Points South Latin Kitchen

Last week at a fun VIP party, we got a sneak peek at Bryson Keen's new Fells Point restaurant, Points South Latin Kitchen. One might remember Bryson from his 10 years as the very visible managing partner at Roy's Hawaiian Fusion, where he not only kept the place in tip top running order, but also led the very fun wine dinners that we attended from time to time. Bryson grew up around Latin cuisine; his grandmother owned a Tex-Mex restaurant in Fort Worth. We had high hopes for a fine eating experience at Points South, and our experience so far has been very good.

As we explored the newly revamped space (formerly home to both Meli and Anastasia) we enjoyed white and red sangria and selections from the restaurant's menu. Both kinds of pinchos, beef and shrimp, were among the passed appetizers that also included patacones (fried green plantain chips) topped with dollops of the Yucatecan toasted pumpkin seed dip known as Sikil Pak, and a meatless version of their carimanolas (yucca croquettes). Later, we were treated to a buffet that included grilled steak with Argentinean chimichurri, rice and beans, chicharrones of pork belly, and several salads.

We're hoping to go back sometime soon to have a real sit-down dinner and will keep you posted.



Posted on Minxeats.com.

Woody's Rum Bar & Island Grill

Woody's Rum Bar & Island Grill occupies the top floor and roof deck of a building on the northeast corner of the intersection of Thames and Broadway, making it a perfect spot to soak up both the atmosphere of Fells Point and a few rum-based libations. You want to sit in the sun? Go up on the roof. If you prefer breezy shade, the third floor is the place to be. The place is small, so you won't ever be too far away from the bar.

A recent facelift has added some lively new artwork by Charles Lawrance. The menu of island-inflected dishes has been updated as well, adding new items to a selection of favorites. At a recent VIP tasting celebrating the restaurant's opening weekend, we sampled the entire menu. Ev-ry-thing. Oh, that's the food menu, not the drinks menu (otherwise, we might not be here right now.) We started with rum punches, which were sweet and fruity and oh so easy-to-drink. Thankfully there was plenty of tasty food coming to help absorb some of the alcohol we'd be imbibing that evening.

Rum Punch

You can check out Woody's menu here.

Among our favorites were the spicy Caesar salad. I'm a sucker for grilled romaine, and loved the piquant dressing, which was spicy but not overly so.

Spicy Caesar Salad
grilled Romaine hearts, queso fresco, spicy Caesar dressing, radish, corn strips

We also enjoyed the nachos. Despite looking like merely chips and cheese, the grilled pineapple salsa and chipotle jerk crema added a myriad of smoky, spicy, and sweet flavors.

Woody’s Nachos
corn chips, house made cheese sauce, grilled pineapple salsa,
pico de gallo, scallions, chipotle jerk crema

Mr Minx also really enjoyed the Jamaican hot pepper shrimp, served with a hunk of baguette to dip in the flavorful juices.

Jamaican Hot Pepper Shrimp
spiced scotch bonnet pepper butter, red stripe, baguette

Calamari
corn flour fried, Woody spice, mango chile sauce

Island Wings
spicy pineapple BBQ sauce

Also notable were the calamari and wings.

We also tasted all of the sandwiches on the menu, particularly enjoying the Cubano. Out of the four varieties of tacos available (fish, shrimp, black bean falafel, and jerk chicken) we perhaps enjoyed the fish tacos most of all, although the falafels were pretty delicious as well.

Woody’s World Famous Fish Tacos
marinated mahi, Baja slaw, lime crema, pico de gallo, cheddar jack cheese

If you've got a hankering for the islands but can't afford to leave the mainland, head over to Woody's for Caribbean-inspired food and drinks. Watch the Os, grab a mai tai, and have a good time.





Posted on Minxeats.com.