for foodies : Development News

A new frozen yogurt shop is sweetening things up in Howard County.

Matthew Park and his wife Diana spent about $300,000 to open Iceberry in Ellicott City, hoping to get a lick at the $8.1 billion frozen yogurt market. The 40-seat store at 9150 Baltimore National Pike reopened last month after a three-month renovation that allowed the owner to add four more flavors, to a total of 10.

The shop sells smoothies and frozen yogurt in taro, green tea, orange, honeydew, and other flavors. The yogurt, along with nuts, fruit, candy, and other toppings, is sold by weight.

The frozen yogurt chain started in Korea 20 years ago and now has eight US locations in Maryland, Virginia, California and Florida. Pinkberry, Red Mango, and Tasti-D-Lite's expansion in recent years have whetted consumers appetite's for FroYo. Unlike the frozen yogurt chains that sprouted in the 90s, the newer frozen yogurt stores sell more tart flavors, making its taste similar to that of regular store-bought yogurt. The chains tout the yogurt's health benefits because it contains probiotics, said to boost the body's immune system.

But the competition is stiff, Park acknowledges. Along Route 40 in Ellicott City alone, Tutti Frutti and Yogi Castle both operate. But given the popularity of the cold stuff in the warm months, he hopes some customers will like Iceberry for its flavor and because it uses only natural ingredients.


Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Matthew Park, Iceberry

The Creative Alliance at the Patterson will toast a new bar May 14 expected generate more revenue for the performing arts venue and bring more commercial activity to Highlandtown.

Known for its quirky and eclectic programs that have included everything from African drumming to music from Appalachia, the Patterson has been an economic engine driving the revitalization of the East Baltimore neighborhood.

The Marquee Lounge will seat 16 at its white marble bar and contain 10, two-seat tables in a space that formerly held storage. The $200,000 to build the lounge comes from city bonds and the Creative Alliance, says H. Alexander Satorie-Robinson, chief development officer of the Creative Alliance.

Initially open just on Fridays and Saturdays, the Marquee Lounge will eventually extend its hours and serve food by next year, lounge manager Andre Mazelin says.

The second Thursday of each month, the Creative Alliance will host a local supper club called Food = Art. Highlighting a different chef each time, the event is organized by Puffs and Pastries' Anisha Jagtap and Baltimore tech entrepreneur Heather Sarkissian. The dinner series will hopefully serve as a launching pad for more events that showcase the art of making food, wine, and beer, Creative Alliance Program Director Megan Hamilton says.

The bar's opening will hopefully make the Patterson an economic and cultural anchor in Highlandtown, she says. "It will add to the vibrancy of the Highlandtown commercial district."

As a former bartender, Hamilton says she thought that drinks were a good way to bring income to the nonprofit. Designed by Kroiz Architecture and PI:KL Studios, the bar is expected to initially bring in $50,000 a year in revenue.

The nonprofit Creative Alliance reopened the Patterson, a former movie theater, as an arts center in 2003, The facility hosts gallery exhibits, a media lab, a 180-seat theater, a media lab and arts workshops.

Sources: H. Alexander Satorie-Robinson, Megan Hamilton, Andre Mazelin; Creative Alliance
Writer: Julekha Dash

The smell of sweet-and-savory scones and fresh-baked bread is now wafting through the northeast Baltimore neighborhood of Hamilton.

Ruben Hernandez opened Hamilton Bakery April 29, adding another venue to the Hamilton/Lauraville area that has become a foodie destination with top-rated restaurants Chameleon Caf�, Hamilton Tavern, and Clementine.

The 1,800-square-foot bakery is tapping into local farmers to supply its fruits and vegetables and even its wheat. Other menu items include muffins, danishes, croissants, quiches, pies, and tarts. It's also got its own version of red velvet cake. It's called a Hamilton velvet cake but since the bakery only uses natural dyes the cake isn't exactly red.

Relying on antique-looking furniture and neutral colors, Hernandez is going for an industrial, homey look with the d�cor at the 10-seat bakery.
Having worked spent his entire life in the hospitality industry -- largely chain hotels in Calfornia -- Hernandez was eager to open a bakery.

The entrepreneur thought the Hamilton/Lauraville neighborhood, where his wife Kristin runs a dance studio, would be a good spot. The area is fast becoming a food mecca, but until now had not contained a bakery, Hernandez says.

Source: Ruben Hernandez, Hamilton Bakery
Writer: Julekha Dash

Sandwiches, soups, and burritos are staples of the casual dining scene.

But soon falafel, hummus, and eggplant fries will be as ubiquitous as soup in a bread bowl if four Maryland entrepreneurs have it their way. The owners of Tahina's Mediterranean Grill in Owings Mills recently received their franchising license in Maryland and Virginia and are hungry for franchisees who can open 10 stores in the next year, Partner Jeff McCabe says.

Towson, Columbia, and downtown Baltimore are some of the locations that interest them. McCabe says he thinks the store could do well in both strip centers and malls in high-volume, busy areas.

Each store would cost between $140,000 and $280,000 to build. It would average around 1,3000 square feet.

Tahina's setup is similar to that of Subway or Chipotle. Customers select whether they want a salad bowl or pita pocket sandwich. Then they select a protein (chicken, beef or falafel), followed by an array of toppings that include olives, carrots, eggplant, chickpeas, and a cucumber-and-tomato salad.

"We wanted something unique," McCabe says of the restaurant concept. McCabe, who owns a restaurant design firm, says he believes Mediterranean food is a void in the casual dining market.

His partners are Jory Schunick, Morris Scherlis, and David Levitt, a former Outback Steakhouse executive.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Jeff McCabe, Tahina's

Suds and grub will return to the Fells Point spot that formerly held DuClaw Brewing Co. before it closed in late 2009.

Three restaurant operators will open a 200-seat establishment that serves craft beers and upscale pub food.

Michael Mastellone, John Durkin, and Derek Blazer don't have a name yet for the new restaurant, to open in September. Bond Street Social is the name on the liquor license application, but that name is not set in stone, Mastellone says.

Durkin and Mastellone own Ladder 15, a Philadelphia bar and restaurant located in a former firehouse. Durkin is also owner of Federal Hill's Mad River Bar & Grill.

The partners will spend more than $1 million to revamp the interior of the former DuClaw space, Mastellone says. He's hiring T+Associates Architects, the same designer as Ladder 15, to outfit the new space, and imagines the new space will sport an industrial look, with steel and wood.

The owners hope to draw people in the summer months with the nearly 2,000-square-foot outdoor waterfront dining area. The restaurant's half a dozen fireplaces will hopefully draw diners in the winter months as well, Mastellone says.

The menu will be similar to that of Ladder 15, except with a heavier emphasis on seafood, Mastellone says. Korean tacos, made with pork belly and short rib, oxtail cheesesteak, and truffle fries are some of the menu items at the Philly eatery.

Prices will run about the same as well, with appetizers under $10, sandwiches and burgers $9-$11 and entrees running between $12 and $25.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Michael Mastellone, Ladder 15

Greenberg Gibbons Commercial Corp. will break ground in the fall on a $2.5 million building that will bring eight to 10 new restaurants and service companies to Annapolis Towne Centre.

The 24,000-square-foot building will be located at the intersection of West Street and Summerville Road and be completed by fall 2012, says Greenberg Gibbons Chief Operating Officer Tom Fitzpatrick. The developer hasn't identified any specific tenants yet for that space.

The site will largely contain fast casual restaurants, or restaurants that offer quick service and higher quality ingredients than fast food. That's largely the type of tenant that's going into a separate $2 million building opening in May at Annapolis Towne Centre.

Greenberg Gibbons thought fast casual restaurants would be a good addition to Annapolis Towne Centre since it currently houses mostly full service restaurants. Those include Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar, Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant and Brio Tuscan Grill.

Tenants opening in May are:

• Flat Top Grill, a create-your-own stir-fry restaurant;
• Fidelity;
• Jimmy Johns Gourmet Sandwich Shop;
• Qdoba Mexican Grill;
• Saladworks;
• Scottrade; and,
• Zoe's Kitchen, which serves kabobs, hummus and other Mediterranean foods.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tom Fitzpatrick, Greenberg Gibbons

Building an original slice of the Bronx in Baltimore will cost as much as $3 million.

The owners of Aldo's Italian Restaurant in Little Italy are teaming up with Hollywood actor Chazz Palminteri to open a coal-fired pizza restaurant in Harbor East.

Much of that money will go in the restaurant's design, Aldo's Co-owner Alessandro Vitale says. The owners have hired Baltimore's Rita St. Clair, who has put her stamp on the Prime Rib and Aldo's.

"We're trying to capture old-school Bronx" circa 1950, Vitale says. (That's the same era depicted in Palminteri's movie and play "A Bronx Tale.")

You can expect to see a black-and-white checker floor, marble tops, and subway tiles behind the pizza oven. Diners will be able to watch the guys making pizza.

"We're trying to create an immersive experience," Vitale says, adding, "You can't fake it."

Partners in the venture include the Vitales, Palminteri and Kerry Kessel, an investor and friend of the actor.

Palminteri forged a friendship with the Vitale brothers after falling in love with Aldo's marinara sauce.

The 7,000-square-foot restaurant will employ more than 40.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Alessandro Vitale, Aldo's Italian Restaurant, Chazz: A Bronx Original

In less than a month, Baltimore Orioles' fans will hear the crack of the bat at Camden Yards.

In about seven months, more than 100,000 people are expected to visit Charm City for the Baltimore Grand Prix Race. And restaurant owners Justin Dvorkin and Donald Kelly hope their burritos and margaritas will feed and quench the thirst of these sports' enthusiasts � and put some change in their pocket.

The business partners will open Charm City Cantina at 200 W. Pratt St. April 4, just in time for Opening Day. The 220-seat restaurant will be located next door to their other venture, the Pratt Street Ale House.

Since taking over the Pratt Street Ale House two years ago, the owners have gotten steady traffic from sports fans, convention attendees, concert goers at First Mariner Arena, and tourists, Kelly says. When the opportunity came up to take over the restaurant next door, they felt they had to take it.

The pair will spend as much as $400,000 to open the 6,800-square-foot restaurant. Some of that money will be spent to hire a designer to create a look that is a cross between an American pub and a Mexican eatery.

With no other full-service Mexican restaurants downtown, Kelly and Dvorkin say they hope the investment pays off.

But opening a second establishment will be challenging as the price of food and other commodities climb higher, Kelly says.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Justin Dvorkin and Donald Kelly

The owners of Donna's Coffee Bar hope to reopen their Mount Vernon shop by the end of the year following a five-alarm fire that devastated the historic building at 800 N. Charles St.

And when it does reopen, diners can expect tapas and a wine bar on the menu, co-owner Alan Hirsch says.

He expects reconstruction work on the restaurant to begin in October and be completed in three months. With the inside totally gutted, the owners have to redesign the restaurant and go through the permitting process all over again.

"If you go to that corner, it's pretty depressing," since the Dec. 7 fire, Hirsch says. "Part of the community is gone."

Meanwhile, the business owner says he expects renovations on the building to begin as early as June, based on meetings he has had with the building's developer, Dominic Wiker. The former home of Indigma and MyThai restaurants now has no roof and requires extensive electrical and mechanical work, Hirsch says.

Wiker could not be reached for comment.

Hirsch says he does not yet have an estimate on the cost of the renovations.

Serving wine and high-end beer, along with small plates, will help Donna's keep up with current market trends for European-style restaurants, Hirsch says. The restaurant is known for its extensive coffee menu and Mediterranean fare, including a roasted vegetable salad and hummus and pita.

The motive behind the wine bar was not solely money, as the profit margins are higher in coffee drinks, Hirsch says. Rather, the owners felt they needed to refresh the restaurant concept.

"We needed to update Donna's and do more."

It has other locations at the University of Maryland Medical System, the Village of Cross Keys, Charles Village and Columbia.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Alan Hirsch, Donna's

Behold the power of pepperoni.

A two-year-old pizza restaurant in Harbor East is doubling its size in the next four months.

Bagby Pizza Co. at 1006 Fleet St. will add another 75 seats, a bar, and a small plate menu, say father-and-son co-owners David and Blake Smith. The expansion will give it 130 seats and another 1,800 square feet of space.

The pizza joint will take over the spot that held flower shop the Dutch Connection, which closed.

The Smiths say the new menu is still in the works. Perhaps American comfort food will be on tap, says David Smith, who also envisions a martini bar. He says he is spending "a few hundred thousand" on the expansion.

Sandwiched between Whole Foods and Little Italy, the Bagby Building has been a good location for the restaurant, Blake Smith says. It gets lunch traffic from office workers and nighttime customers from neighboring residents.

"It's been getting awfully busy around here," especially on Friday and Saturday nights," Smith says. 'It's a good problem to have."

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: David Smith, Blake Smith, Bagby Pizza Co.

A national restaurant franchise is staking out the Baltimore and Washington, D.C., areas to open as many as 20 stores where it can sell its chicken wings, fries, and bourbon baked beans.

Rahim Kurji and Bidjaan Kassam have acquired the franchise rights to open Wingstop stores in the area. They expect to open between six and eight stores in Baltimore this year. With each store costing between $400,000 and $550,000 to build, the franchisees could spend as much as $4.4 million to open new stores this year. The business owners are financing the operation through an SBA loan and their own cash.

The pair are looking for strip mall spaces that are between 1,400 and 1,800 square feet, Kurji says. Population-dense locales near universities and hospitals would be ideal, he says. Hungry students and busy hospital workers could keep the stores busy at night and not just during the day.

Since they haven't finalized any lease deals, the entrepreneurs couldn't identify any specific locations where they will open. Kassam says they will create a Facebook page asking locals where they would like to see a Wingstop.

The wings are made fresh to order and come in nine flavors, including teriyaki, garlic parmesan, lemon pepper, Cajun, and atomic. Kassam says that these sauces and even the blue cheese dressing you dip your celery in will be made in house.

Based in Richardson, Texas, the national franchise has its biggest penetration in California and Texas.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Rahim Kurji and Bidjaan Kassam

Construction on a gourmet grocery shop and a wine bar will soon begin at Patrick Turner's Silo Point condominium tower.

Hospitality consultant Peter Yaffe is cooking up plans for a store where Silo Point residents can pick up a sandwich, coffee, prepared foods and a bottle of wine.

Construction on the 2,200-square-foot business, called FoodLifePoint, should begin in the next month or so. Yaffe describes the style of the design-heavy store as "cozy industrial chic," much like the condo tower itself. He has hired Silo Point's architect, Chris Pfaeffle of Baltimore's Parameter Inc., to design the store.  

FoodLifePoint's features will include wireless Internet access, HD TVs, and seating overlooking the harbor. The store will employ between 60 and 75. If all goes well, Yaffe plans to open more stores like it throughout the U.S., one of which could be built at Patrick Turner's Westport development in South Baltimore.

Yaffe's previous experience includes LFB Enterprises, where he was president of a Maryland hospitality group that included catering, a restaurant, a nightclub, and a gourmet-to-go food operation. He has also run high-volume seafood restaurants in Florida and was director of operations of Capital Restaurant Concepts, the Washington, D.C. restaurant group that includes Paolo's Ristorante and J. Paul's Dining Saloon.

Meanwhile, the folks behind the 13.5% wine bar in Hampden are opening a wine bar at Silo Point. No word yet on the name of the 2,600-square-foot store, expected to open in April at 1200 Steuart St.

Wayne Laing, of 13.5%, declined to comment on his latest wine bar.

"They're both great concepts for the neighborhood," Turner says of FoodLifePoint and the wine bar. "I'm not real big on chain restaurants. Restaurants of this caliber are very site specific and we want that uniqueness for Silo Point."

The condo tower also features Mexican restaurant Miguel's Cocina y Cantina and Priv� Salon and Spa.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Sources: Peter Yaffe, FoodLife Point; Patrick Turner, Turner Development Group LLC

The owners of Pazo, Cinghiale, Petit Louis Bistro, and Charleston restaurants could spend upwards of $1 million on their latest venture in Roland Park.

Tony Foreman and Cindy Wolf are negotiating to lease a space at 4800 Roland Ave. in the same shopping center as Petit Louis. Foreman says he expects they will finalize the deal in the next couple of months. The 100-seat restaurant would open in fall or winter.

Foreman wouldn't reveal the restaurant's name or dishes it would serve until they are closer to opening. The menu will be lower priced than that of Petit Louis, where entrees cost between $12 and $44. The idea, Foreman says, is to attract repeat customers in the neighborhood, as opposed to Petit Louis, which is more of a destination restaurant.

The investment in the new venue would be "nowhere near on the scale of Pazo and Cinghiale," which were much more expensive to build, Foreman says.

The restaurant will be located in two adjacent spots previously occupied by Roland Park Bakery and Deli and Long and Foster. A press release from Foreman Wolf says that a "casual, lively interior will take over the former deli space, with exposed beams and vaulted ceilings."

The sour real estate market has prompted some shop and restaurant owners to take the opportunity to snatch good deals. But Foreman says that's not the main reason he's opening the new spot.

"The reality is that I get itchy every couple of years. You have an idea and you want to express it."

The restaurant will employ 15.  

Foreman Wolf also owns wine stores Bin 604 in Baltimore and Bin 201 in Annapolis.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: Tony Foreman

A steak and seafood restaurant will eat into a Pasadena retail center by the end of March.

Two Rivers Steakhouse and Seafood will open an 8,000-square-foot restaurant that employs more than 100.

Located at Lakeshore Plaza near the intersection of MD Route 100 and Magothy Beach Rd., the restaurant will open in a former Blockbuster Video space. Ace Hardware, Hallmark, and Safeway are among the other stores at the shopping center.

The owners of the restaurant also operate Hanover nightclub Cancun Cantina. The executive chef is Mark Morgan, formerly of Pasadena's Windows on the Bay.

The casual restaurant will serve soups, seafood, burgers, chicken, steak, and salads. Lunch dishes will start at $7 while dinner entrees will start at $15.

Lakeshore Plaza recently received a $3 million "Main Street-style" renovation that includes new color schemes, new modern canopies, and lighting. It draws from communities on the eastern section of Anne Arundel County, including Pasadena and Arnold. More than 112,000 residents live within a five-mile radius of the center and the average household income exceeds $96,000.

Baltimore developer St. John Properties Inc. owns the shopping center.

Writer: Julekha Dash
Source: St. John Properties

For fans of Beef Brothers, a heretofore seasonal cart specializing in Nathan's hot dogs and fresh deli sandwiches, its almost as though spring has sprung early despite the frigid temps outside. That's because their favorite lunchtime cart has found a permanent home in the Charles Plaza food court.

Brad and Marc Quint, brothers and co-owners of Beef Brothers, had been looking at several opportunities to take their business from a seasonal cart to a year-round sit-down eatery since starting their business during the dog days of last summer.

"Our customers kept asking what we were going to do in the winter and many buildings around were inquiring about us being in their lobby or building. So, we went from no options to many in a short time period. We explored a few options and the best one we decided was the food court because it was very close to our cart. We closed the hot dog cart in November and got to work on our spot in the eatery. The eatery had been renovated recently and is beautiful. We did the rest of the work ourselves. Well, Marc did. He is very handy," says Brad.

While Brad changed the radio stations, Marc completed the renovations. And now the pair, who had long dreamed of opening a Jewish-style deli sandwich shop but didn't have the capital to make it happen, have their very own sandwichery.

"We are very excited about it all and so far we have been very well received. We know people don't have a lot of time for lunch and in this economy not a lot of extra money. So we try to get people their food fast at a good price but most importantly at the highest quality. We serve the highest quality of everything we offer. If we won't eat it and love it than we won't make it and sell it."

Beef Brothers serves breakfast and lunch and is open from 7:30 am to 3 pm, Monday to Friday. The deli seats about 200 people. Regular customers can participate in a loyalty program and also enjoy the Beef Brothers website that features photos with pithy captions.

"We have a bbq brisket sanwich with bbq sauce horseradish sauce on a kaiser roll and we call it The Beef Brother. It comes with slaw and people love it. It's something different, tasty and flavorful," says Brad.

"We are a full deli in the eatery. With traditional deli sandwiches like brisket corned beef and pastrami. We have soup every day and made to order salads. And of course our Nathan's hot dogs," he adds.

For those who enjoy lunch al fresco, Brad says the cart will reopen in its previous spot in the spring.

Source: Brad Quint, Beef Brothers
Writer: Walaika Haskins