This week is an interesting one in the Baltimore restaurant world, with a focus on fun ingredients, from oysters to tea to chicken mushrooms. Here’s a look at what’s coming up:
Openings and announcements
THB’s new Owings Mills location officially opens its doors on Monday. Bagels for everyone!
Dutch Courage is expanding its hours; the Old Goucher gin bar will now be open on Mondays. Plus, happy hour is now Monday through Friday.
The Baltimore Business Journal reports that Duck Duck Goose chef Ashish Alfred will open a new restaurant in the former Bookmakers Cocktail Club space on Cross St. It is slated to open this summer.
Wet City reopened for indoor dining last week.
Options at Belvedere Square are growing: Thai Landing will soon be opening a location at the market.
This August, two new vegan restaurants – Double Zero and Liora – will open at 414 Light St.
Call for a café
If you aspire to be a waterfront café operator, now is your time to shine. Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore has just put out a request for qualifications to operate the waterfront café space (currently in development) at Rash Field Park.
Responses to the RFQ are due by noon on June 18. The full RFQ can be found on the Waterfront Partnership website.
Tea time at Wight
Wight Tea Co. in Whitehall Mill has launched a tableside tea service for one or two guests, available on weekdays. The service includes tartines, deviled eggs, cookies, and tea, and can be spruced up with kids’ snacks and/or prosecco.
Nixtamalized tortillas
Clavel’s newly renovated nixtamaleria is operational and the restaurant has made its first batch of tortillas from corn ground in-house.
“Chicken” at Foraged
The Foraged Eatery crew has come into a cache of chicken mushrooms and to celebrate, they’ve reintroduced a favorite menu item: “chicken” carbonara with roasted pork jowl and a “jewelry box” egg.
Global BBQ at Ryleigh’s
The back parking lot of Ryleigh’s Oyster has become The Woodpile BBQ and this summer, the crew there has big plans. On a regular basis, Woodpile will draw inspiration from wood-fired cooking in different cultures, creating menus around the meats and flavors of those traditions.
The series kicks off on Friday, June 4 with an Argentine menu of whole BBQ’ed lamb served with tortillas, charred apple salsa and chimichurri.
Netflix does Baltimore
On Wednesday, click on Netflix to be among the first to see a Baltimore-based episode of “Fresh, Fried & Crispy,” co-hosted by Baltimore’s own Tim Chin, also known around town as Chyno The Baltimore Foodie and The Boy with the Blue Beard.
The episode features local spots including The Local Oyster and other vendors in Mount Vernon Marketplace and The Food Market.
War of the Oysters
On Thursday, Smithsonian Associates hosts a Zoom lecture on the Oyster Wars of the Chesapeake, a fascinating time in local history, when – for decades – watermen, authorities and oyster pirates battled (sometimes violently) over the Bay’s oyster population.
Crabanero at Chuck’s
On Friday, Chuck’s Trading Post hosts a crab cake pop-up in conjunction with Jones Falls Sauce Company, the people behind the Crabanero hot sauce. You can pre-order online or just walk in for drinks and food.
In case you missed it
Cocina Luchadoras is in the new issue of Bon Appetit, sharing their recipe for molletes. It’s always great to see a deserving local business have the opportunity to share stories and recipes with the rest of the country.
Planning for the future
Mark your calendars for:
June 19: Peter Pan Literary Tea at Elkridge Furnace Inn
July 9: Maryland Food Truck Week
August 7: Crabs, Wine & Beer Festival
