Dining Out: Corks has new look, new menu

Jerry Pellegrino, affable chef-owner of Corks, has done as much as any man could to put a friendly face on the often-intimidating wine subculture. Nonetheless, there are Baltimoreans—and not all Joe Sixpacks, either—who are scared to go there, fearing that their lack of wine expertise will embarrass them. Being given the stink-eye by a snooty sommelier looms large in the imagination of the timid diner.

These folks will cheer Corks’ recent redesign. It’s not that the restaurant is any less wine-centric, but both the mood and the food are much less formal, with lots of modestly-priced sandwich options. Corks is now open for lunch, too. Longtime fans who still want fine dining with all the trimmings, including a superb selection of artisanal American wines, can still get it, but its also okay to breeze in for a bison burger and a beer.

One thing I don’t quite get about the new Corks’ is its new look. Granted, up front it looks like a million bucks, with its marble-clad open kitchen and flame-orange walls. But the back dining room looks more like $1.98, at least by the cold light of day. The chairs and tables are shabby—and not in the chic way—and the blue and pink chair covers clash with the brown and orange striped carpeting. All this wouldn’t have been all that noticeable if there hadn’t been such a ballyhoo about the pricey remodel by Patrick Sutton.

The menu makeover, however, wins applause, at least partially because it’s all about…cheese. It’s been a long time since I inquired which varieties were included on the cheese platter at a local restaurant, and was told “both of them.”  The menu offers platters of one, three or five cheeses, which, like the wines, come from small American producers. Grilled cheese sandwiches feature cheeses like Humboldt Fog and Gorgonzola, and three different fondues are offered, including one made of several blue types.

I took a chance on the “house blend” fondue ($7), which changes daily depending on the chef’s whim, and lucked into a warm blend of Brie, Morbier, and Pleasant Ridge, which I had never heard of, but was pleasant indeed. There was no fondue pot, Sterno or skewers, just a bowl of rich, molten goodness which only a cardiologist could resist.

My more sensible husband started with the tomato and caramelized onion soup ($6), a smooth, satisfying puree that’s probably even better in the summer, when local tomatoes are in season.
The courses are rather preciously called “thoughts,” as in “first thoughts” (appetizers), “larger thoughts” (entrees) and the like. As it was lunchtime, we went for “thoughts on bread.” The Corks version of an Italian sub ($11) included Surreyamo ham, salami, bacon, lettuce, tomato, crisply-fried shallots and aioli, on a delicious crusty loaf. The serving was small compared to a standard sub, but the ingredients were prime, and the diverse flavors revealed themselves in layers. My gyro was made of tender chopped lamb folded into warm flatbread, with a sauce of cucumber, herbs and goat cheese served on the side. I was dubious about this, not being a goat fan, but it was scrumptious.
“Final thoughts” include both the posh (crème brûlée, chocolate mousse) and sweetly homey (cookies, a Nutella “pbj,” and a bread pudding du jour). The pineapple-orange bread pudding was just as good as a diner would make, and that’s high praise.

Corks
1026 S. Charles St.
Open for lunch and dinner
11:30 am. to 11:30 p.m. daily,
Sunday brunch 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Phone: 410-752-3810
Our lunch for two: $43.46

The Latest Dish…
If Corks pops your cork, and you’d like to see it in full feast mode, Pellegrino and company will be offering a four-course, prix-fixe Thanksgiving dinner from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. For $59, or $95 with paired wines, you will be giving thanks for a baby spinach salad with candied nuts and apples, a turkey confit and wild mushroom crepe, roast turkey with sausage stuffing, green beans, cranberry sauce and gravy, and pumpkin custard trifle. The regular menu will be available on Thanksgiving as well.

by Lynn Williams
maindish@baltimoreguide.com