OPEN

Raw & Refined: It’s going to be a great summer for dockside dining in Canton. On the heels of the news that the team behind Barcocina and Bond Street Social have taken over the Boathouse Canton, there’s also been a revival in the former home of Button adjacent to Swim Club. Officially opening this weekend, the nautical-themed seafood spot highlights a gallery of local artwork and floor-to-ceiling windows that look out onto the waterfront patio. The worldly menu was inspired by Chef Patrick Morrow and owner Dominic Lascola, who wanted the food to have Latin American and Caribbean influences.

“Everyone labels Baltimore as a seafood town, but everything is overtly crab-centric,” Lascola said in a statement. “We saw this as an opportunity to elevate what Baltimore is known for but feature new and creative flavors within the genre.” Dishes will include wood-fired mahi mahi, tuna tartare cannoli with ancho chili sauce, an open-faced Cubano, elote-inspired grilled oysters infused with chili lime butter and cotija, and a play on a Uruguayan chivito sandwich with steak, ham, egg, and olives. Of course, the spot will also be a go-to for summer sips like fruity Crushes and rum Old Fashioneds. 2723 Lighthouse Point.

Taco Bravo: We’ve seen a number of Tex-Mex spots sprout up in Baltimore County throughout the past few months, but the latest taqueria in the Padonia Village Shopping Center has a more authentic slant. The new Timonium hangout from the owners of Taco Daddy Cantina in Frederick and Gaithersburg opened earlier this week, highlighting white fish ceviche, corn tortillas filled with carnitas and lamb barbacoa, Estrella Jalisco Mexican beer, and smoky mezcal margaritas. Interior touches like hung greenery and bull-riding decor cement the theme. 31 E. Padonia Rd. Ste E. 443-689-7979

NEWS

Ekiben Vending at Smorgasburg in Washington, D.C.: Fells Point’s own steamed bun superheroes are spreading the love to the District this summer. Ekiben is one of 30 food vendors that will set up shop at the recurring Smorgasburg market at the Tingey Plaza in Navy Yard. The outdoor food extravaganza has gained tons of traction since it launched in New York and Los Angeles, and it’s starting its first season in D.C. off right with regional purveyors peddling everything from bao buns and boba to skewers and spiral-cut hot dogs. The market kicks off on June 15 and will continue every Saturday until October.

First Two Stalls Open at Cross Street Market: The day that South Baltimore locals have been waiting months for is finally here. Veteran vendors Fenwick’s Choice Meats and Steve’s Lunch have both officially reopened inside the renovated Cross Street Market. Twenty additional concepts—including a newly announced Royal Farms fried chicken stall—are expected to roll out through the summer. For now, diners can stroll through the revitalized space to check out the upgrades while grabbing some classic diner fare at Steve’s Lunch, or picking up specialty cuts from Fenwick’s. 1065 S. Charles St.

Chef Carlos Raba Featured in Men’s Journal: Don’t be surprised to see a familiar face while flipping through the June issue of this national lifestyle publication. Chef Carlos Raba of Clavel was featured in a piece that discusses some of his favorite things, which include hibiscus flowers, Frosted Flakes, and—unsurprisingly—ceviche and mezcal. “Grateful for my culture and to be able to represent my family, my interests, and my life with everyone,” the Sinaloan-born chef wrote on Instagram. Cheers to Raba on the grrrreat recognition.

EPICUREAN EVENTS

5/30: Evening of Traditional Beverages
Homewood Museum’s annual event delving into the history of local spirits is back for its 23rd year—this time with a focus on Maryland rum. Gather inside Mudd Hall’s atrium on the Johns Hopkins University campus to sample rums from distilleries including Blackwater, Lost Ark, Lyon, Old Line, and Tobacco Barn in Southern Maryland—which ages its barrels on the hull of the U.S.S. Constellation. Plus, there will be light bites from Woodberry Kitchen, live calypso music, and a talk about the trajectory and impact of Maryland rum by historian Kyle Dalton. 3400 N. Charles St. 6-8 p.m. $40-50. 410-516-5589

SHUT

Tiki Barge: Memorial Day Weekend marks the official return of many harborside bars around town, but this outdoor drinking destination won’t be one of them. Owner Dan Naor recently confirmed to The Sun that the Inner Harbor barge, which includes its own bar and swimming pool, is not reopening this summer. Since its debut in 2010, the floating marina bar became known as an oasis to sip tiki drinks while taking in panoramic views of the city. However, soon after opening, it was met with complaints from HarborView residents about noise, illegal parking, and other disruptive behavior. There’s no word yet on whether Tiki Barge will make a comeback in the future, but the property is listed for sale at a price of $1 million and we’ve heard rumors of a possible local buyer. 500 Harborview Drive

Noticeable changes have taken shape since Caves Valley Partners began its revitalization of the 173-year-old Cross Street Market in Federal Hill last year. Most recently, retro signage that harkens back to the market’s original rebuild—after a fire destroyed it in 1951—went up around the exterior.

While the neon logos are a reminder of its storied history, the renovated interior will bring the market into the present with a diverse lineup that reflects the breadth of Baltimore’s current dining landscape.

“As a team, it was important for us to keep it Baltimore-centric,” says Nick Alevrogiannis of Cana Development, which handles leasing for Cross Street Market. “We wanted authentic and artisan, and we’re seeing a pretty big swing of that growing here.”

By keeping an eye out for unique concepts at local pop-ups and farmers’ markets, the firm was able to bring on vendors that span multiple different cultures and cuisines, many of which are minority and female-owned and operated.

According to the Project for Public Spaces, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping communities sustain public properties, public markets are a great entryway for chefs and restaurateurs—especially minorities, immigrants, and women—to grow their businesses.

“A lot of small businesses want to be able to grow, but the capital required and the vetting process from landlords to get your own brick-and-mortar is typically really expensive, and the liability is huge,” Alevrogiannis says. “But with a market, capital requirement is significantly less to get in, which promotes small businesses from the beginning.”

When it reopens this spring, a number of veterans that operated in the market pre-construction (think Fenwick’s Choice Meats, Steve’s Lunch, and The Sweet Shoppe) will be joined by a new class of budding businesses. There will be Baltimore spinoffs including Burger Bar from the team at Southside Diner in Riverside, Annoula’s Kitchen from the owners of Sobo Cafe across the street, Cans Filling Station from the operator of Taps Filling Station at Mount Vernon Marketplace, and a new Ceremony Coffee location.

But diners will also be able to expand their knowledge of global cuisine with Hawaiian grinds from Ono Poké, Mexican eats from Taco Love Grill, Southeast Asian dishes from Rice Crook, Vietnamese fare from Phubs, and authentic Haitian cuisine from Sobeachy—a JFX farmers’ market favorite founded by husband-and-wife duo Chanel and Leo Fleurimond.

“It’s really important to have all of those different flavors,” Chanel says. “When people think of Caribbean food, they automatically think of Jamaican food. So for us, it’s great that we now have an opportunity to be there alongside every other diverse, ethnic option and bring a different Caribbean island to Baltimore.”

The owners are looking forward to introducing diners to their eclectic blend of African and French flavors, which is showcased in stewed meats, chicken wings, stuffed plantain cups, “Cod Yatti” sandwiches (deep-fried cod on a cocoa bread bun with mango sauce), and “Pati Kode,” a veggie or meat-filled turnover similar to a fried empanada. Sobeachy will also be able to serve its fresh juices and alcoholic Island drinks in its new stall.

Other new vendors are excited about the move, even if they’ve been around for a while. Take brothers Chuong and Paul Nguyen, who established their Vietnamese soup and sub shop Phubs in Hanover five years ago, but are enthusiastic about the benefits of joining a communal market.

“Vietnamese food in general is getting more popular, but it’s still not super mainstream,” says Chuong. “With the market being so diverse, it requires people to come in with an open mind. Those are the type of customers we want.”

Phubs will continue to offer its signature banh-mi sandwiches and pho with all the fixins, but the owners are adding a few new twists that cater to the market’s clientele. Specifically, the eatery will offer its bone broth in coffee-sized cups for diners in need of a hangover cure or quick energy boost.

“We simmer the bones for 24 hours because that’s how our parents did it growing up,” says Chuong, a Columbia native. “We ate pho weekly, and always felt great the next day. But it’s really all about the broth and making it the right way. We didn’t want to get away from that.”

In addition to providing that authenticity, vendors agree that the market environment fosters a more personal relationship between makers and customers. In the future, organizers hope to strengthen the community focus by activating the space with more startups (a new wave will join the scene summer 2019) and launching an outdoor farmers’ market in April.

“To me, what sets a market apart from a food court is that it’s interactive and engaged,” Alevrogiannis says. “You have to tell that story. Just having good food and good service isn’t working anymore.”