Baltimore

Baltimore Eats: Part 1

by Robert Rixman

With 30 days in the heart of Baltimore, walking distance to numerous bars and restaurants, Leslie and I plan to check out as many as we possibly can. Here is a look at our first 24 hours. 

Quick mirror selfie to get us ready for the day

Quick mirror selfie to get us ready for the day

1) Taco Fiesta

It came like this which was weird...

It came like this which was weird...

Our first restaurant experience in Baltimore was completely unplanned. While looking for a Whole Foods, we see a sign for a Taco Fiesta, immediately walk in and see four of the greatest words in the english language: "Breakfast Burrito Menu Available." Pick your ingredients like an omelet bar. I went with eggs, chorizo, guacamole, sour cream, and jack cheese. It was enough food to fill me up for the next 9 hours, but it was absolutely incredible. 

Crabicurious Rating: 4.5 crabs out of 5

2) The Red Star 

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A literal stones throw from our apartment complex, Red Star came to be a sort of life raft during a 15 degree evening. All we had to do was cover our face and run across the cobble stone street. Inside we are met with a hip, modern joint that melds corner pub with upscale sheik. Leslie and I started with a cocktail and guess if we ordered one called "The Draper?" No.... we ordered two.

Appetizer was the best crab dip this side of the inner harbor (so far) and for the entre we went with fish tacos and a buffalo chicken wrap. All in all, I'm guessing we will be back.

Crabicurious Rating: 4.5 crabs out of 5

3) Ra Sushi Bar 

Well its Valentine's Day so the first thing I plan to do is make a reservation for dinner. As luck would have it, the 2:00pm time slot hadn't been taken yet! So me and my lady started walking to Ra Sushi Bar (the top rated sushi restaurant in Baltimore according to Trip Advisor). All the bar was serving at this hour was mimosas so... we had mimosas. The dish of note here was the Las Vegas roll which was tempura shrimp and crab topped with spicy crab and tuna with a pin wheel cracker. It was the greatest sushi roll I've ever eaten and the second best one Leslie had ever had. And if you can believe it, we saved room for dessert, a light and flakey deep fried cinnamon ice cream. 

Is Leslie A) laughing at my hilarious joke or B) overcome with joy and happiness at that dessert?

Is Leslie A) laughing at my hilarious joke or B) overcome with joy and happiness at that dessert?

Crabicurious Rating: 4 crabs out of 5

 

Four Nights, Four Cities

Monday - 10:26am - Louisville, KY - prepping for trip, packing, checking email, attending webex meetings, heading to airport 

Monday - 5:01pm - Chicago, IL - have no recollection of this layover whatsoever, which is weird 

Monday - 9:20pm - Laguardia Airport, NY - landing in NY, riding a shuttle, checking into hotel

Tuesday - 9:00am- Astoria, NY -  eating New York bagels, meeting New York colleagues, meeting New York distributor partners, not adding a lot of value

Tuesday - 2:23pm - New York, NY - riding around Harlem with a colleague, riding around midtown, seeing stores, talking shop

Tuesday - 7:33pm - Penn Station - New York, NY - walking around, looking for my track, being confused, being hungry, asking stupid questions, finding the track, boarding the train, being very hungry, eating a nasty sandwich, arriving in Baltimore, renting a car, driving to the hotel

Wednesday - 8:30pm - Hanover, MD - meeting New York colleagues, meeting New York distributor partners, not adding a lot of value, setting up my office, finally working a little 

Wednesday - 1:45pm - Maryland and Montgomery County - seeing stores, talking to retailers, hitting the road to DC

Wednesday - 6:00pm - Washington D.C. - setting up for tasting, getting hungry, talking about Old Forester with UK Alumni group, forgetting to eat, wrapping up the tasting, heading back to Maryland, missing the exit for Subway, settling for some Doritos

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Thursday and Friday - Hanover, MD - working, eating, drinking, working 

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Friday - 10:15pm - Louisville, KY - touchdown