Cinghiale

I am planning my son’s rehearsal dinner for next May. I really want it to be special and different than the standard “banquet” food that is usually served at event like this. I spent a lot of time looking at restaurants in Baltimore and Cinghiale was pretty high on the list before I even talked with them. After talking with Heather, I was pretty sure that it was the right choice, but my wife, son and daughter in law to be needed some convincing. Last Saturday we had dinner for nine. It was incredible. Because of the size of the group, we were able to sample a lot of the menu. Not a single dish disappointed. We had the risotto, and a couple of the pasta dishes, in addition the duck, steak and rock fish. OMG everything was nothing short of incredible. The somallier is quite knowledgeable, and with my limited ability to describe what I like, hit a couple of home runs. My sister in law, who is quite knowledgeable about wine, raved about his suggestions. The selection of gelatto for dessert, was varied, and each flavor was topped with a small cookie that perfectly complemented it. I can only think of one restaurant where I have had such creatively prepared food. Most impressive was the service. We were a party of nine, not the easiest for a restaurant to deal with. The service was friendly, prompt and nearly without fault. (They missed giving olive oil to my wife as she had her menu over her plate at the time.) The only other negative was the noise level, but because of the size of our group we were seated in the “bar” side of the restaurant. I am looking forward to working with Heather to design a meal that will knock our guests socks off, for no more money than a traditional restaurant would charge. If you live in Baltimore you probably already know about this gem. If you are visiting, Chinghiale MUST be at the very top of your list to visit. You will not be disappointed.