Raw Bar

You know downtown Baltimore has reached the big leagues when dinner for four at a Marriott coffee shop costs $200. Of course, this is the shiny new Marriott Waterfront, and the management would never label Grille 700 anything so plebeian as a coffee shop. Still, you can get breakfast and lunch as well as dinner here, and there's a formal dining room scheduled to open in the hotel sometime soon. So to my mind it's a coffee shop. And what a beautiful one it is. Its dark wood and swooping curves suggest a luxury ocean liner, and the large windows open out to a watery view.

I see a guy I haven't seen for a long time. He's leaning on the wet, wooden counter at Faidley's raw bar in Lexington Market, the one with the sign that says, "Forget Viagra, eat oysters." I say hello. Right away, Tom -- that's the guy -- announces that he's getting out of Baltimore. He hates this town. It's a backwater.Tom, I say, what's wrong? What happened?"Everything," he says, in answer to the first question.I don't know how long Tom has been standing at the raw bar, or whether he's been imbibing malt beverages.

Bucking Columbia's trend toward chain restaurants, two independently owned eating places -- Sonoma's Bar and Grille and Columbia Crab House and Raw Bar -- have opened in Owen Brown village in the past few months.Sonoma's, which serves seafood, salads and Southwestern-style dishes, opened in the village center about three weeks ago and had its grand opening Friday, said Steve Heintzelman, owner and operator.The 15-employee restaurant is in the space formerly occupied by Cover to Cover bookstore and cafe that was renovated during the past several months, Heintzelman said.

Baltimore's newest African restaurant, Teranga, has opened at 20 W. 21st St. (410-783-0780), just a block west of the Ethiopian restaurant Blue Nile. This is your chance to sample Senegalese food, with dishes like thiebou dieun (fried fish in a sauce of tomatoes, onions, cabbage and eggplant) and maffi kandja (lamb, beef or goat in a peanut butter sauce with tomatoes and okra).Teranga is open for lunch and dinner Monday through Saturday, with a lunch buffet for $6.99 and one at dinner for $7.99.

You want wings? Do we have wings for you. We have Buffalo style (a secret recipe), we have teriyaki wings, we have Buffalo garlic, hickory bbq, honey mustard, Jamaican jerk, pepper Parmesan and Cajun spiced. (Those last two come with pepper Parmesan dressing and Cajun sauce respectively instead of blue cheese dressing.)Not hot enough for you? How about Nuclear Wings (extra cayenne powder)? Or Wings From Hell (the original recipe laced with diced jalapeno peppers)?Actually it's Padonia Station that has all these wings, in so many different flavors and quantities (up to 100 for $32.95)

Although there's nothing you love as much as a fat, briny oyster on the half shell straight from the sea, you've gotten a little nervous about raw shellfish lately. Oysters Rockefeller are good, but sometimes the oysters get lost among the spinach and Pernod. What to do?Well, you might try the baked oysters casino at Michael's Cafe, Raw Bar and Grill. It's an unorthodox treatment, but the kitchen resists loading down these plump beauties with bread crumbs. Each has a bit of crisp bacon and seasoned butter and is baked just long enough.

Not many restaurants could get a friend of mine to sing her order for a free beer. (After all, I'm footing the bill anyway.) So give Fins credit: From the moment you walk into this four-story tribute to Margaritaville, you can't help but fall under the spell. You are forced to have a good time.Maybe it's the freshly renovated interior, the tropical decor of this Jimmy Buffet beach bar. Or maybe it's the jaunty island music that gets you in the mood. It might even be the relentless good humor of the menu, from the clams "Come Monday" casino to "This is the burger your parents warned you about."

Hours after the black-tie New Year's Eve bash at McGarvey's Saloon in Annapolis, a three-alarm fire struck the downtown landmark. One section of the business was damaged by fire, and no one was injured."

Hours after the black-tie New Year's Eve party at McGarvey's Saloon in Annapolis, a three-alarm fire struck the downtown landmark. Only one section of the business was damaged, and there were no injuries."

Baja Beach ClubWhere: 55 Market Place.Hours: 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., Tuesday through Friday, 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday and Sunday; closed Monday.Menu: pizza, salads, raw bar, burgers. Happy hour, Tuesday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., features two-for-one drinks and a buffet including shrimp and roast beef.Credit cards: All major cards accepted.Call: 727-0468. Summer is still weeks away, but you wouldn't know it from a visit to the Baja Beach Club. There it seems like an endless summer -- and the place just opened.