I'm not sure if any of these places still exist. Maybe one of my Maryland friends can tell me. I lived in the Baltimore area from 1984 through 1987. I ended up there after I met my first girlfriend in college at BYU in Utah. Being my first love I was kind of overwhelmed and so supporting myself, it was clear I was going to have to move home for about 9 months if I wanted to stay at BYU or at least that's what I thought at the time.
So, instead of being away from my girlfriend we decided to run away together to Philadelphia Pennsylvania where she was from. We took a bus from Utah to Philadelphia where we stayed with a friend of her's downtown just 3 blocks from the Liberty Bell. We were there for 2 weeks and then a friend of her's whom she met at BYU called. She said she was living with her Mom in Balitmore and her Mom would rent us a small row house apartment really cheap so we decided to move to Baltimore. I was there almost 3 years. She was there for 2.
I have some really fond memories of Balitmore many of them involving food that I have yet to find a substitute for anywhere else. Here are some of them
Smokey's
Smokey's was this little shack near Microprose. It really was a shack. You'd walk in the side, get in line, and come out the front. There was no seating inside or out. The only things they served were Pit Beef Sandwiches and Bread Pudding. The Pit Beef as the reason to go. I'm not sure of the exact definition of "Pit Beef" but I think it's beef cooked over a pit (Imagine that). They would cut it really thin and then pile it about 1 inch think on a a hamburger bun and smoother it in BBQ sauce. Yum! My mouth is watering as I write this.
Of course other places serve "Pit Beef" (like Arby's) but I haven't had any 1/10th as good as Smokey's
Cockeysville Deli
Cockeysville, what a bad name, is where I lived for about 1/2 of my time in Maryland. The nearest food place to my house was the Cockeysville Deli. They made the absolute best Chicken Salad Sandwiches. In fact I don't think I liked Chicken Salad until I started eating it there. It's been so long that I can't remember what it tasted like anymore but I know I looked for a long time and I haven't had anything that reminds me of those wonderful sandwiches.
When M.U.S.E. went out of business they had an auction for all their equipment. Somehow Microprose ended up buying their large screen TV. Me and a few of my friends would often rent movies on the weekend and watch them in the conference room at work. We'd usually get a bunch of food beforehand which was often at the Cockeysville Deli.
Bamboo House
The Bamboo House is/was a Chinese restaurant in downtown Baltimore at Harborplace which is the super touristy mall on the waterfront in Baltimore Harbor. They had the best Orange Flavored Beef. When I moved to Cockeysville there was another Bamboo House out there but it wasn't as good so when I had the cravings I'd have to drive about 1/2 hour to the harbor area. I think I've since found places that serve Orange Flavored Beef that's as good (Sam Woo comes to mind) but I still remember the Bamboo House.
Ms. Desserts
Ms Dessserts I believe is a small chain in Baltimore. I know they have at least one store at Harborplace in the food market area. They used to make the very very very very very vERY VERY Best Cranberry Muffins. The Blueberry muffins were also good but I liked the extra tanginess of the cranberries.
Some people didn't believe me that they could be so much better than any other muffins I'd ever had. Well one time my friend Dan went back to Baltimore for a visit and knowing my craving brought some back. He and my X wife Izzy both tried them I think they'll both verify that they were the best they've ever had. They kind of make most muffins bland and dull by comparision.
My friend Rose tried to get some for me in 1997 but Ms. Desserts said they no longer make them and they were not willing to give her the recipe. Damn! Oh well, I'll keep looking for some new muffins.
Piccadeli's
Piccadeli's is/was a little deli at about 321 St Charles Blvd. (ie, 3 blocks from the center of Balitmore.) It was across from M.U.S.E. so you could walk outside for lunch and that was the closest place. Their sandwiches were pretty darn good. One of the things they did was if you got a meatball sandwich they would take about half a french role and then hallow it out and then basically stuff it with meatballs and cheese and sauce. I suppose it tastes the same as most decent meatball sandwiches but it was kind of unique.