"I was dressed in black." You get to like it, you keep on going, and you train yourself to aspire to be somebody in the business., Lobo arrived in the U.S. in 1964 to work at New Yorks Worlds Fair through the next year. The food is very expensive, with many entrees in the $40 range, but the price point is in no way reflected by the quality of the food. "It's just my heart and soul and my life, but I don't have ownership," Lobo said. Now we are NOT enjoying ourselves because it has been a sketchy experience all the way around and we have to wait in anticipation to see if the fish is on the check? Every single bit of it, every layer of my Baltimore experience, contributed to me being able to stand where I am today., The Hippo The service was impeccable, the waiters did not circle us, and we enjoyed the opportunity to talk in a modestly classy environment. I understand the dcor has not changed for decades and it is starting to show. With superb food in a unique atmosphere, Tio Pepe continues to impress those who are visiting for the first time, as well as those who return again and again. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for Tio Pepes locations in Baltimore, MD. I never had any doubt she was right for the job, says Elion, now a practicing attorney in Sante Fe, NM. He apologized more than once and we told him it was not his fault as to how the fish was prepared. The bread was not typically what Ive had, it was very dry and not fresh. It was on the check which we suspected because of the unwanted "to-go" box still sitting on our table. Her name was Oprah Winfrey. We are going to move you to morning cut-ins. To tell the truth, I havent even sat myself down to think about it, he says in the story. He was not resentful of me. Business has slowed during the week, though on weekends the crowds are still thick enough to challenge any maitre d'. The book sits on a stand above which a faded, framed copy of Baltimores 1999 Best Restaurants issue hangs. It was served with a generous potion of sauted green beans which were very good. Before we go there we were looking to get dessert, but since food was so bad we asked for check ($200+) for 4 people and left. He comes out and we say, What do you got today? He tells us, and well try that.. This will bring more attention to the downtown dining & retail sector where there will be focus to be connected to a Famous/Iconic Street like The Mag Mile (Chicago), Bourbon Street (New Orleans) or Rodeo Drive (Beverly Hills). State property records list the owner as C. Peter Beler. I never expected it, Miguel says of what became his career. In the back of the cool, dimly lit subterranean dining room, two men sit at a round table, sharing a pasta dish with beef and mushrooms in a cream sauceand memories. I can remember asking to go, hearing: "You wouldn't like it, it's not for kids." Routines are tedious. Not everything is lost." Enjoy the authentic flavors of Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine with the perfect wine to compliment it. This is a town where people still go to their kindergarten reunions. Outside of some flamb dishes, there's no smoke, which is probably a good thing considering the low ceilings in their cellar dining room. Lobo has been the face of this fine-dining Brigadoon. shrimp in garlic sauce shrimp with garlic sauce Shrimp with Garlic Sauce Recipe Garlic Sauce Shrimp Pizza pepe vandel s spaghetti sauce Shrimp in a White Wine, Garlic and Lemon Sauce Garlic Shrimp over Cheesy Garlic Polenta - http://www.saucygirlskitchen.com/2014/03/18/garlic-shrimp-over-cheesy-garlic-polenta/ [Flickr] We hung out there so much that people thought we were too close, says Richard Sher. Seems place wasnt bad years back but now is dreadful. I remember thinking, Why would they cast her when shes not an actress? But she was sure she was going to get it. She did not respond to a request for information. Washington area restaurant since 1979. If you'd like to let people know your business, restaurant . I never did make it there as a kid. Joe and Fran Kasher are with their daughter, Chris Arrowood, her husband, Tom, and their grandson Michael. The seafood and rice was plated as it was served, just like Barcelona. Never asked if we enjoyed our meal. I ordered fish in a bag, topped with seafood in a champagne sauce. tio pepe s baltimore shrimp . Tio's isn't all its cracked up to be anyway. The black bean soup was pureed but given texture by rice and minced onions. Im sad to say after going to Tios for many years it has really gone downhill! After a peeping Tom was at my window, Oprah took her key off her key ring and insisted I move in with her, says Sandra Pinckney. The staff wasprofessional but not exactly welcoming.More, Twelve family members two nights before Christmas and it was fabulous. The rumor mill is fantastic, he said in an email. The menu looks interesting, but I was disappointed with my chicken/lobster entree. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. I was thinking that this didnt seem like a good start. The station promoted her with the tagline, Whats an Oprah? and Baltimore was about to find out, as Winfrey (age 22 and making $22,000 a year) debuted on August 16, 1976. Not a problem for us however. This spot is popular among Frommer's experts as they granted it 2 stars. My family has been doing Tio's since the mid 70s and though we're now spread all over creation, a gathering like this had to have been planned by God. Fresh bread arrived along with appetizers and we were off and running. Even the alcohol (sangria) had extra alcohol. It was sophisticated and, if you'll pardon the Ron Burgundy lingo, classy. The longtime Tio Pepe maitre d' keeps three tuxes in his wardrobe at any given time, and every year, at least two succumb to the rigors of dry cleaning. We love Tios and couldnt wait to visit after one and half year of hibernation from Covid. But the service was very poor. One much-discussed possible location is The Village of Cross Keys, the mixed-use community near Roland Park whose commercial assets were acquired last year by Caves Valley Partners. The New York Times TV critic Bill Carter, then at The Sun, remembers watching the shows debut, which featured Tom Carvel, founder of Carvel ice cream, and two actors from All My Children. Aller directement au contenu. Here you can order good red sangria, Spanish wine or champagne. He removed the plate. The older of the two, Emiliano Sanz, has been working here since 1970, two years after his distant cousin, Pedro Sanz, opened it and summoned him from Madrid. Are you sure you want to delete this answer? Tio Pepe. The seafood was over cooked, fish dry and champagne sauce tasteless and runny. y todo lo que nos ofrece esta sociedad decadente y corrupta (en este sentido, afortunadamente). "Anyone who for 40 years can manage the Saturday nights at Tio Pepe even today it's a mob scene," said Carl Tuerk, a Baltimore attorney and Tio's patron. So be forewarned. Is it new owners or new chef???? When he married his Chilean wife, Rosa, at Baltimore's St. Ignatius Church in May of 1971, their reception was held at the restaurant. Show your love for Baltimore by powering the stories that illuminate what makes Baltimore unique, and helping to keep access free for neighbors who need it. The Charmtastic Mile of Baltimore will give the heart of downtown a boost as it becomes more & more one of the Top 10-15 Most Famous/Iconic Streets in America. Again, no waiter to address the problem. I knew her star was ascending, but I didnt know how far she would go., Despite the ups and downs, Winfrey is grateful for her Baltimore years. Many of the restauranteurs are seeking options outside of the downtown-area. Over the years, the Midtown location has been a popular destination for Baltimores elite, and celebrity visitors have included Liberace, Muhammad Ali and Arnold Schwarzenegger. Winfrey says that her experiences were invaluable. . The question startles me; it takes a moment for me to figure out why. I understand the dcor has not changed for decades and it is starting to show. Within eight months, he traded his gold jacket for the blue one worn by runners, and soon after that he donned the signature red coat that he still wears today as a waiter. - See 474 traveler reviews, 81 candid photos, and great deals for Baltimore, MD, at Tripadvisor. Tio's has managed to ignore the comings and goings of culinary fashion as improbably as ice cream stands up to broiling in its Baked Alaska, offering a white-tablecloth Continental dining experience that has remained unchanged but for the prices. Through his Spirit, the Lord Jesus lives in those who believe, and reaches into our world with his saving message and healing love. Next up were appetizers. The sauce was both rich and full of garlic flavor, while not being too heavy or bitter. Our Customer Heroes are here to help, as well. Family, he said, is the center of his life. The hostess was very serious but tookus to a table and the waiter again was serious and older and very formal. Chilled shrimp, lobster and other seafood mixed with cantaloupe and tossed in Russian or French dressing (I say Russian and the wife says French). It was sophisticated and, if you'll pardon the Ron Burgundy lingo, classy. In the 50 years since it first opened on Dec. 26, 1968, precious little has changed at Restaurante Tio Pepe, its official name. This is a Baltimore institution that needs a serious overhaul. Knowing nothing about the politics of the place, I understood exactly what had happened and the significance. More than a decade later, the almighty, it seems, has weighed in. I wish that were true, but it isnt.. The waitstaff looked tired and completely disinterested in welcoming us. The people are wonderful, the food is beyond belief. I shall never forget April 1, 1977, says Winfrey. All other marks contained herein are the property of their respective owners. So far so good. The longtime maitre d was stopped by a customer who came through the doors just as it opened. . There were people who told her that there were landmines in Chicago, but I thought she could be much more successful there. Maybe in comparison to the awful Italian bread and dinner rolls that were, and still are, a mainstay in this town, the bread at Tio Pepe's was good in a relative sense.The Mediterranean seafood cocktail was like something out of the 1950's. us to a table and the waiter again was serious and older and very formal. One time, a bunch of us all went to the Hippo to get in some good dancing, says former consumer reporter Maria Broom. When it comes to classic Baltimore restaurants, this is one gem you don't want to miss. It was sophisticated ethnic cuisine in an era when "Chinese was egg foo young and chicken chow mein," said Jack Sturgill, a longtime Tio's diner. They were not busyat all. Call 410-539-4675 to make a reservation. I said to myself, My God, this is Oprah. She was so much bigger than I imagined as she recited these poems in this beautiful, deep voice. Claustrophobics beware ! "He's of the old European manner," said Joanne Linder of Towson, whom Lobo always seated at Table 5, just as he did when she dined with her husband, Rudolph, a steel executive who died in 2003. He arrived 10 minutes later and took the entree order. not been upgraded in decades. There is street parking too We just don't We parked directly across the street. )to experience this vaunted Spanish restaurant. Then again, I also missed out on the Faces. a plate of suckling pig and the famous house-made pine nut roll. She didnt do it in a bragging wayshe just thought she knew her destiny., When the part went to a classical Shakespearean actress instead, Winfrey was reportedly livid. www.tiopepe.us > TAGS restaurant ACTORS SYNOPSIS After a stint cooking at a Spanish restaurant in the city, he moved to Baltimore and worked at the long-gone Peter Lucas restaurant in Roland Park, where he established a name for himself. Restaurante Tio Pepe Baltimore, MD 21202 - Menu, 208 Reviews and 40 Photos - Restaurantji Restaurante Tio Pepe 4.1 - 266 votes. My husband had prime rib which was giant and a great piece of beef. There is something magical about hershe wears her heart on her sleeve, and she is not at all pretentious. I agreed. We started with red sangria and fried potatoes both excellent! They tell me it's really good here." Based in Baltimore County, Questar developed Baltimores tallest building, the 44-story apartment tower at 414 Light Street. He worked as a waiter in the Spanish Pavilion. She would come to our house for Passover. Its the kind of place that opened its arms. Photography by Justin Tsucalas. hand-painted dishes for serving, a matador painting and the sign from the street. A pair of his World's Fair colleagues opened Tio Pepe in November 1968, and Lobo arrived as a waiter the following April. You may be offered such food as perfectly cooked crab meat, rockfish and garlic shrimps, come here and try them. I guess Id like to see if we can make it to the 50th birthday. You won't see any of that today. Since Beler died in October 2019 at age 90, the Midtown restaurant and its affiliates in Washington, Philadelphia and Anne Arundel County have been led by Rebecca and Brenda Dolan, members of the founders family. insurance. Our server Alex or perhaps Aleks was a distinguished looking gentleman in formal attire and managed a small smile. His son, Rick, was a busboy at Tio's as a teen. It was in a heavy fishy broth, I could not taste garlic whatsoever. I never learned any of the streets. I showed her how to wear a scarf over her shoulder and how it cut her in half, says co-owner Idy Harris. White bread and no vegetables. I got called out of the newsroom to meet with the general manager. The food was ok but not stellar. In a relatively short time we realized that our party of two was a complete afterthought to Alex and remained that way for the ENTIRE dining experience. Caves Valley Partners announced on Thursday that it has signed 20 new leases in recent months at Cross Keys - eight new retail and office tenants and 12 lease extensions. It was not that they were great once, and now they are bad. "It's not El Bulli, where they're doing fancy, exotic things," said Tuerk, referring to chef Ferran Adria's famed molecular gastronomy restaurant in Spain. The announcement comes one year . It was the finest three months of my life. Says Winfrey, I loved that place., Linen Outfits and Scarves From The Bead Experience You may be offered such food as perfectly cooked crab meat, rockfish and garlic shrimps, come here and try them. I just wanted to get out into the sunlight. She usually ate with Richard Sher and sat in our outside dining room [which was a porch 40 years ago before being converted to an indoor space].. I watched the first show with my wife, and she said to me, Wow, Oprah is good at thisevery question she asked is the question I was thinking in my head,' he says. Last week, Red Emmas bookstore and coffeehouse disclosed plans to move from 1225 Cathedral Street to Waverly. There was never an offer of more. I thought for sure she would fight me, as she normally does whenever I suggest anything that is a one pot or pan dish, like cassoulet or jambalaya, where everything is mixed together. The experience was bizarre from the moment we got there. We also had the artichokes and the crab meat cocktail as appetizers which were again very good. It did not happen and she said she could not taste sherry, but was good, even though served lukewarm. The food was ok but not stellar. He saw this as an opportunity for himself, and he recognized he couldnt do it by himself. I'm not waiting that long again.. Theres no question the place helped her.. The Prime Rib is leaving Mount Vernon, said one area resident, who asked not to be named. In the midst of this reality, Tio Pepes has thrived, withstanding the migration of diners away from downtown toward Harbor East, Hampden, and a host of other newer, hotter hoods. Rate your experience! He presented us with menus and took drink orders. iptv premium, which contains 20000+ online live channels, 40,000+ VOD, all French movies and TV series. I was too emotionalI felt things so deeply it was hard for me to let things go. My parents were married in the '60's, and the furniture they bought had quite the Iberian flair. This afternoon its the red snapper in green sauce, which three of them order. Theservice was great, and the sangria was spectacular. See more here . My bride and I decided to change that last Friday night. The rice which accompanied many of the entrees was hard- as if it had been cooked on a previous day and re-heated. My generous son picked up the tab and i KNOW that, with tip and Tax, it had to be at least $2000.00. My family has been doing Tio's since the mid 70s and though we're now spread all over creation, a gathering like this had to have been planned by God.More, Wow! We started with red sangria and fried potatoes both excellent! We rely on reader and advertising support to fund our reporting. It did not happen and she said she could not taste sherry, but was good, even though served lukewarm. "We saved up dimes. The service was excellent, and it was one great party. Hard work never scared Emiliano, who as a child in Spain used to harness a donkey to haul water to his house. A few minutes later he returned with my desert and placed a "to-go" box on our table. at Tio Pepes, but none of the venerable Spanish restaurants tables are occupied, save for one. 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