This week provides lots of incentive to head out to dinner in Baltimore, as local restaurants celebrate the fleeting flavors of late summer and early fall. Here’s a look at what’s on the horizon:
National accolades
Congratulations to The Chef’s Counter at Burnt Hill Farm, which earned a well-deserved spot on the New York Times list of the 50 best restaurants.
Oktoberfest season
Oktoberfest events, which started last week, are going strong this weekend.
At Heavy Seas, Oktoberfest Lager is back and the Taproom will be festive on Saturday during the brewery’s second annual Oktoberfest Party, featuring food, fun, and the Wiener Dog Wunderdash.
From Sept. 18 to 20, Max’s Taphouse will go full Germany in honor of Oktoberfest. The Fells Point bar will be pouring more than 40 kegs of German and German-style beers and offering brats, pretzels, and other autumnal fare to soak up all the suds.
The Big Dill
Saturday afternoon, The Big Dill pickle party returns to Power Plant Live! The briny event features tons of pickled foods, a brine chug challenge, pickle-eating contest, and more.
Orchard Cocktail Party at BSC
Also on Saturday, Baltimore Spirits Company will celebrate the Equinox – and the release of its new fig and rye liqueur – with a fruit-forward day of drinks in the Cocktail Gallery. In addition to drinks, there will be figs, blackberries, and apples, along with charcuterie from Rosemary & Brie.
Drag & Dosa
On Sunday, an interesting new event series is kicking off at Our Time Kitchen. Drag & Dosa: Fresh Outta Bangalore is a drag brunch with a South Indian twist. Tickets include the show, plus one dosa, one samosa, and one mimosa (additional food is also available for purchase). Plus, a portion of proceeds will be donated to Nepal Flood Relief.
Sazon Latin Food Festival
Also on Sunday, Sazon, an annual festival showcasing Latin American foods, pops up at Ministry of Brewing. The party is family friendly and features tons of different Latin flavors.
Mollydooker dinner
On Wednesday, The Corner Pantry teams up with Spirit Shop Falls Road for a new installment in their collaborative wine dinner series. This one features wines from Australia’s Mollydooker, along with five courses including dishes like shellfish fricassee and poached pear pavlova.
Dining Out for Life
Moveable Feast’s excellent annual fundraiser, Dining Out for Life, takes place on Thursday, Sept. 24. The event – now in its 33rd year – is an easy one for diners: simply go to eat at a participating restaurant and a percentage of proceeds will be donated to Moveable Feast, which offers programs including home meal deliver, medical nutrition therapy, and medical transportation to local people in need.
As always, the list of participating restaurants is long and impressive – and some spots, like Gertrudes and Clavel, contribute as much as 50% to the cause.
Maryland Restaurant Week
Did you think restaurant week season only happened in the summer and dead of winter? Think again. Maryland Restaurant Week, which is organized by the Restaurant Association of Maryland, kicks off on Friday, Sept. 18 and lasts through the 27th. Look for deals at restaurants across the state, including local places like Miss Shirley’s and Burger Bros.
Mahjong at Cece’s
Cece’s is on top of the mahjong trend with a new weekly lunchtime event. Every other Thursday, the Cross Keys restaurant hosts a guided mahjong session (all levels welcome). The next event takes place on Oct. 1 – reservations are open now.
Transition time
This week, menus all over the area are straddling the seasons – making the most of the final summer produce while gradually introducing fall flavors.
At The Duchess, veggie-forward dishes like the watermelon and tomato salad are making some of their last appearances before their ingredients are out of season.
Gunther & Co.’s pretty heirloom tomato salad is on the menu – but not for much longer.
Costiera’s heirloom tomato and watermelon salad is also about to say goodbye to make way for new fall menu items.
Bar Alice Anne is just about to shift from summer cocktails to a new fall menu – so now is the time to head there for the last of the summer sips.
As temps cool. Dylan’s Oyster Cellar’s raw bar menu expands. This week, the list includes West Coast options from Hama Hama Oyster Company.
Sally O’s transitional menu includes dishes like a chorizo toastie with avocado puree, pickled red onion, and cherry tomatoes.
Woodberry Kitchen’s fall cocktail menu is taking shape with the introduction of late-summer plums and ingredients like foraged spicebush.
New additions to the Silver Queen Café menu include fall-forward options like butternut squash and goat cheese ravioli.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
September 26-27: Fig Picnic at Juniper Farm
October 21: Chef Carlos Raba at Boordy Vineyards
October 24: Culinary Walking Tour of Greenmount Cemetery
