Bait and Switch

We could all use a makeover every once in a while. That was what Dave Carey thought about Saute after eight years of business in Canton. Located at the corner of Linwood Avenue and Hudson Street, the bar always felt a little stuffy to us—with higher-than-average price points, fancy entrees, and even a name that didn’t feel very Baltimore.

So Carey decided it was time for a
change last fall and remodeled the restaurant for six weeks. The result is
Lee’s Pint and Shell (2844 Hudson St., 410-327-2883), named
after Carey’s late father who was a seafood lover and fisherman. This new
version features a raw bar, reclaimed barn wood, vintage seafood posters, and sliding
garage-door windows.

The new menu, still headed by chef Mark Suliga, reflects the nautical feel with a lineup of steamed shrimp, clams, mussels, lobster, and oysters. Patrons will also notice welcome holdovers from Saute including the addictive pulled-duck nachos.

In keeping with its name, the new bar also boasts an impressive beer list, with 18 taps of mostly local beer from RaR, Union, Key, Flying Dog, and Evolution. Other creative additions are thoughtful whiskey flights and a menu of oyster shooters, including everything from tequila to Natty Boh.

Nearly every time we’ve passed
Lee’s since it opened, the place has been packed, a testament to residents
wanting something more casual. And the night we went was no different. Every
bar stool and high-top table was filled, and the din in the room reflected
that. Needless to say, if you want to go out and have a quiet drink, then Lee’s
is not for you.

But the boisterous energy, with music and college football games on the stereo, didn’t phase us as we dug into a dozen Orchard Points—sweet and buttery oysters out of Chestertown. We also tried the pulled-pork fries, an epic mountain of meat with smoked chili barbecue sauce, spicy slaw with poblanos, and Gouda. This might be our new favorite hangover order.

To wash it all down, we were happy that Lee’s had one of our very favorite local beers on tap, the citrusy RaR Nanticoke Nectar IPA. Also of note was the Bourbon ’n’ Cider cocktail, served with ginger beer in a chilled silver mug. And we’ve got to give credit to our server and bartender, both of whom were extremely attentive despite the size of the crowd. Let Lee’s be a lesson to us all—it’s never too late to reinvent yourself.