Nailah’s Kitchen: Govans gained some international flair last week with the debut of this West African eatery on York Road. The brainchild of Senegal native Mohammed Agbodjogbe, the restaurant serves authentic staples such as lemon-marinated chicken, peanut butter stew, juices made from rare African fruits, and Thiebou Djeun—Senegal’s national dish that combines stewed fish with tomato sauce, eggplant, and white cabbage. The 112-seat interior, also inspired by Agbodjogbe’s heritage, features West African artwork and a stage for Senegalese music performances. The new spot sits just a few blocks away from communal food incubator B-More Kitchen, which will also join the Govans food scene later this summer. 5722 York Road, 443-461-5600

Inka Grill Fusion: Speaking of international cuisine, this Peruvian destination opened its doors in Pikesville last weekend. Set in the former home of Mari Luna Latin Grill on Reisterstown Road, the menu lists dishes such as Peruvian paella, whole red snapper, and marinated mussels alongside a variety of ceviche, sushi, and pasta. 1010 Reisterstown Road, 443-898-8713

SPAGnVOLA: Travelers passing through BWI now have a new option to satisfy sweet tooth cravings, thanks to the opening of this Maryland-based chocolate shop on Concourse A. Named one of the top 10 chocolatiers in the world by National Geographic, the shop features showcases filled with gourmet chocolate bars, bonbons, and truffles. The opening comes in the midst of the airport’s major restaurant expansion, which recently saw the opening of Harbor Grille, and will soon yield dining destinations from former Top Chef contestants Bryan Voltaggio and Mike Isabella. Baltimore Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, 410-859-7111

PIZZA PRESS:

Bagby Pizza Co.: Fleet Street staple Bagby Pizza Co. is continuing its expansion into the county with a third location slated to open in the brand new Foundry Row development in Owings Mills by the end of 2016. The fast-casual BYOB spot will feature the company’s signature thin crust pizzas topped with locally sourced ingredients and a menu of house-made desserts. The 50-acre community developed by Greenberg Gibbons will also house eateries such as Bar Louie, Nalley Fresh, Mission BBQ, and Zoe’s Kitchen when it premieres this fall. 10100 Reisterstown Road, Owings Mills

Paulie Gee’s: After countless delays, this long-awaited Hampden pizzeria finally graced us with its presence earlier this month. The Chestnut Avenue space has been completely transformed from its former state as the Hampden Republican Club, now boasting Neopolitan fireplaces, communal wood tables, and exposed bulb lighting. The Brooklyn-based chain, named after its founder Paulie Giannone, serves brick-oven pies topped with everything from mozzarella and baby arugula to lemon bitters and orange blossom honey. Vegan options are also plentiful. 3535 Chestnut Avenue, 410-889-3535

BrickNFire Pizza Co.: After winning a Shark Tank-style restaurant contest hosted by the Marriott, BrickNFire owner Megan Lanasa opened a brick-and-mortar home for her mobile pizza kitchen last weekend. The new 30-seat spot inside the Marriott Inner Harbor at Camden Yards features wood accents, high-top tables, and a signature 800-degree pizza oven that warms pies topped with soppressata, basil, house-blend cheeses, and a variety of vegetables. 110 S. Eutaw St.

CHEF CH-CH CHANGES:

Alewife: Cyrus Keefer fans will be happy to hear that the chef was recently hired to head up the kitchen at Alewife. Although he has been a bit of a nomad over the past few years—with brief stints at Banditos, Birotecca, Fork & Wrench, and 13.5% Wine Bar—Keefer recently told The Sun that he’s in it for the long haul. The new menu at Alewife features Keefer’s take on street food, with dishes ranging from coconut chicken spring rolls and crispy beef salad to pork belly tostada and a banh mi dog with chicken liver mousse. Former Alewife executive chef Chad Wells recently moved on to oversee operations of Victoria Restaurant Group in Howard County. 21 N Eutaw St., 410-545-5112

Germano’s Piattini: Husband and wife owners Germano Fabiani and Cyd Wolf recently welcomed chef Daniel Rosen to the kitchen at this Little Italy mainstay. Rosen, who hails from the Philadelphia dining scene, will feature seasonal dishes such as beet carpaccio, roasted calamari, chickpea soup, and shaved carrots with lemon vinaigrette. 300 S. High St., 410-752-4515

EPICUREAN EVENTS:

Fork & Cork 2.0: A handful of the city’s top culinary talents are coming together to present the second iteration of this monthly dinner series, which kicks off next month. Chefs and sommeliers from Aggio, Wit & Wisdom, Fleet Street Kitchen, and La Cuchara will fuse their talents to serve collaborative five-course meals during each event. The first dinner will be held at Aggio on August 16. 614 Water St., 410-528-0200, $114

Trifecta Food Truck Festival: The Maryland State Fairgrounds is transforming into a foodie mecca on July 30, bringing together more than 25 of the area’s favorite food trucks. Snack on gyros from Greek on the Street, pulled pork from The Smoking Swine, burgers from Kooper’s Chowhound, and plenty of others at the first-ever fete, which will also feature outdoor games and live music from Bosley, Gypsy Soul Revival, and Kelly Bell Band. 2200 York Road, 410-252-0200, $15

Chicagomore Pop-Up at Artifact: One of Spike Gjerde’s best buds is coming to town this weekend, hosting a two-day pop-up at Artifact Coffee with a menu full of shareable street food. Chef Cleetus Friedman—formerly of Chicago hotspots City Provisions and Fountainhead—will be taking over the restaurant on July 22 and 23, serving dishes such as tomato caprese lettuce wraps, catfish tacos, sausage flatbread, and a Chicago-style crab cake with pickled pepper and celery salt. The event will also feature Windy City-brewed beers and a DJ spinning old-school hip hop. 1500 Union Ave., 410-235-1881

The Charmery Third Anniversary Party: Speaking of throwbacks, Hampden’s favorite ice cream parlor is celebrating its third birthday with a ’90s-themed bash on Saturday, July 23. From 6-10 p.m., dig to a carefully curated soundtrack while sampling eight new flavors inspired by old-school R&B hits. A few flavors of note will include sourdough and jam, fresh mint and honeydew, and a savory riff on a Philly cheesesteak. (Possibly a nod to Will Smith’s roots in The Fresh Prince of Bel Air?) 801 W. 36th St., Free, 410-814-0493

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In addition to opening his own burger joint inside Horseshoe Casino last fall, the fun-loving, spiky-haired star has showcased Charm City staples such as Slainte, Clementine, Joe Squared, and Swallow at the Hollow in previous seasons of his long-running Food Network series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives (DDD). And next month, we’ll be able to add two more restaurants to the running list of local hotspots that have been featured on the show.

Alewife, the Westside beer bar famous for its burgers and fries, and Miss Shirley’s, the brunch spot best known for its benedicts and Bloodies, will both be featured in the 24th season of DDD, which is set to premiere on Friday, Jan. 1 at 10 p.m.

Alewife’s executive chef Chad Wells explains that each time the show films in Baltimore, the producers ask the featured chefs where they like to eat, which, in turn, helps the crew to scout new locations for future episodes.

“Several other places in Baltimore had mentioned us,” Wells says. “So they called and we went through the entire screening process, which took hours of interviews. Then they go through all of the food items, send what they’re interested in to Guy Fieri, and he ultimately picks what you prepare on the show.”

Alewife’s segment will highlight Wells’ signature wild boar sliders and pork belly mac and cheese fries.

“It’s pretty cool that they picked those two items because we don’t consider ourselves to be a stuffy fine dining restaurant. We’re a beer bar and we like to have fun,” Wells says. “They’re both fun dishes that you can enjoy with friends while kicking back and listening to The Ramones in the dining room.”

According to a synopsis posted on Food Network’s website, we’ll get to see Fieri hit yet another local favorite as he chows down on crab cake po’boys and coconut cream French toast at Miss Shirley’s in an episode airing on Friday, Jan. 15 at 10 p.m.

“It was a blast working with the crew, who were all very down-to-earth, complimentary, professional, and fun,” says Brigitte O. Bledsoe, Miss Shirley’s corporate executive chef. “We are just one of many incredible Baltimore restaurants that have helped to boost Maryland to the top of the culinary scene. We’re so honored to be welcomed into the Triple-D family.”

Alewife will throw a viewing party in honor of the episode’s premiere, complete with a Fieri-inspired cocktail, draft specials starting at 10 p.m., and, of course, plenty of wild boar sliders and pork belly mac and cheese fries to go around. Wells adds that, while he is eager to hear everyone’s thoughts on the episode, he’s most excited to witness his 3-year-old son’s reaction to seeing his dad on the big screen.

“I have the utmost respect for [Fieri],” he says. “He’s so much fun to work with and it’s awesome to see someone in his position who really has a passion for helping smaller businesses on such an amazing scale. Baltimore’s food culture is very unique compared to other places, and right now is an awesome time for it to be getting so much attention.”

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Despite its storied past, the building has been somewhat of a cursed spot for bar/restaurants. Its off-the-beaten-path location doesn’t make it a desired destination, but more popular for an after-work or after-show crowd. However, what the owner of Alewife, Daniel Lanigan, is seeking to do is a little bit different from the others—create a high-end beer bar with 100 bottles and 40 drafts of excellent and obscure brews from around the world.

The space itself is still beautiful: huge open room with dark wood accents, crimson walls, and historic stained-glass windows. There are a dozen or so tables scattered around, including some in the front windows, others on the second floor, and many in a private room off to the side. The service last night was outstanding; the bar even appeared to be overstaffed. I wonder if the rain put a damper on the opening night crowd that Alewife was expecting. But our bartender was knowledgeable about all the exotic beers on the menu and provided thoughtful recommendations. He even let us sample a few beers before we ordered.

There were 75 bottles (with more to come on Monday) and 40 drafts on the beer menu last night, all listed on two giant chalkboards in the main room. I was in the mood for something light so I tried a Reisdorff Kölsch draft ($6), a clean German beer with just enoguh body and a subtle bitterness. On the hoppier (and closer-to-home) side, we tried Bear Republic’s Racer 5 IPA ($6), which was less intense than most IPAs and had a nice balance of sweet and bitter notes. We also tried the fruity Allagash White ($5.50) and the full-bodied Smuttynose Big A IPA ($5). All the beer was extremely high-quality and fresh. There’s also a dozen $10 cocktails (including a rotating drink called “The Baltimore”) and a decent wine list.

The food menu is interesting, with some upscale entrees that you won’t find at most beer bars (Ox Tail, Venison Sausage, Rockfish). But we settled for the crabcake and burger. The crabcake was pretty lackluster. It came out fried (I prefer broiled) and most of it was claw meat, not lump. But the accompanying corn salsa was delicious, like having a side of spicy corn-on-the cob. The smoke burger and fries ($14) was phenomenal: smoked Gouda and gruyere cheese, applewood smoked bacon, caramelized onions, and a chipotle aioli on a brioche bun made for a delicious meal. Not to mention, the duck-fat fries with sundried tomato ketchup was a stand-up side.

So, Alewife has a ton going for it. They have a beautiful space with a stellar staff, an owner who clearly knows his beer, and an impressive food menu. What worries me, though, is how much of a crowd they’ll get. The location is obviously pretty tricky, though judging from all the business suits last night, I think they’ll get a good after-work crowd. And The Hippodrome’s proximity will help. But Alewife needs to be a bar that people go out of their way for, which can be a lot to ask in this town. One thing that will attract attention: On October 1st at 4 p.m., Stone Brewing Company will be at Alewife with a whopping 40 of its beers on tap. I’d say that’s a pretty good start.

[Image: photo courtesy of me]

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