Miss Shirley's in Baltimore

Justin and I were in Baltimore this weekend for one of my good friend's wedding. Those of you who don't know, Baltimore is one of my favorite cities. I went to college there and lived there after I graduated. I miss it regularly and love to go back to visit. This weekend was pretty packed with wedding activities, but we got a chance to squeeze in a meal.

This was not my first visit to Miss Shirley's, in fact it is one of my favorite lunch or breakfast places. There are now two locations, one in the inner harbor and one up by Loyola University on Cold Spring Lane. Miss Shirley's actually opened in a much smaller location near Loyola, and quickly gained popularity for its unique and original spins on good hearty meals. It will definitely not be a low fat meal, but it is also crisp food, not heavy and greasy. There are plenty of lighter meals on the menu though, if that is what you are looking for.

My personal favorite is Nana's Grilled Cheese. The sour dough bread adds a perfect twang to the white cheddar, apple wood smoked bacon, and tomatoes. Miss Shirley's also serves the best sweet potato fries I have found yet. They are served in a cone with two creative dipping sauces, and are perfectly crispy and not bitter as some sweet potato fries often are.

If you are up for a sweet treat I definitely recommend the Funky Monkey Bread. It is a gooey pile of cinnamon roll drenched in chocolate and pecans. DEEEELISH. Just make sure you have room for all the sugary goodness.

Due to the popularity of their food, the weight time at Miss Shirley's can often be long. Generally 15-20 depending on when you are eating. It is definitely worth the wait. The atmosphere is basically along the lines of an upscale diner, nothing fancy.

Check out their menu here www.missshirleys.com/menu. Trust me, it will make your mouth water.

Patoral- Delightful Artisan Sandwich

One of our clients treated us to lunch on Friday afternoon. We went to the shop to get sandwiches to bring back to the office. This "shop" was not just any shop. Pastoral is a small artisan cheese and wine shop. When you enter the shop there is a small display of crusty and hardy breads on one side. On the other, is a wall of hand picked wines, typically not found at your average wine shop. The shop has some small tables for eating and nibbling. The atmosphere is fresh but cozy, everything exudes "specialty" but manages to not feel snobby. On the contrary, the shop was extremely inviting.

While we waited for our sandwiches to be made we browsed the modest array of artisan cheeses. The cheese specialist was able to pick out a few yummy ones that were offered to us to taste test. He even offered a small taste of a clean, crisp and very light white wine. (I have to call them to get the name, I forgot to write it down). I could have spent the entire day there tasting and browsing, but we were on a schedule and had to leave when the sandwiches were ready. Sad.

Pastoral had several delightful sounding sandwiches on their menu. I chose a caprese sandwich with a basil fennel pesto, not the most adventurous, but I can almost never pass up caprese. The sandwich was just as yummy as the shop and the basil fennel pesto was the perfect accent. This is definitely a shop I vote to open in the Big Apple.

I browsed their website when I got home and found they have both a "cheese of the month club" and a "wine of the month club" both of which I would be interested to try out. For more information, visit their website: http://www.pastoralartisan.com/

Buffalo Zach's

On our way upstate we have grown accustomed to stopped in Roscoe, NY at a little place called Buffalo Zach's. While it is a cafe that serves sit down meals, it also acts as a good rest stop for weary travelers. Walking into Zach's you are immediately met with the rough wood and western design. The waiters and waitresses are very friendly and almost always smiling. For the travelers not willing to sit and eat, you can order food to go.

Buffalo Zach's also offers a wide array of coffees and teas to go. Be sure to grab a cookie on your way out, they have quite the selection of those as well.

To learn more about Buffalo Zach's, visit their website: http://www.buffalozachscafe.net/