Sorso Cafe

Sorso Cafe
500 Harborview Drive
Baltimore, MD 21230
(443) 682-8720

Today on a whim we decided to go out to lunch with our friend Sami who works at the restaurant next door to us. After handing him a pile of our Groupons and telling him to pick one, we arrived at the conclusion to hit up Sorso Cafe because it's located on the water. Today was another hot one and a casual lunch by the water was too appealing to pass up.

Sorso Cafe is located off Key Highway behind Federal Hill on the water. Parking was a little tricky to figure out but we managed to get a metered spot and then it was a short walk to the Cafe.

This place is pretty casual and inviting with a few outdoor tables and then a small amount of indoor seating. They serve gelato, paninis, wraps, wine and cheese platters. They have a breakfast menu as well. They also have some brownies and cookies wrapped up near the register. Kryptonite.

Sami ordered a Caprese and added prosciutto. Dave got the PLT (prosciutto lettuce and tomato) panini sans T. I ordered the Harborview wrap. The sandwiches came with either chips or an apple (I got chips, they got apples) and we each grabbed a bottle of soda and then I tacked on one of those alluring chocolate chip cookies.

Everyone was sitting outside and there wasn't an open table out there so we sat in the little dining room. As soon as the boys sandwiches arrived, we dug in. (theirs were grilled, mine was cold).

My wrap was delicious. It was grilled marinated chicken with crisp lettuce, pesto, diced tomato, and fresh mozzarella cheese. It was a really great mixture of flavors between the juicy tomato chunks, the mild flavor of the cheese and the sharp taste of the pesto. In mere minutes it was gone. I didn't even offer to share, then again, neither did my husband. The cookie was a bit of a disappointment, with a slight stale taste to it. However, the wrap made up for it.

Sami's had prosciutto, basil leaves, fresh mozzarella, tomato and pesto. The only complaint that he had was that the "prosciutto is a little too thick" which wasn't even really a complaint since it was so good. He said that when he bit into the basil leaf, it took him "to Heaven and back". Excellent.

Dave's was simple with prosciutto and lettuce with a drizzle of some sort of house sauce on it. I would have liked to try it, but when I took a break from mine his was gone. I can only assume he really enjoyed it.

We have another Groupon for this place and I do believe the next time we go back we'll be sampling their gelato.

As far as the non-food aspects go, the girls working the counter were really friendly and helpful. The food is inexpensive (sandwiches ranging between 6 and 8 dollars) and the atmosphere is really casual and fun. They had a few vegetarian options which is always nice to see, and the accommodated special orders without griping. This is a great place to duck into if you're out for a casual walk along the water.

We will definitely be going back. I give it 4 out of 5 noms.

Dave's 2 cents:

Other than having to park 2 blocks away (they have no customer parking, that we could find), pay a meter and walk, the experience was alright. The shop was extremely tight, I had to move out of the way about 8 times while I waited to order, but I am glad they had indoor seating.

The food was great, each dish comes with chips, apple or banana. Jenn got pissed that I didn't let her sample my P.L.T.

Sorry, the only thing in the world better than bacon, is thicker bacon.

I wouldn't put this in our Best of Baltimore (Sandwich Shop Category), but it got close.

The Abbey

The Abbey Burger Bistro
1041 Marshall Street

Baltimore, MD 21230
(443) 453-9698
Get Map
http://www.abbeyburgerbistro.com/
Photo Credits: Guest Food Photographer Brooke Borton

The Abbey is tucked away in a little alley next to Cross Street Market. It was during a series of wrong turns and me screaming at my husband that I was starving and pointing out a Subway and then looking for a place to park that we stumbled upon it. The casual bar/pub-style atmosphere and strange menu got our attention. The delicious burgers are what kept it.

Since that day, The Abbey has been a place we like to take friends and family when they visit and want something “Baltimore-ish”. We explain the “sushi-style” menu, the alcoholic milkshakes, and that Ostrich does not in fact, come in chicken breast form.

At the Abbey, you have your choice of several different meat and patty options. They offer everything from Ostrich and Beef, to Wild Boar and vegetarian options like marinated mushroom and veggie patty. The menu itself doesn’t offer substitutions so if you’re feeling compliant, then order there and you’ll get an amazing choice of fabulous flavors that you are sure to love, but if you’d rather pave your own path then build your own. If you’re going to build your own burger, you grab your little golf pencil, peruse the choices of patty, bun style, toppings, toppings, condiments and sides. You’ve also got a choice of a few salads to pick from. We went with the Wedge with bacon, tomatoes, shallots and bleu cheese dressing (one of ours was subbed out with Ranch. We’re a ranch lovin’ kind of people). These wedge salads aren’t diet food. Covered in crispy bacon, fried shallots and then smothered in dressing, it’s an overload of goodness. The tang of the dressing, the cool crispness of the lettuce and then the crispy saltiness of all that is fried just makes this one damn good precursor to a burger meal. I highly recommend you give it a shot. Now, for the burgers.

This particular trip I chose Bison, cooked medium, on a regular bun, with sprouts, nacho cheese, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon, ketchup, mayo and mustard with homemade chips on the side. Dave wanted alligator, but they were out so he opted for a Wild Boar burger, on a classic bun with swiss cheese, bacon and lettuce with tots on the side. Brooke ordered the Ostrich well done on thick toast with provolone cheese, avocado, bacon, ketchup, lettuce and tomato with sweet potato fries on the side. She wanted an alcoholic beverage and when she asked our waiter for “something fruity” he responded with “I gotcha” which is Abbey Talk for Delicious Rum Drink, which is what she got. It was punchy and boozy and a treat to sip on.

As far as the taste of everything: Amazing. We couldn’t keep our hands out of Dave’s tots. I think I ate more of them than he did, but they were fucking awesome. They were the perfect amount of crispy and soft and salty. They did not even need ketchup (which was good because I found the table supply of ketchup to be quite vinegar-y and not tasty). As for his burger, it was hearty, flavorful and cooked to perfection. My burger had a very earthy taste to it. The sprouts really give it a good punch of flavor making it taste salad-like, but with a good dose of meat. I really love a good messy burger, so the fact that my cheese was slopping out onto my chips was not an issue for me at all and gave me liberty to scoop it back up with those chips. Brooke’s burger however, was the true winner out of the three. Hers was a perfect combination of flavors, the sliced avocado complimenting it all wonderfully. The contrast between the crispy smoky bacon and the tender ostrich (which wasn’t crumbly like ground beef can be) was just awesome. The toast was a treat as well, making biting into such a big burger easier, and therefore making it taste better. Her fries were rather tasty as well. I don’t usually like sweet potatoes, but these had a nice crisp to them and then a subtle sweetness that was really good.

Probably the best part of the meal was how fresh everything tasted. Nothing had that processed freezer burned texture to it and everything was crisp and you could really tell it was prepped same day. Nothing sat under a heat lamp.

The one thing about the Abbey that gets a negative point with me is the service. We ordered two Wedge Salads and only got one, and when we finally did get the 2^nd one, it was smothered in bleu cheese which Dave wasn’t happy about as he dislikes the smell of it. This isn’t the type of place you go for a quick burger lunch. Plan on spending at least an hour here as service is rather slow and sporadic. Sometimes you’ll get silverware right away, sometimes you won’t. Sometimes you’ll get a refill quickly, other times not. I do highly recommend trying something new (you can always pick it off, wuss) and DEFINITELY get one of their milkshakes (if you’re old enough) because man, are they worth it.

Overall, I give it a 4 out of 5 noms.

Price Breakdown:
Burgers can range between $10-$15 depending on how much stuffs you pile on
Salads average around $7

Dave's 2 cents:
O my god. Om Nom Nom Nom.
I have been here many times before I actually had to review it, and all I can say is, if you are in the mood for the best Baltimore (custom) burger, THIS is the place to go. As I always play the devils advocate, I truly cannot think of 1 thing to complain about. If i reeeeaaaally need to complain about something, it would be their water. Tastes like tap. Bad Tap. But thats BGE's issue not theirs.

GO THERE... Now...

No seriously.... NOW!






... why are you still here?

Chiapparelli’s

I’ve wanted to hit up Chiapparelli's for several months. Living down the street from it in Little Italy, I figured it was only fair to try each restaurant so when tourists asked me where they should go, I would be able to give them a more informed opinion. What I have to say about this visit can be summed up in two words: Je regrette.

When we first walked in I was overcome with joy by the cranked a/c. (It was 88 degrees outside and about 107 in our house). The restaurant is beautiful. Clean, quiet, tables all set to perfection. It’s a lovely picture to look at. Then we were handed plastic coated menus. With a wine list on the back. Really? No, really? Taking turns between looking around and looking at the one dimensional menu, I noticed a few things right away. 1. the salads are HUGE. 2. the waiters all workout at the same gym and have the bodies to show it. I was half expecting an all male revue style show halfway through dinner. So, at least you have something pretty to look at while you mindlessly swallow your bland food. Oops, I think I just gave away the ending.

We started with apps, me with fried ravioli and Dave with fried calamari (we like our foods fried, ok?) and then ordered our entrees, Dave with the Gnocchi Bolognese and myself with the Shrimp Nicola and then waited for everything to arrive. Including Dave’s refill, which our waiter promised to deliver after he dropped off water for some other guy, then some plates, then some other stuff, then ran by our table apologizing, then some more running, Yawn, oh there it is, finally. The salads came out with the apps (which was weird and probably should not have happened, right?) So I was alternating between forkful of delicious plate of lettuce, and bland bland ravioli with surprisingly good marinara sauce for dipping. Dave’s calamari was pretty good, even though it was squid. As I ate more of my salad, it felt to me like Chip’s was trying to crack the Olive Garden’s recipe, got pretty close, and then gave up. The salad was good, there was just too much of it.

Now for the entrees. Everything LOOKED really good. My linguine was floating in a sea of buttery sauce, cradling shrimp and steaming hot. Dave’s was the traditional marinara with meat and tomato with little gobs of gnocchi. We each took a bite. Then took a bite of each other’s, then traded. Mine was a little bland and oily for my taste (mine being the Shrimp Nicola) and Dave just found his rather unappetizing with all those chunks of tomato in there. His gnocchi was a little on the hard side (this is where I would like to suggest that IF you are in Little Italy and IF you want to try gnocchi THEN you must go to La Tavola. They have the BEST gnocchi I’ve ever tasted). Luckily I was full after just a few bites. Unluckily I’m now staring a bowl of sub-par gnocchi in the face for lunch today. Dave cleaned his plate so he gets to eat a Whopper for lunch. That bastard.

We opted to skip dessert this time. We would be willing to give this place 3 noms, had our waiter not taken 20 minutes to get us our bill then cash us out. For that, he lost a dollar and a nom. That’s how we roll.

Our rating: 2 out of 5 noms

The good thing is that this place offers easy vegetarian fare. The bad thing is the food is bland. 2 noms.

Price Breakdown:
Apps average $8.64
Pastas average $19
Chicken/Veal average $21.45
Seafood average $24.33
Children's Menu is $8 and includes a beverage

Dave's 2 Cents:
My review starts before we even enter the building. Hey Chiapparelli's! How many Valets do you REALLY NEED!!

Chip's valets are everywhere and stand in the middle of the street like they own the block. Not only that but I was amazed that they left their key kiosk (the place where they store YOUR CAR KEYS) unattended for 12 minutes!! The kiosk isn't even locked, its held but what looks like velcro.
Living a few blocks from this restaurant, we also get to see (on a nightly basis) how the valet treat the cars after they drive off with them.

If you love your car, park it yourself. Your car's tires will thank you.

The restaurant is definitely visually appealing, but that glamor goes away with the horrible wait-staff and sub-par Italian slop. After swapping my dish with something edible that my wife had, I was able to complete a meal. Unfortunately one of those 2 dishes haunted me for the rest of the evening into the night.

Blue Moon Café

The Blue Moon Café
1621 Aliceanna Street, Baltimore, MD‎
(410) 522-3940‎
Google Map
Hours:
Weekdays-7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Friday and Saturday nights, they open at 7 p.m. - open all night
Our Rating: 5 out of 5 Noms!
Picture Credits: Guest Food Photographer Brooke Borton

The Blue Moon Café is another place you just have to go to when you’re in Baltimore. This place offers a quirky diner-style atmosphere with big huge buttery food. They do offer several vegan, vegetarian, and “healthy” options (for those watching their waistline) so don’t be daunted by things like you’ll see in the video.

One thing you’ve got to try there is their Captain Crunch French Toast. Seriously. It’s SO GOOD. You wouldn’t think so, but man, those little cereal bits really do make it fantastic. I’m sure that cereal free French Toast would be delicious there as well, but why order that? You’re in Baltimore. Have fun. Order something weird.

When we sat down, we were greeted with menus and a cinnamon roll (which was roughly the size of my face and covered with creamy icing). After staring at the menu lustfully for several minutes, taking breaks only for giant gobs of cinnamon roll we decided on our orders. This visit, Brooke and I both had to order The Toast (the Captain Crunch variety, natch). Dave went with regular pancakes, as he was in a down-home pancakes kind of mood. With a side of sausage and bacon, we hungrily awaited our food.

First of all, their food looks like it should be in a magazine. The French Toast came out with a heaping mound of homemade whipped cream (which I, a whipped cream hater, immediately scraped off and fed to my husband, who loves the goop) and berries. Berries! I never see berries used as a garnish. What a delicious garnish. Everything was warm, soft, melt in your mouth good. The Toast had a bit of a crunch to it from the cereal bits and was gooey to a level of heaven. Dave’s pancakes tasted like they just came out of your grandma’s kitchen. If your Grandma was Paula Deen that is. Sometimes I just watch her show and pretend she’s my grandma. Not that I want to replace one of my grandmas, but I’d just like her to be an extra grandma. Who wouldn’t? I digress.

So, the verdict on the food here: 5 out 5 noms. I’m willing to bet if you just closed your eyes and pointed you’d order something amazingly good every time. Every time. Though, you may want to lay off refills of chocolate milk or orange juice. They run about $3-$4 per glass.

Blue Moon Café does have weird hours, so take note. All weeklong they open at 7 a.m. and close at 3 p.m. Friday and Saturday nights, they open at 7 p.m. and stay open alllll night.

Price Breakdown:
As long as you don't order several chocolate milk or orange juice refills, you can walk out of here under $15 per person.

Dave's 2 Cents:
This is by far my favorite place to eat breakfast food in Baltimore City. However if I were to list any negatives, during busy hours they do not answer phones, the line is a 2 hours wait & out the door into the street, and they only have seating for about 30 people at a time. EXPAND BLUE MOON! EXPAND!