Alex. Brown
vored congee beneath it. Pastry chef Caitlin Kiehl takes over for dessert, and her lavender panna cotta served with candied kumquats surprised and pleased with its unusual flavorings.
There were some misses. The scallops, though gorgeously presented and Instagram-ready with pink foam, needed more seasoning. A cream cheese mousse served with candied rhubarb and strawberry shortbread was unremarkable.
Should you be reluctant to commit to dinner, test the waters with lunch, brunch or bar snacks and a cocktail. The menus accommodate many different budgets. Lunchtime guests can order $15 falafel, while dinner guests can gorge on Wagyu beef accompanied by tater tots, $175 for two people. At the bar, order a gourmet version of the chicken box for a mere $5, or perhaps some Ossetra caviar with a deviled quail egg for $35.
The drink menu offers a selection of craft cocktails like the 1904, whose bright orange hue is meant to allude to the Great Fire of that year. The blaze destroyed most of downtown Baltimore, but the Alexander Brown building, then just three years old, miraculously survived. The drink, which combines mezcal, aperol and chili liqueur, was smoky and spicy without being too sweet.
A comprehensive wine list is heavy on European bottles, well-suited to the menu, and with numbers that allow diners to forego the embarrassment of mispronunciation. I requested a mocktail and received a refreshing lemon strawberry concoction in a champagne glass. Ceremony Coffee is is available with dessert.
Our server seemed to genuinely care whether or not we liked the food. A hostess welcomed us immediately after we stepped inside and gave a sincere thanks when we left. The check came with a sweet assortment of mini macarons, chocolates and pate de fruits. Graceful touches like that make a customer want to come back again.
“The A.B.” can be a bit hard to find if you’re not already familiar with it. Only a discreet sign above the door indicates what lies on other side of its glass doors. The bathroom, located downstairs, might require a treasure map to find. For some, the hunt may be part of the appeal.
There is no shortage of good places to eat in downtown these days, and competition will become even more stiff as a number of restaurants are set to open along the nearby Inner Harbor. For now, diners can bank on a satisfying meal in a jaw-dropping setting at the Alexander Brown Restaurant — the kind of place where you can lean back in a leather chair, sip a drink and pretend to be a Gilded Age railroad tycoon.