FHFF 2

Cowboys & Rednecks (C&R)

1117 S Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21230

www.cnrpub.com

Located in the heart of Federal Hill, C&R boasts an authentic country atmosphere, from the decor and the down-home menu, to the country music playing. They have a smokehouse from which they serve an amazing BBQ menu. "Our pulled pork is smoked all day before we hand pull it and cover it with our Signature house made BBQ sauce." And oh boy, it was the best pulled pork sandwich I've ever tasted (see below). They also offer comfort food with a southern country twist, talk about yumm. This authentic country flare is also present in their specialty bar drinks.

The pulled pork sandwich is served on a classic bun with fries and a pickle. Now, words cannot do these fries, nor the sandwich really, justice. The fries were cooked in some amazing oil, and seasoned to perfection with what seems to be the ideal balance of spices including Old Bay. If you go to C&R Pub, GET THE FRIES.

Their Chop Chop Salad with grilled chicken is the embodiment of what you would imagine as a perfect western salad. All the ingredient are fresh and topped with a creamy black peppercorn bacon ranch dressing. The best thing about food is that it can take you to different places through your taste buds. This salad feels like a light and healthy lunch on the ranch, just try it and see what I mean.

Overall, the portions as C&R Pub are large, for that Cowboy in all of us. But the food was so good we couldn't stop eating, we stuffed ourselves so full we felt sick. But gee-wilikers if it weren't the best darn grub outside of nana's cookin' down-home.

Wife Me Material

Pork Tenderloin & Roast Vegetables

At your local supermarket you can get a Smithfield pork tenderloin anywhere from $4.50-7.50 already pre-spiced! They come in a variety of marinades and spices, however  my favorite is the Peppercorn & Garlic flavor. It has that little bit of kick that my boyfriend loves.

I grease my baking dish, plop in the tenderloin, while preheating the oven to the recommended heat on the packaging. I've taken to chopping up whatever fresh vegetables I have in the fridge at the time, and adding them around the meat. We are big big big on cilantro here, so of course I top it off with that to taste. For those whole love spicy food, add a jalapeno zest for that extra fire. Then, top the whole thing off with a honey glaze. Bake.

Watch it wow your significant other. Of course you don't have to tell him/her that the whole thing cost less than $10 and took less than an hour from start to plate.

Fed Hill For Foodies (FHFF)

Abbey Burger Bistro

1041 Marshall St, Baltimore, MD 21230

www.abbeyburgerbistro.com

If you live in Baltimore and haven't yet made your way to Abbey Burger Bistro by Cross Street Market in Federal Hill, you are missing out. If you are looking for the best burger in town, here it is.  Their appetizers, such as the deep fried pickles, are mouth-watering in themselves; however the burgers here are so large and filling, that I often find I wish I hadn't gorged on the appetizer beforehand. Abbey Burger Bistro is a great stop for sports fans of all kinds; you are guaranteed to find whatever game you're looking for on one of their many many TVs specifically for your sports-viewing fanatic. With two expansive bars, the whole restaurant has a cozy pub feel, and many options for your local beer connoisseur. They offer a diverse menu of chef created favorites, and an expansive build-your-own burger menu which I've posted below.

Yeah, you read that right, kangaroo burgers (my personal favorite). They also offer diverse and exciting meat of the month options for your burger, just ask your server. The food, especially the burgers, are ALWAYS cooked to perfection. It is not uncommon for a Abbey Burger virgin to actually moan in pleasure as their eyes widen or flutter at their first bite of one these delectable burgers.

Here is what we got last time we went.

 This was my kangaroo burger on a classic bun, with Guinness cheddar cheese, grilled pineapple, an egg, mayo, and lettuce. This is pretty much my go-to here at the bistro, but I like to mix up my bun every now and then.

Below, Sam opted for a Wild Boar burger, which was one of the meats of the month. I believe he chose a whole wheat bun, pepper jack cheese, chipotle mayo, avocado, and BBQ sauce on the side. All burgers come with the chips you see above, but he shelled out for the fries for the American burger and fries experience.

Abbey Burger Bistro is redefining the burger. If you are looking to blow your taste buds away, and try something new and exotic, this is your new favorite restaurant. It sure is mine.

Stew on a Dime

Homemade Stew

Our favorite homemade meal is my famous stew-on-a-dime. Almost all of the ingredients can be bought at Dollar Tree, where everything is a dollar or less. The only thing you have to go to your local supermarket for is your choice of meat, and any fresh veggies you may want to add.

1. At my local supermarket I was able to get 5 lean strips of pork for just $2.15. After salt and peppering the meat, and using a meat tenderizer (if you have one), I plopped it in my crockpot. Optional is some fresh cilantro and basil that I got for $1.50.

2. At the dollar store, and sometimes at your local supermarket, you can get one can of mixed vegetables for $.79! Just drain and add on top of the meat!

3. I've also sliced and diced 1/4 of a fresh pepper to toss in.

4. If you're lucky, the local Dollar Tree often has $1 gnocci! Gnocci makes a great addition to any stew in the place of potatoes. Mix into the crockpot.

 5. Here, I have laid out my favorite spices for this stew, as well as the broth I got at Dollar Tree. You can use Beef or Chicken broth, however I prefer the heartier taste of the beef for this. Those specific spices laid out are an Italian Blend, Backyard Brick Oven, and Jamaican Jerk. I also add Old Bay to taste, because here in Baltimore we put that sh*t on everything. 

Pour in the whole box of broth, stir up the ingredients, and add the spices to taste.

Cook in crockpot on high for at least 1hr 45min. However the longer you cook, the more the meat will melt in your mouth when you eat it, and the flavor seeps into the broth. Cook no more than 4 hours.

This whole stew feeds four, or 2 people for multiple meals for less than $8!

For the best taste, use venison.

Fish Head Cantina

4802 Benson Ave., Baltimore, MD 21227

http://www.fishheadcantina.com/index.php

My love for Fish Head Cantina started back in 2014 when they were still hosting an open mic comedy night on Mondays. However, due the Baltimore comedy scene's consistent inconsistency when it comes to attendance for such open mics, and their love of smoking copious amounts of ganj in front of said open mics, the show at FHC was not meant to last. 

Although comedy may no longer be part of Fish Head's repertoire, they are still host a plethora of events and concerts. Their outdoor pavilion and beer garden area is host to a boat load of summer concerts, which you can see the full schedule of on their website.

Even though FHC is rather notorious for being an adult atmosphere, many of their concerts are all ages up until 9pm, and they also have an arcade for the kiddos. Monday nights at FHC are board game nights for the family, and for the adults they host billiards seven nights a week. Speaking of which, FHC has amazing weekly specials that I recommend everyone take advantage of.

Mondays

Board Game Night 6-10pm

BOGO 50% Off Tacos 11am-10pm

Tuesdays

Trivia Night (all ages) 7pm

BOGO 50% Off All Apps

(Including Wings)

11am-10pm

Wednesdays

BOGO 50% Off Sushi

11am-10pm

Thursdays

Sports Team Night 11am-10pm

Wear a shirt/hat from your team and get 

50% off your draft beer and 50% your burger when purchased together.

Fridays

Power Hour 6-8pm

Select Domestic Pints, Cans, Bottles $1.50

Now, I mainly go to FHC for their Wednesday night sushi deal. I know what you're thinking, "Sushi? At Fish Head? Wait, sushi in Arbutus? You must be crazy." But the truth is FHC has some of the best sushi in the county. Now, their miso soup runs a little expensive ($3) in comparison to other sushi venues, but it is a much larger bowl. Their specialty rolls also run $10-13 but with their Wednesday night BOGO special this becomes a steal. 

However, this week I branched out and tried something from FHC's regular menu, and not the sushi menu. I went on Thursday for the 50% off Burger and Beer special. Boy, was this a bargain. We ordered a Fed Hill Burger (Reg. $9.75) and the DuClaw they had on draft which was some blueberry/wheat concoction. The Fed Hill Burger in itself is a 1/2lb turkey burger with lettuce, tomato, red onions, guac, and jalapeno mayo served with old bay chips. The beer smelled like blueberry yogurt with granola, which was odd, but delicious. Overall that burger/beer deal was a steal and that was the best freaking turkey burger on the East Coast.

Home Cooking On A Dime

Like many college students you may be living paycheck to paycheck or even have to pinch pennies together just to afford to eat towards the end of the month. I am no exception to this phenomena, however I have learned to improvise in new creative ways when it comes to cooking at home. I too am sick of cup after cup of ramen noodles and boring leftovers, so I started to experiment with the random things I had in my fridge to create full new meals. Here is one example.

Spicy Creamy Shrimp Linguini with Saag Vegetables and Naan

 Ingredients 

• Pasta
• 1 can Cream of Shrimp
• Green Beans
• Carrots
• Milk
• Ghost Pepper Salsa
• Saag Sauce (leftover)
• Naan (leftover)
• Grated Parmesan Cheese
• Old Bay
• Cilantro

Now these ingredients are speculative, and subject to change based on what exactly you have in your near barren fridge and cabinets; obviously this won't apply to everyone, it is just an example.

1. Bring pot to a boil for your chosen type of pasta (cook pasta, this takes the longest amount of time)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3. Sauce prep

 Take a small can of cream of shrimp, and empty it into a small saucepan, add half a can of milk. Bring to low boil, add chopped cilantro, Old Bay, and Parmesan to taste. Now, only add half a spoon of your spicy salsa to this mix (I'm using the ghost pepper salsa I had in my fridge, by God use it sparingly). Cover and let simmer.

4. Veggie Prep

I took the leftover saag sauce I had from the Indian delivery I had earlier in the week and heated it up in a small saucepan. I added some green beans that were about to expire (canned beans would work too) and some chopped carrots. I kept this mix on a low heat until the green beans and carrots were thoroughly cooked.

5. Bake Naan

About 5 minutes before the pasta is done, lay the leftover naan you have on a baking sheet, and place in your previously preheated oven. Cook for only 5 minutes, they'll come out tasting freshly baked.

6. Put it on a plate and devour it, you are now a King/Queen of Leftovers.

Memorial Day Munchies

Fish Tales

http://ocfishtales.com/

2207 Herring Way, Ocean City, MD 21842

I definitely recommend this restaurant/bar for your next trip down to OC. Unbeknownst to many because of its notoriety as OC's favorite bar, Fish Tales is actually very family friendly restaurant. It hosts a large array of adult play areas, two separate bars,  and adult-only swing sections, but it also features an arcade and play area for the kids. The children's entire food menu is served up on Frisbees that they can keep and use later at the beach. 

Although you may face a significant wait time for sit down dining service, they also provide a walk-up carry-out food service at each of the two bars and fend-for-yourself bar and dock seating. No matter what style of dining you choose for your next visit to Fish Tales, it will be well worth the wait. The quality of both service and food there is extraordinary. Though prices may leave you wary (a can of Bud Lite alone is $4), the food is definitely worth the extra cash. 

My first trip to Fish Tales was so mouth-wateringly fantastic that it is sure to be the first of many this summer, and every summer here to come. 

Appetizer

Fried Frog Legs

Frog legs, I know what you're thinking, ew, right? On the contrary, these fried frog legs taste just like chicken, but with the sponge-like consistency of fish, there is nothing gross here. Fish Tales serves them 8 at a time with a homemade cilantro lime cumin sauce. I simply couldn't get enough of these, perfectly juicy and crisp. If I could only use one word, delectable.

Main Dish

Seafood Burrito

Best. Damn. Thing. Ever. Sure, it was pricey at $17.99, but damn was it the best eighteen bucks I ever spent. "A combination of shrimp, crab, scallops, and cheddar cheese stuffed into a warm sun-dried tomato tortilla, topped with a mild enchilada sauce and sour cream on the side. Served with a black bean and corn salad on the side." That is the description Fish Tales gives us of this to-die-for burrito. Don't think they skimp on the amount of seafood in the burrito, in fact its quite the opposite. The shrimp in the burrito is the same large size they use in their one pound basket of fresh steamed shrimp they serve for $21.90. And the whole burrito is brimming with lump crab meat and delectable scallops, all smothered in enchilada sauce that leaves you begging for the next bite.