I am going to preface this by saying that Little Havana is one of my favorite brunch places in the whole city. It has great food, a beautiful view of the harbor, and unlimited mimosas or Bloody Marys. Little Havana is on Key Highway, near the American Visionary Arts Museum.
The one downside to Little Havana is that the wait is really long- the last time I was there, it was upwards of an hour. But you can begin on your unlimited mimosas while you are waiting, so it tends to make the time go much faster. Also, if you want to sit outside- beautiful views of the boats in the harbor looking toward the city- that will tack extra time onto your wait, as they are the most prized tables in the joint.
The Brunch menu has a bunch of selections of both breakfast food and lunch food. the most recent time that I was there, I had the Cuban Sandwich, a pressed ham and pulled pork sandwich with swiss cheese and pickle. It came with a side of home-fries style potatoes, made with chorizo, which was spicy and delicious. All of the items on the brunch menu are 14.95, and come with bottomless mimosas or bloody marys. In addition, I definitely recommend the home-made churros. fried churros, dusted in cinnamon sugar, with a decadent chocolate dipping sauce. I think they were an additional 3.75, and were completely worth it.
$$
Five stars
Little Havana
1325 Key Hwy
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 837-9903
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Sip and Bite
In terms of diner/dives the Sip and Bite exemplifies what I think of when I think of a dive- counter and booth service, somewhat shabby interior, decent, inexpensive food.
I went on a Sunday, and it seemed pretty crowded with an after- church contingent. There was a short wait- there’s no real waiting area there, but it took a few minutes to be acknowledged by the staff and to get seated, which was somewhat annoying. Once seated at the counter (I was by myself) I took a look at the menu- pretty sparse, but covered all of the diner-breakfast basics.
I ordered the “steamed” eggs, which turned out to be poached eggs, with home fries, and rye toast. The eggs were poached well, and the home fries were solid, if a little underseasoned. My toast was delayed until the very end of my breakfast (not sure why) and was cold by the time it reached me.
The Sip and Bite is open 24 hours, and if I lived in Canton, I’m sure it would be a great place to hit at midnight after a movie, or after going out, but as a breakfast place, is just okay. The prices however, was more than just okay- very reasonable!
$
3 Stars
Sip and Bite
2200 Boston Street
Baltimore, MD
I went on a Sunday, and it seemed pretty crowded with an after- church contingent. There was a short wait- there’s no real waiting area there, but it took a few minutes to be acknowledged by the staff and to get seated, which was somewhat annoying. Once seated at the counter (I was by myself) I took a look at the menu- pretty sparse, but covered all of the diner-breakfast basics.
I ordered the “steamed” eggs, which turned out to be poached eggs, with home fries, and rye toast. The eggs were poached well, and the home fries were solid, if a little underseasoned. My toast was delayed until the very end of my breakfast (not sure why) and was cold by the time it reached me.
The Sip and Bite is open 24 hours, and if I lived in Canton, I’m sure it would be a great place to hit at midnight after a movie, or after going out, but as a breakfast place, is just okay. The prices however, was more than just okay- very reasonable!
$
3 Stars
Sip and Bite
2200 Boston Street
Baltimore, MD
Friday, April 4, 2008
Frank's Diner
I had breakfast solo this week, due to JA's mishap with an alarm clock. Since we weren't meeting, I decided to forgo the Sip 'n Bite (our planned location) and head somewhere I've been meaning to go for ages. Every morning when I travel to work, the sign for Frank's Diner in Jessup calls out to me. The nagging feeling that I may be missing a great diner experience that was right on my way to work every day finally got the best of me.
I needn't have worried. Frank's is okay, but based on my breakfast there, I will not be rushing back anytime soon. The outside is standard diner-looking, with my favorite aspect- the line of newspaper boxes standing next to each other, side by side. I picked up my Washington Post, and headed in. The interior is a combination of booths and stools, and looks a little dated. Service was okay, if a little slower than average, for most diners (I went after what would be a normal breakfast rush)
Coffee was hot and strong, which I appreciated, and was served just after I sat down at the booth. I broke out of my standard order at a diner, and went with the sweet potato pancakes with two eggs and bacon. The pancakes were good, and a 'healthy' notation sat next to them on the menu- They were made with whole wheat flour. The health factor was somewhat negated by the giant amount of butter on them, and the carafe of syrup that went over them as well. The pancakes were tasty, the sweet potato, as well as cinnamon and nutmeg flavor really shone through. As for the other items in the breakfast, the less said about is probably better. the eggs were cool, and one of them was definitely overcooked, and the bacon was crispy (my favorite way) but were definitely on the cooler side as well.
Frank's is someplace that I would try again- because of it's close proximity to work, and the decent coffee, It's somewhere I'm sure I'll return to at least one more time, to see if any of the other choices fare better.
$
3 Stars
Frank's Diner
7395 Cedar Ave
Jessup, MD 20794
Phone: (410) 799-8198
I needn't have worried. Frank's is okay, but based on my breakfast there, I will not be rushing back anytime soon. The outside is standard diner-looking, with my favorite aspect- the line of newspaper boxes standing next to each other, side by side. I picked up my Washington Post, and headed in. The interior is a combination of booths and stools, and looks a little dated. Service was okay, if a little slower than average, for most diners (I went after what would be a normal breakfast rush)
Coffee was hot and strong, which I appreciated, and was served just after I sat down at the booth. I broke out of my standard order at a diner, and went with the sweet potato pancakes with two eggs and bacon. The pancakes were good, and a 'healthy' notation sat next to them on the menu- They were made with whole wheat flour. The health factor was somewhat negated by the giant amount of butter on them, and the carafe of syrup that went over them as well. The pancakes were tasty, the sweet potato, as well as cinnamon and nutmeg flavor really shone through. As for the other items in the breakfast, the less said about is probably better. the eggs were cool, and one of them was definitely overcooked, and the bacon was crispy (my favorite way) but were definitely on the cooler side as well.
Frank's is someplace that I would try again- because of it's close proximity to work, and the decent coffee, It's somewhere I'm sure I'll return to at least one more time, to see if any of the other choices fare better.
$
3 Stars
Frank's Diner
7395 Cedar Ave
Jessup, MD 20794
Phone: (410) 799-8198
Friday, March 28, 2008
The Morning Edition Cafe
The Morning Edition Cafe is located in the Patterson Park Area of Baltimore, a few blocks from John's Hopkins Hospital. They are only open for breakfast on Fridays, Saturday and Sundays, which makes it ideal for brunch on the weekend.
I arrived before JA (as per usual) and the staff was totally cool with me hanging out at a table with my cup of coffee until she arrived, which due to my terminal earliness, and JA's terminal lateness, was quite a bit of time. Not all places are okay with this- I've run into a couple places who want to seat the whole party together- which is understandable. However, the places that are okay with me chilling with a cup of coffee and the paper while I wait definitely engender my goodwill.
The decor is what I'd call "kitschy country", and the chairs and tables are a mismatched jumble, which is cute (I sat on what looked like a church pew). The staff was friendly and accommodating, and kept the coffee refilled without us asking. The complimentary banana bread came to the table warm, and was delicious.
The Morning Edition Cafe is known for it's Eggs Benedict, which looked enticing, but I wasn't in the mood for eggs (or the warning on the menu that there may be a substantial wait for them) , They have a huge, comprehensive menu, that is handwritten, with lots of different options, from sweet to savory. We both decided on the Biscuits and Gravy, me with a side of pork sausage, JA with turkey sausage. Our meals came with home fries, and fresh fruit, and a whimsical detail- each plate came with a tootsie pop for later. I thought the biscuits and gravy were good- they strayed from the typical recipe with the inclusion of a noticeable amount of herbs, mostly sage, in the gravy, which was a good move- it made it stand out from previous gravies I've had. The biscuit was soft and delicious, a good match for the hearty gravy. Home fries were standard, tasty, and relatively unremarkable. The meal was pretty great overall, and definitely someplace I would return- their list of mimosas alone are an enticing reason to come back.
Cost $$
4 Stars
153 N Patterson Park Ave Baltimore, MD 21231(410) 732-5133
I arrived before JA (as per usual) and the staff was totally cool with me hanging out at a table with my cup of coffee until she arrived, which due to my terminal earliness, and JA's terminal lateness, was quite a bit of time. Not all places are okay with this- I've run into a couple places who want to seat the whole party together- which is understandable. However, the places that are okay with me chilling with a cup of coffee and the paper while I wait definitely engender my goodwill.
The decor is what I'd call "kitschy country", and the chairs and tables are a mismatched jumble, which is cute (I sat on what looked like a church pew). The staff was friendly and accommodating, and kept the coffee refilled without us asking. The complimentary banana bread came to the table warm, and was delicious.
The Morning Edition Cafe is known for it's Eggs Benedict, which looked enticing, but I wasn't in the mood for eggs (or the warning on the menu that there may be a substantial wait for them) , They have a huge, comprehensive menu, that is handwritten, with lots of different options, from sweet to savory. We both decided on the Biscuits and Gravy, me with a side of pork sausage, JA with turkey sausage. Our meals came with home fries, and fresh fruit, and a whimsical detail- each plate came with a tootsie pop for later. I thought the biscuits and gravy were good- they strayed from the typical recipe with the inclusion of a noticeable amount of herbs, mostly sage, in the gravy, which was a good move- it made it stand out from previous gravies I've had. The biscuit was soft and delicious, a good match for the hearty gravy. Home fries were standard, tasty, and relatively unremarkable. The meal was pretty great overall, and definitely someplace I would return- their list of mimosas alone are an enticing reason to come back.
Cost $$
4 Stars
153 N Patterson Park Ave Baltimore, MD 21231(410) 732-5133
BOE Guidelines
A handy breakdown of our rating system:
COST
$ breakfast was under $10 excluding tax and tip for one person
$$ 10-15 dollars per person
$$$ 15-25 Dollars per person
$$$$ Greater than 25 dollars per person
Ratings:
One star- Awful. Will actively tell people not to go there
Two Stars Okay, would probably not go back
Three Stars Good, Solid breakfast
Four Stars Great breakfast, would definitely go back
Five Stars- Fantastic, amazing, wish I could move above this location so as to have their breakfast EVERY DAY
COST
$ breakfast was under $10 excluding tax and tip for one person
$$ 10-15 dollars per person
$$$ 15-25 Dollars per person
$$$$ Greater than 25 dollars per person
Ratings:
One star- Awful. Will actively tell people not to go there
Two Stars Okay, would probably not go back
Three Stars Good, Solid breakfast
Four Stars Great breakfast, would definitely go back
Five Stars- Fantastic, amazing, wish I could move above this location so as to have their breakfast EVERY DAY
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Pete's
Pete's is located on Greenmount Ave in Baltimore, a short walk from the Waverly Farmer's market, if you manage to make it there on Saturday. Julie and I did not, We went on a sunday, and due to schedule restrictions, and rumors that Pete's gets crazy busy later in the morning on the weekend, we made it an early one, and met there at 8:30.
The service was good, the food came fast and there is a good diversity of breakfast items on the menu, from omlettes to pancakes. There was a smattering of what looked like regulars taking up the seats( always a good sign). the entire place is counter- seating only. It started to get more crowded as we were getting ready to leave, So I'd definitely make this a place to go early for breakfast if you don't want to wait, especially on the weekend.
Coffee was good and strong, and refilled during the meal. I had 2 eggs, over easy, with home fries and scrapple, and rye toast. The eggs were cooked well- just runny enough to have some of the yolk merge with the eggs. The home fries were great- seasoned perfectly, and with a nice crust. The scrapple was thick cut, and good. Not as good as the Philadelphia/New Jersey scrapple, but definitely one of the better scrapple variations in Baltimore ( I am not ashamed for my love of scrapple. Really. I know it's going to kill me someday, but until then, so. delicious.)
JA had the same thing I did, except swapped the home fries with grits.
Pete's is good, solid diner breakfast, I'd like to go back to try their other offerings, the pancakes looked especially good.
Cost $
Stars 4 (out of five)
The service was good, the food came fast and there is a good diversity of breakfast items on the menu, from omlettes to pancakes. There was a smattering of what looked like regulars taking up the seats( always a good sign). the entire place is counter- seating only. It started to get more crowded as we were getting ready to leave, So I'd definitely make this a place to go early for breakfast if you don't want to wait, especially on the weekend.
Coffee was good and strong, and refilled during the meal. I had 2 eggs, over easy, with home fries and scrapple, and rye toast. The eggs were cooked well- just runny enough to have some of the yolk merge with the eggs. The home fries were great- seasoned perfectly, and with a nice crust. The scrapple was thick cut, and good. Not as good as the Philadelphia/New Jersey scrapple, but definitely one of the better scrapple variations in Baltimore ( I am not ashamed for my love of scrapple. Really. I know it's going to kill me someday, but until then, so. delicious.)
JA had the same thing I did, except swapped the home fries with grits.
Pete's is good, solid diner breakfast, I'd like to go back to try their other offerings, the pancakes looked especially good.
Cost $
Stars 4 (out of five)
3130 Greenmount Ave
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 467-7698
Baltimore, MD 21218
(410) 467-7698
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