The Historic Charles Street Association is sponsoring the event and their press materials quote Haluk Kantar, owner of Cazbar Restaurant, declaring the festival “the best thing to happen to Charles Street since Starbucks.” Really? By my lights, a festival with some of the city’s best food—including Cazbar’s—is a sight better than the big box coffee you can find off half the interstate exits in the country.

Though food might be foremost on my mind as I write this, it’s not all about the food. This is a full-on fest. The 300 block of North Charles will be closed so that we can wander around and stuff our faces while listening to live music–sponsored by WTMD–between 12–5 p.m. (the Carousel Rogues headline at 4:00 p.m.) and checking out the goods and grub of over 40 local businesses.

Especially interesting is the launch of Noodlerolla—the city’s first sushi truck‑operated by the former executive chef of Sticky Rice.

The Wine Market (921 E. Fort Ave., [410] 244‑6166, the-wine-market.com) offers several options including a 3-course brunch, 11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., $28/per person (entrée choices include sourdough waffles, ricotta gnocchi, chicken fried steak, and fried oysters); a 3-course dinner, 4 p.m.- 8 p.m., $35/per person (entrée choices include Murrey’s Farms Pan Roasted Chicken, Hudson Valley Duck Confit, Creek Stone Farms Grilled Sirloin Steak). A la carte menu is also available for dinner.

Wit & Wisdom (200 International Drive, [410] 223‑1245, witandwisdombaltimore.com) offers a special Mother’s Day Brunch, 10:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., $75/per person (entrees include shrimp and grits, steak and eggs, softshell crab, and Dutch pancake). Live music and a Bellini and Bloody Mary bar included in the price.

The Chameleon Café (4341 Harford Rd., [410] 254‑2376, thechameleoncafe.com), begins serving a la carte brunch for the first time this weekend. For Mother’s Day, brunch will be $30 prix-fixe with choices including house-made scrapple with lentils and poached egg, brioche French toast with local strawberries and bacon ice cream, and fried chicken with biscuits and gravy.

If you’re really tight, IKEA (8352 Honeygo Blvd., [410] 931‑5400, ikea.com) is offering moms a free small breakfast (bacon, scrambled eggs, potatoes, and a cup of coffee) until 11:00 a.m. Maybe you could upgrade with some toast or a cinnamon bun?

In addition to food and drink, you can also take a tour of SPCA’s adoption center and meet dogs available for adoption. Admission is free. Parking is not available directly on SPCA premises (that’s where the food trucks will be). Instead, park in nearby Hampden, either on the street or in the parking lot of the Academy for College and Career Exploration (1300 W. 36th St.). Also, please leave your already adopted pets at home.

It’s serious business done in an eminently approachable way. And it’s free. Go forth and slurp. 2010 Clipper Park Rd., (410) 464‑8000, woodberrykitchen.com.

“Chef” Jim Meyer testing the EAT sculpture for structural integrity. PHOTO: RARAH

Here at Baltimore’s Hungriest Alternative Weekly, we’re always very excited about the latest iteration of EAT, our annual Dining Guide, and we want to show you a few alternate takes and Behind The Scenes shots of the construction of the EAT sculpture-prop we used for the cover, such as the majestic image above, featuring local funnyman Jim Meyer, captured by Valued City Paper Freelance Photographer Ryan “Rarah” Stevenson.

FIG. 1 Sexy supermodel beyond our budgetary restrictions.

The sculpture is a ripoff of something we saw Top Model/Supermodel Janice Dickenson enjoying on the Internet (FIG. 1)

We figured hey, let’s do this EXACT SAME THING, only with a Chef and a thing that goes really good with S-E-X, right? Yeah!

So we called up talented artist Emily C-D, and after she helped us with the spelling, the construction of the now-iconic EAT sculpture commenced. Emily’s colleague Emma Alves did the carpentry of the frame, which is shown here (Figs. 3–5)

FIG. 3 Gimme an “A”

FIG. 4 “T”

FIG. 5 The completed letters, before addition of the upper Chef-holding surface.

FIG. 6 City-Papier-mâché!

FIG. 7 The final painted EAT.

FIG. 8 EAT Strikes Back!

FIG. 9 Cover of City Paper’s 2012 edition of EAT. PHOTO: RARAH, CARPENTRY: EMMA ALVES, DESIGN, SCULPTING WITH OLD CITY PAPERS, PAINTING: EMILY C-D, CHEF-MODEL: JIM MEYER

Here are a few deals around town:

The Wine Market (921 E. Fort Ave., [410] 244‑6166, the-wine-market.com): Tuesday-Thursday, three courses for $35, wine pairings available for an additional $4/glass.

Corner BYOB (850 W. 36th St., [443] 869‑5075, cornerbyob.com): Mondays, three courses for $25, BYOB plus corkage. Cash only.

The Chameleon Café (4341 Harford Road, [410] 254‑2376, thechameleoncafe.com): Tuesday-Thursday, three courses for $33.

Cinghiale (822 Lancaster St., [410] 547‑8282, cgeno.com): Prezzo Fisso, four courses for $59; La Cucina della Nonna menu for $29.

Jack’s Bistro (3123 Elliott St., [410] 878‑6542, jacksbistro.net): Thursdays, two-course beer dinner for $20.

Know of any great prix fixe deals? Please send details to freerange@citypaper.com.

Gordon Ramsay

Yes, schadenfreude fans, the episode of Kitchen Nightmares that TV food celebrity/reality host Gordon Ramsay filmed at Hampden’s own Café Hon last fall debuts tonight on Fox at 8 p.m. In case you haven’t seen the series, Ramsay drops in on a struggling restaurant each episode and tries to tough-love it back onto the rails. Judging from the preview clip below, he spends some time on head Hon Denise Whiting’s well-documented troubles with her trademark and the Hampden community as well as retooling the kitchen and the service. Seems like must-see  (or must-DVR) TV, don’t ya think?

Click here to view the embedded video.

Tickets are $45 per person ($40 for Maryland Science Center members) and include the chocolates and paired beverages. Doors open at 7:00 p.m.  Call (410) 545‑5980 to reserve seats.

It’s not on the Café Hon web site yet, but according to the flier left at my door last weekend, the recently Gordon Ramsay-fied Hampden spot has returned Saturday and Sunday brunch to the menu. Brunch will be served from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day.

The Dogwood Restaurant, another Hampden go-to, has also resumed brunch service from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The menu includes a smattering of Tex-Mex, including Taos chiles rellenos and Park City huevos rancheros; a dash of the Irish in Bridget’s Irish breakfast of baked beans, boiled potatoes, sausage, bacon, and poached eggs; and a little touch of the South with fried Chesapeake oysters and hoppin’ John. Sandwiches, salads, and burgers are also available.

The Four Seasons’ Wit and Wisdom has been open several months now, but its brunch is a new addition. The menu takes its cues from both Wit and Wisdom’s dinner menu—lobster corndogs, grilled rabbit boudin sausage—and the menu at the hotel’s LAMILL coffee shop, where fresh beignets share the menu with crab or Nutella “pop” pies, a gourmet take on PopTarts.  Other brunch entrées include toad in the hole, chicken-fried steak, brioche pancakes, and a cast-iron skillet omelet. Brunch is served from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

If you can’t wait until the 20th, Baltimore County Restaurant Week starts today, running through Jan. 21. Lunches and dinners in the county range from $10.12 to $35.12 (see individual restaurant web sites for more details) at places such as Linwoods, Tark’s Grill, Café Troia, Mari Luna Latin Grille, Pappas Restaurant, and the Peppermill.

Jerry Pellegrino. Courtesy Corks.

Several years after an extensive interior renovation, Corks Restaurant closed on Wednesday, Dec. 21, after 14 years in its Federal Hill location. According to a press release, the closure arose out of a dispute with the landlord over facilities repairs. The restaurant had had periods of temporary closure recently due to facility-related problems.

Co-owner Charles Nabit reports that Corks’ founding chef, Jerry Pellegrino, will continue working as a consultant for Waterfront Kitchen in Fells Point, and that all Corks gift certificates and dinner reservations will be honored there. Cooking classes scheduled at Corks will now be held at the new restaurant, as well.

Photograph by Rarah.

Word has reached City Paper that much-loved local restauranteur Morris Martick has died. The long-time proprietor of Martick’s Restaurant Francais on Mulberry Street, Martick served bouillabaisse and irascible personality to generations of Baltimoreans. We’ll have more details when they become available.

Photograph by Stacy Viera.

So it ain’t a golden ticket to a chocolate factory, but a silver-signed bottle of Sloop Betty vodka could win you a look inside Blackwater Distilling, the Kent Island company that produces the Maryland spirit. Distillery employees, including owners Christopher Cook, Jon Cook, and Mark Troxler, autographed more than a dozen bottles of Sloop Betty with silver Sharpies and randomly distributed the signed bottles in multiple cases. When an adult age 21 or over finds a signed bottle, he or she can notify the distillery by contacting them on Facebook or Twitter and posting a photo of the found bottle to collect. While the prize packages feature the usual swag—Sloop Betty T-shirts, decals, recipe cards—they also include an entry to win a bottling-day party at the distillery, perhaps the grown-up equivalent to spending a day with Willie Wonka. Happy hunting.

Courtesy @road2seoul

Add two more food trucks to the convoy: road2seoul,  “serving authentic Korean BBQ in Baltimore City,” and Greenhouse Cafe,  “the best of natural and organic ingredients with a taste of the Mediterranean” (it’s also kosher). The trucks are at Baltimore and Greene Streets today. Follow them on Twitter for future locations. (Hat tip to Richard Gorelick over at the Sun for breaking this news faster than an egg for an omelet).

Mt. Washington Tavern burns. Photo by Ed Bloom.

When we got news this morning the fire gods had consumed the much-loved Mt. Washington Tavern, we were bummed in many ways. We felt bad for owner Rob Frisch, tavern staff, and the folks who, including some here, often make a point of having a friendly drink there. A relatively new staffer here was in the early phases of attachment.

But then we thought of the smokers, who have lost yet another comfortable place to drink and light up–and by comfortable we mean not exiled to the sidewalk. In 2009 we gave the Mt. Washington Tavern the Best of Baltimore award for “Best Bar for Smoking.”

Friend of City Paper and Ethel and Ramone’s owner/head chef Ed Bloom sent us this pic he snapped in the wee hours, as the blaze consumed that beloved outdoor patio. Sniff.

Patch.com reports that Frisch vows “we’re absolutely going to rebuild and we’re absolutely going to be better than ever.” We wish Rob and staff good luck, and hope the Sky Bar comes back better than ever.

Gordon Ramsay

Baltimore restaurants are having their moment in the television spotlight recently.

The Baltimore Sun reported this morning that Gordon Ramsay will be counseling Baltimore’s most outspoken Hon, Denise Whiting, in an upcoming episode of Kitchen Nightmares. Filming at Whiting’s Café Hon is scheduled to begin next week.

The producers of BYUtv’s Turning Point series, one-hour documentaries that tell the stories of people who do extraordinary things for others, have already wrapped up an episode that features Bridget and Galen Sampson of Hampden’s Dogwood restaurant. The episode, which has been picked up by some PBS stations and is available for viewing via the restaurant’s web site, chronicles the Dogwood’s mission to provide training and apprenticeships to individuals transitioning from addiction and incarceration.

Finally, keep an eye out for the Food Network’s bleach-blond Guy Fieri. Scouting has begun around town for restaurant candidates for upcoming episodes of his show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. Where would you send him?

Wednesday, Oct. 26: Beer Hall, 4:30–9:30 p.m. (dinner served until 8 p.m.); Dining Room (no alcohol), 4:30–7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Oct. 27: Beer Hall, 4:30–9:30 p.m. (dinner served until 8 p.m.); Dining Room (no alcohol) 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Sketch of proposed kitchen

For anyone who’s ever considered starting a food-related small business, consider this proposal for a shared-use food prep facility from American Communities Trust (ACT), a Baltimore nonprofit dedicated to supporting the local food economy.

From the press release:

The Food Enterprise Center will contain a shared-use commercial kitchen, training rooms and facilities, and storage space (e.g., dry, refrigerated and freezer storage) for the region’s food entrepreneurs. The kitchen will be a fully licensed, insured and equipped facility where specialty food manufacturers, baker, caterers, chefs, growers and producers, and other food entrepreneurs can rent food production kitchen space at an affordable cost. Further, the facility will be a place where area food entrepreneurs can obtain a wide array of value-added services, including technical assistance, access to capital, and other ancillary services.

ACT is hosting three informational seminars for interested persons on Thursday, Sept. 22,  at the following locations:

8:30 to 9:30 a.m.  Woodberry Kitchen

3 to 4 p.m. Baltimore County Agriculture Center and Farm Park

5:30 to 7 p.m. the third floor of the community center at 901 S. Milton Ave.

Food entrepreneurs who might be interested in using the proposed facility are also being encouraged to take an on-line survey here.

For more information contact Amy Bonitz ([443] 223‑2369) or Cameron Wold ([520] 395‑1025).

Photograph by Sam Holden

After a brief two-year run, the Falls has closed its doors. The restaurant announced the closure via Facebook this morning. Although no specific reason was given, the Facebook message to “friends and neighbors” noted that “The Falls was never perfect, but it wasn’t for lack of effort” and that, in the past month, the owners had “[shaken] things up a bit in order to continue chasing [their] goal.”

The Falls offered a spectrum of meals, from breakfast through dinner, and its bar offerings were surprisingly sophisticated for a casual neighborhood restaurant. There’s no doubt it will be missed by the Mount Washington community.

New logo for National Premium

An Eastern Shore real estate agent and entrepreneur is laying plans to reintroduce National Premium beer to Baltimore.

Tim Miller, whose family sold a string of service stations 10 years ago, says he bought the trademark for National Bohemian’s upscale brother brew at a New York auction in December and then went on a quest for the original recipe.

“Lot of my friends are like, you can put anything in there, no one will know the difference,” says Miller, 43. “I was like, that’s not what this beer was all about … I wanted to find the recipe.”

Miller says he located the formula through a network of former National brewers. Now he’s looking for a brewery to produce the beer, which was last sold in Baltimore in 1996.

“I don’t know anything about making beer. Never done it. This is initially going to be a contract brew,” he says. “We’re not building a stainless steel monument to it–not yet.”

Miller, who is selling a collection of antique gas pumps to help finance the venture, says he hopes to have National Premium on shelves and on tap in time for opening day of next year’s baseball season.

So was National Premium the stuff? Don’t take our word for it. Ask Robert Christgau, “Dean of American Rock Critics,” who in a 1975 article for the Playboy spinoff Oui magazine pronounced it “Dry, pleasurable to contemplate–particulary [sic] at warmer temperatures–with distinctive but not weirdo minty bitterness, and very clean and light, National Premium seemed to offer the best aspects of both European and American beer.”

Sharon Charny, a certified training coordinator for the Charmer Sunbelt Group, a local wine distributor, will use the official A.C. Noble Wine Aroma Wheel to help participants discover the aromas found in wines, which sometimes include unexpected scents like bacon, cut green grass, and honey. Participants will also learn how to analyze wine color and density, as well as have the opportunity to taste many different wines.

Tickets for Science Uncorked are $50 ($45 Maryland Science Center members) and include wine, food, and program.

Image: Rachel Tayse

The festival will include orchard tours, a beekeeper presentation, a lecture on the Civil War Battle of Crompton’s Gap (in which the farm played a key role), as well as fine hard cider tastings. Food vendors include JB Seafood and South Mountain Creamery ice cream, and fresh-pressed sweet (non-alcoholic) cider and fresh-picked apples will also be for sale. Music from noon to 4 p.m. provided by Matt McGinn.

Baltimore Farmer’s Market. Photograph by Mark Dennis.

The Baltimore Office of Promotions and the Arts has announced that the Baltimore Farmers’ Market and Bazaar will be closed on Sunday, Aug. 28 due to the severe weather conditions that may result from Hurricane Irene. The market will reopen as usual Sunday, Sept. 4.

The Saturday Farmers Market on 32nd Street in Waverly will be open as usual, confirms Marc Rey, president of that market’s Farmers Market Board. Hours for the Saturday market are 7:00 a.m.-noon.

The Verandah takes the place of Soup’s On on Hampden’s 36^th Street. Owned by Rustic Gourmet’s Radhika Sule, the current menu offers Pakistani-inflected vegetarian dishes like red lentil soup and tikki chaat (potato patties with chickpeas and a “medley” of chutneys), as well as several poultry items, including chicken kebabs, salad, and curry. Current hours are 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. weekdays.

The pages of a 2006 issue City Paper are finally gone from the windows of Station North’s Lost City Diner (1730 N. Charles St., [410] 547‑5678). Look for a 1930’s sci-fi theme, vegan and vegetarian offerings, and even Baltimore coddies. There’s a Facebook page, though not a lot of info yet. Call for more details.

Finally, Indigma has reopened across the street from its original location at North Charles Street and Madison Avenue, in the building most Baltimoreans know best as the late Tony Cheng’s. The menu looks to be the same (though did it always designate vegan and gluten-free dishes?), and the restaurant offers a “grand buffet” for lunch Tuesday-Friday and as brunch on the weekends. Closed Mondays.