Wendy "™" C.'s Profile

Hallelujah!
Finally made it to Casellula!
With almost 50 international varieties of cheese,
There's more than enough for the picky palate to please.

The wine menu has no descriptions.
The dry crisp Italian white Trebbiano is my weekly addiction.
Stay away from the tapas of bone marrow on brioche,
The pig ass flavor and greasy lard texture is too gross.

I was looking for an exceptionally good & informal place to eat/drink in town.
Thanks to tips from fellow yelpers, I got to experience one of the best gems around.
At first I was only interested in seeking out the local suds,
But it was the famous Thurman burger that satisfied my taste buds.

I wasn't expecting this to be a dark and dingy dive,
But then I realize it's the phenomenal tasting food that makes this place thrive.
Atmosphere was loud and packed,
Every burger being served looked tall and stacked.

The Thurman-ator came to me as a nice surprise,
It was so juicy and monstrous in size.
(Two enormous beef patties+bacon+mushrooms+sautéed onions+ham+provolone)
What a hunk of mouthwatering bliss!
Never had any burger as succulent as this.

I paid little attention to the Blue Moon I was slowly sipping,
Since juices from the beef patties & toppings were constantly dripping.
Couldn't get enough of the grilled meaty aroma,
It seriously put me into a deep food coma.

I had no interest hanging out in trendy Tribeca,
But my friend was fascinated by this former pricey real estate mecca.
We came here for a late Sunday brunch,
After a lengthy workout at the John Street Crunch.

This place is small, crowded, and a line formed out the door.
Quaint country charm is what most people dining here seem to adore.
Service was neither prompt nor rosy,
But the homey pastel pretty décor made us feel warm and cozy.

I wasn't crazy about the tables being placed so close to each other.
We found ourselves with neighboring strangers elbowing one another.

Be careful with the coffee since they do charge you for each refill,
We got so angry once we noticed this on our bill.
The omelet selection is pretty standard with no standouts.
The Farmhouse Breakfast (2 eggs with turkey sausage) was so basic there's not much to rave about.

My friend wanted to come back for their famous mixed berry pie.
But after being dinged on the coffee, I asked "Why?"

As weird as I am,
I love quirky museums like AVAM!
Unlike the Walter's & BMA which are filled with antiquated art forms,
This museum is comprised of eclectic works from artists who don't conform.

The eccentric elements of these collections is what I love,
Especially the high patchwork whirligig twirling above.
The multitasking "Cram Guy" is my favorite piece on display,
It accurately mimics my life in every way.

Outside of the building display a number of psychedelic art,
The school bus plastered with mirrored mosaics is the most eye-catching part.
I am entranced by the "Bling Tree" hung with hundreds of glittering ornaments.
This is one of the museum ground's most colorful adornments.

The Tall Sculpture Barn adjacent to the wildflower garden is worth a visit.
Once a whiskey warehouse now housing kinetic sculptures...You can't miss it!
I had fun playing with the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre of moveable wooden figurines.
I met "Fifi" a giant pink poodle on a pedal powered mobile...Cutest thing I ever seen!

I wish the visitors stop comparing this to the free museums in DC,
The collections here are more whimsical and interesting to see.
It's best to come here with a creative open mind,
This is one of Baltimore's most unusual finds!

Hot damn!!!
Love their rice platter with grilled lamb!
These guys raise the bar when it comes to street food,
They do succeed in making Halal cuisine taste so good!

The meat is perfectly salted and peppered with spice,
Their famous white sauce is ohhh so nice!
Consider it your loss,
If you don't ask them to add on "extra" white sauce.

Yelp! I've been AREPA'd!
By Colombians at Carcasas Arepa!
Qué es una Arepa?
A pocket of baked cornmeal stuffed with surprises.
As small as my hand, they don't come in many sizes.

I LOVE the chunky chicken with avocado mix salad.
I find it rich, creamy, and refreshingly spicy to the palate.
Not crazy about the shredded beef with black beans, salty cheese & plantain.
The honey sweetness of the BBQ sauce is my only complaint.

If you do decide to drink their red wine,
Stick with the Spanish Panuelo Grenache Graciano and you'll be fine.
If you are a fruity light wine fan,
Try the Trapiche Malbec from Argentina...It tastes like Welch's jam.

Seating is limited and the space is narrowly tight,
So sit-down dining is suitable if you're only here for a quick bite.
Service is generally better if you sit at the bar in the back,
Attentive servers are what the front area definitely lacks.

I got a little testy,
When I had a soggy pizza crust from Kesté,
It was my first experience with a Neapolitan.
Disliking it made me feel less of a gastronomopolitan.

From here I learn the difference between a NY style & a Neapolitan:
NY - Crispy, cracker thin crust
Neapolitan - Soft, spongy, slightly burnt crust

Neapolitan style pizza...Love it or hate it,
I gave it at least 2 tries before I can fairly rate it.
Luzzo is my second attempt.
The experience left me feeling very content.

Good to know great tasting Neapolitan pizza does exist.
The crust here is perfectly charred and chewy with a slight crisp.
The center is soft and dangled lightly,
The taste of buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, & olive oil balance nicely.
I am happy to report the crust is not soggy,
If it were, I'd feel very groggy.

The half-mile trek over from BH during a downpour wasn't easy,
But we warmed up once we entered this cozy little speakeasy.

The beers they carry are not all microbrew craft,
But they do have a pretty good selection on draft.
All I had was the Captain Lawrence Pale Ale.
The hoppy flavor of this beer on my taste buds never fails.

The food selection is limited, but you will end up with a hearty meal.
The wooden décor gives this place a Turn-of-the-Century feel.
I enjoyed watching the servers dressed up like Little-House-On-The-Prairie,
But my friend was only interested in playing finger hockey on the table with a juniper berry.

Getting a table near a dry heated area was my desperate wish,
Because the rain soaked socks in my shoes uncomfortably made my feet squish.
It would have been nice if our hostess seated us next to a fireplace,
But the place was obviously crowded, so we couldn't get that prime space.

I had a HUGE turkey leg sandwich with fries.
What a nice early Thanksgiving dinner surprise!

It's supposed to be eaten like a sandwich, but the bread I did not to eat.
It was toasted but also soggy from the sauce of the meat.
Too soggy to pass off as toast,
But I don't mind since I liked the turkey the most.
The turkey portion was plentiful and both salty-peppery in taste.
So much meat leftover, but I unfortunately had to let all go to waste!

I am a fan of Middle Eastern grub.
But the dishes we had here were ill prepared & flubbed.
My complaint is not just the mediocre food,
The servers were condescending and rude.

The only dish I will spend my money,
Is on the dessert of baklava soaked in honey.
Despite our dining experience being so bad,
This is the best baklava I ever had.

We can't seem to get enough of Thomas Keller,
Since French Laundry was so amazingly stellar.
We got in here without a reservation,
Thanks to someone else's last minute cancellation.

An "upscale bistro" in my opinion this place is best described,
Ambience is not so intimate and it has a more casual vibe.
Consider this French Laundry for the common folk,
It is still pricey even for an average bloke.

The value of the dishes here is comparably decent minus the fluff,
Ingredients are concentrated mostly on the local stuff.
I had their well-reviewed and famous Steak Frites.
Ohhhhh...What a satisfying treat!

The steak is a pan-seared prime flatiron served with maitre d'hotel butter,
The powerful beefy flavor made my taste buds flutter.
The addictively tasty frites (a.k.a. fries) are fried in fresh duck fat.
It's a dangerous artery clogger, but still the best frites I ever had!

Although our French Laundry mission was already complete,
We found Bouchon to be a nicely added extra treat.