There is so much good to say about the True Chesapeake Oyster Co.: their location, décor, partnerships, drinks, food and dare I say oysters! 

Oysters are at the crux and heart of this restaurant; they are at the center of this friendship/partnership of oyster farmer Patrick Hudson of True Chesapeake Oyster Co. from St. Jerome Creek in Southern Maryland, award-winning Executive Chef Zack Mills, and Nick Schauman – founder of The Local Oyster.  True Chesapeake Oyster Co. is the first Maryland oyster farm to open a restaurant. Bring in another award-winner, Chelsea Gregoire, the general manager and beverage director to round out an already outstanding hospitality team.  Everyone mentioned above is a story unto themselves and deserves more than this mere mention.  

Read the full story at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner

The Red Devils charity that advocates for patients and their families affected by breast cancer has a commitment from Baltimore’s Birroteca Restaurant for donating a portion of the restaurant’s proceeds throughout an ENTIRE YEAR.  I emphasize YEAR LONG so as not to be mistaken for a restaurant doing a one-night benefit. Birroteca is known for its rustic Italian fare and oh so many craft beers (60) in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood. 

Read the full story at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner.    

Many of you reading this column already know of Richardson Farms, a one-stop-shop for not only produce, dairy, poultry, furniture, house baked goods, but finger licking ready-to-eat, home-styled comfort food like your granny would make.  Located on Ebenezer Road less than a mile off Route 40 Richardson Farms is Disneyland for food-centric enthusiasts with hand rolled butter, extra virgin olive oil refill station, greens so beautiful that you will want to eat kale, and so much more.  

The ready-to-eat food selection is a culinary mecca: rotisserie chicken, house cured deli meats (no nitrates), chopped salads, apple cakes to their big seller, individual chicken pot pies.  They have just introduced their Spring sandwich selection and let me tell you they were all unique, well-sized and priced reasonably.  Read the full story and view the snapshots at Dara Cook at Baltimore Post Examiner.

Nestled between the Hanover Street Bridge and Ft. McHenry on Cromwell Street in the ever expanding Port Covington neighborhood, Rye Street Tavern shines brightly, day and night.  Lunch, brunch, social hour, and dinner – there is something for everyone’s taste on their diverse American themed menus. 

On my initial visit when they first opened, the waterfront view of the Patapsco River as the sun was setting was breathtaking. Whether from the bar or the dining rooms, that view was there for all to enjoy.   Though this is not the season to sit out on their lawn in their Adirondack chairs, they surely will be filled to capacity as well as the patio tables come the warmer months.  On my recent visit, as you rounded the corner of the building from their parking lot, the area glistens with string lights, brightening the winter’s night.   It is located next to Sagamore Spirit Distillery whose rye whiskey celebrates the resurrection of this Maryland tradition and is the inspiration for the tavern’s name.  

See all the photographs and the complete story at Dara Cooks - Baltimore Post Examiner

In Italian, Orto translates to vegetable garden and is reflected in their menu.  As their website states, “Our menu is built on the foundations of Italian Food, and culture – simple, fresh, flavorful cuisine served in a welcoming space.”

Read the full review and enjoy the photographs at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner.

One of my favorite restaurants here in Baltimore, Cava Mezze, puts a modern day spin on our Greek favorites.  Their menu items are traditional in the sense of Greek cuisine but their presentations are more upscale.  Just look at the Dolmades photograph:  stuffed grape leaves, roasted eggplant, za’atar rice, presented on a celery root puree, caper chimichurri, with micro cilantro.

Mezze in Greek translates to appetizer, but it often makes up an entire meal, combining an assortment of dishes: hot and cold, vegetables and meat - the assortment at Cava Mezze doesn’t disappoint.  Along with their popular array of small and medium plates they have just introduced fourteen new dishes to their Baltimore location and coming soon to their other four locations in the DMV.  

READ MORE: Baltimore Post Examiner Dara Cooks Blog

Northern Mexico inspired tacos, chips and dips, burritos and more are now available at Taco Noche at the Rotunda patio.  Their kiosk is open from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. every day. Patrons can go to the walk-up window for carryout or use delivery services, UberEats and Grub Hub. Taco Noche is a perfect little spot if you have been out late and want a bite of authentic Mexican food - the perfect “street food.”  

Taco Noche ‘s Chef Audiel  Vera also holds the title of executive chef at The Avenue Kitchen and Bar in Hampden.  Chef Vera reminisces, “It was not until I moved to Houston, Texas, where I first discovered the northern flavors of Mexico. Flour tortillas, shredded lettuce, fresh Pico de Gallo, cream on tacos, queso fundido, all that great food. It was a game changer in my opinion.  All these flavors really caught my attention and opened my pallet to different Mexican flavors that I never knew before.  A lot of people may think this is Tex Mex but it's not. These are flavors that were always there in Monterrey, Guadalajara, and Tijuana. 

For you chili heads, their salsas run the gamut on the Scoville chart from Tomatillo with fire roasted Serrano chiles, tomatillos, roasted garlic, onions, cilantro and lime to Scorpion Sting with fire-roasted Habanero chilies blended with vinegar, spices and tomatoes.

Taco Noche

The Rotunda Patio

711 West 40^th Street

Baltimore MD 21211

Facebook: @taconocherotunda

Instagram: @taconoche

GDL Italian by Giada in Baltimore’s Horseshoe Casino has expanded their hours to include brunch Saturdays and Sundays from 10:30 am to 2 pm, tempting patrons and casino goers to indulge in their Italian fare.   Giada de Laurentiis (GDL) , Food Network star and cookbook author , combines her California take on her family’s  Italian cuisine (Kale Caesar Salad, Seasonal Frittata) with local Maryland dishes for brunch (Maryland Crab Hash, Crab Arancini).  Read the full story at Baltimore Post Examiner - Dara Cooks 

Yes, Baltimore, you can indulge in either a three course lunch or dinner for $12 per person.  The culinary students at Stratford University – Baltimore Campus prepare these lunches and dinners. The dining options are cycled with the daytime students’ curriculum for lunches for five weeks and then rotating to the evening students preparing dinner for five weeks.

Lunches are at noon, Tuesday and Wednesdays and the new five week cycle starts Tuesday, January 9^th and Wednesday, January 10^th. Email reservations required dmicozzi@stratford.edu. 

READ MORE at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner.

            Stanford Kitchen, which was designed to ensure that patrons enjoy a memorable dining experience, will bring an intimate feel to a relaxed atmosphere, serving recognizable American food from a scratch kitchen. The made to order, open-air kitchen will provide an upscale, yet inviting dining experience featuring 130 seats, and a large outdoor patio area. The restaurant bar will feature a wide array of specialty cocktails, beers on tap, and a large selection of wines.

Blueridge Restaurant Group expects to open Stanford Kitchen in Owings Mills by first quarter 2018.

“We are thrilled to bring our newest restaurant concept, Stanford Kitchen, to the Owings Mills community,” said David Jones, Managing Member of Blueridge Restaurant Group.  “We spent a considerable amount of time on this decision and ultimately came to the conclusion that this was an ideal location.  This concept will be familiar, but slightly smaller in size, for guests that have previously dined at the Stanford Grill, in Columbia.  As typical with all Blueridge Restaurant concepts, guests should expect a restaurant with a polished casual ambiance, top notch service, and understandable American cuisine that simply tastes great. We cannot wait to bring this signature concept to the Owings Mills community.”

“The owners and operators of Stanford Kitchen have established an extremely popular restaurant brand in Howard and Montgomery Counties, and we are bringing a well-known local operator to Baltimore County with this inaugural concept,” stated Ken Bernstein of David S. Brown Enterprises. “We are extremely confident in their ability to create a restaurant in which local consumers will embrace the atmosphere, menu and drink specialties. This concept is the perfect addition to Boulevard College Center. We believe Stanford Kitchen will immediately become a high traffic generator to the benefit of the existing merchant base because they run a first-class operation”

            Headquartered in Howard County, Maryland, Blueridge Restaurant group owns six restaurants throughout Florida and Maryland. In addition to four Copper Canyon Grill, and two Stanford Grill restaurants, this will be Blueridge Restaurant Group’s first Stanford Kitchen opening. The Stanford Kitchen brand features distinct, chef-inspired American cuisine in an upscale casual atmosphere that is conducive for power meetings, intimate diners or general gatherings with friends and families. For additional information visit www.BlueRidgeRestaurants.com

PRESS RELEASE:  The Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament, is a  multi-week event is a single-elimination tournament designed to showcase some of the area's finest executive chefs and restaurants. Guests attending this exciting event will be more than just spectators, as they enjoy the unique experience of witnessing two spectacular area chefs battle it out in the prep kitchen right on the main floor. Each evening two chef teams go head-to-head to prepare an appetizer, entrée and dessert for each of three expert judges, as well as amuse bouche portions of their entrees for up to 30 audience member judges. Their creations are scored on creativity, presentation and taste, and only one chef advances to the next round. At the end of this tournament only one of the 16 competing chefs will emerge as THE Mason Dixon Master Chef! 10% of the net proceeds of each ticket sold directly to Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. More information available at www.MasonDixonMasterChef.com ,

Final Two Restaurants to Compete on August 13, 2017

The Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament, the mid-Atlantic’s largest, live, interactive culinary competition, is coming to a close this Sunday, August 13, 2017. The summer-long competition began in early June with a field of 16 hopefuls, but is now down to the final two chef teams, who will go head-to-head for cash and prizes and the title of The 2017 Mason Dixon Master Chef Champions!

Below are the details for the final match Battle Royale, tickets are on sale now and are expected to sell-out.

Battle Royale

August 13 – Chef Fabio Mura of Grille 620 and River Hill Grill vs. Chef Damon Hersh of The Inn at Brookville Farms

Chef Fabio Mura, Grille 620 / River Hill Grill

Chef Fabio grew up in Sardinia, Italy where he obtained his culinary Degree in Culinary Arts and Management. He moved to the U.S. 19 years ago, where he made a home in Baltimore, and has since worked at some of the best restaurants in Baltimore, including: Sotto Sopra, Boccaccio, Blue Sea Grill, and Chazz: a Bronx Original. He is currently the executive chef at Grille 620 located at the Turf Valley Town Square and at River Hill Grill.

Chef Fabio won "Favorite New Restaurant" from the Restaurant Association of Maryland in 2014. He was also nominated for "Best Chef" from the Restaurant Association of Maryland in 2015.

Chef Damon Hersh, The Inn at Brookeville Farms

Chef Damon Hersh has been cooking for over 20 years, and in the restaurant business for over 25 years. He has experience and skill in a wide variety of culinary environments, including high-end fine dining, casual eating, family style, and ethnic influences. Chef Damon is currently the executive chef at The Inn at Brookville Farms located in Montgomery County in Brookeville, MD.

The Championship match will be held Sunday, August 13^th. Bios of all competing chefs are available at http://www.masondixonmasterchef.com/schedule-results/bracket.php. The competitions will be held at Points South Latin Kitchen, 1640 Thames Street, Baltimore, MD (www.pointssouthbaltimore.com/).

Tournament Ticket Details

Tickets for the Final match are available for purchase at:

http://www.masondixonmasterchef.com/purchase-tickets/. Tickets are $65 and include all taxes, a wine tasting by Boordy Vineyards, passed hors d’oeurves, the competition, dessert and coffee.  New this year, ALL Tickets for the competition are ‘Judging Experience’ tickets, which allow all guests to taste each of the six courses the chef teams produce (family-style) and be part of the voting to decide the winner!

In addition, the Mason Dixon Master Chef Tournament donates 10% of the net proceeds of each ticket sold directly to their charity partner Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland (http://www.mealsonwheelsmd.org).

Event Timeline:

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Doors open at 5:30 p.m.)– Happy Hour with Complementary passed Hors d’oeurves and Wine Tasting by Boordy Vineyards, plus Drink and Food Specials

6:15 p.m. – Cold Prep Begins for the Competition

7:00 p.m. – Chef Competition

8:00 p.m. – Judging Begins, Complementary Dessert and Coffee Served

Revealed during a live Facebook interview, the Italian chef and television personality Giada de Laurentiis let it be known she is opening a restaurant in Baltimore in 2018 but not the specific location.  My best guess, and guess it will be, is Baltimore Horseshoe Casino.

So a second question arises, why there is no banner for the celebrated chef duo of Aaron Sanchez and John Besh for their Johnny Sanchez Restaurant – is that the space Giada will be taking over?  This is all speculation on my part; I have no confirmation on any of this. If Johnny Sanchez Restaurant remains, then where does Giada’s restaurant go? Not the tiny Asian Fύ Noodle House – so again, my guess, Johnny Sanchez’s location. The Baltimore Horseshoe Casino opened in August, 2014 – so are we looking at 4 year contracts on the restaurants?  Again, this just conjecture, no real facts to support any of what I have posted here. Let me know if you think she is opening elsewhere in Baltimore.

By year’s end, Jack Binion’s Steak on the 1^st level of Horseshoe Casino Baltimore will become the first east coast Gordon Ramsay Steak. Chef Ramsay’s cache, a television personality with multiple shows, currently: MasterChef, The F Word with Gordon Ramsay, Hell’s Kitchen. His expertise, his Gordon Ramsay Group operates a total of 31 restaurants globally, with seven Michelin stars.

“I’m thrilled to be coming to Baltimore, a really exciting and emerging culinary city,” Ramsay said. “Our exceptional team is developing a menu that will combine the best dry-aged beef, finest seafood and freshest locally-sourced ingredients to create a unique Charm City dining experience.”

The press release states, “Ramsay’s vision for the restaurant is reflected in the dishes on the modern steakhouse menu. Gordon Ramsay Steak showcases prime beef dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days and cuts such as the 32-ounce Royal Long-bone Chop for two as well as American Kobe. With a nod to his British roots, Ramsay has expanded on the traditional land and sea offerings and developed a menu that is both distinctive and creative. Ramsay’s Beef Wellington and Sticky Toffee Pudding dishes, which have been popular items at Gordon Ramsay Steak in Las Vegas, will be signature items on Ramsay’s Baltimore menu.” 

 Peter Beets, World-Renowned Pianist

“Chopin meets the Blues”

Sotto Sopra Restaurant - 405 N. Charles Street - Baltimore, MD 21201

Wednesday, June 28th

Open Reservations: from 6 pm to 9 pm

410 625 0534

 $10 cover charge per person plus dinner reservations -ala carte menu

It is with great pleasure that Sotto Sopra announces the internationally-acclaimed jazz pianist Peter Beets will be back performing at their restaurant on Wednesday, June 28th from 6 pm to 9 pm when he returns to touring in the United States.  Beets wowed our guests back in March and so enjoyed the intimacy of playing our dining room, he has agreed to play for you once again. 

 Beets is regularly featured at major concert venues and international jazz festivals.

The Dutch-born pianist will be playing limited engagement concerts in the US, on the East Coast: New York, Philadelphia and in Baltimore at Sotto Sopra. The theme will be "Chopin meets the Blues," a take on his album, Chopin meets the Blues Live.

Sotto Sopra will be serving our regular ala carte dinner menu and offering open seating between 6 pm to 9 pm. There will be a $10 cover charge per person along plus dinner from our ala carte menu. Seating is limited to 100 guests for the evening.

Listen to Peter Beets

YouTube: https://youtu.be/58w5FeqT83M

Facebook: @PeterBeetsNL  Twitter: @PeterBeets

www.PeterBeets.com

Cost per Person:  $10 cover charge per person plus entree order from our ala carte menu

Reservations required: (410) 625-0534

Sotto Sopra Restaurant - 405 N. Charles Street - Baltimore, MD  21201

(410) 625-0534

Link to Event Web Page

https://www.sottosoprainc.com/new-events/2017/6/28/peter-beets-internationally-renowned-jazz-pianist