PL has its ups and downs--sometimes I think that Tony uses it to train servers and chefs for the rest of his empire. But its the only resto w/in walking distance--like you I live in RP--and I just wish it could be consistently good. And the service is so cute--"Is everything to your liking?"--drives me nuts. Not to mention plopping the bill down--w/o being asked for and doing so ungraciously

I think the problem is that PL has a wealthy, captive, and uncritical clientele and feels no need to perform at high llevels. The customers will always be there. Cingiale, in contrast, competes with lots of others; therefore, it has to maintain high standards--which it almost always does.

A few months ago, I had a fine meal there. On Friday, however, the meal was less so: The Boef Bourgignon was dry and tasteless, and the Steak Frites was not very good--steak was rubbery altho the frites for once were not too salted. As usual, the service was sophomoric (if I ever hear a waiter ask whether something "is to my liking" again, I'll scream . Why not ask in the active voice whether I like it?.)

And, of course, it was too loud (I know--French bistros are loud and this is a replica--so? If the food and service were up to French Bistro standards, maybe I would be forgiving.

The real Q is why this place which has so much potential and an adoring audience can not be consistently better

Any suggestions?

How can we get it?

I agree. Indian is a bright spot in an otherwise dismal B-more ethnic experience. It aint NYC, but its pretty good. I like all 3 restos disparaged by OP

Im sorry-somehow my computer did crazy things. Here are my Qs: Was the bistro as good as I remember? What happened to the principals? The Charles St bistro introduced me to Steak frites; since then, only Petit Louis has been comparable, and I do not favor PL--foood is excellent, but the noise and supercilious service always bothers me

In the mid-70s athe first bistro in town opened in a bsement in Mt Vernn Sq. Later it moved up Charles St, butburned down, and the Md Club parking lot now occupies the premisses. Qs:

Almost everything is better in Manhattan--except hard crabs. If you're looking for something uniquely Baltimorean forget Tio Pepe's and go to Faidley's (over-rated these days, but still an experience), an oyster bar like Ryleigh's, or something off the wall like Mr Rains' Fun House--the latter two can be walked or a short cab ride

And what of other once-amous chefs? I'm thinking of Connie Vogelhut of Crabtree's--who on one stormy Tuesday night in the late 1970s cooked me--no help in the kitchen-- a spectacular dinner while nestling a newborn on her arm the whole time.

Best sausage in Balto is Binkert's--the German embassy is supposed to shop there. http://www.binkerts.com/

I can recommend Cazbar. http://cazbar.pro/cazbar/cazbar.html

There is a quite acceptable German restaurant in Hagerstown http://schmankerlstube.com/menu/lunch/

is there a reliable source. Please dont tell me Wegmann's --it's a long drive, and what I got there recently was noy good at all.

WK and Cingiale are a step above SS re food. Charelston is another step above. having said that...I go often to SS on an expense account and cannot get enough of The Prosciutto San daniele and the pastas--secondi are not so good.at SS. SS also has far better atmosphere--great murals--than the others. WK is particularly annoying with noise--very serious noise.

That's the Windy Valley place I mentioned. Glad to hear it's good

White corn is the overwhelming local preference--and its far better

The Sun ran a recent piece on tomatoes (sorry, cant find link), and why we in the Mid-Atlantic treasure them more less fortunate people. The reason: sweet tomatoes were first cultivated in Balt. County in the early 19th century

Hon: I normally agree with your posts, but not here. I have had Michael's Oysters Casino a couple of times. they are so heavily laden with junk that the oysters themselves cannot be tasted. The same is true for O's Rockefeller. Get them raw or run under the broiler

Is this the place that used to be at Windy Valley years ago (not to be confused with the current mediocre pit beef there)? If so, it has a very good pedigree

Don't forget oyster po'boys--Ryleigh's has excellent ones as do several other places around town.

One reason there aren't so many cooked oyster items is that real oyster lovers like me (and my 91-yr old mother) much prefer them on the half-shell or just run under the broiler as per the excellent ones at Oregon Grille.

FoiGras is perhaps unusual in liking baked but not raw. The poularity of fried oysters to restos,, as Drewpbalzac points out, is because they are very forgiving,. Diners buy them because they are usually so loaded with grease and bread that the oyster taste is masked; hence the appeal to non-oyster lovers.

And remember Mencken's admonition: "There's only one way to cook an oyster; don't."

Me too!

That's even better than Proust's memories of a madelaine

Where is this?

Strong rec for tersiguel's in the heart of Ellicott City--country French done very well

I've been there. I'll contininue to look for Texas brisket

I was hoping someone would find Texas brisket for me--I once lived in Dallas and love it. But--can you rec. "Jewish style brisket" places?

Tersiguel's in Ellicott City is terriffic. Not too far off your track and a fine experience

I went there once a few years ago and was not impressed. On your rec, I'll go again

Thanks--I have heard good things bout Chubby's; I just never get out there

I'm looking for Texas or KC-style beef brisket, esp burnt ends. pit beef, otherwise delectable, does not do it. Any suggestions?