Showing posts with label steak. Show all posts
Showing posts with label steak. Show all posts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

Throwback Thursday - Fleming's New Bar Menu

This post originally appeared on September 3, 2018.

Sadly, the Fleming's in Harbor East closed up during the pandemic and is being replaced by yet another overpriced and underwhelming Atlas Group restaurant. 

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Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar was one of the first restaurants to appear in the Harbor East development at the end of the last century. A great deal has changed in the now bustling location, but the bar menu for the elegant steakhouse had largely stayed the same over the last 20 years. Feeling that it was time for a bit of a facelift, Fleming's has introduced a host of new items to their bar menu for the patrons who wish to have a drink and a bite rather than a full dinner. We were invited to sample some of these new items.

We started off with some breaded and deep fried Casteveltrano olives. Unlike a lot of olives which can be mushy and salty, Casteveltrano olives are firm, mild, and bright green in color. When served with a deep fried crust and a spicy dipping sauce, they can be quite addictive. We also had candied bacon which was sweet, salty, crispy, and smoky all at once. The Minx said she could make a meal out of these two snacks and a cocktail.


Fleming's understands that some customers may go meatless, so they have added some vegetarian dishes to their menu, like this vegetable tempura that included asparagus, portobello mushroom, and red pepper fried in a light batter.


And for those who would like a little protein with their tempura, Fleming's also offers the Colossal Shrimp Tempura with U10 shrimp served alongside some of the vegetable items. An agrodolce dipping sauce is included on the side.


Also available for the vegetarian minded is the Mushroom-Farro burger. Vegetarian burgers by nature tend to be softer in texture than beef burgers, but the combination of mushroom, chick pea, and farro in this patty provides a burger that is firm enough to stand up to its toppings. Those toppings include goat cheese, arugula, campari tomato, and a French-fried onion ring. Although I knew we had more food to try, I couldn't help myself and finished the whole burger. By the way, all burgers are served with a side of French fries and some of those fried Casteveltrano olives.


We also tried their California burger which starts with a prime beef patty that's nicely grilled on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside. On top of that is tomato, arugula, bacon, avocado, cheddar cheese, and a smoked jalapano aioli. The toppings provide a great mix of flavors and textures, but the taste of the burger is not lost.


Since my grandfather was English, I've always been a fan of lamb, so I was looking forward to trying their grilled lamb lollipops. They did not disappoint with their grilled outer crust and moist, tender meat within. They were served on a bed of tomato, arugula, Casteveltrano olives, and herbed goat cheese.


Since this is a steakhouse after all, we had to try the filet mignon on potato waffles. I was concerned that the potato waffles might be too soft, but they actually had a crisp exterior like regular waffles and savory, fluffy potato inside. The filet mignon was perfectly medium rare and quite tender. The drizzle of demi glace over the top added just the right finishing touch.


While not technically part of the new bar menu, we were invited to try some of Fleming's dessert items. Chef Ty's key lime tart was definitely a winner, but our favorite was the molten chocolate lava cake served with ice cream and a delicate, crispy tuile. When we cut into the fluffy cake, a river of melted genache oozed out. The combination of the warm cake and cold ice cream was delightful.


We've gone to Fleming's in the past for special occasions like birthdays, but after sampling their new bar menu, I can see ourselves stopping by just to sit at the bar and enjoy some of these well-crafted  dishes along with one (or three) of their signature cocktails.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
720 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-332-1666

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Monday, April 29, 2019

Sullivan's Steakhouse

Mr Minx and I generally aren't steakhouse people, but we do like a good chunk of meat on occasion. When we received an invitation to try Sullivan's Steakhouse, we immediately said yes.

We started our meal with the lump crab cake appetizer. Don't expect a Maryland-style cake at Sullivan's. Theirs contains bell pepper and is breaded with panko. But it's moist and lumpy, and the crisp crust is a nice addition to a familiar dish.

The lobster and shrimp bisque is a must-try. It has a deeply-flavored shellfish stock base, with a hint of tomato. There's not much in the way of actual chunks of lobster in the soup, but the ones we found were very tender.

Mr Minx went for the 22-ounce cowboy rib eye, and I had the roasted rack of lamb. The steak was a bit shy of medium rare, tender, with a nicely seasoned crust. The chops were a little over mid-rare, but still juicy, and bathed in a lovely, slightly sweet grain mustard/rosemary glaze with a hint of mint.

We also had the classic steakhouse sides of creamed spinach and white cheddar and bacon au gratin potatoes. Both were impeccable. (I can eat creamed spinach all day.)

For dessert, we had the Chocolate Meltdown: a flourless chocolate torte topped with chocolate mousse and fresh raspberries and concealed by chocolate dome. At tableside, the server pours hot chocolate sauce over the dome, which melts it and reveals the treat inside. Generally, this is an Instagrammable moment, but our hot chocolate sauce was too thick and lumpy to pour properly, and the end result was a big chocolate mess on the plate. Not too pretty, but it tasted great, which of course is the most important thing, right?

In addition to their regular deliciousness, Sullivan's is bringing back Prime Rib Sundays. Every Sunday starting at 4pm, guests can dine on 12- or 16-ounce portions of hand-carved prime rib served with garlic horseradish mashed potatoes and a selection of Sullivan's signature sides.

Note: Several Inner Harbor-area restaurants have closed in the last year, some blaming it on crime. The real crime is the cost of parking. Parking in downtown Baltimore is shamefully expensive. Up to 2 hours can cost $24! That's no way to attract local diners. Pro tip: use a parking app, like Parkopedia. I found a garage that offered 3 hours for $9, and it was around the corner from the restaurant (1 West Pratt garage). Do your wallet a favor and try reserving your space in advance.

Sullivan's Steakhouse
1 E Pratt St Ste 102,
Baltimore, MD 21202

* Any products in this post that are mentioned by name may have been provided to Minxeats by the manufacturer. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats. Amazon links earn me $! Please buy!

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Monday, April 15, 2019

Fogo de Chao Adds New Items For Spring

For serious meat lovers, Brazilian steakhouses like Fogo de Chao are sheer nirvana. One can simply sit at the table while waiters arrive with skewers of various grilled meats. For one set price, meat lovers can gorge on steak, pork, chicken, and lamb in all varieties until they cannot eat another bite. Fogo is also good for people on low-carb diets as, in addition to all the meats, they offer a huge self-serve bar full of vegetables and salads.

When the warmer weather sets in, some might feel that a meal heavy in proteins might be too rich for the rising temperatures. However, Fogo is introducing seven new items for Spring with lighter cuts of meat, seasonal vegetables, and a new tribute wine. The Minx and I were recently invited to try out these new menu items.

I started out with their new Blood Orange Manhattan. Buffalo Trace Bourbon is mixed with a splash of Carpano Antica and dashes of blood orange and angostura bitters, then served over rocks. While it did remind me a bit of a Manhattan, this cocktail had a bright citrus touch.

Fogo has also unveiled “Eulila,” a red wine blend that pays tribute to Eulila “Selma” Oliveira, Chief Culture Officer of Fogo de Chão. She was born and raised in Brazil, but moved to the United States in 1985, determined to achieve the American dream. Following a chance encounter with the founders of Fogo de Chão while in Dallas, Oliveira joined the company as the brand’s first female manager and, ultimately, executive. Oliveira is affectionately known as the Fogo matriarch; the wine was named in her honor for her unwavering affection, passion, and appreciation for every restaurant guest and team member.

Specially created for Fogo by the award-winning winemakers at Viña Vik, Eulila the wine is a blend of 48% Carmenere, 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 22% Syrah. Carmenere is a new varietal to me, its fruitiness balanced nicely by the Cabernet and the Syrah. Though full-bodied, Eulila is not particularly tannic and pairs well with Fogo's meat selections.

Now it was time to get to the food. The Minx and I started with Fogo's new Carrot & Ginger Soup. This light, vegetarian friendly, gluten-free soup is made with baby carrots and spicy ginger, blended together with fresh herbs and coconut milk.

Although Fogo is known for its grilled meats, they also offer several seafood options. We decided to order one of our favorites - the Jumbo Shrimp Cocktail. Jumbo shrimp are served in a huge bowl of ice and paired with a malagueta cocktail sauce. In the background of the picture, you can also see ttheminx's go-to cocktail, the Strawberry Hibiscus Caipirinha. The hibiscus-infused cachaça is mixed with muddled strawberries and lime to create a refreshing warm weather drink.

Before we started in with the meat, we visited the bar for our vegetables. The Roasted Cauliflower Salad is made of cauliflower that has been oven-roasted with olive oil, garlic, and black pepper, and finished off with scallions and sesame seeds. The Brazilian Kale & Orange Salad is composed of fresh kale, crunchy red onion, juicy oranges, and is topped with a citrus-honey vinaigrette. I also picked up some asparagus, green beans, hearts of palm, and potato salad, but the Market Table has so many more fruits and vegetables to choose from.

With the preliminaries out of the way, we were ready for the meat. We flipped over our cards from red to green, notifying the waiters that they could come over with their skewered of grilled goodness. The Pork Picanha is butchered and prepared with the same simple style as traditional Picanha, then carved right at the table. I was particularly impressed with the spicy Linguica Sausage, a pork sausage with red pepper, garlic,and fresh onion. I also had to partake of the beautifully cooked sirloin. All the meats were tender and juicy. (Also featured in the above photo is a beautifully pink chunk of rib eye.)

Fogo has also created a new dessert for Spring, the Crème de Coconut. Freshly-shredded coconut is combined with condensed milk and cream, baked in the oven, and then served warm with ice cream and a little lime zest. I'm usually not a fan of shredded coconut, but the incredible coconut flavor made me overlook the chewiness that I normally dislike. Also, the ice cream and lime zest provide a refreshing coolness to the dessert.

Fogo de Chao has always been a great place for meat-atarians, but they also have a lengthy menu of options for everyone's palate. If you have been debating about visiting Fogo de Chao, these new Spring items are worth checking out.

Fogo de Chao
600 E. Pratt St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 528-9292

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Monday, September 03, 2018

Fleming's New Bar Menu

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar was one of the first restaurants to appear in the Harbor East development at the end of the last century. A great deal has changed in the now bustling location, but the bar menu for the elegant steakhouse had largely stayed the same over the last 20 years. Feeling that it was time for a bit of a facelift, Fleming's has introduced a host of new items to their bar menu for the patrons who wish to have a drink and a bite rather than a full dinner. We were invited to sample some of these new items.

We started off with some breaded and deep fried Casteveltrano olives. Unlike a lot of olives which can be mushy and salty, Casteveltrano olives are firm, mild, and bright green in color. When served with a deep fried crust and a spicy dipping sauce, they can be quite addictive. We also had candied bacon which was sweet, salty, crispy, and smoky all at once. The Minx said she could make a meal out of these two snacks and a cocktail.


Fleming's understands that some customers may go meatless, so they have added some vegetarian dishes to their menu, like this vegetable tempura that included asparagus, portobello mushroom, and red pepper fried in a light batter.


And for those who would like a little protein with their tempura, Fleming's also offers the Colossal Shrimp Tempura with U10 shrimp served alongside some of the vegetable items. An agrodolce dipping sauce is included on the side.


Also available for the vegetarian minded is the Mushroom-Farro burger. Vegetarian burgers by nature tend to be softer in texture than beef burgers, but the combination of mushroom, chick pea, and farro in this patty provides a burger that is firm enough to stand up to its toppings. Those toppings include goat cheese, arugula, campari tomato, and a French-fried onion ring. Although I knew we had more food to try, I couldn't help myself and finished the whole burger. By the way, all burgers are served with a side of French fries and some of those fried Casteveltrano olives.


We also tried their California burger which starts with a prime beef patty that's nicely grilled on the outside and perfectly pink on the inside. On top of that is tomato, arugula, bacon, avocado, cheddar cheese, and a smoked jalapano aioli. The toppings provide a great mix of flavors and textures, but the taste of the burger is not lost.


Since my grandfather was English, I've always been a fan of lamb, so I was looking forward to trying their grilled lamb lollipops. They did not disappoint with their grilled outer crust and moist, tender meat within. They were served on a bed of tomato, arugula, Casteveltrano olives, and herbed goat cheese.


Since this is a steakhouse after all, we had to try the filet mignon on potato waffles. I was concerned that the potato waffles might be too soft, but they actually had a crisp exterior like regular waffles and savory, fluffy potato inside. The filet mignon was perfectly medium rare and quite tender. The drizzle of demi glace over the top added just the right finishing touch.


While not technically part of the new bar menu, we were invited to try some of Fleming's dessert items. Chef Ty's key lime tart was definitely a winner, but our favorite was the molten chocolate lava cake served with ice cream and a delicate, crispy tuile. When we cut into the fluffy cake, a river of melted genache oozed out. The combination of the warm cake and cold ice cream was delightful.


We've gone to Fleming's in the past for special occasions like birthdays, but after sampling their new bar menu, I can see ourselves stopping by just to sit at the bar and enjoy some of these well-crafted  dishes along with one (or three) of their signature cocktails.

Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar
720 Aliceanna St.
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-332-1666

Posted on Minxeats.com.

Monday, January 23, 2017

Jimmy's Famous Seafood

It had been years and years since we had gone to Jimmy's Famous Seafood, so when my brother's company had their holiday party there, I was happy to attend.

Jimmy's menu is expansive, including all manner of starters including flatbreads, classics like crab dip and oysters Rockefeller, and even sushi. There are loads of seafood entrees, plus steaks, and good number of pasta dishes, too. What to order, what to order?

The four of us tried coconut shrimp, the fried crabby mac, fried calamari, and the baked crab imperial sushi roll.

Dad didn't share his coconut shrimp, so I'm going to assume they were good. The fried crabby mac came in ball form - four enormous ones on a puddle of "ecstasy" sauce. The mac was creamy and had a decent amount of crab, and the outsides were crisp enough to contain the molten goodness. It was definitely an app to share.

I was less-impressed with the crab imperial roll. Chunks of salmon were hidden within the rice and nori wrapper, and they seemed a bit overcooked.

The calamari, however, was pretty good, with a generous amount of tentacles. It's getting so it's hard to find *bad* calamari in this town anymore, which of course is a very good thing.

Three of us ended up with crab cakes. I ordered the duo of what the menu describes as "Baltimore's Best Crab Cakes" and "twin 8oz multiple award winning masterpieces." Every person in the area has a different idea of what constitutes "Baltimore's Best" crab cake, and I'm sure some think Jimmy's should get that title. I'm not one of them, but I'll admit that Jimmy's are tasty. Bonus points for offering them fried as well as broiled. I couldn't even finish one of them and happily took the remainder of my plate home in a doggy bag.

Points also for actually broiling their non-fried crab cakes until they have some color. I've had broiled crab cakes that didn't even appear cooked. It doesn't look at all appealing, and I don't understand why any place would do that.

The broiled cakes (in a 5 oz portion) came with Mr Minx's (and Minx Bro's) steak and cake dinner, alongside a 12 oz NY strip. The meat was perfectly seasoned and cooked to medium; leftovers were great on top of a salad the next day.

Dad had the bbq ribs, which came plated in a mound of individual, glossy, sticky, riblets. Despite saying he wasn't particularly hungry after the appetizer round, he couldn't stop eating them. "I'll just have one more," he said at least twice before giving up and taking the rest to go.

We can't pass up brussels sprouts, especially when they're served with bacon. Jimmy's had good flavor, but the texture was odd. They seemed to have been boiled at some point, rendering them a bit mushy in the middles. Cutting them in half and simply frying them would have been the way to go - would rather have a crunchy half-raw sprout than an overcooked one any day.

I also tried a steamed crab that one of the other party-goers had ordered. The seasoning mix was spot-on for my tastebuds: not too salty, not too hot, yet noticeable. Definitely have to keep Jimmy's in mind for future crab feasts.

We were very full after consuming so much food and passed on dessert. Jimmy's offers the usual over-rich suspects like cheesecake and creme brulee, but I would have liked to try the Smith Island cake if I had some room.

Jimmy's was definitely not perfect, but one can see why they've been around for so many years now. There's something to please pretty much everyone (except, perhaps, vegetarians).

Jimmy's Famous Seafood
6526 Holabird Ave
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 633-4040
jimmysfamousseafood.com

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Posted on Minxeats.com.

Monday, January 16, 2017

Stuffed Flank Steak

I've been seeing stuffed flank steak recipes all over social media recently, so I decide to try it. Normally, I marinate flank steak in a combination of garlic, Worcestershire, tomato paste, and soy and broil it until crusty brown on both sides. It's tasty and quick. Why I decided to do something fancier is beyond me. For one thing, it's not particularly easy to butterfly a flank steak if you're not used to butchering meat. My steak was oddly shaped, too, which also caused problems. But I patched it up with other bits of the steak and it seemed to work fine in the end.

The filling is a umami bomb of sundried tomatoes and mushrooms. While it's really yummy as a steak filling, I'm going to use the leftovers as a pasta topping, where I think it will really shine.

Make sure to season your steak with salt and pepper on both sides before filling and rolling. And it's flank steak, so while it has a lot of flavor, it's not going to be super tender. Worth a try though.

I sauced my steak with melted goat cheese mixed with pesto. Yes, I did notice that the sauce broke because the pesto was a bit oily. It still tasted good. Next time, I think I'd make a white sauce first and add the cheese and pesto to it, rather than just melting the cheese and stirring in the basil paste.

Stuffed Flank Steak

1(1 1/2 - 1 3/4 lb) flank steak
Salt and pepper
2 ounces sundried tomatoes
Olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
4 ounces finely chopped button mushrooms
Half a red bell pepper, diced
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Handful fresh baby spinach

Place the sundried tomatoes in a bowl. Pour over a cup of boiling water and allow to sit until the tomatoes have softened. Drain tomatoes and chop finely.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of oil and the onion, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Season with a big pinch of salt. Cook, stirring regularly, until mushrooms give up their liquid and the dish is mostly dry, about 15-20 minutes. Stir in the garlic and tomatoes and cook an additional minute or two. Remove vegetables to a bowl and set aside to cool.

Butterfly the steak like a book along long edge, cutting and spreading the meat until it's twice as wide as when you started. Unless you have a very sharp knife and have done this before, you'll probably cut some parts too thinly and make holes. Just cut a flap in the thicker part opposite the hole to make a patch. As long as the holes are covered with meat, no worries. Cover the meat with plastic wrap and pound to a uniform thickness of about 1/4".  Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.

Spread the cooled vegetable mixture evenly over the meat, from edge to edge. Top vegetables with a layer of spinach leaves. (If you have made holes, put the spinach down first to create a barrier.) Starting at one long end, roll the steak jelly-roll fashion and secure in several places with kitchen twine. Starting about one half inch from the edge, place a line of toothpicks spaced about an inch apart across the top of the meat roll. Wrap the meat in loosely in foil and refrigerate for at least one hour.

When ready to cook, cut the meat into slices between the toothpicks, which will give you inch-thick spirals of stuffed meat. Put another toothpick into the bottom of each spiral (across from the original toothpick) for security.

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet. Add the meat 2-4 pieces at a time, depending on the size of your skillet. Don't crowd the meat, otherwise it will steam and not brown. Cook until crusty and brown on both sides, about 8 minutes.

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Posted on Minxeats.com.

Friday, July 01, 2016

Flashback Friday

While researching our first book, Food Lovers' Guide to Baltimore, we were invited to eat at the Prime Rib. Mmm. The Prime Rib.

--Kathy

This post was originally published on May 7, 2012.
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The Prime Rib

The Prime Rib has always seemed to us like a place to celebrate big milestones, like 50th birthdays and 25th anniversaries. It's elegant, it's fancy, and it's expensive*. But it's certainly not out of the question for a weeknight dinner, just because.

We went early on a Wednesday evening, when the restaurant was still pretty much empty. A good idea, it turns out, because by 7pm the place was hopping and it was loud. While it was still quiet, we had a good opportunity to take in the surroundings a bit. The Prime Rib is dark and elegant. Dark as in black. The walls are black. But combined with subtle gold details, subdued lighting, the famous leopard-print carpeting, and interesting works of art, the decor comes off as old school glamorous. Old fashioned, perhaps, but not at all stodgy. It's the kind of place where men should wear suits and women should be a bit dressed up. That was the rule once upon a time, but the restaurant has sadly relaxed its dress code to "business casual," which some people translate as "slob," unfortunately. There were still a lot of suits in the place, most on businessmen getting their drink on at the bar.

Anyway...on to the good stuff. First of all was our waiter. A 17-year veteran of the Prime Rib, Chuck was extremely attentive, friendly, and a big part of the success of our meal. Right off the bat, he felt like a member of the family, like someone who wanted to make sure we had a good time on our night out on the town. And we did.

We wanted to try as many things on the menu as possible, without breaking the bank. We started off with a crabcake and the oysters Rockefeller, which Chuck had split in the kitchen so we didn't have to make a mess trying to do so at the table. A really nice touch - the single crab cake we ordered had been formed into two minis, one for each of us. And it was delicious - moist, lightly seasoned, with undetectable filler. The oysters were nice, too. They were huge and meaty, only lightly cooked so they were very tender, and topped with a light coating of spinach and a hint of cheese. Not overwhelmed by topping, the flavor of the oysters sang out.

For our entrée, we split the Signature 26oz bone-in prime rib, which was deboned and plated in two pieces for us. We also chose the fresh corn off the cob and the famous Greenberg potato skins as our sides. The potato skins had been recommended by several people, one of whom was our neighbor, Paula, whose sister Helen is the Prime Rib's accountant. Paula told me that their uncle, George, had worked for the Prime Rib when it opened in 1965 and invented the skins. I don't know if that's true, but if it is, George did a good thing. The skin of a baked potato, especially when it's a bit crispy, has always been my favorite part. At the Prime Rib, only the skins, with very little potato attached, are fried until crisp and served with horseradish sauce and sour cream with chives. The effect is like a very earthy potato chip; they're really nothing like the "skins" sold elsewhere that are barely-hollowed-out potatoes.

The meat itself was nearly fork-tender, very juicy, and nicely seasoned. On the side was a pile of freshly grated horseradish, which added a nice punch to the meat. Between the sauce for the skins and the fresh grated stuff, I was in horseradish heaven.

I barely made a dent in my meat because, honestly, those giant oysters might have been enough for me. When Chuck came back with our doggie bag of  beef and potato skins, he told us he had added cups of horseradish and sour cream, plus a loaf of bread in case we wanted to make sandwiches with the leftovers. Other restaurants should be so thoughtful.

It's touches like that that make the Prime Rib worth the price of admission. Service is impeccable.

We left a little room for dessert and tried the house-made key lime pie, which was nice and tangy, and the hot fudge sundae. I had visions of Marconi's bowl of fudge, or even my favorite childhood sundae from Read's, but this was neither. While it was fine, the ice cream seemed a bit icy.

Overall, we had a fabulous time at the Prime Rib. The food was really good and everything seemed fresh - as in not glopped with heavy cream and butter in typical steakhouse style. Chuck was like a favorite uncle we're eager to visit again, and General Manager David Derewicz was amazingly generous.

*Our meal was very generously paid for by The Prime Rib, however, my opinion was not. Everything I say in this post I honestly believe to be true.

The Prime Rib
1101 N Calvert St
Baltimore, MD 21202
(410) 539-1804
theprimerib.com

Prime Rib on Urbanspoon

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Monday, June 13, 2016

Gnocco is Coming

Some might call the neighborhood Highlandtown (pronounced, in the local patois, Hollan-teahwn), and some might call it Brewer's Hill, regardless, the small but charming space at the corner of Eaton and Fleet Streets is now home to a restaurant called Gnocco.

We first met chef/owner Brian Lavin after he took over kitchen duties at Salt, in Butcher's Hill, and we featured a few of his recipes in our book, Baltimore Chef's Table. A bit later, he moved on to Fork and Wrench. Today, the talented Lavin has his very own place with which to leave his mark on Baltimore's culinary scene.

We were invited to Gnocco for a pre-opening media tasting and were quite impressed. The space is small, but bright and welcoming, with a long reclaimed-wood bar and glossy subway tile on the back wall. The menu is "Mediterranean-inspired," with touches of Italy and Spain in Lavin's simple and seasonal dishes. The items we tasted aren't necessarily going to be on the opening menu, but were a good indication of the style of food that will be served at Gnocco come opening day, June 21st.

Among our favorite dishes were oysters on the half shell served with uni, creme fraiche, and salmon roe (that reminded me of the late, lamented Pabu's "Happy Spoons" dish that I loved so much), and a lovely crostini of eggplant agrodolce topped with stracciatella (which will be made in-house).


There were also crispy stuffed olives with 'nduja (a spicy spreadable pork sausage) and boquerones (anchovies), beef tartare, and incredibly tender octopus.


We also tasted three entrees: a lovely house-made agnolotti stuffed with goat cheese and chives, with sauteed chanterelles and hazelnuts; a whole red snapper with yogurt and a cucumber and radish salad; and a perfect NY strip with grilled green onions and romesco.



Everything was really top notch. Simply looking at the photos makes me want to eat it all over again.

We think Gnocco shows great promise, and are looking forward to enjoying a full dinner there sometime later this summer.

Gnocco
3734 Fleet Street
Baltimore, MD 21224
http://www.gnoccobaltimore.com/

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Posted on Minxeats.com.