Baltimore Restaurant Review: Pazo

The Migthty 'Canes destroyed the lame ass Hokies this year and it made my college football season. In a recent post I talked about teams that can dominate... I love them...I guess in Star Wars terms i'd side with the Empire. Miami has those dominating qualities. Not only did they win but I too won my bet with a friend who went to VT. My prize was dinner at Pazo.

Pazo is the current hot spot in Baltimore, too many hotties in there to pay attention to dinner. But scanning the room and hearing neighboring diners it was clear to me that many people are still uneasy with the concept and the scene. The place is lounge meets Moraccon warehouse. Too many guys not understanding what to do and where to hang out, sitting uncomfortable on a couch talking to their dates, people scanning the menu for anything mac and cheese realted. Tapas restaurants are heavily populated by gagles of chicks. This place will always be the girls night out starting point for Baltimore.

Do you want to know why i love tapas? I love tapas from Spain to Jaleo in DC and now in baltimore. there is nothing better then small dishes of great food. No longer do we have to be tied down by a main course of some hunk of meat. Now we can have a little garlic shrimp, some spanish torillas, and some spinach and roasted garlic. Tapas are great and portion control is awesome if you are dieting.

My cousin Angeli was at Pazo on what I like to describe as a date. She was way to polite, civil and giggley to be with just a friend.

The food: garlic ribs, mozzeralla and peppers, chips, calamari, empanadas, mushrooms, chorizo and potato and espresso ice cream. Tapas are great and comapred to DC sizes and prices this place kicked anything in DC in the arse.

The garlic ribs were slow cooked, but it wasnt that fake boiled and grilled. It was slow cooked with a nice garlic rub on it. The meat was tender and had a wonderful flavor. It was very simlar to the ribs my uncle makes and those ribs rock the casba.

The mozzeralla was mushy and the peppers were bland and the balsamic was non existant. Dont get this dish.

Chips, damn I love chips. freshly made potato chips are eveywhere and these were good, nicely fried and crunchy but still thick tasting. The aoili accompinanment was not so good, the only really good garlic dipping sauce is in Pego and a seafood joint in Denia. Jaleo and Pazo need to get that receipe and import it.

Calamari - What makes this good? I was told that if there are tenticles in your starter then it is fresh. What?? Anyway, it was yummy lightly battered and fried and not chewy.

Empanadas are massive! Light pastry and spicy meat together again this is a combination that rivals chocolate and peanut butter or bacon and eggs or milk and cookies. This is a must and get a couple of plates of these things.

Mushrooms sauted with salt and butter and garlic. This was simple and elegant they complimented the ribs nicely.

Chorizo and Potato for hobbits--The chorizo was yummy but it was sliced into tiny bits. This dish while tasty was so small in portion that i was shocked literally it was 9 thinly sliced pieces of chorizo and three sliced potato rounds.

espresso ice cream-- Desert are meant to be treats an di liked ot be wowed by desert. this tasted like starfbucks ice cream.

I always bitch about the coffee at restaurants and have decided that these fuckers cant make coffee. if you want good coffee go to Jays Coffee on York Rd or Murky in DC. Dont drink restaurant coffee after your meal and if you need a coffeee drink have a capuccino.

Overall this place was great, fun and people watching central. Go to this place, get dressed up in hipster wear for guys thats your dark jeans, button down or cool ironic t-shirt and a suit jacket. women thats your good glitter tank top and your snug jeans with the dangly belt and heals three inches.

Baltimore has always had food on par or better with DC but remarkable cheaper, Pazo is in that same vein great food, massive prices, and fun and hip.

oh in case you were wondering "massive" = excellent but better.