Tapas Teatro Review

Tapas Teatro

1711 N Charles St.

Baltimore, MD 21201

Phone: (410) 332-0110

Hours: Tues-Fri 5pm to 2am & Sat-Sun 4pm to 2am

www.tapasteatro.com

Tapas Teatro is a little treasure located in Downtown North, right next to the Charles Theatre. It does not take reservations and is very small but the food is well worth the wait. The chef is completely on top of his game. Keep your eye out for this adorable, yet quiet guy with his ball cap pulled low over his eyes.  We were fortunate enough to be introduced to the chef; he has a truly humble spirit. 

We had a very, very good meal here. The food was electric, bold and heartwarming.  The décor consists of exposed brick, windows all along the front which are opened up when the weather is warm, dark colored wood and red paneling. There is an L-shaped bar and tiny restrooms. This restaurant has a very artsy feel. Tapas Teatro is of course a great place to go before or after taking in a show at the historic Charles Theatre, as well as a good place to go with friends, family, coworkers or your significant other. The menu changes frequently, so there is not an updated menu, rather a sample menu is outlined on its website.  We enjoyed our waitress.  She was very attentive and helpful; she was able to answer all of our questions about the menu.  The prices here are rather affordable and quite reasonable.  The two of us enjoyed this meal for a total of $80.  There is paid street parking and a cheap garage across the street.  Overall we give Tapas Teatro ♪♪♪♪. 

THE FOOD:

MEMBRILLO: This dish consisted of home-made quince paste, toasted ciabatta, montealva cheese and truffle oil. The cheese gave the dish a sour tartness that meshed nicely with the sweetness of the quince paste. The truffle oil grounds the dish, giving it an earthiness.  The flavors here blend so well that it is difficult to differentiate one from another. The crostini is light, airy, crunchy and soft all at the same time.

TROUTA AHUMADO: This dish was basically a minced, smoked-trout salad, fresh and made in-house. Smoky, salty, earthy smoked trout is the main ingredient in this dish. The onions give a refreshing brightness and the egg further helps to brighten and smooth out the dish. The egg here was an unexpected but completely welcome ingredient.

CATALAN KALE: Here Kale was sautéed with pine-nuts and raisins. The pine nuts added a woody, oaky-ness reminiscent of fall. There were onions and fresh horseradish within which added a kick of spicy-ness. There was even a char on some pieces of Kale, which was wonderful. This dish was a study in contrasts; savory, sweet, and salty all at the same time. It had a heavy robust flavor and was almost greasy but it worked.  It was sort of like eating a sautéed kale trail mix.

ALMEJAS: Little neck clams were combined with bacon, tomato, egg, sherry and herbs in this dish. The sauce here had a nice, briny flavor. The egg added a meaty-ness along with the bacon and tomato. The bacon seemed to have been marinated in the sauce rather than fried. The tomato also added a touch of sweetness. Eating this dish was like eating a clam stew.  It was quite good.

CALAMARI A LA PARILLA: Calamari tubes here were perfectly grilled with a char on the ends; giving a soft, bouncy, tender, pillow-y texture; very sensuous. They were ensconced in a pepperoncini vinaigrette; a sour, hot, spicy combo which enhanced the ocean-y sweetness of the calamari perfectly.  Alone it would have been overpowering, but combined with the calamari, it was the PERFECT accompaniment. We did not want this dish to come to an end.

PAN-SEARED ANGUS: The first bite of this dish pushed Melissa into a fit of giggles. The buttery-ness and tenderness of this cut of beef was unparalleled… transcendent even… lol. The beef was seared to perfection. We asked for rare and it was perfectly rare. The char was perfect. The sauce was a perfect compliment. All I can say is… WOW!

ROASTED EGGPLANT: There were wonderful middle-eastern flavors here. It had a combination of roasted eggplant and assorted curried vegetables.  The dish however did not exactly come into a coherent whole. The eggplant was very mild, and slightly overpowered by the supper yummy curried veggies.  The vegetables stole the show from the eggplant in this dish.  We felt that the yogurt sauce would have been better placed atop the curried veggies rather than the milder eggplant.

DARK CHOCOLATE AND HAZELNUT PANNA COTTA: Dark chocolate, hazelnuts and espresso crème fraise made for a heavenly combination. It was not too sweet, was light and refreshing, and tasted like Christmas. The only criticism was that there were almost too many nuts.

2012 Year in Review

Well Everyone, what a year for the 2 Soul Sister's Food Blog!  2012 was our launch year and based on all the feedback 2012 was a great start.  Thanks to all of you who have read, eaten and shared your thoughts and ideas with us.  So far we have had over 2700 views and look forward to many more.  Also, we again invite each of you to not be shy and share your thoughts and comments.  Please feel free to share your comment right on the blog.  We would love for this year to be a more interactive year.  Don't be shy.  Goodness knows we are not.  :) 

Last year we reviewed 36 restaurants.  We thought it would be fun to list our top 10 favorite places to eat from 2012.  So here goes our Top 10 Count Down:

Honorable Mentions go to Mari Luna http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/mari-luna-bistro-overall-rating.html and Sushi Nari http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/sushi-nari-overall-review-sushi-nari-is.html.   Both of these restaurants had yummy food and good service.  The prices were reasonable and we think you would enjoy them  too.   

10. = Aida Bistro (Italian)

Aida's Bistro earned ♪♪♪. They offered regional Italian dishes that were absolutely delicious.  Our main critique was the lack of atmosphere, but the food was wonderful.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/11/aida-bistro-review.html

9.  = Bang Bang Mongolian Grill (Mongolian)

Bang Bang Mongolian Grill earned  ♪♪♪.  This was a fun restaurant to review because you are able to prepare dishes to your specifications using ingredients provided for you.  We loved this place because it was a creative, kid-friendly place.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

8. = Red Pearl (Chinese)

Red Pearl earned   ♪♪♪ and a half note.  This is a restaurant that you may have reservations about trying due to some of the more exotic dishes like duck tongues and jelly fish.  Do not be dissuaded from giving that great eatery a try.  You will be happy you did, we sure were. http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/07/red-pearl-review.html

7. = Thai Arroy (Thai)

Thai Arroy earned ♪♪♪ and a half note.  They consistently have good food.  The place is small and does not have the best atmosphere but the food is great and you cannot beat the price.  This is by far some of the best Thai food we have had.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/thai-arroy-overall-rating.html

6. = Adela (Spanish Tapas)

Adela earned ♪♪♪ and a half note.  This is a sophisticated and smart spot with really good and affordable tapas.  Their menu changes seasonally so be prepared for something different each time.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/02/adelas-overall-rating.html

5. = Talara (Ceviche)

Talara earned  ♪♪♪ and a half note.  This is a restaurant we visit regularly.  We love the atmosphere. It is alive and humming with energy.  It has a great nightlife scene.  The fish is always fresh and tasty.  This is a must try dining experience.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/talara-review_20.html

4. =  Jack's Bistro (Sous Vide)

Jack's earned ♪♪♪ and half note.  We had never heard of Jack's let  alone the Sous Vide style of cooking until it was recommended to us.  Now that we know it exists we are in love with this cooking style which leave the food so tender, moist and flavorful.  Jack's is hard to find but worth the effort.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/05/normal-0-false-false-false-en-us-x-none.html

3. = Rowhouse Grille (Classic American)

The Rowhouse Grille earned  ♪♪♪ and a half notes.  Melissa had her reservations, but Angela's perseverance won out and thank God for that!  This little hidden treasure had some of the best food that we have ever had.  Upon first glance it appears to be just another bar, but further explorations reveals a capable and enjoying dinging experience.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-rowhouse-grille-review.html

2. = Rasika (Indian)

Rasika earned ♪♪♪♪.  This is one of DC's swankier offerings.  Rasika serves high end Indian cuisine.  You will easily spend a pretty penny, so you may want to save this restaurant for a special occasion, but it is a treat well worth each penny spent.  Don't forget to keep an eye out for First Lady Michelle Obama.  This is one of her favorite spots.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/04/rasika-review.html

1. = Sascha's 527 Cafe (Creative American with Global Touches)

Sascha's 527 Cafe earned ♪♪♪♪.  We like this place so much that we would have given it 
♪♪♪♪♪ but our rating scale does not go that high.  The atmosphere is posh and as quoted by Style Magazine, "Drop Dead Sexy".  We concur!  The food can be described as Next Level!  It left us yearning and pleading for more.  This restaurant is a MUST TRY!!!  We do advise that you be careful of this restaurant's power, and choose carefully who you bring with you, you may not be able to get rid of this person after this experience.  http://2-soulsistersblog.blogspot.com/2012/03/saschas-527-cafe.html

So readers eat and enjoy!  We look forward to bringing you many more wonderful and informative reviews in 2013. 

Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro Photos

Kowloon

Bacon Roll

Mango Sorbet

Peking Duck

Squid on a Griddle

Jesse Wong's Asean Bistro Review

Jesse Wong’s Asean Bistro

Columbia Palace 9

8775 Centre Park Drive

Columbia, MD 21045

410-772-5300

Jesse Wong’s Asean Bistro is one of two restaurants, the other of which is called Jesse Wong’s Kitchen and is located in Hunt Valley, MD.  The Columbia location was a little hard to find, tucked away in a shopping center as is typical for restaurants in Columbia.  The restaurant walls were painted a deep, forest-green. Wood accents adorned the space.  Overall, there was nothing spectacular about the décor. 

The food at the Bistro has an Asian fusion theme.  There are various Chinese styles of cooking as well as Malaysian and Vietnamese dishes.  The food here is very hit or miss.  Our impression was that the appetizers are pretty good, but the main dishes are poor.  Considering this is a fusion restaurant, the main dishes are very boring, not at all creative.  For instance, we ordered Peking duck (the most expensive item on the menu). Unfortunately, all they did was cut the duck up and place the various pieces on a plate.  It was miserably uncreative.  Much of the food was not cooked with great skill. 

The service was so/so.  Our waiter was available; however he was very sharp and abrupt.  He got on our nerves when it came time to pay the bill.  We dined with a Groupon.  When he brought the bill to us he made sure to point out the total before the discount so that he could get a full tip.  That’s like going around the week before Christmas reminding people to get you a gift…Its just tacky! Since these 2 Soul Sisters ALWAYS leave a 20% or more tip (even when folks act crazy we try to be fair), that really left a bad taste in our mouth, only adding to the disappointment lingering from the mediocre food. 

Because the atmosphere is nothing to write home about and the food is hit or miss, you may not want to visit this restaurant.  If you want to give it a try we recommend take-out.  This will allow you to at least have some self-generated atmosphere in the comfort of your own home.  If you order take-out just get the Squid on a Griddle.  Overall we give Jesse Wong’s Asean Bistro ♪♪. 

SQUID ON THE GRIDDLE

The squid in this dish was marinated with fresh garlic and charred to perfection, making it chewy without being rubbery. There was a smokiness and oceaniness all at the same time. It had the perfect amount of spice which hit you intermittently. Thyme and extra virgin olive oil gave the dish an herby, earthiness. The oceany flavor was wonderful. Thyme is not usually used in Asian cooking in our experience, so we were quite impressed with its addition to this dish.

BACON ROLL
 

Shrimp paste was wrapped in bacon and deep fried. This gave it a wonderful crispiness. It had a very rich, full flavor. The heaviness and fattiness of the dish, due to the bacon, was wonderful. Shrimp paste is a wonderful substance. This is the second time Angela has had it and she thinks it is really good stuff. The soy ginger sauce added nothing to the dish and could have been omitted.

KOWLOON SHRIMP

This shrimp dish involved jumbo shrimp with ground pork, garlic and onions made with fresh chili sauce. It had a heavy, oaky flavor. Melissa tasted a flavor profile she could not immediately place, but which she knew she had tasted before. We came to the conclusion that this was mushrooms. There were chili peppers included with the dish that added absolutely no heat; which was a bit disappointing.

PEKING DUCK

This was probably not the best Peking Duck. It might even be the worse. The Duck was greasy, wasn’t served hot and was a bit dry at the same time. For those of you who do not know,  traditionally Peking Duck is a whole duck cut up into slices and served with its crispy skin, shredded veggies, a sweet dipping sauce and pancakes.  Jesse Wong's served it with cucumbers, green onion and pancakes that you wrap the duck and vegetables in. This was served with a very sweet, heavy brown sauce with a slightly grainy texture. It was in fact, WAY too sweet and WAY too grainy.

MANGO SORBET

We were given a choice of Strawberry, Mango and Coconut Sorbet. We chose the Mango. The Mango Sorbet was really good, obviously house made.  It was served in a hollowed out and the frozen half Mango.  It was very tasty and refreshing. 

Aida Bistro Photos

Grilled Oysters

Duck Confit

Braised Pork Belly

Roaring 40's Blue Cheese Salad

Seared Scallops

Porcine Encrusted Sword Fish

Chocolate Bacon Terrine

Aida Bistro Review

AIDA BISTRO

6741 Columbia Gateway Drive
Columbia, MD 21046
(410) 953-0500

Overall Review

Aida Bistro is located in Columbia, MD. This restaurant is family-owned and specializes in classic Italian fare, in addition to an eclectic mix of entrees and small plates from a variety of backgrounds. It is important to note that their small plates are super small.  Aida offers a prix-fix menu which includes 2 small plates, and an entree to choose from. Or you can order al a carte from the menu. The décor is minimalist; mustard and light brown join together with dark brown wood, dim lighting and unique art. This restaurant hosts art gallery shows.  Much of the artwork on display is for sale.  Check their website to see which artists are being featured.  There is both a bar and a dining room available for seating. There is an additional dining room if you want to have a private party.  Though we did not find the décor all that compelling (it was actually quite boring), the food more than made up for this, making what’s around you utterly unimportant. This gem of a restaurant greatly surprised us with its next-level cuisine. We were not expecting this and were greatly pleased by it.  The food was delicious.  It was so good it made Melissa do her Shoulder Pop!  The chef has the ability to put together foods and flavors that you would not think to, however, they always seem to work well.  The service was very good; our server was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable.  This is a great spot to meet with friends and/or family; coworkers, your significant other… even a first date.  Parking is no problem as the restaurant is located in a shopping center plaza. Overall, we give Aida Bistro ♪♪♪.

Grilled Oysters

Served with a little parmesan cheese on top these oysters were very herbateous and savory.  The sauce had a perfect consistency and the addition of Italian herbs added a great amount of flavor to this dish.

Braised Pork Belly with Port Poached Apple and Caramelized Onions

The pork belly is fat and crispy.  There is a nice smoky flavor.  The apples and onion mixture was surprisingly delicious.  It was a perfect combination of sweet and savory.  The port created a delicious reduction sauce. 

Roaring 40’s Blue Cheese Salad with cider vinaigrette, local apples and spiced almonds

This salad was fresh and delicious.  The addition of a cube of blue cheese (incidentally, Roaring 40s is our favorite kind) and spiced almonds added a nice fall feeling to the dish.  It was robust and vibrant like the colors of fall leaves. 

Duck Confit with Potato

This dish reminded us of an au gratin potato dish with mustard and a sour relish. The sour relish helped to cut the heavy creaminess of the dish.  The crumbled bread crumbs added a wonderful texture.  The gamey flavor of the duck added richness and depth.  It was a perfect dish for a cold winter day.  This Duck Confit was delicious! 

Porcini Crusted Swordfish

The Porcini mushrooms were the star of this show.  They were perfectly caramelized and added a ton of earthiness to the dish; they were reminiscent of bacon.  The swordfish was light and perfectly cooked.  The rich flavor of the mushrooms was a perfect complement to the light flavor of the fish.  The mashed potatoes were light, fluffy and flavorful. 

Scallops in a Carrot Ginger Puree

The Scallops were seared to perfection and very delicious.  They were naturally sweet and oceany.  However the carrot ginger puree was sad.  It had no sweetness, character or depth. 

Dark Chocolate Bacon Terrine

Too often terrine can be very dry.  This one was not at all dry.  It was moist, creamy and delicious.  The saltiness and smokiness of the bacon was the perfect compliment.    The terrine was made with a dark chocolate which made it so rich and delicious.  This dish just melted in your mouth. 

Discussion Topic: What’s your season?

Melissa: Since we are in the midst of a transition from Fall to Winter, let’s talk about our favorite seasons.  Personally I love the fall and winter.  This is the time of year that I thrive and am at my best.

Angela:  And I hate it!  This is the time of year when I go into hibernation and disappear. 

Melissa: I know because I have to coax you to come out and eat with me. 

Angela:  Personally I prefer Spring and Summer.  There is nothing better than the end of winter when the days get longer and flowers start to bloom.  This is the time of year when I gather all of my favorite music and take long drives with the windows down and the music playing. 

Melissa: Yes I know, because Spring and Summer are when you are coaxing me to come out and play.  While I love the long days of Summer I can’t stand the heat and humidity.  I would be just as happy in Alaska where there’s lots of snow!  Lol

Angela:  Ugh! That sounds like my nightmare. I hate the cold! And snow is pretty for about 5 minutes in the city, after which point it is an icy, sludge filled mess. And the next time you say, I love winter and would love for it to snow; I will not be held responsible for my action. Lol

Melissa and Angela: So folks, now you know where we stand on the subject. And for all of you out there that enjoy the Fall and Winter months the most, enjoy it while it is here. And for those of you that already can’t wait for Spring and Summer, hang in there, it will all be over before you know it.

Soup's On Photos

Black Forest Ham and Swiss Cheese Sandwich

Spicy Red Lentil Soup

Leek Artichoke Potato and Mascarpone Soup

Banh Mi (Vietnamese) Roast Pork Sandwich