What’s new for Spring at B & O American Brasserie
‘TIS the season where menus change featuring what the farmers, the waterways and ranchers are featuring.
Always a joy to go back to the B & O American Brasserie and see and taste their new menu offerings by Executive Chef Scott Hines and his culinary crew. Chef Hines explained the menu has been trimmed down as he did with the fall/winter menu, but with dishes we all know, with his updated embellishment.
Take his Wedge Salad, it looks somewhat traditional with blue cheese, then again, add the guanciale, tomato salt and white balsamic ranch and it is taken a level above the traditional Wedge Salad or the Meatballs in Sunday Gravy – these are mortadella and foie gras meatballs.
As always the cocktail list from mixologist Brendan Dorr and his talented team is well-conceived. My companion had the Shiso Fina: El Silencio Mezcal, Lustau Fino Sherry, lemon, agave, blackberry and shiso which she thoroughly enjoyed. Mine had to be in B & O American Brasserie vernacular, Pantywaist Libations due to my medications. It may not have alcohol in it, but the Jasmine Tonic: Jasmine syrup, lemon, Jack Ruby Tonic and seltzer was refreshing and very palate friendly.
Their pastry chef has outdone herself with this season’s offerings: B & O Oreos-chocolate cookie, marshmallow, peanut butter mousse and vanilla anglaise, S’mores Ice Cream Sandwich-graham cracker, toasted marshmallow ice cream, chocolate sauce and Buttermilk Pie-sucree dough, blackberry jam ice cream. Be sure to check out the slideshow.
I’ve always enjoyed the B & O American Brasserie and think sometimes it is overlooked or set aside as a hotel restaurant and not standing on its own as a destination restaurant.
B & O American Brasserie – 2 North Charles Street – Baltimore MD 21201 (443) 692-6172 www.bandorestaurant.com Discounted valet parking for two hours Twitter & Instagram @bandobrasserie
For Dara Bunjon if it is food, Dara Does It, in fact, that is the name of her company which offers creative solutions for the food industry the likes of public relations, marketing, social media, cookbook compilations, food styling, culinary events, networking and freelance writing. You will now find Dara applying her broad range of culinary skills as a food stylist for television chefs/cookbook authors the likes of Steven Raichlen, Sara Moulton, Nick Malgieri, and Nathalie Dupree. Dara Bunjon lives, eats, dreams and writes about food and isn’t hesitant to share her views and experiences about restaurants, culinary trends, recipes, cookbooks or even her childhood food memories. She has been on the food scene for too many years to mention. Known both in Baltimore and nationally, Dara Bunjon is a former member of Women Chefs and Restaurateurs’ national public relations committee.
In the past, she has written for Style Magazine, Foodservice Monthly, Mid-Atlantic Restaurant Digest, Urbanite and other sundry publications. Since 2004 she has maintained an award-winning food-related blog called Dining Dish. She co-authored her first cookbook Yum! Tasty Recipes from Culinary Greats in association with Studio Spear. And has written Baltimore restaurant reviews for Gayot.com
Dara believes food is subjective; everyone’s taste is different and she enjoys bringing you to her table to commiserate and enjoy lively discourse.
Considered one of Baltimore’s food influencers, you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram @daracooks.