Baseball, Crabcakes and Ballpark Pit Beef - The Last Day Updated 6-22-10

This past weekend I made my summer baseball trip to DC and Baltimore. I left Raleigh early Saturday morning and was checked into my hotel outside DC by noon. After checking in I set out for the one of my favorite places in DC the Maine Avenue fish market.
 
I love walking around this area and seeing all the different things offered. One of my favorite parts of DC.
 

 

 

 

 
I got lunch from Captain White’s Seafood City. The combo of shrimp and crab cake (the 1^st of many crab cakes on this trip) was very good but the collards were excellent.
 

 
Saturday night was the Cincinnati Reds visiting the Washington Nationals. As a life-long Reds fan I had been looking forward to seeing the Reds for the 1^st time in a along while. They did not disappoint me and got the victory.
 
I really like the Nationals ballpark. A cool place with easy access to the Metro.
　

 

 

 
The Nationals also have some of the coolest mascots in sports…..
 

 

 

 
In the middle of the 4^th of each game the presidents have a race. Poor Teddy has not won a race all season.
 

 

 
Sunday morning I took the Metro to Rosslyn and walked across the Key bridge into Georgetown.
 

 

 

 

 

　
After a hot sweaty walk around Georgetown I went back to the hotel for a shower and back to the ballpark for Reds-Nationals part 2.
 
You never quite know what you’ll see in DC…..
 

 
The ball park has a great selection of food and I decided to try the pit beef. The beef was pretty good (a little too done) but the horseradish sauce was pretty poor. Either the horse or the radish was missing. It was like watery mayo. A storm was blowing in when I got this. I was trying to stay out of the rain, not let the sandwich (or beer) blow away and take the picture.
 

 
After the weather cleared the Reds made the day much better with an extra innings comeback win.
 
After the game I headed downtown for dinner at Zaytinya. Being a big fan of Top Chef I really wanted to try Mike Isabella’s restaurant. I was not disappointed. I ate at the bar and ordered off the happy hour menu. Wine, beer, a cocktail and several dishes for $4 each. The service from the bartender was excellent.
 

 

 
I started with some wonderful hot pita bread and some baba ghannouge. My first thought was this looks like dog food. If dog food tastes like that then sign me up. It was good.
 

 

 
That was followed by crispy eggplant, calamari and shrimp in a lemon dill butter sauce. This was probably the best meal of my trip.
 

 

 

 
Next off to Baltimore, more baseball, pit beef and crab cakes.
 
　

Really enjoyed reading your  post.  I have to say that that crabcake looks dreadful.............hope that you get a better one.

I love Zaytinya.  We have eaten there several times and t he food has always been gtreat.

Greymo
I love Zaytinya.  We have eaten there several times and t he food has always been gtreat.

I concur! Great write-up. BTW, the stairway

featured above is that prominent in...

 

 

 

...and is also viewable in the second Georgetown

shot above directly above Fletcher's Boat House.

Wow. That seafood market is always my first destination when I go to DC to visit my family. Made me very very hungry! Thanks!  Btw off to Raleigh Durham this week. Any not to be missed food that is not listed here? upscale is fine.

Lovely pics Mike!  We're doing a very similar trip in July so I'm watching with great anticipation.  I love the Presidents at the ballpark.

Was wondering about that staircase! Enjoyed your trip report, the big ole heads of presidents were terrific!

Great report and photos. Looking forward to more.

Great report and photos. Looking forward to more.

Great report! I'd love to go to a fish market like that!

What an enjoyable report...I went to Georgetown in 1964..with Bill Clinton in my freshman class...have you ever been to the "1789" right outside the campus...great old fashioned pub!!

Greymo


Really enjoyed reading your  post.  I have to say that that crabcake looks dreadful.............hope that you get a better one.

I love Zaytinya.  We have eaten there several times and t he food has always been gtreat.

Actually that crabcake was not too bad. There were a lot better ones to be had in Baltimore.

  Very nice report! I've always thought that if I were to move somewhere based purely on the food available, Balmer/DC would win hands down... Swoon, that fish market!  Now pray tell, how many oysters are in a BUSHEL?    and is $75.00 a good price?  

Bushels usually go by weight, 60-65lbs(here anyway)and run about $35.

The Washington Post's food critic, Tom Sietsema, always raves about Zaytinya.  Now I know why!
 
Great report. Thanks! 

mikeam


...After the game I headed downtown for dinner at Zaytinya. Being a big fan of Top Chef I really wanted to try Mike Isabella’s restaurant. I was not disappointed. I ate at the bar and ordered off the happy hour menu. Wine, beer, a cocktail and several dishes for $4 each. The service from the bartender was excellent. 
  

For great middle-eastern food, Lebanese Taverna (http://www.lebanesetaverna.com/ ), a small local chain, makes terrific baba ghannouge, falafel, hummus, shawarma, kafta, homemade pita, etc.   There are several located in DC , Maryland and Virginia.
 
Thanks for the great report and the pictures of the Maine Ave. fish market.  It has been too long since I have been there, you have inspired me to take a trip downtown this weekend!

Monday morning I set out Baltimore. My first stop programmed into the GPS was G&M Restaurant for one of their famous crab cakes. I got there about 10am and the restaurant was closed but I was able to get this from the takeout section.
 

 

 
Maybe it was because I was so early but this crab cake could have used a little more cooking. It was kinda wet in the middle. The amount of crab meat was impressive and it was good but a few more minutes cooking would have made it great.
After checking into my hotel I took the tour of Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
 

 

 

 
That evening I went down to the Inner Harbor and hit happy hour at Phillips seafood. The drink specials were good. The food was cheap and ok but nothing special. I ended up taking the water taxi over to Fells Point.
 

 
One of my favorite places in Baltimore is One-Eyed Mikes. I try to get there every visit. A very cool bar, great bartenders and very good food makes a nice combination.
 

 

 
The appetizer special that night was escargot with a puff pastry. Like everything else I have had at One-Eyed Mikes it was delicious.
 

 
A nice twilight water taxi ride got me back to the inner harbor.
 

 

 
Back at the harbor I strolled thru the shops before heading back to the hotel. I was looking for something sweet to take back to the hotel and I found just what I wanted.
Vaccaro’s has a spot at the Inner Harbor and this cannoli was wonderful.
 

 
Coming up the last day in Baltimore, Lexington Market, baseball and lots of Yankee fans.

Sorry you went to Phillips! anywhere but there (I was raised on old Phillips "down the Ocean" and it ain't the same!)
Ah, Vacarro's I could use a couple of pounds of their cookies about now, been a bad day, sigh.

Just out of curiousity, did you take the water taxi for the "experience"? if not it's a fairly short walk to Fells Point from the Inner Harbor.

When one's time is limited, it is much smarter to take the water taxi.

Wow! I haven't ever been to DC and never put it together that one could find such a great collection of seafood--what a great looking layout! We have a friend visiting us this weekend from DC. We went back & forth with her--should she come here or us go there? After a deliberations back and forth, she's coming here. Based on your report, I'm thinking of calling her and telling we'll be going there after all...

Great report--thanks!

wanderingjew


Just out of curiousity, did you take the water taxi for the "experience"? if not it's a fairly short walk to Fells Point from the Inner Harbor.

I did take the water taxi mostly for the experience....and the free beer coupons that they give you. I have made that walk several times.

What's the story behind the Grand Marnier bottles at One-Eyed Mike's?  Are they full or are they the ones that the bar has emptied over the years?

The puff pastry you were served looks outstanding!

Brad

Brad_Olson


What's the story behind the Grand Marnier bottles at One-Eyed Mike's?  Are they full or are they the ones that the bar has emptied over the years?

The puff pastry you were served looks outstanding!

Brad

They have a Grand Marnier club where you can purchase your own bottle and they keep it locked up for your own personal use.
 
http://www.oneeyedmikes.com/index.html
 
 

Loved the shots of all those crabs at the market.

I mentioned earlier that the Maine Ave fish market was one of my favorite places in DC. In Baltimore one of my favorite places is Lexington Market. I really look forward to visiting. It is a unique place. If you can’t find it there you probably don’t need it.




For lunch I started at Faidley’s with a crab cake. It was delicious. The best crab cake of the trip. Not as big as G&M but it was cooked perfectly for me.


My next Lexington Market stop was Polock Johnny’s for polish with mustard, kraut and onions. A fine sausage.


That evening the Yankees were in town and so were plenty of Yankee fans. The area outside the ballpark was hopping.



As soon as I got into the ballpark I set out for Boog’s BBQ. Boog was there signing autographs.

Boog’s pit beef was much better than the National’s. Not only was the meat cooked better but Boog had real horseradish. This is about as good as ballpark food gets.

All doctored up…..

Once the game started the Yankees played some long ball and beat down the lowly Orioles. The Yankee fans were loud and proud.



Oriole Park now has an Attman’s Deli located in the warehouse. I stopped by for a late inning snack. There were some wonderful looking salads, especially the shrimp salad. I decided to try something new and got the coddies. I was not crazy about these. Glad to say I tried them but won’t get them again.


The next day I drove back to Raleigh already looking forward to my next trip back. I’m trying to talk my brother into a baseball trip later this summer.
　
　
　

mikeam

Oriole Park now has an Attman’s Deli located in the warehouse...I decided to try something new and got the coddies. I was not crazy about these. Glad to say I tried them but won’t get them again.

 

mikeam
 

 

 
In the middle of the 4^th of each game the presidents have a race. Poor Teddy has not won a race all season. 

My guess is that the big stick he carries must slow him down.

ocdreamr


Sorry you went to Phillips! anywhere but there (I was raised on old Phillips "down the Ocean" and it ain't the same!)
Ah, Vacarro's I could use a couple of pounds of their cookies about now, been a bad day, sigh.

The happy hour drink specials at Phillips were pretty good. The happy hour food was nothing special.

i95

mikeam

Oriole Park now has an Attman’s Deli located in the warehouse...I decided to try something new and got the coddies. I was not crazy about these. Glad to say I tried them but won’t get them again.

 

 I should have listened.........

Attman's usually refrigerates their coddies, then microwaves them.  This is not the way to handle them.  They should never be refrigerated, just served at room temperature.

Let me know the next time you are headed this way; I'll show you where you can get coddies done right.