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!

I was heading out for a night with a friend and our first stop was to have dinner. Driving up Charles St. we decided to stop at XS Baltimore for dinner. I loved the atmosphere as soon as we walked in.

Have you even seen breakfast, sushi, cocktails and dessert all on one menu? Well here you will! The menu adds to the eclectic atmosphere.

The atmosphere adds to the originality of menu- exposed brick, steel and modern lighting with eccentric glass. The feel was very modern and hip. There are four possible floors for dining: 1- coffee bar/outdoor dining/sushi bar, 2- Mezzanine Dining, 3- Main Restaurant Dining Area with bar and DJ, and 4- Loft Dining Area. We ate on the 2nd floor which offered a great view of the main floor below.

My friend and I decide we would share some sushi and each order a salad. I started with the Cran-Apple Salad ($6.95)-mixed greens, sliced apples, dried cranberries, walnuts, and maple vinaigrette. The salad was crisp and refreshing except they did over do the dressing a bit. Since it was a vinaigrette is did flow to the bottom of the salad and was not drowning in it. My friend ordered the Mixed Berries Salad ($6.50)- a mixtures of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and strawberries. The berries were fresh.

One of the sushi rolls we split was the Crazy Salmon Roll ($11.95)-8 piece Spicy salmon and tempura flakes inside, outside torched salmon and masago with eel sauce and sweet and spicy sauce. Beware this one is SPICY and it sticks with you- trust me it lingers! The second roll was Crunchie Fire ($11.50)- 8 piece Shrimp tempura and avocado inside; spicy tuna, tempura flake, and spicy sauce outside. This one had a kick to it but in no way lingered like the Crazy Salmon Roll. Both rolls were fresh and flavorful. Besides the heat (I would still order it again) we enjoyed both rolls extremely.

The décor is accented with dramatic lighting that includes lanterns replicated from China’s “Forbidden City.” There is also a gold-leafed Buddha keeps a watchful eye over the guests while they peruse Executive Chef Shawn Edelman’s menu, a collection of delicious dishes from every part of the Asian continent. I started with the Ruby’s Crisp Chicken- lettuce wraps & hoisin dipping sauce ($9.50). It was good as any other lettuce wrap. Then I tried the Dragon Roll- BBQ eel, shrimp, cilantro aioli ($13.00). The ailoi was a nice addition to the taste. Both were very tasting and well prepared. My husband had Stir-fry Filet Mignon- chow fun noodles and black bean garlic sauce ($21.75). He enjoyed they mixture of bean and garlic in the sauce. He was a bit up in the air about the texture of the noodle.

“After arriving, we headed off to explore Greenwich Village. Before heading over to Washington Square Park we got lunch at John’s Pizzeria. Now they don’t server pizza by the slice, but that is ok because you will end up eating the entire pie. We ordered a small pizza (14 inches, $12.00) with mushrooms and pepperoni ($2.00 each). There are plenty of craters and bubbles in the thin brick oven pizza. The feel of this pizza joint was very welcoming with the gratified covered walls. You get the sense of being "local”."

After walking across the Brooklyn Bridge (and running into The Way of the Cross with 3,000 people), we jumped in line to try the pizza at Grimaldi’s Pizzeria who has a coal-fired brick oven. Once again you can not order pizza by the slice but it is well worth the pie. Their pizzas are made with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, and dough made daily. The coal brick oven gives the crust a crispiness and smokiness. I couldn’t’ pick between here or John’s- I loved them both equally. One this that made Grimaldi’s a tiny bit better was the whole basil leaves they cook on top! As soon as you took a bite the basil flooded your mouth- Yummmmm

Once my Sister-in-law and husband arrived we went shopping on 5th Ave. and then we had dinner at the Stage Deli. The Stage Deli has been a landmark in Manhattan for 70 years. The walls are adorned with pictures of actors and actresses. We started with their fresh battered onion rings which were not dripping in oil. Try dipping it in their 1,00o Island dressing! We all order a ½ Corned Beef sandwich- three of us got it “all the way” with 1,000 Island dressing and coleslaw. You can’t beat this (but I won’t put off a good challenge). You can’t come without getting cheesecake- we tried the strawberry and Oreo. The pieces are the biggest I have ever seen and the texture is so smooth! I was in heaven- yummy onion rings, mile high sandwich and Oh-La-La cheesecake!

One dish I always crave is a good pulled pork sandwich. So many times when you get one they end up dry and lacking flavor, however, Andy Nelson’s BBQ doe not leave you disappointed from this piece of Baltimore history.

I got the Pulled Pork BBQ Jumbo express ($10.50) which included a drink, jumbo sandwich, slaw, and beans. I switched out my slaw for cornbread.

The sandwich itself was the best pulled pork I have ever had. It was full of flavor, tender and moist. They included some BBQ sauce to pour on top and I loved the smokiness. The pork is covered in Guy’s Pig Dip (a thin vinegar & tomato base).

The cornbread was your average cornbread and wasn’t dry. However, the beans I did not care for. There was an over powering flavor of tomato and maybe what I could tell was green peppers. I love a good baked bean with my BBQ but I only had 2 spoonfuls of this and had to toss it out.

I got mine to go, but if you want to stay in and dine there are a few tables to sit at. I was craving another one later that night and can’t wait to go back and try some of there others items such as the chicken and ribs.

So with the nice weather upon us I always want to try places with great views and nice outdoor seating. So we were down in Fells Point for Privateer Day and wanted to grab a nice lunch.

So we went to Shuckers Restaurant & Bar. The décor of this place reminded me of your typical sports related place- they proclaim to be the destination for spirits, sports, food and fun. The view is great as you look upon the harbor and people of Fells Point.

In the mood for seafood, I started with a cup of Seafood Bisque ($4.49) – the flavor was nice and there were amble size pieces of crab but I missed the rest of the seafood. I know bisque is normally thicker than most soup but this was thick like pudding. Despite the thickness and lack of other seafood the flavor was decent.

I then had the Seafood Cobb Salad ($13.99) – Lump Crab & Blackened Jumbo Shrimp served over a large garden salad topped with avocado, bleu cheese, bacon & egg and finished with a stone ground mustard vinaigrette. I was impressed with the amount of toppings served and the entire salad it self. One disappointment was the flavor of the shrimp, for being blackened it didn’t have much of the Cajun flare.

I will agree that it’s atmosphere lives up to the spirits, sports and fun, however, it wouldn’t be my destination for a wonderful meal. With that said, it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go back but I have other place I would pick over it.

My Husband started with a cup of the Tomato Bisque ($4.49). It was average but we both agree it doesn’t beat Safeway’s Tomato Bisque.

For his main dish he had the Chicken Chesapeake ($17.99) – Fire grilled chicken breast topped with lump crab meat and imperial sauce and then broiled. The chicken and crab imperial were very moist. The dish also came with Cole Slaw and French Fries. The Cole Slaw wasn’t over powered with celery seed and fries were perfectly cooked.

The major problem we had was the wait for our food. It took also 45 minutes after we sat down to get us our soup and then another long length of time to get our main course. It could have been to the crowds of Privateer Day but tables around us that sat after us got all their food before we did and left before we did. I will agree that it’s atmosphere lives up to the spirits, sports and fun, however, it wouldn’t be my destination for a wonderful meal. With that said, it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t go back but I have other places I would pick over it.

Shucker’s offers food and drink specials 7 days a week.