Strangest date ever... good place for swanky lunch in Baltimore?

secretariata wrote: Not swanky, but Pit Beef is an iconic B'almore food item. Been 30 years or so since I've been there and eaten Pit Beef so I couldn't recommend any place...

pit beef is bbq for those who don't know wtf real bbq is. it's wtfbbq

Can always do Fogo De chao if you want to dump lots of money, So good though........

Red brick station is good english pub fare and they make their own beer, all of which are good, just seems slightly out of place at the avenue in white marsh tbh, Du claw in Abgindon has really great food as well.

patgizz wrote:

secretariata wrote: Not swanky, but Pit Beef is an iconic B'almore food item. Been 30 years or so since I've been there and eaten Pit Beef so I couldn't recommend any place...

pit beef is bbq for those who don't know wtf real bbq is. it's wtfbbq

LMAO Take her to Chapps pit beef, has baltimore written all over it!

In reply to JtspellS:

Complete with the Gold Club being next door

914Driver wrote: Swankier than crab cakes in the inner harbor?

Arby's is swankier than crab cakes at the harbor. Please don't.

In reply to MDJeepGuy:

There are lots of excellent crab cakes and various seafood in the area, none of which are found in the Harbor. Bo Brooks and Canton Dockside would be the closest to the harbor, but pale in comparison to some other options in the thread for originality.

In reply to captdownshift:

Which is exactly why I said it. Crab cakes at the Harbor means Phillips, or Rusty Scupper, then an hour talking about how you're getting the "real Baltimore experience".

I went to both the DC Ikea and the Baltimore one when we moved my sister to Frederick last summer. If you do the DC one I can recommend May's in Frederick for seafood. Doesn't look like much, but darn good food.

Duke wrote: I also did a pretty swanky place directly across the way from RBS, called Bayou Blues Café, but it went bust about 5 or 6 years ago.

Closed restaurant?

Well, Curtis DID say he wanted a strange date! He may be the only guy on this forum who may actually enjoy that! lol!

captdownshift wrote: In reply to bluej: Baltimore has restaurants that meet and exceed DC if you stay out of downtown, unless you're talking steak, DC does steak better than Baltimore.

Gonna have to disagree w/ there Cap'n. DC has turned into a foodie city and the overall game has been upped orders of magnitude from even 3-4 years ago.

Edit:. Not to say that you won't find great food in and around Baltimore, just that DC food scene has changed a lot very recently in a good direction.

In reply to bluej:

I always found northern virgina to have better food then actually within the district. Eddy's chicken in Falls Church, Victor's grill, etc. (Even Ben's half smoke is produced in Baltimore for him). The district does have some good food, east capital market anyone?!? But I can name more places that will change someone's view and concepts of food in the suburbs or in and around Baltimore, unless it comes to steak.

If we're adding in Frederick Isabella's is the best tapas that's I've ever enjoyed and Volt speaks for itself.

Be glad that you 2 aren't going to be down this way early enought for breakfast as I'd have another entire list (starting with Blacksauce Kitchen)

In reply to oldopelguy:

The place next to May's has 30+ craft beers on tap in a rotation as well and is pretty tasty as well.

Ikea furniture ranked on the basis of how it is to have sex on

Some pre-date reading for you.

captdownshift wrote: or Woodbury Kitchen in Clipper Mill

I haven't been to many restaurants in the area, but I've been here twice and it kicks ass. Located in the remnants of an old mill. Super cool and great food.

Cap'n, when was the last time you actually had a meal IN the district?

In reply to bluej:

That's where your a lot has changed in the last 3 years holds water. I need to get swmbo to get me down that way to try a few new places.

thought that might be the case. when you're ready, let me know and i'll give ya the updated lay of the land for whatever you're looking for.

MDJeepGuy wrote: Go to the restroom, change into a tux. Walk out, remove the allen wrench from the pocket (with great flourish), assemble a table and 2 chairs in the middle of the store (perhaps on the stair landing right outside of the restaurant). Plate up some meatballs, and a soft pretzel. Sit and enjoy. Might not be swanky, but she'd remember it.

You are one twisted berk. I love you.

My short list:

1) Red Brick station (across the street from IKEA) Good food and beer :)

2) Andy Nelson (on the way down or up) different than most places Andy

3) Liberatore's (few miles from IKEA)Good food and service, nice place. Liberatores

4) Libs Grill (same shopping center) Fun place to eat and have a drink. Libs grill

In reply to Donebrokeit:

+1 on Lib's Grill, and if things are going well you can slurp a couple oysters on the half she'll to be ready for any later activities

So, Red Brick and Woodberry Kitchen are currently tied for my choices. The Red Brick is adjacent to Ikea so maybe I can get a quick eyeball on it on the way in.

Any of you Baltimore folks know when Haussner's went under? I remember going there as a poor kid and being amazed.

In reply to curtis73:

It's gone and they even tore it down this past spring. I'd go woodberry between it and redbrick, redbrick isn't bad but it isn't special either. Woodberry sets a bar that's hard to match. Both Clark Burger and Nacho Mama's have fantastic food, beverage and are properly funky as far as motif and style.

curtis73 wrote: So, Red Brick and Woodberry Kitchen are currently tied for my choices. The Red Brick is adjacent to Ikea so maybe I can get a quick eyeball on it on the way in.

Completely different places. Red brick is closer to a Friday's/chilis/tilted kilt. Etc. Woodberry is much, much, better. It's the "great food, different vibe, not stuffy, but not jeans and a t shirt" place you're looking for.

It's in my regular rotation, along with The Food Market in Hampden.

Also, when is this? If it's soon, either Woodberry or the food market gives you a reason to see the 34th street Christmas crap.

I still vote for the tux at IKEA. I'll show up in a duck costume to hand you parts, if that helps sell it.

Don't set the bar too high too soon.