Like any area, there are debates over which restaurant has the best Italian, best barbecue, etc.  Corner Stable is one of two in the Baltimore area known for its barbecue.  Decorated with horse photos, jockeys’ silks, and other racing items, it had a nice casual feel.  Although they were busy on a Tuesday night, we were seated immediately and greeted within minutes by our waitress.

It didn’t take long for all of us to choose our dinner items.  For me, when you’re at a restaurant known for its barbecue that are two options:  baby back ribs or pulled pork.  Quite often the pork wins, as it is less messy to eat.  However, we were on vacation, so I decided to go with the messier option and give the ribs a try.

Our son ordered the ribs and fries plate.  He found the ribs to be a little bit greasy (which I’m sure to many, him included, is a good sign).  Even being greasy, they were nicely tender and had a decent amount of meat.  The only issue with his dish was the amount of barbecue sauce.  While it was quite flavorful, it overflowed the ribs and soaked the fries, transforming them from crunchy to limp.

Our daughter ordered the barbecued salmon with the barbecue sauce on the side.  (Yes, she is my daughter.  Together we order many dishes with items “on the side”.)  She enjoyed the salmon with its slightly smoky flavor.  For her sides she chose the cooked apples and mashed potatoes.  She loved the mashed potatoes and found the apples to be fair.  However, she prefers her fruit uncooked, so I didn’t find that shocking and was glad to help eat them.

My baby back ribs were wonderfully tender.  I know I am not a true ribs fan, as I picked at the ribs, separating meat and fat, much to my husband’s amusement.  However, the parts that I ate (read, not the fat) were delicious.  I ordered green beans and coleslaw as my sides.  I found the green beans to be nicely cooked but a little buttery for my liking.  Of course, this is a restaurant, so I knew there was no chance of getting steamed, unbuttered beans.  I ate one bite of the coleslaw just to say I tried it and gave the rest to my husband, knowing I would be full.

My husband wasn’t hungry and assumed there might be leftovers on other plates, so he ordered onion rings.  They had a nice crisp coating and were enjoyed by him.  He also enjoyed the coleslaw, which had a nice combination of tanginess and sweetness.

During our stay we didn’t have time, nor the desire, for another round of barbecue to determine who had the best.  However, I am sure during another one of our trips to the Baltimore area we will make a stop.  In the meanwhile, I definitely can recommend giving the ribs at the Corner Stable a try.

Of course, one of our purposes for visiting Philly was to see historic sites.  However, I’d be fibbing if I didn’t admit that an equally as important purpose was to eat cheesesteaks at Geno’s and Pat’s.  I know, a cheesesteak covered in Cheez Whiz doesn’t really sound like a dish that I’d crave, nor does it sound like something that our vegetarian would want, but it seemed like a vital stop for a group of foodies.

In keeping with the current societal theme of everyone winning a prize, I am pleased to say that both Pat’s and Geno’s were winners in our taste test.  No, this isn’t because we couldn’t decide; rather it was due to the vegetarian in our midst.  At each restaurant we ordered a cheesesteak with onions and cheese fries.  Let the comparisons begin!

Cheesesteak winner- Geno’s

Geno’s steak is cut thinner, which makes it more tender.  They provided a greater amount of onions on the sandwich, enough so that you could enjoy both the taste and texture of the topping.  They also used a roll that was softer.  Between the thinly sliced steak and the soft roll, it was easier to eat this sandwich, though eating a cheesesteak is a messy endeavor no matter the ingredients.  At both Pat’s and Geno’s the amount of Cheez Whiz seemed to be nearly equal on their sandwiches. 

Cheese Fries winner- Pat’s

Pat’s uses a more thickly cut french fry, not that it is a steak cut, but it is just slightly bigger, which holds up well against the liberal amount of Cheez Whiz.  In addition to being a thicker fry, it also had a crispier exterior.  Although the fries at the bottom of the box were slightly soggy from the cheese sauce, they still were firmer than the fries from Geno’s.

I am glad that we made a visit to the dueling steak shops during our time in Philly.  It was fun to share the judging of these items with the kids and to eat something quite different from our everyday menus.  If you ask me or our vegetarian, we are all set on visiting both Pat’s and Geno’s.  However, if you ask my husband or son, I’m pretty sure they’d be glad to return today.

While I think our determination of the winners is accurate, I’d encourage you to visit for yourself.  It can make a fun way to dine and pass some time.

Now, shockingly, BWW has the best nachos I have ever tasted from a restaurant.  Whenever go there I always get the Ultimate Nachos. (They traditionally come with chili, but I order them without.)  They come as a pile of tortilla chips adorned with cheese sauce, jalapeño slices, shredded lettuce, and pico de gallo.  The jalapenos I usually end up taking off, and the pico de gallo I normally ask for on the side because it is kind of acidic, but it still tastes yummy.  The  cheese sauce is delightfully cheesy and has the perfect amount of saltiness.  The chips taste freshly made and aren’t too salty, and the lettuce is very fresh and crisp.  But, you should probably be aware that the serving is huge!  I have never, ever, finished a whole entire one by myself. I went there on Saturday and finished the most I ever have, given my mother did help a little…but even with her help we didn’t finish all of it.

Now, before I let you go, I want to talk about a slightly touchy topic.  Wings: bone or no bone?  Everyone in my family prefers without the bone, but the family behind us all got with bone.  One of them tried to order without bone and got yelled at.  My family likes it without bone because they are much neater, you can stab it with a fork and pop it right in your mouth.  When you have bone in you normally don’t even get all the meat.  And it is much messier.  Feel free to comment and voice your opinions, I would like to hear them.

We arrived in Boston early and spent some time shopping on Charles Street.  However, with the cold temperatures, we decided to cut our shopping short and head to the restaurant early.  They graciously seated us 30 minutes earlier than our reservation.  This didn’t seem like an inconvenience, as we were the first party to arrive for dinner.  In fact, we wondered if we might have the restaurant to ourselves.  Within 30 minutes we discovered that this restaurant is quite busy on Sunday nights.

The Sunday night crowd may be typical of all nights, or it may be because Sunday is a special night at BHHB, the aptly named Fondue Sunday.  As regular readers know, both my husband and I adore cheese in all varieties, so this is how we started our dining.  The delightfully melted cheese is served with homemade sausage, baby potatoes, cornichons, crusty bread, and cauliflower.  The one-person order made the perfect sized appetizer for two.

For his entrée, my husband ordered the “Sandra Jean” Scallops with Lardo, Black Trumpet Mushrooms, and Herb Coulis.  The scallops were perfectly cooked and tender.  The black trumpet mushrooms were a delightful change to the typical portabella mushroom that is seen on menus everywhere.  The only disappointment to this dish was its size.  When it arrived I asked my husband if he had ordered an appetizer.  Without a grain or starch on the plate, it didn’t seem like a full-sized meal.

I ordered the Buckwheat Pappardelle with Braised Chicken, Brussel Sprouts, Bacon, and Black Pepper Ricotta.  My entrée was a generous portion, which allowed me to share quite a bit of it with my husband.  The pasta was cooked al dente, as I like, and had a great amount of chicken, ricotta, and brussel sprouts combined with it.  There was a lesser amount of bacon; however, I preferred the dish that way.  Too much bacon would have overwhelmed the other flavors.

We were quite content at this point, so we asked our waitress if we could wait a few minutes before ordering dessert.  She gladly acquiesced to our request but did check on our water glasses and deliver coffee that we ordered.  The restaurant was nearly full at this point, and I noticed that the staff did a fine job of keeping all diners happy with prompt service.

For dessert, we each found an item that was appealing. My husband ordered the Lemon Meringue Pie, which was served with a raspberry sauce.  This dessert was served as an individual pie, giving a nice ratio of crust to pie.  The lemon curd had a great balance of sweet and sour.  My dessert was the Baked Apple Tian, which was a shortbread crust topped with apples and served with vanilla ice cream and apple syrup.  The dessert was delicious with apples that were tender from baking without being soggy.  The ice cream and syrup added a nice element of sweetness to the dish.

Our evening at Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro was a wonderful end to the weekend serving us the dining trifecta of delicious food, great service, and a comfortable atmosphere.

Editor’s note:  Our evening of dining was provided at no cost to my husband and myself.  That being said, this review accurately reflects the quality of our experience at Beacon Hill Hotel & Bistro.

We arrived at Olé about 30 minutes prior to our reservation.  However, we were able to be seated promptly.  The restaurant was packed but well-staffed, which seemed to keep all of the patrons happily enjoying their meals.  We were provided with menus and water and given a moment to study our options.  We each chose a cocktail and were provided with complimentary chips and salsa.  It must be noted that this salsa was the most unique I’ve had.  It had a smoother texture than most and a hint of sweetness that I could not determine the source of.  Although I typically try to eat few chips to save room for the dishes I order, it was quite hard to do.

When the server returned with our drinks we ordered Guacamole En Mocajete.  This dish is the one item that left us conflicted.  I’ll start with the negative.  Although the menu describes the guacamole as being prepared table-side, that isn’t quite the case.  Our guacamole was made out of my sight, behind where I was seated.  The other negative was that we weren’t asked about preferences, as we have been at other table-side presentations, such as salt or not, lime juice or not.  The positive was that the guacamole was quite tasty as it was presented.

Olé offers two different dining styles:  tapas or entrées.  As both of us love tapas and the fact that eating tapas would allow us to sample more of the menu, we opted for that style.  Being ambitious eaters, we chose five different dishes.  While that may sound like a good amount of food, it probably was the perfect amount for us.

Our first tapas item to arrive was the Ceviche De Atun.  After eating quite a few chips, this dish was a nice change of pace.  Consisting of ahi tuna marinated in lime juice and accompanied by red onion, jalapenos, and olives, it was light and flavorful.  The tuna was tender and the contrast of crunchy onion to tender tuna was well-balanced.

For the next round of food, three of our tapas dishes were delivered together.  The Queso Fundido Con Hongos was a nice variation on the queso that you find at typical Mexican restaurants.  This dish consisted of goat cheese served with adobe marinated shiitake and crimini mushrooms with tomatilla salsa.  The queso was presented with miniature corn tortillas to scoop the melty cheese and mushroom combination.  The meaty nature of the mushrooms made this queso a heartier dish with a great bite from the goat cheese.

A side of Fried Plantains also was part of this course.  This dish was ordered with my husband in mind, as he loves both fried food and plantains.  In order to provide a thorough review of the dinner, I did sample one of the plantains and was pleased to find that it was not greasy, and also had a crisp exterior and creamy interior.  A drizzle of crema added a nice bit of flavor to the dish.

The final item of this course was the Falda Asada Con Mole.  Skirt steak marinated in adobo and cooked until medium rare, it was presented with haricots vert on red mole.  This dish was delicious.  The steak was well-cooked and also quite tender.  Although it was served with more of the mini corn tortillas, I opted to skip them so as not to interfere with the delicious flavors in the steak and haricots vert.

Our fifth tapas item was the Tacos de Pescado, which our server had recommended.  Taken straight from the menu, this dish is “beer battered haddock in homemade corn tortillas topped with cabbage slaw, cilantro pesto, chipotle mayonnaise and black sesame seeds”.  Again, fried foods fall quite low on my list of favorites.  However, the batter was crispy, not greasy, and light, and the fish was flaky.  The combination of toppings worked well together and provided a mixture of crunch, sweetness, and spice.

If you’re a regular reader, you know that although this was a filling meal, neither my husband nor I quit before dessert.  So, with the goal of reviewing the meal from beginning to end, we studied the dessert menu.  We each found a sweet treat to our liking and placed our orders.

My husband definitely chose the better of the two desserts.  I order the Tres Leches Cake.  The cake itself was tender, but it seemed to be lacking the tres leches.  As its name indicates, this is a cake made with three milks, which produces an incredibly moist cake.  While my cake wasn’t dry, there also was no moistness to it.  Additionally, it was to have been topped with Kahlua whipped cream.  Try as I might, I could not find a hint of coffee flavor to the whipped cream.

My husband ordered the Crepas De Cajeta, which were fabulous.  (In fact, I should have asked that we switch plates.)  These crepes were filled with candied pecans, topped with a goat milk caramel sauce, and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  The most amazing part of this dish was the caramel.  It was delightfully sweet but also had the trademark, savory flavor from the goat milk.  The pecans had a nice sugary taste that was tempered by the crepes.  A perfect way for one of us to end the meal.

The service at the restaurant was excellent.  At our table and all of the surrounding tables, glasses were kept full, plates were cleared in a timely manner, and patrons’ needs were checked in a reasonable manner.  The only caveat to dining at Olé is that as it is a smaller dining area, it can be loud.  Intimate conversation is difficult, but there is a vibrant atmosphere.  If you’re in Cambridge and seeking some tasty Mexican food, Olé Mexican Grill is a good choice.

Editor’s note:  Our evening of dining was provided at no cost to my husband and myself.  That being said, this review accurately reflects the quality of our experience at Olé Mexican Grill.

Since its opening in November 2011, I have dined there on two different occasions.  The first was a business lunch, which gave me a small glimpse into the workings of 36 deLux.  The second was a leisurely dinner with my husband that gave me the ability to experience more of what the restaurant has to offer.

Meeting the other members of my lunch group, the ten of us were seated at a large table.  Our drink orders were taken, and several bread baskets were provided.  As noted in a previous article, Richard’s Bistro had one of the best bread baskets in New Hampshire.  I eagerly peeked inside the basket and discovered that the bread appeared to be the same.  I took a piece of focaccia, topped it with some sweet butter, and took my first bite.  Immediately I recognized that not only did the bread look the same, it tasted the same: tender and flavorful.

For my entrée, I ordered  my go-to meal, Caesar Salad with Chicken.  The 36 deLux version of the salad did not disappoint.  A decent portion of chopped romaine was topped with perfectly grilled chicken.  Also adorning the salad were parmesan shavings and delicious croutons.  Normally, croutons are a garnish for me: something pretty to look at but not worth eating.  These croutons were unique; made of polenta they had a crunchy coating and a soft middle.  They added a nice dimension to the salad.

After the enjoyable lunch, my husband and I decided to spend a Saturday evening there.  We arrived at 7:30 to a restaurant that was nearly full.  As we didn’t have reservations, we were grateful that we were able to be seated promptly.  Our waitress provided menus and water, and we began reviewing all of our options.

After ordering our appetizer, the waitress delivered our wine and our bread basket.  As I had been anticipating this evening out, I had made sure that I would have an appetite that allowed me to sample a little bit of everything, especially the bread basket.  Usually I like the focaccia the best, but on this evening it seemed to be lacking something in its flavor.  My favorite bread was their roll that contained dill.

We started our ordering with Foie Gras a la “deLux”.  This evening’s presentation was a country style foie gras served with a Nutella sauce and cole slaw.  While my husband adores foie gras, I typically find it to be less exciting.  Knowing that there would be the fabulous bread basket, I figured I wouldn’t eat much of the appetizer.  Was I mistaken.  The foie gras was creamy and delivered excellent flavor.  While I do not enjoy chocolate very much, the Nutella did provide a nice contrast to the foie gras.

My husband ordered the Duck in a Jar as his entrée.  As their menu explains, it is an interesting combination of “carrots, pearl onions, foie gras, duck confit, and goat cheese crusted bread”.  Delivered in the jar and then poured into a bowl, it makes for a fun presentation.  My husband enjoyed the variety of ingredients and the delicious sauce.  Both the goat cheese crusted bread and our basket bread were put to use absorbing every drop of sauce.

I chose an item from the specials menu for my dinner, Pomegranate Braised Lamb Shanks.  The only disappointment to this dish was that the pomegranate was unnoticeable in the dish.  However, the lamb was amazingly tender and flavorful in its own right.  Served with goat cheese polenta, brussel sprouts, roasted corn, and apples, it was a wonderful meal: a delightful combination of flavors and textures that thoroughly pleased my palate.

Although at this point both of us were quite content, we do what we always do.  Sigh, and then peruse the dessert menu.  If we are going to indulge on a night of dining, then it should include a sweet ending.  We ordered the Warm Toffee Pudding, which was served with banana rum sauce and crème anglaise.  This is the perfect dessert for a cold winter night.  The combination of the warm, moist pudding and sweet, creamy sauces provide a delightful combination of heat and happiness.

In addition to the pudding, we also ordered two Coconut Macadamia Nut Balls.  These little orbs of sweetness were amazing.  They delivered a sugary ending to the meal with fabulous balance.  Yes, they were sweet but being a smaller dessert, it was the perfect amount of sweetness.

At both meals, I received excellent service.  The waitstaff is mindful of refilling water and wine glasses and insuring that the diners are pleased throughout the meal.  Even on a busy Saturday night, there was neither a delay of service nor a rush to have us finish our meal.  36 deLux lives up to its name, it truly is a deluxe dining experience.

We arrived shortly before our reservation time of 7:00.  The restaurant was busy, with most of the tables full.  We were able to be seated early and were given a booth.  We had the option of ordering off the menu or partaking in the buffet, and we chose the menu.  Within moments, we were greeted by our waiter who provided water and took our drink order.

When our waiter returned with our drinks, he asked if we had made any decisions on appetizers or if we needed any suggestions.  I told him that we wanted to start with sushi, and he recommended the Spicy Salmon Maki.  We also chose the Eel & Cucumber Maki.  Putting the menu down, as I thought the first round of ordering was done, the waiter asked what appetizer we would want, as sushi was just part of the first course.  Again, I asked what he would recommend.  I appreciated his honesty when he told us that most people ask for the boneless spare ribs or the chicken fingers but that he suggested the Thai Style Spare Ribs.

The first part of the appetizer round, the sushi, arrived within a few minutes.  Both maki were well prepared with a generous portion of the star ingredients: salmon, eel, cucumber.  The rice used as the packaging for the sushi was perfectly sticky and in a proper proportion that didn’t overwhelm the filling.

We were about halfway through our sushi when the spare ribs arrived.  Served atop a bed of lettuce and delivered with extra napkins, I was ready to give them a try.  Typically I don’t order spare ribs when dining at a restaurant; the stickiness and mess tend not to be worth it.  However, these ribs were fabulous.  If there had been no more courses to the meal, I would have claimed the entire plate as mine.  With a sweet sauce that had a hint of spice and meat that was ridiculously tender, these ribs were my favorite part of the meal.

Finished with our appetizers, our waiter arrived to take our entrée order.  As he had done a fabulous job in advising us on our appetizer round, I decided to put the rest of my evening in his control.  After he understood our preferences, he suggested China Blossom Steak, Mixed Vegetables, and Young Chow (House) Fried Rice.

The China Blossom Steak was presented sliced with black mushroom and assorted vegetables.  Served in a hot dish, the sauce was sizzling when the dish was presented to us.  The steak was cooked medium, as we requested, and being tender had a nice contrast to the crunch of the vegetables.  The rice was delicious and filled with shrimp, pork, and ham.  This rice was pale tan in color, instead of the dark brown that one normally envisions.  The lightness in color equated to a lightness in flavor that allowed the taste of the rice and its ingredients to shine.  Our final dish on the second round, Mixed Vegetables, was quite pleasing.  Again the vegetables were crisp-tender and piping hot.  An assortment of bok choy, broccoli, peppers, pea pods, and mushrooms, it was a nice light dish.

Although we were quite full, our waiter offered dessert.  As we were guests, it felt impolite to say no.  We told the waiter that any dessert that he wanted to bring, except something chocolate, would be perfect.  He arrived with two dishes of ice cream, each containing a scoop of maple walnut, pistachio, and black raspberry.  While the ice cream was creamy and flavorful, it did seem to be an odd ending to the meal.  I am not quite certain what I was anticipating, but it wasn’t these three flavors.  Regardless, the ice cream was enjoyable.

Throughout the meal we received excellent service.  Our water glasses were kept full, we were provided extra napkins as needed, and empty dishes and plates were cleared appropriately.  Not only did we, as invited guests, receive this service, but I noted that all of the tables within my view received the same service.

Chinese food is not something I usually request when making plans for dinner.  However, I do believe I will be returning to China Blossom in the future.  When I do, I will be ordering the Thai Style Spare Ribs as my entrée.

Editor’s note:  Our evening of dining was provided at no cost to my husband and myself.  That being said, this review accurately reflects the quality of our experience at China Blossom.

My first trip to Burtons Grill was on a Friday night.  I went to the mall with two of my teenagers to do a little Christmas shopping.  About halfway through our shopping, I stopped by the restaurant to put our name in for a table.  As I expected, at 8:00 there was a 45 minute wait, which would coincide perfectly with the remainder of our shopping list.

When we returned to the restaurant about 40 minutes later, we were seated within minutes of our arrival.  We were provided with menus and water, and our waitress appeared shortly thereafter.  She took our drink orders and asked if there were any dietary restrictions for the chef.  I let her know that my 13 year old was a vegetarian, and our waitress replied that she would return with a vegetarian menu.

After we had placed our orders, our waitress asked if we would like bread service.  It seemed worthy of trying, at this new-to-us restaurant.  That was the correct choice!  The rolls were warm and tender and served with a delicious garlic butter.  Even though I usually only eat half a roll, with such great bread and butter, I ate the whole roll.

Between the two different menus, we were able to find dishes that pleased all of us.  My daughter ordered a vegetarian pasta dish whose name escapes me.  However, her review of the dish wouldn’t be complete, as she asked to have some of the vegetables removed from the dish.  What she did eat was angel hair pasta with shallots, olives, and tomatoes. Her own version of this vegetarian pasta was pleasing to her.

My son ordered the Tuna Burger.  Described as “ground tuna blended with red onions, seasoned and seared medium rare, served on a griddled bun with sliced cucumber, pickled red onions, wasabi mayonnaise and ponzu sauce”, he found the burger to be delicious.  The tuna was tender, as it should be, and the inclusion of onions and cucumber added nice crunch and flavor.  He opted for french fries as his side and also enjoyed these immensely.

For my dinner, I chose my favorite dish, Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken.  The chicken was tender and flavorful; the dressing had a wonderful tang; the topping of parmesan was the perfect ratio of cheese to lettuce.  The only disappointment in the salad was the lettuce, which tended to be fairly pale, although it was still crunchy.  However, being December in New Hampshire, I know that getting good lettuce is difficult.

My first visit to Burtons Grill was an enjoyable evening of dining with two of my children.  Having enjoyed the food, service, and atmosphere, I strategically planned a morning of shopping with my husband to end at the mall near lunchtime.  It seemed that Burtons would be a place the two of us would enjoy also.  Thus, a week or two later, my husband and I arrived at Burtons at 12:30 for a lunch date.

At this adults only meal, we both decided to indulge and start with a beverage.  I opted for the Blueberry Squeeze, which was a tasty martini that delivered blueberry flavor without being syrupy or overly sweet, which is a win in my book.  My husband ordered a glass of Sycamore Cabernet, which he also enjoyed.

Being quite close to Christmas, and feeling indulgent, we started our meal with an appetizer, Buffalo Chicken Ragoons.  Filled with grilled chicken, blue cheese, and buffalo sauce, these wonton-wrapped appetizers were a scrumptious start to the meal.  The ragoons were loaded with flavor and weren’t greasy, even though it was a fried dish.

Still staying with the theme of indulgence, we accepted the offer of bread service.  I had told my husband how great their rolls and butter were after my first trip, so I figured he needed to experience them also.  He concurred that this bread service was one of the better we have had in our dining experiences.

For the main course, my husband chose the Daily Risotto Special.  This day’s risotto included chicken and asparagus.  The risotto was flavorful, but the presentation was different.  When ordering a risotto, both he and I assume that the ingredients will be cut to bite-size and placed within the dish.  For this risotto, the ingredients were left in bigger pieces and served atop the risotto.  All of the ingredients were well cooked and flavorful, though the risotto was a little undercooked, not quite reaching al dente.

For my main dish, I ordered the Grilled Stuffed Zucchini.  Although it actually is an appetizer item, it was the perfect choice for me after consuming a ragoon and bread.  The zucchini was my favorite dish of the day.  The zucchini was tender but firm and filled with a delicious herb and cheese combination.  Served in a bed of tomato sauce, it delivered a lot of flavor without being heavy.

Again, we had excellent service and enjoyed the atmosphere of the restaurant.  Although we don’t often think of dining at restaurants near the mall, I am sure we will keep Burtons Grill on our list of restaurant options.

My husband and our fifteen year old son returned from their trip to the MIT Museum, which they enjoyed, and we browsed a few more shops together.  After six or seven hours of walking and talking, we were ready for dinner.  Hoping to appease both the vegetarian and wrestler in training, we decided to head to Atlantic Fish Company.  My husband and I have dined here several times and have always received fabulous service and great food.  This evening was no different.

As we arrived around 5:30, we were able to beat the dinner rush and were seated promptly.  We received menus and water promptly, followed shortly thereafter by our waitress.  She detailed the day’s specials and highlighted dishes on the menu and took our drink order before leaving us to decide.  It is a rather large and tasty menu, so we definitely needed a few minutes.

To give us more time to decide and to allow us to enjoy a little more of the menu, we started with one of that day’s specials, the Lobster and Crab Salad.  Layered with avocado and served with endive leaves for scooping, it was a delicious and not too heavy start to the meal.

Our daughter chose the fish and chips.  Although a fish-eating vegetarian, she is slowly expanding her range of fish, so the haddock was a perfect choice for her.  For sides she chose the mashed potatoes (a perennial favorite side of hers) and coleslaw.  The fish had a flaky coating that was neither greasy nor overpowering to the fish.  The serving of mashed potatoes was huge, but she made her best attempt to finish it.

Our son had a hard time deciding, as he enjoys almost all seafood items.  However, he also was debating what to eat with wrestling season under way.  He made a compromise with himself: he would order the bread bowl of their award-winning Clam Chowder, which was indulgent, but that would be his entire meal.  He thought the chowder was worthy of awards with its creamy consistency and hearty portion of clams.

I ordered the Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes, which is my default seafood order.  Although I enjoy many types of seafood, I have a weak spot for crab cakes that are made well.  As I guessed, these crab cakes were delightful; tender pieces of crab meat were the star of the cakes.  Served with green beans and corn pudding, it was a fabulous dinner.

My husband ordered only a Classic Caesar Salad.  At first I wondered if something were wrong, as that isn’t a filling meal for him.  Once our meals arrived, I realized the true intent of his plan.  Neither my daughter nor I would be finishing our meals, which meant that my husband was receiving three meals instead of one!  He not only enjoyed the salad but also coleslaw, fried haddock, a crab cake, and corn pudding.

After a dinner as big as this there was no room in any of our appetites for dessert.  Filled with great food and terrific memories from the day, we began our journey home.

Two weeks ago we had the good fortune to travel to Baltimore on business and were able to extend the trip into the weekend.  We arrived at Charleston shortly before our reservation of 9:30.  The restaurant was busy at this time of night, and we were offered a seat in the lounge.  While waiting, we each ordered a cocktail and were delivered a plate of homemade truffled potato chips with truffled creme fraiche.  Typically, I don’t enjoy potato chips, however, these were extraordinarily delicious.  After some waiting, we were seated by 10:00.

Once seated, all of our decisions for the evening began.  At Charleston, diners have the option of ordering a three to six course meal.  In addition to the chosen number of courses, dessert is served.  Also, diners have the entire menu from which to choose for their courses.  Both my husband and I decided to order the four-course dinner.

Our dining began with an amuse bouche of Southwest Soup, cheddar cracker, and tasso.  This was a wonderful spark for our palates.  The cracker was tender, as opposed to crunchy, with a sharp cheddar bite.  The tasso provided a bit of saltiness to this little bite.

With our palates awake and ready, our courses began.  My first course was the Chanterelle Mushrooms .  Served on a crispy grit cake with goat cheese cream, I think this was my favorite dish of the evening.  The dish was a wonderful balance of textures and flavors, tender, crispy, and creamy.  My husband started his dinner with Burgundy Snails, which were served with butter-poached garlic and bacon in a puff pastry tart.  This was a fabulous treat for him, as snails are hard to find on many menus.  Served with butter and bacon, I don’t think they could be presented in a better format.

For our second course, I picked a dish which was the least filling, Roasted Beet Salad.  A combination of mâche and frisée, fennel and raisin croutons, bacon, and raspberry vinaigrette, it was light and refreshing.  The croutons had an interesting combination of flavors.  My husband chose a perennial favorite for this course,  Sautéed Hudson Valley Foie Gras .  The foie gras was placed atop local roasted chestnut cream, and crispy vidalia onions and accented with fresh figs.  This was his favorite dish of the evening.  Not only was he able to have one of his favorite foods, foie gras, the plate was graced with his favorite fruit, figs, which reminds both of us of Paris.

With the third course beginning, I did consider that four courses were far too many for me.  However, I also knew that my able dining companion would gladly finish any course that I couldn’t.  My third course was Pan-Roasted Turbot, a fish which we do not find in our local area.  The turbot was flavorful and well-cooked but still quite moist.  Accompanying the turbot was a fresh artichoke and basil salad with arugula oil.  Artichokes are a favorite vegetable of mine and were delicious served as the main ingredient in a salad.  My husband also had fish for this course, though he opted for Pan-Roasted Wild Rockfish, another Maryland area fish.  In addition to enjoying the rockfish, he found the oyster and button mushroom fricassée and lemon beurre blanc to be flavorful accompaniments.

For our final course of the meal, we each chose a meat dish.  I chose Grilled Gunpowder Farm Buffalo Tenderloin served with creamy polenta, oyster mushrooms, and crispy shallots.  The tenderloin was succulent, the polenta rich, and the shallots a crunchy balance to the dish.  My husband ended his dining with Pan-Roasted Magret Duck Breast.  My husband enjoyed every bite of the duck and the complimentary pecan and vidalia onion stuffing, roasted carrot, parsnip and celeriac.

For dessert, I had the Gingerbread and Local Apples.  The cake was moist and had a nice ginger flavor.  Served with homemade ice cream and caramelized apples, their sweetness was balanced by the cake, which was closer to savory.  My husband finished his meal with the Local Bosc Pear and Almond Tart.  Served in a crispy crust and accented with more homemade ice cream and figs, it was a fabulous finish to the meal.

In addition to enjoying many courses of delectable foods, the meal was made even more enjoyable by the impeccable service.  Our waiter provided excellent guidance for our dinner choices and gave fabulous introductions to each course.  Other members of the waitstaff ensured that our water glasses were full, our courses cleared in a timely manner, and each course had the correct utensils.  Service such as this is rare.

Although a night at Charleston is an indulgence, it is one that I am sure we will repeat.