Restaurants to be Reviewed in New York 2008

In about 50 days, I will travel to New York and eat/review the following restaurants:

The Palm Court in the Plaza Hotel (breakfast)
Sylvia’s in Harlem (lunch)
The Oak Room in the Plaza Hotel (lunch)
Peter Luger (dinner)!!!
Harry Cipriani (breakfast)
Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Brooklyn (lunch)
The Four Seasons (dinner)

As well as ALL of the restaurants located on the Queen Mary 2 Cruise Ship

I can tell, this will be an excellent year

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

Restaurant Reviews!!! Coming Soon

This is a list of restaurants that I am going to review in the future when I visit them:

Morton’s Steakhouse- Baltimore
Tio Pepe- Baltimore
Cinghiale- Baltimore
Fleming’s Steakhouse- Baltimore
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse- Ocean City, MD
Brighton’s Orangerie in Intercontinental HarborCourt Hotel- Baltimore
Linwood’s- Baltimore
Palm Court in Plaza Hotel- New York
Harry Cipriani- New York
Grimaldi’s- New York
Sylvia’s- New York
Peter Luger Steakhouse- New York
The 21 Club- New York

Paris Restaurants: Angelina, Brasserie Lipp, Laduree

Angelina

Going to Paris and not going to Angelina would be like going to New York City and not getting a slice of pizza. Located in the arcades of the Rue de Rivoli opposite the Louvre, it has been serving hot chocolate and pastries for almost 100 years. Angelina with gilt, marble covered tables and the copious amounts of mirrors creates an atmosphere that is not stuffy at all. Even with the opulent interior, casual attire is fine but business casual often receives you better service. Angelina serves breakfast, lunch and light dinner and is a great respite from the crowds and pushing of the nearby Louvre. It is difficult to get a table from about 12pm on, but if you arrive early, a table is often available for the taking. The L’chocolat Africains (6.80 eur), a thick hot chocolate is the special here as well as an accompanying Mont Blanc (8.60 eur).

Pommes Frites (5 eur) (french fries) at Angelina

Pommes Frites (5 eur) and Tarte aux Pommes (5.10 eur)

L’Chocolat Africains (hot chocolate) with whipped cream (6.10 eur)

Angelina
226 Rue de Rivoli, 1st
Daily: 10:30am-5:30pm
Paris
Credit cards accepted

Brasserie Lipp

This brasserie, called by some the best in Paris, has had a big reputation. Ernest Hemingway was the first man to drink here, after its liberation in 1944, and the owner, before it was purchased, used to choose who would get a table and who wouldn’t. The restaurant has character, as the sign on the door says “no shorts” in English, which is definitely designated towards Americans. The specialty is the choucroute garnie, which is a mixture of ham, bacon and sausages over sauerkraut and potatoes.

Brasserie Lipp
151 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 6th
Paris
Daily: 12:15pm-12:45am
Credit Accepted

Laduree

Laduree, the Parisian café has three locations throughout Paris, two are antique and one is modern. I went to the modern one, which is located on the Champs-Elysees. It is located on the ground floor of a building that had scaffolding and hid most of the beautiful exterior. The restaurant’s color was mint-green and used dark wood and gilt, where green would not be appropriate. The specialties of the café were the pastries and without a doubt, were the best that I had in Paris. This café seems to be the most popular for tourists, especially those from Asian countries who have seemed to have built a following for Laduree.

French Toast in upper left background, Croissant and Tarte aux Pommes (apple turnover), iced tea (very bitter tasting), and omelette in upper right background.

Laduree
75 Avenue des Champs-Elysses, 8th
Daily: 7:30am-12:30am
Credit accepted

 

 

 

 

The Prime Rib in Baltimore

The Prime Rib is to Baltimore what Morton’s is to Chicago, simply put. Both have branched out from their original homes to having chains throughout the region (there is a Prime Rib in DC and Philly), but still having its roots planted deeply in the original location. The restaurant is located in the middle of upper-class Mount Vernon, a few blocks away from the Belvedere Hotel (read: condominiums) and has been there since 1965. Sadly, the restaurant is located in a drab 1950′s condo building, it is well worth it. There is very few street level parking spots, and you will need to use their valet service, and it is entirely complimentary (except tip).

The atmosphere of the restaurant was designed to replicate a 1950′s Manhattan Supper Club complete with jazz musicians playing the bass and piano, as well as leopard-pattern rug. You may not notice it until you drop a fork, but when you see it, you won’t forget. Reservations are required, as well as a jacket and they are not planning on eliminating either anytime soon. The recommended choices are the Caesar Salad ($8.95), if your not from MD the crab cake ($16.95) , and as the namesake, the Prime Rib ($41.95), which the restaurant says “is always available.” Also, as the waiters will tell you, the potato skin, the famous appetizer you can get at any TJ-McFunster suburban casual dining restaurant, is available and was made here in 1965.

The 32oz Prime Rib ($41.95)

Steak Fries ($5.50)

Hot Fudge Sundae ($7.50)

The Prime Rib
1101 N. Charles Street (between Chase and Biddle streets)
Baltimore, MD 21202
410-539-1804
Matchbooks: yes
Monday-Thursday: 5pm-11pm
Friday and Saturday: 5pm-midnight
Sunday: 4pm-10pm