As if he didn't have enough on his plate, Loco Hombre owner Edward Dopkin - who recently bought Alonso's next door - will be taking over Jasper's in Pikesville, probably in August. To be more precise, Dopkin is a partner both in the Classic Restaurant Management Group, which will be running the restaurant proper, and a separate entity, Classic Catering People. The catering company will take over the multipurpose banquet room, which will now be called the Classic Room.
By late August, after some renovation, Jasper's should reopen as a second Loco Hombre. "We'll have an expanded menu, though," says Dopkin, "to accommodate people in the area who aren't fans of Mexican food." That means more steaks, chops, roasted chicken and fish. Dopkin describes it as a Southwestern rather than Mexican menu.
As part of the deal, all Jasper's present banquet contracts will be honored with no increase in price. Gift certificates can be used at the restaurant's two other locations.
Three-course tea
One of the most elaborate teas I've heard about in quite a while is available at Lisa Anne's Toffee Apples Sweet and Gift Shoppe (2121 N. Charles St.). It starts with a choice of tea, hot or iced; coffee; or lemonade. Homemade soup and homemade bread are followed by sorbet and fresh fruit. Then comes a variety of desserts like chocolate-dipped fruits, scones with homemade clotted cream, tea breads, miniature pastries and the shop's sticky apples. If that sounds a bit overwhelming, there's a dessert-only tea offered as well. Tea is served by reservation only (410-752-4111), Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The three-course tea is $18.95 a person; the dessert tea, $15.
Sake to me
After I reported last week that a reader had raved about Shanghai Lil's sake-tini, a martini made with sake, I learned that every Japanese restaurant in Baltimore, maybe in the world, also makes a sake-tini. The many loyal customers who wrote or e-mailed me all said that their favorite restaurant makes the best one.
Flamenco in Greektown
Sevilla, a Brazilian-Spanish restaurant in Greektown, will have live flamenco shows July 25 at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. with no cover charge. The restaurant, located at 4700 Eastern Ave., has a new chef, Alfredo Beceria, who worked in Tio Pepe's kitchen for 16 years.
Table Talk welcomes interesting tidbits of restaurant news. Please send suggestions to Elizabeth Large, Table Talk, The Sun, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore 21278; fax to 410-783-2519; or e-mail to elizabeth.largaltsun.com.
Pub Date: 7/16/98