You are here: Los Angeles Restaurants Baltimore Dining Examiner

Dining Dish

Baltimore Dining Examiner
Dining Dish (a.k.a, Dara Bunjon) is founder of Dara Does It, which caters to the food industry everything from PR to food styling to cooking instructions, and more. Enjoy her rants, raves, recipes and food adventures, and let her know yours!

2008's Best Christmas light and music video
Double Cheeseburger more at McD's
Hot, Hot News from Clementine Restaurant
Cheesecake Lollipop Recipe Experiment
Restaurant Food Trends for 2009
Inquiring Minds
Recipes
Restaurant
Dara's Fabulous Adventures
Dining Bargains
Drink
Reminiscences
Review
Asian Food
Video
Raves
Dining Event
Rant
Fun Video
Rave
2008 Fancy Food Show
Discount Purchasing
Holiday Food
Food & Dining Trends
Real Time Posting
Buy Local - Eat Local
Cooking Classes
Food Celebs
New York City Dining
Pho
  
Advertisement

Examiner Feeds

These websites were picked by the Baltimore Dining Examiner as useful resources.

    • Dara's Company

    Where You Can Find Dining Dish (aka Dara Bunjon)

    Cooking Classes

    Dara's NPR Radio Interview on YUM Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats

    Restaurant Food Trends for 2009

    Favorite Websites

    Dining Dish's Haunts

    Baltimore Examiners

    Steve Christ
    Baltimore Personal Finance Examiner
    Most Recent Article
    IBM's five future innovations
    Adam Meister
    Baltimore Politics Examiner
    Most Recent Article
    Baltimore to start a car-sharing business
    Mia Redrick
    Baltimore Parenting Examiner
    Most Recent Article
    Driving while black in Towson
     
     

    Examiner is growing in Los Angeles

    We are seeking writers...
    Ready to join us? Learn More »

    Behind the Gulumki

    May 30, 11:42 AM
     
     
    Some might say they are behind the eight ball but I’m behind the gulumki. I should have written the review of Ze Mean Bean Café weeks ago. The fans of Ze Mean Bean Café, and there are many, enjoy their menu offerings which honor old world Slavic home-styled dishes (stuffed cabbage, borscht, periogies, goulash etc) to their contemporary crab cake served with spicy Polish honey vodka sauce over greens and asparagus or sea scallops with chorizo rum vinaigrette.

    The best place to start is at the beginning. My fellow food blogger, Jake Slagle of Unique Culinary Adventures wanted to interview me about my new gig writing for
    Examiner.com and what better way to

    Ze Mean Bean's Borscht Photo by Dara Bunjon 

    do so then over food. Ze Mean Bean Café was Jake’s choice for lunch. I had never dined there because I ‘assumed’ (you all know what that word means) that it was a coffee house and I don’t do coffee (that is another story). In fact, Ze Mean Bean started off as a bakery/coffee house back in 1995. I direct you to Jake’s story and his take on our luncheon. I had to smile that anyone thought me worthy of an interview.
     
    Getting Down on Gulumki
     
    So let’s get to what matters, the food. I couldn’t pass up the borscht and it didn’t disappoint. The ruby red broth of the Russian borscht ($5) was perfect. It was rich with the natural sweetness of the root vegetables but not cloyingly sweet and the chicken that was used in making the broth was a nice light touch over the heavier flavors of a beef stock. It reminded me of my Lithuanian grandmother’s borscht. In our family, the borscht was served cold or at room temperature. While I enjoyed my borscht, Jake indulged in the spinach salad with the fruity Parmesan tuile ($8). 
     
    I moved on to the Holupki (Gulumki) Dinner ($10) that offered two plumb cabbage rolls stuffed with ground beef and rice in a light tomato sauce with potato cake and vegetable of the day. It was a fair value for the dollar, plenty of food. I prefer my stuffed cabbage with a little less rice than what was served but that goes back to what you grew up eating and your expectations.   Jake just loved his crab cake, he felt the crabmeat tasted extremely fresh, from the Atlantic but in reality he knew it was too early in the season. You can order the crab cake as an appetizer or entrée and it is market price.
     
    Sweet Finishes
     
    Aaaah, desserts – we can’t forget something sweet to finish off the meal. Our lovely and attentive waitress informed us that the owner’s mother makes the desserts. There was a large selection that day (remember Ze Mean Bean started out as a dessert and coffee café). Let’s see if I can make heads or tails of my notes on our selection for that afternoon: 
     
    Chocolate Mousse Pie 
    Apple Dutch Cake
    Apple Pie with Caramel Crunch & Nuts
    Pineapple Banana Upside Down Cake
    Chocolate Babka and woe was us…they were out of the bread pudding.
     
    Jake said he would take a bite of whatever I ordered but he was watching his waistline. I lost my waistline about 15 years ago so it didn’t matter to me. I chose the Pineapple Banana Upside Down Cake and it was worth every single calorie.   The cake was dense, moist, flavorful and not too sweet. How good was it? Well I gave up eating it half way through because I was just too full when Jake decided that one bite was not sufficient for him and preceded to help finish the dessert.
     
     
    Ze Mean Bean isn’t all about Slavic food or homemade desserts there is

    Ze Mean Bean's Pineapple Banana Upside Down Cake - Photo by Dara Bunjon 

    entertainment, a wonderful wine list and they cater as well. I enjoyed the homey feel, the pleasant  service and a menu with a diverse selection of old world and contemporary menu choices. It’s on my list for a return visit….do give it a try.
     
    Polish Dining Footnotes:
     
    1. The Polish Festival is this weekend at Patterson’s Park Pulaski Monument, Eastern Avenue at Linwood – enjoy entertainment, dancing and food. (May 30th, 31st & June 1st)
     
    2. Wednesday, June 4th Sotto Sopra Restaurant is offering a 4-course Home Cooked Polish Dinner. Yes, Sotto Sopra is an Italian restaurant but the owner’s in-laws are in visiting from Poland and his mother-in-law and wife are preparing the special dinner. It is limited seating, it is communal and family style dining.
     
      

    For more info: 

    Ze Mean Bean Café
    Eastern European Café & Wine Bar
    1739 Fleet Street (Fells Point)
    Baltimore, MD 21231
    (410) 675-5999
    Beat the Inflation Heat: Every Tuesday their chef creates a three-course menu that is sure to tantalize your taste buds. This delectable menu is a steal at only $19.95 per person, and $29.95 with specially paired wines. Every Tuesday receive any bottle of wine from their list at half price with the purchase of two Chef Specialty entrees!

     


    Topics: Review , Reminiscences , Rave
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    More from Baltimore Dining Examiner

    2008's Best Christmas light and music video

    December 4, 9:13 PM
    You've made your eggnog, the last batch of cookies are in the oven -- now kick back and enjoy the 2008's best Xmas light & music display.... Read More
    Topics: Inquiring Minds
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    Double Cheeseburger more at McD's

    December 4, 2:37 PM
    Nation's Restaurant News yesterday reported that the real barometer of our economic times has hit. That gastronomic delight called the McDonald's Double Cheeseburger will be increasing to a suggested retail price to $1.19 and still maintaining its double... Read More
    Topics: Rant , Inquiring Minds , Food & Dining Trends
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    Hot, Hot News from Clementine Restaurant

    December 4, 10:27 AM
    Last night I met Chef/Owner Winston of Clementine ,(the place is packed every night - you need reservations), who informed me they just got their permit that day to expand. They will soon be opening a bar, a curing room where they will be curing their... Read More
    Topics: Restaurant
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    Cheesecake Lollipop Recipe Experiment

    December 3, 4:25 PM
    Make something different than cookies for the holidays. Learn how I played with ready-to-eat cheesecake filling to make cheesecake lollipops. It truly dresses up the holiday table with a not-too-filling sweet finish that is festive. President... Read More
    Topics: Recipes , Holiday Food
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    Restaurant Food Trends for 2009

    December 2, 4:02 PM
    What are the restaurant trends for 2009?  The Joseph Baum & Michael Whiteman Co. who creates high-profile restaurants around the world for hotels, restaurant companies, major museums and other consumer destinations has compiled a list. ... Read More
    Topics: Inquiring Minds , Food & Dining Trends
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    One World Cafe takes the 'Eat In Season' challenge

    December 1, 11:58 AM
    Baltimore’s best all-vegetarian dining spot, One World Café, will take Slow Food Baltimore’s Eat in Season Challenge this month from December 8-15. Chef Sue Novak and co-owner Cindy Novak, have created a special locally-sourced, seasonal... Read More
    Topics: Restaurant , Buy Local - Eat Local
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address:  
    Comments:  

    1st Come. Seconds Served

    November 30, 8:48 AM
     The Rolls Royce of cookware, All Clad Ltd is having a seconds sale Friday, Saturday and Sunday: December 5, 6, & 7. You can save 40% to 70% and new stock is offered daily.If you have dreamed of this cookware then it is worth the drive. Make... Read More
    Topics: Discount Purchasing
       Subscribe   Feed
     
     

    Comments

    Name:  
    Email Address: