For a Nice Dinner Out in Baltimore, La Cuchara Is Always the Answer | Eater DC

"A romantic, Basque-inspired spot set in an old coat factory inside Baltimore’s historic Meadow Mill, opened by Ben, Jake, and Amy Lefenfeld in 2015, makes for a memorable night from salted-butter bread service to an indulgent candy bar dessert. I start with the chorizo manchego pintxos (2 for $4)—expertly executed skewers of meat, cheese, shishito, Dijon, and crisp baguette—and I always want the shrimp a la plantxa, a heaping bowl of salt-roasted shrimp with sweet piquillo peppers, briny capers, and fennel pollen over a pool of zesty lemon aioli. Before smoky cocktails were everywhere, the bar pioneered The Velvet Underground, a warming mix of aged bourbon, orange, Angostura bitters, and hickory smoke that still anchors the menu. The center dining room and roomy rectangular bar offer views into the kitchen, and the bar is the best seat—there are almost always open stools and, during Monday–Friday happy hour (5–7 p.m.), discounted snacks, $5 beers, $6.50 glasses of wine, and $7 gin-and-tonic du jours. Talk to the sommelier nicknamed Red for spot-on pairings, like the right Rioja for the hearty txuleton bone-in ribeye; on Sundays, bottles over $100 are half-price. Chef Ben Lefenfeld’s Basque dishes also include pan con tomate, strip steak with black garlic butter, and chilled seafood." - Jess Mayhugh