Sushi

Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi in Horseshoe Casino Baltimore

categories: RESTAURANTS

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I don’t like to gamble but I do visit the Horseshoe Casino in Baltimore occasionally to check out the bar and live music scene and grab a pizza after hours. I have noticed that when I’m there, it doesn’t matter the time or day there is always a crowd at Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi. I got to thinking… if there is always a crowd the food has to be great so I decided to check it out for myself.

I went there with a friend on a Thursday after work. We were both starving and everything on the menu sounded so appealing that we decided to eat a small feast. The manager Lisa was very friendly and knowledgeable about all the items on the menu.  She helped us select the perfect combination of dishes to satisfy our taste buds.

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Szechuan Shrimp with Peppers
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Veggie Pad Thai Noodles
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Stir Fried Green Beans with Chicken

That food looks so good, it makes me want to go back again and again and again!  First let me say that everything was fresh. The shrimp were huge and mixed with the peppers it’s a light dish with lots of flavor. The Veggie Pad Thai Noodles entree is perfect for those who don’t eat meat but want a hearty meal with lots of flavor.  The noodles were light and airy and the best noodles I’ve tasted in a long time. My favorite entree was the Stir Fried Green Beans with Chicken.  The chicken was tender and the green beans were crispy and fresh.   All dishes are the perfect portion for sharing.

As if we didn’t have enough goodness from Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi…we decided to try the sushi.

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Top to Bottom: VIP California Roll, Ruby 8 Roll, Horseshoe Roll

Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi is definitely the best place in Baltimore to eat sushi.  This sushi was amazing, the best I’ve ever tasted.  My favorite was the Horseshoe Roll (bottom right in photo) with softshell crab and avocado.  I think I ate the entire roll myself.

Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi is opening a second location in McHenry Row on May 12!  For those of you who don’t want to deal with the casino crowd, McHenry Row will be a great alternative.

Have you been to Ruby 8 Noodles and Sushi?  What was your favorite dish or sushi roll?

Be sure to follow my foodie and cocktail adventures on social media …  

  

Contemporary Japanese Flair at Azumi in Harbor East

categories: RESTAURANTS

The word “Azumi” means “Safe Residence” in Japanese.  I recently visited Azumi (725 Aliceanna St), the Japanese fine dining restaurant at the Four Seasons in Harbor East Baltimore,  and it’s safe to say this restaurant is here to stay.

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Outdoor seating, breathtaking harbor views, bright colors and a DJ booth are all things you will remember when visiting Azumi.  It was recently named one of “Baltimore’s 15 Most Beautiful Restaurants” by The Baltimore Sun. Think of Azumi as a fancy pants Ra Sushi.

There is an open-seating lounge area when you walk into the restaurant. Behind the lounge area is a long bar against the wall that seats about 10-12 people and the other half of the restaurant is for table seated dining.

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I visited with my best friend during Happy Hour and we ordered four items from the Happy Hour menu and one from the appetizer menu.

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Clockwise From Top: Pork Spare Ribs, Edamame, Rock Shrimp Tempura (Not on the Happy Hour Menu) Spicy Tuna Roll and Salmon avocado Roll.

I especially liked the Pork Spare Ribs, they were sweet and sticky.  But the serving size was too small, it left me wanting more.  But of course that’s what you get for Happy Hour prices. The sushi rolls were also fresh and delicious.

But the real star of the show was my dessert! It was an artisan dessert.  It was so pretty I forgot to ask for the name.  It was a cold custard drizzled with caramel sauce accompanied by a peanut brittle slice, thin-sliced chocolate bar, fruit, and edible flowers.  It also had a few pieces of Japanese Guava Candy. Pretty fancy huh?!!

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As you can see from the Happy Hour menu above, the prices are reasonable.  Azumi would be a nice place to visit for a birthday celebration or to impress someone during a business meeting.  Speaking with the bartender he told me that the place gets a good crowd on the nights when they have a DJ.  I would love to visit during the Summer on a Saturday night when the DJ is there, I think it would be a cool party scene.

 

The Sushi Place

categories: Happy Hour, RESTAURANTS

** UPDATE** This restaurant location has closed. Thanks for the memories.

Every since Townhouse put an end to my “Taco Tuesday” weekly specials (sad face),  I’ve been looking for a place to go for a good Tuesday night happy hour… and I think I’ve found it. Tuesday night I visited The Sushi Place (7 E. Lexington St) in downtown Baltimore for their 1/2 price Sushi Tuesday specials.  The Sushi Place has other locations in Baltimore, but the one on Lexington Street is their newest location and has been there for about two months.

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I must admit Tuesday was not my first visit to The Sushi Place.  I’d gone there for the first time on Friday night around 11:00 pm, just in time to order before the kitchen and bar closes at midnight.  I ordered a Raven’s Sangria and naturally I expected it to be purple, but it wasn’t, nonetheless it was delicious.  Because of time constraints I didn’t have much time to look over the menu, and I ordered the Spicy Tuna Poppers because they were the first thing I’d glanced over that looked interested.

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The Spicy Tuna Poppers were out of this world!  Cooked Tuna mixed with cream cheese stuffed into a half jalapeno pepper,  tempura fried, and topped with a tri-color sauce…more about the sauces later.  I wasn’t sure if I was hungry or if they were really that good, but my second visit on Tuesday confirmed they were really that good.

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In addition to ordering the Spicy Tuna Poppers again, I also ordered the “Feeling Crabby,” which is spicy crab and mozzarella on a quarter cut avocado drizzled with wasabi mayo.  The ingredients sound great together and they were, but the execution could have been better.  The spicy crab and cheese mix wasn’t warm, it was room temperature, and I think it should have been warmer especially on top of the avocado.

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I also ordered fried Chicken Gyoza, which can be ordered steamed or fried.   Gyoza is a fancy name for dumpling or pot sticker.  And I ordered Edamame, not much to be said about it as all Edamame taste the same, but my bartender suggested I get the spicy rub on top in addition to the salt and it did give it a different kick.  It’s funny how I went on 1/2 price sushi night, but didn’t order any authentic sushi *shrugs* oh well …maybe next time.   The Sushi Place uses a three sauces with their food – Ginger Sauce, Eel Sauce, and Wasabi Mayo.  Together these sauces create a signature or house sauce that can probably be put on anything and make it taste great.

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Bushido Roll

What I like most about The Sushi Place is the chill vibe.  The lighting is dim, the furniture is black  and they also play music throughout the restaurant, a good selection of hits…think Chris Brown or Usher station on Pandora.

Tuesday nights also offer Happy Hour drink specials to go along with the 1/2 price sushi.

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