Restaurant Review (Crush)

Crush
510 E Belvedere Ave
Baltimore, MD 21212
(443) 278-9001
www.crush-restaurant.com

Last night I enjoyed dinner at Crush, a restaurant located in Belvedere Square. This trendy split level restaurant is great for both friends and family. We were seated within moments of walking in at an upper level table. The downstairs dining room includes a glass window for great kitchen views. After sitting down one thing I noticed over the course of dinner was that besides me all of the women were facing towards the center of the dining room and the men facing the walls. Maybe this keeps the men out of trouble, I don't know.

The meal was quite good, however the server did not recommend the hot mushroom soup simply because of summer and the heat. However the mushroom soup was ordered and very good, not a drop was left in the cup. The mozzarella and tomato salad was light and refreshing using heirloom cherry tomatoes. The recommended cold soup was a puree of roasted beets and tomato with small balls of mozzarella and basil, another flavorful treat.

The entrees we had were enjoyable. The chicken penne with fresh vegetables was tasty but the cooks had a heavy hand with their seasonings and it was a little strong on the black pepper. The tenderloin salad cooked to medium well was dresses with a nice demi glaze and a honey mustard vinegarette. The dish also included roasted potatoes that melted in your mouth. Another had a salmon BLT, and the dish was perfectly topped with two large slices of bacon. The salmon was cooked well and the aioli was light and refreshing. The French dip sandwich was served on ciabatta bread and topped with provolone cheese and caramelized onions.

The dessert we ordered was a sponge cake, with a quenelle of vanilla ice cream and a blueberry syrup topping. This dessert was very tasty but lacked in presentation.

Restaurant Review (Mama's on the Half Shell)

Mama's on the Half Shell
2901 Odonnell St
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 276-3160

I went out Friday night with a friend to Mama's. We waited about 30 minutes in the bar for our table. Talking to all the interesting characters in the bar, and drinking Orange Crushes (pinnacle vodka, triple sec and fresh squeezed orange juice over crushed ice) Very Tasty. Once seated outside at our table had a very attentive server named Brian, a true local who has worked at Mama's on the Half Shell for 7 years and everyone knows and loves him. His service is the best I've had in years. I would recommend getting seated in his section. The recommendations, stories and attention to details were impeccable.

The salad was simple and well dressed in a light sweet balsamic and maple dressing. My friend had the fresh catch a pan seared rockfish with a bur blanc sauce and a side of macaroni and cheese. Creamy and crispy on the top of the dish and gooey on the bottom. The fish was buttery and flakey, perfectly cooked.

I had a medium rare NY strip steak with a tomato based steak sauce and French fry cut Peruvian purple potatoes, that looked to be tossed in oil and fresh herbs. My steak was mouth watering, tender and cooked perfectly. The first batch of potatoes was burnt. My server Brian got another batch that was cooked correctly. I still had an issue with these potatoes; it seemed to be a comp out coming from the chef. A French fry cut and deep fried purple potato is a just a bad choice. I will look black. There were so many things the chef could have been done: Roasted, Pureed, Mashed, And Smashed. Anything!!! Purple potatoes are not common place. Show them off!

I spoke to the bartender, server, and manager, over the course of our evening there. Everyone puts customer service and hospitality first, in this busy bar and restaurant. I would highly recommend this location and anything your server recommends.

Restaurant Review (The Rockfish Raw Bar & Grill)

The Rockfish Raw Bar & Grill
400 Sixth Street
Annapolis, MD 21403
410-267-1800

Rockfish has gone though some changes since opening. One of the dearly loved owners passed away, chefs and staff have come and gone. This bar and grill puts out some amazing food in a beautiful setting. The oven is a gas fired stone hearth and a charcoal wood fire grill adds nice notes to the food they cook along with all the other kitchen equipment. The menu is seasonal and seafood is always fresh. The pizza has a crispy crust with a little bit a chewy to it and all the toppings are the best of quality. The salads are large and made with great flavor combinations. My mouth is watering and I have not even got to the entrees yet. The seafood, beef, chicken, and pasta dishes are amazing. They take the time to perfect dishes before serving them to their customers. I have never had dessert here because I have always eaten well with the rest of my meal, but they look tasty. Everything from ice creams to cakes to fresh fruit. And let’s not forget they are a bar so a full selection of beer, wine and mixed drinks. The beer and wine selection is large and varies but all well-chosen selections to balance out their menu. You will find a drink that everyone likes in this selection. In the bar there are enough televisions to keep any sports fan entertained and live music a couple nights a week. Rockfish is well worth the drive down to Eastport.