Live! Casino & Hotel presents David's Private Select Dinners

Have you ever been faced with what whiskey, bourbon, rum, tequila to try? Sure, you have!  Beyond straight up and on the rocks, are you curious as to how would they taste in a cocktail, what would mix well with them?  If I have described you, then the series of Private Select dinners David’s Restaurant in Live! Casino & Hotel just might be the night out you are looking for?  Every third Thursday of the month, an ardent spirit is featured and paired with a chef-crafted 4 course dinner.

Read the full story at Dara Cooks at Baltimore Post Examiner

MY SHIP- Songs from 1941 Cabaret comes to Baltimore

 New York’s Cabaret MAC Award Winner

Dawn Derow’s  docks “My Ship” at Sotto Sopra

Sunday, August 8^th – 6 pm to 9 pm

ONE NIGHT ONLY 

Cabaret at its best – MY SHIP has won accolades from New York City audiences this past fall and for a “one night only” performance, singer extraordinaire Dawn Derow and her pianist, Ian Hermann, will perform the award winning show at Sotto Sopra Restaurant. Step back in time and listen to Dawn Derow’s renditions of 1941’s Hit Parade interspersed with a five course, fine dining Italian dinner from Sotto Sopra.

The reviews are in, MY SHIP ~ Songs from 1941 - “Dawn Derow’s show exceeds and changed my opinion of cabaret singers. This isn’t just a cabaret, but a fabulous one women show.” - Suzanne Bowling - Times Square Chronicles. “The title song of the show, “My Ship” (Kurt Weill, Ira Gershwin), which she sings far better than Gertrude Lawrence ever did… “ - Robert Windeler from The Bistros

Tapping into the top hits of 1941 with songs like "Chattanooga Choo Choo", " Boggie Woogie Bugle Boy" and "The White Cliffs of Dover," Dawn Derow's "My Ship" explores the emotional climate of America as it entered WWII and opens our minds and heart to the women of that era, whether they were a 'Rosie the Riveter', a housewife raising children alone, a USO entertainer, or a nightclub singer. Derow revisits the music that comforted and uplifted a nation until there was peace "At Last."

Menu

Boston Lettuce Salad
Gorgonzola cheese/pomegranate seeds/Champagne vinaigrette/balsamic glaze

Asparagus Risotto
with scallop /orange brown butter

Mango Sorbet

Duck Confit
With mashed potatoes/broccolini/demi-glaze

Vanilla & Orange Cheesecake
with raspberry sorbet

$62 per person
(includes 5 course dinner & live cabaret show)
Excludes beverages, tax and gratuity

Tickets/Reservations: 410 625 0534
Watch Dawn perform songs from MY SHIP https://youtu.be/w2Hs84N14So

DAWN DEROW: A graduate from Boston Conservatory with a degree in Music: Vocal Performance & Opera Emphasis. Since moving to New York, she has performed in various clubs such as Birdland, The Metropolitan Room The Cutting Room, Don’t Tell Mama, The Friar’s Club and Carnegie Hall, as part of “Cole Porter’s 125 De-lovely Celebration.” Dawn won a 2015 MAC award for her work in the duo show REVOLUTION. Her album MUSIC 4 TWO with guitarist, Sean Harkness won for her a 2014 MAC Nomination for album of the year and in 2016 Bistro Award for Outstanding Vocalist for LEGIT: a Classical Cabaret.


IAN HERMAN: He began his musical career studying classical piano. At the age of thirteen he was a guest soloist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. After attending Manhattan School Of Music, Ian began working with performers including Jane Olivor, Donna McKechnie, Anita Morris, Judy Kaye, Tom Andersen, Karen Mason, Sharon McNight,Marilyn Sokol, Angela LaGreca, Carole Demas, and Joy Behar in nightclubs in New York and around the country. In 1999 he received the Backstage Bistro Award for best Musical Director. He was a pianist and vocal coach at the Broadway revival of Grease, working with guest stars such as Al Jarreau, Jon Secada, Sheena Easton, Chubby Checker, and Darlene Love. His other Broadway credits include “Jelly’s Last Jam”, “The Who’s Tommy”, “Song And Dance”, and “Swing”, for which he wrote vocal and dance arrangements. and “Laughing Room Only” with Jackie Mason. Recently he performed a concert with guitarist Sean Harkness, celebrating their new CD “DUET”, consisting of all original music.

BROADWAY NIGHT IS BACK - 5 Course Italian Dinner & Live Performances

Broadway Night Encore

Hits songs from your favorite Broadway shows & 5 course Italian Dinner

Sotto Sopra Restaurant

Sunday, February 25th – 6 pm to 9 pm

Tickets:  410-625-0534

After the sellout crowd at Sotto Sopra Restaurant’s first Broadway Night we have been hearing  “encore, encore.”  In the words from the Broadway play Oliver, “Please sir, I want some more?” has been resonating.  Sotto Sopra listened and pulled together an amazing cast of performers for this unique February 25th Sunday evening of your favorite Broadway tunes from Cabaret, Miss Saigon, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserable, and even Dear Evan Hansen. 

An ideal evening of our award winning fine Italian cuisine interspersed with live performances of the songs that continue-to-this-day lighting up the Great White Way.  Sotto Sopra is located at 405 N. Charles Street, the archway to Baltimore’s cultural district. Reservations/tickets should be placed at (410)625-0534.

Be part of the evening’s festivities; you might even be inspired to dress as your favorite Broadway character. It will be an evening of great vocal performances by these amazing talents:

Jennifer Miller: A professional vocalist and vocal educator, Jennifer has her Masters in Music from the University of Michigan. She has performed in musicals the likes of Sound of Music, South Pacific, Little Shop of Horrors, Godspell, Will Rodgers Follies and the Man of la Mancha. Jennifer was the choral music teacher at Loyola Blakefield for 14 years, and acted as musical director for all musical productions. She is now in her 15^th year of teaching music at the Children’s Chorus of Maryland. Jennifer has been guest conductor of the Maryland All-State Middle School Chorus, and clinician to music educators in Baltimore County.

George Wilkerson:  This tenor has extensive experience in opera and musical theater; most notably, performing the the roles of Beppe in I Pagliacci, Alfred in Die Fledermaus, Tamino in Die Zauberflöte, Bill in A Hand of Bridge, Donald in Gallantry, Professor Bhaer in Little Women: The Musical, Chauvelin in The Scarlet Pimpernel, and Jake in Side Show. He holds the Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education (Instrumental), the Master of Arts degree in Music (Voice) and is currently pursuing the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Voice Performance. Mr. Wilkerson thoroughly enjoys his careers as a teacher, conductor, percussionist, and saxophonist and has taught band, choir, and applied voice for over 15 years.

Patricia McKewen Amato:  Amato’s  extensive experience includes duties as conductor, coach, and accompanist at the AIMS Institute in Graz, Austria, Brevard Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Peabody Institute, Cumberland Valley Chamber Orchestra, and the Young Victorian Theatre.   She served as assistant music director of the Baltimore Opera Company and music director of its touring company; music director/conductor for Annapolis Opera, Maryland Lyric Opera, Brevard Music Festival, Opera Americana, Washington Savoyards, Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, and Rep Stage; and assistant conductor/chorus master for Washington Summer Opera and Opera AACC.  She holds a BM from the Catholic University of America (magna cum laude), a MM from the University of Houston (magna cum laude), and certificates in lieder, opera, and chamber music from The American Institute of Musical Studies, in Graz, Austria.      

MENU

Cream of Potato Soup with Crispy Bacon

Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil

Raspberry Sorbet

Pan-Seared Salmon with Red Pepper Tapenade & Roasted Vegetables

Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Gelato

$58 per person

(live performances and 5 course dinner)

Excludes beverages, tax and gratuity

For tickets call  (410) 625 – 0534

Credit card guarantees apply

Sotto Sopra Restaurant is an award-winning Northern Italian Restaurant that has enjoyed success for over 21 years located on Baltimore’s historical byway Charles Street at the archway to the city’s cultural Mt. Vernon district.  It’s 19^th century building’s dining room boasts tall ceilings, tile floors, gilded mirrors and a contemporary mural that depicts restaurant life.  

Asian inspired five course dinner at Sotto Sopra Restaurant: Guest Chef Tayfun Abuska

Baltimore’s award-winning Sotto Sopra Restaurant located in the heart of the Mt. Vernon cultural district has been very active with special events, especially their guest chef series.  Mark your calendars for a most engaging five course Asian inspired dinner from Chef Tayfun Abuska on Wednesday, March 22nd with two seatings:  5:30pm to 6:00 pm and 7:30pm to 8pm

Chef Tayfun Abuska, a Turkish native who started working at an early age at the Izmir Palmiye Hotel, transitioned to the 5-Star Ankara Hilton Hotel and continued to work for the Swiss Hotels. His culinary path has taken him through the French Embassy to the United States in 2008, where he worked for the Four Seasons Hotels in Wyoming, California and here in Baltimore. A stint at Michael Mina’s Pabu Japanese Restaurant working with Chef Jonah Kim has inspired his penchant for Asian dishes which is apparent in his Guest Chef Dinner’s menu.

Check out the menu and further details at my Dara Cooks blog on Baltimore Post Examiner

Grab your seat at Wit and Wisdom Tavern's Kitchen Table Series

There is so much to say about this series of up-close-and-personal dining and beverage series at s Wit and Wisdom Tavern by Chef Michael Mina in the Four Seasons Hotel, waterfront at Baltimore’s Harbor East! This is not the first of the rotating Kitchen Dinner Series that is kicking off February 1^st, in the fall of 2016; with the new open kitchen renovation came Wit and Wisdom’s initial series, the Curated Dinner Series, every Wednesday Night. Twelve lucky patrons were seated front line to the preparation of an exquisite meal created and assembled by Executive Chef Zach Mills, Pastry Chef Dyan Ng and optional beverage selections by Advanced Sommelier Julie Dalton.

It was just before the 2016 December holidays that I was invited to meet Celebrity Chef and founder of the Mina Group, Michael Mina, whose restaurant empire will hit at total of 30 restaurants in 2017 with his latest concept THE STREET in Hawaii. Mina is not a celebrity chef who spends time on television; he is a 3-time James Beard Award Winner who spends almost every day/night in one of his restaurants working with his chefs. It is his passion that the food, hospitality and surroundings fabricate a memorable experience. Chef Mina, “In this job and in this field, you have to love people. Not only do you need to love food, you have to love people,” and it shows in every nook and cranny at Wit and Wisdom.  Watch the video, slideshow and read the full story at my Dara Cooks Blog at Baltimore Post Examiner.

Gala 15th Anniversary Opera Night at Sotto Sopra Restaurant

It was 15 years ago in October when the owner and chef Riccardo Bosio of Baltimore’s leading Northern Italian Restaurant, Sotto Sopra shared part of his Italian culture as well as his cuisine with a night filled with live opera performances and a multi-course dinner.  Bosio grew up in Bergamo, no far from Milan and shared his mother’s love of opera and that was a start of what is now a monthly event that has been a huge success at this Mt. Vernon restaurant for 15 years.

On Sunday, October 16^th Sotto Sopra celebrates kicking off the 15^th season with a gala evening, bringing back former performers for a one night event of three sopranos and their tenor.  On this opera night, as a celebration of 15^th years, they are welcoming back Kathleen Stapleton, the soprano who performed the first Opera Night and many Opera Nights thereafter.  Joining Kathleen, by special arrangement is Diane Abel, whose operatic renditions of your favorite songs and duets entertained so many of you. Last, but far from least, is our current soprano, the versatile Karen Myers Rhodovi who amazes all our guests with her stratospheric high notes.

Opposing the exquisite singing of these 3 soprano stalwarts will be their long running tenor, Paul McIlvaine, whose musical tones have been heard at Sotto Sopra’s Opera Nights continually throughout all the opera nights. Hear all four voices as the evening opens with the resounding songs from La Traviata.

The incomparable accompanist, Thomas Hetrick, will “tickle the ivories” to complement the vocalizing that tells the stories of loves, lives and sacrifice.

Each guest will receive a free CD as a remembrance of the Opera Night 15^th Anniversary

They expect a sellout crowd; tickets should be purchased early to guarantee your evening of music, songs and the cuisine that reflects the deft hand that is Italian.

PERFORMERS

Kathleen Stapleton, Soprano

Diane Abel, Soprano

Karen Myers Rhodovi, Soprano

Paul McIlvaine, Tenor

Tom Hetrick, Pianist

MENU

Lobster and Prosciutto Crostini

Tomato and Basil Risotto with Roasted Scallop and Goat Cheese

Pomegranate Sorbet

Pan Seared Halibut

with sautéed spinach and avocado sour cream aioli

Lavender Panna Cotta

 with fig and caramel

$58 Per Person

Includes multi course dinner and live entertainment

(excludes beverages, tax and gratuity)

FUTURE OPERA NIGHTS – Save the Dates

Sundays: Nov 13^th & December 11^th

*Credit card guaranteed tickets are required for Opera Night. Parties cancelling their tickets 48 hours prior and no shows to Opera Night will be billed $50 per person in their party. 

Sotto Sopra Restaurant – 405 N. Charles Street – Baltimore MD 21201 – 410 625 0534

www.sottosoprainc.com Facebook Twitter @sottosopra  Instagram @sottosoprarestaurant

Street and valet parking available

Fork and Cork Dinner Series: Triple the food and drink

Put three of the city’s premier chefs and their restaurant’s sommelier together for a culinary pop-up event at their restaurants and you have the Fork and Cork Dinner Series.  The Fork and Cork series will include each of these chefs cooking at each others restaurant – each preparing dishes at each of the three dinners for a total of four courses each night.

This unique dinner series brings together Baltimore’s most sought-after chefs including Chef Zack Mills of Wit & Wisdom, Chef Bryan Voltaggio of AGGIO and Chef Chris Becker of Fleet Street Kitchen. Each chef will be accompanied by their restaurant’s sommelier, Julie Dalton, Chris Coker and Tim Riley, respectively, to allow guests to enjoy the full experience at each restaurant without leaving their seats. 

• Tuesday, August 18^th at 6:30 p.m. is the first in the series taking place at Wit & Wisdom at 200 International Drive.
• Tuesday, September 29^th at 6:30 p.m. is the second stop in the dinner series at Aggio Restaurant at 614 Water Street
• Tuesday, November 3^rd at 6:30 p.m. wraps up the Fork and Cork Dinner Series at Fleet Street Kitchen at 1012 Fleet Street.

As an additional challenge, the restaurant sommeliers will not have access to the menu until the day of the event, having them search in their wine cellars for the perfect wine for their chef's creations. 

Each dinner is $99 that includes a four course meal (food and drink), excludes tax, gratuity and ticket fee. Valet parking is not inclusive. 

For further information go to Eventbrite www.eventbrite.com/o/fork-amp-cork-dinner-series-8302064478#sthash.nXkyRcXv.dpuf

You can purchase for just one of the dinners or if you purchase tickets to all three dinners you will receive a $25 gift card to each restaurant and a chance to WIN Dinner For Two at all three restaurants! 

Evolution Craft Brewing and Nickel Taphouse special event

Mt. Washington’s Nickel Taphouse hosts Evolution Craft Brewing on Thursday, July 23rd for EVO Flights and Bites Night for $15.00.  From happy hour on to closing guests get a prix fixe pairing of 3-5oz. beers and 3 beercentric bites. 

Value added pluses; meet the owners of Evolution Craft Brewing from 6 to 8 p.m. Also tap into a special limited release, RIS (Rise-up Imperial Stout), that evening as well. 

Nickel Taphouse – 1604 Kelly Avenue – Baltimore MD   www.nickeltaphouse.com  443-869 6240 Facebook Twitter @NickelTaphouse Instagram @thenickeltaphouse #EVRBTR

PABU’s reopening party and all are invited

They’re back, they’re back – PABU Izakaya is back after emergency repairs to the interior.  PABU’s reopening party, as with all their events, are fun and done with panache.  PABU invites the public to join the re-opening party celebration  on Friday, March 7th – 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

At the reopening event, guests will enjoy music from local DJ Jay Gray, savor new menu items and explore PABU’s extensive beverage options.  The event will offer guests the first taste of PABU’s new spring cocktails, in addition to a full beverage menu, a sake station and various specials. Cost per person is $30 (excludes tax & gratuity)  Cash bar.  

Get all the details and watch the video HERE.

A unique culinary dining gift to give for Valentine’s Day

Five chefs, that is five renowned regional  women chefs, a five course meal, an award winning woman mixologist from New York City pairing those courses with 12 beverages,  and it benefits the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults. Do I have your attention now?

Heave Seas proudly present another in their series of Guest Chef Dinners, this one celebrating Heavy Seas Alehouse’s 2^nd anniversary.  Get all the details and watch the video HERE

Icing Smiles – Escape and positive memories for families in need

Icing Smiles is a nonprofit organization that provides custom celebration cakes and other treats to families impacted by the critical illness of a child.  They understand that the simple things, like a cake, are luxuries to a family battling illness.  Their goal is to create a custom cake for the ill child, or their sibling, that provides a temporary escape from worry and creates a positive memory during a difficult time.

Icing Smiles is a national organization with its roots in Baltimore.  It is here in Baltimore this year’s cocktail fundraiser, the Buttercream Ball –Winter Wonderland, will take place on February 8 at 7 p.m. at the Great Room at Historic Savage Mill – live entertainment, dancing, sweet and savory edibles, amazing sugar art along with a silent auction.  Tickets are  $75 each and can be purchased here.

Read the full story and watch the cake decorating video HERE.