Brook's is a classic B'more restaurant, not great but solid food. The steamed crabs were quite good and very hot (temperature) though a little salty and I would have preferred Old Bay to Brook's own seasoning. The waiter was inexperienced; tried too hard and gave us way more information than we needed, but he was attentive. The views are spectacular. If you want the classic crab experience, it's a good place. Pricey. Don't expect anything fancy or exceptional.

Maybe I have just come to expect too much. I really like the idea of Clementine. I love the space with tables and couches and hip decor; I love the vibe; I love that it is in my neighborhood (well, OK I live in Bel-Ed, but close enough and I like supporting “the hood”); I love the general idea of the menu. Clementine tries to be something really fine and unique. It almost gets there, but falls just short of the mark.

My husband and I did not order an entree, but as usual stuck to apps and salad. The chicken pate was excellent, creamy, rich, I wanted more, but almost all of the rest of my meal was just OK. The duck breast ham salad was a few slices of duck that looked like lunch meat draped over several wedges of yellow and red tomato with an unremarkable dressing. The tuna tartar was delicious with a nice balance of wasabi. The patty pan squash was again OK, but not remarkable. I tasted my friend’s Pad Thai; it was very sweet, drowning in sauce, and the noodles were lost.

The worst was the bread, both the bread that came at the beginning and with our charcuterie. I couldn’t tell if it was meant to be “toasted” or if it was just stale. This was both the bread brought to the table and the bread brought with our pate. Bread can set the tone of the meal, but here it failed to prepare us for anything above ordinary.

Clementine, I want you to dazzle me; I’m still waiting.

This new restaurant is still trying to find its feet, but it has great potential. The food is of good quality and the cuisine is adventurous. There is a wide selection of European style beers, but Natty Boh is on the list too for us Hometown folk. The staff is quite friendly.

The space is comfortable and large and broken into three areas. The front area is the bar and tables space with plenty of room and quite airy. There is a roped off children's section with tables so one can dine while young ones play with different toys and platforms, giving parents an opportunity to dine at a nice restaurant without having to pay for babysitting too. There is a market section/deli in the back that has not fully realized its potential, but holds promise for the future.

There are several different activities on various nights of the week, like "open mic" or artist's receptions, clothing swap or vodka tasting. This place may become a center for the community, if they get enough support. I can't wait to see them in the future.