menus – Baltimore Magazine

Bill of Health

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 08:30:00 +0000

Spring has sprung and, just because you’ve been making a conscious effort to eat well, doesn’t mean you can’t indulge occasionally. We talk to registered dietician and personal trainer Courtney Ferreira about tips and tricks to make healthier choices at any of your favorite food spots.

Italian

Keep your carbs in check. If you are having a carb-heavy appetizer, opt for a veggie-heavy main course and vice versa.
Avoid the bread basket. Eat something small before you go out to help you resist the urge to fill up on bread.
Stay away from items with cream sauces or heavy cheeses.

American

Stick to only one fried option. If you can, choose broiled, grilled, or steamed selections.
Watch out for words like rich, breaded, and smothered.
Freshen up your leftovers by adding a fried egg to them.
If there are large portion sizes, order less and share with your dinner companions so you aren’t overeating.

Japanese

Order miso soup or seaweed salad, which are both healthy and filling options.
Try sashimi in lieu of your regular sushi roll so that you are getting a nice serving of quality proteins and fat.
Stay away from the tempura or baked rolls.
Add cucumber to any roll for extra crunch and flavor with minimal calories.
Substitute white rice with brown rice.

Mediterranean

Swap your pita chips for veggie slices.
For dips, choose hummus or babaganoush. Both are made with simple ingredients and are high in nutrients.
Skip the gyro or shawarma sandwiches, as they are typically loaded with various high-fat toppings.

Indian

Use raw veggies in place of naan for any dipping.
Choose a chicken or seafood option. They are high in protein and have less fat than beef or lamb options.
Avoid fried options by choosing meats cooked tandoori style, which means they have been oven-grilled.
Monitor your rice portions—one serving size is only ½ cup.

Mexican

Balance is key. Pick what your carb will be for this meal, and then make sure to have a protein and veggie option as well.
Trade in your margarita for a lower calorie option such as tequila and soda water with fresh-squeezed limes.
If your serving is too big, split up your portion and take the other half home for lunch the next day.
Opt for the corn tortilla instead of the flour option for a smaller, less processed portion.

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Menu Decoding

Jess Mayhugh — Wed, 25 May 2016 15:00:00 +0000

From positioning to pricing to typography, when marketing their menus, restaurants often employ powerful tricks to get your dining dollars. “Being forewarned is forearmed here, and you should be aware of the various psychological tricks that restaurants use,” says William Poundstone, author of Priceless: The Myth of Fair Value (And How to Take Advantage of It). So whether you’re contemplating a steak at The Prime Rib or considering a crab cake at Koco’s, to help you become menu literate, the writer (a first cousin of comedienne Paula Poundstone) reveals the hidden psychology behind menu-reading.

Navigate the menu using the arrows below.

Typography: “In old-fashioned restaurants, prices are in columns on the right side,” says Poundstone. “Restaurants found that people scan the column and choose the cheapest entrees. So instead, they have center-justified items, which breaks up the line so the eye has to wander and figure out where the prices are. With center-justified items, people look at the descriptions of the food, decide what looks good, then check the price. If it isn’t too much, they’ll order it.”

The Anchor: An item on the menu that simply serves as a foil. “There’s usually a box around the anchor or an illustration so you see that it’s outrageously expensive like a $125 plate of oysters at [New York City’s] Balthazar,” says Poundstone. “Most people are not going to order it, but once you see that and move down the menu to a $50 steak, the steak seems reasonable in comparison.”

Dishes for Two: “These are often ordered by people on a date, but if you look at the fine print, the price is quoted per person,” says Poundstone. “And, if you’re on a date, who is going to speak up?”

Menu Siberia: “Sometimes there will be a dish that’s relatively low profit and the restaurant keeps it on some inconspicuous part of the menu because it’s popular,” says Poundstone. “But they want to discourage you from ordering it. The dishes they want you to order are on the upper right-hand corner, which is the opposite of menu Siberia.”

Small Plates: “Small plates are another way of fostering confusion,” says Poundstone. “You really don’t know how much you’re going to get. Generally, you err on the side of making sure you have enough food. A lot of people don’t actually do the math to figure out what they’re going to be paying until they see the final bill.”

Dollar Signs: “If you want to de-emphasize the price, you use as few typographical symbols as possible,” says Poundstone. “So you often see menus where the dollars and cents symbols have been dropped. If the price is de-emphasized, you pay more attention to the flowery words and intriguing descriptions of the food.”

Bundling: Combining items to make a meal. “In a high-end restaurant, the bundle is a prix-fixe meal,” says Poundstone. “At McDonald’s, it’s a combo meal, but the same psychological principles apply. You figure if you got a bundle, it’s probably a good deal, but they want to make sure you’re not thinking, ‘What would the French fries cost?’ What would the hamburger cost?’”

Source

Valentine’s Day to be Celebrated All Weekend

Jess Mayhugh — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:00:00 +0000

If the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is through his stomach,
Baltimoreans are in luck. Many restaurants are capitalizing on this
year’s Friday, February 14, Valentine’s Day by offering prix-fixe meals
on Saturday and Sunday, too.

B&O American Brasserie is even starting their Valentine’s promotion on Thursday, February 13.

Now
is a really good time to make reservations to ensure that you don’t end
up sharing a Big Mac with your loved one. Check out the delicious
offerings below:

February 13-16

B&O American Brasserie

Downtown

The
sweet deal: Five-course, aphrodisiac-inspired menu for two, $120 a
couple, with complimentary glasses of Prosecco. Dinner includes
Châteaubriand and chocolate ménage et trois for dessert. The regular
dinner menu is also available. See the Facebook page for more info.

February 14

By Degrees Cafe

Harbor East

The
sweet deal: Five-course meal, $33 a person; entrees include seared
scallops, pan-roasted chicken, and red-wine-braised brisket. See full menu.

Chef’s Expessions at Gramercy Mansion

Stevenson

The
sweet deal: Butler-passed hors d’oeuvres, seated supper, $99.95 a
person, includes wine pairings. A portion of the proceeds will benefit
Susan G. Komen Maryland. Entrees include pan-roasted squab and smoked
duck with black-cherry demi-glace. See full menu.

Mr. Rain’s Fun House

Federal Hill

The
sweet deal: “Four-Base Valentine’s Menu,” $55, optional wine pairing,
$30. Entrees include poached monkfish, braised rabbit, and grilled
rib-eye steak. A “Lonely Hearts Club” a-la-carte menu with drink
specials will be available in the bar and lounge. See the Facebook page for more info.

Waterfront Kitchen

Fells Point

The
sweet deal: Three-course dinner, $69 or $99 paired with wines. Entrees
include pan-roasted rockfish and braised-beef short rib “osso buco.” See
the website for more info.

February 14-15

Cunningham’s

Towson

The
sweet deal: Three courses, $59, optional wine paring $29. Entrees
include a six-ounce filet mignon and lamb loin and belly. Regular menu
also offered. See full menu.

Fleet Street Kitchen

Harbor East

The
sweet deal: Early seating, 5-7 p.m., three courses, $69, optional wine
pairing $29. Entrees include pan-seared ocean trout and strip steak. A
vegetarian option is $49. Late seating, 7:30-10:30 p.m., four courses,
$89, optional wine pairing $39. Entrees include farm chicken and duck
breast. A vegetarian option is $59. No regular menu on Friday except for
the a-la-carte options at the bar and bar tables. The regular menu will
be offered on Saturday. See full menus.

Ten Ten

Harbor East

The
sweet deal: Three courses, $49, optional wine pairing $25. Entrees
include pork shank, seafood chowder, and wild-mushroom lasagna. The
regular menu will not be offered. A-la-carte options will be available
at the bar. See full menu.

Wine Market Bistro

Locust Point

The
sweet deal: Four-course dinner, $55 a person, optional wine pairings,
$28, gratuity and tax not included. Entrees include duck breast and mahi
mahi. See full menu.

February 14-16

RA Sushi

Harbor East

The
sweet deal: Three courses, $30 a couple. Choices include the “ultimate
shrimp tempura roll” and spicy chicken teriyaki udon. The regular dinner
menu is also available. See the website for more info.

February 16

Charleston

Harbor East

The
sweet deal: The restaurant will be open, starting at 5:30 p.m., for a
seasonal, prix-fixe tasting menu with wine pairings if desired. Prices
vary. See full menu.

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