Critically Kosher

Sad news, folks: I just received an email that Dougie’s On The Run in Baltimore is closing up shop. From the email:

It is with sadness that we announce that Dougie’s on the Run will be closing for business. A combination of unforeseen factors has forced us to make this difficult decision. Sunday night at Willowglen and Sanzo will likely be our last time to serve you. We will be open from 4:30-7:30 PM. We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have supported us. This is a wonderful community and we hope you will continue to support local kosher dining establishments as much as possible.

I’ve emailed the owners asking for comment.

Has anyone else noticed that kosher food prices, at least down here in the suburbs of DC, have risen dramatically in recent weeks? Maybe I’m just mis-remembering, but I’m almost positive that some items have gone up by 20%-75% in the past month or so. I just recently had a double-take moment when I saw that a loaf of gefilte fish was running $7-$9 these days, whereas I remember it being closer to $5 not so long ago.

I want to explore this issue a little more, but haven’t had access to the car so that I can do price comparisons. Hopefully I’ll find some time to do so this week. If anyone has any information about Baltimore, I’d love to hear it.

I got a tip this morning about an article in the Washington Jewish Week describing a new kosher restaurant opening up: the Pomegranate Bistro. It’ll be opening up in the Cabin John Shopping Center in Potomac.

The general market seems to be aimed towards the same market as Amanda’s in Baltimore - meat dishes in a $18-$35 price range. The article is a bit unclear about what style the restaurant is going to be in, although the name seems suggestive enough - it’s probably a New York deli style place, albeit on the higher-end. The gentleman who’s opening it, Jacob Schorr, was also behind the now-defunct Red Heifer, so at least we know he has some experience with the upper-end dining experience.

It also seems like it’ll be doing some regular prepared food sales. I like the emphasis on “paerve means paerve, not paerve means meat equipment”, which should attract some business all on its own.

If we had to offer some totally unsolicited advice: pick a menu style and stick with it. It seems like every other kosher restaurant in “Middle Eastern Fusion”, and it’d be refreshing to see a place that does one style very well. I don’t think the pricing is bad, and it should add a much-needed upper-end restaurant to the area - especially when it’s in wealthy Potomac.

We’ll definitely be looking forward to the opening in “a few weeks” - check back for a review!

Bad news for the kosher crowd - Mama Leah’s in Rockville has closed up shop. They were closed for a few weeks, but a note left on their door at least implied that they were re-opening. But, given the new name (”Coaches”, I think), new decor, and promises of “authentic Philly steak and pizza”, I’m leaning more towards “it’s closed”.

If I had to theorize why, it would be because of management issues. They really seemed to have some problems getting together an order for me if I didn’t get there at peak times, and they seemed to be perpetually out of certain items. Factor in the competition from the other restaurants (including a pizza place and a bagel shop!), and I guess I can’t act too shocked that things didn’t work out. It’s too bad, really - it was a good spot for the twenty-something crowd to hang out after Shabbos, free from some of the younger high-school kids who terrorize Ben Yehuda’s during that time frame. Back to Siena’s, I guess.

Cocoaccino’s is a cafe-style restaurant that has recently opened up at the Greenspring Atrium in Baltimore (right off Smith Avenue). It’s owned by the same people as Accents next door, and serves as a sort of sister restaurant. It serves ice cream, higher-end cafe drinks, and dairy dishes, but didn’t have any pizza that I noticed.

Is Cocoaccino’s worth a trip? More after the jump.

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While things have been sparse here at Critically Kosher, I still haven’t forgotten my few loyal readers. That’s why we’re proud to present a review of The Royal Restaurant in Baltimore.

The Royal Restaurant is located in the Colonial Village shopping center right off Reisterstown Road, near Seven Mile Lane (there’s also a Kosher Dunkin’ Donuts nearby). They’re a little hard to spot, being located in the corner of the shopping center, but customers paying attention shouldn’t have too much trouble.

The establishment is sit-down, and the menu is primarily Chinese and American items, with the odd Persian item tossed in. The target market is roughly the same as the Royal Dragon’s in Baltimore - a step up from Max’s or Kosher Bite, but not terribly fancy, either.

How critical was Critically Kosher of the Royal Restaurant? More after the jump!

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Just got this in the email - the Dougie’s On The Run schedule as of November 4th:

Sunday - Greenspring & Willowglen Ave. for dinner, 4:30 - 7:30pm

Monday - Social Security on Security Blvd. near Gwenoak for lunch at 11 - 2pm

Tuesday - Greenspring & Willowglen Ave. for dinner, 5 - 8pm

Wednesday - Owings Mills at Red Run Blvd. & Mill Run Circle for lunch, 11 - 2pm

Thursday - Woodholm Elem on Mt. Wilson Lane for dinner at 5 - 7:30pm

Fridays we’ll be closed on a regular basis

Sunday - Etz Chaim on Fords Lane for dinner at 4:30 - 7:30 pm

Neil sent me an e-mail a few days ago about Kosher Community Surveys having put up their Washington, DC survey! Please go take it if you’re dining in that area - more info is always good!

Aaron of Dougie’s On The Run fame was kind enough to contact me about the new mobile eatery that’ll be around town in Baltimore soon. Think of this as a nicer version of the infamous Kosher Bite bus.

Exact details are still being worked out, pending a hearing with the city, but the preliminary plan is to be downtown two weekdays, near the Social Security offices one weekday, and in Pikesville or Owings Mills one weekday (probably Thursday). They’ll also probably be in the Pikesville area on Sundays. Finally, there will also be some special events and catering being done, so don’t despair if none of those places seem particularly appealing.

It’s an interesting business plan - tapping into the kosher lunch crowd outside of the “normal boundaries” of Baltimore’s Jewish community ought to be quite lucrative. I suppose there’s some room for frustration and confusion with the “roving restaurant” portion of it, but good marketing should keep it from getting too bad. I could certainly see giving it a go when I’m in Baltimore, visiting relatives.

More info will be coming soon, so don’t yank Critically Kosher off your RSS reader quite yet!

There’s an article over at the Baltimore Jewish Times about the kosher Subway that’s going to be opening up. There’s some details about the owners, plus an announcement that Jared Fogle (that guy who lost all the weight) will be stopping in for an appearance at its opening.

There is one tidbit that’s easy to overlook, yet could mean big things in the future: “Mr. Kozlovsky said that a shop in the suburban Montgomery County area is also being considered.”

Open one in downtown Silver Spring, and you’ll be my hero!