We (two humble culinarians) are finding the food in Baltimore to be pretty good. A lot of variety, typically not a huge wait, and some really good seafood. Here's the second installment of Baltimore Eats in the order we visited!
1) Blue Moon Cafe
The Blue Moon Cafe is the top brunch spot in Baltimore according to some unknown blogger we found. The place held about 10 people and those waiting for tables were asked to kindly "get out of the way or stand outside." But it was worth the wait. Leslie got their "world famous" Captain Crunch French Toast which you can probably surmise was delicious based on the picture above. Robert went with the Sweet Baby Jesus, a breakfast scramble with crab because he's on a mission to be the crab species' number one enemy.
Crabicurious Rating: 5 crabs out of 5 (!)
2) Waterfront Hotel
Looking for a quick bite to eat we wandered down Thames Street and picked a random restaurant. Unfortunately we have no recollection of this place. Probably a combination of it not being very memorable and it taking too long to write this blog post. We do remember we had G&Ts because they were basically the size of a big gulp.
Crabicurious Rating: Forgettable out of 5 crabs
3) Watertable
This one, however, we will never forget! Not because of the food, but because we dined and dashed. O_O The cocktails were okay and we had some of Maryland's favorite, Old Bay, on calamari. Then we inexplicably got up and walked out. Oops! The server chased us down at full sprint. For some reason he was apologizing profusely. I was like, "yeah don't let it happen again bro."
Crabicurious Rating: 3 crabs out of 5
4) Papi's Tacos
We stumbled into Papi's Tacos after a long weekday looking to feast. Would this be the El Mundo of Baltimore? There was no wait, which was great, because we no longer have Ramiros AKA "Lightweight El Mundo" across the street as a backup plan.
We found ourselves in a cool brick enclosed patio (who doesn't love brick accents). Robert took a flight down Tequila Road and familiarized himself with the three expressions of Herradura (work never stops for some). For food, street-style tacos and it was pretty above average, but the search for the Baltimore El Mundo continues!
Crabicurious Rating: 3.5 crabs out of 5
5) Twist
Located a few blocks from Papi's Tacos was Twist, a tiny restaurant on Broadway with a very impressive website. A website that included pictures of wine, which is interesting, because drinks are BYOB here... not off to a great start Twist! It was also the most expensive per-bite restaurant that we've been to; Philip wouldn't be too impressed with the portion size. Overall though, it ended up not being all bad.
Robert ordered the crab avocado (two of his favorite foods combined) salad and it was excellent; from the plating to the tiny breadsticks, to the taste itself, it was a very nice dining experience. Leslie got the yummy mushroom ravioli and some nasty, slimy, smelly asparagus.
Crabicurious Rating: 3 crabs out of 5
6) Kooper's
On our way home from Twist, we realized we were still hungry so went into Kooper's Tavern for pub fries which were... you guessed it... fire! Thought we'd cap the night with some JD Honey and JD Fire shots since we're young and dumb. Unrelated: I left my wallet and credit card there. Also unrelated: Leslie got a debilitating migraine.
Crabicurious Rating: 4 out of 5 crabs (based on those fries alone and the fact that they have photos and paintings of a really awesome dog... I assume Kooper?)
7) Sushi Q
Sushi Q was our first restaurant experiences in Hanover, where our new permanent apartment is located. It was a wild ride: Jam packed, patrons waiting to be seated had to huddle around tables, and those who were seated were maybe 2 inches from the table next to them. The chaotic introduction soon turned into a pleasant dining experience. The sushi was spot on and fresh. They captured Leslie's heart withe a free spongy dessert thing, which was a nice touch. Overall, good name, decent food, decent experience... We did realize that we are a long way from the hipness of Fells Point out here. :(
Crabicurious Rating: 3.5 crabs out of 5
8) Rusty Scupper
Our first visitor to Baltimore! Uncle Mike was in town for a conference and kindly took us out to an amazing dinner. It was a classic Mike experience with his world famous hospitality. The Rusty Scupper sits right in the heart of Inner Harbor. We had the best table in the restaurant, overlooking the water.
Their speciality was seafood. Robert went with the Surf and Surf because how can you pass up a lobster/crab cake combo? Leslie had her go-to coconut shrimp and both meals were unbelievable.
Thanks to Mike for the excellent meal. For everyone else that comes to visit, this might be where we take you!
Crabicurious Rating: 5 crabs out of 5