Whatever could have gone wrong during mine and Rene’s Baltimore getaway this weekend, did. We both got sick, it rained non-stop, and the fancy dinner I was so excited about was an utter disappointment. The weather was expected but I was hoping we would brave the rain in order to see the city. Rene was sick with a fever since Wednesday and despite popping vitamin C’s like crispy M&M’s while taking care of him, I caught whatever he had by Saturday, and walking around in the cold rain would not have been a great idea. So unfortunately, I can’t really say that I got to know the city that well, but the weekend wasn’t all bad. Here’s a short recap:
A street in the Mount Vernon neighborhood where we stayed.
Panorama from a dock in beautiful Inner Harbor. Click to enlarge!
#coupleselfie
Enjoying Friday night outside - the only time it didn’t rain this weekend.
On Saturday night, we visited a place called The Brewer’s Art, a combination microbrewery and fine dining establishment in a gorgeous old building. The cellar is a casual, dungeon-esque bar where regular pub fare is served. The main floor houses a beautiful dining room with its own, albeit fancier bar; it’s adorned with dark wood crown moldings, high ceilings and crisp white tablecloths. The concept sounds cool in theory, but I honestly found it weird that such a casual bar and a classy restaurant are separated by just a single staircase.
After having a quick drink downstairs, we headed upstairs for dinner. The menu featured some unique dishes and ingredients, and we were excited to try something new. I asked the waiter what “duck ham” meant and he explained that it’s a brined, roasted and pan-seared duck breast. Being a fan of duck, I ordered the dish (pictured above). My poor duck breast was tough, gummy and over-salted; the accompanying rye spatzle was interesting but poorly seasoned. I would have been so much happier with a regular burger and fries from the bar downstairs. Rene’s braised Duroc pork cheeks were tender but a bit too porky. The spiced yellow split peas they came with were under-cooked and their sauce was not unlike plain ol’ Heinz ketchup. Of course there’s nothing wrong with ketchup, but it’s not something one usually expects to have at a nice restaurant.
On Sunday morning, disappointed to learn that it was still raining, we headed to the legendary Miss Shirley’s Cafe, which is known for serving Baltimore’s best breakfast. The space consists of three separate dining rooms, all of which were full, with two long lines of people waiting, to boot. The wait time for a table was one hour but we decided to stick it out, anxious to try their famous chicken and waffles. The downtown restaurant is stylish but the service is fast and the tables turn around quickly.
Thankfully, this dish was so worth the wait. The fried white meat chicken was not a bit greasy and the accompanying waffles were cakey and light. The honey mustard aioili drizzled over the chicken brought out the sweetness of the waffles, and the jalapeno butter really took this indulgent dish to the next level. My only complaint is that the serving size is too big! We were both full after just one piece of chicken and one waffle each. My suggestion is, unless you have an enormous stomach, split the dish between two people or ask your server to serve you half and pack the rest into a to-go container.
Stay tuned for another Baltimore post tomorrow!
Sorry about the weather and being sick
You’ll just have to come back!!
Poor Sash and Rene, I hope you’re both getting better.
To be honest you still manage to eat better than I do, even when you’re miles away from home and feeling poorly.
“The spiced yellow split peas they came with were under-cooked and their sauce was not unlike plain ol’ Heinz ketchup. Of course there’s nothing wrong with ketchup, but it’s not something one usually expects to have at a nice restaurant.”
Hurts to hear but it’s true. I forgive you!
Declan, believe it or not, I thought of you as I was writing that!