PandaLHU "Always looking for a new place to eat..."

After sitting down to a face to face interview with Feast@4East’s chef Sandy Lawler, I head in with a friend to get lunch out in the garden. The lunch menu offers a nice variety of fresh salads and sandwiches. In fact I had a hard time picking which one of the delectable sounding items to try.

I tried the Grilled Lamb with Artisanal Feta & Lemon Dressing ($8.00). The salad was so fresh and flavorful. The dressing was a perfect blend of ingredients that didn’t over power of the items in the salad. The lamb was cooked perfectly cooked. My friend tried the Assorted Greens tossed with Sandy’s Vinaigrette served with sliced roasted chicken and pine nuts ($8.00). The fresh salads matched the garden atmosphere perfectly. I would love to learn the secret to her dressings!

I highly recommend stopping in for lunch if you are in the Mt. Vernon area or even try dinner. My next visit will to be for dinner to try the diver scallops or rack of lamb.

When you walk in your are welcomed with a contemporary design elements against a backdrop of time-honored architectural features by playing off the original Beaux Arts architecture of the former B&O Railroad Headquarters. The feeling is very sophisticated but not pretentious. Details from old B&O dining cars, such as The York, are incorporated into the chairs and individual lamps grace each table. Richly colored leathers and tailored wools with gleaming nail heads finish the chairs. The restaurant features seating for 146 including 76 on the mezzanine level, which overlooks the bar and exhibition kitchen.The service was by far some of the best I have seen in sometime. Not only was our server Joe great but the other servers I saw were helpful, friendly and on top of things. Joe was always willing to suggest a dish or further explain something off any of the menus.

To start with we shared the Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Salad with Chipotle Goat Cheese and Saba ($10). This salad was summer on a plate. All the ingredients were fresh. The mixture of flavors and the kick of the chipotle exploded in your mouth. Another item that sounded great was the Cornmeal Encrusted Oysters with Fennel & Spicy Summer Melon Vinaigrette ($12).

For my main course I had the Rice Crusted Diver Scallops with Summer Succotash, Cherries & Smoke Balsamic ($27). The scallops I must say were the best I have had so far and was perfectly cooked. The cherries and smoke balsamic were such an elegant flavor with the scallops. And the Summer Succotash added a nice texture against the scallops.

My Husband had the Petite Filet Steak Frites ($28) with Duck Fat Fries, Pickled Red Onion & Watercress. The filet was perfectly cooked to medium and was melt in your mouth tender. The Pickled Red Onion & Watercress added a nice texture and even more of an explosion of flavor in every bite. The Duck Fat Fries were served in a mini fry cage from a fryer and the deeper in the cage you got the more flavorful each fry was.

For dessert I tried my favorite dish- the “Really Big” Brulee with Cocoa Nibs & Candied Ginger ($7). The brulee was served in a long boat shaped dish and not only topped with the Cocoa Nibs and Candied Ginger but fresh strawberries and peaches plus candied peanuts. The Brulee was perfectly cooked through and did not have an unset or runny bottom. The Candied Ginger was my favorite topping and was a great combination with the Burlee.

My Husband had the Apple Tart ($6) with Organic Honey Ice Cream & Whiskey Caramel. The tart was served in a mini cast iron skillet. The tart’s crust was buttery and smooth and the apples had a slight sweetness and a nice mixture of spices.

My Aunt was in town from Portland, OR to visit for a few days so before a day of shopping in Ellicot City we went for brunch at Eggspectations. This restaurant is an upscale casual dining restaurant with a great décor utilizing the theme “Les Cirques des Oeufs” (Circus of eggs). The menu features 160 items, including appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, chicken, fish, steaks, pasta, and a large assortment of high-end egg and crepe dishes which are available all day long. Their specialty, Eggs Benedict, is offered in over a dozen different ways.

I had the Muffin Eggsplosion -Muffin of your choice (I picked Orange Cranberry) dipped in egg whites and grilled, topped with English cream, banana, kiwi and roasted almonds. “WOW” is really all I can think to say. This was so yummy I never wanted it to end. The only thing I would have asked for is some more English cream. The roasted almonds add both texture and a wonderful crunch.

My Aunt had the Eggstravaganza- two eggs (any style) and two slices of French toast, choice of sausage, ham, Canadian bacon or bacon, served with grilled potatoes and chef’s fruit garnish. Over all it was a nice size. The flavor was average but nothing compared to the Eggsplosion.

Our server was spot on and very helpful. She checked in in with us just the perfect amount of time. Overall, the food was good along with the service and décor. I am already looking over the menu as to what I want next time I go.

Here are some nightly specials:

• Monday night is Kids NIght: Kids 12 & under eat free with adult entree
• Tuesday night is Sr. Night: after 3 pm 55 & over 15% off
• Wednesday night Pancake Night: after 3 pm pancakes with any topping $5.99

I met some friends here this Saturday for lunch at non. Was very busy at noon so expect a wait. This place a a very extensive menu with about 160 items from smoothies, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, eggs, pancakes, etc.

The decor is set around “Les Cirques des Oeufs” (Circus of eggs). There is a lot of colorful murals and rustic walls and columns. The kitchen is ope so that you can see in. They had these great metal sculpture type things that were also wine racks.

I had the California Benedict -Two eggs poached, smoked salmon, spinach, asparagus and gruyère cheese on wheat bread with our classic hollandaise sauceserved with grilled potatoes. I switched the toast to an English Muffin. It was huge and was pilled on-top a lot of the potatoes. I expected the asparagus to be cut into pieces but it was served as 4 long whole pieces.

One person had the Eggspectation Salad- Sliced black forest ham, turkey, swiss and cheddar cheese mixed with our house vinaigrette over mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumbers and a boiled egg. I loved how they served the meat: it was served as meat rolls and sliced sort of like pinwheels and not chopped up. It was also very large.

Another person had the Prima Vera- Fresh vegetables with our tomato basil sauce. She also had the breadsticks that looked very good (they looked to have herbs mixed within the breadsticks). It smell very good.

Another person had one of the club sandwiches that was very loaded.

The last person had the Yogurt Parfait (granola, blueberry, strawberry) and a muffin (cappuccino chocolate chip). The parfait looked very light and filling and the muffin was huge.

For dessert I had the Lemon Drop cake which was very moist that had a nice lemon bitter taste to it. Some split the Heaven and Hell cake which was very decadent looking and had a lot of chocolate with a splash of white cake.

There were so many things that sounded good on the menu I can’t wait to go back and try them!

The Wine Market is the perfect scene for any age. The atmosphere is warm and welcoming with the industrial feel and the art adorned walls. I loved the feeling that surrounded me as I entered. I had a sense of relaxation and warmth. I thought this was a perfect place to go to during Restaurant Week.

I started with the Lobster Bisque with puffed arborio rice and shaved fennel. As it was placed before me I was impressed with the portion that I was given. The smells wound its way to me with a sweetness and savory. The texture was perfect and the seasoning wasn’t over powering. I enjoyed every last drop.

For my entrée I had the steak frites- grilled 6oz flatiron steak with rosemary, truffle malt vinegar fries, and hooks blue cheese. As soon as the plate was placed down my mouth started to water. The steak was cooked perfectly to my request and my love of rosemary was satisfied. The steak was atop the delicious mound of fries. The texture is hard to explain other than saying that they were soggy but also crisp. I must say these were one of the best fries I have ever had. The blue cheese wasn’t over powering and adds to seasoning on both the fries and steak. I had to make sure that this item was on their normal menu and I was ecstatic to see that it is.

Many of the items on the dessert menu were had a chocolate them. Since I am not very big on rich chocolate dessert I went with the mango sorbet. The sorbet was very refreshing, very dense and intensely flavored. As I ate it I wished that it wasn’t served in such a delicate portion- I want a triple scoop on this one!

My friend tried the curry chocolate pavė with toasted coconut crème fraiche (pavė is layered dessert that typically has a cookie or cake filling). For those chocolate lovers out there this is a perfectly rich dream come true for you.

The service was perfect for those of us who like to dine and mingle with our company. Our server saw that we wanted to be able to talk and spend sometime together so we were given out space but he also made sure to not let us unattended.

The food is beautifully prepared and perfectly seasoned. The wait staff was pleasant and attentive- willing to let you gossip and mingle and not pushy for you to order. I feel in love with each aspect of this new gem for me and while be a frequent diner.

When you walk into Ra Sushi you are greeted by a very modern and sleek atmosphere dawned in a dark and dramatic lighting with red and glowing sphere lights and thumping music (some say the music is too loud but I felt it fit the atmosphere they had set and you could still hear each other talk). The space is divided into several dining areas, with your traditional sushi bar and a cocktail bar and lounge area. With it being Halloween Night the staff was dressed for the occasion and had decorated beyond the regular décor with fancy hand carved pumpkins.

We started off with the Edamame- steamed soybeans ($3.25) as we peer over the menu and all the unique sushi they had to offer. The Edamame was lightly salted and steamed perfectly to our liking. To start with we picked the Pork Gyoza- sautéed Asian pots tickers served with a garlic ponzu sauce ($5.75). These pot stickers were crispy- I have had them pan fried before but they never turned out this crispy and I loved it! The flavor was a perfect blend of spices and meat and nothing was over powering. I will be ordering these every time we go! We also ordered a Viva Las Vegas Roll- Kani Kama and cream cheese rolled in rice and seaweed. Lightly tempura battered and topped with spicy tuna, crab mix and sliced lotus root, finished with Ell sauce and spinach tempura flakes ($11.25). When it arrived it looked so artistic I didn’t want to bite into it but I am glad I did. The mixture of ingredients made for a nice flavor with a little kick. The crispy tempura batter made for a nice texture contrast with the other items. I also had to drink a Mango Margarita that was so yummy! It was on the Happy Hour menu for $4.00.

For the main course my Husband got the Chicken Katsu- breaded chicken breast on Asian Cole Slaw with wasbi mashed potatoes and an Asian BBQ dipping sauce. The breading was very crsip and I would love to know what exactly the used to breaded it. When eating the potatoes be on the look out for the green areas of wasabi because they will clear your sinuses. After a couple times of this hit my husband stirred the wasabi in more which helped bring our more flavor! I had the Apple Teriyaki Salmon- marinated grilled salmon topped with sautéed Fuji Apple glaze, served with wasabi mashed potatoes. The salmon was very moist and perfectly cooked. The apple and teriyaki went very well with the salmon and the potatoes.

With a little bit of room left we tried the Cinnamon Tempura Ice Cream- Fried cinnamon swirl ice cream finished with a chocolate and raspberry sauce ($6.50). This was 4 large “slices” of complete heaven! When you normally think of fried ice cream you think crunchy corn flakes with honey but the tempura batter made a nice cake around the ice cream with a slight crisp to it. My Husband said he had no room for dessert but after one bit he ate his entire share and tried to steal some of mine!

We went for an early dinner before the Halloween festivities in Fells Point and found out about their great Happy Hour! They offer Happy Hour 7 days a week. From 3-7 on Monday through Saturday and then on Sunday they have Reverse Happy Hour from 8-11 pm. During Happy Hour they offer a wide variety of appetizers and sushi at ½ off. They also have a drink list the offers a vast variety of drink from $1 to $5. The Happy Hour specials are offered through out the entire restaurant.

We both agreed that the service was perfect and the dinner was a delight! We will be heading back in the near future- many times!!! So if you are looking for a modern dinner and want a great deal head to Ra Sushi!

The Patisserie Poupon is the only authentic French bakery in the Baltimore area. When you walk in your eyes may pop out of your head when you see the out of this world pastries and cakes.

My Husband was just Best Man this past weekend and the Bride and Groom got their cake from here. I am still working on finding out which cake it was they exactly got but it was chocolate with a raspberry filling. The look of the cake was such a sight to see it was hard to watch them cut it. (I will update this post once I find out the name of the cake).

My Husband and I picked up the cake for them Saturday morning (parking can be tricky) but where very impressed with everything we saw an tasted! I can’t wait to go back and try some other things!

I was out last week picking some things up and was hungry for lunch and they had a sign outside advertising lunch specials at $4.50 so I thought I would give it a try. There are 30 lunch specials listed at this price. The offer is good Mon-Sat from 11 am – 3 pm. All of the meals are served with pork fried rice and a fortune cookie.

I tried my staple favorite of General Tso’s Chicken. I got 5 large pieces of perfectly cooked chicken. The coating was still crispy with the sauce on it. The rice was perfectly seasoned- so many times I get fried rice and all I taste is oil and nothing else. The broccoli was also perfectly cooked and not to hard or over cooked. The sauce had a kick and wasn’t weak or to much heat. It was a perfect portion for lunch and some of the better General Tso’s I have had.

This is a great lunch special and the food was ready in less than 10 minutes. The price is perfect for lunch and you get a good amount of food for the price. I can’t wait to try it for dinner.

Where to head for a birthday? When trying to get together for a birthday people always try to head to a new place that no one has been to. A great pick would be The Abbey Burger Bistro. This welcoming joint is tucked in a small alley, so look for the side walk sign.

If you are like Wimpy and love burgers then this is the place for you. They have burgers of all sorts- from bison, veggies, lamb, etc. They have very creative toppings on the different burgers. You can even build you own burger. All the burgers are served in black-and-white-checkered-waxpaper-lined baskets. They also have an impressive beer list with a variety of domestic and international beers available on draft and in bottle.

One burger to try is the harry’s bistro burger- Roseda beef, bacon, sunny side egg, lincolnshire cheddar on an english muffin ($9) and added sweet potato fries ($3). My first bite was a bit of heaven- the muffin mixed with the beef and the egg makes you go Mmmmmmmm! Eggs have been served on burgers before but not like this one. The beef was perfectly cooked to order. The fries, oh the fries- they were the best sweet potato fries I ever had. They were perfectly cooked and seasoned.

Another great try is the peanut butter burger—Roseda beef, smoked bacon, and creamy peanut butter on a bun ($9). You may be questioning this combination of toppings on a burger. I was offered a bite and I must say I was impressed and enjoyed it. When you hear about this burger the first thought that could could to your mind is of a PB & J sandwich that sticks to the roof of your mouth but it didn’t do that. The peanut butter was a nice addition to it in the moderation that was on it. It wasn’t over powering.

Some of the other burgers that were tested and tried were the lamburger—cucumber, onions, herbed yogurt, lettuce and toasted pita ($9) and gunpowder bison burger—onion rings, point reyes blue cheese, bib lettuce and tomato, mayo on a bun ($9). My Husband built his own burger (starts at $8). Everyone was very please with their choices and all agreed that the sweet potatoes fries were out of this world!

The service was perfect and the atmosphere was welcoming and fun. The food was very satisfying and original. Next time you’re in Federal Hill try a Abbey burger!