even with the wait, the dinner did not dissapoint. My pork chops came with an artichoke risotto and apple bourbon demiglace. It was well cooked and the dish was flavorful. The portion was huge and I had left overs. Mrs. BTM's catfish came with collard greens and mashed potatoes. The catfish had a pecan crust and was nicely done. A pretty solid version of this classic. For desserts, I had a chocolate mousse with whip cream and rasberry sauce. It was good, but a bit thick for me. Mrs. BTM had the apple beignets with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wow. It was warm, sweet, fried...all what you could ask for in a dessert.
Overall, the meal was impressive and left us wanting to try more of the menu. Everything was nicely prepared, well seasoned, and exemplified high quality southern comfort foods. The only hiccup was time. Dinner took just over 3 hours. If we we had all four courses and drinks, then the time would have been appropriate and enjoyable, especially in the ambiance of a grand ballroom. This is probably not a place for casual dinners, but we'll definitely be back, most likely with family. We look forward to another tasty meal.
Neighborhood - Fells Point
http://www.louisianasrestaurant.com/index.html
410.327.2610
We've passed this restaurant a handful of times and always were curious about what it had to offer. The menu looked appetizing but we never got around to going. Louisiana has gotten a few awards, but looking into the place, it never seems busy. Well, finally last night we made the leap of faith. Actually, our first choice had an hour wait, so we decided to check Louisiana out since we figured that the place would be open. As we had suspected, they didn't have a wait and they welcomed us in. We felt a bit out of place because the group in front of us were all dressed fairly nicely and we were just in jeans and a t-shirt. Plus, we were about half the age of the other folks. Anyway, we walked through the narrow hallway into a massive ballroom dining area. There were many tables, all surrounding a large hanging chandelier. On the other side of the room was an elegant staircase leading to upstairs seating area. We were amazed with the size of the dining area and decor. All fitting the southern creole style.
The menu offers three courses with a few classic dishes scattered within it. Mrs. BTM ordered the Crab Bisque and the Catfish while I ordered the Shrimp and Grits for a starter and the Pork Chops as my main course. We also ordered a bottle of one of our favorites, the 2006 Willamette Valley Vineyard Pinot Noir. The wine came out first and to my surprise, it was corked! Blah! The waitress apologized and brought out another bottle, which tasted delicious. She confirmed that the other bottle was corked and said that was her first time having a corked bottle.
Our starters came out. The Shrimp and Grits were amazing. Nicely seasoned. Probably the best grits that I have had. Mrs. BTM's Bisque was good and savory. I think she liked my dish better than hers. So far so good. Then we waited....and waited...and waited some more. Our waitress said that our food was on its way, but it never showed. After 40 minutes, she came up and apologized. She said that there was something wrong in the kitchen and offered us desserts on the house. *Sigh* After a long wait, our main courses came out. Even with the wait, the dinner did not dissapoint. My pork chops came with an artichoke risotto and apple bourbon demiglace. It was well cooked and the dish was flavorful. The portion was huge and I had left overs. Mrs. BTM's catfish came with collard greens and mashed potatoes. The catfish had a pecan crust and was nicely done. A pretty solid version of this classic. For desserts, I had a chocolate mousse with whip cream and rasberry sauce. It was good, but a bit thick for me. Mrs. BTM had the apple beignets with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Wow. It was warm, sweet, fried...all what you could ask for in a dessert.
Overall, the meal was impressive and left us wanting to try more of the menu. Everything was nicely prepared, well seasoned, and exemplified high quality southern comfort foods. The only hiccup was time. Dinner took just over 3 hours. If we we had all four courses and drinks, then the time would have been appropriate and enjoyable, especially in the ambiance of a grand ballroom. This is probably not a place for casual dinners, but we'll definitely be back, most likely with family. We look forward to another tasty meal.
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