Restaurant Reviews: Orchard Market and Cafe (Baltimore, MD) - BYOB

Orchard Market and Cafe

Ambiance: Middle-Eastern inspired, casual yet intimate setting.
Food: Traditional Persian food
Service: Excellent
Wine List: BYOB, no liquor license so you have to bring your own.
Pricing: $$ ($50 for two people, with dessert)
Corkage: No corkage fee - BYOB establishment.
Attire: No specific dress code.
Overall: Very good, recommended. BYOB and some of the best Persian food outside of Iran!
Location/Contact Info:
Website: http://www.orchardmarketandcafe.com/
8815 Orchard Tree Ln
Baltimore, MD 21286
(410) 339-7700
Click here for a map to Orchard Market and Cafe
Summary:
The Orchard Market and Cafe provides traditionally prepared and extraordinarily delicious Persian cuisine in a casual, friendly and intimate Middle Eastern setting. The quality of the food is very good, the service is great, and the prices are more than fair (entrées range from $13-$18), especially when factoring in $0.00 for corkage! I would highly recommend lunch or dinner here, especially for people seeking a unique dining experience or who are unfamiliar with Persian food. If you’re looking for burgers and fries, or a grilled Filet Mignon and potato’s, this might not be your place. If you’re looking for a restaurant that features a variety of exotic spices and flavors that you won’t find in many other local restaurants, this is spot on.

FULL REVIEW:
Let me just get this out of the way: this place isn’t easy to find! The restaurant is situated among a few shops off of Joppa Road on what is technically Orchard Tree Lane. Unfortunately, Orchard Tree Lane is also the same turn off of Joppa Road as the parking lot for Gardiner’s furniture, so it can be confusing. That being said, it’s worth the time it takes to find and once you arrive there is more than enough parking for you and everyone in your party.

We have eaten at the Orchard Market over half a dozen times now and it has been consistently very good. A reservation is always recommended (only permitted for parties of 5 or more), as it can be quite packed especially on the weekends. Walking through the first set of doors, you arrive in a waiting corridor that features statues, rugs, paintings and other Persian art that’s fit for a museum. Beyond the next set of glass doors lies a main dining room which when packed in pretty tight seats around 40 people (by my estimation). Once the hostess has your table, you’re met with a very outgoing, entertaining, and experienced server whom it is rumored speaks 6 languages, including, of course, Farsi.

The server/owner is Jason Bulkuley, former head waiter under previous owner Michael Mir. Jason took over the Orchard Market and Cafe in 1997 and with the help of Mrs. Nahid Vaezpour (chef since 1990) and his Persian wife, Sharareh, Bulkuley has successfully turned the restaurant into a great place for those unfamiliar with Persian cuisine to sample homemade, authentic Iranian dishes.

Once seated, you’ll be given the tools to open your wines as well as appropriate glassware. Now is a good time to make sure you have both your Champagne and wine glasses on the table: on a busy night as we had trouble tracking down help to swap our glasses when the bubbly ran out (this aside, service is outstanding). Looking over the menu, there are many great appetizers to choose from. The cuisine is quite traditional, with hummus, eggplant and artichoke spreads served with traditional pita bread. For those feeling adventurous, a braised veal tongue with portabello’s is very flavorful, amazingly tender and has a bit of spicy bite to it. Appetizer portions are generous, but with so many interesting dishes to choose from, I recommend one per person(for parties of two), or 3 per table of four people.

For entrées, there are a number of different things to choose from ranging from a delicately tender duck Fesenjune (orange poached breast of duck in a pomegranate glaze) to braised veal tongue in a tomato, garlic/curry sauce. The Soltani, a dueling kabob of tenderloin, has outstanding flavors, but was a bit dry without the help of the homemade Maast (a cucumber/yogurt sauce that goes great with meats and rice dishes). On more than one occasion someone in our party has enjoyed the seafood Advieh, which features shrimp, mahi mahi and scallops served with a sauce (Advieh) of mango, honey and a Persian allspice. That being said, the seafood dishes have more than once tasted “fishy” and may be a pass considering the outstanding poultry and meat options.

As far as dessert goes, no one can turn down the saffron ice cream which is both unique and delicious. Homemade Baklava has consistently received good feedback from people in my party and recently I thoroughly enjoyed a homemade fruitcake featuring walnuts and fresh pomegranate seeds. To finish the meal, a Persian tea with flavors of licorice has been loved, and hated by those in our group (Kim dislikes it saying it has a “medicinal” quality, while I love it for its simplicity).

The Orchard Market and Cafe provides traditionally prepared and extraordinarily delicious Persian cuisine in a casual, friendly and intimate Middle Eastern setting. The quality of the food is very good, the service is great, and the prices are more than fair (entrées range from $13-$18), especially when factoring in $0.00 for corkage! I would highly recommend lunch or dinner here, especially for people seeking a unique dining experience or who are unfamiliar with Persian food. If you’re looking for burgers and fries, or a grilled Filet Mignon and potato’s, this might not be your place. If you’re looking for a restaurant that features a variety of exotic spices and flavors that you won’t find in many other local restaurants, this is spot on.