Little Italy in Baltimore

Little Italy in Baltimore has been a staple of Baltimore culture and cuisine, even though it is insulted by foodie critics, it remains one of Baltimoreans and non-Baltimoreans favorite areas of Baltimore, and surprisingly is still inhabited mostly by Italians.

La Tavola restaurant on 248 Albemarle Street

Mama Cellina’s restaurant on the corner of Fawn and Albermarle street, which used to be occupied by the Maria’s “300″ restaurant

Vaccaro’s is a dessert/bakery in Little Italy that is a preferred after-dinner stop because of its famous cannolis and other Italian baked goods

Velleggia’s Restaurant located on the corner of Albemarle and Pratt streets

Da Mimmo restaurant located on High Street

Amicci’s restaurant located on High Street

Caesar’s Den located on High Street

Germano’s Trattoria located on High Street

Sabatino’s Italian Restaurant located on Fawn and High Streets

Rocco’s restaurant located on High Street

Chiapparelli’s Restaurant located on High Street

Dalesio’s Restaurant located on Eastern Avenue and High Street, a favorite dining place of Peter Angelos, the owner of the Orioles

Frank Velleggia’s Casa di Pasta, across from Velleggia’s restaurant is the retail location for homemade pasta and sauces served in their restaurant

The Flag House located next to the Reginald F. Lewis African-American museum was where the Star-Spangled Banner was sewn

Looking north, towards the Shot Tower

The Reginald F. Lewis museum and the Flag House

The Reginald F. Lewis museum and the Flag House

HarborEast in Baltimore Part Two

Page two of the HarborEast photography set

Courtyard Marriott hotel

Looking north down Exeter Street from Lancaster street

Cinghiale Restaurant (Northern Italian) on Exeter and Lancaster Streets in HarborEast

Spinnaker Bay building on Exeter and Lancaster streets

Another shot of the Spinnaker Bay building

Spinnaker Bay and 1000 Lancaster Street (on right); 1000 Lancaster Street, contains The Charleston restaurant

Spinnaker Bay and 1000 Lancaster Street buildings

The Eden apartment building on South Eden street bounded by Lancaster and Aliceanna streets

1000 Lancaster Street

The Charleston Restaurant on 1000 Lancaster Street

Looking west down Lancaster Street with 1000 Lancaster Street in the foreground with the Eden Apartments in the background

The Baltimore Civil War museum located in an old railroad station

Looking east on Fleet Street with the Baltimore Civil War museum and 800 Aliceanna street

800 Aliceanna Street

HarborEast in Baltimore Part One

The HarborEast development was a brainchild of H&S Properties and Streuver Bros. Eccles Rouse. It was designed to bring revitalization and gentrification to an area southeast of the Inner Harbor, one block across from Little Italy and a few blocks west of Fells Point.

The Marriott Waterfront Hotel on Aliceanna Street in HarborEast. The only accomodations at this point in HarborEast are either Marriotts (Waterfront (pictured), Courtyard) or Hiltons (Garden Inn, Homewood Suites). However, in a year or two, a Four Seasons condominium/hotel will be constructed bringing in luxury accomodations to the area.

A shot of the Marriott Waterfront hotel from Little Italy

A shot of the Marriott Waterfront Hotel with the Legg Mason/Four Seasons construction lot

720 Aliceanna Street building with the Marriott Waterfront Hotel in the background, 720 Aliceanna street contains above ground parking, and three restaurants: Fleming’s steakhouse, Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion restaurant, and James Joyce bar

Fleming’s steakhouse located on the ground floor of 720 Aliceanna Street, it is connected to the Marriott Waterfront Hotel by an above ground walkway and also contains two other restaurants: Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion and James Joyce as well as parking

800 Aliceanna Street containing two hotels: Hilton Garden Inn and Homewood Suites as well as many condominiums

800 Aliceanna Street building with a Haagen Daz on the ground floor as well as a Landmark Theatres movie theatre

The Oceanaire Restaurant located on the bottom floor of the Spinnaker Bay condominium building

The Marriott Waterfront entrance on the left side with 800 Aliceanna Street and Spinnaker Bay in the background

800 Aliceanna Street from Little Italy

Down Aliceanna street west

800 Aliceanna street on the left, and Courtyard Marriott/1000 Aliceanna street on the right

The Harborview Condominium Building and Ritz-Carlton Residences

The Ritz-Carlton Residences located across from HarborEast on the western side of the Inner Harbor

The Intercontinental HarborCourt Hotel, is the only 5-star hotel in Baltimore until the Four Seasons is built is located on the other side (west) of the Inner Harbor

The Oceanaire Seafood Room in Baltimore

The Oceanaire Seafood Room is a delightfully upscale seafood restaurant, all designed to resemble 1930′s Art Deco cruiseships. The Oceanaire in HarborEast is very large, and has three seperate dining areas as well as many cavernous private dining rooms. The mens bathrooms are very well supplied with many aftershaves, lotions, shoe buffers and barbisol for hair brushes. The waitstaff is very knowledgeable about the menu and can help you choose especially when there are so many selections to choose from. All of the daily specials are prepared in a special way while there is a selection of fish served simply grilled or broiled. The menu is printed on a thick piece of paper, as the selections change daily. The fish is flown in daily, with the fish swimming in the water the day before.

(borrowed from http://flickr.com/photos/melissaaxel/2030793666). I was sitting in a very large centric area and did not feel that using flash was entirely appropriate, so here is a better picture of the Grand Shellfish Platter.

The Grand Shellfish Platter comes in two sizes: Large ($80) and Petite ($43). The Petite platter contains 1/2 of a lobster, 2 Jonah crab claws, 4 shrimp, 4 mussels, 4 oysters and 2 snow crab legs. The platter took a little while to arrive, but was well worth it. The shellfish was incredibly fresh and the oysters did not have a very salty taste as less-fresh oysters do.

The Fried Cod with Salt/Vinegar Fries ($16) was a large and very filling entree of fresh fried cod on a bed of salt and vinegar drizzled shoestring fries.

(image borrowed from http://flickr.com/photos/annerobert/382744585/ for same reasons as above)
The hash browns are enough to feed a small (read: large) army is a great side dish to a meal, although Oceanaire’s side dishes seem to be more steakhouse than seashack (creamed corn, hash browns, creamed spinach).

The Baked Alaska ($6.95) at the Oceanaire, was the one dessert that I saw every table ordering. It had spread like malaria, as soon as one table saw the flaming dessert at another table, that table ordered it and then on. The sweet meringue surrounded a spiced ginger/chai ice cream on a brownie that was flambeed with Bacardi 151 rum. As promised, the meringue became soft and the ginger/chai ice cream remained cold and the dessert was the best part of the meal. Other desserts available were the Creme Brulee ($6.95), Milk and 4 Cookies ($4.95) and Dixie Cups ($.95). Yes, Dixie Cups, the little vanilla/chocolate ice cream cups from your youth with the little wooden spoons.

The Oceanaire Seafood Room
801 Aliceanna Street (in HarborEast)
Baltimore, MD 21202
http://www.theoceanaire.com/
Monday-Thursday, Sunday: 5pm-10pm
Friday and Saturday: 5pm-11pm