Eating on I-95 Between DC and Boston, MA

[DonRocks]

Since we have the Eating on I-95 between DC and Jacksonville, FL thread, why not have an Eating on I-95 between DC and Boston MA thread?

I'll start it with Ikaros in East Baltimore, less than a mile off of I-95. I know there are some Greek restaurants opening in DC, plus we have Nostos, Trapezaria, etc. I've been to all these places, and I'm telling you: Don't listen to anyone but me. Ikaros is in another league compared to anything we have in the DC area.

In fact, I had what was arguably the best $25-ish entree I've had in the past year there a couple of months ago - Ikaros Seafood and Phyllo ($25.95). I'll start a Dining in Greektown thread, and also an Ikaros thread if we don't have one, but this place was just unbelievable (come to think of it, it was the night of the Super Bowl, and it was virtually empty).

Just go and get this dish. To borrow a quote from "Deliverance" ... "Don't say anything, just do it." Buzz aside, I would take this meal over both Woodberry Kitchen and Rye Street Tavern - all you need is a glass of Ouzo for something like five bucks.

I also had the Bakalarios Tiganitos ($26.95), which is essentially Greek Fish and Chips, and better than any version in the DC area, but too monolithic for one person alone - bite-after-bite is the fish dipped in the Skordalia, and halfway through you're looking for something, anything, other than this taste (even though it's a wonderful dish) - this would be a good dish to split among 2-3 people.

About a block or two away, I saw this sign which I could not believe - this was in a completely different establishment, and has nothing to do with Greektown restaurants.

BTW, don't bother with Samos - trust me, I went twice (one time carryout for Avgolemono Soup and Moussaka). It's a cash-only, family-owned BYOB about a block into the neighborhood, and open since 1977, but local charm aside, it just wasn't that good, but they get full credit for being the only place open during a snowstorm.

[Marty L.]

6 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Since we have the Eating on I-95 between DC and Jacksonville, FL thread, why not have an Eating on I-95 between DC and Boston MA thread?

I'll start it with Ikaros in East Baltimore, less than a mile off of I-95. I know there are some Greek restaurants opening in DC, plus we have Nostos, Trapezaria, etc. I've been to all these places, and I'm telling you: Don't listen to anyone but me. Ikaros is in another league compared to anything we have in the DC area.

In fact, I had what was arguably the best $25-ish entree I've had in the past year there a couple of months ago - Ikaros Seafood and Phyllo ($25.95). I'll start a Dining in Greektown thread, and also an Ikaros thread if we don't have one, but this place was just unbelievable (come to think of it, it was the night of the Super Bowl, and it was virtually empty).

Just go and get this dish. To borrow a quote from "Deliverance" ... "Don't say anything, just do it." Buzz aside, I would take this meal over both Woodberry Kitchen and Rye Street Tavern - all you need is a glass of Ouzo for something like five bucks.

I also had the Bakalarios Tiganitos ($26.95), which is essentially Greek Fish and Chips, and better than any version in the DC area, but too monolithic for one person alone - bite-after-bite is the fish dipped in the Skordalia, and halfway through you're looking for something, anything, other than this taste (even though it's a wonderful dish) - this would be a good dish to split among 2-3 people.

About a block or two away, I saw this sign which I could not believe - this was in a completely different establishment, and has nothing to do with Greektown restaurants.

BTW, don't bother with Samos - trust me, I went twice (one time carryout for Avgolemono Soup and Moussaka). It's a cash-only, family-owned BYOB about a block into the neighborhood, and open since 1977, but local charm aside, it just wasn't that good, but they get full credit for being the only place open during a snowstorm.

Shouldn't this also be in the B'More Section of the site?

[DaveO]

4 hours ago, Marty L. said:

Shouldn't this also be in the B'More Section of the site?

Absolutely.   It can be in both. It should be in both. It is possible I’ve eaten at Ikaros between 50-75 times.  I’d call that a conservative guess.  In the 70’s I was probably a semi regular gradually eating there less frequently in the 80’s and 90’s.   I have pulled off I-95 a healthy number of times returning to DC from the North magnetically being drawn to Ikaros around dinner time.  Over the last 2 decades—maybe I’ve been there independent of highway stops, 6-8 times

Not familiar with the dish you ordered, Don.  Sounds great.  I don’t go there enough now to make recommendations.

I sort of fell in love while eating there, have had great group fun meals, family meals,  oh and i’ve Gotten loaded there.   

It’s a 50 year institution.  I’d put the post in both threads.

(edit- addition). I wouldn’t describe it as an easily accessible, obvious destination off of 95.  It is on the East I-95 side of the Southern side of the city, but NOT South Baltimore.  It’s not a long detour, but it does involve driving through city streets and traffic lights and it’s relatively direct and easy.  I primarily consider I-95 destination meal detours as being outside of cities

On second thought it is possible I’ve had that dish or alternatively  a dish or two like it.  The original menus as I recall were exclusively Greek.  It took a decade  (my guess) before they started to incorporate popular seafood from the Chesapeake and bam when they started to do it they did it well.  

[DaveO]

14 hours ago, DonRocks said:

Since we have the Eating on I-95 between DC and Jacksonville, FL thread, why not have an Eating on I-95 between DC and Boston MA thread?

I'll start it with Ikaros in East Baltimore, less than a mile off of I-95. I know there are some Greek restaurants opening in DC, plus we have Nostos, Trapezaria, etc. I've been to all these places, and I'm telling you: Don't listen to anyone but me. Ikaros is in another league compared to anything we have in the DC area.

In fact, I had what was arguably the best $25-ish entree I've had in the past year there a couple of months ago - Ikaros Seafood and Phyllo ($25.95). I'll start a Dining in Greektown thread, and also an Ikaros thread if we don't have one, but this place was just unbelievable (come to think of it, it was the night of the Super Bowl, and it was virtually empty).

Just go and get this dish. To borrow a quote from "Deliverance" ... "Don't say anything, just do it." Buzz aside, I would take this meal over both Woodberry Kitchen and Rye Street Tavern - all you need is a glass of Ouzo for something like five bucks.

The above piece got me thinking and wondering:  How does the above compare w/ Crisfield’s flounder w/ crab meat??... and BTW what does Crisfield charge for that dish today? (the Crisfield version being one of my favorite seafood dishes in the region)

[DaveO]

This topic stirred memories.  Having grown up in Northern NJ and having now lived in the DC region for 4 decades I tried to estimate the number of times I've driven from DC to destinations North of Baltimore;  guessing about 300 times with probably 2/3 of those having occurred in the first 2 of those 4 decades.  Alternatively I might have driven South on 95/ 85  30-40 times with most of those drives terminating in North Carolina or the Virginia Beach/Norfolk area--actually not that long of a drive that it would precipitate a search for good off the road food destinations;  I have none.  

Driving North to as far as Boston takes less time and miles than driving to Atlanta, let alone anywhere in Florida.  In my case many trips terminated in Wilmington, Philly, South Jersey, Central and North Jersey, NYC, Long Island, Westchester, the upper Hudson Valley, and various points in New England.  Between shorter driving distances and destinations that most often were with family or friends, and/or a mid trip layover with family or friends I am bereft of driving North off-highway dining destination points.   OTOH this list of delis from another thread might be worthwhile   Additionally while I haven't used this as an off road food destination Seabra's in the Ironbound Portuguese section of Newark  seabrasmarisqueira.com is a fun interesting different tasty destination.  

OTOH upon review I have stopped in Baltimore a healthy number of times on the way back, most frequently on a Sunday evening.   The diversion off the highway at the Eastern Avenue exit just North of the tunnel is not bad at all.  Most of those stops have been at Ikaros.  Additionally I've eaten in Baltimore's Little Italy and Fells Point and a couple of other places, only marginally further, and from there you can easily drive through the city to I-95 South and avoid the tunnel.   Traffic in those areas of Baltimore on a Sunday evening, early dinner time is minimal. 

[DonRocks]

10 hours ago, DaveO said:

The above piece got me thinking and wondering:  How does the above compare w/ Crisfield’s flounder w/ crab meat??... and BTW what does Crisfield charge for that dish today? (the Crisfield version being one of my favorite seafood dishes in the region)

Thanks for all your thoughts here - Crisfield's dish is actually stuffed rockfish, and with a few shakes of voodoo sauce, it's exceptional (I've never understood why the local restaurant media doesn't go gaga over this classic, which is perfect with their french fries) - I would put these two dishes on par with each other, with Crisfield's perhaps being even better due to all the wonderful crab meat (although the sauce and phyllo make the dish at Ikaros *really* tasty - damn it was satisfying).

[DaveO]

33 minutes ago, DonRocks said:

Thanks for all your thoughts here - Crisfield's dish is actually stuffed rockfish, and with a few shakes of voodoo sauce, it's exceptional (I've never understood why the local restaurant media doesn't go gaga over this classic, which is perfect with their french fries) - I would put these two dishes on par with each other, with Crisfield's perhaps being even better due to all the wonderful crab meat (although the sauce and phyllo make the dish at Ikaros *really* tasty - damn it was satisfying).

When I read your piece and the description of the dish, then checked the menu, I thought of the classic Crisfield's dish with crab.   I too immediately wondered why Crisfileld's and Ikaros for that matter don't get more press. 

I think they are both so old school, having developed their reputations long before foodism became a popular press and public item.  Cripes Crisfield's may have never changed its menu in the last 40 years (my frame of reference).   I think Ikaros has stayed true to its original menu while adding dishes around the edge--the main menu changes having been adding Chesapeake Bay/ Baltimore favorites to the menu with their own Greek variations on the theme-evidently the dish you described above.   Now I'm inspired to make a trip there to specifically focus on it.

I suppose they developed their greatest kitchen and operational skills decades before food writing and publicity became big.  They do have big followings.  I suppose the owners never focused on following more recent trends.  It hasn't been critical.

Oh man...I think Ikaros is the restaurant I came closest to loving.  I've had memorable romantic dinners, great fun dinners with small and large groups of great friends.   The events were sometimes BIG and transcended the meals, but I've walked out of Ikaros many times in food awe.  Its menu is mostly comfort food, which is the type of meal I most enjoy.

In today's world they are both out of the public, press, and internet eyes.  Too bad for a world of newer diners.