For the one-week anniversary of being diagnosed with celiac disease (yup, gluten is now the enemy), I celebrated by going to Costiera with close friends.
Located in the gluten-infested waters of Baltimore’s Little Italy, Costiera offers Mediterranean-inspired dishes — thankfully, with gluten-free options in the mix. It’s outside of the Blue Jay Shuttle-able radius of campus, so the bumpy Uber ride and resulting motion sickness from it could feel like island hopping in Greece, if you have a vivid imagination. The restaurant interior belongs in an island resort, with palm tree leaves and colorful, aquatic artwork all under the warm glow of hanging basket lights.
The bites
Starting off light, my party began with the arugula salad. It was well balanced, with bitter leaves, sweet apple slices and fatty blue cheese crumbles cut through with a cider-mustard vinaigrette.
A more indulgent way to eat your vegetables takes form in the roasted mushroom soup. The earthiness of the umami flavor made sipping the soup feel like hiking in the Northern Dolomites of Italy. When that first spoonful of velvety soup enveloped my mouth in a warm hug, I immediately wished that I had ordered it for myself.
Moving to Southern Italy, we arrive in Sicily — the birthplace of arancini. Although I could not eat the saffron arancini, only stare longingly at it, my friend Sophie puts her word behind it: “It’s good. I promise.”
Diving deeper
While I felt on top of a mountain with the mushroom soup, I ventured down to sea floor level elevation with the rest of the meal.
Gabby — our brave taste tester — ordered the grilled Spanish rock octopus. Even with her usual high spice tolerance, she nudged the spicy harissa yogurt to the side in exile. Unlike most yogurt, which cools things down, harissa yogurt delivered a tangy, fiery kick.The heaviness of the dish, coming from the plethora of black turtle bean hummus beneath the tentacles, tells the tale of this octopus being caught during a dark, stormy fishing trip in the winter. Think of the scene where Ursula dies in The Little Mermaid.
Intrigued by rumor that good gluten-free substitutes do exist, I ordered the rigatoni with gluten free casarecce. The pasta was rather bouncy, but it didn’t have an odd grainy texture characterized by most gluten free pastas. Our second entree was the whole grilled orata. While you would think that of the two entrees the fish would be the saltier one, it was the rigatoni that dumped an entire ocean’s salt content into our mouths.
The orata lacked the flavor of freshly caught seafood. It was dense and swimming in oil. The roasted golden raisins that speckled the fish with little bursts of sweet sunshine somewhat redeemed the dish. I found myself mining for them like they were actual gold.
Sweet relief
Dessert — a lemon panna cotta — offered much-needed relief after the entrees. The vibrant citrus and mint salad that topped the not-too-sweet panna cotta made for a harmonious ending note.
COURTESY OF LAUREN JI
Ji offers a balanced review of the dishes she and her friends tried at Costiera.
The verdict
Costiera’s pleasant ambiance and carefully crafted presentation of each dish helped me try to convince myself that the meal I just had was jaw-dropping. As a college student sustaining on a part time teaching assistant salary, I can barely afford to think otherwise.
That said, it pains me to admit that Costiera was not worth it. Its dishes overall are unable to replicate the fresh and light feeling of dining in Santorini or Barcelona.
With entrees averaging $31.13, a trip to Costiera is definitely cheaper than a trip to the Mediterranean. But let’s be honest: I don’t think I will be making either trip anytime soon.
The Breakdown
The Space: Wooden furniture, hanging basket lights and a variety of plants create an atmosphere reminiscent of a cozy beach cabin.
The Crowd: Mostly parties of two to four adults, plus one large group with young children.
The Bar: A modern nook with white and bright orange seating that pops against the otherwise earthy interior. Cocktails run from $12–$15.
The Bill: Snacks: $9–$10; Raw, Veggies, and Small Plates: $15–$21; Large Plates and Pastas: $24–$42.
What We Liked: Arugula salad, saffron arancini, roasted mushroom soup and lemon panna cotta.
