Sure, the holiday party season is starting to hit full stride, but one of the most anticipated events isn't a party. It's this week's opening of Cindy Wolf and Tony Foreman's new restaurant, PAZO. The owners of Charleston and Petit Louis Bistro have partnered with their longtime chef, Pete Livolsi, in this hip tapas restaurant/lounge set inside a Fells Point building that served as a machine shop in the 1880s.
Tony says interior designer Patrick Sutton preserved a lot of the original timber beams and columns inside, and added dark "Gotham/Batman" gray metalwork. Lots of rich red fabrics, Persian rugs and limestone floors add a sleek warmth to the place. He says the space is divided into two dining rooms, one of which offers a communal dining table. There's also a mezzanine - "great for people-watching" - and a bar and lounge. PAZO has an open kitchen and two private dining rooms, as well.
The lounge and bar opened yesterday. The restaurant officially opens Sunday. Speaking of which, let's talk menu. Mediterranean ... lots of small plates, like clams with manzanilla sherry, spicy pork, garlic and parsley ($6), Corsican rabbit with garlic, herbs and chickpeas ($8) and seared sushi-grade tuna stuffed with capers, raisins and pine nuts ($5). There are also some larger entrees, including chargrilled bronzini ($26), rotisserie-roasted pheasant wrapped in pancetta with mushroom ragu and baby carrots ($24) and a crispy half of free-range chicken ($19).
Tony says in the couple of practice services they've had, a couple of big hits have been the wood-burning oven-roasted pizzas ($8-$9) and grilled calamari with green apple ($5).
While there is a state-of-the-art sound system, Tony says PAZO won't be one of those places that changes from restaurant to nightclub at a certain time of night. He sees PAZO as more of a place to eat and hang out all night. So, the full menu will be served until 1 a.m. seven days a week. That's not to say there isn't a place to dance ... or that the music won't ramp up as the night wears on.
You'll find PAZO, 410-534-7296, at 1425 Aliceanna St. Its hours are 5 p.m.-2 a.m. seven days a week.
ArtWeek a success
Wouldn't you know? This was the Baltimore Choral Arts Society's 15th Annual ArtWeek Art Show and Sale, and it turned out to be its best ever. BCAS' effervescent music director, Tom Hall, says the whole shebang, at the Conference Center at Sheppard Pratt, netted his organization about $61,000.
