Whining 'N Dining by Randi Rom
July 2008, vol 7 #7
The “seriously growing in popularity” Junior’s Wine Bar in Federal Hill, is now offering a wine and cheese tasting every Wednesday from 5 – 7:30 p.m. Junior’s is located at 1117 South Charles Street. Free parking – my fave thing is available. Go to juniorswinebar.com. And - just an amusing tidbit - Juniors recently hosted a private 70th birthday wake. We’re talking a New Orleans style send off (and hello - the guy IS still alive) with a horse drawn carriage parade through the streets of Federal Hill, an open coffin with the birthday boy inside —complete with white make up. Then, guests got to choose their favorite epitaph and sample a real N’arlins buffet. These people are tres amusing.
Around Town: Check out Sotto Sopra Restaurant at 405 N. Charles Street on Sunday, July 20th for an evening of live Opera performances with a tasty six-course dinner featuring contemporary Italian cuisine - starting at 5:30 p.m. for $57 per person. Call 410-625-0534 for reservations. The Prime Rib, the best place in town for—what else—prime rib and TDF potato skins, introduced Sunday Night Lite - a special three-course menu offered for $33 on Sundays. Go to theprimerib.com.
Celebrate Bastille Day weekend at Brasserie Tatin at 105 W. 39th Street, for special menus, music, wine, and a street party on the Tatin Terrace. For more info call 443-278-9110 or go to brasserietatin.com.
The National Federation of the Blind will hold their annual crab feast on August 8 at Columbus Gardens, located at 4301 Klosterman Avenue off of Belair Road. Tickets are $45 per person. Go to nfbmd.org for more info.
The Shops at Kenilworth in Towson added two new outdoor markets including Atwater’s, whose roots were in the farmer’s market circuit long before it was ever a restaurant. They’ll bring big organic flavor to Towson every Tuesday evening from 4 to 7 p.m. through October 14. For more info go to: www.theshopsatkenilworth.com
Congrats: Jerry Edwards Chef's Expressions (foto) took home two 1st place ribbons from Zoomerang!2008, the 25th Anniversary fundraiser for the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. They took top prize in the Best All Around for their cuisine and décor and received the blue ribbon for Most Creative decor. This years featured animal, the Panamanian Tree Frog, inspired the Chef's Expressions team to design and create Froggy's Bar by Chef's Expressions. Froggy's Bar was a full service food bar serving Panamanian Chicken Salad and a Golden Yellow Watermelon Soup with Tequila Marinated diced Red Watermelon bits. And speaking of the popular and oh so busy Jerry Edwards – he has been named the spokesperson for Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland. Edwards, who is also president of Wine Express and Elements by Chef's Expressions, a design firm, has been associated with Meals on Wheels since 1992, most familiarly as an innovator and supporter of the organization's premier spring fundraising event, the Culinary Extravaganza.
Harbor Magic hotels announced that executive chef Bryan Sullivan of the Pier 5 and Brookshire Suites hotels and his culinary team have been selected to host a dinner at the James Beard House in New York City on August 19. The team will be bringing a taste of Maryland with them to New York; Sullivan has prepared a “Celebrate the Chesapeake” inspired menu.
Local food and wine aficionados and supporters are invited to join Sullivan and team to a reenactment of the Beard House dinner menu at a fundraising event this summer at Pier 5. The dinner will feature the same menu and wine selections that are being served in New York. A silent auction with items ranging from bed & breakfast getaways to restaurant certificates and local sports memorabilia will follow. Proceeds will fund the trip and food costs. The event will take place at the Harbor Club at the Pier 5 Hotel on July 29 with cocktail hour from 6 – 7 p.m. and dinner beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $120 per person and may be purchased by contacting Jill Rudnicki at Pier 5 Hotel, at 410-649-5331 or
Randi Rom is a Baltimore special events planner, marketing and public relations maven, freelance writer and head of R.J. Rom & Associates. Have a hot scoop? Contact Randi via e-mail at randirom@comcast.net or by phone: 410-367-6525.
