In Good Taste

Open & Shut: Stanford Kitchen; Shaheen of Baltimore; Grano Emporio

The latest restaurant openings, closings, and recent news.

COMING SOON

Stanford Kitchen: Owings Mills residents will be happy to hear that a grand opening date for this swanky steakhouse, which operates two other locations in Columbia and Rockville, has been set for Monday, May 28. The restaurant takes over the former home of Stone’s Cove Kitbar near the Stevenson University Campus on Owings Mills Boulevard. Equipped with dark woods and comfy booth seating, the spot will feature its signature New American dishes including grilled salmon, rotisserie chicken, Eastern Shore crab cakes, a classic cheeseburger, and its “rattlesnake” linguini pasta in a Cajun alfredo sauce. 10997 Owings Mills Blvd., Owings Mills.

CH-CH CHANGES

Shaheen of Baltimore: Earlier this month, this 45-year-old Pakistani restaurant in Catonsville celebrated a grand reopening, rolling out interior upgrades and a brand new menu with improved recipes. Be sure to check out the $5 biryani (spicy rice) lunch special, as well as classic kebabs, tandoori chicken, veggie curries, and authentic Indian desserts like house-made jalebis (Maida flour batter fried and soaked in sugar syrup).  1111 N. Rolling Road, 410-747-1431

OPEN

Diablo Doughnuts: After many months of delays and a successful GoFundMe campaign, this Fells Point doughnut shop has finally made its move across the harbor to Federal Hill. Now open in the former home of Felici Cafe on Light Street, the shop features funky wall murals, table seating, and a larger kitchen for owner Michael Roslan to prepare his fan-favorite flavors. Since opening on Broadway Square in 2015, Diablo has become known for Roslan’s creative varieties like maple-bacon, cinnamon toast crunch, s’mores, blueberry basil, and the famed Unicorn Farts doughnut coated in Fruity Pebbles. 1035 Light St. 410-892-3251


Sascha’s & The Elephant at Center Stage: 
Center Stage theatregoers don’t have to look far for a good pre-show meal, now that The Elephant in Mt. Vernon—which recently took over Sascha’s Catering from longtime owner Sascha Wolhandler—has opened a new cafe onsite. Located on Baltimore Center Stage’s mezzanine level, Sascha’s & The Elephant will offer dinner service starting two hours before each show. The menu features eats like pork belly tacos, seared salmon fillet with cauliflower couscous, spring vegetable manicotti, and a dairy-free spicy Thai salad with cashew dressing. 700 N. Calvert St., 410-332-0033

EPICUREAN EVENTS

5/19-20: Second Annual Biggie Brunch at The Outpost American Tavern
Chef Jesse Sandlin hosted her first brunch dedicated to the Notorious B.I.G. last year, and had so much fun that this time around, she’s making it a two-day event. This Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sandlin invites neighborhood locals and old-school hip-hop lovers alike to celebrate the late rap icon at her restaurant The Outpost American Tavern in Federal Hill. In celebration of Biggie’s birthday on May 21, the tavern will be offering an entire food and drink menu inspired by his lyrics, (a “Juicy” burger, perhaps?)  trivia about his life, and, of course, selections from the Notorious B.I.G. catalogue blasting in the bar and dining room all weekend long.  1032 Riverside Ave., 443-388-9113

5/19: Haenyo at Diamondback Brewery
This Saturday, head to Diamondback Brewery in Locust Point to chow down on Haenyo’s locally sourced Korean-fusion cuisine from 2-9 p.m. The pop-up, which is headquartered at the communal Share Kitchen just around the corner, will be serving bulgogi rice bowls, fried chicken katsu over multigrain rice, classic scallion pancakes with gochu mayo, and sweet hotteok (fried dough with brown sugar and a sesame filling.) If you can’t make it to Diamondback this Saturday, Haenyo will also be offering delivery via UberEats throughout the evening. 1215 E. Fort Ave. 443-388-9626

SHUT (SOON)


Grano Emporio:
This Neapolitan trattoria on Chestnut Avenue in Hampden—a spinoff of the original Grano Pasta Bar on the Avenue—will be shutting its doors for good on June 30. “I could give many reasons for giving up Grano Emporio, but for what scope,” owner Gino Troia posted to Facebook last week. “We had fun, made a lot of friends, and certainly enjoyed Hampden, but we are not leaving.” The post goes on to assure that Grano’s BYOB pasta bar on The Avenue is still going strong, and mentions that the owners’ family is  looking forward to continuing its Towson restaurants Cafe Troia, Zia’s Cafe, and Plantbar. “We will enjoy visiting the other restaurants and spending more time with friends and relatives,” the post reads. There’s no word yet on what will become over the Chestnut Avenue rowhome, which Grano has occupied since 2010. 3547 Chestnut Ave., 443-438-7521