This week has a little bit of everything for Baltimore food lovers, from wine to whiskey to…goat cheese. Plus, there’s plenty of red meat in honor of Father’s Day. Here’s a look at what local restaurants have planned.
Openings & Announcements
Union Craft Brewing’s new location, at Union Collective, opened to the public on Thursday night. The new space is fun and enormous–big enough for large groups to gather to enjoy Union’s lineup of beers.
Also on Thursday, Jazz + Soju opened at Anthem House in Locust Point. The restaurant’s menu features Korean-American fusion dishes, including double-fried Korean chicken.
If you’re in the mood for creatively sauced and topped wings and fries, you have a new choice: Fed Hill favorite The Local Fry opens its new location in the Rotunda today.
Duck Duck Goose, the French brasserie taking over the old 8 Ball Meatball space in Fells Point, is slated to open next Friday, June 22.
The Crabs & Crushes menu is back at Wit & Wisdom’s patio space, Wit on the Water.
Manor Hill Tavern reopens
Manor Hill Tavern was one of the Ellicott City restaurants affected by the recent flood. The restaurant reopened fairly quickly, strictly to help feed and serve those involved in the neighborhood recovery efforts.
This weekend, the eatery will reopen to the public with a limited menu. Its normal hours and regular menu will return on on Monday, June 18.
Manor Hill is a terrific restaurant, and an important part of the tight-knit Ellicott City community. If you’re in the area, stop by to help support them.
Baltimore Wine Fest
The 4th Annual Baltimore Wine Fest takes place this Saturday at Canton Waterfront Park. The festival includes more than 160 wines from around the world, food from over 30 local eateries, cooking demos, live music and more.
GOAL!!!
The World Cup began this past week, and restaurants all over town are getting in on the action, hosting viewing parties for different games.
The restaurants in Hampden have banded together, dividing up the games so fans can find them on screens around the neighborhood. They’ve put together a helpful schedule online, which includes viewings at: Chuck’s Trading Post, Waverly Brewing Company, Café Hon, SweetSide Café, Frazier’s on the Avenue, the GQ Food Truck, Paulie Gee’s, The Arthouse, Holy Frijoles, Spro Coffee, Avenue Kitchen & Bar, De Kleine Duivel, Dubai Café, Common Ground Café, Five and Dime Ale House, The Charmery, Grano Emporio and Foraged Eatery.
Outside of Hampden, you can catch games at Pane e Vino in Little Italy, which will be open for lunch during the games to maximize viewing time, and check out all the French games–no matter how early–and win special prizes at Chez Hugo Bistro.
Goats at Gertrude’s
This month’s New Chesapeake Kitchen Cooking Class at Gertrude’s is sold out, unfortunately, but it’s a good one, featuring cheese (and goats!) from Charlottetown Farm.
Dinner & whiskey at Blue Pit
On Saturday evening, Blue Pit BBQ will partner with The Maryland Whisky Society for a special Father’s Day weekend Whisk(e)y and BBQ pairing meal.
The dinner will feature five tasting courses, each paired with a whisky, a whiskey or a Scotch. Blue Pit and the Whisky Society are also working with Mouth Party Caramels, Sagamore Whiskey and Beam Suntory to put together the event, which will, in part, benefit the American Cancer Society.
Celebrating Dad
Father’s Day doesn’t get as much restaurant love as Mother’s Day, but that doesn’t mean local spots are ignoring the holiday altogether. Numerous Baltimore establishments have lined up special meals to honor dads:
At Cinghiale, dads will be offered 50 percent off Barolo wines.
At Parts & Labor, dads get a free gift, including a P&L pint glass, a meat snack, a P&L koozie and an Old Oriole token. Plus, the restaurant will have beer and whiskey flights and complimentary potato gratin with every steak or chop purchased from the case.
Cypriana will open at 1 p.m., hosting its annual Grill & Roast that features whole baby lamb, among other dishes.
Johnny’s has a special surf and turf offering, including a petit filet and a crab cake, created for Father’s Day.
Father’s Day specials at Cosima include wood-fired ribs and roasted lack of lamb. Cosima will make their valet parking a little easier: It’s free every day, but on Sunday, the restaurant will also take care of tipping.
Rusty Scupper has special brunch and dinner menus designed specifically for the day.
The Elephant will be open from 1-6 p.m and will offer a special New York strip and local draft beer specials for the day.
The Brewer’s Art has a Father’s Day brunch menu available. The country fried pork chop looks especially good.
Jäger at Southern Provisions
On Monday, June 18, bartenders from around the city will gather at Southern Provisions in Canton to see who can create the best cocktail made with Jägermeister. Bars represented include R. Bar, The Charles, The Elk Room and El Bufalo.
Toni Tipton Martin at Ida B’s Table
Tuesday, June 19 is Juneteenth, and Ida B’s Table is marking the occasion with a visit from culinary journalist Toni Tipton Martin. Martin is the author of The Jemima Code: Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks.
Along with discussion, guests will enjoy a multi-course meal from Ida B’s chef David Thomas, who will pull inspiration from traditional Juneteenth dishes.
World Refugee Day at Clavel & WC Harlan
Wednesday, June 20, is World Refugee Day. Clavel and WC Harlan are honoring the occasion by donating a percentage of sales for the evening to a local organization that works with refugees.
Foraging at Artifact
On Thursday, June 21, Artifact Coffee will host its 25th installment of the Origins series, in which a panel of experts come together to discuss a food-related topic over great food.
The program marks this milestone with a session on foraging for food, featuring two foraging experts, Tom Mueller and Jeff Long, plus drinks, snacks and a foraged dinner.
Buzzy – in more ways than one
On Thursday, The Vineyards at Dodon will celebrate Pollinators Week with a special collectors’ dinner featuring a talk about pollination from wildlife biologist Sam Droege and a meal from Foraged Eatery’s Chris Amendola.
The dinner will include dishes like wild mushroom and leek terrine paired with Dodon’s Drum Point 2016 and roasted pork coppa steak with smoky tomatoes and roasted summer squash paired with the vineyard’s Oronoco 2014.
Touring France the right way
Chef Jerry Edwards of Chefs Expressions is making some advance plans. Edwards will be taking a group on a culinary tour of France next spring, visiting Paris, Lyon, Avignon and Marseilles over a 10-day period in May. The trip will include guided tours, the cabaret, cooking classes and demonstrations, winery visits and tons of fantastic food.
Planning Ahead
Here are a few events to look forward to over the next few weeks:
June 24: An Evening at the Farm with La Cuchara
June 25: Brewer’s Art dinner at Rye Street Tavern
August 23: Summer Soiree at The Pendry
