While parking at Nacho Mama's in Canton, I discovered Elvis painted into a Johnny Unitas uniform.
It was around 1 p.m., and inside there was one seat at the bar, and seating in the dining room was wait-listed. My companion and I waited, though no one acknowledged our presence. After repeatedly rushing by in a "look how busy I am" sort of way, the bartender finally greeted us. Fortunately, the chips and salsa came quickly and we were able to gear up for some Natty Boh.
A word about the atmosphere: Nacho Mama's is all atmosphere. The Colts memorabilia, the Elvis pictures and magazine covers, the vintage ads and trays from Baltimore's famous brew adorn every wall as well as the ceiling. Even Rachel, the attractive and attentive server, doubles as ad space in a Nacho Mama's shirt with the Natty Boh logo on the front and "Oh Boy, what a restaurant, hon," on the back. Not-so-subliminal advertising, right? Needless to say, I ordered one.
Hard to imagine, but afterward, I felt as if I made a mistake. I saw this young couple slurping from a giant flat drink. Rachel told me it was the "hubcap margarita," -- a giant car hubcap filled with a sweet tequila beverage for only 10 bucks! Next time, I'll plan on a liquid lunch.
The menu reads like a novel -- too many words. It took about 10 minutes just to muster the endurance to read it. Plus, there was this little kid nearby that was throwing a fit, and it was difficult to concentrate. Generally, I don't mind the little ones -- and good thing: Nachos Mama's is a haven for grubs. I counted seven, so it must be a good place for families -- urban chic families, that is, not Shoney's families.
The menu, aside from being verbose, is cute. Nacho Mamas' rules appear at the top, and includes such policies as, "Journey will be played at 10 o'clock," and "Selected members of the staff available for private parties."
I opted for the bean taco, and my pal got the veggie quesadilla. A word to vegetarians: the refrieds are cooked in lard and the black beans are cooked in chicken stock, so give the server a head's up and they can give you the special vegetarian beans.
I tried these "special" beans, and the thing that makes them so special is that they absolutely suck. They're dry, crunchy, and flavorless. Not only do they suck, but Nacho Mama's serves more beans than any human could possibly consume. No kidding, after they dumped the whole can in the oven, baked them into crunchy little cockroaches, they served me the whole thing. Drowned in hot sauce, they're not so bad.
The quesadilla, on the other hand, was very good -- hot, crisp and with lots of cheese. I helped myself to more than my share, and tried to pawn off the beans to no avail.
The kid beside me finally shut the hell up so I could enjoy some of my meal. All in all, it wasn't a horrible experience. I just hope they can do something about those beans.
Dish: We had the bean taco and the veggie quesadilla. I don't have enough bad things to say about the dry, crunchy beans and the cold, crumbly tortilla that enveloped the taco. The quesadilla, though, was excellent. It was hot and cheesy, replete with salsa and some surprising vegetables like carrots and broccoli. The Natty Boh sealed the deal, though I wish I'd taken a dip in that hubcap margarita.
Damage: The total bill was $14.92. My taco ($4.75) and Boh ($1.25) were only $6. Combined with the quesadilla ($6.95) and side of tasty guacamole ($1.25), there was enough to fill two people.
Decision: Nacho Mamas is a rock-solid staple of Baltimore. It's always crowded, and a large number of regulars seem at home there (some of them even have their names on the menu). I would be willing to try the food again, because the ambiance and service are great. Service can make or break a restaurant. If Rachel hadn't stopped by to check in, the night would not have been such a success. I think it's safe to say that any vegetarians out there would feel a little nonplussed by the offerings, but next time, I'll have some meat.
It was around 1 p.m., and inside there was one seat at the bar, and seating in the dining room was wait-listed. My companion and I waited, though no one acknowledged our presence. After repeatedly rushing by in a "look how busy I am" sort of way, the bartender finally greeted us. Fortunately, the chips and salsa came quickly and we were able to gear up for some Natty Boh.
Hard to imagine, but afterward, I felt as if I made a mistake. I saw this young couple slurping from a giant flat drink. Rachel told me it was the "hubcap margarita," -- a giant car hubcap filled with a sweet tequila beverage for only 10 bucks! Next time, I'll plan on a liquid lunch.
The menu reads like a novel -- too many words. It took about 10 minutes just to muster the endurance to read it. Plus, there was this little kid nearby that was throwing a fit, and it was difficult to concentrate. Generally, I don't mind the little ones -- and good thing: Nachos Mama's is a haven for grubs. I counted seven, so it must be a good place for families -- urban chic families, that is, not Shoney's families.
The menu, aside from being verbose, is cute. Nacho Mamas' rules appear at the top, and includes such policies as, "Journey will be played at 10 o'clock," and "Selected members of the staff available for private parties."
I opted for the bean taco, and my pal got the veggie quesadilla. A word to vegetarians: the refrieds are cooked in lard and the black beans are cooked in chicken stock, so give the server a head's up and they can give you the special vegetarian beans.
I tried these "special" beans, and the thing that makes them so special is that they absolutely suck. They're dry, crunchy, and flavorless. Not only do they suck, but Nacho Mama's serves more beans than any human could possibly consume. No kidding, after they dumped the whole can in the oven, baked them into crunchy little cockroaches, they served me the whole thing. Drowned in hot sauce, they're not so bad.
The quesadilla, on the other hand, was very good -- hot, crisp and with lots of cheese. I helped myself to more than my share, and tried to pawn off the beans to no avail.
The kid beside me finally shut the hell up so I could enjoy some of my meal. All in all, it wasn't a horrible experience. I just hope they can do something about those beans.
Dish: We had the bean taco and the veggie quesadilla. I don't have enough bad things to say about the dry, crunchy beans and the cold, crumbly tortilla that enveloped the taco. The quesadilla, though, was excellent. It was hot and cheesy, replete with salsa and some surprising vegetables like carrots and broccoli. The Natty Boh sealed the deal, though I wish I'd taken a dip in that hubcap margarita.
Damage: The total bill was $14.92. My taco ($4.75) and Boh ($1.25) were only $6. Combined with the quesadilla ($6.95) and side of tasty guacamole ($1.25), there was enough to fill two people.
Decision: Nacho Mamas is a rock-solid staple of Baltimore. It's always crowded, and a large number of regulars seem at home there (some of them even have their names on the menu). I would be willing to try the food again, because the ambiance and service are great. Service can make or break a restaurant. If Rachel hadn't stopped by to check in, the night would not have been such a success. I think it's safe to say that any vegetarians out there would feel a little nonplussed by the offerings, but next time, I'll have some meat.
