Leave room for dessert at Desert Cafe

Desert Cafe

1605 Sulgrave Ave.

Phone: 410-367-5808

Price: $7-$15

Location: Mount Washington

Hours: Tues.-Thurs.: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

Fri., Sat.: 11 a.m.-12 p.m.

Closed Sun. and Mon.

For about three years now, I have considered the small neighborhood of Mt. Washington to be a haven from Baltimore. It's a place out of a Volkswagen Jetta commercial, with Christmas lights and quaint antique stores bordering the one-way streets. Just beyond Super Fresh and the Rotunda and down Falls Road, bordered to the east by the Jones Fall and to the south by Northern Parkway, Mt. Washington is one of the first "street-car suburbs" to exist right outside the borders of Baltimore proper.

With a plethora of restaurants within this small neighborhood, from the Mt. Washington Tavern to McCafferty's to the Bun Penny Deli, it can often be difficult to choose where you want to grab a quick snack or enjoy a romantic evening with your loved one.

Located at the heart of Mt. Washington's commercial district and tucked between antique stores, the colorful Desert CafZ is a wonderful choice for either lunch or dinner. With both indoor and outdoor seating, the cafZ is a cozy yet colorful oasis within the city. Emphasizing Middle Eastern cuisine, their menu is often supplemented with specials, from their spinach lasagna to their vegetarian quiche. The regular menu is dotted by such Mediterranean delights from Hummus and Falafel, to Zaatar Bread and Grape leaves, to Spanakopita and their array of salads.

What I like about the food is the portions. It's enough to enjoy your meal without being gorged on food stacked chin-high on a plate, a la Cheesecake Factory. This also leaves rooms for you to try one, if not many, of the Desert CafZ's desserts. Dessert offerings change frequently, though several remain in constant supply behind the glass display cabinet at the front of the restaurant. I consider it a special day when the stars have aligned correctly and their chocolate pecan pie tartlets appear behind the shining glass after my meal.

If I were to choose a second factor in making Desert CafZ one of my favorite restaurants, it would have to be that the restaurant is BYOB. Often at restaurants, wine can cost as much as the meal itself. At Desert CafZ, diners can bring their own wine, so long as they leave some for the owners, Blake and Whitney Wollman. You'll see this young duo taking an active part in making this restaurant a cozy yet trendy mainstay in Mt. Washington. And, fortunately for us diners, they're none too harsh on the eyes, either.

And as if this wasn't enough, on certain nights, a belly dancer entertains at the restaurant to middle-eastern music.

The Desert Cafe is a great find for those diners looking for a little change of pace.