CH CH CHANGES

Ouzo Beach: Once the warmer temperatures roll in this spring, Ouzo Bay in Harbor East will debut its own 120-seat waterfront venue across Lancaster Street. Aptly named Ouzo Beach, the expansion will further the restaurant’s Mediterranean mission with touches like villa-inspired lounge seating, palm trees, blue stone, and a 75-foot long wooden trellis. The outdoor hangout will also have its own bar and serve the same menu as the restaurant, which highlights whole grilled fish, lamb dishes, and other authentic Greek specialties.

As planning continues, the interior of Ouzo Bay is also getting a refresh this month. The restaurant will be closed through January 9 for upgrades including new flooring, a DJ booth, and basket-woven light fixtures made in Greece. All of the changes coincide with the hiring of new general manager Rita Lymperopoulos, a local hospitality veteran who was a former operating partner of now-closed Della Notte in Little Italy. “We are excited to welcome Rita into the Atlas Restaurant Group family,” said CEO Alex Smith in a statement. “In addition to being an expert on Greek cuisine and culture, she also has a wonderful reputation as a first-class restaurant operator and is familiar with the local community.” 1000 Lancaster St. 443-708-5818

NEWS

Mexican on the Run: Big things are already happening for this fan-favorite taco truck in 2019. Owner Jimmy Longoria recently scored a 2008 Chevy, which will act as a sibling truck for his current kitchen-on-wheels that dates back to 1985. “Basically we have an OG and a millennial on our hands now,” Longoria quipped on Instagram. The plan is for the new truck to focus on Mexican seafood dishes inspired by Longoria’s upbringing in Los Angeles. “I grew up eating seafood as much as tacos,” he tells us. By offering eats like ceviche, shrimp cocktail, and octopus tostadas, Longoria hopes to highlight the similarities between Baltimore’s seafood staples and the Mexican iterations.

In addition to landing the new truck, Mexican on the Run is also planning to move into its own commissary kitchen in Towson later this month. The prep space will allow the team to not only expand the menu, but also accept more catering and farmers market gigs in the coming year. “I’m actually taking a solo trip back home to LA later this month,” Longoria says. He plans to visit 12 of the city’s top Mexican pop-ups, food trucks, and stalls ranked by Los Angeles magazine to help inspire the new menu. 443-800-3275

Imbibe Names Hollie Stephenson Beer Person of the Year: Heading up brewing operations for the new 62-acre Guinness facility in Halethorpe—the first on American soil in more than 60 years—is no easy feat. But head brewer Hollie Stephenson has hit the ground running, brewing batches of Guinness Blonde Ale, as well as outside-of-the-box styles like an apricot pale ale and Bulleit bourbon barrel-aged stout. Stephenson received some well-deserved praise this week when she was named Beer Person of the Year by Imbibe magazine, which reports that she is “making the venerable Guinness brand feel right at home in its new U.S. digs.”

We feel lucky to have the former D.C. resident, who worked for Highland Brewery in Asheville and Stone Brewing in San Diego before moving back to the area for the Guinness job. “Coming back and seeing this vibrant brewery community has been really exciting,” Stephenson told us in 2017. “Everyone has been super welcoming.”

The Charmery Collabs With Baltimore in a Box: In perhaps the most Baltimore collaboration ever, ice cream institution The Charmery has teamed up with its Hampden neighbor, Baltimore in a Box, to create a flavor inspired by all things Charm City. The new scoop combines a sweet cream base with Otterbein’s chocolate chip cookies, Utz potato chips, and a Goetze’s Cow Tale for good measure. Sample the scoop at The Charmery’s flagship on the Avenue, as well as its other shops in Towson and Union Collective. Multiple locations including 801 W. 36th St. 410-814-0493

EPICUREAN EVENTS

Atwater’s Soup Month: Atwater’s is kicking off its 20th anniversary year in style with this annual soup spectacular. Throughout January, diners who post photos of their soup (bowls range from split pea and roasted vegetable to white chicken chili and sweet potato bisque) using the hashtag #AtwatersSoup will be able to redeem points toward free items via the cafe’s mobile app. The team is also donating 10 percent of each quart sold to local charities, giving away free bowls for dine-in customers on January 23, and featuring “Customer Favorite Fridays” which let diners choose the varieties they would like to see on the menu at the end of the workweek. Multiple locations including 3601 Boston St. 667-309-7146

1/10: Origins: A Speaker Series
This sustainability-focused speaker series is kicking off 2019 with a discussion about Maryland’s evolving medical marijuana industry. Chef Spike Gjerde will moderate the talk with panelists from Evermore Cannabis Company—Baltimore City’s only licensed medical cannabis cultivator and processor. As with every Origins event, there will also be drinks, snacks, and a post-discussion dinner that encourages guests to engage with the speakers. Artifact Coffee. 1500 Union Ave. 6:30 p.m. $60

Now in its fourth year, the Baltimore Seafood Festival has become an end-of-summer tradition for locals looking to properly soak up the final days of the season with waterfront views and seafood specialties from nearly 30 area restaurants.

“It’s not the typical concession stand food that you might see at some other large-scale events,” says organizer Beth Laverick, owner of B. Scene Events & Promotions. “It’s a true showcase for the local restaurants and food trucks.”

Returning to Canton Waterfront Park on Saturday, September 16 from 12-7 p.m., the bash highlights eats and drinks from a plethora of local purveyors, live cooking demonstrations, and family-friendly activities like parachutes and lawn games. Plus, a jam-packed local music lineup will showcase the bluesy sounds of Kelly Bell Band, familiar covers from Sons of Pirates, ska-influenced tunes from The Players Band, and roots and reggae jams from Strykers’ Posse.

Aside from the new bands, other fresh highlights will include a host of additional vendors joining the pack (The Elephant, Flash Crabcake Co., and Avenue Kitchen & Bar, just to name a few), and a program that admits VIP ticketholders one hour early to avoid long lines at the entrance and enjoy mimosas and pastries before the festivities officially begin.

Laverick estimates that the event will host nearly 8,600 festival-goers this year—more than double the total attendance of the inaugural fête in 2014.

“In general, Baltimore City is very casual—people like to eat, drink, and relax,” she says. “And they really enjoy being on the waterfront. Seafood and water just go together.”

While we’re sure all of the seafood staples will be scrumptious, here are a few items to look out for while strolling around the park next weekend:

Oyster Tacos from The Urban Oyster
Local chef Jasmine Norton is making a Seafood Fest debut this year, serving snacks from her new pop-up shop The Urban Oyster—which has appeared at various food halls and farmers’ markets this season and will soon debut a food truck. In addition to her signature chargrilled oysters, Norton will also offer seafood nachos (think toppings like shrimp, crabmeat, and beer-infused Old Bay queso) and an oyster taco topped with a pickled slaw. Laverick had the chance to sample the taco during Norton’s recent residency at R. House: “The acidity of the coleslaw with the fried oyster is the perfect combination,” she notes. 

Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls
No true seafood festival is complete without an authentic lobster roll, and this Annapolis spot will have plenty on hand when it sets up shop at Canton Waterfront Park next weekend. The brand, which opened its Naptown flagship in 2014 and plans to expand with a stall in Belvedere Square Market this fall, tops its rolls with mounds of Maine meat that is served either classic (warm with melted butter) or salad (chilled with mayo, celery, and lemon) style. 

Baltimore Quesadillas from Mexican on the Run
Be on the lookout for this green machine, which has become known for its authentic tacos and burritos since it started roaming around the city last summer. Though many of the truck’s menu items are inspired by owner Jimmy Longoria’s roots in Mexico, the chef honors Charm City with the Bmore Quesadilla—which is filled with jumbo lump crab meat, shrimp, melted cheeses, and pico de gallo and topped with an Old Bay crema. Alongside the quesadillas, Longoria will also serve a special fish taco created exclusively for the event. 

Spicy Crab Deviled Eggs from DogWatch Tavern
This fan-favorite Fells Point sports bar, known for its signature beer towers and relaxed pub vibe, will be cooking up a storm next weekend. Swing by the DogWatch tent to sample eats including cream of crab soup and fried oyster po boys. The staff will also be slinging orders of spicy crab deviled eggs, which arrive topped with lump crab meat and a dash of Sriracha. “They’re my daughter’s favorite,” Laverick says of her 6-year-old, who accompanied her on a recent crawl to sample a few of the Seafood Fest dishes. “She’s an adventurous eater for her age. Once she ate one, she couldn’t stop.” 

Faidley’s Crab Cakes
The 131-year-old Lexington Market institution joins the lineup for the first time this year, peddling its signature crab cakes that owner Nancy Devine forms by hand. Aside from their vendor presence, the team will also be featured under the cooking demonstration tent—hosting a live tutorial on how to properly pick a crab. Laverick says that the demo will particularly come in handy for the out-of-towners heading in for the event: “I’m from New Hampshire, so I know that steamed crabs can be intimidating if you’ve never experienced them before,” Laverick says. “Getting Faidley’s to join was a huge win.”