People constantly ask me where some of the best eating spots are in and around town, and what particular dishes to order.
Like a lot of folks, I often turn to friends and associates in the dining community for their thoughts and suggestions. Here are some recommendations from five leading local media personalities and influencers.
Dara Bunjon
Local foodie and host of Jmore’s “The Food Enthusiast” (broadcast every Thursday afternoon at 1 on Facebook Live)
“Favorite New Restaurant: Nick’s Grandstand Grill & Crabhouse.
“So I’m reading Dan Rodricks’ [Baltimore Sun] column this summer and he lists 10 random items that are his tips. He talked about this restaurant with a $12 crab cake in Timonium. Well, I’m right there about three times a week going to the gym.
“When I went, the $12 crab cake was now $15 with an order of fries and coleslaw, and they have a decent shrimp salad. Nick’s is a bit hard to find until you understand it is in the Timonium Fairgrounds grandstand with offsite betting. Haute cuisine it isn’t, but casual value for the money and a great place to grab lunch or dinner.
“Something a little different and fun are Chef Nancy Longo’s special event dinners. Just this week, I headed down to Pierpoint Restaurant to celebrate ‘National Dumpling Day.’ I can’t say I’ve been to all of these events, but they’re on my list — ‘Harry Potter Hogwarts Feast ‘n’ Fun,’ ‘Tequila Dinner,’ ‘Rum Dinner,’ ‘Bastille Day Dinner,’ ‘Secret Dim Sum Dinner,’ ‘Champagne & Fries Day,’ ‘Mardi Gras Dinner’ and ‘Year of the Rabbit Chinese New Year.’
“Hidden away in a tiny strip mall on Reisterstown Road [in Pikesville] is Wing Wah, my go-to place for Cantonese food. A lot of times, I hit them up for the lunch special, which feeds me for two days. My faves are the chicken or shrimp chow mein, shrimp in lobster sauce, spare ribs and their wonton soup.”
Kathy and Neal Patterson
Local authors and bloggers at minxeats.com
“True Chesapeake Oyster Co., La Cuchara, Cosima, Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro, Kung Fu 12 Szechuan, La Food Marketa and Earth Wood & Fire are our favorites and ‘go-to’ restaurants, for both plain and fancy occasions.”
Diane Lyn
Diane Lyn Radio/Voiceover Talent
“Pappas’ crab cakes are amazing! They are large — I can get almost two meals out of one— affordable and deliciously made. All lump meat. Plus, they can be ordered gluten-free. Bonus — original chocolate Smith Island Cake, imported from the Eastern Shore.
“Another go-to is Uncle’s Hawaiian Grindz [in Bel Air]. All of their dishes are delish. We like their pu pu platter for the variety. Coconut shrimp, firecracker chicken, pork, beef, etc. They offer tasty polenta or sticky rice as well. Their macaroni salad is to die for! Fun desserts and creative tropical cocktails.”
Chris Franzoni
EatMoreBeMore
“One of my favorite bites in Baltimore is the lobster roll at Thames Street Oyster House. A close second is the ‘Sweet Baby Jesus’ [platter] at Blue Moon Café. Or if you’re looking for a quick bite, grab ‘The Neighborhood Bird’ at Ekiben.
“And you simply can’t go wrong with anything at The Food Market, including the foot-long mozzarella sticks, the crab balls and spaghetti, or the French onion rings.”
Oh, Have You Heard?
While Facebook, Instagram, Yelp and other social media platforms and websites have become the primary sources to find out about and comment on dining experiences, word-of-mouth is still the most popular way to get the best tips.
Here are a few nibbles and bites from a very informal Facebook survey:
Travis Pedley “Waterfront/dock bar at Charly’s [in Essex] is head-and-shoulders over the rest. Charly’s has a legit cocktail program run by Perez [Klebahn], and legit food menu from Chef David [Quiroz], once of Langermann’s. Owner Jason [Sanchez] is a genuine rockstar.”
Sheryl Levy “Fallston Barrel House [in Fallston] — every single dish is 10-plus.”
Yehudis Eisenberg “My go-to spot for kosher dining was Dougie’s, which [recently] closed overnight. Instead go to Taam Thai. The (meat)-drunken noodles [are] consistent, always good. And make your own poke bowl and egg rolls. The food and service is always good, and the place is clean. It’s near Goldberg’s bagels [where] I LOVE the ‘Everything Bagel.’
“Accents Grill at the Atrium on Smith Avenue — burgers and deli are good, as are the split pea and brisket soup. Best I’ve ever tasted anywhere.”
Cindy Fox “Reter’s — the crab soup is to die for, and the specialty menu is fabulous. First Watch — Mom loves blueberry pancakes. For those that don’t eat bread, their egg dish bacado omelets are excellent.”
Gail Furman, co-owner of Max’s Taphouse “Of course, I think the Max’s Taphouse menu is amazing. I LOVE Thames Street Oyster House. Literally everything on the menu is incredible. When they have it, I always order the bouillabaisse. It has a wonderful soup base, fresh paste and tender seafood. And I always have leftovers to take home! And of course, OYSTERS!”
Heidi Fisher “Gluten-free is way easier to find than ever before, but some places are tastier than others. The real test of a great chef is when he or she can do gluten-free without it making the meal flavor-free. My family goes to the Stanford Kitchen a lot. Great hamburger with a gluten-free bun.”
Bill Billings “Little Donna’s was just voted one of the 50 best in the U.S. by the New York Times. It’s next door to our house. My favorite is the pork schnitzel stuffed with Ostrowski’s fresh kielbasa with perogies. Their brick-oven pizza is amazing, too.”
Geoffrey Friedman “Limoncello. Best bone-in veal parm. Great pasta. The sea bass at Linwood’s never disappoints.”
Cathy Shapiro “For vegan, Great Sage and Hue Cafe & Apothecary in Owings Mills. And the Toki Underground is off-the-hook good.”
Jay M. Cohen “My new favorite is Alma Cocina!”
Amy Burke Friedman “La Cuchara, Dylan’s Oyster Cellar and Marta!”
Randi Rom is president of RJ Rom & Associates. She is a freelance columnist and writer who represents some of the region’s top restaurants and food-related events. Contact her at randirom@ comcast.net.
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