Saturday, March 31, 2012

level small plates lounge


Located just a few blocks away from both the Maryland State House and the historic Dock Street area, Level in Annapolis really delivers an enticing culinary experience. Our first visit to Level came on a Friday evening and although the usual evening crowds were already forming, we only had to loop around the block once to find street parking in an ideal location. As we hit the second block of our two block walk to the restaurant, we were pleasantly greeted by wonderful aromas of our pending dining adventure.
Reservations are recommended, and we arrived around a half an hour before our time but were promptly greeted at the door by the hostess who took our information and explained our seating options. Upstairs was our choice, where we were again reminded of the popularity of the location by the sights and sounds of the many happy patrons.  Happy hour at Level is from 4:30pm to 7:00pm, Monday through Friday and features $6 cocktails and $5 - $6 select plates.
The drinks were fantastic! Upon recommendation, I went for the “Shot and Beer"…a canned Modelo Negro, served with a silver tequila and “El Vocho” shooter – definitely worth considering. We also ordered a smoked margarita, which turned out to be nothing less than extraordinary.
As we were waiting for our friends (who were convinced by the menu to drive over an hour to try it out), we decided to try our first dish of the night. Cuban Pork Spring Rolls it was and to say that it batted a great lead-off hitter to the night may be an injustice…but they were wonderful.
Once we were seated (actually five minutes before our reservation time) our friends joined us and we really let the food tour begin. Two drinks were ordered – the Incredible Hulk and the Pomegranate Caipirinha as well as a variety of dishes. Key information on Level is that they are known for having smaller servings with great attention to detail and us actually finding Level was due to typing tapas in Google. Armed with this tapas knowledge, we ordered the Piedmont Sheep Cheese Platter, Japanese Eggplant, Spicy Tuna Tartar, Grilled Quail, Hand Cut Fries and the Chorizo Pizza.
WOW! All were unique and great in their own way and although we did leave with full stomachs…we also left some with some great recommendations and plans to return in the near future.
POSITIVES: Extensive Drink Menu, Wonderful Food, Great Happy Hour, Unique Menu Choices, Great Service
NEGATIVES: Close Tables, Parking Challenges, Loud

Until next time, keep staying on Top of the Market -

Erik Hart
REALTOR®, BPI Analyst
Severna Park Sales
Long and Foster Realtors
410-544-4000 Office
443-889-6860 Cell

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