Daytripping: Stops at Mt. Washington Tavern, Pappas, Ships Café, Bread & Circuses and National Cryptologic Museum
I’ve been sitting home long enough, time to get back on the road and go restaurant hopping and visit a museum full of once-classified secrets.
The first stop is the Village of Mt Washington and the Mt Washington Tavern. Located at 5700 Newbury Street, this is a very popular go-to place and has been since 1979.
Open 7 days, outdoor seating in season, two levels (bars on both), live music in spring, street parking and a nearby lot,
Happy Hour Monday-Friday 4 -7, private rooms, and they are a big supporter of the Mt Washington Pediatric Hospital.
Daily specials and free oysters on Thursday during Happy Hour (when buying a drink), Thursday is also ½ bottle wine night and it’s locally owned and operated.
My favorites are shrimp salad roll, Chesapeake salad, salmon, and tavern burger (Monday is burger night). The lively atmosphere is assured….410-367-6903…mtwashtavern.com
Now we’re on our way to Parkville and to Pappas, 1725 Taylor Avenue. Open 7 days, Wednesday is Hump Day, $3.00 off crab cakes, locally owned and operated by Steve Pappas, in business since 1972, banquet room upstairs, newly renovated dining room, Monday is karaoke, Thursday trivia, an attached sports bar and a private parking lot.
Did I forget something? Oh yes, the crab cakes. And oh my those crab cakes. Second to none. I like mine broiled with cocktail sauce. Worth the trip. Suggest reservations, especially weekends…410-661-4357….pappasparkville.com (additional locations in Glen Burnie, Belair, Cockeysville and National Harbor Food Court)
Now let’s take a food break and head to the National Cryptologic Museum, 8290 Colony Seven Rd, Annapolis Junction. This is a very interesting museum, especially if you like history. It’s affiliated with the National Security Agency and is the first public museum in the U.S. intelligence community. It receives about 50,000 visitors a year, has free admission, open Tuesday-Saturday 10-4 (Wednesday to 7). Donations accepted. No flash photography.
The museum includes a gift shop and a library that has over a dozen boxes of files of declassified Enigma messages, technical codes, and books only spies would love. Also has thousands of artifacts, including working WW 2 German Enigma machines (2 of which the public can try), a Navy Bombe used to break it, and displays on the history of Cryptology.
Tours are either scheduled or walk-ins. Established in 1993…worth your time…301-688-5849…crypto_museum@nsa.gov
Our last food stop is in Catonsville, 828 Frederick Rd, Ships Café, established 2002. Closed Monday, seating for about 125, street parking and a nearby lot, locally owned and operated, daily lunch specials, dinner specials beginning in March, winter hours are 11-8, heavy on seafood (oysters, shrimp, scallops, crab, mussels, clams), they do serve steamed crabs when available and an enclosed outdoor deck.
I suggest the Ships salad trio, seafood platter, rockfish, and BBQ baby back ribs. Popular neighborhood destination….410-744-1838.
Wait a minute, wait a minute, one more item before I close. A clever promotion going on at Bread & Circuses, 401 Delaware Avenue, Towson.
Where were you the night of April 14, 1912? If alive you could have been aboard the Titanic as it was steaming its way to New York.
You could have been in the 1st Class dining room enjoying what was to become your last meal. If you weren’t on the ship, there is a way to recreate that final dinner as the restaurant is offering a Titanic First Class Dinner (4 or 6 courses) for a limited time.
The chef, Matt Gongon, has indeed recreated that elaborate dinner every night. Service begins at 5 pm, but you can arrive at any time.til closing. The 6 course is $85.00 pp, the 4 course $65.00. Each course offers numerous choices, select one item from each.
You can even watch the movie Titanic while dining. This has become quite popular so reservations are a must, 410-337-5282.
Congrats to Steve and Martha (owners) for coming up with this. To check out the menu, bandcbistro.com
One fun fact about the ship – there are 4 smoke stacks, but only 3 were in operation. The 4th was for symmetry.
Eddie Applefeld is a Baltimore native and a graduate of Towson University. He has been in the broadcasting profession for over 30 years. Currently he is the Promotions Director of WCBM radio. Before that, he was part of the Rouse & Company show on WQSR, host of a cable TV show called Dining Out and adjunct instructor at Towson.
His past accomplishments include being named a finalist in Baltimore Tourism’s Employee of the Year Program and winner of Toastmaster’s Speaker of the Year contest. He was also twice a heartthrob for the American Heart Association’s gala fund raiser.