Sunday, March 22, 2015

Wild Seafood, Caffe Bene And The Reborn Bonaparte Bread Have All Opened

The new Caffe Benne (from Jessie X)
Quick hits before Lil' Chow and I head out in the food world this morning.  Sunday grocery shopping and maybe an adventure after:
I live in Columbia and regularly go to Strapazzas/Tino's.  Just wanted you to know that we were there today and it is under new ownership.  We spoke to the owner [in February]  He says they intend to keep the restaurant mostly the same with the same chef and only change some menu items that they considered weak points.  He said they intend to add "farm to table" options at a later date.

We carefully evaluated the Veal Marsala and the Fettuccine Bolognese and can confirm that it is unchanged. :)
  • AIDA Bistro has a new executive chef -- Chris Lewis -- and newly promoted sous chef -- Sylvia Choi.  AIDA is still on my list of places that I need to visit.  But people talk up their Italian food and their wine selections.  I don't post press releases from restaurants, but I like giving shout-outs to the folks who make kitchens run.

8 comments:

  1. I think Chris Lewis is recently of Iron Bridge, our local hangout. I'm hoping the Bridge doesn't suffer from losing him and that he jazzes up Aida's menu a bit. The food is good at Aida, but it's a bit stuffy, that's why we choose to go to the Bridge which is anything but.

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  2. For those who care, in spite of rumors that another business was poised to move into Bonaparte's location in Fells Point, I witnessed folks busy in the building supposedly working to reopen it as a bakery--so the Baltimore location may survive as well.

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  3. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/howard/elkridge/ph-ho-cf-wilds-seafood-0226-20150226-story.html

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  4. Quick note - Yogopop, off of Meadowridge Road in the same shopping center as Kupcakes & Co, is no more. According to a sign in the window, a Dunkin Donuts is going to take its place.

    ~kam

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  5. We've eaten at Aida a few times with the new chef. I've really liked the items he's added to the menu, but they have to also keep the favorites. I even liked the beets with my scallops, and I'm not a fan of beets

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  6. Does anyone know about the new Yama Asian Fusion that opened up on Route 40 in the same new building as Caffe Bene? They're most likely not associated with Yama Sushi in Dorsey Hall, right?

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  7. Bean and Burgundy Bistro on rt.40 is starting a lunch sushi buffet. Just saw the post on their Facebook page.

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  8. Just came from Facci's and had the Fettuccini di funghi porcini from the fresh pasta menu. The pasta was wonderful, but one of the porcini mushrooms seemed to be bursting with...worms....I asked the waitress if this was normal, and she obligingly took it to the manager to ask. She said it was normal, and offered a replacement meal, but I continued eating it anyway. I'm not too familiar with mushrooms, but that porcini seemed different from the rest...the pasta tasted wonderful, though there was something gritty in there (I'd guess dirt, or possibly the worms.) However, I came home and did some googling--apparently it IS normal for porcini's to be full of worms :P I'd still go back to Facci, but just a heads up to anyone to avoid porcini's if you get queasy about worms.

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I love comments -- especially comments that specifically recommend dishes or items to buy. Tell people what you like and why. If you can, please don't leave it as "anonymous." Just choose "name/URL" below, type in a nickname and leave the URL part blank. I like following people's comments even if I don't know your name.