No matter how much you want to spend, you can get good eats for your coin in Mt. Vernon as long as you know where to go.
Mt. Vernon is one of those unique areas where you can both penny-pinch and splurge, meaning that there is bound to be a restaurant that is just right for your own needs.
If you've got no spending limit, check out Ixia. Here you can witness $200 go down the drain by ordering a three-course dinner and wine for two. Visit the restaurant's Web site to survey their rotating menu, which is impressive and adventurous.
Despite the high price for a meal at Ixia, most agree that its food is actually worth the cost. The kitchen's surprising combinations like chocolate and scallops, convince picky eaters to be adventurous.
If you aren't in the mood for such an expensive meal but want to take advantage of Ixia's stunning decor, pay a visit to Ixia's lounge. Their cocktail list is among the best in Baltimore, and you can order one of their tasty appetizers while enjoying a drink.
If $70 for an evening for two is more in your price range, go to Sascha's 527. They have a large tapas-based menu, funky decor and sometimes they even serve alligator in paper cones. Come to Sascha's on the right night and you might even get to hear live jazz. Sascha's also has a less expensive, sandwich-counter style lunch, which retains much of the quality from the dinner menu for a fraction of the cost.
You mustn't overlook Tio Pepe during your culinary exploration of Mt. Vernon. Although it is hard to find, the restaurant produces very fine Spanish food in a pleasantly dark basement dining room on Franklin Street.
Try the marvelous duck and the flavorful banana sole which is a rich unmatched culinary delight. Their desserts always manage to be sweet, creamy and somehow light. In addition their sangria is truly out of this world, particularly the more unusual white sparkling sangria that includes champagne.
Other pricey restaurants that deserve mention are the Brass Elephant, a formal eclectic American restaurant; Saffron, which focuses on Asian fusion dishes; and Sotto Sopra, which serves contemporary Italian food in a modern setting. Don't miss out on the chocolate molten cake at Sotto Sopra -- you will fall in love.
Still on the upper end of the price bracket but a cut above the other restaurants serving food from the East is The Helmand, an Afghani restaurant owned by Hamid Karzai's brother. They have kabobs, stews and pumpkin with cream and garlic. They also have a wonderful chocolate cake that, while not listed on the menu, is rich and wonderful. Admittedly not a staple of the Afghani diet, it is one of the best chocolate cakes in Baltimore. The filling is a buttery cocoa, and while not too sweet, the frosting is dark and smooth.
In the lower price range are Thai, Indian and Chinese restaurants. Kumari is the best of these, serving good Indian food, a few non-Indian specials and charging comparable prices to other restaurants serving similar Indian food.
Thairish is slightly cheaper, but its quality has gone sharply downhill in recent years.
Mughal Garden is also worth a visit for a good, classic Indian meal. Their lamb dishes are particularly good, and their eggplant is a great vegetarian option.
At about the same price range there is the Mt. Vernon Stable. The Stable is wonderful. Its specials board highlights a wide range of dishes with original combinations of ingredients and is fantastic reading during a walk down Charles Street. The menu has various local specialties, including toasted ravioli, and great sandwiches.
The City Caf5f, another lower-priced restaurant, has a nice ambience and date-worthy atmosphere, but it doesn't match the culinary experience of the Stable.
Now we've made it to the realm of cheap food. Never On Sunday is a great cheap eats delivery place that even offers Greek food.
Another option, though one that is only open until 4 p.m., is the Gallery Sandwich Shop just across from the Walters' Art Gallery. It has recently become more polished, and their sandwiches are all above par.
Because of the sheer range of dining options in Mt. Vernon, it is a wonderful neighborhood to begin to fine tune your culinary palatte. And whether money is no object, or you want to keep to a budget, there are certainly enough options to appease just about anyone in Mt. Vernon.
