Baltimore Restaurant Week Revealed!

2 comments

July 28, 9:45 PM

by Mark Burlet, Baltimore Drink Examiner

 

 

It's not all about the liquor... food is just as important.

But seriously, there are many different ways to please one's palate. Unfortunately some of them are actually a bit on the pricey side, if you can believe it. And of course, the most exclusive of these want you to think their way is the only good way, and that to pay anything less is to settle for mediocrity. This is probably what drives some to the belief that fast food is the best alternative for us common folk. In this train of thought, it seems obvious that everything below the best is about the same, so why go out of your way for a decent burger or a nice tasty (and just maybe the least bit healthy) chicken sandwich when there's a McDonald's just around the corner? Personally, I'd rather walk a half mile past Mickey D's, in the rain, for a slice o' pie from Tutti Gusti in Canton or a big honkin' burrito from Burritos En Fuego in Fells. And I'd much rather shell out 5 bucks a piece for imported beer and maybe (just maybe) stay a little more sober than I would with that $5 pitcher of Swiller Lite. Hopefully I'm not in the minority here.

So wait... I think I had a point. Or am I just preaching here?

Whatever, this is my show and I'm keeping it going.

Honestly though, here's where I was going with that. We may not want to pay an arm and a leg and a Klimt for the very best food all the time, but every once in a while the opportunity comes up to try something a little more appetizing for a little less money. Here in Charm City, that opportunity is known as Baltimore Restaurant Week. This is the time, twice a year, when some of Baltimore's best restaurants throw open their doors and invite us all to try a taste of "la dolce vita"... offering a three-course dinner for the low "prix-fixe" of $30.08. (And yes, I did just use two different foreign language idioms in the same sentence. Ah well... que será será!) Additionally, some are opening early and charging only $20.08 for lunch. And with many of the best restaurants in town participating, it's hard to go wrong with any selection. Plus several of them are offering special wine pairings to complement the meal for a few extra bucks. How can you pass that up?

If you can't, feel free to check out a couple of my favorites, and a few I would really love to try, that I've listed below... although, sadly, I'll probably only hit one this week. But you can do better than that. Just be sure to call ahead and verify there's room. Or book online with that incredibly convenient reservation website, Open Table. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself and try something new... or as I always say, carpe diem!

• Brass Elephant - Sumptuous continental cuisine in a white-tablecloth environment.
• Corks - Distinctive food and wine combinations in Federal Hill.
• Helmand - Fine dining with a little Afghan flair in Mt. Vernon.
• Jack's Bistro - Defining the word "eclectic"... one of my favorite Canton spots.
• Louisiana - How could I not pick this one? Creole flavor with a fancy twist in Fells Point.
• Pazza Luna - Locust Point's intriguing take on Italian food.
• The Prime Rib - Baltimore's original top shelf steakhouse.

Well, there we have it... just a few of the 90+ restaurants participating in this summer's restaurant week. Of course, now that I've skipped dinner to write this, I'm drooling on my keyboard here. Anyone care to join me for a late dinner at Yellow Dog Tavern? Yes, they serve booze as well... give me a break, it's my Achilles heel (just to throw in a little Greek reference as well).

See you there!

Mark Burlet
Drunken Intellectual

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