What's in when out, with … food - listed sampling of African American and Caribbean American restaurants in Maryland - Advertising Supplement: Maryland's African American Culture

American Visions, April-May, 1993 by Jean Thompson

From Trinidadian to Jamaican, from old-fashioned pan shaking to French haute cuisine - and never forgetting the Chesapeake Bay crab theme in between - fine food is the hallmark of Maryland's African-American and Caribbean-American restaurants. Below is a sampler, the smallest taste, of the state's succulent bounty.

"A black man owning a French restaurant? Is he for real?" quips Benjamin Gordon Jr., owner and chef of Baltimore's highly successful Restaurant 2110. The "romance, flair and versatility" of French traditional cooking appeals to Gordon, and with its exacting techniques, he considers it a creative, artistic expression designed to please diners who have followed his career as though he were family. 2110's menu emphasizes country French preparations of fish, lamb, shellfish, veal, beef and duck, though Gordon is equally at home with both sweet-potato pie and with pate. Indeed, he frequently prepares Cajun and other Louisiana specialties for his patrons.

Gordon studied classical French cooking techniques at the Baltimore International Culinary College, where he now occasionally teaches. Later he became the first black member - and the youngest member - of the Baltimore chapter of the Chaine des Rotisseurs, an international gourmet society. Today his voice is heard on the radio, endorsing culinary products; his future may include television. Clearly, Gordon's career is on the rise - which is to say, it's been an uphill climb. "When you get out of school, that's when you start to learn," he says. His first menu was written in French, which intimidated some customers - a, lesson learned; now it is in English and customers order with confidence. The menu's language is not all that has changed; so has Gordon's dress, which is now formal. His commitment to excellence and listening to his customers remains steadfast. Just as he did when he was a youthful beginner - though then outfitted, in a white chef's coat, gym shoes and baseball cap - he still visits with patrons during the dinner hour, asking what they like and answering questions about techniques and trends.

You won't find curried goat, curried chicken, red beans and rice, fried plantains, callaloo and red snapper stuffed with crabmeat at 2110 - but don't despair; there's no need to leave Baltimore to find these Trinidadian staples. Braznell's Caribbean Kitchen is the place - and has been for 11 years. Long before others ventured down the path of serving West Indian fare, pioneers Alfred and Esme Braznell introduced the city to the joys of broadening the palate. Though the menu changes, it remains Trinidadian - a taste that differs from other Caribbean styles in part because its seasoning relies on herbs as well as chilies and in part because of the strong influence of that portion of the island's population that is of East Indian ancestry.

While Esme is busy in the kitchen, Alfred mans a small bar well stocked with varieties of rum and Caribbean beers - the latter of which are a welcome complement to the zing of the meals.

"Nyammin" translates from Jamaican dialect as "eat heartily," says Deborah Reed, formerly the consul at the Jamaican Embassy in Washington, D.C., and now the owner of Nyammin's Karibi Kafe, a recent addition to the Charles Street business, restaurant and gallery corridor. Authenticity ranks high among Nyammin's appeals: The Scotch bonnet pepper used in marinades will bring tears to the eye - though there are subtleties of seasoning to be found as well.

Snapper Palisadoes (a whole fish stuffed with callaloo), saffron shrimp, oxtail stew, jerk chicken, and jerk pork may sound typically Caribbean, but each island puts its stamp on the flavors, says Reed. "The key to jamaican cooking is that we marinate most of our dishes overnight. Jamaican cooking isn't all hot: our saying here is, 'hot, sweet and spicy.' Even our jerk marinade has a touch of sweetness." Jamaican beer, brilliant hues on the walls, a collection of hand-painted plates and West Indian artwork yield an island feel that attracts patrons.

The Eager House, an older restaurant that has been restored and given new life in Baltimore's historic Mt. Vernon district, is the city's largest black-owned restaurant - and one started by a novice in the business. "I'm a risk-taker," says the effervescent entrepreneur, Ernest L. Murphy. The menu's influences are American and Chesapeake. Crabmeat-and-corn chowder, 12-ounce strip steak with peppercorns and a light bourbon cream, and linguine with vegetables tossed in sorrel pesto are counter-poised with a light-fare menu of soups, sandwiches and salads.

As the ocean's surf laps the Eastern Shore, Al Jordan reflects upon how much has changed in his 18 years in the area's restaurant business. "When I first became a manager, you very seldom saw a black manager in the front of the house, especially in these parts. You maybe saw blacks busing tables or washing dishes." Now Jordan's name is on the restaurant he launched in Ocean City as a sole owner last May.