Restaurant Review: Darker Than Blue Cafe - BYOB

Overview

Ambiance: Casual attire, small dining area with great blues/jazz music, white tablecloths, small tables but sufficient
Food: Southern and American cuisine with some soul
Service: A bit slow, but very friendly the food was out fast. Chef/Owner was very outgoing and spoke with us on more than one occasion to make sure we were enjoying our visit.
Wine List: N/A - BYOB w/ NO corkage fee
Pricing: $$ (Dinner for 2 with appetizer/dessert/gratuity around $65)
Corkage: BYOB - No Fee Corkage
Attire: No specific dress code. Jeans/Khaki’s with a polo shirt for men would be good. No shorts or tank tops.
Overall rating: Good: Great food and hospitality, service was OK, BYOB: Definitely a place to try.
Location/Contact Info: http://www.darkerthanbluecafe.com
3034 Greenmount Ave
Baltimore, MD 21218
Phone: 443-872-4468

Summary: Darker Than Blue Cafe is simply designed and laid out restaurant a bit off the beaten path only three blocks from Johns Hopkins University. The decor is contemporary and the setting is quite relaxed, with mellow blues and sweet jazz setting the mood. It’s hospitality at its best with Chef Casey Jenkins breaking away from the stove to visit friends new and old. There is seating for approximately 30 diners and on our visit it was half full. Service was a bit slow at first and the overpowering smell of scented candles took some getting used to. For starters, check out the Crab Cakes on a homemade corn and pepper relish or the coconut breaded shrimp. Both are delicious appetizers and both are very good portions - a common theme on this menu. For the main course, one can’t go wrong with the traditional slow-cooked BBQ Ribs that were perfectly spiced, sauced and tender or a juicy steak, cooked to order (medium rare to perfection). Bring a big appetite for the large portions, bring your own bottles of wine, but don’t worry about bringing too much cash. These upscale, classic American dishes were well priced, especially considering the amount of food you’ll be taking home!

REVIEW: Darker Than Blue Cafe may not be located in an area known for fine dining, but don’t tell that to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)-trained chef Casey Jenkins. This area of Greenmount avenue isn’t known for upscale dining. In fact, within the same block as Darker than Blue, you’ll find pizza joints, check cashing, and a bail bonds store.After graduating from the CIA, Chef Casey Jenkins along with two of his close friends, opened Darker Than Blue Cafe just blocks from Johns Hopkins with hopes of bringing great food and a nice place to eat to this up and coming neighborhood. “If you build it they will come” is a phrase that comes to mind. I guess Chef knew what he was doing - he built it and explorers of great culinary treasures are starting to show up. From the outside, Darker Than Blue is simple yet snazzy. As you approach the door, there is a glimpse of fine dining through the front window with tables covered with white cloths and filled with professionals and other well dressed diners that seem to be enjoying their overfilled plates and good company.

Upon entering you notice a hostess station but no hostess. On our visit, our hostess was our (and everyones) server. This could be the reason for the slower than average service (we didn’t get our waters or wine opened until after our appetizer arrived). Once a few other tables had cleared our server seemed more comfortable with the pace and the service improved considerably. It was reassuring that Chef Jenkins came out on two occasions to make sure diners were enjoying their meals. It seemed as if we were the only ones in the restaurant he didn’t know well - a good sign suggesting people always come back!

And why wouldn’t they? The appetizers were both good and both very hearty portions. The crab cakes were slightly dry but had good flavor and the corn-sweet pepper relish provided enough moisture to make them enjoyable. One might even skip an appetizer altogether, though, if the sweet corn bread with sweet potato-butter is already on the table. I couldn’t stop lathering up piece after piece - it was very light and delciciuos. I may have only stopped eating the corn bread because I was still waiting for my water! It finally came, as well as our opened bottle of wine and we were now in dining mode. It was about this time I almost became desensitized to the large amount of perfumed candle scent in the dining area.

There are many entrees ranging from salmon (steamed or baked) to a New York Strip that caught my attention. The specials for the evening included a seared Ribeye steak that I considered, as well. But for our entrees on this first visit we decided to stick to our guts and go with some upscale Soul Food. Two giant racks of beef ribs that had cooked for hours with a perfect amount of seasoning and sauce. Even touching them caused the meat to fall off the bone which revealed a large portion of skin-on mashed potatoes (which had been fried as well) and a sizable serving of spinach greens. The spinach was outstanding- seasoned with just salt and pepper. The other entree in our party was a fried chicken platter that featured one-half of a quartered chicken, with succulent white and dark meat underneath the crunchy, golden skin. Again the plate featured a mound of cooked spinach, but instead of potatoes, there was a good serving of Mac’n'Cheese. The pasta was cooked well, but the cheese sauce seemed a bit thick and wasn’t that interesting. Still, it was good and we ate it all the next day for lunch!

With more than half of each of the entrees packed for leftovers, we did find room to try dessert (their options were very enticing). We split a slice of Sweet Potato Pie served with a Mango Sorbet. The pie wasn’t too sweet (which is a good thing in my opinion) but filled with great spice and flavor, while the sorbet was simple, yet light and refreshing. This was a great way to end the meal.

Darker Than Blue Cafe ended up being a great find. Its only been opened since the fall of 2007 so it’s likely that they are still working out the kinks with service. I’m not sure about the overwhelming scented candle aroma, either (which was gone on a subsequent visit!). But the food was very good and considering its BYOB, this new Blues/Jazz restaurant deserves some time to figure things out. Keep a look out for outdoor seating this spring and summer and check their website frequently for a list of live jazz performances.

Chef Jenkins is definitely on the right track - taking time to meet his diners and making sure that they are enjoying themselves. His hospitality and great food will keep us coming back, especially when we’re in the mood for some great jazz!