A few local restaurants want you to know - you don't have to eat a big meal there. Drinks and snacks are just fine.
With the recession still squeezing wallets, upscale Baltimore restaurants are looking for ways to lure patrons - even if it's only for lounging, drinks and nibbles. Pazo launched a Cupcakes and Cocktails menu, which brings together sweet desserts with swanky drinks. Phillips Harborplace started a new lounge area with Wi-Fi, cocktails and an inexpensive menu. And Lebanese Taverna in Harbor East began a late-night happy hour Friday nights. After visiting two of the three spots, it seems like they've got the right idea.
Last week, Pazo launched the Cupcakes and Cocktails menu, which pairs upscale cupcakes with specialty cocktails. The cupcakes cost $2 each, and the cocktails range from $9 for a Classic Elderflower Mondello Mojito to $14 for an Espresso Martini.
Who can resist the call of a soft, moist cupcake? Only those without souls - that's who. These aren't your average cupcakes, either, and $2 for a cupcake in a place like Pazo isn't a bad deal.
I went to Pazo the first night of the special, to see how the cupcakes and cocktails stacked up. Of the two pairings I tried, the Pazo Chocolate Cupcake was by far the tastiest. Its base was rich, dense chocolate, similar to those chocolate lava cakes you see on so many dessert menus - only without the molten center. On top, the cake was a swirl of light, fluffy white chocolate mousse, drizzled with salted caramel. The sweet-salty tandem was beyond good.
The Pazo Chocolate Cupcake's accompanying drink is the Espresso Martini. Since most bars don't have an espresso machine, the average espresso martini is made with vermouth and Van Gogh Espresso Vodka. Pazo's version is a mixture of Van Gogh and chilled espresso, which makes for a robust, full-bodied sip. As a pairing, the martini's bite went well with the cupcake's richness. But at $14, the martini is on the expensive side, and since it wasn't properly strained, there were small chunks of ice bobbing around.
The second pairing I sampled was the Bacon & Manchego Cupcake and Warm Apple Cider. They're both hearty but don't complement each other as well as the Espresso Martini and Pazo Chocolate Cupcake do. The Bacon & Manchego Cupcake's thick, chewy base made it more like a muffin or piece of corn bread than a cupcake. Topped with a dollop of Miticrema mousse (like cream cheese, but lighter) and garnished with bits of chives and bacon, it's one studly cupcake.
I could drink the Warm Apple Cider, $11, all winter. Pazo uses Grey Goose La Poire, St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram and Velvet Falernum (where do they find this stuff?) to make the cider, which is dangerous because you can't taste the liquor. The spicy nose gives way to a smooth finish - though, for apple cider, there's not much in the way of apple flavor.
Sitting at Pazo's marble-topped bar, surrounded by well-dressed people in their 30s and 40s, it felt slightly odd to be devouring a couple of cupcakes. But with something this good and this cheap, Pazo can't go wrong.
Harbor East might be home to some of Baltimore's ritzier restaurants and boutiques, but few places are open late. Want to grab a bite after midnight? Good luck.
That's why Lebanese Taverna started its late-night happy hour. From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. every Friday, it serves $3 beers, $4 wines and $5 cocktails, as well as items off the regular menu. Before the happy hour, organized by bar manager Alexander Carlin, the restaurant closed at 11 p.m.
Judging by a recent trip there, Carlin is off to a great start. With its high, curved ceiling and dark tones, Lebanese Taverna's bar area is a sharp, sleek space - one where you can feel comfortable in jeans or a suit. My wife and I took a table by the door and glanced at the happy hour menu. A server brought us a basket of soft, warm pita bread and a saucer of olive oil mixed with herbs.
DJ Gray (of GoodLove fame) spun some easy house grooves spiced with sitars and other Indian flourishes, at a listenable level - not too loud, not too quiet. Amie ordered a glass of a smooth but full-bodied Marques de la Real Defensa tempranillo ($4), and I got a mojito ($5). Carlin's mojitos aren't too sweet, because he puts a dash of triple sec in them.
It's good to see Lebanese Taverna filling a void.