Thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows and subtle backlighting coming from the uber-chic bar, it couldn’t be better.
Take that, Mother Nature.
Senior Editor Shannon Morgan and I are in Baltimore at Wit & Wisdom—Michael Mina’s signature restaurant at the recently opened Four Seasons Hotel in Harbor East—for a media meet-and-greet.
Although still making its introductions to the community at large, Wit & Wisdom already seems remarkably polished and poised.
And playful.
“Tell me what you think of the cocktail,” says a smiling bartender as he hands me a Corvus Punch. “I want it to be either a 10 or a one, but not a five. I don’t want it to be average.”
Hmm…chilled vodka, a twist of orange peel, fresh citrus juices, and a hint of cinnamon. Let’s call it a 10. And cheers to the gorgeous copper mug, too, which manages to keep the drink—and my fingers—just this side of frozen.
(Speaking of drinks, the adjacent Lamill Coffee—separated from Wit & Wisdom by a massive wooden door—gives off a Paris-by-way-of-Charm-City vibe thanks to its upscale specialty extractors, sleek interior, and funky Edgar Allan Poe prints. But samplings will have to wait. Tonight’s visit is about cuisine, not caffeine.)
Leaving the modish, low-lit bar and its flickering fireplace, we take our seats at a table in front of Wit & Wisdom’s open cooking area. For the next two hours, Chef Benjamin Lambert wows us with dishes heavy on creativity and locally sourced ingredients.
A card-carrying member of the “meat is murder” club, I don’t sample the menu’s critter-based selections, but my companions do. Judging by the oohs and aahs all around, Lambert’s offerings—from the toasted peanut soup to the Amish Rabbit Boudin and Country-Fried Loin—are a hit.
And the Trickling Springs Creamery House-Made Ricotta with ember-roasted eggplant? I don’t know what to say about it—mostly because I can’t stop eating long enough to form words.
We cap the evening with a chocolate-and-peanut Baltimore Bar (luscious enough to make a Reese’s fling itself off an overpass), Meyer lemon parfait, and maple custard, all courtesy of pastry guru Chris Ford (click on the related link above for a special holiday dessert recipe courtesy of Chris). I pause to wonder why sugar isn’t a food group.
Soon enough, Shannon and I are back on I-95 and barreling toward our everyday husbands-kids-and-work lives. We already miss the cool sophistication and warm hospitality of Wit & Wisdom, and talk about when we can get back.
It’s amazing what a night out can do.
Wit & Wisdom is located at the new Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore’s Harbor East. For more information, visit www.witandwisdombaltimore.com. And check out the photos from our dinner on our Facebook page.
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