Will it be hot?
Last week I mentioned that restaurateur Gonzalo Fernandez, formerly at Michaelangelo in Annapolis, will be opening his own place soon. The restaurant is called Jalapeno (85 Forest Drive, Annapolis), and should be open for business in early April.
The Spanish-Mexican menu will include some of the Spanish dishes from Michaelangelo, but the food will be more moderately priced, with dinner entrees costing from $8.50 to $15. The chef, Obed Serrano, is from Mexico. His signature dishes include paella and stuffed chili peppers.
New name, new game
Donna's Express at Centre and Calvert streets has become Nina's Espresso Bar. If the name sounds familiar, you must know Glen Burnie. That's where new owners Nina and Paul Pham have a sister coffee bar, Nina's Espresso Cafe. Paul Pham, who is also a clinical pharmacist at Johns Hopkins, describes the food as "American with an Asian twist." In other words, look for California rolls as well as sandwiches and salads. The Phams plan to serve breakfast and lunch, and open the upstairs for seating.
Go for pho
Baltimore has its first Vietnamese pho restaurant, Pho Saigon at 200 N. Eutaw St. Pho is the popular beef noodle soup, eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Vietnam. And it's the ultimate in healthful cheap eats: Prices range from $1.15 to $5.80.
Bits and pieces
Windows in the Renaissance Harborplace Hotel is going all out for its all-you-can-eat Easter buffet this year, with dishes like roast leg of lamb, rib eye with horseradish cream, halibut with citrus butter sauce and wood-grilled turkey mignons for $28.95 ... On Wednesday, Weber's on Boston is having a five-course dinner featuring the Foods of the Baltimore Firehouse cooked by fire chief Herman Williams. Tickets are $35 ... The Vegetarian Resource Group will celebrate Meatout Day at Mr. Chan's Szechuan Restaurant in Pikesville on Saturday with a family-style dinner for $15 ... A Chicken Out Rotisserie, the 19th in the chain, has opened in the Festival at Woodholme.
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 410-752-6049; or e-mail to elizabeth.large@baltsun.com.
Pub Date: 03/18/99