A Baltimore culinary adventure disguised as a food court: R. House
Baltimore doesn't suffer from a lack of new restaurants, but it has a revolving door and a lot of Emperor's New Clothes type places that you're "supposed to like" and rarely do. Many of the places that open don't feel particularly welcoming. There's a vibe that somehow makes whoever is walking through the door not quite the person the host or hostess was wanting to greet.
Whether it's the menu or what people are wearing, the ambiance or price point, residents of the city will have a half dozen or so places they frequent. If their friends have different tastes or budgets from them, they won't be breaking bread. Some places have such specific, limited meal times -- lunch, happy hours that I personally have a hard time getting to, tragically hip places that don't get cooking until late -- that it's also hard to pull a crowd of friends together.
That's all about to change with Remington's R. House, a 50,000 square foot post-industrial warehouse housing 10 completely original, chef-driven food stalls. I was happy to be hosted to experience its press party!
The center of the gathering hub is a bar that crafts well-balanced, innovative cocktails that are actually flavorful -- not weird. I tried the "Sexy Time" cocktail, with Mezcal, Montenegro, banana cordial, balsamic syrup, local Boomtown bitters and a flamed banana. This cocktail was served a lot quicker than you'd think and was very drinkable.
The space has a number of different types of gathering places, including secluded tables, platforms and two-tops. It's meant to be a place you can wear flip flops to if you want, open from 8 am to midnight. So, whether you need a spot to have a breakfast meeting that shows you think outside the box, a lunch place that all of your group can afford, a date where you're not exactly sure where things are headed or a post theater stop that's way elevated above diner food, R. House can meet your needs.
The various foods stall range from authentic Korean snacks, vegan smoothies, twists on Mediterranean classics, freshly made Mexican fare, chicken prepared in a bunch of different ways -- including with Alabama white sauce -- and even an ice cream parlor booth serving freaky flavors like Ranch and pizza! And yes . . . they are tasty, thanks for asking!
R. House is like a good home is -- they're don't wait on you. You help out and bus your own stuff.
