What's hot in Baltimore

Nation's Restaurant News, April 28, 2003

Bicycle

1444 Light St., (410) 234-1900. Seats: 65. Cuisine: eclectic. Main Courses: $15-$29. Specialties: rockfish baked in banana leaves with banana chutney and red curry sauce over Chinese black sticky rice; mahi mahi and shrimp seasoned with garlic-chili sauce on top of baby spinach, baked in phyllo dough and served over Shanghai noodles with creamy cilantro-walnut-jalapeno pesto; marinated, thick-cut grilled pork chop with an ale reduction, topped with onion marmalade and roasted lady apple, served over cheesy grits or smoked-gouda Yukon gold mashed potatoes. Chef: Barry Rumsey. Owner: Rumsey and Deborah Mazzoleni.

Charleston

1000 Lancaster St., (410) 332-7373. Seats: 115. Cuisine: Low Country cuisine with a French accent. Main courses: $27-$34. Specialties: fried green tomato sandwich with lump crab, lobster, Yukon gold potatoes, sweet onion and a drizzle of chive oil; heads-on Gulf shrimp and grits with sauteed, diced andouille sausage and tasso ham; pan-seared foie gras with sliced mango and blood orange and Barbados rum pan sauce. Chef-owner: Cindy Wolf.

Red Maple

930 N. Charles, (410) 547-0149. Seats: 85. Cuisine: new Asian tapas. Specialties: Arctic char and Thai basil rice cakes; lump crab saute and spinach with Szechwan butter and crispy green onions; grilled tuna with sweet baby bok choy. Tapas price range: $5-$8. Chef: Joseph Kemp. Owners: Leonard Clarke, Patrick Radocci, Jason Sanchez and Mustafa Vail.

Red Tapas

1 S. Calvert St., (410) 539-1330. Seats: 150. Cuisine: new American tapas. Specialties: espresso-rubbed filet of beef; sea bass with leeks done two ways, braised and fried; chopped shrimp and artichoke dip with baby shrimp on top, served with fried wontons. Tapas price range: $4.95-$12.95. Chef de cuisine: Dwayne Cook. Owner: Jerry Edwards and Vito Piazza.

Soigne

554 E. Fort Ave., (410) 659-9898. Seats: 60. Cuisine: Asian fusion. Specialties: jumbo lump crab cake with wasabi cream and panko crust layered with Creole fried oysters and mangofig salsa; pecan-crusted roasted mahi mahi on top of corn-risotto cake, served with seafood pot stickers and mango beurre blanc; duck breast marinated and glazed in miso with pineapple and mango fried rice, truffled shiitake mushroom caps and Asian pear-fig chutney with balsamic vinegar. Main courses: $19-$28. Chef: Edward Kim. Owner: Lisa Heckman.