Ellicott City's RegionAle focuses on iconic American sandwiches and craft beers

The opening of RegionAle in Ellicott City, Maryland got a little lost in December’s holiday fervor. RegionAle is a unique concept focusing in on iconic sandwiches from around the country along with having craft beers by the bottle and on tap (beers available starting January 17). If all goes as planned, Chef/owner Kevin Curley is looking at his fast casual concept to grow. Curley, attended the prestigious Culinary Institute of America and the School of Hotel Administration at Cornell University and also trained under Baltimore’s Award-Winning Restaurateur and Executive Chef Cindy Wolf. 

Read the full story and watch the slideshow at my Dara Cooks blog at Baltimore Post Examiner.

Eight Ball Meatball where scratch is a good thing

Fell’s Point, a historic Baltimore neighborhood where one can’t help tripping over a bar every other step and it has been that way for centuries. Sailors had to be in earshot of their ships anchored at the foot of the cobblestoned Broadway and Thames Streets.  One can imagine Anthony Bourdain spending a night hitting all the local bars, commiserating with locals and then looking for that perfect bite to round off his evening’s foray through the nautical neighborhood, possibly at Eight Ball Meatball.

Eight Ball Meatball has been open close to a year, an upgraded fast casual concept featuring, yes, you guessed it, made from scratch meatballs; the classic (beef, pork and veal), gluten free chicken, spicy pork, veggie and the daily special along with their daily salad, risotto and sauce. Pick a sauce; classic tomato, Parmesan cream, pesto, spicy meat or mushroom gravy, then how do you want it, in a bowl, as a sub or individual slider. Your meatballs are served as you like them on top of pasta or daily risotto, or a salad. You even have an option of putting an egg on it.  They are open for lunch, dinner and late night as well as Saturday and Sunday brunch specials.  Check out the slideshow for greater detail.

8 Ball Meatball - Get your meatball on and more

Photo courtesy of 8 Ball Meatball - Meatball sub with salad

Yes, there are meatballs and I’ll get to that in a minute. There are starters like charcuterie, fried pickles, bruschetta of the day and rotating specials.  Salads, yes – house salad, seasonal salad and roasted veggies.  Starches, check – mashed potatoes, creamy, cheesy polenta, a daily risotto, white beans and kale and spaghetti or rigatoni.  Put an egg on it, available for a small surcharge. Your sweet tooth isn’t ignored – churros with dipping sauce and ice cream by the scoop.  

Burger King was on to something a long time ago with the concept of “having it your way.” As fast food chains like McDonalds and others like them are scrambling to get their customers back, fast casual concept restaurants that let you choose your ingredients, creating a meal to your personal preferences  are the rage.  Enter Baltimore’s latest fast casual concept, 8 Ball Meatball that is opening this Sunday, February 21st in Fells Point at the old Tapas Adela location, 814 South Broadway. 

Owner, local Paul Weitz, “There are a ton of great restaurant options in Fells Point, but we hope to bring something unique to the table (pun intended). This is a town that appreciates solid, high-quality food and we are very optimistic our customizable meatball selections will hit the spot.”

Open for lunch daily at 11 a.m. and until midnight from Sunday, through Wednesday and 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday – perfect for the bar patrons in the waterfront neighborhood. 

As the 8 Ball Meatball website says, anything can be made into a meatball. The restaurant will offer four types of meatballs daily — classic, gluten-free herb chicken, spicy pork and vegetarian — and five sauces, classic tomato, Parmesan cream, spicy pork, pesto and mushroom gravy. A fifth rotating "special ball" and sauce will also be available each night.  Customers can order their meatball selection to be served in a bowl, as a sub or sliders with their choice of side dishes.

Oh, don’t let me forget that guests can imbibe with a beer, wine or a craft cocktail.

8 Ball Meatball – 814 South Broadway – Baltimore, MD 21231 – 443-759-5315 www.8ballmeatball.com  Facebook  Twitter and Instagram @8ballmeatball