Check out Baltimore City restaurants that are extending Restaurant Week

Today officially wraps of Baltimore City Winter Restaurant Week and like other Restaurant Week promotions some restaurants have chosen to extend the promotion. Considering the weather issues we have had in the past two weeks, many have missed their reservations so here is the list:
 

·         Apropoe’s

·         Canton Dockside

·         Chiapparelli’s

·         Caio Bella Ristorante

·         Da Mimmo Finest Italian Cuisine

·         Heavy Seas Alehouse

·         Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

·         Maggie’s Farm

·         Matsuri Japanese Restaurant

·         Mother’s Federal Hill Grille

·         OZRA

·         Phillips Seafood Baltimore

·         Sabatino’s Italian Restaurant

·         Supano’s Steakhouse

·         Tapas Adela

·         The Rowhouse Grille

·         Verde

·         Ware House 518 Restaurant & Bar

Diners can check out any additional restaurants at the Absolutely Febulous Website www.absolutelyfebulous.com/eat. This website will be live until March 8th. Diners should contact the restaurants directly for the specific dates of the restaurants participation.

Get a taste of historic Frederick Maryland - Winter Restaurant Week.

Less than an hour’s drive from Baltimore and Washington, DC, historic downtown Frederick shines – a bright star offering mountain vistas, a mini metropolis with a vibrant Main Street community, theatre, hiking trails, culinary food tours and a plethora of historic sites to engage all ages.   

Over the years, downtown Frederick has become a vibrant restaurant town offering local farm-to-table fare to Chef Bryan Voltaggio’s high end, culinary artistry on a plate at Volt.  Each year, the first full week in March, visitors and locals alike can enjoy specialty dining during Frederick’s Restaurant Week kicking off Monday, March 2^nd and ending on Sunday, March 8^th. 

It has been a while since I’ve been to Frederick and a quick walk down Carroll Creek highlighted both the old and the new.  Ice sculptures were all along the pathway, remnants of their Fire in Ice First Saturday celebration in February – an annual free event.  Grab yourself a reservation at one of 19 restaurants participating in Frederick Restaurant Week and indulge in March’s First Saturday celebration – Shop Small, Shop Local – featuring over 200 shops, galleries and of course, restaurants.

A number of the media met on an unusually balmy day in February at the Visit Frederick Tourist Center where we were introduced to Frederick County’s Distillery Lane Ciderworks and tasted their handcrafted ciders before a walking tour of a handful of the participating restaurants.  

Check out the full story and slide show HERE.

Baldwin's Station offers up vegetarian cooking class

photography courtesy of Steven Tapper

Whether you are a vegetarian or doing Meatless Mondays the 3 course vegetarian demonstration cooking class and dinner at Baldwin’s Station should be inked in on your calendar.  Learn tricks and trucs of vegetarian cooking from Executive Chef Dustin Heflin in one of Baldwin’s Station railroad memorabilia decorated dining rooms and then enjoy the dishes themselves. 

Cost per student is $45; that includes the vegetarian demonstration cooking class on Wednesday, February 25^th at 6:30 pm, the three course dinner including non-alcoholic beverages and the company of like-minded cooks. Not inclusive is alcoholic beverages, tax and gratuity.  Call for menu details and to reserve your seats at 410-795-1041.  

Baldwin’s Station is housed in Sykesville’s original railroad station; the restaurant has been the recipient of numerous awards and favorable press since its creation by owner Stewart Dearie in August 1997.

Baldwin’s Station – 7618 Main Street – Sykesville, MD  21784  410-795-1041 www.baldwinsstation.com Facebook Twitter @BaldwinsStation

Restaurant Association of Maryland Gala Awards: Your votes count

The 75 year old Restaurant Association of Maryland, the statewide trade association for the restaurant industry, has just announced the nominees for the 2015 Stars of the Industry Awards. Winners will be announced at their 61^st Annual Stars of the Industry Gala – Havana Nights on April 12^th.  

Earlier this year, the general public sent in their nominations in seven categories. The Restaurant Association of Maryland just announced the finalist and opened up the voting to both industry professionals and the public.   Everyone likes bragging rights and for these restaurants, the wins are important, it reflects the consumers’ appreciation of their commitment to offering only the best that they put on their plates and in their glasses.  

Voting is open now through March 11 and you, John or Jane Q. Public, can now vote for your favorites online at marylandrestaurants.com/gala or on Facebook, facebook.com/marylandrestaurants.

Chef of the Year, presented by Oracle:
1. Michael Matassa – Alchemy, Baltimore
2. Jordan Lloyd – Bartlett Pear Inn, Easton
3. Geoff Tracy – Chef Geoff’s, Rockville
4. Fabio Mura – Grille 620, Ellicott City
5. Stephanie Wilson – Vintage, New Market

Craft Brew Program of the Year, presented by Evolution Craft Brewing Company:
1. Burley Oak Brewing Company – Berlin
2. Max’s Taphouse – Baltimore
3. Red Brick Station – White Marsh
4. T-Bonz Grille & Taphouse - Ellicott City
5. Victoria Gastro Pub – Columbia

Favorite New Restaurant:
1. Ananda – Fulton
2. Highland Inn – Highland
3. Iron Rooster – Annapolis
4. Lib’s Grill – Perry Hall
5. Touch of Italy – Ocean City

Favorite Restaurant:
1. Houlihan’s – Columbia
2. Jules Restaurant – Ocean City
3. Laurrapin Grille – Havre de Grace
4. Madrones – Frederick
5. Miss Shirley’s Café – Baltimore
6. Pasta Plus – Laurel

Favorite Bar or Tavern:
1. Birroteca – Bel Air
2. Dogfish Head Alehouse – Gaithersburg
3. Galway Bay – Annapolis
4. Kooper’s Tavern – Baltimore
5. River Hill Sports Grille – Clarksville

Heart of the Industry, presented by CohnReznick:
1. Julio Dupuy (Sous Chef) – Iron Rooster
2. Dennis Theriault (Manager) – Laurrapin Grille
3. Danielle Bloom (GM) – Schula’s Grill & Crabhouse

Wine and Beverage Program of the Year:
1. Bistro Blanc – Glenelg
2. Cunningham’s – Towson
3. Grapeseed American Bistro & Wine Bar – Bethesda
4. Red Red Wine Bar – Annapolis
5. The Wine Kitchen – Frederick

They may be local but their fries are global: The Local Fry is open

Whether you are a French fry aficionado, or not, you need to try The Local Fry’s selection of specialty French fries.  The plain and unadulterated triple fried Idaho potatoes are top-notch, crispy and tasty, but at the newly opened The Local Fry you want to dig into their specialty French fries.  This isn’t just stoner food, the French fries are topped with tasty flavor profiles that are globally inspired: Poutine, Greek, Kimchi Pork, Banh Mi, Buffalo Chicken, Hawaiian, Tonkatsu Curry and the house fries named ‘The Local Fry’ on the blackboard menu are spicy Mexican.

Irishman Kevin Irish and his wife, Elizabeth, an American, met while Elizabeth was traveling in Europe. After the marriage they moved to the United States in 2009.  A trip back to Ireland was the inspiration for The Local Fry, there were just some dishes the couple craved and couldn’t get here. Think Irish chips, which are reminiscent of our French fries, but thicker, usually about 16 fries to an average sized russet potato. The potato is a blank canvas, like pasta and rice it can be topped with almost anything.

Check out the slideshow and full story HERE.