When chef Audiel Vera developed the opening menu for Avenue Kitchen & Bar in Hampden last summer, he knew he wanted to create a special section dedicated to authentic Mexican tacos.

“They ended up being really popular,” says Vera, whose family hails from Puebla near Mexico City. “Now we want to expand on that concept a little bit more.”

Next week, the team from Avenue Kitchen & Bar will unveil a spinoff called Taco Noche—a freestanding kiosk in The Rotunda development in Hampden that will serve up tacos, salads, guacamole, and other snacks from lunchtime until 3 a.m.

The late-night stand, which will debut with a Taco Tuesday bash on September 11, is somewhat of a passion project for Vera—who moved from New York City to Houston when he was 14. While living there, he became familiar with the Northern Mexican-style of cooking.

“Hanging out in Houston was a big culture shock for me,” Vera says. “I was always used to the classic Southern Mexican dishes like corn tortillas, moles, and tacos with just onion and cilantro. And then all of the sudden I went to Texas and the food was very different than what I had been exposed to.”

The menu at Taco Noche will play up the Tex-Mex vibe, featuring flour tortillas stuffed with smoked beef brisket, barbacoa, pork carnitas, and jerk chicken. Other highlights will include traditional street corn, nachos topped with sour cream and cheese sauce, a classic burrito with refried beans and lettuce, and a “Kitchen Sink” salad—which tops arugula, with avocado, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, pickled peppers, and lemon vinaigrette.

“It’s just something different,” says Vera, who previously headed up Bmore Cocina in Upper Fells Point. (His sister, Rosalyn, now runs Cocina Luchadoras in the space.) “Everybody is doing corn tortillas now, which I’m very familiar with because those are the flavors that I grew up with. But no one is really exploring that real Northern Mexican vibe.”

Avenue Kitchen co-founder Bill Irvin says that he hopes Taco Noche will introduce more variety for late-night diners in Hampden and Charles Village, who are used to either grabbing Korean barbecue at Jong Kak or fried chicken at Royal Farms after last call.

“Years and years ago, there was late-night dining,” Irvin says. “You could go to Sabatino’s at 2 or 3 a.m., but now that’s all stopped. The marketplace for late-night now is basically convenience because it’s difficult to keep a kitchen open that late.”

Taco Noche will mark Irvin’s third freestanding concept in the center of the mixed-use development. He also runs the Rotunda’s Tiny Wine Shoppe and Garden Party—a European-influenced bar featuring charcuterie boards, sandwiches, and salads for diners to enjoy al fresco.

Irvin says he is looking forward to hosting fun pop-up events at the kiosks throughout the year, mentioning snowball fights with hot cocoa in the winter and a holiday celebration with wine pairings in December. Once the taco spot opens next week, its dishes will be available for carry-out or delivery using apps like Grubhub and Ubereats.

When it comes to Taco Noche, the team is most excited to introduce their unique spin on classic Mexican flavors.

“We want it to be approachable and not too extreme,” Vera says. “It will be fun to take people on a little more of a journey around Mexico that isn’t just cheese and meat.”

OPEN

Urban Plates: After a successful debut at Tysons Corner earlier this summer, California chain Urban Plates is opening its second East Coast location at the Mall in Columbia on Monday, August 27. The restaurant’s rustic-meets-modern vibe features interior greenery, hanging lights, and dark woods throughout. And although the eatery focuses on cafeteria-style service, don’t expect the same options that were served at your college dining hall. Chefs stand behind the counter to prepare scratch-made meals ranging from a Nicoise salad with grilled ahi to a plate of barbecue ribs in a habanero-mango sauce. Diners can mix-and-match entrees with sides (think roasted Old Bay potatoes and beet salad with walnuts) and desserts including chocolate pudding and a mango tart. 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, 443-741-8787.

Baltimore Built Bistro: For many local barflies, there’s still a wave of nostalgia that hits when walking past the old Bad Decisions space on Fleet Street in Fells Point. But now, a new dining concept is breathing life into the vacant space. Baltimore Built Bistro (B3) will officially cut the ribbon on Friday, August 24 at 3 p.m. Featuring a menu of specialty cocktails, soups, sandwiches, appetizers, and other lite fare, the bistro will be open for lunch and dinner on weekdays and serve brunch on Saturdays and Sundays. Stop by during opening weekend to sample dishes such as a poached pear salad, grilled chicken sandwich with cranberry pesto, or house burger topped with raw onion on a toasted bun. 1928 Fleet St. 443-438-9564

Charles Village Pub: The wait is finally over, Charles Village. Since the community’s beloved watering hole suffered a grease fire and was forced to shut down back in May, locals have been waiting (some more patiently than others) to return for burgers, wings, discounted drinks, and some quality time with friends and neighbors. And now, the reopening has officially been set for Thursday, August 23. Belly up to the bar this weekend to toast CVP’s return and long future ahead. 3107 St. Paul St. 410-243-1611

COMING SOON

Atlas Restaurant Group Expands to Washington, D.C.: The homegrown restaurant group that birthed Harbor East hotspots Ouzo Bay, Azumi, Loch Bar, Tagliata, The Elk Room, and Italian Disco is expanding its footprint even further in 2019. Aside from opening additional spinoffs in Boca Raton, Florida and Houston, Texas later this year, Atlas recently announced plans to debut two new restaurants at the Moxy Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. Slated to open in spring 2019, the first of the to-be-determined concepts will take over two floors of the historic Victorian building adjacent to the hotel, which dates back to 1875. The second will be a rooftop restaurant on the top floor of the Moxy. 1011 K. St NW, Washington, D.C.

Avenue Kitchen Launching Late-Night Taco Spot: Riding on the success of Garden Party, the freestanding wine-and-charcuterie shop stationed at the center of the Rotunda shopping center in Hampden, the owners of Avenue Kitchen & Bar are opening yet another kiosk on the property—this time focusing on tacos. Partners Patrick Dahlgren and Bill Irvin have taken to Facebook to poll patrons on the name of the late-night taco spot, which will either be called The Red Eye (a nod to the late flight from the West to the East Coast) or LIT, which stands for “little interesting tacos.” Night owls will be happy to hear that the shop, expected to open in late September, plans to serve its tacos, burritos, and other Mexican staples from lunchtime until 3 a.m. 711 W. 40th St.

Himalayan Yak: The Canton dining scene will soon welcome this Nepalese spot from Mohan Thapa, the owner of Masala Kitchen in Charles Village and Kumari Restaurant and Bar in Mt. Vernon. Taking over the former home of Cask & Grain—which shuttered its doors back in June—on O’Donnell Square, the spot will highlight authentic Nepalese and Indian dishes such as paneer chili, chicken vindaloo, lamb kabobs, and vegetable samosas. Himalayan Yak will open with dine-in and carry-out service, and plans to start delivery in the area in the coming weeks. 2823 O’Donnell St. 410-522-7678

Streets Market & Cafe: Earlier this week, Streets Market & Cafe—the independent grocery chain that has a store downtown on North Charles Street—announced plans to open a second Baltimore location at Yard 56, the forthcoming office-and-retail development in Greektown. Expected to open next year, the 23,000-square-foot market will offer its fresh produce, meat, seafood, baked goods, and organic household products to the Southeast Baltimore community. “Streets Markets adds an important shopping element to this development,” said David Bramble of property manager MCB Real Estate, in a press release. “Our intent is to create a project that becomes a regular part of the lives and routines of the local community.” 5601 Eastern Avenue.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

8/23: Scalawags Pit Meat Pop-Up at Gnocco
Scalawags Pit Meat, the smokin’ side project spearheaded by Gnocco general manager Sam White, is hosting a pop-up at the Highlandtown hangout tonight from 6-9 p.m. White will be mixing up whiskey cocktails—made with spirits from Republic Restoratives Distillery in Washington, D.C.—with guest bartender Alex Higdon. Aside from taking advantage of the all-night happy hour deals, be sure to sample all of the mouthwatering beef, turkey, and ribs that Scalawags pit master Kevin James will be serving up from his beloved barrel smoker. 3734 Fleet St. 6 p.m. Free. 443-449-6540.

8/30: Summer in Provence Dinner
If you haven’t had the chance to check out Ludlow Market, the new concept in the former Wine Market Bistro space in Locust Point, Chef Christopher Audia is flexing his skills with a special wine pairings dinner highlighting the Provence region of France. The three-course menu features dishes such as roasted tomato soup, mussels, and rockfish in a saffron broth; braised short rib in a red wine jus; and cream-stuffed brioche in orange blossom water. 921 E. Fort Ave. 6:30 p.m. $69. 410-244-6166

It’s one of the more consistent realities in the restaurant world: An establishment that tries to please everyone usually winds up pleasing no one. With the possible exception of old-school Greek diners, we’ve found that a kitchen concentrating on one type of cuisine and attempting to perfect it is much more likely to succeed than one that tries to provide customers with a quesadilla appetizer before their main course of veal parmigiana.

That said, Avenue Kitchen & Bar, the latest occupant of the 36th Street space that housed one-time Hampden favorites Dogwood and Le Garage, is attempting to defy that rule. Consider its menu, including items such as tacos, ceviche, and poke, fried chicken, steak, and shellfish, not to mention grilled octopus, plus the ubiquitous crab cake. The restaurant’s focus is all over the place, yet surprisingly, chef Audiel Vera (the brother of Cocina Luchadoras owner Rosalyn Vera) manages to pull most of it off.

When we arrived for our initial visit a few months after it opened, we weren’t quite sure what to make of its setup. Its small street-level cafe, dubbed Sidebar, offers a far more streamlined menu and only a few tables. The man behind the counter directed us through a set of doors, past which we descended to the main bar and dining room, which was simply appointed with wooden tables, metal chairs, a cement floor, and exposed brick.

We immediately appreciated the way our server, on this night general manager Carlos Oseguera, walked us through the menu with an impressive depth of knowledge—and honesty. Given that we were there on a Wednesday, we opted for a $20 bottle of wine (daily specials, including a $13 whole lobster on Thursdays, are printed at the bottom of the main menu). He steered us away from a Cabernet he doesn’t particularly care for and toward a delightful Tempranillo.

His food recommendations were spot-on, as well. We started with three falafel sliders, which were almost too hearty for an appetizer, but still an excellent way to begin our meal. Luckily, we still had room for the perfectly prepared pork ribs, which are slow-cooked for eight hours then cooked sous vide. One of the vegetarian offerings, an exotic mushroom sub, was among the most inventive dishes we’ve tried in a while. Multiple varieties of fungi are marinated in olive oil and mirin, then sautéed with garlic and herbs. Topped with sweet peppers and barbeque aioli and stuffed inside a soft roll, it’s the rare vegetarian dish even a meat lover would devour.

On a second visit, we enjoyed a spicy chicken sandwich and shrimp po’ boy, assembled with pickles, greens, tomato, and just the right amount of sassy remoulade. Only the rather bland fish tacos were uninspiring. That’s okay—there is no shortage of other things to try next time. And there definitely will be a next time.

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AVENUE KITCHEN & BAR 911 W. 36th  St., Hampden, 443-961-8515. HOURS Sun.-Thurs. 5 p.m.-10 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 5 p.m.-11 p.m. Sidebar, 12 p.m.-“till” seven days a week. PRICES Sandwiches: $10-18 Salads: $8-14; Entrees: $13-32. AMBIANCE Modern minimalist.

In true Charm City fashion, local business owners are doing their part to help after Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston and other parts of Southeast Texas and Louisiana last week—leaving more than 30,000 people displaced. Among the business owners aiding relief is chef Chad Gauss, who has vowed to donate 50 percent of all brunch sales at his Pikesville restaurant La Food Marketa to relief efforts this Sunday, September 3.

“Any time that there’s a problem that comes out of people’s control, no matter how hard you try to prepare, it’s just never enough,” Gauss says. “We thought it would be a good opportunity to put some good will out there and pay it forward to another part of the country.”

The fundraiser will feature the spot’s signature south-of-the-border-influenced brunch plates including turkey sausage tacos, classic Huevos Rancheros, and griddled French toast with a pineapple-almond crumble.

“A lot of people are looking for a way to give and don’t quite know how to,” he says. “This is a really uncomplicated way for people to support. And they get something in return.”

Here are a few other local businesses doing their part to give back:  

Abbey Burger Bistro: Co-owner Jason Zink is planning a fundraiser to benefit his friends Andrew and Chris Fox (the brothers behind Annapolis hotspots Vida Taco Bar, Fox’s Den, and Level) who opened Baltimore-inspired restaurant 495 Chesapeake Eats in Rockport, Texas only six months ago. The tavern, which the storm devastated in its wake, serves as an ode to Charm City with staples like crab cakes, pit beef, Maryland crab soup, and jumbo shrimp with Old Bay. On Wednesday, September 6, from 5 p.m.-2 a.m., both of Abbey Burger Bistro’s locations in Fells Point and Federal Hill will be donating $4 of every $6 Deep Eddy vodka drink to help the restaurant rebuild, and continue giving Texans a taste of Baltimore. “I’ve known Chris and Andrew for 20 years,” Zink says. “If anybody can rebound, it’s the two of them.” 811 S. Broadway, 410-522-1428

Avenue Kitchen and Bar: The former Le Garage space in Hampden is hosting a special wine tasting to support the cause. Snag a seat at the bar on Tuesday, September 19 to sample 12 worldly sauvignon blancs and a few from Texas. All proceeds from the event will be donated directly to the Red Cross. The ticketed sampling costs $25, and all attendees will be offered a 20 percent-off discount for their meal following the tasting. 911 W. 36th St., 443-961-8515

Becket Hitch and Wee Chic Boutique: These Lutherville neighbors are partnering with local infant support organization ShareBaby to help send diapers to families affected by the disaster. On Saturday, September 2, both boutiques will be donating a portion of their sales to the Texas Diaper Bank, which works to donate diapers and other supplies to infants and seniors in need. Multiple locations including 2360 Joppa Road, Ste. 110, 410-296-4818

The Charmery: In an effort to do their part, husband-and-wife owners David and Laura Alima are recreating one of the signature flavors from their favorite Houston creamery Chocolate Wasted Ice Cream. Swing by the Hampden shop this weekend to sample the spin on a Chocolate Wasted classic, which mixes a cherry and poppyseed base with white chocolate bits throughout. All proceeds will benefit the Chocolate Wasted owners and their efforts to help the community rebuild. 801 W. 36th St., 410-814-0493

Old Westminster Winery: Vigneron Drew Baker posted a video to Facebook earlier this week pledging Old Westminster’s support of the victims in Houston. The winery has set a goal of raising $10,000 throughout the month of September by donating 20 percent of all online and tasting room sales to the Red Cross. 1550 Old Westminster Road, Westminster, 410-881-4656

Parts & Labor: Spike Gjerde’s Remington meat mecca is supporting the cause the best way it knows how—by breaking down a whole prime steer sourced from Southwest Baltimore’s Old Line Custom Meat Company. This weekend, 100 percent of all sales from the cuts—both in the restaurant and its butcher shop up front—will be donated directly to flood victims in Houston. 2600 N. Howard St., 443-873-8887

Relief Show Featuring SONiA disappear fear: Local indie musician Sonia Rutstein, more fondly known as SONiA disappear fear, has organized a benefit show at the Corner Community Center in Roland Park this Sunday, September 3 at 7 p.m. The concert’s lineup also features performers Tret Fure, Tom Prasada Rao, Seth Kibel, Sarah Pinsker, and George Jessup. Tickets range from $10-18, with proceeds benefitting the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund established by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, as well as other charities including the Houston Food Bank and Organizacion Latina de Trans en Texas. 5802 Roland Ave.

Baltimore Ravens Make Sizable Donation: The Ravens announced Thursday that the organization would be donating $1 million to disaster relief efforts in Houston. The funds will be given to the United Way of Central Houston, and divided among the United Way Relief Fund for Hurricane Harvey, the Salvation Army of Houston, and the Red Cross. The organization is urging fans to join the NFL in donating to the Red Cross here. 

Sweet Elizabeth Jane: This Ellicott City boutique—which was hit hard during the flood devastation on Main Street last summer—is no stranger to the concept of rebuilding. “The generosity of so many of you got us through, so we know that any amount is helpful,” the shop posted to its Facebook page. In keeping with this sentiment, Sweet Elizabeth Jane will be donating 15 percent of all sales to relief efforts from September 2-4. 8289 Main St., Ellicott City, 410-465-6400