Baltimore - WE LOVE YOU - part. 1 of ???

The Kleiner and I found ourselves in Baltimore yesterday after a family type of thing in Columbia.  Each and every time we enter charm city we find ourselves a little bewitched because there is something special about it, the fact that its still changing, still pulsing, still trying after so many years of decaying economy, its history and its singular non-transient culture - all are endlessly endearing.  Upon arrival we roamed through Fells Point, which is the typical next stop after the Inner Harbor for many a tourist.  We checked out, among other stores, the Sound Garden, one of the few really cool independent record stores still around anywhere these days. Next, we drove up to Hampden to visit the fabled Atomic Books, an 'ideological' book store with loads of magazines and books on politics and arts, so we could see through the minute we were permitted inside before the extra early 7pm Saturday night closing.

 The Sound Garden

As we are big adventurers, or minor ones, however you see it, we decided to keep walking down the road to Falls Road which led to what seemed to be the center of Hampden which was adorable in ways that I just haven't found a place to be adorable in the DC area.  We passed the Wine Bar, a swank place with loads of $6-$10 glasses of wine and interesting 'small plates' at reasonable prices ($5-$7).  There was a make your own pasta joint, a kitchy 'Cafe Hon' playing on the Baltimore 'Hon' ladies, lots of vintage shops with funky finds in the window, a 'junque' shop, or shops, organic salons and the place we ultimately chose for dinner, The Golden West.  

Cool menus look like album covers.

The Golden West was a quirky, southwestern inspired cafe with loads of 'last supper' painting son the walls, funky tables and chairs, great music and a million art flyers (including one for the soon to be checked out Patterson Art Collective) laying about the crowd of young people, families, and couples.  A long bar was situated in the back of the restaurant with a long, bottle beer list and a fantastic cocktail list that ranged in price from $5-8 (is that possible in DC, no!) with drinks such as a bacon martini (ok, not for me, but maybe for you) a New Age Cowboy (cream or soy, bourbon and cinnamon), Italian Boyfriend (limoncello martini), and a rootbeer infused vodka!  The menu offered generous selection for vegetarians, vegans and carnivores alike.  The Kleiner had an un-chicken barbeque and I had an Aztec Burrito, that while spicy as hell, was delicious with roasted corn , eggplant, avocado, plantains and salsa fresco.  The menu included appetizers like buffalo tofu, cheeto pie, and a reminder to order your fresh cookies then to be baked for the end of your meal (3 for $4).

The Golden West has been around for 13 years and we can see why.  The service could be described as lackadaisical at best, but we loved the super veg friendly menu, the quirky surroundings, the affordable composed cocktails and the atmosphere of being somewhere special that cares about its food and its sense of community.  Dear Golden West, when will you add a location to Mt. Pleasant Street?