Baltimore21201.Com - The Blog

Let's Eat! Charles Street.

My parents warned me about playing in the street, but this Saturday I'll take my chances. Why? Because... well, if an event has to do with food I'm all over it.

 

And, this Historic Charles Street Association event is ALL about food AND drink.

Saturday, November 7, noon to 6PM  Come to an outdoor celebration and spend the afternoon indulging in delicious food, revitalizing drinks, live music and belly dancing provided by establishments from our Charles Street corridor!  Enjoy getting together with friends and neighbors at this Fall block party on Read Street between Charles and Cathedral. Fun for the family, admission is free and open to all, with food and drink prices to vary.  Featured participants include:

Brewers Art Restaurant    George's   El Guapito   Howard's of Mt.Vernon   Lumbini Restaurant   Marie Louise Bistro   Mick O'Sheas   Saschas 527 Restaurant   Spirits of Mt. Vernon   The Helmand

For more information about Let's Eat! Charles Street, please contact michele@charlesstreet.net or call HCSA at 410-332-4144.

Call your friends, come on out Saturday, and let's all play in the street! Did I mention that there will be revitalizing drinks? 

Fine Wine, Fine Food. Festive Evening.

The Wine Source is hosting a wine dinner featuring the wines of Ken Forrester Vineyards on Monday, October 5th at the Explorer's Lounge in the Intercontinental Harbor Court Hotel.

Situated on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, in the heart of South Africa's most famous wine region Stellenbosch, Ken Forrester Vineyards are commonly referred to as the Home of Chenin Blanc and other premium award-winning wines.

This wine dinner is a big event as befits some very big wines. There are still a few reservations available and this dinner is certain to sell out. Call today and join The Wine Source on Monday evening.

5:00-6:30 - Explorer's Lounge on 2nd Floor of Hotel: Wine Tasting of all Ken Forrester Wines with cheese and crackers.

6:30-7:00 - Explorer's Lounge, Reception before dinner with passed hors d'ouevres. 

7:00-9:30- Plated Wine Dinner at Restaurant adjacent to Explorer's Lounge.

$85.00 per person including valet parking. Intercontinental Harbor Court Hotel, 550 Light Street Baltimore, MD 21202 For reservations, contact Diane Waite: 410.347.9706 or email diane.waite@ihg.com

Bad Decisions, Golden Girls, a Bacon Wallet

UPDATE, 9/18/09: THE GOLDEN GIRLS TRIVIA CONTEST HAS BEEN MOVED TO OCTOBER 13TH. PASS THE WORD.

What a combo! It all comes together next Tuesday, September 22nd at one of Fell's Point's best neighborhood bars. Bad Decisions - you've got to love the name - is a warm, friendly, corner bar at 1928 Fleet Street. Here's a great description of the place from Metromix.

Bad Decisions is also sort of famous for their Bacon and Beer Happy Hour and why wouldn't they be?

 
They're having a Golden Girls Trivia contest next Tuesday evening... which, I'm guessing, may go late into the night. The Twitter chatter has been growing. Crack teams are preparing. And, it's all good.

I may have to recuse myself from the competition tho, I knew Bea Arthur well. She loved to play trivia about her series. Especially Maude, she adored that show and could remember minutiae like no other.

I've donated a prize for the trivia contest and it's one that seems perfect for Bad Decisions. A super-duper, deluxe, NIB, Bacon Wallet.

It's going to be a fun night. Let your friends know. See you there. (I'll be thinking of you, Bea.)

Help Restaurants Help Baltimore.

It's important for our restaurants. It's even more important for many of Baltimore's residents. Dine out this Thursday, September 17th; Dine Out for Life.

With this single event, it's easy to make a big, long-lasting difference. Go to one of Dining Out for Life's participating restaurants and have a great meal. At least 20% of your check will be donated to Baltimore's Moveable Feast. Some restaurants are offering 50% and they are an awesome, generous group.

The proceeds from the day will help feed hundreds of men, women, and children right here in your community living with HIV/AIDS, and other life-challenging conditions such as breast cancer.

Visit the Moveable Feast website to learn more about their fine work. And, if you can't make it out on the 17th consider a donation. In these rough times every dollar counts; in these rough times everyone of their clients counts even more.

Baltimore 21201's Hotel Monaco: A Stellar Opening Night

Jacob and I have been fans of Baltimore's grand old architecture for a long, long time. And, we've been fans of the Kimpton Hotel brand for years and years. When we first read, in the BBJ, about a possible Kimpton Hotel coming to 21201 we were thrilled.

 
When we learned that Kimpton had selected the venerable B&O Building, built in 1906, at 2 N Charles Street as the location for a new Hotel Monaco, we pondered the possibilities and the build-out and what that would mean to city-center and decided we'd stay there on opening night. We did; it was wonderful.

Our Hotel Monaco stay was a true nextdoorcation. We live just a block away.

Here's a little background on Kimpton Hotels: They are the largest operator of boutique hotels in the United States and they are truly a lifestyle brand. Their hotels are pet-friendly. You'll see a couple of doggie bowls by the hotel entrances, one constantly filled with fresh water, the other with kibbles. Both are for resident pups and the pups just passing by. Kimpton hotels are gay friendly and support the LGBT efforts in their host cities. They create hotels in stunning, architectural masterpieces that need a new life. You can read more good things about Kimpton initiatives, many more, at the their Media Buzz site.

We made reservations through Kimpton Intouch. We packed a duffel and a backpack, and headed down Charles Street on July 30th, Monaco's opening night. We left home at 5pm; we checked in around 5:15. 

We didn't dress for the stay, but lots of folks did. We wore shorts and polos and tennis shoes. And, we were treated as if were wearing our tuxes. That's the Kimpton way.

Our front desk experience was super-quick, professional, and extremely personal. So far, so good.

We were invited to the daily wine hour in the second-floor hotel living room. We headed up to our room, #1222. It was spot-on, correct. When we made the online reservation we noted that we wanted four down pillows, a king bed, a high floor with a north view, spa tub, and more.

Every single item that we asked for was provided. And we received bonuses: Iced bottled water, two plates of cookies, and a handwritten welcome note were waiting for us.

(At this point, I have to apologize for using a couple of Kimpton's stock photos. I took my Canon 20D with the L USM 16-35mm lens, newly recharged batteries, and the 580EX Speedlite. I didn't, however, put a CF card in the memory slot. Oh, swell. Just swell.) Jacob had his point and shoot camera in his backpack. It didn't serve us perfectly, but it took great photos of fish and food.

After we scoped out our room and took a look around, we called the front desk for some serious Guppy Love. Our little fish, named Charles, arrived a few minutes later, fully fed, in a pristine bowl. Check the Guppy Love link above, it's a great Kimpton program.

Our marble and granite bathroom had a neck-deep, spa tub that could easily seat two. A walk-in shower with three walls of marble. The towels were puffy and I couldn't wait to use one or two. And the faux-leather wall coverings, complete with needle-stitching emboss, were a hot touch. 

We set up our bar on the stainless steel tray provided, got ice, and had a couple of drinks. Fresh-squeezed OJ screwdrivers for Jacob. Vodka gimlets for me. Then we headed down to the newest restaurant on Charles.

The B&O American Brasserie is truly something special. A welcome addition to 21201. We didn't have reservations. And, as walk-ins, we were asked if we wanted to be on the ground floor or the mezzanine. Mezzanine, please. The perfect service continued.

A perfect Grey Goose martini arrived at our table with three olives on a bamboo skewer. Astonishingly, it arrived with a little skiff of ice on the surface. I haven't had a martini served that icy-cold since the last time Jacob and I were at the Round Robin bar in the Willard Hotel in DC. Jacob's tall, Grey Goose screwdriver arrived with a slice of orange in the glass and the true fragrance of the best Florida oranges. I didn't taste; I did sniff. Yep, very fresh, very orange.

The B&O American Brasserie has a substantial, but not extensive, menu. Our server couldn't have provided us with more perfectly-timed attention from start to finish. She knew the menu forward and backward. She recommended the Heirloom Tomato & Watermelon Salad ($10) as a starter. Jacob ordered it. I knew what I wanted. I started with Steak Tartare & Carpaccio ($12).

Both appetizers were brilliant. Presentation and complex tastes were amazing. We shared the starters and couldn't agree on which one was best.

Jacob and I know our steaks. He ordered a Petite Filet, medium rare ($28) -- it was truly petite; I ordered a Ribeye, rare ($34). Both came with duck fat fries and pickled red onion and watercress. Jacob's Filet was as tender as cake, but it was dry as dust. My Ribeye was cooked perfectly. However, it was thin and super-tough, gristle abounded. We opted not to order anything more.

B&O's beef comes from Vande Rose Farms. Perhaps it shouldn't. It was nothing special, not flavorful, and didn't live up to the special experience that Hotel Monaco and the Brasserie were providing.

In summary, our new Kimpton hotel is as wonderful as wonderful can be. You feel like royalty when you check in.

The B&O American Brasserie is still working on it's menu legs. If the Brasserie can find steaks that live up to it's appetizers -- and I'm certain that will happen -- it will be good to go.

In the whole opening process of the Baltimore Hotel Monaco, there was only one complete disappointment: Bruce Miller at Sandy Hillman Communications. I wrote to Kimpton Corporate in San Francisco and explained how pleased I was about the pending opening of the New Monaco. I asked to be informed about developments.

The next day I had an email from Bruce Miller. He promised me the world. Constant updates, etc. Despite numerous requests, the last I heard from Miller at Hillman, was on March 31st 2009. That kind of non-response is just wrong.

Oysters on the Half-shell; A Baltimore Rite of Passage

Jacob and I went out on foot late this morning to run a few errands around the neighborhood. Enoch Pratt Library, the little Chinese grocery store next to Zongshan on Park Avenue, and we ended up at Regan's in Lexington Market for the big meat that I've mentioned before.

Since it was about lunch time we headed to Faidley's Seafood before we left Lexington. I didn't know it until the shucker pried open my first oyster, but I'd been having oyster withdrawal symptoms for quite sometime.

The oysters, as they always are at Faidley's, were icy cold, super-fat, and delicious. Jacob doesn't always join me at the oyster bar. He's not a big fan of seafood. He did join me today. It was hot and sweaty outside on the street and we had a couple of beers while waiting for the shucker.

And all of that is just the exposition to a wonderful scene that we watched unfold:

A 30-ish father came into Faidley's with his little blonde-haired son. They came up to the oyster bar, found a place next to us, and the red-haired father ordered a dozen prime. He watched my dozen arrive and changed his inital order to a half-dozen. He looked at us and said, "Wow, I didn't know they would be that big".

While I was busy with my oysters, the horseradish and the lemon wedges and stuff, the red-haired father began talking up the oyster tradition with his little boy.

Having grown up in the mid-west, I've never been on the youngster side of that father-son oyster talk; I listened. And, it was loving and sweet and instructive. It made the oysters all that much sweeter.

When the plate came for the red-haired father, he ate one and asked his son if he would like one. He didn't push his son. The young one said, "Show me how to do it". The father did. Perfectly.

The blonde son gulped the fat prime off of his father's plastic fork. And bit down and made a face. You know the face. The first oyster face.

He didn't like it so much. But, he ate it. A few of the locals were watching and one lady cheered when the son swollowed. She gave a thumb's up and said, "You're the MAN". The son was proud, the father was proud, and I was proud to have seen such a wonderful moment.

Baltimore's Artscape 2009 - Improved, Enhanced

This year, Artscape's 28th, you can be a VIP with all the rights and privileges that come with that special honor. At Artscape 2009 you can really strut you stuff.

There are lots of new things in store for '09. I'm thinking that the new VIP Lounge is right at the top of the list of goodies.

• Admission to the VIP Lounge,
• Two cocktails (or other beverages),
• Free light fare, food, snacks,
• Bird's eye view of the festivities,
• Discounted Artscape merchandise,
• Comfortable seating above in all in the shade,
• and more. So much more. Check the Artscape website for all the details and tickets.

For all the new stuff visit Artscape's What's New Page. See you there. See you at Artscape.

21201 - Baltimore Chinese Food Delivery

I'd forgotten I still had a post for the long-closed Eli's Chinese Restaurant on the blog until this morning when I was going through visitor logs and noticed the post was generating hits from folks looking for Chinese delivery downtown. I've deleted that post.

For the past couple of years when we want good, reliable, fast Chinese delivered we call Peking House.

When we go out for Chinese we go to Zongshan on Park Avenue. But sometimes, after a long day or when we're just feeling lazy, we call for delivery.

When you're looking for the kind of Chinese delivery that hasn't changed in decades, Peking House is the place to call. Chicken with Cashew, Shrimp with Lobster Sauce, Mongolian Beef, Hot and Sour Soup, all the standards. Their House Special Lo Mein is very good (and even better cold the next morning).

We've found that after you order from them a few times you start getting extra little surprises with your orders. A free entree, free sodas, stuff like that.

Peking House is at 11 E Baltimore Street between Charles and St. Paul. 410-539-8183 and 410-539-8184. 410-528-8898 Fax.

Just one thing: The phone order-takers usually have really intense Chinese accents. Go slow. The Sesame Chicken is worth cutting them some slack.

Baltimore Restaurants, Need a Lift? Take a Clue from This.

With some restaurants around the Baltimore area closing and other 21201 restaurants looking for new ways to increase business during these tough economic times, I offer this...

Take a look at some of the top-tier industry leaders and learn from what those venues are doing. For example, New York's Russian Tea Room. 

Some background: The RTR was one of the first New York restaurants of Legend-and-History that I ever visited. And my first visit in 1970 made it one of my forever-favorites. I was 20 years old at the time.

The food - exceptional. The menu - exceptional. The wait-staff even better. Don't even ask about the bartender. When I first sat down at the front bar (Slightly to the Left of Carnegie Hall) and ordered a martini, he said, "Russian vodka, of course. Olives? Twist?"

I said, "Make it your way." (I'd read that phrase in the New Yorker Magazine and thought it sounded smart.)

He did make it his way. Ice cold; frozen cold. One olive. And, slightly dirty. He made me feel so special that I could never again walk down 57th Street and not go in and sit at the bar. It wasn't about the martinis - it was about the service. I could get a plain iced coffee at the bar or a cup of Russian Tea in amazing surroundings, have a wonderful time, leave a decent tip and still go home without breaking my minimal bank.

The Russian Tea Room's latest promotion is an extension of their High Tea. This time, for the younger set. For Children.

When restaurants are in that dead-time between lunch and dinner, does this menu make sense? I think so. I think this concept is worth a million bucks in PR.

---

CHILDREN'S TEA

Carousel of Tea Sandwiches and Blini

• PB&J on Blini
• Grilled Trio of Cheeses
• Little Pig-in-a-Blanket
• Miniature BLT
• Cucumber with Chive Cream Cheese
• Classic Tuna Fish
• Chopped Egg Salad

Desserts

• Traditional Warm Scone
• Crisp Apple Slices with Creamy Caramel
• Red Velvet Cupcake with Sprinkles
• Chocolate Mousse Topped with Mixed Berries 

Decaffinated Tea Selection

• Raspberry Zinger
• Raspberry with herbal hibiscus 
• Lotus Green Tea with subtle essence of lotus blossoms
• Mint Verbena
• Pure peppermint
• Ginger Tea Slightly spicy, fruity-citrus notes
• Rooibos Chai South African red bush with Indian spices
• Chamomile Delicate sweet notes or
• The Russian Tea Room's Signature Hot Chocolate Served with Whipped Cream & Marshmallows 

$25 per person

• For A True Russian Tea Room Experience: Add one blini with Paddlefish Caviar for $10

 ---
I'm telling you, it doesn't get much better than that. To bring this concept back to Baltimore, the last time that Jacob and I were at Gertrude's at BMA, we watched some of Baltimore's smartest youngsters order their food, ask questions about it, and critique the offering. Come on, Baltimore. We can do this. We can do more and get the all of the PR that goes with it.

My Prom Dinners Weren't This Affordable.

One of our favorite Baltimore restaurants has posted a price-fixed menu for 2009 prom couples. And, it's pretty darn impressive.

 

As Sabatino's - 3 courses, and soda, tea or, coffee for 25 bucks. This is from the email I received from Vince, Renato, Lisa, Phil, and Renato Jr:

"This menu will be available for smaller reservations of 2 or 4 guests as well as to larger group reservations of 20 or 30 guests. At just $25.00 per person including tax and gratuity, this 3 course meal with 11 entrée choices is sure to be a hit! Of course, our full regular dinner menu is also always available if that is what you prefer".

The menu and details are here.

This is the real deal. The $25 per person includes tax and gratuity. I'm looking for that old dinner jacket of mine...

Think Wild Mushrooms. New Clover Honey. Or Pies.

Think about all of the Baltimore Farmer's Markets. Think about the very best one. Think about the venue, under the JFX. Think about getting up earlier than usual on a Sunday. (Ok... that was a long-shot.)

Baltimore's 32nd Annual big show of everything fresh and tasty, The Farmer's Market, opens again on Sunday, May 3rd. 8AM.

This Sunday, I'll immediately head over to the Mother Earth stall for a box of wild 'shrooms to bring home and I'll order a sauteed mushroom sandwich to eat on-site. Jacob seems to head for the leaf vegetables first. And, then the fresh-cut flower stalls. Oh, the flowers.

For me, going to the Farmer's Market has a downside: From our house we walk downhill with empty bags. Coming home... well, you get the idea. It's usually a heavy haul.

Wineology 101 - Maryland Science Center

Hey, this isn't going to be your ordinary night at the planetarium.

  

Explore the connection between your senses and wine. Thursday, April 30th. 6:30 - 8PM in the Atrium.

Wine experts will lead an informal discussion on the role that color, scent, and taste play in the way we enjoy wine. Discussions on taste zones, clarity, bouquet, and more. Admission includes a variety of wine samplings and food parings. You'll have plenty of time to visit with the experts one on one.

$40 per person; $35 for members. RSVP 410-545-5960. Hosted by The Wine Market, the invitation says the event will be a certain sell out.

Gee. Ya think?

Order Chinese. Scream Fire!

And, in a very good way.

We did some Sunday morning shopping and decided to take another stab at checking out El Torito, now El Guapito. No dado. The door was locked. I didn't check the hours on their website. They aren't open on Sunday.

We were two blocks from Mekong Delta and a half block from Zhongshan. I was really hungry. Chinese it was.

We were there just once before and were greeted like old friends, "Hello, Hello! Too long since we've seen you!" Zhongshan now has super-handsome, bound menus and the selections cover 6 pages.

We started with dim sum. Fried pork buns, steamed shrimp dumplings and steamed pork buns. It was all perfect... Jacob's favorite were the pork buns. They were like little clouds. My favorite were shrimp dumplings. The fried pork buns were perfect, but we were in a savory mood.

Jacob opted for what he ordered on our first visit, Barbecue Pork Duck. I decided to take a ride on the wild side with Hot Pepper Chicken, and that's the big story.

It was the hottest plate of Chinese food I'd ever tasted. It was the hottest plate of any kind of food I'd ever tasted and it was absolutely perfect! Tender chunks of chicken breast covered with chili oil and put in the wok with sliced ginger, bamboo shoots, coin sized pieces of red and green bell pepper, and three kinds of hot peppers. Long, slim cayenne peppers, Chinese kwangsi, and Thai chiles. Some were sliced in half from the stem down. Some had seeds removed, most didn't.

After I finished my plate, I told Jacob he'd have to pay. I wasn't certain if it was still daylight outside and I hadn't felt my lips for over an hour. Sometimes being hot and dazed is a good thing. Today it was just the best.

Starbucks Closing 21201's Charles Street Location

Yep, it's a done deal. Along with the 6,700 jobs that Starbucks is eliminating, they are closing about 300 additional stores. (Last July they announced 600+ stores slated for closure.) The 300 N Charles Street store is on Starbucks'  new list.

I'm not a Starbucks fan. Never have been. Starbucks just seemed a bit too cultish for me to take seriously. However, I am full-time supporter of Charles Street and this will leave yet another dark hole in the retail landscape.

The Blimpie location in the 300 Block of Charles Street that closed in 2006 still hasn't been rented. And, in the same block, it looks like there are no takers for the empty storefront that used to be Down's Engravers and Stationers and was, most recently, home to Clayton Fine Books. 

As for your caffene fix, here's my tip: I love Coffeeland at 222 N Charles Street. (I love their iced tea... I drink it even in the dead of winter.) If you enjoy Baltimore 21201 as much as I do, head to Coffeeland. Order and visit with the folks there. The local owners are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. 

Professional Cook? There's a Job Available in 21201.

I was walking to an appointment this afternoon and noticed a sign in the window of the Park Avenue Grill.

"HELP WANTED - FULL TIME COOK"

I don't have specific details. But, if you're a cook looking for work in downtown Baltimore, give them a call or drop in and visit with the nice folks there.

410-814-4403

10 Park Avenue, Baltimore 21201

If you apply for the job, let me know how it went and I'll report. And let them know you saw the posting here. If you happen to land the position, let me know. There could be an online profile, photo, and great fame in your future. Go for it.

Baltimore 21201 Has a New Chinese Restaurant

And, Baltimore's Zhongshan is the real deal.

I first read about Zhongshan's private opening party -- a 10 course feast for invited guests, including a representative from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC -- in Elizabeth Large's blog and the Table Talk column in the Baltimore Sun. Years ago, I lived in Baltimore when there was still a bit of Chinatown left in 21201. Firecrackers, Dragon Parades, Chrysanthemums, and Fireworks. I made a note to make fast tracks to Park Avenue.

Today, at lunch time, Jacob and I wandered out in the mist and over to 323 Park Avenue, where the Chinatown Cafe used to be. We left about an hour and a half later completely full, satisfied, and smiling from ear-to-ear.

Zhongshan offers Dim Sum from 7AM to 3PM daily. We opted for the lunch menu, which for now, is a black and white photocopied sheet that you fill out sushi-style with a little yellow pencil. Lunch specials are $6.96 each. Or, as written on the menu, "6.95/People"...  I love that.

Today, the Dim Sum menu included lots of steamed dumplings including the trustworthy Shrimp and Pork Sao Mai. Steamed buns include Red Bean, Lotus Paste, Pork, and more. It was way too early in the day for me to consider Beef Tripe with Ginger & Scallion or Chicken Feet with Bean Sauce. And for me, Steamed Beef Honeycomb is off my radar.

The Lunch Special menu today offered 24 dishes covering the spectrum. Crackling Shredded Meat, Beef with Broccoli, and Cashew Shredded Chicken to Fresh Sleeve Fish Olio, Spiced Salt Fresh Squid, and Szechwan Chook-Beef.

We ordered 3 dishes and the absolute stand-out was Barbecued Pork Duck. Perfect chunks of duck with crispy, crispy skin, a right-on layer of fat, and meat that melts in the mouth served over a mound of white rice and steamed broccoli.

The place was busy. And very, very friendly. We were treated like family. We will be back for Dim Sum and for their dinner menu which includes Stir-fried Lobster Cantonese Style for $17.95.

When you visit Zhongshan, let me know. Jacob and I would love to see the rebirth of a Chinatown in Baltimore. And, when you visit, drop in at the Chinese grocery store next door. You'll thank me.

Oh yes, we received a compliment from a native of China on our chopstick technique.

It's Time Again - Hide Your Face in Baltimore 21201

 

Jacob and I have a favorite fund-raising event; we attend it every year. And, we put lots of business cards in our pockets before we leave home.

If you haven't been to the annual Masquerade on Charles hosted by the Historic Charles Street Association, read on and get a pair of the few remaining tickets. It's always a joyous night. It's a business & personal networking event that only comes along once a year. Folks are friendly and they hug. It's fun. You won't go home thirsty or hungry.

Join Baltimore 21201's movers and shakers and enjoy an open bar, the very best food from Baltimore's finest restaurants, live music by Junkyard Saints, and dancing in one of Baltimore's most historic venues, the former Masonic Grand Lodge of Maryland, the Tremont Grand. There will be live and silent auctions. And, if you buy a glass of Champagne, you could go home with one of two half-carat diamonds from Nelson Coleman Jewlers.

Put on a mask - or not, be there, and rock the night away. The best part of this event: It crosses every generational line. In 2008 the Masquerade was as heavily populated by 20 & 30-year-olds as it was by those "slightly older professionals" who I heard, many times, say: "I may have something for you. Give me your business card."

Jacob and I will see you there. [BTW, I know the networking works at the Masquerade. Ask me about it.]

Absinthe and Oysters. Now We're Talkin'

 

Oh yeah. And on Friday the 13th. Morton's The Steakhouse at 300 S Charles Street is hosting an absinthe tasting and they're calling it, Absinthe, The Green Hour.

Guests will be guided through the experience of meeting la fée verte (the green fairy) by a Pernod absinthe expert.

Absinthe will be paired with Morton's signature hors d'oeuvres, including Oysters Rockefeller made with absinthe, crab-stuffed mushrooms, sliced tenderloin on crostini and Morton's minature prime cheeseburgers. Sound good?

Sounds even better at just $45 per person including tax & gratuity. Friday, March 13th, 6 - 7:30PM. Reservations or more info, 410-547-8255.

Sidebar: We wound down our annual Beaujolais Nouveau party last November with some pretty heady absinthe, served in the true French louching method. In the wee hours of the morning, guests left in great spirits. Truly, GREAT spirits.

There Was Amazing Scotch in Baltimore Tonight

I just returned home from a Scotch Tasting at Baltimore's Brewer's Art. The tasting, organized by The Wine Source in Hampden, was a total success, applauded by everyone in the room, and offered up tastes from some amazing Signatory bottles.

Signatory is counted as an extraordinary Single Malt producer and bottler, the evening was hosted by Signatory's Ed Kohl... sort of extraordinary in his own right. Top shelf knowledge and just the right amount of humor.

 

Attendance was limited to about 40. And the tasting was an early sell-out. At just $40 per person it's no wonder why.

We tasted 9 single malts over a couple of hours (lowest proof was 86; highest was 119.2) with "Scotch-minded" tidbits passed by a three-person pour and serve staff. Here's the short version of my personal tasting notes:

1.  1993 Tullibardine, S Highland, 13 YR Bottled @ 86 Proof -- Bright, Easy, Sugar & nutty start, No pepper finish, No heat. Not distinguished.

2.  1997 Edradour, S Highland, 10 YR Unchilled-Unfiltered @ 92 Proof -- Nice bright caramel start, Dried grass, Multiple spices late, Short finish, lacked pepper.

3.  1995 Linkwood, Speyside, 13 YR Bottled @ 86 Proof -- Bingo! Floral start, Caramel turning to good pepper, medium-long finish. Smart & Sassy. Sophisticated. A really good Scotch that I want to taste again. Stands up to water.

4.  1991 Royal Lochnagar, E Highland, 16 YR Bottled @ 86 Proof -- Too soft, No heat, Little spice, Short finish. Not memorable.

5.  1997 Cragganmore, Speyside, 11 YR Unchilled-Unfiltered @ 92 Proof -- Great heat on the front end, spicy middle ground, light pepper finish. Lingering.

6.  1997 Jura, Island, 10 YR Unchilled-Unfiltered @ 92 Proof -- Smooth, Peat and smoke start to finish. Doesn't need water. Fades fast. But, good while it's on the tongue.

7.  Hogs Head, Pure Malt, Bottled @ 86 Proof -- Bingo! A total & complete surprise. Brilliant. Peat start, smoke and light tar, Tapering spice and moss finish, goes on and on. Memorable. (The least expensive bottle of the event.) A Scotch you could certainly spend an evening with.

8.  1991 Glen Elgin, Speyside, 19 YR Cask Strength @ 119.2 Proof -- Bingo! Upfront notes of forest and clover, Woody middle ground, Extremely long finish moving tar to chocolate. Hot only from the high proof. A perfect Scotch for my taste.

9.  1978 Bunnahabhain, Islay, 27 YR Cask Strenght @ 108.8 Proof -- Upfront bite bites back in the finish, White pepper start, Floral to nutty to light cresote mids, Finish is chocolate then hot pepper that lingers. But not in a perfect way. (The most expensive bottle at around $200.)

Wine Source Scotch Tastings in Baltimore are not to be missed. They sell out fast.

A New Baltimore 21201 Hotel... Almost Ready to Take Reservations. Thank You, Kimpton!

I've written about the wonderfulness of Kimpton Hotels before. And, in 2007 I wrote about the proposed opening of a Kimpton Hotel Monaco in Baltimore scheduled to open in mid-2009. It seemed too good to be true.

There are only a couple of hundred reasons why I love the Kimpton brand. Let's begin with: Stylish, fun, pet friendly, locations in many historic buildings around the country. Kimpton property employees always seem to be having a good time, they are smart, know their way around their home city, other Kimpton properties, and are full of great advice when asked.

Number 1 on my list of wonderfulness is that Kimpton is bringing their Monaco brand to Charles Street. They are building out the top floors of the fantastic 1906 B&O Railroad building on the corner of Charles & Baltimore Streets. It was built just 2 years after the great Baltimore Fire.

   

Kimpton has been busy rebuilding the lobby, stairs... all of the public places. And, keeping them in historic condition. (There was a LOT of reconditioning to do. Think $60-million in renovations, original Tiffany windows and a ship-load of replacement marble.)

 

Kimpton has created a supurb website for the Baltimore Monaco. Visit, Read, and Book a room for the May opening. We are already buffing up our cat carriers for an early stay for the four of us.

 

We'll see you in the Monaco lobby in a couple of months with a martini or manhattan in hand. No kidding, we will.