Spotlight On - Encantada

Not sure if anyone knows, but I've been writing a restaurant column for the City Walker App Blog. The purpose of the app itself is to give visitors a local's-eye-view of a city, so they are able to experience it in the same way residents do--on foot. (Not that anyone actually walks anywhere anymore.) The blog offers a bit more detail; I have endeavored to take users on a stroll through the city while pointing out restaurants along the way. In addition to the walking posts, I have been writing others that put certain favorite restaurants of mine in a spotlight. I thought I could share those here with you.
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Baltimore is not known for its vegan restaurants. That’s not to say it’s not a vegan-friendly city; there are a handful of notable places that serve vegan cuisine. Some are completely vegan. And several of them are even planning a Vegan Restaurant Week from August 18th - 26th (check out https://www.mdveganeats.com for more info). I’m not vegan, or even vegetarian, but have always felt that a well-rounded food scene is beneficial for the city’s residents and visitors alike. Plus I understand that the high level of meat consumption in the US is not doing anybody any favors, physically on an individual level and climate-wise on a global scale.

Encantada, in the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) is a restaurant that pleases both vegans and consumers of animal products alike. But first, let’s talk a little bit about AVAM. If you haven’t been there, you must go. Seriously. It’s the most interesting, fun, mind-boggling, amazing art museum in the city (and we have two pretty fabulous museums in the Walters and the Baltimore Museum of Art). The term “visionary,” when applied to art, refers to works created by persons with no formal art training who are guided solely by their own inner voice. These folks may or may not march to the beat of a different drum in their public lives, but whatever it is that influences their work, it doesn’t follow the constraints of “learned” forms of art like went-to-art-school art or even the traditions of folk art. Think 25-foot-long ship models made entirely of toothpicks, or complex masks created from knitted and crocheted yarn. Amazing stuff. I consider AVAM to be in the top five places to visit in Baltimore (the others being the National Aquarium, Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Walters Art Museum, and Fells Point).

Now, on to the restaurant. The word “encantada” means “charmed, enchanted, bewitched,” which seems appropriate for a restaurant located in such a delightful museum. Apropos of its setting, the decor at Encantada is, shall we say, eclectic. Furniture and fabrics are purposely mismatched, walls may sport royal blue and black vertical stripes, or black and white diagonal ones. Art from the museum is hung here and there, adding still more color to the elegant cacophony of the restaurant’s interior. The menu is much more focused. The food at Encantada is grounded in the restaurant’s partnerships with local farmers, watermen, and ranchers to provide the freshest seasonal meat and produce. The animal proteins used by the restaurant have been raised humanely without GMOs, and while that still might not please PETA, it makes us carnivores feel a bit less guilty about indulging in meat. Vegetarians and vegans will be happy, however, that vegetables and grains play far more important roles at Encantada than at many other restaurants where they may be relegated to mere “side dishes.”

One can enjoy Encantada’s vegetable-forward menu at brunch, lunch, dinner, and happy hour. Conveniently, brunch is offered both Saturday and Sunday, with $15 bottomless bloody marys, mimosas, and beers from Evolution, a craft brewery based in Salisbury on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Vegan options include a bbq tofu benedict with avocado, crispy kale, and grilled tomato, and a spicy “chicken” sandwich made with seitan. Actual chicken is fried and coated in harissa honey and served with french toast in another dish that’s a riff on the now-popular chicken and waffles, and a burger with a runny egg is available, too.

The dinner menu is divided up into small and large plates, but it’s probably easiest to think of them as apps and entrees. On the current menu, all of the small plates are vegetarian or vegan apart from the “N’awlins BBQ Shrimp,” which of course is not.

One of the more popular vegan small plates, available for brunch, lunch, and dinner, is the Nashville cauliflower, made with Tennessee-style hot sauce and served with vegan ranch dressing and bread-and-butter pickles. It shows that whatever chicken can do, cauliflower can also do (and possibly do it better). The deviled turnips are another popular dish; it’s been on the menu from day one. They’re actually a play on deviled eggs--small white turnips standing in for the egg white, a filling of chickpea mash, and a dusting of smoked paprika. Cute and tasty, but egg-like in appearance only.

Entrees include more meaty selections, things like NY sirloin and duck breast, some fish options too. But even carnivores will enjoy the pasta with mushroom bolognese, its depth of flavor due to the umami-rich mushrooms. On a recent visit during Restaurant Week, we tried a housemade trofie (a hand-rolled twisted pasta) with pesto, peas, and optional guanciale (cured pork jowl or cheek) that was simply outstanding. You can’t go wrong with ordering a side of heirloom carrots, either; though the preparation is always slightly different, they are usually topped with toasted hazelnuts, which really make the dish.

Finally, don’t pass up on cocktails before, during, or after your meal. The Cheshire Cat is a particularly refreshing gin-and-cucumber beverage with a touch of lemongrass, mint, and lime, with a fun blue ice cube that gradually turns the drink purple as it melts. I also like “It’s About Fig & Thyme” and “Berryland Smash,” both tasty concoctions that are worth trying.

Encantada
800 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
410-752-1000
Encantadabaltimore.com



Posted on Minxeats.com.

New Spring Menu at The Rusty Scupper

Besides its breathtaking view of the Inner Harbor, The Rusty Scupper has long been known for its clean, straight-forward seafood dishes. While those are always welcome, new executive chef William Wilt is adding some twists to the Scupper's menu with bold flavors and clever combinations. We were given an opportunity to experience this approach first hand while trying some of his dishes from the restaurant's spring menu.

Since April is tuna month at The Rusty Scupper (which features a different seafood each month), we started off by sharing the tuna tartare appetizer. The chilled ahi tuna was fresh and refreshing, accompanied by a wasabi aioli, a spicy red sriracha-style sauce, and a salad of greens tossed in a sesame vinaigrette. Crunchy sesame-dusted crostini were the perfect vehicle for transporting tuna to mouth, adding both texture and a flavor profile complimentary to the Asian-style sauces,

For her entree, the Minx chose the sea bass stuffed with a mixture of chorizo sausage and crab and served with whipped potatoes and grilled asparagus. Pairing such a powerful flavor as chorizo with the mild sweetness of crab seems counter-intuitive, but the combination works quite nicely. The whole dish is bathed in a slightly sweet dijon tarragon beurre blanc that is at once rich and herbacious. The creamy and garlicky red bliss potatoes had some of the skins left in--just the way I like them--and the asparagus was perfectly cooked. I kept sneaking nibbles off of the Minx's plate until she had to pull it aside, wanting to save some for her lunch the next day.

I opted for the blue crab ravioli. When serving ravioli, it seems that many restaurants are skimpy, providing only an unsatisfying four or five pieces. Chef Wilt offers seven plump pouches of perfectly cooked pasta holding a tasty filling of blue crab, topped with Roma tomatoes, asparagus tips, fresh herbs, and chunks of jumbo lump crabmeat. The firm crab lumps were an especially nice touch, providing a textural contrast to the creamier crab in the ravioli.

Although we were quite full, we had to try out some of their desserts. I went for the Callebaut chocolate indulgence: a slice of nearly-flourless chocolate cake served with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, and a raspberry coulis. The cake was truly decadent, like rich fudge or a dense chocolate truffle, while the fruit sauce and blueberries added the right acidity and brightness for a spring dish. 

The Minx's Fuji apple bread pudding was stuffed with dried cherries and apples and doused in a pecan praline sauce. The pudding was moist and buttery with a welcome crispiness on top, like a really exceptional French toast. A bit of vanilla ice cream on the side aided in cutting the unctuousness of the dish. Alas, it was too large to finish after the rest of the rich meal (as was the chocolate cake) but it made for a lovely sweet treat the following night.

For decades, we've heard about "the runner's high." I never experienced such a thing during all those miles I clocked in my youth, but I have had on occasion experienced an eater's high, when all the elements of a meal are so fine that I feel euphoric about the experience. This was one such meal. We're elated that the Rusty Scupper, which has been a workhorse serving visitors to Baltimore's Inner Harbor area for decades now, has upped it's culinary game. It's about time that locals get in on the action. The views are spectacular, the exceptional service and white tablecloths make the place perfect for a fancy dress-up occasion, but the rustic architecture and menu of seafood favorites also makes the restaurant ideal for a weeknight dinner. Pay close attention to the Chef's Specials, which are a cut (or two) above the expected. 

The Rusty Scupper

402 Key Highway

Inner Harbor Marina

Baltimore, MD 21230

410-727-3678    

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Bookmakers Cocktail Club

Though I had a cocktail at Bookmakers Cocktail Club earlier in the year, neither Mr Minx nor I had eaten there before recently. Bookmakers was participating in the annual Dining Out for Life campaign to benefit Moveable Feast, so we decided to give the place a try and support one of our favorite local organizations at the same time.

"Cocktail" is in the name, so we had to start off with a couple. I had the Blind Melon, made with St George green chile vodka, ancho reyes, fresh lime, watermelon, and Thai basil. It was fine. Maybe a little weak. Far more savory than I thought it would be. Mr Minx had the Grayson, with Bulleit rye, yuzu, ginger beer, Velvet Falernum, 1821 Japanese chili-lime bitters, and toasted cinnamon. So many ingredients! Much stronger than mine, with a pronounced bourbon flavor.

Our waitress seemed very happy to be there for DOFL and eagerly gave us both food and drink recomendations. We started off with the pork belly and a Caesar salad.

BOURBON GLAZED PORK BELLY

old grand-dad bourbon, cucumber salad

The serving of pork belly was pretty generous, and while the textures were great - soft fat, crispy top, tender meat - it was cold. Well, not cold exactly. Parts were room-temperature. When I asked our waitress about it, she said it was supposed to be that way. A little odd, but it tasted great, so ok. The cucumber salad was actually a mess of really tangy pickles that cut the fat of the pork nicely.

CAESAR SALAD

lemon confit, brioche croutons, white anchovies, parmesan crisp

I had a pretty damn classic Caesar. The platonic ideal, IMHO. Lemony, vaguely fishy, with light croutons and a lovely bit of crispy parm on top.

8OZ DRY-AGED ROSEDA CHEESEBURGER

american cheese, smoked tomato & onion, red leaf lettuce, chef's sauce

Making a decision on an entree was difficult. Well, for me anyway. I went with the cheeseburger, intrigued that there are only so many of them available per night. It was impossible to eat as-is, since the rather firm bun had broken on the bottom so everything just sloshed out. I had added a fried egg, which would have made it too messy to pick up and eat anyway as it was too tall to bite. I knife-and-forked it, leaving much of the bun behind. Please, chefs, just use squishy buns for burgers. There's no need for brioche or any other type of bread (unless it's toasted rye, as in a patty melt) to touch a burger. It makes it difficult to eat and, if too big and cottony, muffles the flavors of all the goodies inside. Especially when the flavors of the components are as good as the ones on this sandwich. Loved the smoked tomato and onion, and the chef's sauce.

LAMB SHOULDER RAGU

pappardelle, mint, sorrel, snap peas, green beans, goat cheese

Mr Minx had pasta, because that's his thing. I thought the pappardelle was a little tough, but he snarfled up that dish right quick. Lamb and mint really is a lovely combination in a pasta sauce, reminding me a bit of the famous mint love letters dish we ate at Mario Batali's Babbo (and I also attempted to recreate at home).

We wanted to run up the tab a bit to get the maximum amount of money for Moveable Feast (Bookmaker's was contributing 25% of the proceeds) so we also got a side dish of brussels sprouts, served with sweet and chewy candied bacon and parm. We eat a LOT of brussels sprouts (can't really avoid them these days, can you?) and these were among the best we've had. No pic, as the restaurant was dark and they were dark and the bowl was dark so the photos I took were even worse than the ones included here.

We also ordered a couple more cocktails. Mr Minx had the Thyme Collins. He's not a gin lover, but he wanted to see how much he hated the stuff if it was mixed up with thyme, lemon, and soda. It still tasted like gin, but it wasn't a turn-off. (For me, it's tonic that's the deal-breaker.) And I had what I'm going to declare as my favorite new drink - the Federale, made with Tapatio blanco tequila, Becherovka, cinnamon, fresh lemon, grapefruit, and mint. It was like the most sophisticated non-margarita margarita ever. I could have downed 3 or 4 (they are small) but that would have been dangerous.

We don't normally order dessert (at least not every time we go out) but for the sake of more money to charity, we ordered the baked mini donuts to share. Three each mini chocolate glazed and powdered sugar donuts were served with a little cup of coffee-flavored cream for dipping. I got the concept, but felt the donuts were dry (although the chocolate glaze was boss) and the cream was too liquidy.

In any case, despite minor quibbles, we really enjoyed the meal. Service was terrific, drinks were good, and so was the food. We got in and out just before it started to get really loud (one of the benefits of eating early - we can have a conversation without shouting with the rest of the shouting yahoos) which helped make it a good experience.

Bookmakers Cocktail Club
31 E. Cross Street, Baltimore, MD 21230
443.438.4039



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Encantada

When the Joy America Cafe opened in the American Visionary Art Museum (AVAM) in November of 1995, it brought a new style of restaurant to Baltimore City. Chef Peter Zimmer's cuisine reflected a number of different cultural influences, from the Southwest to the Chesapeake, which at the time was quite innovative for this area. Today, twenty years later, quirky restaurants that fall somewhere between formal and casual are the norm in Baltimore, as is food with world flavors.

But the innovative spirit of Zimmer's Joy America Cafe lives on in Robbin Haas' new restaurant at AVAM, Encantada. The decor is a bit all over the place, with large areas of black and white patterning punctuated by bright colors and examples of the "outsider" art found all over the rest of the museum. It's wild and fun, and somehow it all works. But don't let the room distract you from the menu, which is focused on small plates. Before you say, "What's innovative about that? They're everywhere!" let me add that the small plates are primarily vegetarian, and some are vegan. And the dishes are so interesting and flavorful that you will not miss the meat one bit.

And if you do, there are a handful of dishes that do have meat. Because there will be people who wander into the restaurant and not expect it to be so vegetable-forward.

Menu as of July 8, 2015. Click to enlarge.

We started our meal off with cocktails, naturally. The Cheshire Cat involved Anchor Junipero gin, cucumber-lemongrass syrup, fresh mint and lime, fizzy water, and something called "Magic Velvet Blue Ice," which turned the drink pink as it melted. It was bright and cucumbery, lightly sweet, and very refreshing. I preferred it to my Melon Spruce, made with Deep Eddy’s lemon vodka, watermelon juice, pomegranate juice, rose water, and micro flowers. It was sorta melon-fruity, only vaguely sweet, and very very strong. I mean, I can swill a cocktail or three with the best of them, and I was feeling tipsy halfway through this one. Woo!

I really needed the drink to be able to tackle the menu, which is one of those that list ingredients without giving much indication of what the dish will be like. I really kinda hate that. Other descriptions are just confusing, like the one for the first dish we chose, "TURNIPS deviled, faux eggs, smoked paprika." Were we getting deviled turnips served with fake eggs? Are faux eggs some sort of weird vegan thing made with tofu? Not exactly. The turnips themselves, halved and cooked until tender, formed the "white" of the egg. The yolk was a loose puree of chick peas. They looked like deviled eggs, and they sortakinda even tasted like deviled eggs, only the textures were wrong. It's actually a very clever and cute dish; I just would have described it differently, perhaps as Turnip deviled "eggs."

Sorry. As a professional writer, I can't help myself.

The next dish we tried was potato croquettes. Some of the little potato balls had a fairly smooth mashed potato filling and others had chunkier bits of tuber, which I liked. The rich and tangy saffron aioli was a nice accompaniment, and the dish was visually appealing. So much better than the tater tots that have infested menus recently.

We also tried the heirloom tomatoes, which was recommended by our server. They were pretty good; it's not high tomato season here in Maryland yet, judging by my garden full of small green hard specimens, so this can only get better as the summer goes on. The sauce of black garlic, however, was mighty tasty, and I need to concoct something like it at home now.

We decided to order items in shifts, so they wouldn't all end up on the table at the same time. If you're into ordering more than three or four dishes, you should probably do the same. Since most of the dishes are veg, they come out pretty fast.

One of the non-vegetarian items recently added to the menu is oysters on the half shell. These were Malpeques, from Prince Edward Island. topped with a green tomato granny smith mignonette, and cilantro oil. Also a fennel flower, which added an unexpected bit of crunchy texture. Pretty good, very fresh, the hint of cilantro was interesting.

Then we had the list of ingredients that read "GREENS shaved zucchini, smoked tomato vin, crumbled tofu, heirloom tomato, avocado." I see "greens" and think collards, etc., so was a little surprised it was a nearly entree-sized cold salad. The smoked tomato vinaigrette was delicious, and the chunks of firm pressed tofu were a nice change from croutons. Pretty and tasty.

Out of everything on the menu, I was most interested in the dish pretty accurately listed as "CARROTS roasted, whipped goat cheese, harissa honey, hazelnuts." I adore roasted baby carrots with tops, and these were pretty perfect. Tender but not mushy, sweet but not cloying, with an impeccably smooth goat cheese to add a bit of tang. The best part was the chopped hazelnuts, which added so much lovely crunch. And it was gorgeous. Love the blue bowl.

At this point, we were getting pretty full, despite eating mostly veg. We were going to order the gnocchi and the brussels sprouts, but after the manager came over and talked up the duck (which had appealed to us early on in the decision-making process), we had to order that as well.

First, the sprouts. They were fried and had both crunchy (less-cooked) and crispy (more-cooked) textures, with tiny sweet red grapes and lots of toasted pine nuts, all tossed in a figgy syrup. The dish could have used a bit of salt, but was otherwise fine. One can never go wrong ordering brussels sprouts at any restaurant owned by Robbin Haas that has Melanie Molinaro in the kitchen (try them at Birroteca and Nickel Taphouse if you get a chance - both excellent).

The mushroom bolognese on the gnocchi had the salt the sprouts lacked (so I tried to eat them together). Otherwise, the sauce had a nice depth of flavor despite containing no meat. The ricotta gnocchi were firmer than my homemade ones, almost like potato gnocchi, but they were very tender and had a smooth bite. A shower of crispy breadcrumbs added a nice nutty texture.

Saving the best for last - I am so glad we ordered the duck. While not the promised medium rare (closer to medium), the duck was juicy and nicely seasoned, with crispy skin and little or no fat. I loved all of the flavors and textures on the plate, from the tangy rhubarb jam to the strips of raw fennel and nubbins of farro. I mostly wanted this dish to see how the caramelized white chocolate was worked into it. Would it be a sauce or a coating on the meat? No, it was sprinkled on the plate here and there, small beige bits that offered a bit of creamy sweetness that tied the dish together.

After nine plates (oink) we were too full to even think of dessert.

At this point, Encantada had only been open for a week. Not all of the dishes were perfect, but most were very very good. There certainly is a ton of variety on the menu, with both bold and subtle flavors, meat and non-meat dishes, and even a trompe l'oeil plate. And while (I think) the menu isn't the most helpful, your server will definitely be able to guide you into selecting dishes that will make up an interesting and balanced meal.

Encantada is the fourth restaurant in the third floor space at AVAM (if you count the Gjerde brothers' incarnation of Joy America Cafe as a separate entity from the original), and we hope it will be around for a while.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

The Local Fry

Elizabeth Irish is Korean-American. Her husband, Kevin, is from Ireland. Together, they have come up with a pretty swell global food concept in the Local Fry. Who doesn't love french fries? (Or, as Kevin might call them, chips.) Especially when they're properly made, thrice cooked beauties, freshly cut and cooked. At the Local Fry, the potato part of the equation is delicious enough to eat on its own, maybe with a bit of Old Bay or malt vinegar. And you can certainly get them that way. But if you're looking for a more international experience, go for one of the several specialty varieties.

I was part of a group of local media folks who were invited to sample all and sundry of the Local Fry's food. In addition to french fries, there are multiple flavors of chicken wings. We got to taste those, too. While our group wasn't particularly adventurous in the wing department, ordering only the honey garlic, lemon garlic, and Jamaican jerk flavors, I can report that all of them were uniformly tasty. The wings themselves are flash fried, leaving them crisp and relatively greaseless. But lets move on to the fries, shall we?

We sampled several flavors of specialty fries: banh mi, kimchi pork, Hawaiian, Greek, poutine, fish and chips, and the house fries. All of the toppings are made in house, from scratch, and some of the combinations are fairly elaborate. Take the Greek version, for example. A nice portion of fries is topped with housemade Greek seasoning, shredded romaine, tomato, gyro meat, shallots, feta cheese, and homemade tzatziki. It's like a delicious gyro that one eats with a fork, with fries instead of pita. The kimchi pork fries have got some authentic kimchi garlic funk going on, really delicious. The banh mi has all of the pickled veg, cucumber, and cilantro that one expects on that Vietnamese sandwich specialty. And the house fries, the "Local Fry" fries, are topped with ground beef seasoned up like a taco and doused in a special spicy sauce. I think they were my favorite of the night. My only complaint, and it's not a huge one, is that the cheese curds on the poutine weren't squeaky. The tasty gravy made up for it though.

Eventually, Elizabeth and Kevin hope to add some other items to their menu, like sliders, but for right now they are concentrating on the fries. And that's quite a lot, really, when you consider the care they put into all of the myriad toppings they have to prepare every day. I think it's worth the effort and can't wait to get back to the Local Fry to try the handful of flavors I haven't yet tried (Tonkotsu pork cutlet and Japanese curry-topped fries, and another version with Buffalo chicken tenders and blue cheese.) You should go, too.

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Liv2Eat

We tried Liv2Eat last month during the Dining Out for Life event. It was our first time there, despite including the restaurant in Baltimore Chef's Table. (Hey, if we ate at every place it was suggested we *had* to eat, we'd never eat at home.)

The restaurant space is bright and light, with both high and low tables that somehow make the rooms seem less crowded. The menu is short, full of seasonal goodies with no differentiation between appetizers and entrees except for the prices. It was also happy hour, which meant we scored less-expensive booze, but we passed on the $8 mussels and $10 burger. (The latter, made with Roseda beef, sounded like a pretty good bargain. Next time.)

I started off with the Sungold tomato gazpacho. While I normally like the grainy texture of an unstrained gazpacho, the smoothness of Chef Kevin Perry's version elevated the summertime soup. The flavor was bright and sunny, like its color; a refreshing way to start a meal on a warm-ish evening.

Mr Minx chose the jamon salad, a huge pile of mixed greens and herbs, Granny Smith apples, and toasted hazelnuts, tossed in a light tangy vinaigrette on a bed of thinly sliced cured ham. I couldn't decide if the salad needed the ham, or if the ham needed the salad; nevertheless, all of it was tasty and I was happy to help eat it.

Because this event was raising money for Moveable Feast, I ordered an expensive entree, two crab cakes, with potato puree and cabbage slaw (one cake was available at half the price). The crab cakes were excellent, pan-crisped and dressed with a wee bit of a creamy mustard sauce. The crab itself tasted like it had been freshly picked, and I could detect neither binder nor filler. The lightly vinegary slaw tasted like it was made by someone's grandma, and in combination with the potato puree reminded me of a summertime picnic.

My handsome dining companion went for the sirloin steak, served medium rare, with more of that excellent potato puree. The menu listed arugula as a side, and our thoughtful server suggested that Mr Minx request something else, since he had just finished a large salad. The chef provided sauteed spinach and a mix of mushrooms, both of which were appropriate accompaniments to the meat. And Mr Minx enjoyed every morsel, including the slightly sweet yet meaty-flavored sauce.

The desserts that evening included cookies and milk and flourless chocolate cake, but we passed in order to pig out on ice cream at The Charmery, another Dining Out for Life participant.

We enjoyed our meal at Liv2Eat, and the service was friendly and thoughtful. What more can one ask?

Parking is a bit of a challenge in that neighborhood, because it's largely residential, so you may have to park around the corner or a couple of blocks down the street and walk a bit. It's well worth it, and burns off a couple dozen calories in the process.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Sobo Cafe

SoBo Cafe is my new favorite restaurant. Owner Anna Leventis hosted a signing for Baltimore Chef's Table a while back and it was a great success. Not only did we sell out of the book, mostly to SoBo's regular clientele, but we also had a terrific meal. Can't beat that combo!

I can't drink (on anticoagulants--hopefully a temporary situation) so I asked for a mocktail, any flavor. I was rewarded with a virgin strawberry mojito, full of berry and mint flavors, and did not even miss the rum. (Hey, I'm high on life anyway.) Mr Minx and our dining companion MinxBro made do with brewskis.

When I spotted the beet salad with frisee and pistachios on the menu, I knew it had to be mine. Yes, I am boring and always order the beet salad, but I like beets! I also like pistachios. The beets, both red and yellow, were tender and sweet, and worked nicely with the acidy dressing on the bitter greens.

As much as I enjoyed the salad, I wished I had ordered one of the two soups. MinxBro went for the chilled tomatillo soup. Seasoned with a hint of smoky chipotle and garnished with caramelized tomato and lots of cilantro, it was lovely. Rather than being gazpacho-like, the soup was made with a creamy substance (yogurt or cream) which gave it a nice body and smoothness.

Mr Minx chose the corn bisque with saffron butter and chives. Served piping hot, the soup tasted of pure corn and sweet butter. (When my brother and I were kids, we liked nothing more than to devour an entire box of Green Giant frozen niblets in butter sauce.) This soup was creamy and rich without feeling too decadent. Despite the saffron.

MinxBro couldn't resist the SoBo Burger, made with Creekstone Farms beef, applewood smoked bacon, roasted tomatoes, lettuce, cheddar, and house-made mayo on a house-made roll. I forgot to mention the bread we were served (and devoured) while waiting for our appetizers. Like the hamburger roll, it was made in house and it was. So. Good. Crusty without being painful, with a tender and flavorful crumb, I wanted to ask for more, but didn't want to be a pig (the slices were generously-sized).

The burger was pretty perfect, juicy and moist and cooked to the requested medium. Loved the salad and roasted fingerlings on the side instead of the usual boring fries.

Mr Minx and I were both eyeing the Korean chicken fried steak. Korean fried chicken is a thing, so why not Korean chicken fried steak? It was served with kimchi collard greens, soy-garlic mashed potatoes, and a puddle of ssamjang gravy. I don't know why more places don't borrow flavors from Korea. It's not like they're particularly difficult--sugar, soy, garlic, sesame, chiles. The collards were tender and pretty spicy, but the heat was tempered by the ample serving of potatoes.

All of the servings were pretty ample, actually, and quite reasonably priced. I ended up ordering the roasted monkfish, because I hadn't had monkfish in eons. (Yes, I am that old.) The portion was huge, 8 ounces easily, on a mound of vinegary panzanella (bread salad) enhanced with lots of crisp corn kernels and a swath of arugula pesto. There were also some lardons of pancetta. Maybe the fish didn't need all of those things, but I enjoyed the combination and had no trouble polishing it off.

Dessert was tempting, but we passed and instead took our place at the front table to sign autographs. Within a short amount of time, all of SoBo's stock of Baltimore Chef's Table was gone, and we hit the road happy, with full bellies.

A shame the restaurant isn't in our neighborhood; we'd definitely become regulars.





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Abbey Burger Bistro

Recently, as we were writing an article on burgers for Discover Baltimore, we felt the need to do just a tad more research. Also, we needed photos. We had been to Abbey Burger Bistro in the past on an epic day of eating. At that time, we were doing research for our first book, Food Lovers' Guide to Baltimore, and did a tour of Grilled Cheese & Co., Thai Arroy, Abbey, and Midnite Confection's (apostrophe theirs) Cupcakes all on the same evening. By the time we got to Abbey, we were stuffed with cheese and tofu and weren't able to enjoy our burgers as much as we could have. Still, we came away with good feelings about the place and vowed to return.

We arrived early on this occasion and were able to snag a table near the front door, which offered us a bit of light for photography. We eschewed the meats of the month (nothing against wild boar, but camel sounded a bit too strange) and the build-your-own-burger option and ordered straight off the menu.

We chose the fried pickles as our starter. Such things can be really hit or miss. We've had really bad ones and really mediocre ones, and were still looking for really good ones. And we found them at Abbey. The sour pickle slices were in a light crunchy batter that the menu billed as tempura but we thought was more similar to fish-n-chips-style beer batter. They were so tasty, they didn't really need the lightly spicy mayo-based dipping sauce (but we used it anyway).

As for the burgers, Mr Minx went for the Baltimore burger, topped with crab dip, applewood bacon, and cheddar. He enjoyed it, but my palate doesn't care for seafood + bacon (shrimp, scallops, and clams being exceptions). The bacon makes the seafood taste fishy to me. He also ordered a side of fries, which were perfect - very brown, crisp, and fresh-tasting.

The same cannot be said for my side of chips (the default), which were the unfortunate victims of humidity. Most of them were melded together into one damp mega-chip, and the loose ones tasted stale. But my burger, a mostly traditional "paddy" melt, was nice. The burger was cooked to medium, as requested, and there was plenty of cheese and sauteed onions. I did, however, miss the Thousand Island dressing.

Abbey offers myriad meats, toppings, and breads, so one can have kangaroo on an English muffin with brie, grilled pineapple, and salsa, or lamb, sprouts, white truffle oil, and relish on a pretzel roll. Or even a tasty combination of toppings. We'll give that a try next time, and I'm definitely ordering fries with my elk, nacho cheese, fried egg, and buffalo sauce on a pita.



Posted on Minxeats.com.