Martha and Mary's

Armed with another Groupon, we set out from Towson (did you know that AMC theaters has $5 movies if you get moving before noon? How awesome is that?) to hit up Martha and Mary's Bistro.

Pulling into the parking lot we saw a newly built restaurant complete with umbrella-ed outdoor seating. There were quite a few customers enjoying the fabulous weather outdoors munching away happily on fries, salads and sandwiches. Hopeful, we walked in.

To a disaster.

The huge LCD tv screens meant for their menu was frozen, locked on breakfast at 1:30 in the afternoon. Kids were screaming and stampeding about. The tables were jam-packed with families and we stood there hopelessly looking for any sort of lunch related menu. Finally we spotted a stack up by the cash register. We spent a few minutes looking over an expansive menu (they have everything from fried clams to pizza and sandwiches, soups, salads and tons of delicious looking desserts). Then we stepped up to the register to order.

After about 10 minutes of standing there one of the teenagers came up to take our order. Presenting her with two Groupons, we needed to divide our check. We placed our order and she asked for assistance from the manager on inputting everything to allow us the use of both Groupons. She was pleasant and friendly the whole time. We paid, she stood there. We asked for cups, she gave them to us. We got our drinks and I pointed out the obvious problem of "How will they know what food is ours and how will we know what food is ours?" So we asked, she handed us a table marker with "66" on it and the manager quipped "You're number one!". We immediately took sanctuary outside, away from all the tiny people.

Once we were in a calmer, quieter environment we started to remark on the place. It was clean (plus) the food looked really good (plus plus) the staff was friendly (plus plus plus). We also noticed that this place was in total chaos. I have to ask, how long has Martha and Mary's been open? It appeared they were on day 2 and the staff was in total disarray (also completely staffed by what appeared to be 14 year-olds except for the manager and some cooks). It did not appear that anyone really knew what they were supposed to be doing, and then add to that that the place was packed. Really packed. (In fact, we waited until after we ate and it had thinned out a little to take the pictures)

Despite all of this, our food came out very quickly and was hot and delicious. The menu is simple so you won't find elegant elaborate meals here, but it's all really good. It's inexpensive (which is probably the appeal to all of those families we saw) and it's fun. Decorated in bright colors and kid friendly-chalk menu, you can see the appeal to people with kids.

My cheeseburger sliders were wonderful. Topped with american cheese, grilled onions, pickles and ketchup and mustard on a toasted bun, the flavors went really well together. Dave got the Chicken Caesar wrap and an order of fried clams with fries. The clams were fabulous (not chewy but tender and crispy) and his wrap was excellent. Crisp lettuce, juicy chicken and tangy dressing.

I do recommend trying this place out. The menu is really good, the food is good, the staff is nice. However, go at a time where you won't be interfering with family lunch time. Like, 2:30 -4 in the afternoon. Or any day where school is happening and the kids will be there. Unless you have kids, then by all means go at any time and enjoy.

3 Noms

Dave's 2 Cents:

Infested with children, this place is. Did I step into Chuck E. Cheese by accident? Nope, no pool of plastic balls. Were the patrons annoying? yes. Was the front of the house staffed by just-turned teenagers? YES. Is the food good though? Hells Yes!

After selling over 1000++ groupons a few weeks ago, I am sure this place has been inundated with new customers and swarms of penny pinchers. With that being said, this is the only negative. The food was Fast, hot, delicious. I got a Fried Clam appetizer, piping hot, not chewy at all (chewy=freezer burn). I also ordered a Chicken Caeser wrap, which was very nicely seasoned, and not too much dressing.

All in all, this place really is great. We will be retuning again for Breakfast. Evidently this place has signature breakfast pizzas that bring people from all over. NOM NOM!!!

Dangerously Delicious Pies

Ahh, the elusive Dangerously Delicious Pies. Dave, Heather, Sami and I had attempted to go here on July 5 only to (sadly) discovered they were closed that day. We tried again another time and Sami got stuck in VA. So, Dave and I decided to get dessert here after our dinner at Blue Agave.

This is another of those Baltimore places that's been on TV. Apparently the Food Network loves Baltimore. We gazed over the chalkboard menu and looked into the lit up glass case and finally decided on 3 kinds of pie: Baltimore Bomb, Chocolate Chess and Apple Crumb (which was a mini-pie).

We took our order to go, promising to come back and dine in for the Savory Pie experience (they make chicken pot pies, and some other delicious sounding pies that I can't wait to sink my face into).

Once at home Dave poured us a glass of milk, divvied up the pie slices and we dug in. The Baltimore Bomb was a custardy pie with chunks of Berger cookies baked into it. It gives you a little bit of that chocolately goodness that I love so much but isn't as overwhelming as some have described the Berger cookie to be (if you're unfamiliar, it's a shortbread cookie caked with a GOB of fudgey frosting that includes ingredients I don't want to mention and a calorie count that is simply sinful). The Chocolate Chess was something between an undercooked brownie, chocolate mousse and cake. It was fabulous. This one was by far my favorite. The crust was perfect, the filling gooey. It was good. The final one, the mini-pie of Apple Crumb had to be my least favorite of the three. It was a little on the bland side (I think it needed more cinnamon or apple spice or something) but the crumb topping was crunchy sweet and perfectly baked.

We'll be giving them a more complete review when we go back for their savory pies. So far they've got 3.5 noms.

The guy working the counter was super helpful and patient and offered great suggestions. It's clean and comfy on the inside and it's in a great location.

G&A Restaurant

G & A Restaurant
3802 Eastern Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21224
(410) 276-9422
http://www.gandarestaurant.com/
Mon - Sat: 7 am - 7 pm ~ Sun: Closed
BEST HOTDOGS IN BALTIMORE

This came to us by way of the suggestion box once it was learned that Dave loves hotdogs. LOVES hotdogs. Apparently this place is said to have the best hotdogs around.

Apparently that is correct. They also have the best everythingwetasted around.

This place has been around since 1927 and has remained family owned the entire time. You walk into to this narrow little, easy to miss place and you're greeted by a friendly staff. Once seated, we began to pour over the laminated menus (ah, true diner style) that never leave the booths. We ordered a couple of cokes, and got down to business with the food.

I ordered a G&A club which came with turkey, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, mayo on three crispy toasted slices of white bread with a side of coleslaw. Dave ordered two dogs, mustard and relish, and a slider platter which had three cheeseburger sliders with ketchup and mustard and pickle and a side of fries.

The sliders hit the table first and we dug in. Holy delicious. You can tell right away these were made FRESH mere minutes before we started shoving them into our mouths. The bun was soft and the fries were fresh cut. We got a side of gravy for dippin' (something Dave was skeptical about but being from one of the fattest states in this great U.S. of A. I knew was delicious and after some coaxing from myself and our waitress he agreed to try it). I am happy to report that the gravy was salty, gooey and perfect. The combo of fry and gravy was unbelievable. Dave is now a convert.

So, now for the club sandwich. I went with an easy dish I suppose, but it looked good. It's really really hard to mess up a club sandwich. This one was great. The bread toasty and perfect (except for the one burnt slice but it was hardly noticeable and I only took note of it when the club fell apart in my hands and I saw it, then had a good laugh). The coleslaw was also pretty good, definitely carrying that "homey" taste with it.

Dave LOVED the dogs. He loved them. The look on his face when he bit into them was priceless. It was like he'd never tasted a hotdog before.

Now, I will say that this diner isn't pretty, but it's clean, and it's well broken in and that is exactly how diners should be. It's been standing for about 90 years so it has stood the test of time.

The owner himself, Andy was working the register, cooking, greeting people which was amazing to see. He took so much pride in this place you could just feel it. Our waitress apologized several times and thanked us for being "patient", even though the wait for the food was under 15 minutes and everything was so incredibly good we would have waited longer for it.

This place TOTALLY gets 5 noms. The food was amazing, the service was amazing, and we were completely and totally happy with the entire experience.

Dave's 2cents:

So as you heard, after a reader saw my bad review of Stuggys, he/she suggested G&A. When I google mapped it, I wasn't impressed with the area, the southeast area past Patterson Park, aka Little Havana.

But as I have been told MANY TIMES, if I want to live in Baltimore I got to get over these bad areas.

Walking into this place was nostalgic. I grew up in West NJ, with a diner names Geets, and my wife in Michigan named Tony's. We both sat down and looked around and felt like we were home.

The customer service was outstanding, from the BOSS, Andy greeting us at the door, to the waitress making sure we were ok every few minutes.

The food was heavenly. Yes the sliders were good, but the hotdogs were perfect. (I realize that I cannot tell you about this without you pervs giggling because I sound phallic, so here it goes...)

The hotdog's crisp skin just pops as you bit into it, as the warm hotdog innards explode in your mouth. Leaving its eater with closed eyes and a wide smile. nommmmmmmmm

ok, seriously. stop giggling.

Silver Moon II

This place came to us via the suggestion page from one of our fabulous readers and it being so close to our house, we ran right over there to check it out. Now, I will warn you right off, my emotions are interfering with my ability to properly review this place and so, we will be revisiting it at a later date when I am less emotional.

Here's some background. I'm originally from Mid-Michigan and back home we have a diner chain called Tony's (not to be confused with that brand who makes frozen pizzas and such) where the food is huge, insanely cheap, bad for you, and delicious. One of their specialties is the Hot Turkey Sandwich, which is something I must eat whenever I visit my hometown. Theirs is made with a thick slice of Italian white bread, huge pile of instant potatoes, generous portion of chunks of turkey breast, and then all smothered with yellowish poultry gravy.

Since moving away from Michigan in 2006, I've always kept an eye out for things that are "like home", like this turkey sandwich. When we first visited Baltimore when we were still living in Florida, my husband and I found a diner called TT's that has a sandwich that comes pretty close to what I'm looking for, however I think they use real potatoes which alters the flavor just enough to act as a band-aid when I get homesick, but doesn't quite satisfy the hunger.

I've been especially homesick recently having just been diagnosed with a digestive disorder which is likely to alter my eating lifestyle for the rest of my life and has caused two family members of mine to require surgery. I'm still pretty much like a little kid when I get sick, I just want to lay on my parents couch and eat this sandwich. Dave's been doing a great job taking care of me and taking me to all of my doctor's appointments but that little kid in me still wants my mom, and therefore, home.

So we headed to Silver Moon II and on their menu is a Hot Turkey Sandwich and I got really excited and hopeful. They definitely had that short order diner thing going on, and once we learned they don't use deli turkey they use real turkey I ordered it. Dave got the Blackened Chicken Sandwich and then we learned they are a cash only restaurant. Fail.

I sat down at one of the tables and Dave headed out to find an ATM. I snapped a few pictures and waited for him to come back. He finally did, we paid the bill and waited about another 10 minutes for the food to be done. I was watching them box it up and then, to my horror, helplessly watched as my Hot Turkey Sandwich, my personal Holy Grail was smothered in BROWN GRAVY. The big Styrofoam box was slid sideways into the bag and Dave's sandwich placed on top and we were set to go. Dave picked up the bag and we headed back to the car where he set the bag on my lap causing gravy and potato to explode onto me. He'd tipped it right side up, causing my box to be sitting on its side. The box not being airtight started to leak gravy and potato all over me. Devastation deepens.

It was going to be a couple hours before we could eat as we were taking the foster kittens to get their booster shots in Reisterstown. Dave let me have a bite of his sandwich and I must say, it was pretty tasty. It was a little spicy so I could only have a tiny bite, but it was quite good. Good enough to leave a sauce splatter on my face. I didn't eat my dinner.

Two days later it is lunchtime on Friday and I'm staring a bowl of brown gravy covered turkey sandwich. I had expressed my emotional reaction to the whole gravy thing to Dave, knowing how childish and petty I sound when I say it, but he understood. I'm sick, I wanted a piece of home and I didn't get it. So I had what I did get for lunch today.

I will say, despite it not being what I'd hoped for, it's still pretty good. I think it would be better if it had the right gravy on it. The turkey used is deli turkey but it's good deli turkey and not lunch meat style turkey. The bread is good ole American white sandwich bread (two slices) and the potatoes are instant, just like I like them. I did not dislike this sandwich, and Dave's sandwich was really good. The next time we go I'm going to order one of their specialties like the seafood salad or something like that so that I can give this place a proper review.

I will say the restaurant is clean, the staff is friendly and your food comes fast. You get nice, generous portions and it's really inexpensive. It's definitely worth a go. We'll be heading back there in a couple weeks, once things settle down.

Dave's 2cents:

So by now, if you've been following us, you can tell I suffer from what I've coined, Food Rage. Which is just me getting so pissed at servers, that I am no longer hungry.

I had high hopes for this place. When I entered I was greeted within moments, when I asked what was good, food selections were suggested to me, and I was happy.

Until they said cash only. I checked my cellphone to make sure it wasn't 1999, and I asked where the closest ATM was. Seeing as I am SURE this question gets asked 100x a day, I was SURE she had an answer. What I got was, "I think its like 2 blocks, somewhere that way."

I left my wife there so the food we ordered would actually get cooked, I went on a hunt. After 15 minutes searching for an ATM, I just went to one that I KNEW in Little Italy, and returned.

Now I'm a little bit angry. Food's still cooking, and I wait. Once finished I was handed a bag and we left.

Once in the car, and as you read above, the box exploded, I then found out from my wife they don't have forks!

What carryout place doesn't provide utensils!?!?

As my wife said, we're dealing with some stuff right now, the food was good enough to give them a 2nd chance. Lets hope they don't blow it this time, and I remember to have cash on me.

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.

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!