Restaurant Review: Ann's Dari-Creme

Johnnycakes and I have been anticipating a trip to Ann's Dari-Creme on Ritchie Highway for some weeks and finally ventured there tonight. We stumbled across this nostalgic joint a few weeks back after a rare trip to Marley Station Mall and stopped in for ice cream. We were surprised when we got inside and saw a concise menu of burgers, hot dogs and fries. We were completely intrigued by the cramped and diner-style decor and the feeling that we were stepping back in time. The restaurant opened in 1951 and was probably akin to many other roadside stops at the time but we were especially interested when we read the newspaper clippings inside about how the small family owned business fought the developers of Marley Station Mall and won! The place really does sort of stick out like a sore thumb amongst the mall's imposing presence. After all this, we vowed to come back for dinner one day soon.

We declared tonight "date night" and planned our dinner and a movie accordingly. We drove out to Ann in anticipation of a good old fashioned greasy American dinner of burgers and fries. We actually accidentally ordered rather large subs because we didn't realize that you could order either a sandwich, half or whole sub. That somehow escaped me and I ordered myself a whole cheeseburger sub with fried onions, lettuce, tomato, mayo and mustard on a huge sub roll. Johnnycakes ordered a whole hot dog sub with chili and cheese. We split an order of fries. I think they are most known for the hot dog sub but I preferred the cheeseburger sub. I noticed on the menu that you can order a a "double dog" which I can understand because the hot dogs are rather skinny and get lost in the large sub rolls. Next time I will order just the cheeseburger "sandwich" because the sub rolls are enormous and the meat sort of gets lost inside. Overall, we enjoyed our traditional grub and of course managed to polish off the large portions.

The inside only seats about 10 people at the stainless steel counter and the volume of folks coming in and out to order dinner is pretty heavy so we decided to eat in our air-conditioned car. God Bless America! Normally, you would be able to eat outside at the various benches scattered throughout the large parking lot but we were dissuaded by the sweltering August heat.

I was ready for some ice cream or a milkshake afterwards but Johnnycakes talked some sense in to me. Next time, he said....

Steamed Crabs - A Baltimore Tradition

Like most good Baltimore folk, Johnnycakes and I love us some steamed crabs. We got to show that love tonight when we went out for some of the delicious crustaceans for dinner with our neighbors.

We had been planned to go to Mr. Bill's Terrace in on Eastern Avenue in the Essex area because we had so many great experiences in the past. Many Baltimoreans know about this little spot but it seems like more and more people are becoming familiar with the spot because there was an hour plus (to quote the host) wait for a table. I think the long waits, crowded bar and parking lot are an indicator of how good the crabs are there but we decided to not wait.

Like a good City resident, we decided to support a City business and visit Jimmy's Seafood on Holabird Avenue in Southeast Baltimore. I had heard positive things about the crabs from my boss and we decided to check it out.

The establishment is rather large. There is a carryout, bar with a dining area and a large formal dining area. The lighting was a little low but overall the atmosphere was nice.

Our friendly server let us know that crabs were available for $39, $49, $69, $89 and $99 (!) a dozen. The 89's were called jumbos and the 99's were called monsters! We did get a peek at both the 89's and 99's. I would have to say that the 99's were easily the largest blue crabs I have ever seen in my life. The claws were enormous. In fact, they had a threatening appearance which must be why they are called "monsters".The four of us decided to split a mix of three dozen $39's and $49's.

In addition, I ordered a "personal" size Greek salad, while Johnnycakes ordered a bowl of Maryland crab soup and our neighbors ordered cream of crab soup..

The salad was huge. In fact, I originally ordered a small salad but the server recommended that I downgrade to a personal size because the salads run so large. I ended up splitting the Greek Salad with Johnnycakes anyway in exchange for a few bites of his crab soup. The soup was very good. It had a rather thick consistency for soup but it was full of great taste.

We were a little overwhelmed when the crabs came out because there were so many of them! The seasoning, a mix of Old Bay and rock salt, was very good and it had a somewhat unique consistency compared to the standard seasoning on most crabs. Overall, the crabs were very heavy and packed with meat. Sometimes it can be very disappointing when you order a decent size crab but it is light as a feather and has no meat in it. These were packed with meat. We were not disappointed despite having to return one or two crabs because they were bad. The server eagerly replaced the bad crabs with fresh ones.

One unique characteristic of this crab house is that the restaurant serves an ear of corn still in the husk with each dozen of crabs. The corn wasn't the best I've had this season but I thought it was a nice touch.

I am almost ashamed to say that I ate 10 crabs! Yes. 10 crabs! That is a lot even by Baltimore standards. I can't help it. I can pick some crabs. Luckily, our neighbor's wife is also a crab picker extraordinaire and she must have eaten as many as I did.

Our bill was nearly $200.00, so tonight's meal was definitely not cheap! Crabs seldom are. It's the price you pay to feed your love for crabs! It's almost ingrained in you when you are from this town. Overall, I would highly recommend Jimmy's Seafood. In addition to the crabs, they have a rather large menu that looks like it has a Greek influence. According to the history in the menu, "Jimmy" is of Greek descent.

How many people like to eat ice cream after eating crabs? Johnnycakes and I's families always accompanied crabs with ice cream afterwards but our neighbors had never heard of it. We decided to introduce them to this somewhat popular tradition and went to Coldstone Creamery on Boston Street. Judging from the lines, we were not the only ones that like ice cream but I'm just not sure about the crab part!

South Baltimore Restaurant Review: Beach Bums Cafe and Deli

Johnnycakes and I got to try a "not so new"and "not even so new to us" but "new" restaurant in Federal Hill today. We had a delicious lunch at Beach Bums Cafe and Deli at 1038 Light Street.

We had been to Beach Bums many times over the past few years for their yummy ice cream and shakes after dinner or just for a treat. They usually have some interesting ice cream flavors such as fried ice cream and chocolate gold. More recently, we had noticed a sandwich board on the sidewalk or signs in the window advertising various sandwich varieties but we had never had much inclination to try the food. The concept of food at the ice cream shop just didn't "click" with us.

We started to hear some positive feedback about the food at Beach Bums and their extensive menu and large portions. Today seemed like the perfect day to try a new lunch spot after a morning spent at the gym and laying poolside.

The little storefront is small and awkward inside, particularly because of the ice cream display case but the decor is cute and definitely has the beach feel to it. Additional seating in the back takes care of any overflow issues in the small dining area in the front.

We were surprised at the extent of the menu. They have a huge variety of sandwiches that range from turkey clubs, shrimp salad submarines, veggie sandwiches, lunch meat combos, chicken sandwiches, Reuben's and Rachel's. To make things a little more interesting, most of the sandwiches have a cute little name attached which may or may not provide a description of the actual food, such as the veggie "Bahama Cooler", ham and cheese "Swisster Twisster" or BBQ chicken "Texas Twister".

I ordered the "Pigs on the Wing" which I was a huge serving of chicken salad made with almonds and bacon topped with tomato on wheat toast. The portions were daunting but it was so tasty I had to restrain myself to only eat the half. Johnnycakes didn't go for one with a cute name but ordered a delicious tuna salad submarine with a huge serving of bacon on top. His election to have hots on the sub made it extra spicy and gave it a very unique flavor. I liked it so much that I'm going to have to try it with hots next time. Each sandwich was served in a basket with potato chips. A drink cooler has a nice variety of not so common drinks. A diet soda drinker, I was delighted to find a Dr. Browns diet cream soda.

The service was very quick and friendly despite a steady influx of customers. To put it simply and in the words of a young guy who walked in with his friend "Damn, I guess we're not the only ones on to this place anymore".

Prices ranged from around $5.00 to $9.00 depending on the item but I think the huge portions make up for any extra cost. Our bill, with drinks and tax, came to $15.96

I think Beach Bums popularity will only continue to grow, especially since the good food and large menu selection makes you want to come back for more. I want to try the Turkey Breast Rachel next time with coleslaw and 1000 island dressing.

We'll definitely be back to Beach Bums Cafe and Deli to try other dishes and for some creamy ice cream. Lucky for us, the photo above shows the leftovers we have waiting for us in the fridge!

South Baltimore Restaurant Review: SoHo Eatery

SoHo Eatery has been open at 1504 Light Street for a few months but Johnnycakes and I tried it for the first time last night. We still had not made it to the grocery store and had pretty much emptied the fridge and freezer of potential dinner items. We wanted to try something new and didn't want to go too far so SoHo Eatery was a perfect solution. We tend to not eat out that often but our grocery situation had grown quite dire.

SoHo Eatery specializes in Korean and Japanese cuisine and also has a rather extensive sushi menu. We had received their menu in the mail a couple of times and had a sneak peak at their offerings prior to going. The menu is actually quite diverse and a little quirky. In addition to a traditional Korean section, the menu features a variety of teriyaki dishes, fruit smoothies, salads featuring fruit and tofu and wraps! The menu also includes a "late night" portion with mozzarella sticks and french fries and a coffee and espresso items. We learned when we got there that they do not actually offer the coffee items or many of the "late night" menu items because of a lack of demand.

The decor is quite eccentric and fun! This small restaurant only has three tables for two, sushi bar seating for two and a small counter top with two stools. Two psychedelic style arm chairs are a notable feature at the window side two-top. A fish tank with tiny fish also keeps you occupied while waiting for your food. We decided to order the food "to-go" because it was getting late and why not enjoy the food in the comfort of our own home.

Johnnycakes knew before we got there he wanted the Bulgogi, a traditional Korean BBQ style beef dish, that we had made at home many times. At least we thought we were making Bulgogi all that time, but it turns out our version and the SoHo Eatery shared few common features. He also ordered miso soup for a starter and gyoza (dumplings) to start. Each main dish came with three sides and rice. He ordered the Chapchae (glass noodles with mixed vegetables) and sauteed mixed vegetables. I can't seem to remember what his other side was.

I was very undecided about what I wanted to eat but ended up ordering a beef teriyaki combo, with sauteed kale, a vegetable pancake and Kong Namul (Korean style seasoned bean sprouts).

We got the food home and immediately dug in. I was expecting steamed gyoza but they were fried. They definitely delicious because we ate all six of them but I would have preferred steamed gyoza. I also wasn't crazy about the dipping sauce. The beef teriyaki was absolutely delicious! I highly recommend this dish to everyone. The beef was actually three skewers stuffed high with tender, well-seasoned and spicy beef that melted in your mouth. The vegetable pancake was very colorful and very satisfying in a pancake sort of way. The sauteed vegetables were delicious as well. Johnnycakes was not crazy about the Bulgogi, probably because it was so different from the dish we make which is very spicy and has a lot of tofu in it. (Don't worry! I'm sure our version will make it on this blog one day.) We expected it to have a lot more spice and flavor but unfortunately, it was rather bland. The Chapchae, however, were very spicy, and had an unusual texture. The item was still quite tasty.

Overall, we really enjoyed our first experience at the SoHo Eatery despite a few items we were not crazy about. I will definitely order the beef teriyaki and vegetable pancake again. The sushi menu looks quite extensive and diverse. Another added benefit was the cost! All the items we mentioned above only costs us $21.40 and we still have plenty of leftovers in the fridge.