Dinner and a show may finally be on equal footing in Columbia. For years, fans who flocked to Merriweather Post Pavilion had precious few dining options if they wanted to grab a bite to eat then walk to the concert. Cured Table & Tap is aiming to change that. Located just a long guitar riff from the music venue, its ambitious menu includes a diverse selection of craft beer, cocktails, and dishes such as bone marrow and game steaks.

There’s nothing rock ’n’ roll about the restaurant’s exterior. It’s housed in an office building occupied by MedStar Health, and from the outside, it’s tough to tell whether you’re walking into a restaurant or a doctor’s office. Inside, framed posters of legendary Merriweather concerts adorn the walls of a large open space with high- and low-top tables. (There’s also a more formal—though rather sterile—dining room.) On an afternoon about two months after it opened, we grabbed stools at the long, winding bar for lunch. We started with jackfruit tacos: kimchi, avocado, and jack pickled slaw packed into corn tortillas that were a flavor revelation, although, at $10 for two, an expensive “snack” (their category on the menu).

Of our sandwiches, at least on our visit, the pâté melt outpaced an average oyster po’ boy. Made with pork and chicken and served on fluffy ciabatta topped with greens, smoked gouda, cured relish, and grainy mustard, it was a rich treat. For a side, better to go with a house salad than the good-but-not-great fries or fried Brussels sprouts and chickpeas, which were a tad greasy for our taste.

While we ate, our bartender, Michael, was creating a vodka-based cocktail for an internal competition. The winner’s concoction was to be served on tap alongside the “Burt Reynolds or Something. . .” (acronym: BROS), which is what we started dinner with when we returned the next week. Made with mezcal, agave nectar, and Angostura, Peychaud’s, and chocolate bitters, it shouldn’t be skipped. It paired well with a tasty charcuterie plate of smoked gouda, duck pastrami, and bresaola, which are thin slices of air-dried, salted beef. Our entrees were solid, if not spectacular. The coconut-braised short rib was the best of the bunch, although the carrot purée, freekeh, and squash gremolata didn’t add much to the lovely tender meat.

After dinner, we strolled to 18th & 21st, an attached sister restaurant that features live jazz most nights. It struck us as odd that one of the dessert cocktails offered at both establishments (their menus are not identical) is named for a movie rather than a band. Still, “The Dude Abides” (vodka and nitro coffee stout, vanilla tincture) was a satisfying nightcap to an enjoyable meal. True, that’s just, like, our opinion, man, but it’s one we’re confident you’ll share after dinner—with or without a show—at Cured.

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CURED TABLE & TAP 10980 Grantchester Way, Columbia, 667-786-7111. HOURS Mon.-Fri. 11 a.m.- 11p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.- 11 p.m., Sun. 10 a.m.- 9 p.m. PARKING Free in adjoining garage. PRICES Appetizers: $6-14; soups and salads: $8-18; sandwiches: $11-18; entrees: $17-32; desserts: $7-10.
AMBIANCE Business casual.

OPEN

Cured and 18th & 21st: After much anticipation, the team behind Howard County’s Iron Bridge Wine Co. has finally cut the ribbon at this hybrid concept inside the new One Merriweather building in Columbia. The building houses a casual Mid-Atlantic eatery called Cured up front, as well as 18th & 21st in the back —a speakeasy-style jazz club named after the amendments that enacted and later repealed Prohibition. The menus in both dining rooms are spearheaded by chef Christopher Lewis, a local industry veteran who most recently ran the kitchen at Iron Bridge. To celebrate the grand opening and Capital JazzFest happening just a few hundred yards away at Merriweather Post Pavilion this weekend, 18th & 21st will highlight performances by local jazz musicians all weekend long. 10980 Grantchester Way, Columbia, 667-786-7111

COMING SOON

The Pizza Trust: Just when we thought Belvedere Square Market had everything, a new pizza joint is being thrown into the mix later this summer. James Clark, who owns Clark Burger inside the Senator Theatre across York Road, is debuting this new spot that will serve quick-fire pizzas, wings, fries, and salads. The menu of personal pies includes varieties like the “Mobtown” (garlic oil, mozzarella, caramelized shallots, roasted red peppers, and toasted pine nuts), the “Dirty Bird” (truffle bechamel sauce, herb chicken, bacon bits, and B-More Saucy buffalo drizzle), and the “Trust,” which tops hand-stretched dough with house red sauce, green peppers, and sweet and spicy Italian sausage. 529 E. Belvedere Ave., 443-961-8111.

Donut Alliance: After one year of peddling their tasty treats at local eateries and cafes, husband-and-wife team Jeff and Emily Arenberg are settling in a brick-and-mortar of their own. Slated to officially open on Harford Road in Lauraville later this month, Donut Alliance will feature a daily selection of the couple’s signature vegan varieties including strawberry lemonade, maple facon (vegan bacon), and classic Boston cream. “We’re avid bakers,” Emily says. “So we’re always trying to get to where non-vegans can’t tell the difference.” 4311 Harford Rd., 410-627-4597

Sophomore Coffee: This yet-to-open coffee shop introduced itself to the scene with a pop-up at Hunting Ground last weekend, and it will be back at the Hampden vintage shop this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stop by to sample the signature brews (either hot or iced) in advance of Sophomore Coffee’s debut in Old Goucher in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for more updates. Hunting Ground, 3649 Falls Rd., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

NEWS

The Elk Room: It’s been an exciting week for Atlas Restaurant Group’s speakeasy-style cocktail bar in Harbor East. On Wednesday, the dimly lit hangout was awarded a coveted spot on Esquire’s annual list of the “21 Best Bars in America.” The write-up gives shout-outs to industry veterans Shaun Stewart (who actually recently moved on from Elk Room) and Andrew Nichols, and praises the duo’s creative drinks including “The Poe’s Raven”—a smoked rum and coconut cocktail that was inspired by the rum-ham bit in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. “Being named one of the Best Bars in America is a result of all of the hard work, passion, and dedication that our team puts into the Elk Room each and every day,” says Atlas managing partner Eric Smith, who oversees the beverage program. “We are very appreciative of the recognition, and will continue to raise the bar when it comes to cocktails and service.” In previous years, Esquire’s list has included The Brewer’s Art, Rye, and Mt. Royal Tavern. The Elk Room, 1010 Fleet St., 410-244-5830

EPICUREAN EVENTS

6/1: Lobster Roll Fridays Return to The Corner Pantry
You know it’s the start of summer when chef Neill Howell brings this Friday tradition back to The Corner Pantry in Mt. Washington. Starting this Friday, June 1, Howell will be whipping up his classic Maine lobster rolls on housemade bread served with an order of crispy chips. Swing by the Falls Road haunt on Fridays throughout the summer starting at 11 a.m. to taste the signature summer dish. 6080 Falls Road, 667-308-2331, $28.

6/2: Great Grapes Wine & Food Festival
Throw on a pair of sunnies and head to Oregon Ridge Park this Saturday to sip more than 100 Maryland-made wines from the likes of Boordy Vineyards, Linganore Winecellars, Basignani Winery, Olney Winery, Royal Rabbit Vineyards, and more. Plus, there will be a la carte local beer, food truck fare, live music, and a playground area with crafts for kids. If that’s not enough to convince you, ’90s chart-toppers Vertical Horizon (think “Everything You Want” and “Best I Ever Had”) will perform a headlining set at 7 p.m. Oregon Ridge Park, 13401 Beaver Dam Rd., Cockeysville, 1-8 p.m., $29-39

Nearly a decade ago, Steve Wecker sat down with John DeWolf, senior vice president of the Howard Hughes Corporation, to discuss the idea of opening a speakeasy-style jazz club in Downtown Columbia. It was an ideal time for the pitch, as the Dallas-based real estate developer was in the early stages of its revitalization plans to make the area more urban and walkable.

“John said, ‘That’s exactly what we need to kick this thing off,’” remembers Wecker, who co-owns Iron Bridge Wine Company in the neighborhood. “It’s only taken about eight-and-a-half years to get here, but we’re finally where we need to be.”

Throughout the years, Wecker’s vision transformed from a sole speakeasy, to a convivial Mid-Atlantic restaurant with a luxe supper club attached through the back.

“We thought, instead of opening a 6,000-square-foot jazz club, why don’t we do two concepts under one roof,” Wecker says. “We like to say it’s a space for millennials out front, and boomers in the back.”

Set to open in early May, the hybrid concept will be the first dining destination at Howard Hughes’ 68-acre, crescent-shaped development near Merriweather Post Pavilion. The brand new, mixed-use district includes 1.5 million square feet of office space, a hotel, residences, a central park, and more than 300,000 square feet of street-level retail property.

The restaurant’s front dining area, Cured, will play up the close proximity to Columbia’s beloved concert venue (Wecker estimates the spot sits around 300 yards from the Main Stage) with vintage posters, old music memorabilia, and wooden accents reclaimed from some of the trees taken down on the Merriweather property.

“We want it to be kind of like an old neighborhood corner bar,” Wecker says. “People always tell us that Iron Bridge is kind of like Cheers with wine. So we wanted to create that same feeling, and have some fun with the menu.”

The 140-seat, rustic-industrial dining room will focus on local offerings including Eastern Shore oysters, Maryland craft beer, and cocktails made with spirits from Lyon Distilling and The Baltimore Whiskey Company. Executive chef Chris Lewis, formerly of Clyde’s and Aida Bistro, has crafted the menu featuring dishes like charcuterie boards, coconut-braised short ribs, diver scallops, pan-roasted salmon, burgers with smoked gouda, and a roasted beet salad with local goat cheese.

Down a hallway through an unmarked door in the back of the restaurant is where diners can access the speakeasy—cleverly named 18th & 21st after the amendments that enacted, and later repealed, Prohibition laws. The 88-seat social spot will have a separate cocktail and dinner menu and offer live jazz six nights per week.

“After Prohibition, when they made liquor legal again, there was no longer a demand to get alcohol,” Wecker explains. “So a lot of the speakeasies added jazz, dancing, and food to keep people coming back. They became a place to celebrate. This is our own modern take on that vibe.”

The swanky lounge (think booths, droopy curtains, tufted walls, and a baby grand piano), will offer Lewis’ plates including herb-crusted beef carpaccio, lobster poutine, turducken meatballs, and sorghum-glazed pork chops. Wecker’s son, Stephen, and former Iron Bridge bartender Kyle Flanagan will helm the beverage program with sophisticated cocktails like the “Brave Little Gherkin” (Rittenhouse rye, pickled brine ice cubes, and a gherkin garnish) and “Two Tiny Flowers,” a blend of lemon vodka, aromatized wine, and floral water.

The club will also be used for private events. To further their dedication to the community, Wecker and his partners are planning to offer the entire 18th and 21st space to local charities, such as Camp Attaway and Columbia Festival of the Arts, to use for fundraisers on Monday evenings.

“My dad always taught me to support the community that you do business in,” says Wecker, a Columbia resident since 1969. “If someone in the area needs help, the best thing you can do is show up.”

Though it has been a long road, Wecker is looking forward to seeing the project come to fruition—but he isn’t stopping there. A second location of his rum-inspired Pasadena restaurant Mutiny Pirate Bar & Island Grille is slated to debut in Elkridge later in May.

“After the opening, I’m going to sit outside, have myself a glass of chardonnay, and a good cry,” he says with a laugh. “It’s been a tremendous journey, but despite of all of the roadblocks, we never lost sight of what we wanted to do.”