About Town
There are certain tell-tale signs that a new restaurant is going to be a one time visit for me or a contender for my "highly recommended" list. I'm on the fence with Blue Hill Tavern, the city's most recent contemporary dining spot located in the Brewers Hill neighborhood.
It failed all of the easy first-impression tests. The valet left us hanging curbside for several minutes without opening my door or taking M's keys. The hostess couldn't be bothered to crack a smile or show any sign she was pleased we chose Blue Hill over the city's other, more conveniently located establishments. Our waiter informed us that he couldn't wait to finish his graduate degree and get a real job. And, well...the list goes on. While none of this made for a grand first impression, I know that these staff issues can quickly be remedied with proper training and motivation if the managers and owner are aware that the quality of the staff needs to measure up to the fanciness of the robin's egg blue and gun-metal gray decor. It's the only way I'd consider a return visit.
The good news: the food was good with the potential to be great. The sweet chile bbq quail was tasty and popped with crunchy pomegranate seeds. The pork belly appetizer was served on a bed of luscious red cabbage. The sous vide short rib fell off the bone into a pile of savory collard greens. Pumpkin fritters capped off the meal on a delightful, sweet and spicy note that had me happy it was finally fall.
As for drinks, M and I enjoyed a bottle of Ridge Lytton Springs which never, ever fails to please. We had started off the evening with cocktails: a Belvedere gimlet for me and a Stoli & tonic for M. Both were so poorly mixed that they remained on the table after only a few sips.
Should we have sent them back? Yes, but we didn't want to start off our meal complaining to the waiter. After all, Baltimore doesn't churn out new restaurants every week or offer the array of fine dining options the way New York does. It was nice to go somewhere new for a change. I'd really like to see more talented chefs come to Baltimore in the future and employ a staff that cared about attention to detail and took pride in quality service. In the meantime, I'd be happy with a properly mixed gimlet and a smile from the front of the house.
938 South Conking Street
Baltimore, MD
2 Comments
Reader Comments (2)
This Blue Hill isn't associated with the Blue Hill in NYC is it???
Nope, it's not affiliated with the Blue Hill in NYC. Here are the details on that Blue Hill:
http://www.bluehillfarm.com
Blue Hill is located at 75 Washington Place within Manhattan's historic Greenwich Village, between Washington Square Park and 6th Avenue, and between Waverly Place and West 4th Street.
I'd love to hear thoughts on it if anyone has eaten at the one in NYC. It's on my list for one of my next trips!