Raffy's Restaurant |
|
| 8706 Belair Road | |
| Baltimore, MD 21236 | |
| 410-529-4005 | |
|
Hours:
Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Lounge is open later | |
| What's nearby: | |
Raffy's large menu goes the distance for diners
By Karen Nitkin
Special to the Sun
Originally published on June 21, 2007
For newcomers who don't
know better, Raffy's seems to promise
culinary disappointment. First,
you notice the smell of stale smoke
in the air. Then you see televisions
everywhere, even embedded in the floor.
Fun seems more important than food at
this enormous bar and restaurant, and
your waitress doesn't convince you otherwise.
She recites the drink specials, even
though it's barely noon, and belatedly remembers
you wanted "some kind of fruit"
in your club soda (a lime wedge), then still
fails to bring it.
But surprise, surprise -- the food at
Raffy's is quite good. The pizzas have inventive
toppings and paper-thin crusts, the
meatballs are unusually tender, the entrees
are flavorful, and even simple sides
such as mashed potatoes are prepared
with care.
Much as I enjoyed my meal, in all honesty,
I probably won't return until after Feb.
1, when the smoking ban kicks in statewide.
Loud music and lots of televisions
don't bother me (much), but that cigarette
stench is just yucky. Smoking is allowed
only on the bar side of the restaurant, but
the smell permeates everything.
Raffy's, which opened in December 2006,
is owned by Ray Mazzone, his uncle Roland
Mazzone and his cousin Franco Rachtelli,
who all live in Perry Hall and have years of
restaurant experience.
The partners completely renovated the
10,000-square-foot site, formerly a swimming
pool supply store, creating a bar area
and a dining room side, with a garage-door-style
wall between them that can be pulled
up to create one really large space -- with
room to dance -- on weekend nights. A
function room is in the back.
The vastness of the interior is matched by
the sprawl of the menu, which is several
pages long and jumps from typical bar
munchies such as coconut shrimp ($9.99)
and wings ($8.99); to American basics such
as burgers ($6.99) and grilled salmon
($14.99); to an around-the-world sampling
of dishes that includes empanadas from
Argentina ($6.99), oyster po'boys from New
Orleans ($9.99), shrimp scampi from Italy
($16.99) and pork chops au poivre from
France ($14.99).
Rachtelli said the menu will be scaled
back in the coming weeks, a move that
seems wise. With a selection so large and
unfocused, there are bound to be some
dead spots. For me, it was the black-and-bleu
salad, an entree-sized mix of blackened
chicken, blue cheese, candied walnuts
and peaches ($11.99). The chicken was
dry, the peaches came out of a can and the
raspberry vinaigrette was offensively
sweet.
By contrast, much of the food at Raffy's is
lovely, particularly the pizza patata ($8.99),
a thin-crusted rectangle topped with paper-thin slices of roasted potatoes and red
onions, slivers of black olives and roasted
peppers, and just enough cheese to hold it
all together.
A single eight-ounce meatball ($6.99) is
served, oddly enough, with no spaghetti
except for two strands inserted like antennas
as whimsical decoration. Almost baseball-sized, this ode to Atkins arrives in a
bath of deeply flavored
tomato sauce, the only
accompaniments a dollop
of ricotta and a two-bite
piece of garlic
bread. Appetizer, or
main course? Share, or
eat it alone? It's an odd
ball, for sure, but a delicious
one, unusually
tender, with a mildly
herbal component that
brings out the best flavors
of the meat and the
sauce.
The Chicken Rustic
($15.99) takes a traditional
marsala presentation
and jazzes it up
with a splash of cream, artichoke hearts
and copious amounts of garlic. This is
served with chunky mashed potatoes and
some simply sauteed squash.
Desserts, a standard selection of cakes,
are not made in house, but they seemed
fresh enough, at least during our visit. I
just wish they hadn't been served on ice-cold
plates.
The last page of Raffy's menu is taken up
with a list of "rules" that are clearly meant
to be funny. These include such chestnuts
as "no whining" and "we reserve the right
to refuse service to anyone, especially if we
think you are a great big jerk."
In truth, Raffy's is a better restaurant
than this snarky list would indicate. If you
give it a chance, and ignore those early
warning signs, you will be pleased.
Ratings:
Food: ***
Service: **
Atmosphere: **
Rating system: Outstanding: ****; Good ***; Fair or uneven **; Poor *
By Karen Nitkin
Special to the Sun
Originally published on June 21, 2007
For newcomers who don't
know better, Raffy's seems to promise
culinary disappointment. First,
you notice the smell of stale smoke
in the air. Then you see televisions
everywhere, even embedded in the floor.
Fun seems more important than food at
this enormous bar and restaurant, and
your waitress doesn't convince you otherwise.
She recites the drink specials, even
though it's barely noon, and belatedly remembers
you wanted "some kind of fruit"
in your club soda (a lime wedge), then still
fails to bring it.
But surprise, surprise -- the food at
Raffy's is quite good. The pizzas have inventive
toppings and paper-thin crusts, the
meatballs are unusually tender, the entrees
are flavorful, and even simple sides
such as mashed potatoes are prepared
with care.
Much as I enjoyed my meal, in all honesty,
I probably won't return until after Feb.
1, when the smoking ban kicks in statewide.
Loud music and lots of televisions
don't bother me (much), but that cigarette
stench is just yucky. Smoking is allowed
only on the bar side of the restaurant, but
the smell permeates everything.
Raffy's, which opened in December 2006,
is owned by Ray Mazzone, his uncle Roland
Mazzone and his cousin Franco Rachtelli,
who all live in Perry Hall and have years of
restaurant experience.
The partners completely renovated the
10,000-square-foot site, formerly a swimming
pool supply store, creating a bar area
and a dining room side, with a garage-door-style
wall between them that can be pulled
up to create one really large space -- with
room to dance -- on weekend nights. A
function room is in the back.
The vastness of the interior is matched by
the sprawl of the menu, which is several
pages long and jumps from typical bar
munchies such as coconut shrimp ($9.99)
and wings ($8.99); to American basics such
as burgers ($6.99) and grilled salmon
($14.99); to an around-the-world sampling
of dishes that includes empanadas from
Argentina ($6.99), oyster po'boys from New
Orleans ($9.99), shrimp scampi from Italy
($16.99) and pork chops au poivre from
France ($14.99).
Rachtelli said the menu will be scaled
back in the coming weeks, a move that
seems wise. With a selection so large and
unfocused, there are bound to be some
dead spots. For me, it was the black-and-bleu
salad, an entree-sized mix of blackened
chicken, blue cheese, candied walnuts
and peaches ($11.99). The chicken was
dry, the peaches came out of a can and the
raspberry vinaigrette was offensively
sweet.
By contrast, much of the food at Raffy's is
lovely, particularly the pizza patata ($8.99),
a thin-crusted rectangle topped with paper-thin slices of roasted potatoes and red
onions, slivers of black olives and roasted
peppers, and just enough cheese to hold it
all together.
A single eight-ounce meatball ($6.99) is
served, oddly enough, with no spaghetti
except for two strands inserted like antennas
as whimsical decoration. Almost baseball-sized, this ode to Atkins arrives in a
bath of deeply flavored
tomato sauce, the only
accompaniments a dollop
of ricotta and a two-bite
piece of garlic
bread. Appetizer, or
main course? Share, or
eat it alone? It's an odd
ball, for sure, but a delicious
one, unusually
tender, with a mildly
herbal component that
brings out the best flavors
of the meat and the
sauce.
The Chicken Rustic
($15.99) takes a traditional
marsala presentation
and jazzes it up
with a splash of cream, artichoke hearts
and copious amounts of garlic. This is
served with chunky mashed potatoes and
some simply sauteed squash.
Desserts, a standard selection of cakes,
are not made in house, but they seemed
fresh enough, at least during our visit. I
just wish they hadn't been served on ice-cold
plates.
The last page of Raffy's menu is taken up
with a list of "rules" that are clearly meant
to be funny. These include such chestnuts
as "no whining" and "we reserve the right
to refuse service to anyone, especially if we
think you are a great big jerk."
In truth, Raffy's is a better restaurant
than this snarky list would indicate. If you
give it a chance, and ignore those early
warning signs, you will be pleased.
Ratings:
Food: ***
Service: **
Atmosphere: **
Rating system: Outstanding: ****; Good ***; Fair or uneven **; Poor *
