Tavern on the Square

Initially, my intent with this blog was to write about happenings and experiences in Baltimore (mainly), but I sort of lost sight of that and began sharing seriously random things the more I got into it.  I want to make an effort to share my favorite restaurants, bars, shops, and hangouts around the area with the hope that those of you who are local will try them out as well.  

On Friday night I met up with some friends in Canton at a bar/restaurant called Tavern on the Square.  I have been there several times in the past but it had been a while so I was excited to try it again.  The first thing that attracted us to Tavern when we were deciding where to go was the happy hour: Monday-Friday, 4-7 p.m. food is 25% off and drinks are 50% off!  Honestly you really cannot beat that.  Even if you can't make it for the happy hour pricing, I found most of the items on their menu are reasonably priced so it will be worth it. 

We ordered some drinks and decided to order a few appetizers for everyone to split.  The appetizers we ordered were: crab tater tots, fried guacamole and chips, and black bean hummus dip.  First thing I have to say about these dishes is that they are huge portions!  There were four of us and we were not able to finish even one of the dishes.  So, if you check out Tavern be sure to keep that in mind.  

Here are my personal thoughts and opinions about each of the dishes...

Crab Tater Tots - oh my lord, amazing.  I mean, you can guess exactly what these are from the name, and it's pretty hard for them not to be incredible.  A pile of tater tots smothered in creamy crab dip, baked in the oven with a layer of melted cheese and sprinkled with some Old Bay seasoning on top (of course).  They were incredible - not too rich and the perfect amount of crab dip was spread across the tots.  This is not something I typically order when going out, but I am certain I will be getting these again next time I go!

Fried Guacamole and Chips - I had to ask our server about this one because I was a little perplexed as to what exactly "fried guacamole" is or means.  Here's how it works: they make the guacamole from scratch, mold it into a "ball" and roll it in a thin layer of crushed tortilla chips, then flash fry the "ball" for a few seconds and serve it up surrounded by fresh chips.  This dish is difficult to explain without you tasting it, but I absolutely loved it and found it so creative!  The guacamole was slightly warm and crunchy on the outside but then cold and so fresh in the middle.  There also was some fresh homemade salsa mixed in with it which added a little extra spice and flavor.  Loved this dish!

Black Bean Hummus Dip - honestly was not super impressed with this dish.  The dip was fine, but it really did not have a ton of flavor that made me go back for more.  It was served with a side of fresh vegetables (which were soggy and weird), pita chips and tortilla chips.  I think the other girls liked the dip more than I did, but this definitely was the dish we ate the least of.  

Overall, Tavern was a really fun time - drinks were great, food was delicious, atmosphere was fun.  If you live in Canton, I am sure you frequent Tavern (at least that is what I hear from my friends on that side of the pond).  If you don't live in Canton, go check it out during happy hour and make sure you get those tots!!

Cheers to good food with great friends!