This week, Baltimore’s dining scene has a lot to offer, including Easter and Passover meals and a flurry of new, pretty vegetable dishes on local menus. Here’s a look at what’s happening over the next few days:
Openings and announcements
After many, many months of COVID-related closure, Pierpoint Restaurant in Fells Point has finally reopened. Chef Nancy Longo is also still building and selling weekly meal boxes, which became a hit during the pandemic, but now diners once again have the opportunity to sit down in Pierpoint’s Aliceanna St. space.
Papi’s Tacos reopened this week in its newly renovated Fells Point building. The restaurant also has a brand new phone number: 443-438-9144.
SouthBmore.com announced this week that Taco Mama Cantina will take over the Anthem House space formerly occupied by Jazz & Soju. The Mexican restaurant, which is slated to open later this spring or in early summer, is the newest venture from the owners of Taco Daddy Cantina in Frederick and Timonium’s Taco Bravo.
Easter & Passover dining
Easter is this Sunday, April 17 and Passover starts Friday, April 15. There is still time to make plans for both.
The Charleston Easter menu includes a dish of wild Burgundy snails with butter-poached garlic and shallots, served in a pasta shell, in a green sauce.
The Milton Inn is open for Easter brunch and dinner, featuring the restaurant’s full menu.
The Manor Tavern will have specials for both Easter and Passover.
Mt. Washington Tavern’s Easter brunch menu includes local classics like half and half crab soup and Chesapeake Bay rockfish topped with lump crab and lemon beurre blanc.
Silver Queen Café is open for Easter brunch, offering an a la carte menu.
Gunther & Co. has made some additions to its Easter menu, including wood oven-roasted leg of lamb with Israeli couscous and olive tapenade.
Cypriana has special Easter hours, starting at 1 p.m.
Nick’s Fish House is not taking reservations for Easter but will have a special menu, including crabs and crushes, available.
Bondhouse will have a special Easter brunch menu, including featured dishes and cocktails.
For more Easter dining ideas, check out last week’s Hot Plate.
Ramps & Rosé
On Wednesday, Foraged Eatery celebrates a fleeting seasonal pairing: ramps and rosé. That night, the menu will include multiple dishes featuring ramps, which have just a short season, any of which will pair well with rosé.
More spring flavors
As the weather warms, local menus continue to evolve as they incorporate fresh spring produce and flavors.
At Perennial, a grown-up take on strawberry shortcake features thyme-macerated strawberries in a balsamic glaze.
The Food Market has a new seasonal take on the wedge salad with iceberg lettuce, candied bacon, radishes and peas dressed in buttermilk ranch.
1157 bar + kitchen bridges the gap between winter and spring weather with a pork ragout and ramp pasta dish that looks terrific.
La Cuchara has created a colorful and gorgeous spring salad of beets, carrots, pickled grapes, dukkah and parsley puree.
The Corner Pantry’s radish toast is a beautiful spring dish: lemon rosemary toast topped with whipped ricotta, spring onion and lemon relish, radishes from Karma Farm, smoked salt and chili oil.
Linwood’s five-minute egg, served with vegetables and a light sauce, is now back on the menu for spring.
Cosima’s spring menu includes lemon and parsley ravioli in a roasted garlic asparagus puree, with spring vegetables.
Magdalena has new food dishes on the menu, like golden tile fish with smoked clams, fennel relish and English peas, as well as new spring cocktails, including the bight green “Teeth in the Grass,” which mixes Scotch with Chartreuse, elderflower liqueur, rhubarb and ginger liqueur and green watercress juice.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
May 1: Fire Hero Chili Cook Off at Of Love & Regret
May 28: Brew at the Zoo
June 11: Chesapeake Seafood Festival
