Visitor Guide Spring/Summer 2021 | Page 22

spectacular fare from all over the planet . Try La Cuchara for authentic Basque food in WOODBERRY — you have to try the pintxos . Or if you ’ re craving spice , head to The Helmand , which has been serving Afghan food for decades in MOUNT VERNON .
DAY 2
Australia may be a full day ’ s flight from the East Coast , but you can experience the topography and animal life of an Australian river gorge right here in Baltimore ’ s INNER HARBOR . At the National Aquarium , an award-winning immersive exhibit — which occupies its own section — replicates a habitat in the Umbrawarra Gorge of Northern Australia . Visitors get a close look at more than 70 species of native Australian animals . Rainbow-hued lorikeets and Laughing Kookaburras fly freely in the exhibit , and an array of snakes , turtles and fish float in the huge tanks .
If your visit to the aquarium worked up an appetite , hop over to LITTLE ITALY , a nearby neighborhood offering tastes of the Southern European nation . Baltimore ’ s Little Italy earned its name from an influx of Italian immigrants who settled there more than a hundred years ago . In the years since , Little Italy developed into a tightly knit community of family-owned restaurants ,
National Aquarium
JASON VARNEY
ITINERARIES
IF YOUR VISIT coincides with Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month ( May ) or National Hispanic Heritage Month ( September 15 through October 15 ), keep your eye out for local celebrations throughout the city . This year , some schedules may be announced closer to the date . But you can always celebrate your love of these cultures with excellent food ! Here are some of Baltimore ’ s best Asian and Latin restaurants .
ASIAN
Dooby ’ s
802 N . CHARLES ST .
Doobys . com
Part coffee shop , part casual eatery , this popular spot from local restaurateur Phil Han offers up a fresh take on the Korean cuisine of Han ’ s ancestors . The menu includes rice bowls , noodle dishes like gochujang pork ramen , fried kimchi rice and tasty snacks like Korean hot wings and dumplings adapted from a family recipe .
Ekiben
1622 EASTERN AVE .
EkibenBaltimore . com
What started as a food cart at the Fell ’ s Point Farmers Market is now two eateries located in Hampden and Fell ’ s Point . The popular fusion restaurants dish up Taiwanese curry fried chicken and Thai chicken meatballs in the form of steamed buns or rice bowls .
Ejji Ramen
529 E . BELVEDERE AVE .
EjjiRamen . com
Located along the back wall inside Belvedere Square Market , this casual spot focuses on Japanese-style ramen — including its signature rich , umami-filled tonkatsu — and offsets the noodle bowls with other pan-Asian nibbles like Malaysian flatbread and coconut rice bowls with eggplant katsu sambal .
Azumi
725 ALICEANNA ST .
AzumiRestaurant . com
This stylish spot in the Four Seasons is helmed by a Tokyo native ( and experienced chef ) whose menu features luxe ingredients like wagyu short rib and miniature Japanese freshwater crabs — a signature
appetizer — plus fish flown directly from Tokyo ’ s famous Tsukiji Fish Market .
NiHao
2322 BOSTON ST .
NiHaoBaltimore . com
In Canton , this modern Chinese restaurant comes from Lydia Chang , daughter of Peter Chang , who has built an empire of restaurants in the Washington region . The menu offers contemporary takes on classics , such as Peking duck , kung pao chicken and crispy bamboo fish . Don ’ t miss the playful dessert menu , which includes cookie doughs in flavors like Ovaltine snickerdoodle !
20 BALTIMORE . ORG