Myth and Moonshine proves it's more than just a drinking spot

From the outside, Myth and Moonshine in Canton looks like a generic Baltimore tavern. You'd probably walk right past it if it weren't your destination.

But it's more than just another drinking spot. The food merits a place on your restaurant radar.

Like many area pubs, there's a bar in the front with several high-top tables. This is where you should settle in for cheerful repartee with the bartenders.

For a more intimate meal, ask to be seated at one of the booths or tables in the back. A blazing fire on a chilly evening is a bonus.

Chef Kevin Cauthorne will turn up the heat a notch more with his Southern-influenced dishes. He lets the seasons and local produce influence his menu, which includes appetizers like crab and crawfish dip and entrees like chicken and waffles.

The bar has "Moonshine" in its name for a reason. It offers 70-plus moonshines and moonshine cocktails. But forget the backwoods still — these are professionally distilled liquors that will leave you plenty warmed up by the time you leave.

Scene & Decor The informal back room at Myth and Moonshine is cozy and relaxed— a great spot for a rendezvous with Cauthorne's excellent cuisine. A centerpiece is a brick wall with two fireplaces and a vintage painted advertisement for Lord Baltimore Cigar.

Appetizers We can't make this up: There is such a thing as candied bacon fries ($6.99) at Myth and Moonshine, and they're terrific. Fresh-cut fries are tossed with applewood-smoked bacon hinting of sweet brown sugar, and then smothered in a flavorful white gravy sprinkled with scallions. We also liked the crispy fried goat cheese medallions ($10.99) featuring two large panko-crusted goat cheese rounds with wild game confit, served over salsa verde and microgreens.

Entrees The blackened catfish ($16.99) would make any Southern chef proud. The fillet was seared in a cast-iron pan and rested on a bed of brown rice; the dish was also served with sauteed spinach. The duck and Gorgonzola cast-iron seared burger ($16.99) was an impressive stack, featuring a half-pound Angus patty that was topped with duck confit, a truffle-roasted portobello mushroom and Gorgonzola cheese, and tucked into a toasted brioche bun. Instead of chips, we upgraded to hush puppies ($1.99) — a good move. The four cornbread orbs were dense and delicious and came with a house remoulade.

Drinks There are beer and wine options, but the focus is on almost 75 moonshines. The high-proof liquor is also used to make cocktails like a moonshine mule or big orange crush.

Service The bartenders in the front took great care of us, often ducking into the back room where we were sitting to make sure we had what we needed.

Dessert The bananas Foster ($7.99) with ice cream ($2 extra) is a treat this far from New Orleans. The bananas were seared to softness in brown butter and flambeed with a caramel-flavored moonshine before being covered in a brown sugar sauce. The dish was served with a delicious slice of poundcake.

Backstory: Myth and Moonshine — formerly known as Moonshine Tavern and, before that, The Gin Mill — was purchased by Leho Poldmae in 2015. Poldmae — the owner of several Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille restaurants in the region and Neo Pizza in Annapolis— also acquired 2300, the building's upstairs, speakeasy-style bar, which is now used for private parties and events.

Signature dish: The duck and Gorgonzola burger

TVs: 12 TVs, plus two large projection screens on the upper level

Where: 2300 Boston St., Canton

Contact: 410-777-5502, mythandmoonshine.com

Open: 4 p.m. to midnight Monday through Thursday; 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday; and 10 a.m. to midnight Sunday, with brunch served 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.

Credit cards: All major

Reservations: Accepts reservations

Bottom line: Don't walk by the tavern's unassuming exterior. Stop in and enjoy the chef's seasonal, Southern-influenced menu.

This article was shared on Nextdoor. Visit The Sun's Nextdoor profile page for top stories and news on Baltimore City.