Meli in Fells Point

This past week was Baltimore's Restaurant Week.  Last night, Kevin and I went out to dinner with some friends at Meli in Fell's Point.  The menu looked great and I was excited to try the place Baltimore Magazine voted "Best New Restaurant" in 2009.

We started out with some drinks.  Pinot Grigio for me.  Kevin ordered the girly mango cosmopolitan.  :)

The restaurant week deal includes three courses for $35.  My first was the Baked Goat Cheese Salad: Mixed Greens, Toasted Almonds, Blossom Honey Vinaigrette.  It was a big portion that also came with radishes and sliced pear.  The pear was not ripe at all, but otherwise, this was a great salad.

I chose my entree based on the sides that came with it.  The Braised Lamb Shank was served with Butternut Squash Mashed, Seared Brussels Sprouts, Candied Bacon, Pan jus reduction.  This dish was incredible.  I think this was only the second time in my life that I have had lamb, but the meat was so tender that I didn't even need a knife.

I chose the Galaktoboureko for dessert.  What, you havent heard of it?  Yeah, me neither.  This is a Traditional Greek dessert of baked Phyllo filled with custard and drizzled with a Citrus Honey Glaze.  It. Was. Awesome.  I blinked and it was gone.

We had a great meal and the service was good.  My only service complaint was when the waitress asked us which water we wanted for the table.  She named Pellegrino and some other fancy water and gave us no other options.  We had to ask for tap.  Umm, I am just not one of those fancy water type of people, so to not even offer it turned me off a bit.

Would I recommend Meli as a great place for dinner in Baltimore?  Most definitely.

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Tough = Good for Me (2.04.2009)

Whew! I hadn't mentioned it before, but I have been stressing about a presentation I had to give at work for the past few days. Its over and I think I did OK. I despise giving presentations in front of people, but since I am forced to do it sometimes in my job - it is slowly getting a little easier each time.

Tuesday

I was supposed to go run last night and guess what? It didn't happen. I need to get back on track immediately.

I did do the 2nd week workout of "I Want Six Pack Abs" at home. Last week, I managed to do first week's exercises twice.

My workout included:

• A1: Dive Bomber Pushup - 3 sets of 15
• A2: Jump Squat - 3 sets of 15
• B1: Chin up or pull up - don't have a pull-up bar, so I just danced around in place with Oscar during the time I was supposed to do that. "Get it from her mama" by Juvenile came on. ;)
• B2: Alternating Split Squat Jump - 3 sets of 30
• C1: Double Crunch - 3 sets of 30
• C2: Single Leg Plank Pose - I just did a regular plank, 3 sets, 45 secs.

This workout was really hard. I turned the heat in the house off and had to go outside to get fresh air.

In my book tough = good for me, so I am happy that my gluteus maximus and the upper back part of my thighs are killing me today. I guess this same saying could be applied to my presentation fear I mentioned earlier? hmm.

Dinner appetizer was steamed edamame w/ sea salt.

The main course was Stir-Fry Vegetables with Baked Tofu and Peanuts. I sauteed the frozen stir-fry veggies from Trader Joes in a little toasted sesame oil while my tofu was baking. Then I just mixed it all together with some Soyaki from Trader Joes, which I recently picked up and is great! Also threw some dry-roasted peanuts into the mix.

YUM. Dessert was a Skinny Cow Caramel Ice Cream Cone.

Tuesday is my favorite TV night: Biggest Loser and Real Housewives of the OC! Although I do think Biggest Loser gets drawn out too much, so I switch around a lot during that. Not into their commercials for Cheerios during the show.

Wednesday

I was running late, so breakfast was a quick bowl of Peanut Butter Puffins in skim milk. I also picked up a Green Tea Latte at my corner coffee place. I tried a new flavor today - Acai Green Tea.

They use the Republic of Tea brand and the new flavor was awesome with steamed skim milk and a little honey. (picture take from the Republic of Tea website)

Tonight, I am planning to head straight to the gym for my Key Weekly Run Workout #1 and then Kevin and I have plans to go out to dinner with friends for Restaurant Week. They extended it until Feb 8, so we had to take advantage of it while it lasts.

We are headed to Mezze in Fell's Point. They serve Mediterranean Tapas, so, we will just be getting little plates of a bunch of stuff. Here is their restaurant week menu:

Dinner (All of the following are included)

• Hummus: Pureed chick peas and tahini sauce seasoned with garlic and cumin
• Tzatziki: Farm stead yogurt mixed with roasted garlic, cucumber, dill and imported olive oil
• Village Salad: Tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet onions, cubanelle peppers, capers and imported feta cheese tossed in a balsamic vinaigrette
• Grape Leaves: Stuffed with aromatic rice, pine nuts, parsley and onions, topped with tzatziki sauce
• Falafel: Traditional ground chickpea and fava bean cake with tahini sauce, chopped tomato and parsley
• Spinach Pie: Spinach with imported feta cheese and fresh herbs, wrapped in phyllo
• Stuffed Peppers: Stuffed with aromatic rice, mushrooms, onions and a variety of Mediterranean cheeses
• Chicken Kabob: Mediterranean style grilled marinated chicken and vegetables
• Baby Lamb Chops: Served with garlic potato puree
• Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes: Broiled hand picked crab meat cakes

Third Course (choice of one)

• Baklava
• Kataifi
• Baked Custard

Makes my choices easier, but I definitely need to make it to the gym before this meal tonight!! I will do a full recap tomorrow. Have a good one!

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b Bistro in Bolton Hill: Review (1.30.2009)

b Bistro is nestled in the Bolton Hill area of Baltimore which I feel is a hidden gem. The homes are huge, beautiful, and classy and I would live in any of them.

We arrived right at 8pm for our reservation and were told it would be a few minutes while one of the tables finished up. The place was packed. The one downside is that it is tight quarters - there wasn't anywhere for us to stand, but the host told us to come towards the back where we could stand by the wall of wine bottles, overlooking the kitchen.

The host immediately took our coats and then offered us a drink. He handed us a wine list and also went over the wines available by the glass, explaining the flavors in each one. We chose a Chianti-type red and our glasses were poured in stemless glasses (my fav). We had the best time checking out all the dishes coming out of the kitchen.
We ended up having to wait about 20 mins for our table, but the host informed us that the wine was on him since we had such a long wait. :)

Once we were seated, I realized that we were very close to the other two tables on either side of us and was nervous about taking pictures of each dish. I apologize in advance for some of the blurry photos...I was trying to be quick.

Our server brought over a ciabatta type bread with a cute little olive oil container. The olive oil was so buttery and delicious that Kevin asked what type they use. The server went and asked the chef, who wrote the name down on a piece of paper for us. Antica Italia. She said we may be able to find it at this great italian market nearby.

She went on to tell us that Trinacria was an amazing Italian market/deli. We had never heard of it!! I think we may be heading there this weekend.

Sorry for my long-windedness. I just get really excited about this kind of stuff.

Let's talk about the food!

I decided on the Roasted Beet Salad w/ Toasted Walnuts, Chevre and Mache as my First Course. It was the perfect combination of flavors and I didn't want the plate to end.

Kevin went with the Fried OystersCaper Aioli, Arugula and Fennel Salad. (He had already started to dig in.)I love raw oysters, but have never been a big fan of them fried. My mind has changed. The bite I had was incredible.

Since I went lighter on the appetizer, I decided to go all out on the Second Course. Gnocchi w/ Shrimp: Potato Dumplings with Jumbo Shrimp, Zucchini & Saffron Cream. These were the best gnocchi I have ever tasted. SO light and fluffy - they literally melted in my mouth.

Kevin chose the Slow Roasted Lamb Ragout over Fettuccine. He loved it and I thought it was very flavorful.
My dessert was the star of this show. Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Gianduja, Crispy Feulletine, Blood Orange Gelee and Banana Custard. The bottom layer was the Crispy Feulletine, which was chocolaty crispy crepes. I think this layer MADE the dish.Oh man - I was stuffed, but still managed to finish every bite of this.

Kevin ordered the b Bread Pudding which was good, but not his favorite of all-time. I took a bite, but don't remember what it tasted like because I was still mesmerized by my dessert.
I truly believe that every restaurant out there could learn a few things about service from the people working at b Bistro. I was seriously impressed.

At one point during our meal, Kevin said that this could be the best restaurant he has EVER been too. Now that is a big statement, but I think I am in agreement. Service, Food, Atmosphere - it was all impeccable in my book.

I would highly recommend a trip to this restaurant for anyone in the area or visiting. Baltimore Restaurant Week was extended for another week (through Feb 8th), so get in there for a 3 course meal at a great price!

Food coma was in full effect last night and I am really looking forward to my run tonight to burn some of my big dinner off. Key Run Workout #2 this week calls for 6 miles. (2 miles easy, 3 miles short-tempo, 1 mile easy)

Unfortunately, the Superbowl Trail Race I was planning to do this Sunday has been cancelled. The trails are not going to be in good shape after all the ice we had recently. The good news is that my dad has already planned a replacement 10 miler out on country roads near their house.

Hope everyone has a great weekend planned!

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Foodie Help Needed (1.28.2009)

Last night I managed to run 5 miles on the treadmill. My legs were sore from the squats and lunges on Monday night, so the fact that I even made it to the gym is a miracle.

• Warm-up: 10 mins
• 4 x 800 interval pick-ups, with 90 second rest intervals
• Cool down: 20 mins

For the intervals, I would increase my speed by 1. So, if my comfort/normal speed is 6.0 - I would push it to 7.0 for 1/2 mile. I was supposed to do 6 intervals, but my legs were so tired and I couldn't push-it any further.


I came home and made a simple, but filling dinner. Broccoli and Tofu.


After pressing the tofu to remove the excess liquid, I baked them for 20 mins at 400 degrees. Flipping once. I used the Soy Vay Teriyaki sauce again and they turned out delish.
I never thought I would EVER say that I really like tofu. I am actually starting to crave it. WEIRD.



I sauteed broccoli with a little butter, garlic, and pepper. I drizzled lemon juice on before eating. yum.
A little later, I decided I wanted some popcorn. I popped a 100 calorie bag of kettle corn. The bag felt like it had nothing to it when I was putting it in the microwave, but it popped a ton.
This morning, I woke up to ICE and lots of it. I wish I could say that I am typing this from home, but my boss sent an email last night that she wasn't going to be authorizing working from home unless the building was closed. Our building never closes. So if I wanted to stay home - I would have to take the day off. UGH.


I decided to wait for the ice the melt and roads to be cleaned up before coming into work. Oscar got a long, slippery walk in the park. He fell a few times and I couldn't help but laugh - poor guy. He loves this weather though, so snow/ice angels were in full effect.


I took my time getting to work. I stopped by my local coffee shop and got my new favorite morning drink - Green Tea Latte w/ Honey.


Basically, they take a green tea bag and steep it in a little water. Then, they add steamed skim milk and a squirt or two of honey. yum.


Good thing I had my tea because I was in my car for about 20 minutes waiting for the ice to melt on my front wind shield. I found another way to take care of the ice on my windows. (Obviously I don't have an ice scrapper.)

As I rolled down the windows, the ice stayed put, so I would punch it out. It was fun.

Ok, so I need your foodie help.

This week is Restaurant week in Baltimore. You get to choose 3 courses from a special menu for a fixed price. Kevin and I have reservations at b, a Bolton Hill Bistro for dinner tomorrow night which we chose because they had a ton of choices. But now, looking at the menu - I am completely overwhelmed!

Here are the options:

First Course (Choice of one)

• Soup: Cannellini Bean with Lardons~
• Warm Crotin de Chavignol with Arugula, Fennel, Candied Pecans and Apple Cider Dressing~
• Panzanella Salad of Rustic Italian Bread, Marinated Tomatoes, Capers, Red Onion tossed w/ Aged Balsamic & EVOO~
• Pumpkin Stuffed Ravioliwith Pancetta and Sage Brown Butter~
• Rhode Island Calamari sautéed in House Tomato Sauce over Grilled Polenta~
• Roasted Beet Salad w/ Toasted Walnuts, Chevre and Mache~
• Fried OystersCaper Aioli, Arugula and Fennel Salad~

Second Course (Choice of one)

• Slow Roasted Lamb Ragout over Fettuccine~
• "b" House Ravioli: Roasted Vegetable and Ricotta Ravioli tossed in brown Sage Butter & Parmesan Cheese topped w/ Basil, Tomato & House Marinara~
• Gnocchi w/ Shrimp: Potato Dumplings with Jumbo Shrimp, Zucchini & Saffron Cream~
• Pan Seared Arctic Char with Butternut Squash Risotto and Crispy Hen of the Woods Mushrooms~
• Grilled Japanese Sea Bass with Saffron Aioli, Sautéed Spinach and Olive Oil Mashed Potatoes~
• Grilled Branzini over Cremini Mushrooms, Arugula & Parmesan Salad finished w/ Lemon Infused Olive Oil~
• Duck Confit with Cannellini Bean Ragout, Gremolata, and Veal Reduction~
• Grilled Leg of Lamb Steak with Nebbiolo Demi Glaze, Sautéed Kale and Pancetta, Roasted Fingerling Potatoes~
• Grilled Flat Iron Steak with Green Peppercorn Cream Sauce, Asiago Mashed Potatoes and Caramelized Wild Mushrooms~

Third Course (Choice of one)

• b Bread Pudding
• Crème Brulee with homemade Cookies
• Pot De Crème with Homemade Cookies
• Lemon Sabayon Tart, Burnt Meringue and Raspberry Preserves
• Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Gianduja, Crispy Feulletine, Blood Orange Gelee and Banana Custard
• Caramelized Banana Tart, Almond Cream, Golden Raisin Caramel and toasted Cardamom Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Plate:Fresh Made Profiteroles served with any of our House made Ice Creams and Salted Caramel (Ice Cream Flavors: vanilla, nutella, mocha, panna cotta, olive oil, amaretto, pistachio, bacio, fragola)

Can you see why this is SO hard?! Everything sounds INCREDIBLE...and I don't even know what half the things actually are. ;)

Please let me know what you would choose, so hopefully it will help me decide!!

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