COMING SOON

Döner Brös: Less than a year after launching this Oktoberfest-inspired food truck, owners Alex Politsch and Steven Banks are taking the concept to the next level by opening a brick-and-mortar restaurant in Charles Village this September. Known for its salads, fries, and wraps made with seasoned meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie, Döner Brös will join THB Bagels & Deli, Bird in Hand, and the recently debuted Red Star Bar & Grill in the Nine East 33rd development near the Johns Hopkins University campus. “Johns Hopkins University was always a home run for the food truck so it was only natural for us to open our first store here,” Banks said in a statement. “We are excited to add another unique cultural option to the already eclectic and dynamic neighborhood.” 9 E. 33rd St.

Bodhi Corner: Adding to the revival efforts on Chestnut Avenue in Hampden (a corner grocery store is expected to open in the former Play Cafe space in September) is this new Thai restaurant from the owners of Khun Nine Thai in Mt. Vernon. Expected to open in the former home of Café Cito later this summer, the spot will feature Thai staples including rice dishes, noodles, curries, and rotating vegan and vegetarian options made with beans, tofu, and seasonal vegetables. 3500 Chestnut Ave.

OPEN

Garden Party: Now, moms and dads have even more reason to love the splash fountain in the center of The Rotunda in Hampden. While watching their little ones run through the water, they can sip wine and enjoy snacks, sandwiches, and salads from this new outdoor dining concept operated by the owners of Avenue Kitchen & Bar. Open in the freestanding shack next to the fountain, Garden Party offers a food menu including tahini hummus, edamame guacamole, meat and cheese boards, mini Cubano sandwiches, and a Mediterranean chopped salad. The wine list features sparkling, red, white, and rosé blends from Europe that are available by the glass or bottle. 711 W. 40th St.

NEWS

101 Deli Bar: There is new blood in the kitchen at 101 Deli Bar in Federal Hill. Chef Brian Mahon, formerly of Wine Market Bistro and The Nickel Taphouse, has revamped the menu to include entrees such as Cajun shrimp and biscuits, PEI mussels, crab cakes with corn salsa, meatballs with ricotta and toast points, and a refreshing watermelon poke bowl topped with a yuzu glaze. Though Mahon has made a few additions, the menu still offers the spot’s mix-and-match charcuterie boards, signature cocktails, wines on tap, and boozy milkshakes. 1118 S. Charles St., 443-682-9480

Argosy Cafe: After three years at its current home inside the Munsey Building downtown, this popular breakfast and lunch spot will move into new digs later this month—but it isn’t going far. Argosy’s last day on North Calvert Street will be Sunday, July 15, and it is slated to reopen in the former home of New America Diner on North Eutaw Street at the end of August. Throughout its short-but-sweet run, New America became a go-to for greasy spoon favorites, community events, and local music showcases. Owner Fiona Sergeant recently told The Sun that running the restaurant took up more time and energy than she expected. Though the diner has now closed, she is working with the Argosy team to help keep the spirit of New America alive. “It’s been beautiful,” Sergeant posted to Facebook. “You have all been lovely.” 429 N. Eutaw St.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

7/6: Champagne & Fried Chicken Night at Chez Hugo

Though it might not seem like the ideal combo, champagne and fried chicken go hand-in-hand in the summer. As Southern Living puts it: “The effervescent acidity works as the ultimate grease cutter, keeping your palate crisp and clean as you chow through the salty deliciousness.” Chez Hugo Bistro is playing up the pairing this Friday night with an a la carte menu of fried chicken and sides, as well as discounted bottles of bubbly all evening long. 206 E. Redwood St. 5-9 p.m. 443-438-3002

ONGOING: Crabs and Crushes at Wit On The Water
Earlier this week, Wit & Wisdom inside the Four Seasons Baltimore brought back its annual crab feast menu featuring summer staples like steamed blue crabs, peel-and-eat shrimp, Old Bay fries, and mac and cheese. Offered daily from noon to 10 p.m. on the restaurant’s outdoor patio, the menu also highlights buckets of beer, wines by the glass or bottle, and the signature Wit & Wisdom Crush (Tito’s vodka, grapefruit or orange juice, Campari, maple syrup, and club soda) to help wash down all of the eats. 200 International Drive. 410-576-5800

SHUT

BAMF Cafe: The Station North community is already feeling the loss of this quirky cafe, which will operate through Artscape weekend and close its doors for good on July 23. “We want to thank the Station North community for its support and friendship,” owner Nicholas Springham wrote in a Facebook announcement earlier this week. “It has been a unique experience that we will cherish forever. With heartfelt gratitude, we wish our customers, neighbors, and employees the best in the future.” Throughout its three-year run, the sci-fi-themed hangout was known for its comic book club meetings, vegan and vegetarian dishes, and drinks named after popular superheroes. There’s no word yet on what will become of the North Charles Street space. 1821 N. Charles St., 667-930-3371

Editor’s note: Winter Restaurant Week has been extended until Sunday, January 29.

Local foodies might recall getting their hopes up for the kickoff weekend of Winter Restaurant Week last year, only to be disappointed by the massive storm that blanketed the city in more than two feet of snow.

Due to last year’s inclement weather, Downtown Partnership and Visit Baltimore are bringing back their annual Winter Restaurant Week promotion—January 13-22—one week early this season.

“This will be an experiment, but it’s a nice way to keep the holidays going,” says Michael Evitts, Downtown Partnership’s vice president of communications. “We’re always soliciting input from restaurants and looking for ways to make it better.”

Now celebrating its 12th run, the annual dining-out initiative aims to bring business to local eateries during a time of year when locals typically hunker down. More than 100 city spots, both old and new, are participating this time around, trotting out special prix-fixe menus to be offered throughout the 10-day culinary event.

Evitts says that the promotion will continue the new pricing guidelines that were adopted during Summer Restaurant Week last year. After feedback from diners, organizers are now allowing restaurants to choose within a range of $12-20 for two-course meals and $20-35 for three-course meals.

“Introducing the new flexible price point last summer was a trial balloon, but it worked out very well,” Evitts says. “It allows both higher-end restaurants and more affordable neighborhood spots to provide the most value for their patrons.”

Also new this year—organizers are encouraging eateries to add beer and wine pairings to their menus in order to give diners a more holistic culinary experience.

“Baltimore’s bar scene is at the top of its game,” Evitts says. “Dining out isn’t just about the food anymore. The mind of the consumer is changing to see that it can be just as much about the beverage pairings.”

Among the many spots returning for Winter Restaurant Week is Indigma, the Mt. Vernon mainstay known for its creative takes on classic Indian fare.

Chef/owner Tony Chemmanoor says that, although his neighborhood spot has been around for decades, he sees Restaurant Week as an ideal opportunity to demonstrate how the menu has changed with the times.

“We always get a lot of regulars who come in to support, but also a lot of new faces,” says Chemmanoor, who has participated in the promotion since it began. “It’s great for people who are looking to try something different.”

For lunch, Indigma will offer a special “thali”—a traditional Indian platter made up of eight small tasting dishes. The three-course dinner menu will highlight dishes such as vegan samosas, herbed chicken kabobs, fish vindaloo, vegetable masala, and authentic rice pudding. Chemmanoor is enthusiastic about the new wine pairing promotion, mentioning that each of the featured items will be accompanied by a different suggested international pour.

In Federal Hill, Restaurant Week veteran Liv2Eat is also gearing up to participate again.

“I’m religious about it,” says Cecilia Benalcazar, who co-owns the cozy dinner spot with her husband, chef Kevin Perry. “You can’t do it more than twice a year because it becomes anti-climactic, but it’s really great for people in suburban areas who need that catalyst to make the trip downtown.”

Benalcazar says that some of the well-received dishes on Liv2Eat’s New Year’s Eve prix-fixe will roll over to its three-course Restaurant Week menu, which will feature sunchoke-apple soup, roasted squash salad with kale and Allegheny chevre cheese, Wagyu beef carpaccio, black truffle gnocchi, mandarin panna cotta, and a chocolate torte.

While plenty of established dining destinations are returning, a number of newbies are also getting involved for the first time this season.

Though a flood on the property prohibited Argosy Cafe, located inside the Munsey Building downtown, from partaking in its inaugural Winter Restaurant Week last year, owner James Shaffer says he’s excited to make up for lost time.

“On the restaurant side, it encourages us to push the envelope,” he says. “Less established places get the chance to really show what they can do.”

Argosy’s three-course dinner menu lists worldly options such as spicy shrimp and grit cakes, risotto balls with house-made marinara, duck leg with a bourbon-maple glaze, tahini-yogurt chicken with Israeli couscous, and basil pesto penne with spinach and tomatoes. In keeping with the café’s beer-centric bar program, Shaffer says he is looking forward pairing dishes with a variety of local brews like Diamondback Brewing’s Bamb Black IPA.

Mediterranean-influenced Twist, which recently joined the Fells Point dining scene, will also be getting in on the deal for the first time this year.

Chef/owner Jose Molina has participated in previous Restaurant Weeks at the other Twist locations in Washington, D.C., and he’s excited to see how the initiative catches on with diners in Fells Point. The eatery’s lunch and dinner menus will showcase dishes like braised lamb shank, Moroccan couscous, shakshouka, pumpkin gelato, and vanilla-infused crème brûlée.

Though the restaurant is BYOB, Molina plans to offer complimentary small pours of local beer and international wines to pair with the dishes.

“For us, the goal isn’t financial,” he says. “It’s more about bringing people from other neighborhoods and introducing our cuisine to different palates.”