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SoBo Cafe, Neighborhood American Comfort on Olive and W. Cross Street in Federal Hill


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SoBo Cafe has been mentioned a few times in various threads dating back to 2006, but it's high time it gets a listing of its own. SoBo is, to me, the perfect neighborhood restaurant, offering elevated comfort food at an affordable price.

For lunch, they offer various soups, salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches, that are all well-balanced, filling, and delicious. I'm a fan of the smoked salmon salad and the BLT on a biscuit. For dinner, you can get some incredible deals during happy hour (5-7 pm) at the bar or outdoor tables. A few select appetizers, like Mac-N-Cheese and mussels, are roughly half priced ($4-$5), and 2 or 3 could easily constitute a meal; I'm not sure if they are smaller than the full-priced versions, but the portions are plenty generous. And you certainly won't break the bank if you go with the regular entrees, the most expensive of which sits at $24. Most of the food is pure comfort (burger, chicken, steak, salmon), expertly prepared but with just enough of a twist to keep things interesting.

The one dish that got me off my lazy behind long enough to write this review was the Mushroom Stuffed Chard with quinoa, beech mushrooms, herb spätzle, and porcini jus. Visually, this isn't much to look at, resembling two oversized dolmades in a thin layer of brown soup. But my first bite instantly invoked (and I don't say this lightly) two dishes I recently had at Kinship - the torchon of white mushroom, for how deliciously meaty I never knew mushrooms (and quinoa!) could be, and the Kinship stroganoff, for the rich heartiness of the entree, as well as the spätzle/mushroom pairing. The chard was wrapped around a mixture of minced mushrooms and quinoa, which gave the sensation of a light and fluffy vegetarian meatloaf. The flavors were rich, mushroomy, and meaty, not particularly subtle but incredibly satisfying. This was so much food and so filling that I could barely finish my plate, and at just $16, may be my greatest enjoyment to dollar cost ratio in recent memory (I also started with a $6 bowl of very good carrot soup and some bread with incredible whipped butter). I have yet to leave room for dessert, but I have high expectations for one of these days.

For a more than fair price, you can get real food prepared with expertise and care. It's no wonder SoBo Cafe has been going strong for the past 10 years and counting.

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SoBo Cafe has been mentioned a few times in various threads dating back to 2006, but it's high time it gets a listing of its own. SoBo is, to me, the perfect neighborhood restaurant, offering elevated comfort food at an affordable price.

For lunch, they offer various soups, salads, flatbreads, and sandwiches, that are all well-balanced, filling, and delicious. I'm a fan of the smoked salmon salad and the BLT on a biscuit. For dinner, you can get some incredible deals during happy hour (5-7 pm) at the bar or outdoor tables. A few select appetizers, like Mac-N-Cheese and mussels, are roughly half priced ($4-$5), and 2 or 3 could easily constitute a meal; I'm not sure if they are smaller than the full-priced versions, but the portions are plenty generous. And you certainly won't break the bank if you go with the regular entrees, the most expensive of which sits at $24. Most of the food is pure comfort (burger, chicken, steak, salmon), expertly prepared but with just enough of a twist to keep things interesting.

The one dish that got me off my lazy behind long enough to write this review was the Mushroom Stuffed Chard with quinoa, beech mushrooms, herb spätzle, and porcini jus. Visually, this isn't much to look at, resembling two oversized dolmades in a thin layer of brown soup. But my first bite instantly invoked (and I don't say this lightly) two dishes I recently had at Kinship - the torchon of white mushroom, for how deliciously meaty I never knew mushrooms (and quinoa!) could be, and the Kinship stroganoff, for the rich heartiness of the entree, as well as the spätzle/mushroom pairing. The chard was wrapped around a mixture of minced mushrooms and quinoa, which gave the sensation of a light and fluffy vegetarian meatloaf. The flavors were rich, mushroomy, and meaty, not particularly subtle but incredibly satisfying. This was so much food and so filling that I could barely finish my plate, and at just $16, may be my greatest enjoyment to dollar cost ratio in recent memory (I also started with a $6 bowl of very good carrot soup and some bread with incredible whipped butter). I have yet to leave room for dessert, but I have high expectations for one of these days.

For a more than fair price, you can get real food prepared with expertise and care. It's no wonder SoBo Cafe has been going strong for the past 10 years and counting.

Shaho, thank you for your recent detailed Baltimore posts - they're wonderful. Did you know that SoBo also opened a market? If you've been, please let me know if you think this should be considered a chain or two separate entities (it will all depend on the similarity of the menus, and the type and format of the service).

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Shaho, thank you for your recent detailed Baltimore posts - they're wonderful. Did you know that SoBo also opened a market? If you've been, please let me know if you think this should be considered a chain or two separate entities (it will all depend on the similarity of the menus, and the type and format of the service).

I haven't been to the market. From what I see, it seems to have a heavier focus on take-out (bread, dips, alcohol to go), as well as more of a small-plates approach to the dine-in menu. I would think of them more as separate entities.

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