Points South Latin Kitchen

When we went to Points South Latin Kitchen last winter for a media tasting, we didn't get any decent pictures to post. We've been looking for an opportunity to go back, order a large meal, and get plenty of nice photos, so we figured the Dining Out for Life event might be the best time to do it. Points South was donating 25% of that evening's receipts to Moveable Feast, a charity that delivers meals to people living with AIDS/HIV, cancer, or other life-threatening illnesses. We brought along Minxbro and Minxdad to help us drive up the bill as high as possible for a good cause.

Since the weather was mild, we took an outside table and enjoyed the hustle bustle on Thames Street while we shared a pitcher of red sangria. Since so many of the small plate items sounded intriguing, we decided to try five, the first being the shrimp ceviche. Bright and refreshing, the shrimp were dressed with salad spread across a bed of avocado.

We had eaten the carimanolas, or yucca croquettes, at the media tasting and wanted to have them again. Lightly crisp on the outside and creamy smooth on the inside, the croquettes have the added bonus of a beef filling. It's almost like a mini shepherd's pie with the yucca standing in for potatoes, but yucca has its own flavor and texture. An avocado crema is provided for dipping, adding a nice touch of tang and richness.

Since we tend to order calamari everywhere we go, we thought we'd shake things up a bit and get the grilled octopus. The octopus was amazingly tender and the accompaniment of romesco, olives, and chili-dusted jicama made for a pleasant salad dressed in smoky achiote oil.

The pork belly had a crackling crust on the fat layer and unctuously tender meat, exactly the way pork belly should be served. In this case, I don't recall having any pork belly that was quite this good.

Minxdad has long insisted that he does not like lamb, but since the rest of us do, we decided to order the Denver lamb ribs while he was distracted with people watching. Smothered in a honey chipotle barbeque sauce and complimented with garlic chips, scallions, and creamy mojo, Minxdad gobbled down every bite of his rib and declared that he would've eaten the bone if he could. Only then did we reveal to him the true nature of the protein. He offered a sheepish shrug.

Duck confit was the special that day and, given how much we all love duck, we ordered it. The confit leg was meltingly soft, with a crisp skin, exactly as it should be. It was accompanied by a bit of medium rare duck breast, which was also tender and flavorful.The creamy potatoes and roasted root vegetables and squash made for a filling entree that hinted of the coming fall season.

We finished with the beef short ribs braised in bittersweet chocolate sauce. Fork tender and infused with the spicy chocolate flavor, the ribs were my favorite dish of the evening. I could've devoured the whole dish on my own, but I'm sure I would've had a fight on my hands had I tried.

As the late summer sun disappeared behind the buildings, we felt quite full and satisfied. Not only did we have a great meal, but we were supporting a great cause. We have to make sure we don't wait another nine months to return.

Points South Latin Kitchen
1640 Thames St.
Baltimore, MD 21231
Phone: (443) 563-2018



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.

Dining Out for Life

I've had the banner and the sidebar graphic up for quite a while now, but in case you haven't noticed them, this Thursday, September 19th, is Dining Out for Life. This annual event raises tens of thousands of dollars for Moveable Feast, the organization that feeds home-bound people with HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening illnesses.

To participate, all you have to do is dine out at one of the 50+ restaurants that have agreed to donate 20% or more of their take for the evening to Moveable Feast. The list includes Woodberry Kitchen, Clementine, Heavy Seas Alehouse, Laurrapin Grille, Pappas, Birroteca, and Koco's Pub. Check them all out here, then make a reservation and dine out for a worthy cause.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Dining Out for Life 2011

Please don't forget that this Thursday, September 22, is Dining Out for Life, an annual, nationwide event that raises much needed funds for local charities. In Maryland, that organization is Moveable Feast, a group that provides food for HIV/AIDS and breast cancer patients, and others with life-threatening illnesses.

This year is especially hard for Moveable Feast because they didn't get funding from an important federal grant. Because of this, clients will be receiving fewer meals delivered on fewer days per week, and children of clients will begin to be removed. You can help by making a donation. Dining Out for Life makes it easier, because the restaurants make a donation for you.

Please check out the list of participating restaurants below, make a reservation, and dine out for life.

Alonso's - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-235-3433 Reserve Online Now	D
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The Brewer's Art - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-547-6925 Reserve Online Now	D
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Clementine - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-444-1497	L,D
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Gertrude's Restaurant at the BMA - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-889-3399 Reserve Online Now	D
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Loco Hombre - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-889-2233	D
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Miguel's Cocina y Cantina - 50% View Details	Tel: 443.438.3139	D
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Woodberry Kitchen - 50% View Details	Tel: 410-464-8000	D
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The Dizz - 33% View Details	Tel: 443-569-5864	L,D
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Iggie's - 33% View Details	Tel: 410.528.0818	L,D
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'b' A Bolton Hill Bistro View Details	Tel: 410-383-8600	D
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Bistro Rx View Details	Tel: 410-276-0820	D
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Blue Agave View Details	Tel: 410-576-3938 Reserve Online Now	D
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Bonjour Bakery/Cafe View Details	Tel: 4103720238	B,L
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Cafe Gia View Details	Tel: 410.685.6727	D
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Cafe Hon View Details	Tel: 410-243-1230	D
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Chameleon Cafe View Details	Tel: 410.254.2376	D
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City Cafe View Details	Tel: 410-539-4252 Reserve Online Now	D
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Giovanni's View Details	Tel: 410-679-9805	D
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Grano Emporio View Details	Tel: 443-438-7521	D
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Jack's Bistro View Details	Tel: 410-878-6542	D
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Joe Squared View Details	Tel: 410.545.0444	L,D
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Koco's Pub View Details	Tel: 410-426-3519	D
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La Palapa Grill & Cantina View Details	Tel: 410-465-0070	D
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Laurrapin Grille View Details	Tel: 410-939-4956 Reserve Online Now	D
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Linwoods View Details	Tel: 410-356-3030 Reserve Online Now	D
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Luna Blu View Details	Tel: (410) 267-9950 Reserve Online Now	D
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Marie Louise Bistro View Details	Tel: 410.385.9956 Reserve Online Now	B,L,D
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Meet 27 View Details	Tel: 410-585-8121	D
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Mia Carolina View Details	Tel: 410-526-5711	D
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Minato Sushi Bar View Details	Tel: 410-332-0332	L,D
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Miss Shirley's Cafe - Inner Harbor View Details	Tel: 410-528-5373	B,L
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Miss Shirley's Cafe - Roland Park View Details	Tel: 410.889.5272	B,L
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Mr. Rain's Fun House View Details	Tel: 443-524-7379 Reserve Online Now	D
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Mt. Vernon Stable & Saloon View Details	Tel: 410-685-7427	L,D
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Mt. Washington Tavern View Details	Tel: 410-367-6903 Reserve Online Now	D
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Pappas Restaurant - Glen Burnie View Details	Tel: 410-766-3713 Reserve Online Now	L,D
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The Rumor Mill Fusion Bar and Restaurant View Details	Tel: 410.461.0041 Reserve Online Now	L,D
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Ryleigh's Oyster View Details	Tel: 410-539-2093	D
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Sascha's 527 View Details	Tel: 410-539-8880 Reserve Online Now	D
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Saute' Restaurant & Bar View Details	Tel: 410.327.2883	D
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Sotto Sopra View Details	Tel: 410-625-0534 Reserve Online Now	D
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Todd Conner's View Details	Tel: 410-537-5005	D
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Village Square Cafe View Details	Tel: 410.433.2233	D
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Yellow Dog Tavern View Details	Tel: 410.342.0281	D

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Dining Out for Life at Clementine

I had heard from several sources that Clementine was "awesome," so I was happy to see that the restaurant was not only participating in Dining Out for Life, but it was also one of the handful that were offering 50% of the night's proceeds to Movable Feast.

Couldn't be a more perfect reason to check it out.

Clementine, located on Harford Road in Hamilton, is an entirely charming restaurant. The decor is rustic, with sturdy wooden tables and chairs, window lamps made from colanders, and a hodgepodge of art-for-sale decorating the walls in the original dining room. The music playing that evening was country with a Texas twang. And our waitress was an absolute doll.

The eclectic beer and cocktail menu took longer to peruse than the food menu. Eventually I settled on a Tokyo Iced Tea - a mild-tasting but potentially lethal concoction containing mint tea and sake, among other things. Mr Minx had a draft Chimay, which honestly was pretty dull for a Belgian beer that cost nearly $8.

As for food, we knew we wanted to try both charcuterie plates - meat and seafood.

The meat version held a slab of Danish fontina, a chubby sausage of Duroc pork seasoned with black mustard seed, fennel, and pear liqueur, a blob of chicken liver paté with thyme, rye whiskey, and honey, and a pile of house-made bread & butter pickles.

The paté didn't look like much, but boy howdy was it good! (And they sell it by the pound!) The whiskey and honey lent a subtle sweetness to the chicken livers, which were smooth and rich and simply wonderful. The juicy pork sausage was similarly edged with sweetness. The cheese was fine, but I would have preferred more meaty goodness.

The seafood plate included pickled shrimp, smoked trout salad with remoulade, and a shrimp paté, along with more pickles. I adore smoked trout, which is what sold the dish. Trout isn't as oily as its cousin salmon, and I find that smoking it provides a more gentle flavor. This salad was lemony perfection. I expected the shrimp to be more, well, pickle-y, but was instead pleasantly surprised by an intense citrus flavor. And while I wasn't crazy about the runny texture of the shrimp paté, the nuggets of crustacean had a nice iodine quality.

The bread & butter pickles were a nice tangy counterpoint to the rich items of the meat plate, but were unnecessary on the seafood version. But really, the only thing I would change is the bread. Charcuterie this good needs something with a bit more character and better crust. And maybe cut into less-dainty slices.

(Yes, I know, I've become a breadist like my father. Don't remind me.)

On to our entrées.

Mr Minx, feeling somewhat meat-and-potatoes deprived recently, found the description of meatloaf with smoked gouda mashed potatoes and a red eye mushroom gravy enticing. Apparently not only to read: he devoured the whole thing, citing the herbal quality of the meat as one of its best qualities. For me, however, there was probably a bit too much thyme. Loved the super-creamy mash and the homey gravy, though.

Unlike my husband, I'm always more interested in ordering things that are more odd or interesting rather than soul-satisfying and am almost always content with eating an appetizer as my main course. Although I was tempted by the duck entrée, I instead ordered the smoked duck nachos with chihuahua cheese, cilantro sour cream, and pico de gallo appetizer. And I'm very glad I did, as these were some of the best nachos I've ever eaten - freshly fried chips, a generous quantity of tender house-smoked meat, and a gorgeous cilantro-and-lime cream. Not only gorgeous to look at, either. (My notes said the cream was "killer." God, I love cilantro.)

The portion was huge, btw, definitely share-able if ordered as an appetizer. For sure they don't skimp on portions at Clementine, as our desserts (made by the owner's mom) were oversized as well.

Mr Minx's yellow cake with chocolate frosting and peanut butter filling was like a home-made version of one of the treats of our youth: a Tastykake Peanut Butter Kandy Kake. But ten times better, of course.

If I'm going to eat cake, 9 times out of 10 it's going to be chocolate, but a big white cake with a halo of grated coconut called to me from its very visible spot in the pastry case. It was possibly the best yellow cake I have ever eaten - moist and somewhat dense, with fluffy seven-minute frosting and the perfect amount of coconut. I ate as much of it as I could before I had to admit defeat and a full tummy.

In conclusion: we enjoyed everything immensely. I'd go back again for all of it, especially the charcuterie and cake. And that cilantro cream. I'm thinking that Clementine might just become one of our regular haunts.

Clementine
5402 Harford Rd
Baltimore, MD 21214-2215
(410) 444-1497





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Dining Out for Life

This Thursday, September 23rd, is Dining Out for Life, an annual event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for Moveable Feast, the organization that feeds homebound people with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.

All you have to do to support this worthwhile charity is to dine out at one of over forty participating restaurant on September 23rd. All restaurants will be donating at least 20% of their sales from that evening to Moveable Feast.

For more information, and a list of participating restaurants, go to http://www.diningoutforlife.com/baltimore.

We're going to Clementine. :)

And don't forget, bloggers, to blog about your Dining Out for Life dining experiences at http://mfeast.blogspot.com.

Dining Out for Life Restaurant Review Competition!

Bloggers - next week, after you participate in Dining Out for Life, write a restaurant review and share it with Movable Feast's new blog, http://mfeast.blogspot.com. They’ll choose the top 10 best reviews and post them on their Web site, blog, and Facebook page. There may even be prizes involved!

Click here for more information.

Anyone can participate, from established bloggers to those who are new kids on the block. You know I'll be writing about my experience....

Dining Out for Life

Another reminder that September 23rd, is Dining Out for Life, an annual event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for Moveable Feast, the organization that feeds homebound people with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.

All you have to do to support this worthwhile charity is to dine out at one of over forty participating restaurant on September 23rd. All restaurants will be donating at least 20% of their sales from that evening to Moveable Feast.

For more information, and a list of participating restaurants, go to http://www.diningoutforlife.com/baltimore.

Dining Out for Life

Please remember that one month from today, September 23rd, is Dining Out for Life, an annual event that raises tens of thousands of dollars for Moveable Feast, the organization that feeds homebound people with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.

All you have to do to support this worthwhile charity is to dine out at one of over forty participating restaurant on September 23rd. All restaurants will be donating at least 20% of their sales from that evening to Moveable Feast.

For more information, and a list of participating restaurants, go to http://www.diningoutforlife.com/baltimore.

Dining Out for Life

Dining Out for Life is an annual event raising money for local AIDS service organizations. In Baltimore, that organization is Moveable Feast, the local nonprofit that delivers free, nutritious meals to people who are homebound living with AIDS or breast cancer.

This year's event will take place on September 23rd. Restaurants across Baltimore, and a few in the counties, will participate by donating a minimum of 20% of their sales from that day to Moveable Feast.

Please consider dining out at one of the participating restaurants on September 23rd to help raise funds for this worthwhile organization. For a list of restaurants, go to http://www.diningoutforlife.com/baltimore/participating. I hope to see you out that night!