It’s back! Winter Restaurant Week in Baltimore City – or weeks – now known as Absolutely Febulous.
Whether you try out a new place, head to a favorite, or maybe go to what normally would be a splurge, there’s a restaurant for you during this special 14-day long event. I’ve checked out the menus online and here are my top five. All of these are dinner menus and diners may choose one in each of the three courses. Adult beverages, tax and gratuity are not included in the per person charge. See the Absolutely Febulous website for all participating restaurants – a ton this year! See the site, too, for more details on each menu.
First Course (choice of one)
potato leek soup (gf)
poached beet and apple salad (gf)
pumpkin ravioli
tuna tartare
selection of two cheeses
Second Course (choice of one)
crispy skin trout
scallop (BLT)
roasted chicken breast (gf)
hanger steak (gf)
crispy polenta cake (gf)
lamb and pork bolognese
Third Course (choice of one)
flourless chocolate cake (gf)
vanilla bean creme brulee (gf)
two scoops ice cream (mix and match!)
vanilla, salted caramel, coffee chunk, and pistachio. sorbets: mango, lemon-basil, raspberry and lime sherbert
selection of two cheeses
First Course (choice of one)
chicken pot pie fritters
spinach and artichoke dip
salt cod, seasoned soda crackers
beef and onion
slow braised beef short rib, croutons, aged vermont cheddar
grilled
hearts of romaine, green beans, olives, fennel, red onion, dijon vinaigrette
Second Course (choice of one)
meat loaf
sriracha ketchup, everything mashed poatatoes, garlicky spinach
3 pc fried chicken
buttermilk biscuits, pickles, hot sauce
crispy maryland blue catfish
warm mustard demi, brown butter fingerling potatoes, dandelion
eggplant parm
pomodoro, broccoli rabe, pasta
Third Course (choice of one)
caramel apple cake
molasses cake, sticky sauce, apple cider sherbert
devils food sundae
chocolate fudge frosting, vanilla ice cream, peanuts, soft caramel
smith island cake
yellow butter cake, chocolate fudge frosting, whipped cream
First Course (choice of one)
Cured Arctic Char
marinated beets, meyer lemon jam, shaved horseradish
Cornmeal Fried Oysters
tomato, bacon, beurre blanc
Fennel Braised Pork
strazzapretti pasta, kale, crème fraiche
Field Greens Salad
cured egg yolk, crispy chicken skin, winter radishes, green goddess dressing
Baby Red Romaine Salad
brioche croutons, buttermilk dressing, parmesan crisp
Wild Mushroom Soup
crispy mushrooms, rosemary-almond gremolata, pancetta
Second Course (choice of one)
Hangar Steak
smoked sunchoke cream, salsa verde, lardo, chanterelles
Braised Lamb Shoulder
kale-barley risotto, broccoli puree, pomegranate
Grouper
crispy polenta, royal trumpet mushrooms, provolone fonduta, pancetta-pistachio relish
Pan Seared Shrimp
preserved lemon yogurt, curried chickpeas, roasted cauliflower
Escarole Ravioli
roasted sunchokes, wild mushrooms, pine nut honey
Third Course (choice of one)
White Chocolate
raspberry jam, macadamia nut crumble
Sweet Potato Bread Pudding
spiced rum crème anglaise, pecan toffee, chocolate bark
Chocolate Cake
peanut butter pudding, caramel sauce, banana chips
Chef’s Selection Taharka Brothers Ice Cream & Sorbet
First Course (choice of one)
Curried Celery-Root Soup
quark, pistachio & coriander pesto
Liptauer Cheese Spread
sauerkraut rye crostini
Spinach Salad
toasted pumpkin seeds, moody blue cheese, roasted strawberries, banyuls vinaigrette
Savoy Cabbage Salad
grana padano, smoked sweety drop peppers, sliced almonds, lime-cardamom vinaigrette
Caesar Salad
romaine, parmesan crisp, white anchovies, and parmesan dressing
Second Course (choice of one)
Half KCC Farm’s Chicken
sautéed breast, confit leg, baby shiitakes, leeks, cauliflower purée, roasted chicken vinaigrette
Poached Cod
faro, apple & celeriac purée, marinated fennel, cider butter sauce
Rutabaga & Blue Cheese Pavé
roasted walnuts, baby arugula, beet coulis
Lamb Neck “Osso Buco”
butterkäse farina, sautéed watercress, soffrito
Steak Frites
grilled vintage hanger steak, rosemary garlic fries, red wine shallot sauce
Third Course (choice of one)
Buckwheat waffle
ginger gelato, cranberry vanilla pudding, almond cream
Chocolate Torte
dark chocolate cake, a hint of Proletary Ale, chocolate ganache
Apple Bread Pudding
rum soaked golden raisins
Cheeseboard
chef’s choice of two artisanal cheeses
First Course (choice of one)
Pork Albondigas
ricotta, whipped squash, salsa verde, corn tortilla
Celery Root Soup
brown butter, lobster, charred lemon, parsley
Unchopped Salad
Brussels sprouts, beets, carrots, mac nut, cranberry, cream cheese
Cold Fried Chicken Lettuce Wraps
corn nuts, cheddar, scallion, pickle juice BBQ
Seared Tuna
hampden togarashi, turnip quickles, hot mustard
Second Course (choice of one)
Beef Short Rib
potato chili, cauliflower, liquid cheddar, onion crumble
Rainbow Trout
cornmeal, spicy brussels sprouts, potato spring roll, lemon butter
Duck Parts
breast, confit wing, foie spaetzle, mustard greens, peanut butter, cherry
Veal & Boar Meatloaf
whipped potatoes, garlic string beans, tomato, parmesan cream
Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Wrapped Scallops
grits, greens, biscuit, citrus BBQ
Third Course (choice of one)
Heath Bar Bread Pudding
condensed milk caramel
The Charmery Sliced Cream
apples, walnuts, granola, cinnamon syrup
Hot Milk Cake
berries, basil, buttermilk anglaise
Peanut Butter Pie
pretzel, marshmallow, chocolate
Lil Key Lime Tarts
cheesecake paint, graham cracker
Full disclosure: My Charm City Cook salted caramel brownies will be a featured dessert in the private kitchen dinner at The Food Market during Restaurant Week. It’s part of a dessert that Chef Chad Gauss is calling “The Hood” – a salted caramel brownie topped with The Charmery ice cream and Mouth Party Caramel sauce. (YUM.) The menu for the private kitchen is four courses and is different from the regular Restaurant Week menu. Cost per person is $75.
First Course: (Choice of one)
Tuna Tartare
crispy shallot, cucumber, black truffle
Duck Scrapple
pumpkin flapjack, cranberry butter,
organic maple
Lobster Soup
knife & fork style, white peppercorn
Second: (Choice of one)
Brussels Sprouts
bacon, toasted parmesan, panko, Caesar
Pastrami Beets
gruyere, caraway, 1017 island, kraut foam
Stuffed Pear
champagne, blue cheese, pecans, raspberry, hydro
Third: (Choice of one)
Chilean Seabass
potato crumble, kurobuta ham, cauliflower, shrimp butter
Whole Lil Chicken
cornbread dressing, sticky carrots, black truffle, pan jus
Wagyu Beef
charred cabbage, horseradish fingerlings, hampden 57
Fourth: (Choice of one)
Sweet Potato Cake
cinnamon frosting, pecan brittle, candied orange
Coconut Cream
pie crust, kona coffee coulis
The Hood
charm city cook brownie
mouth party caramel
the charmery sliced cream
