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Promoting
the
Indies!
Hey,
Lars.
How are
you?
Thought
I’d
mention
Zagat
2006 is
out.
Unfortunately,
out of
the top
15, nine
are
chain
restaurants.
So
hooray
to you
for
promoting
the
indies!
When
those
words
appeared
in my
inbox
last
week, it
made me
proud
that my
support
for the
independent
restaurants
in
Baltimore
is
appreciated;
however,
I can’t
deny my
disappointment
in the
rest of
the
e-mail’s
revelations.
I knew
“chains”
were out
there en
masse,
but how
can
Zagat be
correct?
Is it
possible
that
nine of
the top
15
restaurants
in
Baltimore’s
dining
community
are
chain
restaurants?
Generally,
I take
Zagat
and
other
dining
guides
with a
grain of
salt
(which
is a
whole
other
Foodie
File),
but the
e-mail
propelled
me to
take a
thorough
look at
the 2006
Zagat
listing
of
Baltimore’s
forty
most
popular
restaurants.
Only
then did
I
realize
that my
e-mailer
was
wrong.
It isn’t
nine of
the top
15; it’s
11 of
the top
15, or
more
precisely,
13 of
the top
20.
Perhaps
my
definition
of
“chain”
differs
from my
e-mailer.
I define
“chain”
as a
restaurant
with
multiple
locations
in
multiple
cities.
One of
the top
15
restaurants
on the
list has
locations
in DC,
Rockville,
Silver
Spring,
Arlington
(2),
McLean,
and
Annapolis.
Yeah,
that’s a
chain.
If 13 of
the top
20 are
“chains,”
that
leaves
seven “indies.”
I’m
sorry,
but
that’s
terrible.
Yes, I
know
Zagat
claims
they
regularly
survey
“large
numbers
of avid
(and
hence
educated)
customers.”
That may
be the
case,
but the
locally
owned
restaurants
deserve
closer
examination
or even
a
separate
Top 20
list for
these
culinary
entrepreneurs.
Zagat,
can you
hear me?
In
Zagat’s
rankings,
one of
the
“indies”
that
made the
cut is
Bicycle
in
Federal
Hill,
the site
of a
Baltimore
Foodies’
dinner
party in
March. I
consider
that
night at
Bicycle
a
turning
point
for
Baltimore
Foodies.
Barry
and Deb,
the
husband
and wife
who own
and run
Bicycle,
were
excited
about
having
us at
their
venue. I
shared
their
excitement,
but I
was also
nervous.
The
event
was only
the
third
for
Baltimore
Foodies.
Our
second
dinner
at the
newly
opened
Pazo had
sold out
on the
last
day, but
our
first
event at
Copra
had only
nine
attendees,
six of
whom
were
friends—not
a very
auspicious
start.
Not only
was I
planning
a dinner
party at
Bicycle,
one of
Baltimore’s
best
restaurants,
it was
(and
remains)
our most
expensive
meal
ever.
But Deb
and
Barry
showed
great
enthusiasm
for
Baltimore
Foodies’
efforts
toward
local
restaurants.,
They
asked if
I was
sure I
only
wanted
one
communal
table. I
thought
they
were
nuts,
staking
so much
confidence
and
belief
in our
new
endeavor,
but I
was
thrilled
when the
dinner
party
sold out
a week
in
advance.
As the
event
began,
our
diners
were
greeted
in the
bar area
by Deb,
who took
coats
and
handed
out
complimentary
glasses
of
champagne.
Though
the
dining
room was
full,
Barry
kept
checking
in
throughout
our meal
to see
how we
were
enjoying
the
multi-course
extravaganza
he had
prepared
for us.
He
answered
questions
and gave
cooking
and
shopping
tips to
our
attendees,
all
while
cooking
for the
rest of
the
house.
This
format
would
become
the
standard
for all
of
Baltimore
Foodies’
dinner
parties,
and the
evening
at
Bicycle
remains
one of
our most
successful
events.
Each
Baltimore
Foodies’
event
has been
a unique
experience
with the
restaurant
owners
and
chefs,
and
we’ve
been
fortunate
to
receive
the
personalized
attention
that
diners
could
never
expect
at a
“chain.”
And
Zagat
should
know
about
it.
Please
visit
the
Zagat
site,
www.zagat.com,
get
their
year-end
ballots,
and
vote.
All I
ask is
that you
remember
Baltimore’s
“indies.”
In fact,
join us
to
experience
a
Baltimore
Foodies
dinner
party,
then go
online
and rate
it
yourself.
Be
heard.
Be the
voice
for
Bicycle
and all
of the
other
great
indies
in
Baltimore.
Bicycle
Bistro
1444
Light
Street
Baltimore,
MD 21230
410.234.1900
www.bicyclebistro.com
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