The list price is the opening bid for an Online auction to be conducted by Alex Cooper Auctioneers in conjunction with Hubble Bisbee Christie’s International Real Estate beginning on Thurs., Oct. 5th and concluding on Tues., Oct. 10th at 11 AM. Pre-Auction Offers are strongly encouraged.

11915 Park Heights Avenue features a grand and exquisite luxury estate home nestled in the picturesque Greenspring Valley, gracefully connected by a bridge that traverses a babbling stream. Designed by the esteemed Architect Vince Greene, this majestic abode was masterfully crafted by JP Builders, with interiors meticulously curated by the renowned Jay Jenkins/Jenkins Baer, and lighting by the gifted Bob Jones. The verdant landscape surrounding this residence was artfully created by Bob Jackson.

Recently expanded and renovated, the home is impeccably maintained, boasting finishes crafted with the finest materials, including hand-scraped walnut floors that exude warmth and character. With six bedrooms, five full and four half baths, and a guest annex/private office complex, this home offers an array of luxuries fit for any lifestyle. Upon entering, guests are welcomed by a grand two-story marble foyer that flows gracefully through classic columns to the living room. The stair hall is adorned with open curved staircases and a wide portal that leads to a formal dining room with a natural stone floor and French doors that open to a charming deck.

The kitchen, a stunning addition, features natural stone floors, quartz counters, and top-of-the-line appliances that elevate the culinary experience. The great room is a haven of comfort, with a cast stone fireplace, coffered ceiling, and built-in surround sound, while the cozy den is perfect for intimate gatherings, with its fireplace, archway to the bar, and French doors that open to the enchanting pavilion. The main level also includes a home office with built-ins, two powder rooms, a laundry room, and an oversize 3-car garage.

The sumptuous primary suite on the second level is a sanctuary of relaxation, with its marble spa bath and two custom-fitted dressing rooms. Four additional bedrooms, one with a sitting room, three baths, and a second laundry room complete this level. The walk-out lower level features the sixth bedroom and bath, two exercise rooms, and a large bonus room. The attached three-level guest annex/private office complex offers many opportunities for use, while the large 2013 pavilion with its fireplace, dining, and seating areas is perfect for outdoor entertaining. The pavilion flows seamlessly to patios and gardens, including a covered porch off the kitchen with a cooking center, creating a harmonious connection between indoor and outdoor living. This estate is equipped with state-of-the-art systems, recent updates and renovations, tremendous open-air parking capacity, and professionally landscaped, partially wooded 5.53 acres adjacent to Caves Valley Golf Club.

For more information, and to view other listings, click here:

he phrase “the new normal” has been thrown around since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and as America struggles to define—and design—what that is exactly, colleges are paving the way for what it might look like.

After the chaos and uncertainty of 2020, colleges and universities throughout the Baltimore region began to find their groove as they moved into the 2021-2022 school year. Coronavirus safety committees had been erected, new mandates put in place, safety protocols implemented—everything from vaccine requirements to temperature checks to quarantine procedures and wastewater testing that can pinpoint a COVID infection before anyone is symptomatic.

By some counts, colleges may very well be the safest places to live and work.

“Just following simple rules of wearing face masks and social distancing, using wastewater management and testing when we need to, we have, in many ways, been able to return to normal life,” says Goucher College President Kent Devereaux. “Full athletics, student clubs, dining in the dining hall, use of the library—everything that you’d normally have, we’ve been able to return to.”

Despite the challenges and anxieties faced by students, staff, and faculty alike, some unexpected silver linings have emerged.

“It’s just incredible to watch how it’s grown into the vision that we, as a group of students, had.”

The widespread adoption of technology across college campuses has proven to provide more flexibility, efficiency, and innovation—and even accessibility, in some cases. Counseling sessions, for example, began to be conducted remotely during the pandemic and many students found that they preferred it to in-person sessions. Students who cannot, for whatever reason, make it to an in-person class can now study from anywhere.

Challenging times, combined with advances in technology and the general acceptance of it, have also brought more cooperation and collaboration among schools. It’s becoming more common, for example, for schools that offer complementary programs to partner with one another to offer students an educational pathway to continue studies in their chosen areas. That may mean a discounted tuition rate, a transfer of class credits, or an internship through a partner school.

Maybe most importantly though, schools, at their best, foster an environment where students are supported, expand who they are, and connect with like-minded people. At a time when gathering together is not always safe, being in a community has become even more precious, and students have found new ways to connect.

OCA Mocha, a coffeehouse in Arbutus founded by University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) students, is one example of how effective a gathering place can be at a time when people are craving human connection. What started as a class assignment—to design a community center of some sort—has become a gathering place not just for UMBC students and alumni, but the Arbutus community at large.

“We’ve heard a lot of stories from people who are extremely grateful to have this space,” says Michael Berardi, UMBC class of 2019 and co-founder and general manager of OCA Mocha, which stands for Opportunities for Community Alliances. The coffee shop includes a stage, a community room, and an art gallery, employs UMBC students and alumni, and provides internship opportunities for current UMBC students.

“We have local groups and organizations that meet regularly in our community space and are grateful to not have to meet in someone’s living room or church basement,” says Berardi. “We see a lot of connections being made. It’s just incredible to watch how it’s grown into the vision that we, as a group of students, had.”

We checked in with colleges and universities throughout the region to find out what’s new and what campus life and classes look like, two years into the pandemic.

COPPIN STATE UNIVERSITY
A historically Black institution founded in 1900, Coppin State University is situated in the heart of Baltimore City in the Mondawmin neighborhood. Part of the University System of Maryland in Baltimore, the school offers 32 undergraduate and 11 graduate degrees, along with nine certificate programs and one doctorate degree. It’s been rated No. 4 Best HBCU in the Nation (College Consensus), the Top 5 Best Value Online Program (Online School Center), and No. 17 Best Value in the Nation (College Consensus).

In the summer of 2021, CSU announced its Student Debt Relief Initiative, which clears roughly $1 million in student balances and provided a $1,200 credit to every student enrolled in the fall 2021 semester. CSU also created the Freddie Gray Student Success Scholarship, which is available to graduates of Carver Vocational-Technical High School, where Gray was a student.

Coppin also takes esports (competitive video gaming) seriously. In the fall of 2021, Coppin became the first HBCU to open a building on campus exclusively devoted to esports. The Premier Esports Lab opened in September with a guest appearance from Grammy-nominated artist Cordae.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,383 undergraduates, 341 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 13:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $6,809 in-state, $13,334 out-of-state
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 40%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Nursing, Business, Biology, Education, and Criminal Justice, Rehabilitation Counseling

DICKINSON COLLEGE
Founded in 1783, Dickinson College is a liberal arts college in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, with a suburban campus that spans 144 acres. The school offers 41 undergraduate degrees within 17 fields of study.

It’s been rated as one of the best schools in the country for its sustainability efforts, which include an 80-acre, USDA-certified organic farm. Princeton Review rated it No. 2 in the Top 50 Green Colleges, and it was rated No. 2 in Overall Top Performers among baccalaureate institutions in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education’s “Sustainable Campus Index” in 2019 and 2020.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,345
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 9:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $58,708
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 52%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: International Business, Economics, Political Science & Government, International Relations & National Security, General Psychology

GETTYSBURG COLLEGE
Gettysburg College, a private, liberal arts school, sits on 225 acres adjacent to the historical Gettysburg Battlefield in Pennsylvania. Many of the buildings on campus are historically significant, so it’s no wonder that it draws students interested in studying history.

The school offers 65 academic programs, more than 120 campus clubs and organizations, and 800 events on campus each year, plus more than 100 study-abroad opportunities open to students.

Its Majestic Theater serves as a venue for the greater Gettysburg community, hosting national acts as well as performances by the school’s Sunderman Conservatory of Music students.

It’s ranked No. 12 for “students who study the most” by the Princeton Review, which also ranked Gettysburg College’s dining hall No. 9 in the country for best campus food.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 2,600
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 10:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $59,960
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 56%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Political Science, Economics, Health Sciences, Organization and Management Studies, History, Psychology

GOUCHER COLLEGE
A private, liberal arts college in Towson, Goucher College prides itself on its close-knit community.

Goucher was extremely proactive when it came to COVID-19 precautions, being the first in the state to implement wastewater testing, which is able to isolate COVID infections by dorm.

Also of note: The college recently opened two new residence halls as part of the school’s First-Year Village. One hundred percent of Goucher students study abroad, and the school is committed to sustainability.

Most recently, Goucher has begun exciting partnerships with other schools, such as Johns Hopkins University, Loyola University, and more to come, to provide a pathway for students to continue their education beyond Goucher. For instance, their 4+1 MBA Program allows students to earn an advanced business degree through Loyola via a “Fast Track” admission process, and at a 15% discount on tuition.

SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,100
STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 9:1
ANNUAL TUITION: $48,000
ACCEPTANCE RATE: 79%
POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Psychology, International Relations, Economics, Political Science, Business Administration

JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
Johns Hopkins University (JHU) offers nine academic divisions and hundreds of courses of study, with campuses spread throughout Baltimore, including the Peabody Institute, a music and dance conservatory in Mount Vernon. Its main Homewood campus is located on North Charles Street.

The prestigious, world-renowned university has a strong reputation for its public health and medical studies and has been compared to Ivy League schools.

One of its points of pride is its financial aid program, which covers 100% of calculated need for every admitted student, without loans. This means JHU works with families to calculate what they can afford to contribute toward the total cost of attendance—including meals, books, travel, and other expenses—and JHU covers the rest with grants that don’t need to be repaid.

This school year, JHU added two new minors: Latin American Studies and Writing Seminars.

It also announced new efforts this year to move toward a broader, more flexible undergraduate educational experience that will include a required first-year seminar and the streamlining of major requirements to allow for greater intellectual exploration.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 6,333 undergraduates, 22,559 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 6:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $56,313 for Peabody Institute, $58,720 for the School of Engineering and the School of Arts and Sciences
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 9%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Computer Science, Molecular and Cellular Biology, Neuroscience, Economics, Public Health Studies, International Studies

LOYOLA UNIVERSITY
This private, Jesuit institution offers undergraduate and graduate programs on a beautiful urban campus in northern Baltimore City. Education at Loyola is based in the Jesuit tradition of scholarship cura personalis, or care for the whole person. Loyola is known for its academic rigor while helping students lead purposeful lives. Seventy percent of students study abroad. It currently ranks fourth in best universities in the North region according to U.S. News & World Report.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 3,787 undergraduates, 1,353 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 12:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $53,430
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 80%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business, Management, Marketing, Journalism, Social Sciences, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Psychology, English Language and Literature, Engineering and Education.

McDANIEL COLLEGE
McDaniel College sits in a bucolic setting near Westminster in Carroll County. The private, four-year liberal arts college offers more than 70 undergraduate programs of study and more than 20 graduate programs. McDaniel’s most recent addition to its curriculum is a National Security Fellows Program that provides students with knowledge, skills, and experience in national security as well as the ability to specialize in an area of interest, such as interstate conflict, intrastate political violence, cybersecurity, ethics, and human rights.

Also new this year, McDaniel appointed an inaugural associate provost for equity and belonging who provides vision and leadership to the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and works in collaboration with the provost to co-lead the college’s diversity, equity, and inclusion administrative committee, and guides the Bias Education Response Support Team.

The school also launched a new STEM Center to serve as a physical hub to support students studying the sciences. It hosts workshops and other events while also supplying online and hybrid support.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 1,757 undergraduates, 1,324 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 13:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $46,336
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 81%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Kinesiology, Business Administration, Psychology, Biology, Political Science, International Studies

MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
The largest of Maryland’s HBCU’s (Historically Black Colleges and Universities), Morgan is a public institution founded in 1867. It is situated in northeast Baltimore. As a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution, Morgan provides instruction to a multiethnic, multiracial, multinational student body and offers more than 140 academic programs at undergraduate and graduate levels. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, Morgan fulfills its mission to address the needs and challenges of the modern urban environment through intense community level study and pioneering solutions.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 6,270 undergraduates, 1,364 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 15:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $8,008 for in-state and $18,480 for out-of-state
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 73%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Civil Engineering, Communications Engineering, Business Administration and Management, Social Work, Biology/Biological Sciences, Architecture, Finance, Psychology, Sociology

NOTRE DAME OF MARYLAND UNIVERSITY
A private, Catholic liberal arts university in northern Baltimore, Notre Dame of Maryland University offers programs from undergraduate through PhD, as well as Maryland’s only women’s college. It recently launched the first master’s of art degree in Art Therapy program in the state.
The beautiful, wooded campus is just steps from the bustling downtown Baltimore culture. With values rooted in Catholicism, the school focuses on service to others and social responsibility.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 783
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 7:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $39,675
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 88%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Nursing, Education, Biology, Art Therapy, Pharmacy

TOWSON UNIVERSITY
One of the largest public universities in the state, Towson University offers more than 60 undergraduate majors and continues to draw students from other states, though it remains part of the University System of Maryland.

Its campus continues to expand, with a huge new dining hall, a 23,000-foot recreation and fitness facility with an indoor swimming pool, and its 5,200-seat arena for sporting events and concerts. In 2021, it opened its new Science Complex, the largest academic building on campus at 320,000 square feet.

In September, Towson opened its StarTUp at the Armory, a space for startups and new businesses to engage with the broader community and larger businesses. It serves as a home to Towson’s entrepreneurship programs, as well as student competitions and events.

While Towson remains the largest supplier of medical professionals and educators in the state, the university has also built a strong reputation for its College of Fine Arts and Communication, as well as its Asian Arts & Culture Center, both of which bring students into the wider community and the Baltimore community to Towson for enriching performing arts, music, and visual art programs.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 17,907 undergraduates, 2,949 graduates
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 16:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $7,100 in-state, $22,152 out-of-state
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Business Administration, Education, Nursing, Exercise Science, Psychology, Sociology and Anthropology, Biology, Computer Science, Information Technology

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE
University of Maryland, Baltimore is Maryland’s only public health, law, and human services university. Located in downtown Baltimore, it offers 86 degree and certificate programs through its six nationally ranked professional schools—dentistry, law, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and social work—and an interdisciplinary graduate school.

The school’s 14-acre BioPark is Baltimore’s biggest biotechnology cluster, employing 1,000 people, and remains on the cutting edge of new drugs, treatments, and medical devices.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 7,244
• ANNUAL TUITION: Varies by school
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Medicine, Law, Dentistry, Pharmacy, Nursing, Social Work

UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, BALTIMORE COUNTY
University of Maryland, Baltimore County educates a campus of more than 10,000 students in programs spanning the arts, engineering, information technology, humanities, sciences, preprofessional studies, and social sciences. Located on the edge of Baltimore County, it allows easy access into the city and all the conveniences of suburban life and housing. It also offers plenty of opportunities for study abroad.

In the fall of 2021, UMBC opened the Center for Well-Being, a new two-story complex that houses Retriever Integrated Health, Student Conduct and Community Standards, and i3b’s Gathering Space for Spiritual Well-Being. UMBC’s already significant NASA partnerships have continued to grow. In October, NASA announced a major award of $72 million over three years for the new Goddard Earth Sciences Technology and Research II center. UMBC is leading the national consortium and will receive over $38 million. The GESTAR II consortium will support over 120 researchers, creating extensive opportunities for breakthroughs in Earth and atmospheric science research, and providing major opportunities for students to conduct research and be mentored by NASA scientists and engineers.

• SIZE OF STUDENT BODY: 13,638
• STUDENT TO FACULTY RATIO: 17:1
• ANNUAL TUITION: $12,280 in-state, $28,470 out-of-state
• ACCEPTANCE RATE: 81%
• POPULAR AREAS OF STUDY: Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services, Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Social Sciences, Psychology, Visual and Performing Arts

Cited tuition costs exclude room and board and books.

ue and Thom Rinker, age 74 and 75 respectively, were feeling very isolated in their condo in Baltimore County. “We were ready for a change,” says Sue.
“My mother had lived at a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) for 20 years and some of our friends had moved to that type of community. We really liked what a CCRC offered.”

According to seniorliving.org, a CCRC (also known as a Life Plan Community) delivers independent living and an amenity-rich lifestyle with access to onsite, higher-level care should a resident’s medical needs progress. The levels of care usually include independent, assisted, memory care, and skilled nursing as well as rehabilitation therapy on the campus. This continuum of care ensures residents that they have the comfort of remaining in the place they call home and the peace of mind that comes from knowing their future care is figured out.

“We wanted a CCRC so our two children who live in the area wouldn’t be burdened with our future healthcare,” Sue continues. “But for now, we are healthy and wanted lots of great amenities.” The Rinkers, who live at Blakehurst in Towson, say that it’s like living at a five-star resort.

Robin Somers, CEO of Broadmead, a Life Plan Community in Cockeysville, says, “Today we are seeing many of our residents coming in younger. Rather than in their 80s, they come in their 70s.”

Elizabeth O’Conner, director of marketing and sales at Blakehurst, adds that not only are residents younger, “they are very active.”

Without the drudgery of home maintenance, doing daily chores like cleaning and meal planning, and even trying to get the COVID-19 vaccine booster, there’s time for residents to be physically active and explore myriad intellectual and cultural opportunities. But for those who prefer to spend time alone or with a few friends, there’s that too.

A fitness center ranks high on must-have lists for incoming residents. In many CCRCs, residents will find state-of-the-art equipment, classes including yoga, tai chi, and aerobics, and a heated pool. Sometimes there’s even a juice bar and a spa for manicures, pedicures, and massages. Parker Williamson, 81, is an avid sailor who lives at BayWoods of Annapolis, a waterfront community. He says, “I exercise every other day, but don’t like group classes, so the personal trainer worked up a routine just for me.”

“Today’s residents want individualization,” remarks Somers.

Sharon Krulak, 79, is a new resident at Blakehurst. She’s also an artist who works in mixed-media. When the Krulaks were looking at Blakehurst, she told O’Connor, “I need a room to do my art. And they made it happen.”

At Broadmead, two residents who were trained and experienced beekeepers had a conversation with the Broadmead executive director, and the Broadmead Apiary was established in 2013. Today, there is a group of six residents who are involved. Throughout the year they inspect the beehives, feed the bees sugar syrup, and harvest the honey into jars for sale.

Usually, CCRCs have councils, committees, and their own governing body where residents can make things happen. “At Blakehurst we have 43 residential-run committees,” says Sue Rinker. “Thom is on the residents’ board and I’m on the refurbishing and jigsaw committees.”

CCRCs have concerts, guest speakers, and some arrange continuing education through Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (university-based education specifically for people 50 and older) or nearby universities. At Broadmead, they recognize artists within their community and in the greater Baltimore vicinity by having exhibits, programs, and educational outreach. This April, the Broadmead Art Council will host an exhibit of the works of Herman Maril, a Baltimore native known for painting seascapes, interiors, and landscapes. These exhibits and lectures will be open to the greater community.

Other amenities usually include endless clubs, beautiful walking trails, gardens where residents can plant vegetables and flowers, a movie theater, a library, woodworking, a beauty salon and barber shop, card and poker rooms, billiards, bocce, and a resident computer and business center. Some communities have a croquet court, a putting green, and pickleball. As most CCRCs welcome your four-legged family members, there are even dog parks. And in keeping with making life effortless, some places will deliver your incoming packages right to your door. The list of concierge services goes on, including scheduled transportation to grocery stores, shops and more. At Edenwald, a CCRC in Towson, a bus transports residents to cultural events and attractions like the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at the Meyerhoff, a string quartet at Shriver Hall, and plays.

Cuisine plays an important part in daily life. The number of dining venues depends on the CCRC and so do the plans they offer. Many have a grill, café, bar, and outdoor dining. CCRCs pride themselves on having an excellent chef, offering plenty of choices on the menu, high quality ingredients, and dining experiences resembling a great restaurant.

In this area, all CCRCs are close to vibrant cities—Annapolis, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C. As Parker Williamson, resident at BayWoods, says with a laugh, “What’s great is we can visit Baltimore and D.C. and take advantage of all they have to offer, but we don’t have to live there.”

The Guide to Regional Continuing Care Facilities & Senior Resources

ASBURY METHODIST VILLAGE
201 Russell Ave.
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
(301) 216-4001
asbury.org/asbury-methodist-village

ASBURY-SOLOMONS ISLAND
11100 Asbury Circle
Solomons, MD 20688
(410) 394-3000
asbury.org/asbury-solomons

BAYLEIGH CHASE
501 Dutchmans Lane
Easton, MD 21601
(410) 657-4900
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/bayleigh-chase-easton

BAYWOODS OF ANNAPOLIS
7101 Bay Front Drive
Annapolis, MD 21403
(410) 268-9222
baywoodsofannapolis.com

BEDFORD COURT
3701 International Drive
Silver Spring, MD 20906
(301) 598-2900
sunriseseniorliving.com/communities/bedford

BLAKEHURST
1055 W. Joppa Road
Towson, MD 21204
(410) 296-2900
blakehurstlcs.com

BRIGHTVIEW SENIOR LIVING
Multiple locations
(888) 566-8854
brightviewseniorliving.com

BROADMEAD
13801 York Road
Cockeysville, MD 21030
(410) 527-1900
www.broadmead.org

BROOKE GROVE
18100 Slade School Road
Sandy Spring, MD 20860
(301) 924-2811
www.bgf.org

BUCKINGHAM’S CHOICE
3200 Baker Circle
Adamstown, MD 21710
(301) 804-2159
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/buckinghams-choice-adamstown

CARROLL LUTHERAN VILLAGE
300 St. Luke Circle
Westminster, MD 21158
(410) 848-0090
clvillage.org

CHARLESTOWN RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
715 Maiden Choice Lane
Catonsville, MD 21228
(410) 405-7683
ericksonseniorliving.com/charlestown

COLLINGTON EPISCOPAL LIFE CARE COMMUNITY
10450 Lottsford Road
Mitchellville, MD 20721
(301) 925-9610
collington.kendal.org

EDENWALD
800 Southerly Road
Towson, MD 21286
(410) 339-6000
edenwald.org

ELIZABETH COONEY CARE NETWORK
1107 Kenilworth Drive, Ste. 200
Towson, MD 21204
(410) 323-1700
Elizabethcooneyagency.com

FAHRNEY-KEEDY
8507 Mapleville Road
Boonsboro, MD 21713-1818
(301) 733-6284
fkhv.org

FAIRHAVEN
7200 Third Ave.
Sykesville, MD 21784
(410) 892-1946
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/fairhaven-sykesville

FRIENDS HOUSE RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
17340 Quaker Lane
Sandy Spring, MD 20860
(301) 924-5100
friendshouse.com

GINGER COVE ANNAPOLIS LIFE CARE
4000 River Crescent Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 266-7300
gingercove.com

GLEN MEADOWS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
11630 Glen Arm Road
Glen Arm, MD 21057
(410) 592-5310
presbyterianseniorliving.org/glen-meadows-retirement-community

GOODWILL RETIREMENT VILLAGE
891 Dorsey Hotel Road
Grantsville, MD 21536
(301) 895-5194
goodwillhome.org

HARMONY AT WALDORF
11239 Berry Road
Waldorf, MD 20603
(240) 270-2759
harmonyseniorservices.com/senior-living/md/waldorf/berry-road

HERON POINT OF CHESTERTOWN
501 Campus Ave.
Chestertown, MD 21620
(443) 214-3605
actsretirement.org/communities/maryland/heron-point-of-chestertown

HOMEWOOD AT FREDERICK
7407 Willow Road
Frederick, MD 21702
(301) 644-5600
homewoodfrederick.com

HOMEWOOD AT WILLIAMSPORT
16505 Virginia Ave.
Williamsport, MD 21795
(301) 582-1472
homewoodwilliamsport.com

INGLESIDE AT KING FARM
701 King Farm Blvd.
Rockville, Maryland 20850
(240) 557-8791
inglesideonline.org/ingleside-king-farm

LEISURE CARE: THE LANDING OF SILVER SPRINGS
13908 New Hampshire Ave.
Silver Spring, MD 20904
(301) 388-7700
leisurecare.com/our-communities/landing-of-silver-spring

LUTHERAN VILLAGE AT MILLER’S GRANT
9000 Fathers Legacy
Ellicott City, MD 21042
(410) 465-2005
millersgrant.org

MAPLEWOOD PARK PLACE
9707 Old Georgetown Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 571-7444
maplewoodparkplace.com

MARYLAND MASONIC HOMES
300 International Circle
Cockeysville, MD 21030
(410) 527-1111
mdmasonichomes.com

MERCY RIDGE
2525 Pot Spring Road
Timonium, MD 21093
(410) 561-0200
mercyridge.com

NORTH OAKS
725 Mount Wilson Lane
Pikesville, MD 21208
(410) 484-7300
northoaksseniorliving.com

RIDERWOOD VILLAGE
3140 Gracefield Road
Silver Spring, MD 20904
(301) 701-4076
ericksonseniorliving.com/riderwood

ROLAND PARK PLACE
830 W. 40th St.
Baltimore, MD 21211
(410) 243-5700
rolandparkplace.org

THE RESIDENCES AT VANTAGE POINT
5400 Vantage Point Road
Columbia, MD 21044
(410) 964-5454
vantagepointresidences.org

OAK CREST VILLAGE
8800 Walther Blvd.
Parkville, MD 21234
(410) 405-7419
ericksonseniorliving.com/oak-crest

ORTHOPAEDIC ASSOCIATES OF CENTRAL MARYLAND
Six locations in the area
(410) 644-1880
mdbonedocs.com

RECORD STREET HOME–HOME OF THE AGED
115 Record St.
Frederick, MD 21701
(301) 663-6822
recordstreethome.org

THE VILLAGE AT AUGSBURG
6811 Campfield Road
Baltimore, MD 21207
(410) 834-4143
thevillageataugsburg.org

THE VILLAGE AT ROCKVILLE
9701 Veirs Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
(301) 424-9560
thevillageatrockville.org

WECARE
1852 Reisterstown Road
Pikesville, MD 21208
(410) 602-3993
wecarepds.com

WILLOW VALLEY
600 Willow Valley Sq.
Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 464-6800
willowvalleycommunities.org

Recently, we asked our readers: what are the best places to eat in Baltimore? Here are the results of our 2016 Readers’ Poll. To see our editors’ list of the 50 Best Restaurants in Baltimore, pick up a copy of our March issue, available on newsstands now. Our 2015 Readers’ Poll results are available here.

Annapolis, our state capital, beckons with its adorable shops, fancy sailboats at the City Dock, and grand historic homes and buildings. There’s lots to see and do, but some time during your visit, you’ll need to rest your weary feet and grab a bite. With this in mind, we thought it was time to find out exactly what is available for hungry visitors in the historic district and nearby Eastport. So we set out on a culinary expedition, sampling much of the city’s fare. After ingesting mounds of crab cakes, juicy steaks, and fat sushi rolls, we think you’ll find that our Annapolis restaurant guide gives you a comprehensive overview of the city’s culinary offerings and an assortment of eating places to satisfy your appetite whether you’re taking in the sites by sea or land.

Café Normandie

This cute and cozy Main Street mainstay has been around forever and is wildly popular with locals, maybe because it offers a number of opportunities for decent dining (along with huge portions) at bargain prices. Normandie features French country cuisine, in keeping with its rather cramped, rustic interior of exposed wood beams and its humongous fireplace smack in the middle of the dining room. Choose from the wide selection of crêpes (a buckwheat crêpe stuffed with ratatouille is a favorite) and omelets to accompany a simple salad or charcuterie platter and a glass of wine—a perfect way to dine out without breaking the bank. Best bets for entrées are, unsurprisingly, Normandy-inspired dishes like breast of chicken with apples, veal Normandie with creamy mushroom sauce, or most of the seafood dishes. When the kitchen backs up—as it frequently does—you may find yourself getting antsy for the next course, but the wine always seems to arrive on time. 185 Main St., 410-263-3382

Carrol’s Creek Cafe

The best seat in the house is probably outside—on the deck on a summer afternoon, where you can sip a brew, enjoy a meal, and watch the boat traffic with downtown Annapolis in the background. But it’s pleasant inside Carrol’s Creek, too. This contemporary restaurant has plenty going for it, including its location just over the Eastport bridge. The restaurant’s design makes the most of that location. With plenty of windows facing Spa (originally Carrol’s) Creek and tables on different levels and at different angles, almost everyone has a water view. And as night falls, the view includes the majesty of the U.S. Naval Academy chapel dome and lights from the constant cars on the bridge. Inside, the atmosphere is bustling, but not hurried. The menu is large with traditional seafood and steak, alongside soups, salads, and other light fare. Carrol’s Creek offers an interesting menu option: For $18 more than the price of an entrée, you can also get cream of crab soup, a house salad (mixed greens with bleu cheese, dried cranberries, and walnuts) and a choice of dessert. It’s a fair value for the hungry. The filet mignon is excellent, and the rockfish topped with spinach and scallops over risotto tastes even better than it sounds. Locals and tourists seem to intermingle in this casual, family-friendly atmosphere. 410 Severn Ave., Eastport, 410-263-8102

The Chart House

Talk about a room with a view. This waterside restaurant on Spa Creek captures a postcard-picture look at historic Annapolis from its Eastport vantage point. Yes, it’s a chain, but it’s also a tourist magnet with its great location. We’ve found that it’s worth a stop if you focus on appetizers, fresh fish, and certain seafood dishes. For Marylanders, the crab entrées, especially the crab cakes, may not measure up to our inbred expectations. But the blue crab dip with crostini is an excellent nosh to bolster tired spirits after walking around our state capital. Kimchi calamari with crisp vegetables is another delicious way to revive your energy. In the open, comfortable dining room, you can count on the kitchen to deliver wonderfully prepared fresh fish, like a dynamite cedar-wrapped King salmon in a fig vinaigrette. You also won’t go wrong with baked shrimp topped with crab. There’s a salad bar, but the chopped spinach salad on the menu is a beautiful mix of shredded greens, mushrooms, and radishes with hot bacon dressing. 300 Second St., Eastport, 410-268-7166

Flamant

Seasonally sourced ingredients coupled with classic European techniques are the recipe for success at this West Annapolis gem. The intimate dining space features a partially open kitchen that gives diners a front-row seat to see Belgian chef Frederik De Pue in action. Snack on red snapper tartare and blue crab rolls before moving on to larger entrees like lacquered cornish hen and beef stroganoff with hanger steak and local mushrooms. Dessert is not to be skipped, as pretty pastries abound—ranging from a goat cheese tart to a caramelized banana doughnut with Grand Marnier gelato. 17 Annapolis St. 410-264-0274

Galway Bay

After a relaxed stroll around the City Dock, consider hoofing up toward State Circle and popping into Galway Bay; the appetite you build up will be more than satisfied. This replica of a typical Connaught pub boasts a fine bar and plenty of booths in which to relax with a pint and friends. But it also contains a spacious, casual dining room that can accommodate large parties and families. The food at Galway Bay is centered on pub fare with mass appeal. The menu abounds with classics like shepherd’s pie and fish and chips, but also more ambitious items like fresh fish and beef short ribs. And there are many other Celtic dishes such as Irish curry fries or whiskey-and-tomato soup. It’s so much the better with what we can honestly say is a perfectly pulled pint. 63 Maryland Ave., 410-263-8333

Harry Browne’s

Harry Browne’s offers a window on Annapolis—literally for those lucky enough to be seated at one of the few front tables—and figuratively for those within. This is a city staple, a longtime gathering spot for legislators, lobbyists, lawyers, and reporters. But on a cool weekend, the crowd is early baby-boomer couples and foursomes. Those who do get a window table have the State House dome in clear view and a front row seat on the passing State Circle parade of tourists and teens. Other diners enjoy a casually sophisticated room with dark wood, leaded glass, and striking chandeliers. Wherever you sit, you are treated to excellent food infused with unusual flavors that are beautifully presented. Amid many great tastes, the rack of lamb stands out for its richness, its size, and its melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, and for the accompanying stuffed eggplant, garlic mashed potatoes, and mint coulis. The salmon, one of the specials, has a gentle sweetness that makes it special with artichoke hearts and grape tomatoes in a light sauce. The homemade ice cream at Harry Browne’s is notable, too. There isn’t anything plain about the vanilla that goes with the delicate creme brulee. The friendly, unhurried yet professional service, stunning atmosphere, and culinary intrigue make Harry Browne’s a thoroughly enjoyable evening worth lingering over. 66 State Circle, 410-263-4332

Joss Café and Sushi Bar

“This is the best food I’ve had in ages,” a happy diner, two tables down, remarks dreamily. Hey, it’s hard not to eavesdrop at Joss Café and Sushi Bar, where the tables are packed cheek-by-jowl into a warren of well-used dining rooms, and the clients—lots of them—are usually rhapsodizing about the food. They couldn’t care less about the modest surroundings or the crowds—they’re here for the sushi. And what sushi it is: fat, silky toro; creamy, unctuous uni; crisp-crunchy baby octopus. Pretty much everything you order here, whether it’s one of the sparkling fresh seaweed salads or a selection from the daunting array of rolls, is guaranteed to be perfectly prepared. The menu is staggering, so we usually zoom in on a few favorites. We love the maguro poke, chopped raw tuna marinated in soy and sesame oil, and blended with pine nuts, sesame seeds, Japanese pepper, and scallions. The shiitake tempura is an exemplar of umami—that elusive, mysterious fifth taste best described as heavenly-funky. Bite into a cloud of batter to the earthy mushroom beneath, and you’ll find heaven indeed. And if you’re an adventurous diner, nothing could be better than the pork shumai. These light, little dumpling bombs, imbued with fiery wasabi, provide an instant, overwhelming blast of intense heat, which miraculously fades in seconds. Everything is pretty wow here, including the service, faster than a speeding bullet train. 195 Main St., 410-263-4688

Lemongrass

An easygoing, Far-East atmosphere and food that practically pops with flavor are the two characteristics that define Lemongrass. Service is friendly and welcoming, and we are immediately at ease in a dining room that is bright and cheery without being kitsch or formal. The menu overflows with Thai-inspired cooking, and everything is scrumptious. This is not a place for the meek of palate, however; spicy means spicy on this menu, and the ingredients are so fresh that acids tingle while sweet and salty dance jubilantly across one’s tongue. A great example is the pa ram long song, a bewitching amalgam of chicken breast and light yellow curry that sings with a little sweetness, zings with citrus, and stings, but just ever so little, with spice. Another home run is the spicy eggplant. A generous plateful of Asian eggplant that has been lightly fried and doused in garlic sauce, then sprinkled with pepper and basil, this plate satisfies a craving for the savoriness of fried food without paying the price in heavy fats, fatty fillings, or soggy leftovers for next day’s lunch. Not much is on offer for dessert, but we will say the mango sticky rice at Lemongrass is the best we’ve tasted in Maryland. 167 West St., 410-280-0086

Les Folies Brasserie

Take a trip to Paris by way of Naptown at this 20-year-old neighborhood standby. Decorated with burgundy banquettes, white linen tablecloths, and Bohemian art pieces, the restaurant has become a is a go-to spot for French onion soup and classic coq au vin, but it also features flavorful pastas and fresh fish ranging from salmon to snapper. Other filling favorites include the filet mignon with red wine shallots and classic moules frites with white wine-steamed mussels and crispy French fries. Be sure to order the scratch-made souffle ahead of time, as each one takes upward of 45 minutes to prepare. 2552 Riva Rd. 410-573-0970

Level

At Level, the happy hour, with its $6 artisanal cocktails—made with such quirky ingredients as egg white and baked apple bitters, lime foam, and fresh persimmon—and similarly priced small plates of gnocchi with green peas, grilled eggplant, or hummus with roasted pear seamlessly blends into the dinner hour. You soon realize that Level is happy at all hours. And its small plates can add up to a wide array of flavors, from a duck torchon with a purée of garlic to the dessert-you-can-drink concoction of dark, malty Belgian black ale, served in a Mason jar with a scoop of ice cream. Level’s two bars—upstairs and down—are consistently crowded after work, and it recently added a second dining room. A chalkboard, pictured right, on one of the exposed-brick walls lists words related to the headings Food, Drink, and Socialize. It’s a list—with the addition of affordable—that will keep us returning. 69 West St. 410-268-0003

Lewnes’ Steakhouse

The Lewnes family has been at this Eastport corner since 1921, the last 14 years as a steakhouse. Recently expanded—an old family home became another dining room—Lewnes’ seems to hold its own against the upscale chain steakhouse nearby. The new space is more open than the original dining room. Tables are well-spaced, windows look into the wine room, and vintage photos give this somewhat clubby space a homey feel. The windows into the wine room afford a view of hundreds of bottles. Dabbling on this wine list is not for the faint-hearted; it is huge, sophisticated, and high-end, though there are half bottles and wines by the glass plus waiters who gladly make recommendations. The steaks are a la carte; vegetables and salads, family style, with half orders available. We recommend the small filet mignon—the flavor is huge—although the New York strip is not as tender or as flavorful. Although beef is the star, the menu includes almost as many seafood items. Service is knowledgeable and efficient, though at times, food arrives too quickly. We leave with an invitation to return from a server, a nice touch and one more reason Lewnes’ remains an Annapolis tradition. 401 Fourth St., Eastport, 410-263-1617

Luna Blu

The only reason not to order the $35 dinner special Luna Blu offers—appetizer, salad, entrée, and dessert from the regular menu—would be that you weren’t very hungry. But that could change once you got started, because the food just keeps getting better with each course in this comfortable and welcoming Italian restaurant. Chef/owner Ivano Scotto puts the “Napoli” in Annapolis, and vice versa, literally wrapping the cuisine of his native Italian Campania region around Maryland classics, and garnishing them with whimsy. Southern Italy melts atop Southern Maryland in the fried green tomatoes topped with fresh mozzarella, but Luna Blu also offers the straight-up Caprese original. The entrée choices are surprising for this relatively small restaurant—with a risotto of the day, as well as pastas, sautéed chicken breast or veal. Seafood is plentiful: A grilled salmon with spinach entrée includes a generous dividend of scallops and lump crab scattered on top, all of it enveloped in a richly flavorful cream sauce. That same sauce binds spaghetti and prosciutto in the carbonara, a decadent dish that probably should be enjoyed in moderation—if you can exercise restraint. But pacing yourself will pay off when it’s time for dessert, which is so good that it is worth coming to Luna Blu just for that. Go for the sophisticated zabaglione or classic tiramisu. Lunch offerings include a more modest pizza-and-sandwich menu. A bonus at this unpretentious place—children are welcome, and servers helpfully suggest a smaller $10 pasta portion for a child. It will provide enough for his dad’s lunch the next day. 36 West St., Annapolis, 410-267-9950

Metropolitan Kitchen & Lounge

This neighborhood hangout is known for hosting cover bands, tribute groups, and open mic nights—and the food is equally as appealing as the live entertainment. Worldly wines and craft cocktails (the “Suits and Ladders” fuses bourbon with aperol and honey) pair nicely with small plates and customizable charcuterie boards. There are also burgers, flatbreads, and plenty of larger entrees if you’re going the solo route. Sample standouts including cedar salmon, vegan jambalaya, and rockfish imperial with charred lemon beurre blanc. 175 West St. 410-280-5160

O’Learys Seafood

Insofar as “Annapolis seafood restaurant” usually signifies crab dip, crab soup, and, well, crabs, O’Learys breaks the mold. In a wood-beamed dining room that manages to exude buzz and calm at the same time, fish gets treatment that is refined but never fussy. “Close your eyes and point,” a waiter says when asked which appetizers are excellent, and so far he hasn’t been proven wrong. It’s hard to imagine doing better than two perfectly cooked, moist scallops bundled into phyllo and accented by pesto. There’s nothing innovative about the three preparations in the tuna trio—one seared piece, one pile of tartare tossed with soy, and one generous slab of sashimi—but the fish, impeccably fresh, needs no fireworks. (The silver chopsticks on the side are a lovely touch.) For entrées, it’s all about the extra details. A crispy rockfish is elevated by a tomato-cilantro salsa, sauteed shrimp, and chipotle aioli. The crab cakes are good in a city where they must be; one bite through to the bottom reveals they have been delightfully crisped, and you wonder why everybody doesn’t do that. Desserts deliver, too, especially a seasonal berry shortcake with fresh whipped cream. Two thoughts linger after you’re out the door: Why didn’t we order two slices, and when can we make reservations again? 310 Third St., Eastport, 410-263-0884

Osteria 177

This luxurious Italian-Mediterranean restaurant—a sister-spot to Arturo’s Trattoria in Glen Burnie—inhabits a prime location on Main and Conduit streets in the heart of Annapolis. Opened in November 2006, its décor is reminiscent of a regal old New York restaurant with high ceilings and ample booths. Chandeliers glitter, original paintings hang from the walls, and angular, high-backed white chairs give the place a contemporary look. While it’s clear that chef/owner Arturo Ottaviano put a lot of thought into this décor, it’s even more apparent that tremendous effort goes into everything that comes out of the kitchen. From the classic calamari to a salad of shaved parmesan and bresaola (cured beef) with arugula, to the grilled salmon in a lemon-butter sauce, each dish is prepared with great skill and care. A duck breast in pear reduction and a veal chop stuffed with fontinella and prosciutto could not be more succulent. A buttery branzino, a Mediterranean sea bass, is cooked perfectly and expertly filleted at the table. Dinner includes fine Italian wines by the glass and continual refills of sparkling mineral water. A splendid meal with fine service ends with tiramisu, hiding delightful cherries in the bottom, and a lovely dark and white chocolate mousse. 177 Main St., 410-267-7700

Paul’s Homewood Cafe

Paul’s Homewood Café is one Annapolis restaurant where you don’t go for the view. Unless, that is, you like to watch traffic whiz by on busy West Street and take in the gas station, transmission repair place, and bail bondsman’s office across the street. But do come for the food. Paul’s has been at this spot for 70 years, most of that time as a diner. After a recent renovation and expansion, however, Paul’s is a white-tablecloth restaurant at dinnertime and offers exquisite food, much of it Greek. While the décor is sleek and new, the menu leans to traditional dishes, such as lamb kebab, crab cakes, fish specials, pastas, a huge list of Greek appetizers and, of course, Greek salad. All are very good, as is the service. The manageable wine list features the products of what it describes as small and independent vintners. The bottles in racks and on shelves contribute to the attractive surroundings. There is a lot of bustle—the kitchen opens onto one dining room, which also includes the bar—a high table turnover, and, consequently, a parade of food being hurried to diners. Paul’s is quite busy, and we can see why. We are told there are a lot of regulars. But diners do not seem rushed. It’s a comfortable place to pause over a drink, savor your meal, and enjoy your coffee after some wonderful desserts. 919 West St., 410-267-7891

Preserve

We won’t soon forget the palate-pleasing and fresh-breath-destroying meal we recently enjoyed at this 3-year-old treasure, and not just because the leftover kimchi we took home after dinner stunk up the car with the smell of garlic. As the name suggests, pickling is the not-so-secret weapon here, with husband-and-wife team Jeremy and Michelle Hoffman obsessively pickling the kimchi. Milder than many Asian versions we’ve tried, it’s just as flavorful, and it makes a perfect appetizer, side, or snack. Indeed, pickled pleasures are used throughout the small-but-bold menu. Curtido, a Salvadorian-style fermented cabbage, goes perfectly with Relajo sausage and grain pasta, one of a dozen starters. Kimchi spices the broth in the gnocchi; dill pickles are served with the exquisitely prepared rockfish; pickled onions grace the glazed beef rice bowl. Preserve sells pickled goods in jars, too, so your vehicle’s new-car smell will be safe. 164 Main St. 443-598-6920

Reynolds Tavern

Eclectic
The elegant dining rooms in one of the town’s oldest buildings remind you why you’re in the Colonial capital—to get a taste of its charms. It’s all about capturing the grandeur of the past in an authentic setting. And what better way to savor the experience than with an English tea. There are several choices, including afternoon tea (an assortment of sweet and savory nibbles), champagne tea (a glass of bubbly and chocolate-covered strawberries with the afternoon tea), and high tea (choice of soup, salad, or quiche with tea). The treats with the tea are hit and miss—lemon squares, mushroom tarts, macaroons, and cucumber sandwiches are dainty and delicious; but the quiche Lorraine was too soggy and the scones too dry on one visit. The tavern also has lunch (such as turkey Reuben and crab cake sandwich) and dinner (including Cajun shrimp and steak frites) if you want to go a more traditional route. 7 Church Circle, 410-295-9555

Severn Inn

Take in postcard vistas of Annapolis, the Naval Academy, and the Severn River while enjoying fine dining and a great wine list at this longtime favorite. Consisting of small plates, raw bar favorites, salads, steaks, and seafood, the menu is ideal for any occasion. Start things off with tuna poke or grilled sourdough toast topped with avocado, radish, sesame oil, and lemon aioli. Appetizers for the table (a crowd-pleasing sampler features sweet chili wings, yucca tots, and deviled eggs) are also plentiful. Entrees include Maryland favorites like fried chicken with Chesapeake white sauce, South Carolina wreckfish with corn cream and sauteed baby kale, and stellar surf and turf. During the warmer months, grab a seat on the outdoor deck to watch the sunset over the river while sipping a sweet Orange Crush. 1993 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd. 410-349-4000

Treaty of Paris Restaurant

The Treaty of Paris Restaurant at the Maryland Inn is surely a contender for the capital’s most romantic dining room with its fireplaces, toile drapes, crisp white linens, and subtle lighting reminiscent of the days when America’s forefathers supped there. On a weekend evening not in high tourist season, the Treaty of Paris was sadly underutilized. Nothing in our experience there warranted a lack of diners. In addition to beautiful surroundings, the restaurant offers friendly and attentive service, and a traditional menu excellently prepared and reasonably priced. The popovers that spill from the breadbasket are a stand out, crusty on the outside, warm and soft inside. The menu is filled with Maryland favorites—crab cakes, rockfish, salmon, shrimp, and steak. The two crab cakes are light and flavorful, broiled as ordered without being dry. The rockfish served over braised spinach in a light white sauce is a thoroughly satisfying combination. Our meal is leisurely, capped by desserts made in house: crème brûlée and chocolate lava cake with vanilla ice cream. Tradition has its virtues, and Treaty of Paris seems to be mining the feel and flavor of a bygone era for the benefit of the here and now. More people should partake. Maryland Inn, 16 Church Circle, 410-216-6340

Tsunami

The best part about this hip Annapolis restaurant is how it lives up to its concept of Asian fusion cuisine—that “East meets West” marriage of unlikely ingredients, flavors, and cooking styles. In what otherwise is a slightly cramped, noisy restaurant, where the large light globes are turned down so low it’s hard to read the menu, the food and service deserve their own spotlight. A generous appetizer of popcorn-sized fried shrimp is transformed in an addictive Japanese tempura batter, while spring rolls are stuffed with avocado and ginger soy. Appetizers come with an unannounced bonus of crisp salads of greens and curlicues of raw beets and carrots in lime dressing. Bibb tacos are filled with lobster and miso butter, while wok-seared scallops sit on watercress with orange and vanilla salt and pepper. Generous desserts include bananas fried in thin, crispy lumpia wrappers (think egg roll), served with ice cream infused with a subtle ginger flavor. A delicious lychee sorbet disappears too fast as it melts into a fruity lime soup. You can’t get more exotic than that, just two blocks from the Maryland State House. 51 West St., 410-990-9868

Vin 909

Italian
The word “charming” comes to mind as you enter this cozy cottage-cum-wine bar that’s in the Annapolis area, though it’s well worth a visit whatever county you’re coming from. Inexpensive glasses of wine are the focal point here, but the brick-oven pizza, hearty meatball sandwiches, and, when last we visited, a seasonal dish of clams with pumpkin in curry cream broth also deserve top billing. This hideaway is the perfect place for a first date—or 100th date. When we went, we took barstools at the open kitchen next to a regular who told us he eats there at least three times a week. It can be a challenge to get a table at this no-reservations restaurant, so we suggest going for lunch—the menu is no different than at dinner. Just beware the boat shows! 909 Bay Ridge Ave. 410-990-1846

Eager diners in Howard County must have breathed a sigh of relief when Brian Boston’s Highland Inn finally opened in January, and Boston, co-owner and executive chef of the highly successful The Milton Inn, must have been pretty gratified, too. It’s been five years since Boston conceived of opening an upscale, but casual, dining destination in restaurant-starved southern Howard County. Numerous bureaucratic hurdles, two canceled openings, and $4 million in renovations later, the restaurant, housed in a lovingly restored 1890s farmhouse on a rural corner, is up and running at last. So . . . was it worth the wait? Highland Inn’s pastoral setting and historic look are certainly a plus. On a chilly Saturday evening in late April, the outdoor dining terrace overlooking an idyllic meadow wasn’t open yet, but the handsomely appointed upstairs dining room (with a second one on the terrace level) was buzzing with equally well-turned-out diners. Boston, an accomplished equestrian, has chosen an array of hunt-country themed paintings by Owings Mills artist Sam Robinson to decorate the walls, while brightly colored murals of jockeys on horseback by the same artist grace the far end of the room. The mural lends a fun, casual vibe to the white-tablecloth formality of the space, a mix the menu strives to achieve as well. 

Boston aimed to create a venue that, unlike The Milton Inn, won’t be reserved mostly for special occasions. Although the price point is higher than what you might expect for everyday dining, the offerings are less elaborate here in order to showcase the pure flavors of local, seasonal ingredients. Chef Mark C. Davis, who was there on our first visit but has since left the inn, created a roster of approachable entrees, with some inventive appetizers thrown in for good measure. Wilbur Cox Jr. of B&O American Brasserie was at the helm on our second go-round and did not disappoint, though we’re told he will add his own touches to the table. The menu is designed to appeal to a fairly wide swath of diners, and mostly, it works quite well. 

The menu is designed to appeal to a fairly wide swath of diners, and mostly, it works quite well.

There were so many appealing choices on the list of appetizers that decision-making was the most arduous task of the evening. Should we pick a classic like the clams casino (a Milton Inn standard) or go for something novel like the avocado-green pea-asparagus dip? In the end, we chose well. A plate of seared scallops was a deliciously gorgeous contrast of colors and flavors, the fat scallops atop translucent pink rounds of beet “carpaccio,” the plate streaked with ruby red beet “mustard” and contrasting wilted greens. The crispy pork belly with PB&J was, frankly, spectacular. What’s not to like about peanut-crusted pork belly, its unctuous richness leavened by the sweetness of spiced apple butter and earthy pistachio butter? The Hudson Valley foie gras was slightly less successful. A luxury item like this needs to be treated gently, but ours had been seared a bit too much, lending a bitter edge to the delicate morsel. 

Among the entrees, there really wasn’t a false note. Entrees are an assortment of standard offerings—dry-aged pork chops, corn-dusted rockfish, and rack of lamb—dressed up with nicely prepared sides and sauces. The kitchen is focused on execution rather than flash, as with the herb-brined roast chicken, which was a crisp-skinned bird cooked to juicy perfection and excellent braised kale served on the side. Perfectly cooked, too, was the New York strip, medium-rare, as specified, and sided with a layered square of pavé potatoes and grilled asparagus. It’s always nice to see seriously large shrimp in a dish of shrimp and grits, and Highland Inn’s were not only jumbo, but also generously portioned. The grits almost outshone them, though, with their bits of pork belly and creamy texture. We couldn’t discern any of the advertised lobster within, but they were addictive anyway. Other menu highlights include crispy-skinned Irish trout on a bed of English pea emulsion.

You won’t find any elaborate or fancy creations on the dessert menu here. On offer are usual suspects like crème brûlée, carrot cake, a chocolate torte, and several flavors of Häagen Dazs ice cream. (We’re always curious as to why anyone would choose an $8 dish of ice cream you can buy by the pint at half the price.) Our party—weight watchers all—split the vanilla crème brûlée, properly creamy beneath its crackling top, and called it a night.

All in all, everything is in place for Highland Inn’s success. We were pleased to see reasonably priced wines on the extensive wine list, and our friendly waitress was helpful throughout the meal, recommending her favorites dishes. The only impediment we can see to the inn’s status as a mainstay of Howard County casual dining is that less-than-casual price point. Dinner here is expensive, albeit not as pricey as Brian Boston’s The Milton Inn. That said, there are more than enough solid qualities here to reward diners seeking a pleasant evening out, special occasion or not. 

HIGHLAND INN 12857 Highland Road, Highland, 443-276-3202. 
HOURS Dinner: 5:30 p.m.-9 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 5-9:30 p.m. Sat., 4-8 p.m. Sun. 
CUISINE Contemporary American. 
PRICE Appetizers: $7-21; entrees: $18-48; desserts: $8-15. 
ATMOSPHERE Upscale, yet laid-back dining in an appealing 1890s Howard County farmhouse.

Let’s just say you were to enter a typical Baltimore restaurant circa 1961. Cocktails would be had before dinner: a martini for him, maybe a Tom Collins for her. The first course would come out, a bowl of iceberg lettuce doused in bright-orange French dressing, followed by cream-of-crab soup. Her main course might be crab imperial, drenched in a rich cream sauce laced with Sherry. He would order a steak—well done, of course—with a baked potato topped with sour cream and butter. The accompanying vegetables might come from a can. For dessert? Ice cream sundaes or perhaps a slice of pie.

Oh, the olden days. A lot has changed since then. We’ve become more health conscious, more aware of global cuisine, and there have been several food revolutions along the way. It was the ’90s—and something called New American cuisine—that really changed the way we ate. In truth, that simply meant adding a twist to a conventional dish. For example, it was somewhat radical when chef Cindy Wolf served a grilled chicken breast with pickled peaches and black beans at her restaurant Savannah, which opened in Fells Point in 1995. (Wow. She was certainly ahead of today’s pickling craze.) Over at Spike & Charlie’s, which opened four years earlier in 1991, chef Spike Gjerde dressed up a butterflied lamb chop with cannellini beans and fresh plum tomatoes (no tin-tasting canned ones for him). It was revelatory.

In a recent interview with firstweeat.com, Gjerde recalled making a ratatouille pizza at Spike & Charlie’s: “We cooked each finely diced vegetable individually, crumbled local goat cheese over it, and put it in the wood-burning oven. It was my first stab at something original.”

We take those additions for granted now. But that was before ratatouille was the name of a popular Pixar film. In fact, many Baltimoreans didn’t know what it was. It was quite bold to douse eggplant with balsamic vinegar before grilling as Gjerde did then. Most restaurants today serve this type of cuisine, with more reliance on the freshest and most local ingredients possible. Many grow their own vegetables, whether they’re tomatoes in container pots on outdoor patios or, like the newest juggernaut, Bagby Restaurant Group, from its own Cockeysville farm for its cadre of restaurants, including Fleet Street Kitchen in Harbor East and Cunningham’s in Towson.

Of course, a lot of other culinary influences were taking place in the pivotal ’90s. We traveled more, exposing us to varied cuisines. The Food Network created a big interest in cooking and chefs. More ingredients were available. And, really, our taste buds were becoming more sophisticated, as David Kamp points out in his excellent book, The United States of Arugula. Suddenly, iceberg was the pariah of the lettuce family.

(Ironically, many of those preparations have come back in vogue. A wedge of iceberg with blue-cheese dressing and crumbled bacon is considered charmingly retro.)

When you look back, there were far fewer restaurants in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. And, in true Baltimore fashion, we were loyal to our favorites, tending to latch onto an eating place until the aging owners, beaten down by the 24/7 grind, gave up and retired—Martick’s Restaurant Francais, Caesar’s Den, and Hersh’s Orchard Inn, to name a few.

For various reasons, we’ve lost many icons over the decades, including popular grand dames like Marconi’s, Haussner’s, Danny’s, Connolly’s, Miller Brothers, and Chesapeake Restaurant. Some, like the Chesapeake, have been re-invented into more casual affairs. It’s always nice to see a comeback, as we have for Peerce’s (now The Grille at Peerce’s) in Phoenix, Manor Tavern in Monkton, and the recently opened The Valley Inn in Brooklandville.

We’re still Crabtown, hon—except now we have many other options available. In a 2006 interview with Baltimore magazine, Afghan Qayum Karzai of The Helmand said, “Baltimore is becoming more cosmopolitan in what it accepts, in terms of food and different cuisines from various countries.”

In the same story, Joey Chiu, who operated the long-running and now defunct Bamboo House and, currently, his eponymous Greenspring Inn, concurred. “Now, more people in Baltimore eat out. Besides Chinese food, more and more people like sushi.”

That wasn’t always the case. Chiu recalled that in the late ’80s when he first offered the now ubiquitous fish-rice rolls, “People would say, ‘Ewww’ . . . People have become more educated.”

Now, it’s not unusual to find Asian fusion at many mainstream restaurants or events. For instance, chef Chris Becker, chief operations officer for the Bagby group, makes a great pork-belly steam bun. And Cyrus Keefer of The Fork & Wrench in Canton is known for infusing ingredients like yuzu powder and shochu into his dishes.

These days, most chefs like changing up their cooking style. Recently, Chad Gauss of The Food Market created a Mexican-inspired pop-up with dishes like smoked-trout taquitos, shrimp a la plancha, and rib-eye vieja. With our growing Latino population, it’s easy to find the real deal north of Broadway and Eastern Avenue. But it’s a cuisine that’s finding an inspired niche in Fells Point, including Charlie Gjerde’s new taco joint, Papi’s; Willow (by Stuggy’s owners); and the upcoming Barcocina in the old Shuckers space.

While we have many more diverse ethnic choices than we did when the MTV generation was born—from Lebanese and Persian to Thai and Korean—Italian has always been a mainstay. In fact, if it wasn’t for Aldo’s Ristorante Italiano in Little Italy, actor Chazz Palminteri of The Bronx Tale might not have considered locating his first restaurant in Baltimore. But he connected with Aldo’s Vitale family, and, before you knew it, they were partners in Chazz: A Bronx Original, which opened in Harbor East in 2011. Palmintieri is a frequent visitor at the restaurant.

But it’s safe to say that chefs Spike Gjerde of Woodberry Kitchen and Cindy Wolf of Charleston were the true torchbearers. (But even they probably didn’t guess that they both would be 2014 James Beard Award finalists in the Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic category. The winner will be announced on May 5.)

The chefs’ early efforts certainly paved the gustatory way for creative takes on cuisine in Baltimore by the likes of Ted Stelzenmuller of Jack’s Bistro (chocolate mac and cheese, sous vide), Jason Ambrose of Salt (duck-fat fries, Kobe beef sliders), and Joe Edwardsen of Joe Squared (gourmet coal-fired square pizza).

Baltimore also got a big bump on the national culinary scene when award-winning chef Michael Mina, who runs almost two dozen restaurants around the country, opened Wit & Wisdom: A Tavern by Michael Mina and Pabu at the Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore. We’re also expecting actor Woody Harrelson’s recent acquisition of the Inn at the Black Olive with the rooftop Olive Room restaurant to create a stir in the world beyond the Susquehanna.

It’s exciting not because we have stars in our eyes. We’re thrilled because Baltimore deserves recognition as a food town. Spike and Cindy have been admirable ambassadors through their cooking and previous James Beard nominations prior to this year. But we also know it takes a village of chefs to put Baltimore on the national dining map. And we’re definitely on it.

We refused to be deterred by the dismantled lobby obviously going through a makeover. Persevering to the right and heading up a short flight of stairs, we soon entered a two-story-high dining room that left us gasping at its opulence. With its dreamy cornflower-blue walls, gilded trim, chandeliers dripping crystals, tropical palm plumage, and elegant candelabra-topped tables, we felt like we’d stepped into Versailles. The luxe space is decidedly anachronistic amid today’s no-nonsense industrial, brick-walled eating spaces. But the fancy décor works at The French Kitchen at Lord Baltimore Hotel. The dining room is inside the stately hotel, which opened in 1928 and was the largest hotel in Maryland at one time. Myriad years and owners later, the French renaissance landmark is once again reliving its glory days with a massive renovation from top to bottom. The French Kitchen is one of its centerpieces.

It even impressed its executive chef, Jordan Miller, who opened The Chesapeake in the Station North Arts and Entertainment District last year and has cooked at restaurants across the nation. “When I was looking for a new place to land, the dining room was a selling point for me,” he says. “It’s a pleasure to work here.”

The restaurant isn’t just about appearances. The thoughtful menu, with a dozen entrees, reflects the culture of its location with classical and updated French fare. You’ll find bistro staples like a croque-madame sandwich (that’s the one with the fried egg), an omelet, and a quiche of the day, as well as heartier plates like steak frites, duck, and fish (monkfish, the night we visited).

Miller creates deconstructed-style dishes that are layered, shaped, and stacked into artistic wonders. While the boeuf bourguignon may not be Julia Child’s excellent stew-like version, Miller’s showcases a succulent short rib atop a pool of rich burgundy sauce surrounded by colorful root vegetables as pretty as a Cézanne still life.

“I’m taking classic preparations and flavors and then cleaning them up a bit,” Miller says. “We’re also doing old school like coq au vin and pot-au-feu.”
But before we got to our main meals, an aromatic bread basket with house-made baguette slices and boules (there’s a baker and pastry chef in the kitchen) was delivered to our table with condiments like in-house cured olives and a tangy orange marmalade—a welcome rustic offering in the cavernous room dotted with banquettes, bare wood tables, and plush seating.

Even though our waitress was new to the restaurant that very
night—struggling to remember specials and having to go to the kitchen to
talk to the chef—we were well cared for. It undoubtedly helped that we
were the only patrons in the dining room until the end of our dinner
when a few stragglers arrived. Given the deliciousness of our meal, we
hope more people will be attracted to the restaurant’s charms. Hotel
management even offers discounted valet parking to entice guests.

For
starters, we sampled a traditional onion soup that had depth and scored
points for cleverness. The Comté cheese was melted on top of a toasted
baguette slice to avoid the annoying strings of cheese that often make
eating the broth a challenge. We also enjoyed a stunningly beautiful
beet salad featuring several preparations, including roasted, pickled,
puréed, and raw with pecans and fresh cheese.

We really liked
the salmon appetizer, too. The fish was cured with fennel and dressed
with dill, crème fraîche, potatoes, and an everything-bagel tuile, all
assembled in a carefully composed tableau.

There is also
charcuterie and beef tartare to kick off your meal and salads like
roasted vegetable, frisée with bacon, and a niçoise with tuna, olives,
egg, tomato, and beans.

Our lamb entree was another
picture-perfect dish. The medium-rare chops were adorned with carrots,
rutabaga, and greens. And shades of molecular gastronomy. Was that foam
on the plate? Very avant-garde for Baltimore. Our scallops were fat,
glazed spheres dressed with frisée, potatoes, beets, and apples in a
successful combination.

The wines, as you might expect, are
French—from a lovely Domaine de Orgnes Côtes du Rhône to a crisp Mont
Gravet Côtes de Gascogne Blanc—with bottles priced from $20-76 and by
the glass from $7-12.

We wrapped up our meal with
profiteroles and a chocolate mousse. Both were fine, but the one we’re
still talking about is the popcorn ice cream. Its silky, buttery texture
and flavor captured the snack in a wonderfully unexpected way.
For a
less formal setting, Lord Baltimore Hotel also has LB Tavern in the
lobby with LB Bakery opening soon. This venerable property has
transformed itself into a delightful food destination, even if you’re
not staying in one of the 440 rooms.

With leather bracelets from India adorning each ankle, Maria Broom
sits at her kitchen table as she talks about her 64 years of
gallivanting across the globe. “I’ve been to the continent of Africa at
least eight times,” says the Windsor Mill resident. “I’ve been to India
four times. I’ve been to Czechoslovakia and Poland four times, and I
spent a year in Germany, a year in Hawaii, a year in Tennessee, and a
year in L.A.” Her brief time as a flight attendant actually spurred her
interest in cooking. But all roads have returned her to Baltimore. “I
always come back here,” she says.

Broom’s peripatetic career path has had many incarnations—including roles on The Wire and Homicide: Life on the Street,
a four-year stint as a WJZ consumer reporter (working alongside an
ingénue named Oprah Winfrey), and as an accomplished storyteller who
performs locally. But her primary passion is dance, which she currently
teaches at the Baltimore School for the Arts.

A trip to see Ballet Russes de Monte Carlo at the Lyric at
age six gave her direction. “I remember thinking, ‘Those are my
people,’” she says. “‘That’s where I need to be.’”

Broom studied dance while at Morgan State University and won a
Fulbright scholarship to Germany in the early ’70s. When her studies
ended, she had a change of heart about dancing. World travel beckoned,
especially after she watched a flight attendant give instructions in
different languages while en route back home.

“I thought, ‘I can do that—I can do it in French, I can do it in
German, and if I hear it enough, I can do it in Spanish,’” she says.

When she got home, she headed to New York and interviewed with Pan
Am. They offered her a job based in Miami. But she got more than she
bargained for.

“In those days, there were real meals being served, and you had to
cook,” she says, laughing at the memory. “We actually had to preheat
these ovens and ask the people in first class, ‘How would you like your
steak? Rare or medium rare,’ and thenyou had to remember that the person
in 3F wanted it well-done. It was the perfect job for a year.”

These days, Broom is happy to be back on terra firma in her
own country kitchen, where she loves to put together a meal. “I am an
intuitive cook,” says Broom, who enjoys making stir-fry. “When I became a
vegetarian in 1976, so much of it was trial and error. I went through a
lot of tofu in those early years.”

While her life has led her in many directions, Broom finds it’s a
small world after all. “The older adults know me from my
consumer-reporter days, the middle-aged adults know me from teaching
their children, and now the younger adults know me as Miss Maria who
comes to their classroom and performs,” she says. “I feel like the
village’s favorite daughter!”

Miss Maria’s Veggie Stir-Fry

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 medium organic sweet onion, diced
• 1 medium organic red pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
• 2 cups organic broccoli florets
• 1 cup organic portobella or shiitake mushrooms, cut into large dice
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 2 teaspoons curry
• 2 teaspoons maple syrup
• 3 cups organic brown basmati rice, cooked according to package directions

DIRECTIONS

• In a large skillet, add 1 tablespoon ghee, and melt on low-medium heat.
• Add onion, and sauté for 10 minutes or until translucent.
• Add peppers and broccoli florets, and sauté for two to three minutes.
• Add mushrooms and garlic and sauté with other vegetables for an additional two minutes.
• In a small saucepan, melt remaining tablespoon of ghee over low-medium heat.
• Add cumin, curry, and maple syrup, and stir until sauce forms a paste.
• Add paste to vegetables.
• Stir. Serve over rice. Serves 4.

It’s shortly before Christmas, and the heat’s off in the vast space that once housed Red Coral, a shuttered Asian restaurant and dance club in the Power Plant Live! complex. But it’s not just the temperature that provokes a chill. The carpet is torn and stained; ceiling tiles are discolored and smudged; bare patches of white are visible on the red walls where large TV screens once hung. In the back, the 86 board—there to tell servers which menu items are out of stock—still hangs, and scrawled in green marker are just two words: THE RESTAURANT.

Into this wasteland steps Steve de Castro, owner of the neighboring Ruth’s Chris Steak House and three others, as well as Eurasian Harbor and Babalu Grill. Wearing black slacks and a white dress shirt opened to the third button, he doesn’t even see the 86 board as he strides through the place—his place now, the site of his newest restaurant, the Blue Sea Grill. Light catches and refracts off the diamonds in his ring as his hands gesture expansively. “It’s gonna be beautiful,” he says. “The best seafood in Maryland.”

Trust him: The place is gonna be hot.

“The best seafood in Maryland.” 

It’s a bold declaration in a state whose identity is largely defined by the bounty of its bay waters. But Steve de Castro has spent his life bucking the odds. When he was a 14-year-old kid newly fled from 1960s Cuba, washing dishes in a New Orleans restaurant, you’d have bet against him becoming the restaurant’s manager. And once he did so (at age 17), you’d have bet against him opening his own restaurant just six years later.

Well, okay, you’d have won that bet: The restaurant quickly failed. But that left him available to meet a tough little lady name Ruth Fertel, owner of Ruth’s Chris Steak Houses, who happened to be looking for a manager. De Castro proved to be a valuable asset for Fertel—so valuable that when she needed someone to take over her poorly performing Washington, D.C. steakhouse, she trusted him with the difficult task.

One problem: De Castro didn’t want to move, and neither did his wife, Darlene. So the two came up with a plan: Steve would tell Fertel that he was willing to go, but only if she agreed to a list of demands too preposterous for her to ever accept. He went to her office and handed her the list, confident that he’d just guaranteed himself permanent residency in Louisiana. 

Fertel looked at the list, then at him. “All right,” she said finally. “You have one week to be in Washington.”

“I didn’t believe it,” he says now. “I was sure she would never let me go with that list.”

De Castro moved East in 1985 and went right to work, cleaning house and firing most of the staff. “Within a year, we went from the worst-performing Ruth’s Chris to the best,” he says. 

In 1992, de Castro got the chance to open his own Ruth’s Chris in nearby Baltimore. That was followed by a host of other restaurants and clubs, all held by his Big Steaks Management, LLC, which is housed in his Pikesville Ruth’s Chris. Now, he says, “I am from Maryland. This is my home.”

And so now he’s gunning for one of the most competitive markets in the Maryland restaurant industry: seafood. This new concept, Blue Sea Grill, will feature raw oysters, fresh fish, and crab imperial, in an area already chockablock with high-end seafood restaurants, the Inner Harbor. Is it possible that de Castro has bitten off more than he can chew?

Marcia Harris, president of the Restaurant Association of Maryland, chuckles at the question. “I wouldn’t bet against him,” she says.

The day before New Year’s Eve, the future Blue Sea smells like paint and sawdust. The carpeting has been pulled up, primer laid on some walls, and a single sky-blue patch of ceiling hints at the transformation to come. De Castro and architect Tim Kearney of Alliance Architecture are staring at what will be the entryway to the restaurant, now just a chest-high length of drywall that ends in a square column going up to the ceiling. The column’s the problem: It shoots up square in the middle of the view of the outside windows. De Castro wants it to line up with the outer window’s frames, which means moving the column a foot and a half to the right. Which means money. More money.

De Castro also wants glass doors at the entrance. “It’s the entrance,” he says, waving a cigar in one hand. “It’s the first thing you see.”

“Hey, you don’t have to convince me that this looks better,” says Kearney, gesturing to his hastily sketched revision of the entryway. But there’s the money: not much more than $300 to move the column, but then the extra glass. . . . 

Steve stares at the entryway intently, takes a puff on the cigar. “Let’s do it,” he says.

Then it’s back to the architectural renderings spread across the bar, which wobbles from being cut in half in preparation for an expansion to make room for the raw bar. Suddenly, a loud salsa tune bursts out: de Castro’s cell. It’s someone from the Ravens—de Castro is a big football fan, regularly attending the Super Bowl (he even flew with the Ravens to Miami for their game there this past season).

“How about the field passes?” he asks. “I’d like to have six.”

Then back to the plans. De Castro has a woman from Ruth’s Chris come over to make copies of Kearney’s sketch.

“How many reservations do we have?” he asks her, meaning for New Year’s Eve. The answer: 797.

“We’ll probably get another 100,” he shoots back. “Another 103.”

For the last 11 years, de Castro has spent New Year’s Eve in Baltimore, dashing between his various restaurants, always winding up at the downtown Ruth’s Chris for midnight. But this year, he’ll spend it in Atlantic City, where his new Babalu Grill opened just the week before. That’s just the beginning—his goal is to open two new restaurants a year for the foreseeable future.

That Atlantic City job was a real teeth-clencher, right down the wire. “I didn’t get the liquor license till 6 p.m. the night I opened,” he says, laughing. “I’m surprised I still have hair.”

That’s not going to happen with Blue Sea, he says. This time, he’s going to—

That salsa tune again; this time, it’s someone from Big Steaks. “When does he need to know?” de Castro asks. The answer clearly displeases him. “No,” he snaps. “You tell him he’ll have to wait till tomorrow. I can’t make a $30,000 decision in one second.”

Time to check out the kitchen. De Castro’s questioning the location of the icemaker, and disgusted by the cracked cement floor. “It looks like caca,” he says.

Then he’s checking the vent hoods, and electrical outlets, and an automated system that regularly changes the oil in the fryers. De Castro’s worked pretty much every position a restaurant has, and it shows. Hearing of the oil system, he nods in approval as his nose wrinkles at the memory of an unpleasant chore. “Changing the oil, who likes to do that?” he says.

A week later, Blue Sea is filled with men: men climbing up scaffolding, men cutting boards with a power saw, men rolling paint onto walls. The spicy earth tones of Red Coral are gone; in their place is, indeed, a sea of blue: aqua, cobalt, indigo, sky . . . and, in one incongruous patch, lime green. 

De Castro is appalled. “This color has to go!” he all but shouts, pointing emphatically with one finger as his head swings around to look at Kearney, who doesn’t look exactly happy himself. 

“They must have made a mistake,” he says.

Normally, paint wouldn’t even be going up yet. But Blue Sea is operating on a compressed schedule—what usually would take five months is being done in three. There are reasons for this: De Castro wants time to prepare for the May opening of the new Raleigh Ruth’s Chris. But in truth, he probably would have done it this way, even if he didn’t have another opening coming up. “Normally, when I start a project and sign a deal, I like to get it done,” he says.

Another issue: The carpeting hasn’t shown up yet, and no one’s sure when it will. Ryan Clark, the project manager, has been calling the company to try to speed things along, but so far it’s not helping.

“I’m trying,” he tells de Castro.

De Castro shoots him a glance. “Apparently, you don’t have too much pull,” he says.

De Castro isn’t in the best mood, and you can see that the smiles on Kearney’s and Clark’s faces are a little strained. Originally, the goal was to open in late January; now, the hope is mid-February.

But two weeks later, at the Babalu Grill in Power Plant Live!, de Castro’s mood is upbeat. He’s been sick—a rarity for him—and is now feeling good enough for another tasting of the prospective Blue Sea menu. Today, they’re mostly doing entrées, not just tasting them, but seeing how they look on the plate.

With him are Bill Irvin, Big Steaks’ director of food and beverage, and David Sadeghi, Big Steaks’ chief operating officer. A photographer is also on hand to shoot every dish; these will be posted on the kitchen wall so that every plate will look exactly as planned.

Sadeghi shows de Castro the silverware he wants to buy for Blue Sea—solid, curving, highly polished. And that’s the problem: The shiny finish shows every fingerprint and water spot, as de Castro points out by leaving his own print on a knife.

“They’re beautiful,” he says, “but you know it would drive me crazy to walk into a dining room and see that.”

“It’s too bad,” says Sadeghi. “They’re gorgeous.”

“Oh, gooorgeous,” de Castro agrees. “But it’s spotted.”

There are a few appetizers that have been tweaked that they’re trying out again: a cream of crab soup, oysters Rockefeller, clams casino. And then, at least half a dozen entrées. Every dish will go through at least three tastings. “Last time I did this with Babalu and Eurasian Harbor, I gained 40 pounds,” says de Castro.

Almost every dish still needs work: The mustard sauce is wrong for the crab cakes, the parsley pesto on a bronzini is too overpowering, and above all, they need to ditch the fillets. “What I’m really looking for is any fish prepared like this has to be that round and that fat,” de Castro says, his hands making the shape of a hefty steak. “And everything else has to be served whole.”

As the meal progresses—there will be another one tomorrow—de Castro, Sadeghi, and Irvin joke with each other, inflicting good-natured grief over the proper way to debone a fish or describe an oyster. Someone asks de Castro about his trip to Atlantic City for the new Babalu opening—did he try his luck at the casinos?

De Castro shakes his head. “I don’t gamble,” he says.

Sadeghi’s mouth quirks upward in a grin. “He gambles with himself,” he cracks.

Indeed, de Castro’s entire life story is one of calculated risks, each one upping the ante a little bit more. And with the exception of that one first failed restaurant, he’s won each time. He says (as do many people who know him) the reason is simple: hard work. De Castro regularly works from 9 a.m. until midnight. And to relax, he says, “I work.” 

He needed that drive when he opened his first Ruth’s Chris in Baltimore, a notoriously insular town. “Until I came to town, they never accepted anyone from out of town,” he says. “I broke the ice. . . . The first year, it was tough. But I was tough, too. I didn’t come here to quit; I came here to win. It took people a while, but then all of a sudden, they started coming.”

“This area was Death Valley back then, bankruptcy after bankruptcy,” says de Castro’s business partner, Washington lawyer Ely Hurwitz. “At least two other restaurants had gone bankrupt in that same spot before Ruth’s Chris. People thought we were crazy.”

These days, de Castro’s no interloper, and his judgement is rarely questioned. “In the industry, he’s a leader, certainly,” says the Restaurant Association of Maryland’s Harris, who has known de Castro for years. “I’ve never met anyone who didn’t want to be introduced to Steve de Castro. His name is known.”

His name isn’t just known, it’s engraved: While neither party will say exactly how much money de Castro gave RAM toward its new headquarters in Columbia, it was enough to merit having the $1.6 million building named after him. He estimates he donates and raises half a million dollars a year for local charities, with the help of his employees and vendors. He’s often asked to host charity events—partly because he has so many venues, but also because he has a reputation for doing them well.

“If Steve says he’s going to do it, I don’t have to call to check up on him,” says Harris. “I know it won’t just be done, but it’ll be done with a little something extra.”

Like many people who expect a lot from themselves, de Castro also tends to expect a lot from the people who work for him—this is a guy who, as a kid in his first restaurant, fired his own brother for goofing off.

“He was a tough one,” says Nathan Beveridge, who worked for de Castro for more than four years before starting his own Mr. Beveridge’s Midtown Yacht Club and Spy Club. “But if you did the work, you had a chance there. He hired within a lot.”

Along with promotions, de Castro has been known to reward his employees with gifts and trips—Beveridge recalls de Castro taking him along on tours of Napa Valley and Cuba.

“He gives out Christmas bonuses,” says Beveridge. “That’s unheard of in this industry.”

“Where’s the carpet?” asks de Castro.

“It was supposed to be in yesterday,” answers Clark. 

This is bad. Until the carpeting goes in, they can’t set up the tables. And until the tables are set up, the fire inspector can’t come out, and the lighting can’t be finalized, and it’s two weeks before opening and the carpeting just needs to be in already. 

There are plenty of other things to pay attention to: De Castro is unhappy with the direction of the light in one alcove, and with the height of the lights in another, and he’s decided that the paint in the entryway needs to be changed.

“Steve, your name came up at a meeting with some people building this business park in Howard County,” says Clark offhand. “They wanted to call you about putting a restaurant in there.”

“No!” de Castro cries in mock-anguish. “No more restaurants!”

But of course there will be more restaurants. Even while planning the Blue Sea, he’s already got an idea for the next new gamble: taking one of his concepts national, and maybe start a franchise operation, a business Fertel helped teach him.

It will be the rare franchisee who has de Castro’s level of detail-orientation. This is a man who, before any of his restaurants opens, sits in every single chair of every single table, checking the view and comfort.

“I don’t want anyone in my place to have a bad seat,” he says.

The next day, another tasting, this one at The Crystal Room, the event venue connected to the Pikesville Ruth’s Chris. The menu’s really coming together at this point; de Castro’s found his executive chef, Martin Lackovic, and he’s turning out some beautiful dishes.

De Castro’s in a good mood again; the carpet came in last night. He was at Blue Sea until about midnight.

“I was having a dream about it last night,” begins Irvin.

“Oh my God, I thought it was just me!” shouts de Castro.

“Every night, from now on,” says Sadeghi, grinning. “All of us.”

“Welcome to the crazy world, Billy,” de Castro says.

It’s the last week of February, Thursday night. The lights are appropriately low for the dinner crowd, but still bright enough to make de Castro’s ring flash as his hands fly open to embrace yet another visitor. Last night, he had friends and family give the Blue Sea a trial run; tonight, it’s VIPs and folks who helped put the place together. Friday and Saturday, Blue Sea’s booked solid with yet more VIPs, tastemakers, and media members, all of whom will enjoy the restaurant’s food and wine on the house. Next week comes the grand opening to the public.

De Castro’s parents are here, flown in from New Orleans, and two of his four children are also on hand; family members warmly greet each other in a mixture of Spanish and English. Irvin glides by in a bow tie that matches the vibrant aqua of the entryway. Sadeghi ducks in before going back to Ruth’s Chris. Kearney stops by to drop off some plans, looking tired to the core but smiling as he gazes at the end product of his work.

Not that Blue Sea is finished: Even now, de Castro has his tape measure out, trying to determine a better height for the glass that separates the raw bar from the bar’s counter. And the sea-themed murals will take weeks to be finished. Still, as he takes a visitor on a quick tour of his latest endeavor, de Castro’s pride is evident as he walks around this sea of blue. Here is where the upstairs mural will go, and here’s the room for a private party of 20. Smooth saxophone music croons from the speakers, stemware glints like seafoam bubbles atop every table (de Castro pulls aside an employee to point out a missing setting), diners happily feast on steamed shellfish and silver-dollar sized lumps of crab (another pulling aside: “The judge would like eight crab cakes to take with him on his flight, so make sure they’re ready when he leaves”).

All is well in the crazy world. But one visitor can’t help asking, half-jokingly, when the next Blue Sea will open, and for just a second, Steve de Castro actually looks tired—weary, even.

“I’m really in no hurry,” he says. “I’m going to give myself a break. I got the new Ruth’s Chris in Raleigh, and then I got some projects on hold.

“I’m giving myself a break,” he repeats. “Three in one year is plenty.”