Order & Chaos: Local marketing and communications agency Planit debuted its new coffee shop to the public earlier this week. Order & Chaos, which is adjacent to the agency’s new modern offices on Key Highway, serves an array of coffees, teas, espressos, cappuccinos, and lattes sourced by Locust Point-based Pfefferkorn Coffee, alongside light fare like breakfast sandwiches and handheld Liege waffles. In keeping with the shop’s mission to fuel creativity, the space features communal whiteboards and floor-to-ceiling windows that offer patrons a glimpse of Planit’s workspace. 1410 Key Highway, 410-244-1111

Lee’s Pint & Shell: The brick building that formerly housed Sauté on the corner of Hudson Street and Linwood Avenue in Canton now boasts a new logo. The restaurant’s owners have been hard at work the past two months, rebranding the spot with updated furniture, garage-style doors, an expanded bar, and hand-painted murals that serve as an homage to Charm City. The space premiered as Lee’s Pint & Shell at a soft opening celebration earlier this week, and features a revamped menu showcasing everything from oysters on the half shell to Italian brisket. While a slew of new seafood options have been added, Sauté regulars will be happy to hear that executive chef Mark Suliga has decided to keep serving the restaurant’s signature pulled duck nachos. 2844 Hudson St., 443-617-7986

Sofi’s Crepes: After nearly a year hiatus, this cozy crepe shop is back up and running in Fells Point. The Thames Street destination closed last December, and reopened under new ownership earlier this month. Sofi’s, a local franchise which started in Station North more than a decade ago, features sweet and savory varieties with fillings ranging from bananas and Nutella to salami and roasted red peppers. Mark your calendar for the Halloween-themed grand reopening celebration on October 29, which will feature a pet costume contest to benefit BARCS. 1627 Thames St., 410-624-5673

BRUNCH BULLETIN

Abbey Fells: Abbey Burger Bistro’s Fells Point location, which will celebrate its one-year anniversary in January, is putting a new spin on its loaded burgers and waffle fry nachos by introducing weekend brunch service. The new menu of mid-morning pub grub, which launched last month, includes dishes like biscuits with cheeseburger gravy, a pancake sandwich layering scrapple and fried eggs, and loaded breakfast tots topped with eggs, bacon, jalapeños, and cheddar cheese. 811 S. Broadway, 410-522-1428

COMING SOON

Khun Nine Thai: There’s nothing quite like a hearty bowl of Pad Thai or spicy shrimp soup when the temperature drops, and this new Thai restaurant will offer plenty of ways to get your fix when it opens its doors in Mt. Vernon later this month. Taking over the former home of Thairish on North Charles Street, the quaint lunch and dinner spot features sleek wood accents and brass hanging light fixtures. Executive chef/co-owner Khun Mae will fuse natural ingredients into his rotating menu of Thai soul food, which will feature dishes such as baked pork belly with lime fish sauce, red curry beef with pumpkin and green peppercorns, and roasted duck with bok choi and cinnamon soy broth. 804 N. Charles St., 443-835-2319

Full Tilt Brewpub: Full Tilt Brewing co-owners (and cousins) Nick Fertig and Dan Baumiller are making moves to the county in 2017. The brewery—which currently contracts out of Waverly incubator Peabody Heights Brewing—recently announced plans to convert an 89-year-old former police station in Towson into a new brewpub where diners can listen to vinyl while enjoying upscale bar fare paired with local craft beer. Renovations are slated to begin next month, and, if all goes well with fundraising, the brewery could open as early as July. 308 Washington Ave., Towson

ELLICOTT CITY NEWS
Last week, pedestrian and car traffic resumed on Main Street for the first time since July’s tragic flood. As Ellicott City establishments continue to rebuild, the Restaurant Association of Maryland has established a new #EquipEC campaign specifically geared toward helping restaurants replace equipment (ice machines, food processors, deep fryers) lost in the devastation. Visit this crowdfunding site to donate.

Ellicott Mills Brewing Company: This Main Street stalwart known for its lengthy list of European lagers is rallying volunteers to help with last-minute cleanup and decorating as the brewpub readies for a grand reopening celebration next week. Though an official date hasn’t been set, the staff will continue to announce updates on the restaurant’s Facebook page. Owners Richard Winter and Timothy Kendzirski were instrumental in forming the Ellicott City Hospitality Association, which organized multiple fundraisers with fellow industry professionals everywhere from Fells Point to Annapolis in the wake of the flood. 8308 Main Street, Ellicott City, 410-313-8141

Tersiguel’s French Country Restaurant: Just across the street, owner/executive chef Michel Tersiguel is gearing up for a grand reopening next week, as well. The chef, whose French-born parents opened Tersiguel’s in 1975, is using the comeback as an opportunity to get creative with the restaurant’s menu, which will now rotate every two weeks instead of seasonally. Pending final inspections, Tersiguel says that the restaurant could open as early as next Tuesday, October 18. Check the restaurant’s Facebook page for updates. 8293 Main St., 410-465-4004

The Rumor Mill: In a message posted to its website earlier this month, owners Matthew and Lexi Milani announced that this New American bar and restaurant would not be reopening in its home on Tiber Alley in downtown Ellicott City. “Without the assurance that we could be open by the holiday season, we must move forward,” the post reads. “We will miss that building, where we have many fond memories of occasions that were important to us and to others.” The owners are currently scouting new locations for the restaurant to reopen in the future. 8069 Tiber Alley, Ellicott City.

HAMPDEN REPORT:

The Charmery: The quirky spirit of this Hampden hangout is reflected not only in its inventive ice cream flavors (think earl grey gingersnap, cantaloupe pink peppercorn, and lemon cookie verbena), but also in its colorful décor. That whimsy is even carried over to its bathroom—an aquatic-themed treasure featuring hanging sea sculptures made out of ice cream spoons—which has recently been named among the top 10 water closets in the country in Cintas Corporation’s annual America’s Best Restroom contest. Other contenders include a Dr. Who-themed restroom in New York and an eco-friendly washroom in Milwaukee. Voting continues through November 2. 801 W. 36th St., 410-814-0493

Luigi’s Italian Deli: In other Hampden news, Luigi’s owner Chris Doiron recently announced that he’s putting the business up for sale as he plans a move to the West Coast. The deli, known for its Italian pasta salads and sandwiches overstuffed with authentic meats and cheeses (especially the beloved Schooch), is listed for $90,000. 846 W. 36th St.,443-438-4195

EPICUREAN EVENTS

Curated: A Kitchen Table Dinner Series: Executive chef Zack Mills is launching this new Wednesday-night dinner series at Wit & Wisdom inside the Four Seasons Baltimore. Beginning on Wednesday, October 19, the restaurant will host special multi-course tasting dinners at its chef’s table every week. Each meal will have a different theme (think everything from wild game dishes and seasonal vegetables to truffle dishes and classic French cuisine) and optional wine pairings will be available. 200 International Drive, 410-576-5800

Origins Speaker Series: This sustainability-themed speaker series will feature female farmers Lisa Wheeler-Duff of Oak Spring Farm, Alison Worman of Whitelock Community Farm, and Ginger Myers of Evermore Farm at its 13th installment on October 20 at Artifact Coffee. Listen to the panelists weigh in on the increasing number of women in agriculture before digging in to a communal meal sourced by all of the farms. 1500 Union Ave., $60, 410-235-1881

Parts & Pearls: Remington’s Parts & Labor, which is set to premiere its brand new patio and fireplace to the public tonight, is hosting this event on Sunday, October 13, to benefit the Oyster Recovery Partnership. The price of admission includes all-inclusive oysters on the half shell, grilled sausages, and farm beers from Milkhouse Brewery in Mt. Airy and Waredaca Brewing in Montgomery County. 2600 N. Howard St., $45, 443-873-8887

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After moving to Baltimore County from Brittany, France in the early ’60s, Fernand and Odette Tersiguel premiered their fine-dining den, then called Chez Fernand, on the lower end of Main Street in Ellicott City. But just two months after the grand opening, Hurricane Eloise flooded the restaurant with nearly seven feet of water.

“The basement was full of mud,” remembers chef Michel Tersiguel, Fernand and Odette’s son who has now taken over the family business. “I still remember watching my parents and the workers emptying it all out.”

Nearly a decade later, a five-alarm fire completely destroyed the building, prompting the Tersiguels to relocate Chez Fernand to a space in Baltimore City on Fayette Street near Shot Tower.

The restaurant eventually moved back to Main Street in 1990, debuting as Tersiguel’s in a new home on higher ground. Oddly enough, one of the primary reasons why Fernand bought that property was because he thought it would be able to withstand any heavy rainfall.

But in an unfortunate case of history repeating itself, Tersiguel’s is now being forced to rebuild yet again, after raging flood waters wreaked havoc on Main Street in late-July.

“It’s like a part of our family, and all of the sudden that livelihood has been taken away,” Michel says. “With the fire, we were able to make our closure. Here, we have this ailing patient that we’ve finally gotten stable. The future is looking great, it’s just a matter of getting the therapy in and getting it back to normal.”

Michel estimates that the flood—which wiped out the entire contents of Tersiguel’s basement wine cellar and an array of expensive equipment including two walk-in refrigerators—caused upwards of $160,000 in damage. But, in keeping with the restaurant’s history of resilience, he is committed to reopening as quickly as possible.

Michel is using the reopening as an opportunity to get creative with the menu. Though favorite dishes—like the saffron fish soup and Odette’s famous paté—will remain staples, the chef plans to rotate the offerings every two weeks based on what is in season. Previously, with the exception of a few smaller items, the restaurant’s menu would only change every five months.

“People have their favorites, but they’re going to be willing to try new things because they trust us,” Michel says. “That’s the important thing.”

Since Tersiguel’s has been forced to downsize its storage and equipment (more than $50,000 worth of tools in the basement are not being replaced), Michel plans to prep ingredients and make all desserts daily.

“We’ve always been farm-to-table, but now we’re going to be even more farm-to-table,” Michel says. “We’re just trying to look at it in a positive way and say ‘We’re coming back the same, but better.’”

Though access to the building has been limited, the Tersiguels have hired a disaster relief specialist to help spearhead their efforts and estimate that the restaurant will reopen for dinner service in early October.

Infrastructure issues, like replacing the furnace and water heaters, still need to be addressed, but Michel says that most of the cleanup was able to be completed with the help of community volunteers who assisted with everything from washing dishes and floors to shampooing seat cushions and curtains.

Above all, support from the community is what means the most to the Tersiguel family, as they prepare to rise from the ashes once again.

“It’s this incredible rollercoaster of grief and generosity that gets your heart going up and down,” Michel explains. “That’s what really motivates you.”

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