The Rowhouse Grille Photos

Tomato Caprese

Steak Frites

French Onion Soup

Curry Cream Mussels with Frites

Sweet Chili Salmon

Dessert Sampler Trio

The Rowhouse Grille Review

The Rowhouse Grille Overall Review

This restaurant/bar is located in historic Federal Hill. This is a great place to meet with friends or even to go by oneself.  Chef Tess serves American style food with a definitive flair.  The cuisine is very upscale and super delicious.  It should not surprise any of you who frequent Federal Hill that the parking is atrocious!  We circled for a long time trying to find parking. The atmosphere is lively as there is an area of the restaurant that has a bar attached.  However, they also have a more quite dining area where you can sit and enjoy dinner.  We highly recommend that you give Rowhouse Grille a try.   Overall we give RowHouse Grille ♪♪♪ and a half note.

1400 South Light Street

Baltimore, MD 21230

443-438-7289

Tomato Caprese 

Chef Tess grilled tomatoes for this dish.  The green tomato's tartness was a perfect compliment to the balsamic dressing.  The addition of basil to this dish was divine.  We loved the sweetness and the crunch of the fried onions.  So yummy!

French Onion Soup

This was the first time we have had a sweet french onion soup.  It was not a problem, just surprising.  Chef Tess was light on the cheese.  However that did not take away from the full rich wine infused flavor. 

Curry Cream Mussels with Frites

The fries were seasoned to perfection.  They were perfectly crunchy but not at all greasy.  The gin soaked blue cheese was crazy good and the perfect compliment to this dish.  The mild curry had lots of flavor and spinach was a wonderful addition to this dish. 

Sweet Chili Salmon

The sweet potato mash was so buttery and rich.  The brussel sprouts were seasoned to perfection using butter and sea salt.  The salmon was fresh, savory and cooked to perfection.  The chili sauce was perfect and did not overpower the salmon.  The chili sauce served to enhance the flavor of the fish. 

Steak Frites

Chef Tess used a HUGE cut of New York Strip steak and managed to make it super juicy and tender.  How on earth she did it is a mystery to us.  She chared and seasoned this steak to perfection.  The herbed and truffled fries were so good you wanted to smack your own self in the face.  The mustard brandy cream sauce was a sinful delight.

Dessert Sampler Trio

First is the Hazelnut Gelato.  This gelato was smooth creamy and delicious.  There was a strong hazelnut flavor and the consistency was divine.  Second was the Chocolate Terrine; this is something akin to a flour-less chocolate cake.  This is our least favorite of the trio. It was too heavy and dry.  Lastly we had the Whiskey bread pudding.  This was delicious.  It was rich and buttery and delightful!
 

Melissa's Review
 

Ok guys, I’m going to be completely honest.   I had no desire what so ever to review this restaurant.  Angela was the one who found it and kept saying we needed to give it a try.  I looked at the menu and thought…”this is nothing special”.  Yeah…about that…I was totally and completely wrong.  No, I was horribly wrong!  The Rowhouse Grille is one of the best restaurants in Baltimore!  The food was un-stinking believable!  Angela and I always apologize to the waiter or waitress in advance because we tend to order an insane amount of food when we review a restaurant.  We have to experience a good sampling of the menu so that we can give a fair review.  Rarely do we order a ton of food and love EVERYTHING that comes out of the kitchen.  Well…We LOVED EVERYTHING that came out of The Rowhouse Grille Kitchen!  At one point I called our new but incredibly knowledgeable, kind, proficient and friendly waitress over and asked her who in the world was responsible for these delicious vittles?  She proudly responded, “Chef Tess.”  I love my fiancé, but I now have a secret love for Chef Tess’s food (well I guess it’s not a secret any more…Lol).  This woman can cook!  Her creativity, flavor combinations, skill in seasoning and ability to cook everything to perfection is magnificent.  I hereby dub her, the Magnificent Chef Tess!  This meal was unbelievable.  From start to finish I shook my head in amazement.  Angela and I caused such a ruckus as we raved and ranted about this incredible meal that the table next to us kept staring and ended up ordering some of the same things we ordered.  It was hilarious!  My only negative critique is that the atmosphere was nowhere near as wonderful as the food.  The food is 4-5 star while the décor and atmosphere is 2 star.  I thought the restaurant was too dark and casual for the caliber of the cuisine.  Despite that glitch, the Rowhouse Grille is a must visit.  You are doing yourself a disservice if you do not dine.  Overall I give The Rowhouse Grille ♪♪♪ and a half note. 

Angela's Review

The Rowhouse Grille is a great place to eat. I was definitely not expecting to like it as much as I did. I loved it. The food here is phenomenal, which surprised the heck out of me. I was ready for decent. I was not ready for fabulous, sublime, out of this world, “What is the chef’s name again?!” One thing I have learned eating out week after week in order to gather material for this blog is that you can never tell which places you will ADORE and which places you will ABHOR.  This definitely falls into the category ADORE. When you eat out simply for enjoyment, you choose establishments that you are pretty sure you will enjoy. When you eat out for informational purposes as well, you are also looking for new, fresh, untried and you prepare to take the good with the bad. It is all the luck of the draw; you just have to roll the dice.  Some places come recommended and these are usually good and others, like this one, you simply stumble across. We came across this one searching for restaurants to try on restaurant.com. It was a deal and I was drawn in by the different preparations of mussels and frites, a dish I became fond of my junior year studying abroad in Leuven, Belgium. Also a dish many a restaurant has tried and failed miserably at. The fact that there were different preparations gave me hope. Well, let me tell you, I did not hope in vain. The preparation we choose; Curry cream: Madras curry, cream and spinach, was wonderfully done and I have no doubt that the rest of them do not disappoint. The frites (fries ;) were probably some of the best I have ever had. They were hot, tender, crunchy and not at all greasy and served in a metal cone lined with paper. There is also a selection of dips available, of which we chose the gin spiked blue cheese (I mean was there ever any doubt?) All I have to say about THAT is THIS… OMG. Does it GET any better? It was good, it was great… no, it was next level. The mere thought of it, even now, makes me shiver in bliss. I want it, I need it and I mean now. Oh, sorry. I’m back.  ;)  The Steak Frites, served with herb, truffle fries and garlic spinach with Mustard Brandy Cream Sauce was also out of this world.<sigh>. The gentleman at the table next to us could really tell we were having a great time. I even overheard THEM comment to one another that though this was a bar, they served food that could be found in a five star restaurant (so true… SO true), so they were feeling us on that one, a fact that the frequent breaks in their conversation due to our antics attested to J The waitress (who was GREAT too by the way) told us that it is always a pleasure to serve people who clearly really enjoy life, what a complement indeed.

I also REALLY liked the atmosphere. Being an actual bar, the décor was really very sexy, with heavy, dark wood tables and chairs and dark bluish-green seat cushions; a color which I have always found very masculine, soothing… provocativeeven. When I conceptualize this spot, I think of it as what I’d hoped Heavy Seas Alehouse would be and what B&O American Brasserie aspired to be. Come to that, if The Rowhouse Grille was attached to the Hotel Monaco, it would be a next level establishment, at least in MY humble opinion. It probably will not surprise you that I give The Rowhouse Grille ♪♪♪♪.

Sushi Nari Photos

Miso Soup

Pink Lady Roll and Red Monster Roll

Edemame

Sweet Cinnamon Tea

Poki

Salad

Sushi Nari Review

Sushi Nari Overall Review

Sushi Nari is located in King’s Contrivance Shopping Center in Columbia, Maryland.  It is hard to find, but well worth the effort.  This neighborhood eatery serves delicious sushi.  It is small and quaint and a great spot to take your family, friends or to even go it alone.  The service is friendly and attentive.  We were truly amazed at the cheap prices this restaurant offers.  You will be amazed with the amount of food you receive for this small price.  The bright décor is warm, inviting and super clean.  There is plenty of free parking in the shopping center’s parking lot.  This restaurant is a must try.  Overall we give Sushi Nari ♪♪♪. 

8640 Guilford Road
Columbia, MD 21046
410-381-6888

Salad

We have always enjoyed salads served at sushi places because of the interesting salad dressing.  We asked the waitress what the dressing is made of and she informed us that it is made of pureed fruits, miso and ginger.  This salad was delicious.  It was light, crisp and refreshing.  

Miso Soup

All miso soups are created equal right???? Absolutely not!  We have experienced bland and watery miso soups before.  Sushi Nari's soup was delicious.  It was extra miso-y and very delightful.  

 Poki

Poki is a traditional Hawaiian style preparation of raw fish marinated in various spices.  Sushi Nari's Poki was savory and flavorful.  It was not as good as the Poki at Tatu (yet to be formally reviewed) but it was not bad either.  They made their Poki with ahi tuna, asian pear and avocado.  We were hoping that the asian pear would have added a nice sweetness but we were destined to disappointment.  The dish did have a nice onion and garlic flavor. 

 Pink Lady Roll

This roll boasted spicy crab salad, tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado.  The chef used a pink rice paper roll to hold this dish together.  The shrimp tempura was lightly battered which we appreciated as often it is too heavy.  The roll was light and simple with a floral finish.  It was not the most memorable sushi roll ever but the heavy spicy mayo sauce given for dipping helped to boost this roll over the top. 

Red Monster

This beast contained spicy tuna, cucumbers, salmon, and spicy crab salad and was covered with a wasabi aoili.  Wow, this roll did not have a kick but rather a sucker punch to the throat!  It was spicy as Hades; this roll is not for the faint of heart.  Nevertheless it was one of the best sushi rolls we have ever had.  This roll had so much heat and flavor that we did not even need soy sauce.  This is truly a high praise coming from us. 

Cold Sweet Cinnamon Tea

After that Red Monster (I'll say), this sweet, light, refreshing and yummy drink was just what the doctor ordered.  The cinnamon helped to calm and cool the savage beast raging in our tummies! We wish they bottled this stuff. 

Angela's Review

 

This little eatery is a simply adorable place, once you find it. I would definitely have to call it a hidden gem, given that it is located in one of those neighborhood squares, called King’s Contrivance, that tend to be tucked away in the midst of houses and apartment buildings that are located back behind the main roads, out of sight, that are the rule rather than the exception in Columbia. The atmosphere is so welcoming, with its’ cute and colorful color scheme of oranges and creams and its whimsical paper lanterns, offset by sexy black tile stone bar and dark wooden tables. It is clean and well-kept, with a family atmosphere that is hard to resist. I don’t know if this has come across in the course of our posting restaurant reviews, or if I have mentioned it before, but I simply ADORE raw fish. I can safely say that I consider sushi to be one of the single greatest creations on earth… bar none. This restaurant was recommended to us by a coworker of Melissa’s, a fact which she is surely mentioning in her personal review, but which I too would like to point out as she is the same person who recommended Thai Arroy (where if you’ll recall is the place I found the fried Thai rice that is done just the way I had once had it prepared and absolutely loved, but had been unable to find again). So, though we have never met, I’d like to say… Thank you Rachel for your suggestions and, ah, keep em coming. Sushi Nari’s menu is fairly extensive for such a tiny place, with a good selection of specialty rolls.  Along with an order of a roll or entrée comes a complimentary salad, edemame and miso soup. Basically, you get a ton of food for a very reasonable price. Making this even more exciting is the fact that the dressing that is served with the salad is phenomenal, made of different fruits, ginger and miso; the miso soup, truly one of the best I have had the pleasure to partake of. It is extra miso-y…lol. The roll I ordered was called the Pink Lady, made with shrimp tempura, spicy crab salad, avocado and tuna, wrapped in pink seaweed.  It had a mild, slightly sweet, fresh flavor with a floral finish. It was simple but came with a heavy, spicy mayo sauce that pushed it over the top from simply filling to really satisfying. I really enjoyed it. I really liked this little sushi restaurant and my pocketbook was quite satisfied as well. This meal was well worth the money paid for it. All in all, I would say that Sushi Nari can give some of its pricier, snootier contemporaries a run for their money. I give Sushi Nari  ♪♪♪and one half note.

Melissa's Review

Once again my friend Rachel J hit the ball out of the food park.  Rachel recommended that we review Sushi Nari and I am so very glad that she did!  If you want cheap and delicious sushi, Sushi Nari is your spot.  Angela and I were amazed at the amount of food that we received for so little money.  We had food for days, and the sushi was great!  The restaurant is small and quaint.  The bright orange and red décor was vibrant and brought a fun energy to the place.  As is typical for most sushi restaurants, you can choose to dine at a table or at the sushi bar and enjoy watching the chef create your meal.  The sushi menu was easy to read and they offered a huge selection of specialty sushi rolls.  Along with your sushi you receive edemame,  salad, miso soup and a refreshing cinnamon dessert drink served at the end of your meal.  The service was friendly and kind.  This place is wonderful.  I HIGHLY recommend that you try Sushi Nari; it is hard to find but well worth the effort.  Overall I give Sushi Nari ♪♪♪.

Red Pearl Photos

Jelly Fish & Scallions

Eggplant & Shrimp Paste

Spare Ribs

Diced Chicken with Chili Powder

Red Pearl Pan Fried Noodles

Lychee Sorbet

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.