1500 S Hanover Street
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410) 244-5101
(410) 244-5101
Bluegrass Tavern is a quaint restaurant at the corner of
Hanover and Front Street in Federal Hill.
We noticed when it popped up a few years ago and wanted to check it out,
until we saw the menu. When the
restaurant first opened, the menu seemed boring and blah. Something must have happened over the years
because their dinner menu is brand new and well worth the trip. The food at Bluegrass Tavern is hard to
explain; it can be best described as American Southern with a “Foo Foo-She She”
twist. This chef takes some surprising
and unexpected turns with his dishes.
For example, peanut butter and bacon ice cream…insanity right?
The décor is simple.
Shades of blue adorn the walls. The
chairs and tables are a basic wood.
There is some charm in knowing that the restaurant is a converted
Baltimore row home. There is seating on
the first floor, upstairs and outside.
There is a large bar located on each level of the restaurant. The staff is very knowledgeable of the menu
and laid back. They are attentive but
also give you plenty of time to leisurely enjoy your dining experience.
Bluegrass is a great restaurant to walk to, if you live in
the neighborhood. It would also be good
for date night or after work with some friends.
This restaurant appeals to both foodies and folks that just want a good
down home meal. The prices are
moderate; expect to spend about $50 for a three course meal. There is Valet parking which is great since
the restaurant is located in a busy neighborhood. Overall we give Bluegrass Tavern ♪♪♪.
Black Eyed Pea and Peanut Soup with Bacon
This soup was a fascinating twist on southern style black
eyed peas. This dish was wonderfully
smoky and flavorful thanks to the bacon.
The peanuts were used in such a way that they made the soup creamy and
rich. The chef infused Indian flavors in
this dish to make it complex and next level.
The carrots added a slight sweetness that perfectly complimented the
dish. And do you know the chef had the
guts to serve this soup at room temperature?
It was a genius move. This soup
was delicious.
Antelope Carpaccio
This dish was a miss.
The Antelope itself had a nice earthy flavor with a subtle gaminess to
it. However the texture was a soggy,
sloppy mess. It was too moist. The chef added a fig compote that was too
heavy and not at all a good match to the antelope. He also used way too much of the compote.
Smoked Fried Chicken
Ok…This dish was the show stopper. Imagine 3 hefty pieces of de-boned chicken
breast smoked, seasoned to perfection and deep fried. The chicken was so tender, moist and
spicy. The smokiness was so heavy and
yummy, even leaving a floral note hovering on your pallet, we guess from the
wood it was smoked using. The three
potato salad was also divine. It had a
slight sweetness alongside a mustardy flavor and finished with a wonderful
relish accent.
Gnocchi with Smoked Sausage
Two words…Hated it!
The only good thing about this dish was the smoky sausage. The rest was a disaster. The gnocchi was heavy and doughy. The veggies were lonely and sad. There was no sauce used to tie all the
ingredients together and very little spice to create mystery and intrigue. This dish was disappointing.
Sweet Potato Cheesecake
This dessert was pretty good. The cheesecake was light and fluffy. For any of you that have had Melissa’s candy
yams, that is the exact flavor of the cheesecake. We said that this dessert was like eating
candied air.
Peanut Butter Bomb
This dish is rightfully named because it will blow you
away. This chef took peanut butter ice
cream and added chunks of fried bacon.
Yes, that’s right, fried bacon in your ice cream. We can admit that it sounds crazy, but we
promise you it is one of the best combinations you will ever eat. It is sweet and salty all at that same
time. The bacon adds this unexpected but
welcomed smokiness to the dessert. The
ice cream sits on a graham cracker crust that we believe has some rendered
bacon fat in it. There is a delicious
toasted marshmallow also on the plate. You
just have to stop by and try this dessert.
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