Annabel Lee

S and I, along with a few other friends, checked out Annabel Lee Tavern in Canton/Highlandtown last night. We've been hearing good things about this Edgar Allan Poe-themed place for a while now, and it happily lived up to all expectations.

http://www.annabelleetavern.com/

It's a tiny place on the corner of Clinton Street and Fleet Street, dark and gothic on the inside with tributes to EAP everywhere. With no reservations and six people in our party, we only waited about 15 minutes for our table. The staff was very accommodating.

We started out with some EAP-themed cocktails - S and I both got the 'Twas Noontide of Summer' - firefly sweet tea vodka, barenjager and lemon juice. Now I have no idea what barenjager is, but the drink was delicious and a little strong (Ok, so i just looked it up, barenjager is a honey liquer). Next time I want to try the 'Annabel Lee' - stoli, peach nectar and fresh lime topped with Segura Cava...

On to the food. We started with an order of their duck fat french fries w/ Herbs de Provence, and they were amazing. If you haven't tried duck fat french fries before, you need to immediately go find some. My personal favorites are the ones from Salt in Baltimore (www.salttavern.com), mainly because they're served with a trio of aioli dipping sauces. But the ones from Annabel Tavern were also delicious.

Already a little full from the drinks and fries, I ordered the California Club for my entree - Fresh Roasted Turkey, Pepper Jack Cheese, Applewood Smoked Bacon, Green Goddess Avocado Puree, Pico de Gallo and Smoked Paprika Aioli. Served with a side of sweet potato fries and housemade blue cheese coleslaw:

I think the bacon overwhelmed some of the more subtle flavors of the wrap, but I'm not complaining because I absolutely love bacon. The whole thing could have been stuffed with bacon and I'd be happy. The sweet potato fries were cooked perfectly, and the blue cheese cole slaw was a unique little treat - it was pretty rich, so the small amount served was perfect.

S had the Spinach and Portabella Burrito with salsa rojo, which was also a hit:

If you live in the Baltimore area or are planning a trip sometime soon, Annabel Lee Tavern is definitely worth a visit - who knew combining early 19th century writers and high-end bar food could be so good?

--R