Restaurant Review: Ropewalk Tavern (Appetizers only)

So this isn't really a restaurant review, per se, but I am so effing fond of this dish (can you even call pub grub a "dish"?) that I just had to write about it.

As you may know, Ropewalk Tavern is one of my favorite bars in Federal Hill, not least because I happen to live about 3 minutes walking distance from it, literally half a block away. This has made for many a memorable drunken late-night, what with the bar's huge and explorable interior, rather satisfying Saturday night DJ, amusing (and unabashedly obnoxious) politically-driven decor pieces, and occasionally eye-candy-worthy crowd (sorry, D! just a harmless observation! you're my only guy candy.) - with the wondrous convenience of being able to stumble home the icing on the party-hardy cake.

Anyway, as I prepare to move away from Baltimore - and my beloved Federal Hill - it dawned on me that I may not get to visit Ropewalk for who knows how long. So, last night on a complete whim, I decided to break my self-imposed, stubborn rule of never going out on weeknights (except for the occasional jaunt to CVS to buy shampoo), and step out of my comfort zone, risking disrupting my set-in-stone, stodgy weeknight routine. Now granted, I was only out for 1.5 hours and was safely back in my bed by 10:15PM - but still! This is a huge step for me. I'm a homebody nerd.

Once I got there with a couple of my guy friends, there was no question what I'd order - my favorite appetizer on their otherwise standard pub-grub menu, something that I'd actually ordered as takeout a couple of times, by myself (nerd!) - the Ropewalk Queso Bites. Nestled on a bed of crisp lettuce, these deep-fried, surprisingly spicy cheese bites were amazing. This type of food is not normally my cup of snooty tea, but I will gladly eat these queso bites everyday. At least for a week, till my insides protest in fury. And at only $6, they don't hurt my budget. My friends got these Thai-inspired chicken bites which sat atop fried green beans, which were like french fries but somehow much more awesome. I also had a whisky-sour (just one!) while they had some beers. I'm hoping that D and I can make it to Ropewalk at least one more time before I leave Baltimore, for one of our classic revelry-worthy nights, but we'll have to see - D hasn't come to Baltimore since a loooong time. ;)

Overall grade: n/a (this was not a meal. doi.)

Restaurant Review: Addie's

First off, welcome to my blog. This was many months in the making, so I hope it's everything you ever dreamt longingly of in a blog. I decided to make my inaugural post about Addie's in Rockville for two reasons: it's the first restaurant slash meal I've ever decided to blog about and was the nexus for the very idea of this blog, and secondly, everything about it is splendiferous.

That mid-summer night back in the olden days of 2010, I'd decided I wanted to splurge a little. Well, that and Dan (henceforth known as "D" in these parts) had been taking me out to place after place, and I wanted to do something nice in turn. So, my new bonus in tow, we stumbled upon this tiny gem of a restaurant, located most unassumingly on Rt 355, nestled behind some gnarly trees. I, being the snob I am, was unimpressed by the outside. However, once we stepped inside we were transported to a realm of maaaaagic. A converted family house, the place easily could be your neighbor's sunroom dinner party (if your neighbor happened to be a classically-trained master chef). We sat in the back of the "house", near the charming, adorable outdoor garden patio.

D decided on this,:

Sautéed Carolina Mountain Trout
Vanilla Bacon Braised Cabbage, Roasted Beet Rice Puree,
Guanciale, Baby Beets
$22

while I went with the steak (of course).:

Roseda Black Angus Strip Steak
Yukon Potato Gallette, Charred Onion Creamed Greens,
Smoked Mushrooms, Addie’s Steak Sauce
$25

A pattern you'll start to notice with this blog is that D often chooses some sort of seafood creation, while I inevitably go for the steak. Being that I'm an Indian, Hindu girl, I'm not so fond of this little fact. Back to topic, I'm slowly starting to not only tolerate, but actually enjoy seafood, due to D's patient urging (and berating teases of "you're scared of seafood - and you call yourself a gourmand!").

I had a bite of the trout, and will report that it was moist, flavorful, and had a pleasant hint of lemon. I remember not recoiling visibly at it, and actually even savoring its warm tartness in my mouth, so kudos to the peeps that created it. My steak was, unsurprisingly, lovely. Nestled warmly in lush creamed greens, each bite was a treat for the senses; the accompanying potato galette was to die for.

We also shared a bottle of red wine (sadly, I fail to remember the brand, but knowing us it was likely a Malbec) and finished off with not one, but two desserts (I was feeling generous).

The ordered dessert was this:

Chocolate Toffee Pecan Cake
Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Toffee Pieces
$9

And then the waiter coaxed us into trying a second dessert, which was a curious little chocolate confection that included a most peculiar spicy sauce one was instructed to use as a dip. I wasn't quite sure I liked it, but it didn't affect the overall experience of the meal. Overall, our meal came to $92 (ouch) not including tip and tax, which seemed a tad ridiculous for the suburbs. But was it worth it? This girly gourmand goes with: yes.

Overall grade: A-

Addie's
11120 Rockville Pike
Rockville, MD 20852

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