Restaurant Review: The Woodberry Kitchen - Baltimore (Clipper Mill area)

Overview
Ambiance: Business casual attire, rustic yet upscale decor, upbeat music playing in the background - think Pazo but a little more rustic and relaxed.
Food: Local produce and meat, organic- very fresh ingredients from vegetarian to seafood- Mediterranean influence
Service: Knowledgeable, friendly and accommodating
Wine List: Good diversity of local wines as well as biodynamic and organic wines from all over the world. Moderate pricing.
Corkage: N/A
Attire: Business casual seems to be the theme
Overall rating: Highly recommended.  Very good food, good service, diverse wine list, good desserts/coffee, complimentary valet service.
Location/Contact Info: http://www.woodberrykitchen.com/
2010 Clipper Park Road, No. 126
Baltimore, MD 21211
Phone: 410-464-8000 (reservations highly suggested)

Review: When was the last time you had an upscale meal in Clipper Mill? I’ll make this easier, when was the last time you were in Clipper Mill? How about, have you heard of Clipper Mill? I’m guessing at least some of you answered “no” to all three! That’s OK though, this up and coming area near Hampden in Baltimore’s north side seems to be doing great as is. At least that is my conclusion after a packed house on a Monday night. A stones throw away from the Woodberry light rail stop (in the heart of the historic Clipper Mill renovation) sits a beautifully restored warehouse that is home to art gallery’s, business offices and a great all-organic restaurant. Opened in late 2007, the Woodberry Kitchen already seems to have figured out a plan for success.

We visited the Woodberry Kitchen on a Monday night. Our party of three arrived a few minutes before our 8:00 PM reservation and was delighted to find complimentary valet parking. After a short trip up the wrong steps (another group had the same problem) we figured our way around and arrived at all glass window wall that is the front of the restaurant. From outside we could see tables filled with diners dressed in business casual attire and the bustle of a well organized (or at least seemingly so!) restaurant. After a few seconds of admiring the wide open design of the restaurant (think Pazo’s but more rustic) we were greeted by a friendly hostess who led us past the first floor of seating, up a wooden stair case to the upper level. Here we had a great view of the entire restaurant; exposed brick walls, metal rafters, and a very wide open floor plan. The aisles are a little tight upstairs, and tables are close together, but overall we were pretty comfortable.

Our server (Alejandro) was quick to introduce himself and within minutes it had seemed like we knew him for years. The overall service (especially our server) was one of the highlights of our visit. After introducing us to the menus and suggesting a few starters, Alejandro was off to grab us a bottle of Pares Balta Cava ($30). The list features local producers, as well as biodynamic and organic wines from around the world. Overall the wine list is well thought out and reasonably priced.

For starters we tried one of the many available homemade flatbreads ($11). Ours featured feta and olives - the bread was very fresh with a crisp outer layer but overall was a touch salty. The spinach salad ($9) with walnuts and goat cheese was delicious - my only comment would be that the dressing would benefit from a touch more acidity to balance out the rich cheese. Kim and I also tried the sardines ($11) which were prepared Mediterranean style with olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper. The fish tasted very fresh with my only criticism being this dish needed more olive oil/lemon. Overall we were very happy with the first part of our meal and look forward to going back to try out some of the other enticing “starter” options (a variety of oysters, chicken liver parfait, among many others!).

Nearing the end of our first course we ordered entrees as well as a new round of wine. As Kim and my father went with light dishes, they had a Quivira Sauvignon Blanc ($12) and Vida Organica Torronetes ($6), respectively. I on the other hand broke from my normal character and went with one of the few California Cabernets on the list: 2005 Honig Napa ($18). I didn’t take formal notes on the wine, but enjoyed the dark fruits and creamy texture and would give it a non-blind rating of 91+ pts. The pours were generous and overall we were happy with the wines.

Our entrees arrived in about 20 minutes which is good considering how busy they were. My father (a vegetarian) had the Vegetables with dumplings in a light cream sauce ($17). The dish featured fresh vegetables and was well seasoned. Overall he happy with both the presentation and taste of his dish. Kim, an avid “sea-foodie”, went with the broiled halibut served with asparagus and wild mushrooms ($25). The halibut was one of the best I’ve had in a restaurant - cooked perfectly with the right amount of seasoning and a nice portion size. A bite of the dish with each component really highlighted the thought that went into this dish- very well done. My entree, unfortunately wasn’t as successful (to begin with).

I tried one of the specials: a skirt steak, bone-in with Cheddar potato gratin ($24). I specified “Rare-Plus; meaning between rare and medium rare but was given a medium (medium well on the edges) cut of beef. Alejandro seemed confused at what to do when I mentioned it was very much overcooked, but he took the dish away saying it would be “fixed”. Shortly thereafter the manager (Summer) came by to acknowledge she was aware of the problem and agreed it was overcooked. She offered to replace it with a boneless ribeye (I had received the last cut of the skirt steak). The new steak came and although wasn’t seared as I’d hoped, was cooked medium rare with a good level of seasoning. I also enjoyed the cheesy potato gratin. My only complaint here is that they charged me for the ribeye ($29) after having overcooked, then run-out of the steak I ordered- Que Sera Sera! It was only a few dollars difference.

After all this we still had room for dessert. My father enjoyed the house cheesecake which was very light and creamy while Kim seemed happy with her chocolate pudding that was a bit rich for me at that point of the evening. I had a piece of rhubarb pie served with vanilla ice cream which I thought was a great dessert - the tartness of the rhubarb pie was in good harmony with the sweet ice cream. Our coffee was pressed at the table and was dark and rich, whereas my espresso was one of the better ones I’ve had in a restaurant in Baltimore. Overall, another successful course.

Our bill came to $226 and some change, not bad considering the wines, three appetizers and full dessert course. For the quality and freshness of the ingredients it’s more than worth it. I’d suggest keeping an eye on the menu or calling every now and then about specials. We’ll be heading back soon to try out their oysters, a few more flat breads and to keep up on the seasonal specials. I’d also like to check out their extensive tea list which offers guests a nice way to finish off a meal.

Overall: I like this place. I think it’s a very good restaurant that has the potential to be great. As long as they keep making simple yet innovative dishes filled with fresh, local ingredients, I can see this becoming one of my regular, and highly recommended spots in Baltimore.