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B-More Kitchen:: After months of setbacks, Charm City’s first communal food incubator is officially on its feet. The 28,000-square-foot building in Govans has been completely revamped, now boasting state-of-the-art commercial kitchen space for local food startups to mass produce their artisanal products. The incubator also features a library of communal cookware, cold and dry storage, office space, and an events venue on the top floor. Small-batch makers that have already taken up residency inside the space include Bottoms Up Bagels and Pie Time Baltimore. 5604 York Road

ELLICOTT CITY REOPENINGS

Judge’s Bench: Just shy of five weeks after raging flood waters wreaked havoc in Ellicott City, this Main Street haunt officially reopened its doors last weekend with a celebration that drew in the likes of County Executive Allan Kittleman and Lt. Governor Boyd Rutherford. The corner pub, named after its location near the original Howard County Courthouse, is back up and running, slinging pints of craft beer and serving up its signature pub grub. The bar’s live music schedule, including its signature open mic nights, will pick back up throughout September. 8385 Main St., Ellicott City, 410-465-3497

The Wine Bin: Just across the street, The Wine Bin also celebrated a grand reopening last week. As the stalwart shop gets back into its regular routine, it’s also re-launching various community events including the Ellicott City Old Towne Market on Saturday mornings and its outdoor movie series on Saturday evenings. Though the market has been temporarily relocated to Mount Ida, The Wine Bin will host its dog-friendly Yappy Hour tasting event tonight from 6-9 p.m., and resume its summer screenings with a showing of My Big Fat Greek Wedding Saturday at 8 p.m. 8390 Main Street, Ellicott City, 410-466-7802

COMING SOON

Angela’s Seafood: The first-floor site that previously housed Obryki’s Crab House in Fells Point has sat vacant since 2011, but next month, an emerging seafood spot will breathe new life into the space. Slated to open in the beginning of October, Angela’s Seafood will seat 130 in its bar and dining room and offer everything from mussels and clams to steamed shrimp and local blue crabs. 1727 E. Pratt St.

Baltimore Soup Co.: Husband and wife duo David and Lisa Redmond, the couple behind Towson’s Cafe Gourmet, plan to launch this new soup-centric concept in the coming months. Not only will the owners open a location in Downtown’s Charles Plaza food court this fall, but they have also snagged a portion of retail space on the first floor of the 2 East Wells apartment complex in South Baltimore, which will debut in 2017. Conveniently arriving just in time for the chilly fall temperatures, the Charles Plaza soup shop will highlight eight daily varieties—including favorites like Maryland Crab, tomato bisque, and loaded baked potato—alongside a slew of sandwiches and salads. 222 N. Charles St.

Restaurant B: Earlier this week, Maggie’s Farm owners Matt and Andy Weaver launched a new crowd-funding campaign to open a sister spot at the yet-to-open Soha Union development in Hamilton-Lauraville. Though specific details have not yet been released (the owners are referring to the new eatery as “Restaurant B”), Andy recently told us that the spot will offer a fusion of American and International cuisine, as well as next-level wines and cocktails. The 100-seat space is expected to debut in November 2017, highlighting an open kitchen, woodfire grill, outdoor patio, and spacious bar and dining room. 4801 Harford Road

Chef Malcom Mitchell to Open Second Local Restaurant: Though the name has yet to be revealed, former Food Network Star contestant Malcolm Mitchell recently announced plans to open a second local eatery in Butchers Hill later this month. Mitchell, the Columbia native who quietly opened Ryder’s Bistro last May in Upper Fells Point, plans to focus on shareable plates with next-level wine pairings at the new restaurant, which will seat 80-100 guests. 32 N. Chester St.

CH-CHANGES

B&O American Brasserie: A massive $250,000 renovation project recently got underway at this fine-dining den inside the Hotel Monaco. Led by Los Angeles designer David Hill, the redesign will eventually yield a revised floor plan, 40-seat private dining space, and a fresh look highlighting brass accents, subtle lighting, and a warm gray color scheme. The restaurant and bar will remain open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner service throughout the renovation process, which is expected to be complete by mid-October. 2 N. Charles St., 443-692-6172

Pazo: Foreman Wolf Restaurant Group, the brand behind city spots Charleston, Cinghiale, Petit Louis, and Johnny’s, announced earlier this week that its Sicilian hangout in Harbor East will be undergoing major changes in the coming months. Pazo will close on September 17 to make way for Bar Vasquez—an Argentinian concept featuring authentic cuisine, a carefully curated list of malbecs, and nightly live music. Co-owner Tony Foreman estimates that the new restaurant will be ready for a debut in October. 1425 Aliceanna St., 410-534-7296

Bluegrass Tavern: Later this month, the brick façade on the corner of South Hanover Street and West Fort Avenue in South Baltimore will boast an entirely new logo. Now under new ownership, Bluegrass Tavern—the Lowcountry mainstay best known for its fried chicken and crawfish mac and cheese—will transform into a spinoff of Downtown breakfast spot Saturday Morning Cafe. Owner Will Sterling recently told SouthBMore.com that he intends to keep some of Bluegrass’s best-selling items (think braised beef short ribs and raw oysters) on the menu, while also implementing kid’s offerings and breakfast and lunch service on the weekends. 1500 S. Hanover St., 410-244-5101

SHUT

Family Meal: Earlier this week, celebrity chef Bryan Voltaggio’s modern diner concept shuttered its doors in the Inner Harbor. The news of the closure comes on the heels of Voltaggio’s decision to close three other Family Meal locations in Hagerstown; Ashburn, Virginia; and Richmond, Virginia. Though the concept didn’t materialize the way the he had hoped, the Frederick-born restaurateur tells us that he isn’t ruling out another Charm City restaurant in the future. Stay tuned.

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While the merits of a curfew for public safety are up for debate (former police commissioner Ed Norris said last night he would have advised against it), the affect it will have on the livelihood of those in the service industry is a bit more obvious. Losing four hours of business a night has some bartenders worried about retaining customers, paying bills, and even renewing their liquor licenses.

“The curfew is tough because, for a lot of us, it’s the difference in paying bills and making our mortgage,” says Amie Ward who bartends at Bad Decisions in Fells Point. “We have great regulars who are trying to patronize the bars as much as they can, but you can’t ask them too much because we want them to be safe.”

Ward also points out this is incredibly poor timing because the deadline for renewing—very expensive—liquor licenses is this Friday, May 1.

Some in the service industry even formed a Facebook group called Baltimore’s Counter-Curfew, which calls for lifting the curfew as soon as possible. The site states:

We cannot and must not allow ourselves to pay the price for failed leadership in the face of the Mayor’s incompetence in squelching the chaos on OUR streets yesterday. The Mayor’s curfew will do nothing but cripple business and negatively impact the city’s economy to the level of tens of millions of dollars in mere days. This is an utterly flawed strategy: criminals don’t obey curfews, why should we.

Certain bars, like Bookmakers Cocktail Club in Federal Hill, have made concessions like opening at up at noon instead of its normal 5 p.m. to try and boost business. Of course, the adverse effects from the curfew not only affect bars, but also the entire service industry.

“It will be slow all week for restaurant owners and employees,” says Eric Fooy of B&O American Brasserie. “If you live paycheck-to-paycheck—like most people who make tips do—you will feel the hit.”

Though only minimal damage occurred in Fells Point on Monday night (including a break-in at Capitol Mac), many bars and restaurants in the neighborhood have preemptively boarded up their windows, just to be on the safe side. But it gives the lively neighborhood a very eerie feel.

“It’s been a ghost town,” Ward says. “I think it sends the wrong message. You have better safety in numbers and we’d all feel safer having that foot traffic that’s normally down here. The curfew seems to invite more of a problem.”

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“Baltimore is a bit slow on the upswing of cocktail trends and bourbon and rye are still on track to keep people happy,” says Brendan Dorr of B&O American Brasserie and the Baltimore Bartenders Guild. “However, there are some things that will become more popular as we lead the charge and help guide our guests to broaden their palates.”

So here are five trends to look out for as you peruse cocktail menus in the upcoming year:

Batched Cocktails: Whether it’s bottling, barrel aging, or putting cocktails on tap, the idea of pre-batched cocktails is a carry-over from last year and still going strong. When we visited Le Garage recently, the staff was barrel aging a Brandy Manhattan and had three bottled cocktails on the menu—including a sharply spicy Family Mule served with candied ginger.

“Some people order it right away, while others remain skeptical,” says Le Garage head bartender Patrick Gartner. “I tell them that there is already vodka in the bottle, I promise.”

Places like Wit & Wisdom are bringing back barrel-aged and bottled cocktails for the spring and Bookmaker’s in Federal Hill barrel ages cocktails that end up on tap. Recently, Dooby’s showed off a batched cocktail at the Pratt Contemporaries’ Black and White Party called Dragonball, which was a mix of bourbon and cinnamon-cayenne syrup.

Lower Proof and Restorative: Contrary to popular belief, a good cocktail doesn’t always have to pack a punch and, sometimes, it can even be good for you. One testament is the rising popularity of the low-proof spirit sherry. (There is now even a sherry bar in D.C. called Mockingbird Hill). “I love this stuff,” says Dorr of B&O. “It’s not just a sweet wine that grandmothers drink. Actually, over 90 percent of sherry produced is dry.”

Another idea that is trending is the restorative cocktail, which includes healthful ingredients. Take the Corpse Reviver Zero at Le Garage with energy-boosting yerba mate tea and lime-pastis and mint, which are good for the stomach. Bookmaker’s crafts its own tonic from cinchona tree bark, which can be used to fight Malaria.

“People here are still really blue collar and they like their liquor,” says Dooby’s head bartender Chelsea Gregoire. “So we are a little ways from becoming totally holistic and proof-conscious, but it’s something bartenders are starting to think about.”

Bitter is Better: Overwhelmingly, every bartender we spoke with emphasized that bitter will be a popular flavor profile for 2015. “Amaros, Fernets, Campari, and many other bitter liqueurs are making their way into our cocktails,” Dorr says. “They add balance and depth, and can turn an otherwise blah cocktail into something extraordinary.”

Ryan Sparks of Bookmaker’s Cocktail Club attributes the rise of bitter food like kale and arugula to the expansion of people’s palates. Gregoire of Dooby’s says places like Idle Hour were on the forefront by campaigning Chartreuse years ago. In fact, Dooby’s currently has a version of a Sazerac on its menu with a Fernet Branca float. “Everybody is like, yes, bitter, give it to me,” Gregoire says. “Makes it more fun for us.”

While not bitter, another predicted popular flavor this year will be smoke, as evidenced by the rising popularity of mezcal.

Culinary Approach: In the works for a while, the techniques and ideas employed by the kitchen and bar staffs are overlapping more than ever. “I find myself going to the chef and asking for advice about what is seasonal,” says Le Garage’s Gartner, who explained that the chef taught him how to use the water circulator. “In most restaurants, the kitchen is not as patient with the bar staff. They give me a lot of room to brainstorm.”

Similarly, at Dooby’s, Gregoire is constantly working with the kitchen to pair cocktails with its unique Asian flavors, like a Korean gochujang sauce. The staffs at Wit & Wisdom are also always collaborating and some of the techniques used by head bartender Aaron Joseph sound more like kitchen talk than bar talk. Think carbonating citrus for a Pimm’s Cup or straining a mixture through a cheese-cloth for a milk punch.

All Housemade, All The Time: And speaking of whacky approaches, lately bartenders have been blowing our minds with their creative approaches to housemade ingredients.

Gartner at Le Garage is making sous-vide liqueurs. (Yes, that’s right, the technique usually reserved for tenderizing meat.) Once example is he vacuum seals fresh ginger, molasses, cinnamon, cloves, brown sugar, and a neutral spirit for about 45 minutes. The result is a gingersnap-flavored liqueur he uses in hot toddies.

Like many places around town, Bookmaker’s creates its own bitters and its also big into shrubs instead of simple syrups, like one that head bartender Ryan Sparks creates with smoked apples and cardamom. “I’m seeing a lot of smaller places embracing housemade ingredients,” he says. “They allow you to determine how your cocktail will taste, and you can achieve that exact desired flavor.”

Get a first-hand look at these innovative techniques, as nearly 20 bartenders will be crafting rye cocktails for Rye’s Up, a benefit for Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Maryland at B&O American Brasserie on March 1.

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“Raise A Glass to History”—created by Smithsonian Channel and the National Museum of American History—is one of those celebrations, as Smithsonian chose 14 mixologists from around the country to create a patriotic-inspired cocktail. B&O American Brasserie beverage director Brendan Dorr was one of the talented few chosen.

Dorr’s cocktail, called the Line State Punch, is a mix of Pikesville Rye whiskey, yellow Chartreuse, apple brandy, oleo-saccharum (a lemon-sugar syrup), lemon juice, and early grey tea, garnished with nutmeg and cinnamon. He explains that the drink is a combination of the Diamondback cocktail from the Diamondback Lounge in the Lord Baltimore Hotel and a popular punch from the early 1800s.

“I wanted to create a recipe that would represent Baltimore as well as the libations that were in vogue when the Star-Spangled Banner flew over Fort McHenry,” Dorr says. “Applejack can be dated back to the time of George Washington and rye was one of our country’s earliest expressions of whiskey with roots originating in Maryland.”

Dorr and his fellow bartenders will showcase their cocktail creations, at the “Star-Spangled Gala” at the National Museum of American History on September 12.

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I attended a media tasting last week, where bar manager Brendan Dorr presented some his new cocktails. Fittingly, we started out with Morning Dew ($10), a mix of Tanqueray No. Ten gin, St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur, lemon, cucumber water, and mint. This was a bright cocktail, with the lemon bringing out the citrus-y notes from the gin. The cucumber and mint added an extra fresh quality, making this a perfect outside sipper.

No spring cocktail list would be complete without a little tequila and the Burro Mexicano ($10) certainly packed a punch with Milagro tequila, Peloton de la Muerte Mezcal, lime, ginger syrup, and ginger beer. Up front, the cocktail tasted smoky from the mezcal, but the spice and tart flavors started to cut through and balance it out—resulting in a complex and tasty tequila drink.

The highlight came in the form of the E.M.H. Daiquiri ($10), a tribute to Ernest Hemingway’s days in Cuba with Appleton rum, grapefruit gastrique, lime, and Maraschino liqueur. Maybe it’s my recent bias for grapefruit cocktails, but I thought this drink hit every note perfectly: the sweet, brown-sugar flavor of the rum, tang from the grapefruit, and the bitter quality of the Maraschino, with a hint of citrus from the lime. We can see why this drink’s inspiration was Hemingway’s favorite cocktail.

In addition to the cocktail list, B&O is also featuring many new spring dishes including innovative salads, bone marrow, scallops, and a zucchini “crab cake” (you’ll just have to try it.)

An ideal time to visit is during the restaurant’s happy hour, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, which features $3 draft beer, $4 house wine, and $5 cocktail of the day, as well as “6 for $6″—a selection of six small plates from the kitchen.

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The gala raises funds for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation of Maryland and for the guild itself, while promoting local bars and eateries.

“We have 17 Baltimore bars attending, all featuring their own version of a rye cocktail,” said BBG president Brendan Dorr.

Judges from New York, Chicago, D.C. (and Baltimore’s
senior editor Jess Blumberg Mayhugh) will be selecting their favorite
concoction made with either Bulleit Rye or George Dickel Rye. The
creator of the winning cocktail will win a trip to nightlife Mecca New
Orleans.

Guests can get in on the action, too, by casting votes
for the winner of the People’s Choice Award for best cocktail and best
restaurant. There will also be live music, a silent auction, and select
wines, as well as beer from Union Craft Brewery.

Last
year, Dorr said, the event had more than 200 guests and raised about
$3,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. “This year, we’re hoping to
break $4,000,” he said.

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B&O American Brasserie has the Chesapeake Punch (Maker’s Mark, Appleton rum, Cointreau, orange, lime, simple syrup, and Angostura bitters) and the Gangland Courage (Hennessy VS, Batavia Arrack, apricot cordial, ginger syrup, lemon, and sparkling brut).

Additionally, Hersh’s Pizza & Drinks (one of our “Best Bars”) introduced rotating punches to their menu. Right now, bar manager Jamaal Green is offering the “Brandy and Bubbly” punch, which would make for a perfect Super Bowl party drink. Or, as Green says, “I want everyone to drink themselves into oblivion with this!” Here’s the recipe:

19 oz. brandy (Vecchia Romagna)
11.5 oz. fresh-squeezed orange juice, house-made grenadine, and simple syrup…equal parts
7.6 oz. of squeezed lemon juice
750 ml of prosecco or cava
.5 liter of club soda
Garnish with two lemons sliced into wheels, one orange into half wheels. Can serve 30 per four-ounce serving. Add two egg-shaped ice blocks or one large.

[Image: courtesy of thelatinkitchen.com]

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“We want to do pseudo-Speakeasy-style stuff,” says Dorr. “We’re hoping to encourage people to try something they’d never normally order.”

The inaugural event is tomorrow night at the downstairs bar of Maisy’s from 7 p.m. until whenever the cocktails run out (Dorr’s guess is around 1:30 a.m.) Dorr and Jon Blair (bartender at Ryleigh’s Oyster and manager at Blackwater Distilling) will be creating 10 types of vintage concoctions, including a fizz, a punch, a take on a Singapore Sling, and a twist on a Manhattan. In true vintage style, the event is cash only.

The club is designed as a pop-up group, so Dorr recommends to follow the Facebook page for upcoming events.

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While the concept is simple enough, the actual decision-making wasn’t so much, as all the drinks paired ridiculously well with the dishes. Our first course was a Maryland rockfish, pictured, served with bacalao, spring onion, and tomato jam. Wines selected an Etude pinot gris and Dorr made a cilantro gin fizz (Plymouth gin, cilantro syrup, lime, orange flower water, soda, and egg white).The pinot was a perfect pairing with the rockfish, accentuating the dish’s flavor. The cocktail was also a refreshing complement, but seemed to mask the food’s flavor altogether.

The second dish was a little more experimental (at least for me): cured rabbit, tasso loin, mustard rillete, liver mousse, and spicy head cheese. While I wasn’t a huge fan of everything on my plate—I don’t think my palette is refined enough—I did appreciate the pairings of Route 99 pinot noir and Dorr’s agave apricot drink (Cazadores Reposado tequila, Velvet Falernum, Domaine Canton, apricot syrup, lemon juice, and orange bitters). Here, I chose the cocktail. While the zesty pinot noir went well with the rabbit, the spicy agave apricot complemented the rest of the flavors, especially the mustard.

For our third and final course, we were served a rack of lamb, braised lamb belly, split pea stew, and goat cheese gnocchi. Now, I am no food expert (I leave that to Suzanne), but this was an amazing dish. The lamb was cooked perfectly (and barely) and the goat cheese gnocchi were flawless melt-in-your-mouth pillows.

To accompany this amazing dish was a Kunin “Pape Star,” an earthy red, and a rye cardizian cocktail (Rittenhouse rye, Byass Solera sherry, lillet, Peychauds bitters, and Fee Bros. orange bitters). This one was a bit of a draw for me. Lamb goes so classically well with red wine and whiskey. The Kunin wine had smoky, peppery notes, which worked extremely well with the dish. The cocktail had a bold, musty flavor with a bit of sweetness that stood up well against the lamb.

In the end, the wine won over the cocktails by a narrow margin. The outcome was to be expected, as wine has always been an ideal match for food. But Dorr showed that cocktails shouldn’t be counted out either. The excellent execution aside, it struck me that the entire format is a great idea for an event—whether it be a casual party or a charity gala. Of course the most difficult part would be wrangling up experts, like those on-hand at the B&O.

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Also in attendance were Style magazine‘s Brian Lawrence, MIX 106.5‘s Reagan Warfield, Visit Baltimore‘s Sara Hisamoto, Baltimore Drinks Examiner Mark Burlet, and Baltimore Bars Examiner Cindy Plackmeyer, among others.

Together we sampled a generous menu of nine cocktails, all with creative twists on classic summer drinks. (They also provided us with flatbread pizzas, ensuring that we’d all walk out of there upright). Dorr is known for his creative drink experimentation, and this menu was no exception.

Some highlights for me included the Chamomile Fizz, pictured left, with chamomile-infused orange vodka, Domaine Canton, lemon honey syrup, lemon juice, egg white, and soda water ($12). The flavors were very light and airy—barely there—like drinking alcoholic tea. The egg white gave the cocktail its classic foamy head, making it look straight out of a 1950’s malt shop.

I also enjoyed Boxcar Beer #2 with Hoegarden, J.K. Skrumpy’s cider, and Caribbean liqueur Velvet Falerum ($9). The drink is the sequel to B&O’s original Boxcar Beer, which included a much darker ale. This drink hit the same notes as a classic Dark and Stormy, sweet with a spicy kick.

One of the most interesting drinks was the Remedy Cocktail, with vodka, Chartreuse, ginger syrup, orange juice, and orange flower water ($10). For those who haven’t had Chartreuse, it’s an intensely flavored liqueur made by Carthusian Monks using 132 different herbs and spices. This drink is designed as a cure-all: herbs and spices, ginger, and vitamin C.

Ixia fans will be happy to know that the famous Queen Bee cocktail (which I wrote about here) has made a triumphant return ($13). The menu also includes the peppercorn-flavored Platform ($10), tequila-heavy Santa Fe Railway ($11), basil-infused Modena Market Cocktail ($12), fruity A-Train ($9), and the dessert-like Coconut Milk Punch ($9).

All of these drinks are ideal in the warm weather months. Plus, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a place that puts more thought, time, and energy into their drinks than B&O American Brasserie.

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