Tapas Teatro: Mt. Vernon, Baltimore, MD, USA
I finally got to try Tapas Teatro after my friend A.Bharmal gave some great reviews about it. It’s not too far from my place, but for some reason I never really came here to eat. Located just next to the Charles Theatre (also a really great entertainment venue), this place is quite quaint with some pretty dark lighting. Luckily for us, we managed to get seated close to the windows so I was able to snap a few shots with my trusty iPhone. Things that we ordered included:
- croquettes
- shrimp scampi
- tako octopus fritti
- fried cod
- pistachio cake
starters for the table
Croquettes
PROS
- really light and fluffy
- lightly crispy but soft on the inside
- not super ridiculously greasy
CONS
- could be a bit bigger
croquettes
Shrimp Scampi
PROS
- well flavored
- shrimp felt/tasted fresh by texture: not mushy
- not overcooked (i.e. not rubbery) but have a nice firm bite to them
CONS
- swimming in oil. yuck.
shrimp scampi
Fried Cod
PROS
- um, I guess it’s fried? But not so sadly…
CONS
- very thinly sliced – more batter than fish
- poorly seasoned
- if you don’t eat it immediately, the batter becomes super greasy and soft
fried cod
Tako Fritti
PROS
- good quantity
- similar to Japanese style of tako karaage (deep fried baby octopi)
CONS
- way too greasy
- over fried: this is possibly due to the fact that they used really small octopi compared to the Japanese versions that I have had. If the tentacles are too small, they will burn faster than the head will cook and then you just have a lot of burnt octopus. Not too tasty 😦
tako fritti
Pistachio Cake
PROS
- super large slice, definitely shareable
CONS
- too heavy: cake feels like it’s half brick – still moist but just way too heavy
- not enough pistachio “flavor”: there was definitely pistachios in there, but for some reason there wasn’t enough.
pistachio cake
All in all a quick summary:
- croquettes: ***.5 (3.5 stars)
- shrimp scampi: **.9 (2.9 stars)
- tako fritti: **.9 (2.9 stars)
- fried cod: ** (2 stars)
- pistachio cake: *** (3 stars)
If you want to check out Tapas Teatro, I definitely recommend the spring or the fall unless you get inside seating. It’s great to sit outside and catch a quick meal right before an indie film at the Charles Theatre. You can find them in the Mt. Vernon neighborhood of Baltimore, MD at the address below:
1711 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 332-0110
Until then, I hope your bellies are continuously full of awesome food!
R/g
