Ludlow Market Bar & Bottle Shop

I must admit never having visited the Wine Market Bistro, the precursor to Ludlow Market Bar & Bottle Shop in Locust Point. No particular reason, we just don't venture down to South Baltimore very often. Not long after the opening of the place, we were invited in to taste some of the small-plates style items that are ideal pairings for drinks at the bar or as a starter for a multi-course meal.

We had to try some drinks, too.

My taste in cocktails leans toward bold, unusual, and perfume-y, so I was happy with Ludlow's complex creations. The slushie Crush a Lot was far better than any of the typical insipid vodka-based "crush"-style drinks I've had. I normally avoid them entirely, but the promise of an icy drink comprising strong black tea and bourbon was hard to resist. It was strong and juice-forward, but also bourbon.

The Deluxe House was also quite nice. Mezcal drinks can sometimes be too smoky, but the agave liquor was tempered nicely by the addition of Spanish vermouth, dry curacao, and Baltimore Whiskey Company's fab 1904 Ginger Apple liqueur.

Room Service: Hamilton Rum, Demoiseau 110 Rhum, pineapple shrub, Jamaica #2 bitters

Chef Christopher Audia's creative menu borrows from various world cuisines. The Beef fat fries are a riff on British chef Heston Blumenthal's famous triple-cooked chips. They're super crisp on the outside and very tender on the inside, like no fries you've ever tasted, and they come with a trio of dips including mustard greens mustard, curry ketchup, and a malt vinegar aioli.

Beef fat fries, mustard green aioli, malt vinegar aioli, curry ketchup

Greens are a recurring theme on Audia's menu. The black eyed pea fritters are served on a nest of positively addictive marinated collard greens and topped with a dab of smoked mayo. The fritters themselves remind me of falafel and the whole plate would be pretty great stuffed into a pita.

Black eyed pea fritters, marinated collards, smoked aioli

The shrimp toast topped with radish salad and chili oil is a nod to everyone's favorite puu puu platter staple, only with much more flavor and no grease. I only got a piece of this (though I bogarted the fritters) and wished I could have savored more.

Shrimp toast, radish salad, chili oil

We also sampled a rockfish crudo with bright and refreshing cucumber and jalapeno flavors...

Rockfish crudo, cucumber, jalapeno, agua verde

...and the hangar steak with grilled broccoli, bacon lardons, and a mimolette cheese sauce. It's shown portioned for sampling but comes as a main dish.

Hangar steak,  grilled broccoli florets, mimolette fondue, lardons

What I really wanted to try, after seeing photos on Instagram, were the lamb ribs. They were fall-off-the-bone tender and came with a chunky hazelnut harissa, not too spicy but full of flavor, and the spark of pickled red onion. Another dish I had to share but really didn't want to.

Lamb ribs, hazelnut harissa, herb salad

Ludlow Market is strong on both the food and the drink sides of things, which I hope will make it a very popular dining destination. Mr Minx and I might even venture down into Locust Point more often.

Ludlow Market, Bar & Bottle Shop
921 E Fort Ave #135
Baltimore, MD 21230
https://www.ludlowmarketbaltimore.com

* 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!

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Order & Chaos Coffee Collaborates with Diamondback Brewing Company to Create Brewery’s First Stout

Order & Chaos Coffee , the new coffee shop located in the Planit headquarters on Key  Highway, is partnering with its South Baltimore neighbor, Diamondback Brewing Company, to create a unique fusion of what each company does best: coffee and beer. Available for a limited time, the Order & Chaos Cold Brew Coffee Stout will premiere during a taproom release party on December 23 at Diamondback Brewing Co. Patrons who purchase the Order & Chaos Cold Brew Coffee Stout will also receive a double branded Diamondback Brewing Company and Order & Chaos Coffee campfire mug while supplies last.

“South Baltimore has become a hot spot for new businesses, and we love supporting that growth through local collaboration,” said Ryan Herzing, General Manager of Order & Chaos Coffee. “Our neighbors at Diamondback Brewing Company are recognized for balancing drinkability with uncompromising flavor, and we’re looking forward to contributing flavors of our own that complement that balance.”

The Order & Chaos Cold Brew Coffee Stout is crafted with the coffee shop’s Houseblend Cold Brew, highlighting the brewery’s hop-filled mastery and the Houseblend’s smooth, subtle notes of nutty cocoa. Featuring rich, locally-roasted beans from Pfefforkorn, the Order & Chaos Houseblend Cold Brew coffee is a unique blend that combines the 100-year-old roasting company’s long-standing expertise and the coffee shop's creative influence.

“The Diamondback brand reflects our passion for industry innovation and local culture,” said Colin Marshall, co-founder of Diamondback Brewing Company. “This partnership with Order & Chaos Coffee was the perfect opportunity to move forward with the release of our first stout, and we’re excited to share it with the public.”

Diamondback Brewing Company, located at McHenry Row in Locust Point, was founded in 2013 by three Baltimore natives who opened their taproom doors in October 2016.

For more information, visit orderchaoscoffee.com or follow @orderchaoscoffee on Instagram.



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Order&Chaos Coffee

Planit is a creative agency. They do ads, branding, marketing, graphic design, everything. Their space on Key Highway is full of insanely creative people doing award-winning things. Mr Minx and I do business with the good folks at Planit Agency all the time. They are unfailingly helpful, kind, and generous.

And now they sell coffee.

Well, Planit doesn't sell coffee. But Order&Chaos does. This new coffee shop owned by Planit founders Matt Doud and Ed Callahan shares Planit's new digs, and the PR side of the business can be seen in action through the shop's large glass windows. But don't go for the view--go for the coffee, which is roasted nearby at 100+ year-old Locust Point stalwart Pfeffercorn, making Order&Chaos a true neighborhood coffee shop.

After sampling their wares at a recent media event and leaving with a can of ground coffee to make at home, I gotta say that Order&Chaos is worth the drive to South Baltimore. Their espresso drinks are made in the only Slayer espresso maker in the Baltimore area, and include cappuccinos, lattes, and everyone's favorite fall drink, the pumpkin spice latte. (I had one - it's very good, with a much more rounded and less-bitter flavor than Big Coffee's PSL.) There are other interesting drinks on their menu as well, such as the Cafe Gommosa, which is an espresso shot poured over marshmallow, and a "dirty" chai--chai tea with an espresso shot. The brewed coffee is smooth and rich and packs a deep flavor. Their decaf as well has been blended and roasted with care and stands up to the very best caffeinated brews.

While you're at O&C, try one of their liege waffles. Liege is a style of Belgian waffle that is sweeter and chewier than a standard waffle. They're made with a yeast-raised dough that's studded with pearl sugar. The sugar melts in the waffle iron (which doesn't get as hot as a standard waffler) and forms crunchy caramelized bits that make these waffles an ideal afternoon snack. You know, when you need that little extra jolt of energy to get you through the rest of the day. They are perfectly acceptable for breakfast, of course, but then you might miss out on one of Order&Chaos' other pastry offerings, which include items by Patisserie Poupon.

Right now, Matt and Ed want Order&Chaos to become an integral part of their South Baltimore neighborhood, but I say look out for future world domination.

Order&Chaos Coffee
1410 Key Highway
Baltimore MD 21230



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New Menu Items at Silo.5%

With its close proximity to Fort McHenry, Silo.5% Wine Bar in Locust Point wanted to offer a special menu for July which reflected the kinds of food and drink Francis Scott Key may have experienced at his favorite tavern. The result is their 1812-Inspired Menu available from July 4th through the 14th. I was invited to a sneak preview of the menu and its clear that Chef Scott Klein had a great deal of fun playing around with the local culinary favorites of the early 19th century.

We started off with a peppered venison jerky served with a side of dried fig chutney. Lest you think of jerky as those salty sticks on the convenience store counter, this jerky is mildly seasoned to preserve the subtle flavor of the venison, with the chutney adding a solid punch of figgy sweetness. Next up was the hot smoked rockfish, served with plain rice and pickled peas. The flaky fish is nicely smoky without overwhelming the palate, and the rice adds a textural element without competing with the fish. The pickled peas were new to me, and I was pleasantly surprised by their firm texture and slight tang.

Hot Smoked Rockfish - rice and pickled peas

On to the entrées, starting with salt-cured ham and crab. I chose to layer some of the ham and the sautéed crab onto the biscuit halves and eat it like an open-faced sandwich. The combination of the salty ham and the sweet crab worked well together, both because of their complimenting flavors and the contrasting textures. The succotash of seasonal vegetables added a bright contrast to what was becoming a rather protein heavy meal.

Salt-cured Ham and Sautéed Crab - buttermilk biscuits, seasonal succotash

For the meat-and-potato lovers, the pan-seared venison steak with roughly mashed potatoes and Rainwater red-eye gravy provides soul-warming comfort. The venison, which tends to be very lean, is expertly cooked to remain tender and juicy. The house-made molasses brown bread serves as a tasty sponge for the red-eye gravy, fortified with some Broadbent Rainwater Medeira. If you pair this entrée with a glass of Black Strap Grog, which tastes much like a gingerbread cookie, you may feel transported to the winter solstice, but who doesn't like a little Christmas in July?

Pan-seared Venison Steak - rustic mashed potatoes, Rainwater red-eye gravy,
and molasses brown bread

I was feeling a bit dubious about the sherry-braised rabbit pie since I'm not much on meat pies and most rabbit I've eaten has been too gamey for my taste, but this pie was a revelation. The crust was flaky but with a nice bite, the vegetables were tender, and the rabbit was succulent without any gaminess at all.

Sherry-braised Rabbit Pie - mire poix, potatoes, reduced braising liquid

Although I was quite full, I had to sample the dessert choices: apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream and rum & honey pecan pie with spiced clotted cream. Both were delicious, but I was especially impressed with the pecan pie. Opting for the more 19th century ingredient of honey rather than the modern corn syrup, this pie was less sweet and really highlighted the flavor of the pecans. Since unpasteurized cream is not available in the United States, the accompanying clotted cream was not as authentic as Chef Klein would have liked it to be, but it still offered a welcome touch of creaminess to cut the deep flavors of the pecan pie.

Along with the 1812-inspired dishes, the menu features several authentic-ish cocktails like the grog mentioned earlier. The drinks include the Hale Stone, with clear rye, brandy, and bruised mint; the Sangary, with gingerroot cider and Rainwater Madeira; and Nelson's Blood, a rum drink named after British Admiral Horatio Nelson. There's a story behind the name of the drink, but perhaps I should let the servers at Silo.5% let you in on that one. You can also partake of a wide selection of ciders and madieras.

Taking a stroll through Baltimore's culinary past was both enlightening and delicious. I never knew our forefathers ate so well.

Silo.5%
1200 Steuart Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
443-438-4044
http://silo.5winebar.com/

* The meal mentioned in this post was provided free of charge by the restaurant. However, all opinions belong to Minxeats.



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