Red Pearl Review

Red Pearl Overall Review

10215 Wincopin Cir
Columbia, MD 21044
Phone: (410) 715-6530

Red Pearl is a Chinese restaurant specializing in Authentic Sichuan/Cantonese Cuisine.  They also have an intriguing dim sum menu.  The restaurant is hard to find as it is at the back of a parking lot, tucked away down a hill by a lake.  Trust us, it’s a bit hard to find but well worth the journey.  The décor is elegant and formal.  There are tables covered with white tablecloths.  The servers were very knowledgeable of their menu and offered great help and assistance along the way.  This is the sort of place adults who are either adventurous and/or already know they like authentic Sichuan/Cantonese cuisine need to try. Not necessarily somewhere I would take the kiddies if this sort of food is not known to them. Though one should remember that they have more mainstream offerings as well. Otherwise I would say it is a wonderful place to have lunch or dinner. Parking is no problem, as a free parking complex is right there. Overall, we give Red Pearl ♪♪♪ and a half note.

Eggplant & Shrimp Paste

Imagine pureed shrimp mixed with garlic and formed into a paste, then nestled in between two slices of eggplant.  This yummy little eggplant and shrimp paste sandwich was steamed and served with a rich and slightly sweet brown sauce.   It was absolutely insane.  So yummy, sweet, tender, creamy and perfect!  This is a must try! 

Spare Ribs

The chef diced the spare ribs...I know diced sounds crazy but that's what he did.  He then rendered the rib bites in their own fat.  It became a gooey, sticky, finger licking good treat.  It was perfectly seasoned and delightful!

Jelly Fish with Scallions

Ok..hang on readers.  I know what you are thinking these two crazy women actually tried Jelly fish.  Yes we did and it was great even though Angela came along kicking and screaming.  The chef cut the jelly fish into strips and marinated them in a scallion sauce and served them cold.  They were the texture of a very soft grissel.  They had a wonderful bite and the flavor was through the roof crazy good!  They had a oniony, sea salty and savory flavor.  It was reminiscent of seaweed salad in flavor and texture.  This was a great preperation of Jelly Fish!

Red Pearl Pan Fried Noodles

Here the chef fried noodles to a crispy hardness and topped it with fish, shrimp, squid, scallops and mixed veggies.  The sauce was a clear white seafood sauce which reminded us of a lobster sauce.  It was very heavy and gelatinous.  This dish was ok...please note that it came from  their "regular" American Chinese menu not the Authentic menu.  

Diced Chicken with Chili Powder

This time the chef diced chicken and coated it in a fiery hot chili powder.  Please note that we did ask the chef to not make this too spicy.  We got a significantly spicy dish.  So order with caution.  The dish was amazingly good dispute the flames shooting from our nostrils.  

Lychee Sorbet

Ummm...ummm...GOOD!  This sorbet was out of this world.  It was made with chunks of lychee fruit mixed right in.  It was sweet, refreshing and yummy.   Melissa had to hold Angela back from diving into the bowl and swimming in the lychee sorbet. 

 

Angela's Review

This time I was the one who was not that keen on eating at a restaurant. I will admit folks that at times Melissa can lose even me with some of the stuff she is eager to try. Looking at the menu and seeing things like jellyfish salad and beef tendon and tripe in a special sauce (ick… right?!) tends to send me heading in the other direction. Not so my girl Melissa. She jumps up and down in abject joy and exclaims, “We have gotta try this!” And so, with some convincing on Melissa’s part, added to the fact that time was limited as were our choices of where to eat, I put my reluctance aside and we decided to give it a try. Then even having decided that I would give this thing a try, upon sitting down, I looked over the menu and could honestly not bring myself to actually order anything I was reading, and so gave over the responsibility to Melissa to decide what we would eat. And I was SO glad I did! I admit it. When Melissa is right, she is just right. This was probably one of the best meals I have ever had. The ingredients were so fresh and delightful, and seasonings and the sauces wonderfully complemented the food. There was just nothing here that I did not enjoy. I give Red Pearl, ♪♪♪♪

Melissa's Review

 

There are times in life when God has you in the right place at the right time.  Red Pearl is a perfect example of this.  Angie and I were looking for Nari Sushi (review will be coming your way soon) but we went to the wrong location and ended up on the other side of Columbia.  We found a different sushi place we wanted to try but they were closed.  So Red Pearl was the only choice.  I took a look at the menu and knew we were in for a treat.  For starters they have a “regular” American Chinese food menu and then they had an Authentic Sichuan/Cantonese Cuisine menu.  With a little coaxing, I got Angie to agree to give the place a try.  It took some coaxing because they had exciting stuff on the menu like duck tongues and jelly fish….ok exciting for me.  I am truly an adventurous eater. The crazier it sounds the more likely I am to try it; so Red Pearl’s menu was a playground of wonder and opportunity for me.  Once we got in there and began to feast upon the food I knew immediately that this was going to be a true delight.  Dish after dish was yummy and exciting.  I loved all the items that we tried from the dim sum menu and the authentic menu.  They were amazing; each dish was full of flavor and intrigue.  I kept asking, what was that and how did the chef come up with those flavor combinations.  I love food that is like nothing I have ever had before.  I crave chefs that challenge my taste buds and expose me to new tastes previously unknown.  The chef at Red Pearl did all that and more. Even the atmosphere was wonderful.  The décor was bright and cheery with a slight sophistication.  If you love good Chinese food and adventurous eating Red Pearl is your spot.  Overall I give Red Pearl ♪♪♪ and a half note. 

Heavy Seas Alehouse Photos

Fries

New York Strip Steak

Sausage Sliders

Earl Grey Creme Brulee

Cold Lobster Salad

Smoked Mussel Salad

Steamed Mussels





White Chicken Chili



Heavy Seas Alehouse Review

Overall Review

Heavy Seas Alehouse is nestled in an old brick building at the corner of Bank and Central in Baltimore. This building holds a ton of history. It started out a hospital for confederate soldiers during the civil war. Then it became the Holland Tack Factory; during those years the factory produced tacks, brads (metal nail like objects that are connected, kind of like staples) and nails. Unfortunately the food is not as exciting as the building’s history. The seafood salads are worth trying but the rest of food is rather run of mill. Heavy Seas would be a good guy’s night out spot. It is definitely not kid friendly. There is valet parking available for $8, and street parking, some paid and some free. Overall, we give Heavy Seas Alehouse ♪♪.

1300 Bank Street

Baltimore, MD 21231
(410) 522-0850

White Chicken Chili

This was chili on a diet. Chili is typically heavy and hearty. This was more light and fresh. It seemed more like a soup than a chili. The flavor was savory and tasty with a nice spice to it. We all agreed that it would be better with sausage added.

Sausage Sliders

Kevin (Melissa's Fiance) had to send these puppies back to the kitchen. They seemed to be under cooked and the red cabbage slaw did not agree with him. The slaw gave the sliders a beet red color.

Cold Lobster Salad

The lobster was just plain tasty. It laid on a bed of seaweed salad that was perfect in taste, texture and crunch. The sauce was reminiscent of ginger. The entire dish was set atop a bed of ice.

Smoked Mussel Salad

These perfectly smoked mussels were tossed in a creamy mayo that was the perfect compliment. This dish had a super smoky flavor that was Umm Umm Good!

Mussel & Fries

The fries were crispy and not greasy but they were not seasoned either. The mussels did not have a lot of flavor at all. This dish was disappointing.

New York Strip

This steak was tender but lacked enough flavor. The smoked bacon added to this dish was very good. It helped in the flavor department.

Earl Gray Creme Brulee

This dessert was delicious. The earl gray tea gave the creme brulee an herbal flavor. The custard was rich and creamy. The sugar was just a tad too burnt, but over all the dish was good.

Angela’s Review

Heavy Seas Alehouse was an ok dining experience. It was nothing to write home to mom about but I read about it in one of the local free magazines you can grab when you are out and about town, Urbanite, and wanted to try it. I was particularly interested in trying the smoked mussel salad, which Urbanite indicated one should not leave here without trying. I will have to agree with them. It is fabulous. Alas, nothing else here quite matched up to it’s fabulosity. The décor is very upscale pubbish; basically lots of dark wood and brushed metal, with booths surrounding an island lined with chairs, in front of a great, big heavy bar with TVs mounted above it, it definitely put you in the mind of being in a pub in some sort of shipping town of old, like the ones depicted in books like Moby Dick and Ethan Frome, which probably would not have been too upscale, but if you’ve ever read either of them, you catch my drift. With a name like Heavy Seas Alehouse, this sort of comparison is only to be expected. But I digress. They have a wide selection of beers made in their own brewery, of which you can take a tour, and mixed drinks that utilize them, if you are into that sort of thing. I am not a beer drinker myself although I have tried a few and did, here, try the Sea Shandy, which was made with their Heavy Seas Draft and Homemade Strawberry Basil lemonade (if you look on the site today it is made with Pomegranate Rosemary Lemonade), which pretty much tasted like beer to me. What can I say, beer lovers, sorry, I tried. <shrug>This is another of those restaurants that boast fresh and seasonal ingredients found locally when possible. The very best thing here aside from the Smoked Mussel salad, was the Earl Grey Crème Brulee. All in all I give Heavy Seas Ale ♪♪.

Melissa’s Review

Heavy Seas Alehouse is a relatively new restaurant located between harbor east and fells point. I have to admit going into this review that I was not that impressed with this restaurant. It was clear as soon as we sat down that their emphasis was on beer; the first words out the waitress’s mouth after introducing herself was, “which beer can I get you?” In all fairness to them, I can’t knock them for pushing the beer since this is an alehouse. Most of the menu is pub oriented. At the same time, there is a very strong Baltimore influence, as evidenced by the enormous amount of seafood on the menu. The food was hit or miss. We greatly enjoyed the cold lobster salad and smoked mussel salad, which were creative and tasty. The rest of the food was non memorable. The service was pretty good at first but by the end of our meal our waitress disappeared and was very hard to find. That is always very bothersome. Overall, I give Heavy Seas Alehouse ♪♪.

Cold Buckwheat Noodles and Thinly Sliced Beef

Cold Buckwheat Noodles and Thinly Sliced Beef Strips

This is one of our favorite meals of all time… literally.  We think of it as a kind of grown and sexy Oodles of Noodles ;) It is such an elegant, easy to prepare, absolutely delicious dish.  The sauce has such a sweet and salty taste and the coldness of the dish is very refreshing.  Especially during the summer months, we could probably eat this every…. other day... after all we do like our variety.  Lol.

You can find the major ingredients, Buckwheat noodles and Soba sauce in your local grocery store (Shopper’s Food Warehouse carries it in the Asian section or you can pick it up in most international markets).

Then you….

Boil noodles for about five minutes. Rinse in cold water to cool them off. Put aside.

Chop spring onions, julienne cucumbers, place them atop the noodles, and sprinkle sesame seeds across.

Pour about a half of a cup of Soba sauce into a small bowl, sprinkle in spring onions and sesame seeds.

Take the thinly sliced beef, flash sear it in a pan on both sides, with a little bit of Korean BBQ sauce and serve beside the noodles.

Grab your chopsticks and enjoy, dipping your noodles into the sauce at will.

Enjoy!

*Note this dish can also be served without the beef. We do it all the time.

BOP Photos

Bar-B-Q Chicken Pizza

Crab, Red Pepper and Mushroom Pizza

Ultra Veggie Salad

Wings

B.O.P. Review

Overall Review

Brick Oven Pizza (B.O.P) is a neighborhood favorite in Fells Point, Maryland.  Always busy and bustling, this pizza place is sure to make everyone happy.  You can build your own pizza or your own slice of pizza.  There are lots of meats, cheeses and veggies to choose from as toppings.  If you are adventurous and have heavy pockets you could order the 52 topping pizza for the bargain price of $179.00.  Yes, that’s right, you heard us, $179.00.  We looked at each other and said that pizza better come with gold flakes.  If you don’t want pizza, salad or wings, they also offer pasta and over-sized wraps.  BOP is perfect for grabbing a quick bite after spending some time in the Fells Bar Scene, considering that it is open until 3am on Friday and Saturday nights. The rest of the week it is open from 11am to 11pm. But above and beyond that, it is just the only place to go if you are craving the best wings in the State of Maryland, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Go it alone or meet up with friends. Take the kiddies out for a treat. Basically an all purpose spot. Parking… well what can we say, it’s Fells. Basically it’s catch as catch can. Parking is street, all around and is paid, and you may have to walk a bit (across cobblestones, so ladies, you might want to bring flats), but it is worth the hassle. Overall we give B.O.P ♪♪♪. 

800 South Broadway
Baltimore, MD 21231
(410) 563-1600

Crab, Red Pepper and Mushroom Pizza

This slice was pretty plain.  They put on a good amount of crab, however the crab, mushrooms and red peppers were just thrown on top of a slice of cheese pizza.  It did not seem to come together all that well. 

Bar-B-Q Chicken Pizza with Cilantro

This slice of pizza was much better crafted.  They used Bar-B-Que sauce instead of tomato sauce and they layered the chicken with the cheese.  The cilantro on the other hand was just laid on top of the pizza.  The flavors were delicious, tasty and very robust.  The thin crust was nice and we love the fact that the pizza was not greasy.

Ultra Veggie Salad

This is one of our favorite salads.  There are a lot of veggies in this salad: romaine lettuce, artichoke hearts, eggplant, mushrooms,  radishes, carrots, green and black olives, onions, capers, broccoli and tomatoes.   All of the ingredients are fresh, crisp and yummy.  The portion size is huge!

Wings

Ok everybody...deep breath....  These wings are crunchy like potato chips, juicy, seasoned to perfection, and the most delicious wings you have every had.  They are almost as good as Gus' Chicken in Memphis..Almost.  Lol.  Please make sure you try the wings.  They are served with hot sauce and your choice of blue cheese or ranch. 

Melissa's Review

Brick Oven Pizza aka BOP, is one of my all time favorite dives in Maryland.  It is a small and unassuming little spot in fells point.  The atmosphere is eclectic and youthful.  However you will find folks of all ages enjoying this yummy food.  Their specialty is pizza, however their wings are where it’s at!  The pizza is not bad.  Their thin crust and light sauce make for a light and not too heavy treat.  Their toppings are diverse and creative.  I love that fact that you can order your pizza whole or by the slice.  Most places that allow you to order by the slice limit what you can have on it.  At BOP you can build your own slice and you can put whatever you want it on it.  Ok…now the best part!  BOP’s fried wings, HOLY COW…ummm (clearing throat), HOLY CHICKEN, those wings are AMAZING!  They are plump, seasoned to perfection, dipped in a liquid batter to hold in all the juices, super-juicy, tender, super-crunchy and heaven in your mouth!  Those wings make you have to grab the table to stop from swooning and falling out of your chair.  Those wings make you pee your pants.  Those wings make you want to scream out with pleasure.  Did I mention the wings are AMAZING?  My goodness….those wings!  For the love of all that is scared, please, please go and try those wings; I’m begging you.  You will not be disappointed!  If you feel the least bit guilty about ordering the wings make sure you order their Ultra veggie salad.  This salad is chock full of yummy veggies that just have to erase all the naughtiness of wings.  This salad is truly wonderful.   My other favorite thing about BOP is the home made Italian sodas you can get in a myriad of different flavors ranging from passion fruit to Irish Cream.  I’m not a soda drinker, yet I find these are light and refreshing.  I love BOP, and even though this is a dive I have to give them ♪♪♪. 

Angela's Review

This is one of our favorite spots to grab some fantabulous wings.  They just might be the best I’ve ever tasted. They have literally ruined me for other wings. Okay, okay, I am done raving like a lunatic about wings. I am just saying. J Brick Oven Pizza (aka B.O.P) is a little hole in the wall joint located in Fells Point, right on Thames Street, next to the water and along a big square where people walk and musicians set up shop and play. When the weather is nice, it is a great place to people watch and sample a variety of interesting and tasty foods.  The décor is cool, with murals depicting the neighborhood in which it is located, complete with pictures of the surrounding stores and food shops, and colorful maps of Fells Point, with you are here markers, covering the tabletops. You can look right into the brick oven as you order your food which is really fun. In addition to the wings, which are hot, crunchy, tender, juicy and sizable all at the same time (opps, I’m raving again), they have an Ultra Veggie Salad, which is too die for, that we always have to get. I am also fond of the containers of hot sauce and mild blue cheese they set before you as accompaniments (yes, they have ranch, but if you thought I’d want anything but Blue Cheese, all I have to say is, “Hello, have we met?...lol), which perfectly complement the wings. The interesting thing about my love affair with Brick Oven Pizza is that I can’t say I like the pizza much. What I can say is that since I know that everyone’s taste in pizza is different I am not willing to say, based on my own opinion, that YOU will not be impressed with the pizza; after all it is fresh, hot out of the oven, the choice of toppings is endless AND it is called Brick Oven PIZZA, so I say judge for yourself. All in all, I give B.O.P ♪♪♪

Sip & Bite Photos

Fries & Pickled Beets

Mashed Potatoes and Gravy

Combo Appetizer Plate

Spanakopita & Crab Cake

Baklava Cheesecake

Chicken & Shrimp Sub