
If seeing the Orioles advance to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 1997 doesn’t fill you with pride for your hometown, perhaps this is more your speed: a feature in USA Today Travel that showers praise on Baltimore’s restaurant scene. It begins like this:
“From hidden gems tucked away on side streets and up-and-comers at the water’s edge to white tablecloth perfection in an elegant dining room, Baltimore is on the A-list for aficionados of fine eats, fussy foodies and everyone else who knows a great meal from a good meal.”
Go on, go on. Don’t let me stop you.
The article highlights five eateries that are meant to demonstrate the breadth of the city’s culinary offerings: Miss Shirley’s for “hefty portions of comfort food;” Bertha’s for its cellar-temperature house beer and — yes — mussels; Waterfront Kitchen for its “awesome views” and locally-sourced menu; Charleston, “where dinner is a multi-course all-night affair of low country;” and Chazz: A Bronx Original, for gourmet pizza.
If you ask me, it’s a little downtown- and harbor-heavy. (But I guess I’ve got a North Baltimore bias.) Whatever, I won’t refuse a compliment!

Even more shallow and superficial than one would think possible from the McNews paper USA Today. Hard to believe people will see us this way.