Osteria 177 | Annapolis Dining

When to Enjoy:
Open daily for lunch and dinner.

Expect to Pay:
Appetizers: $8–14
Pastas: $19–28
Entrees: $22–48
Desserts priced daily.
Offers special party dinner menus.

“Our third appetizer was my favorite: thinly sliced beef Carpaccio with shaved Parmesan cheese, truffle olive oil, and lemon over baby greens. Fantastic!”–Gilles Syglowski

Back in 2007 when we first visited Osteria 177 we described the meaning of the name. Please allow me to reiterate: “Osteria” means “to host” or “to cater.” In other words, to make you feel welcome through good food, good service, and a comfortable atmosphere. And that, is exactly what we experienced . . . again!

It will soon be three years since Osteria opened. There has been a subtle change in ownership, as Arturo Ottaviano is now the sole owner. The refreshing coastal Italian (Mediterranean) theme remains consistent with our previous visit. The décor is beautiful, featuring rich cherry paneling, accented with colorful abstract artwork. The central dining area consists of multiple modern-looking tables and chairs, around which black leather-embellished booths offer more intimate meal settings. Altogether, it’s an elegance that still makes you feel very comfortable.

Ottaviano remembered us from our previous visit and we got the usual superb service. He was running the kitchen with sous-chef Antonello Marangi on this Monday evening, giving Chef Todd Corboy the day off. Caitlin, our waitress, gracefully greeted and presented us with the menus. After a couple of soft drinks, we started with grilled marinated calamari served over mixed greens and “kissed” with an extra virgin olive oil, garlic, and lemon dressing. With delicious flavor and perfect texture, the dish stood out among other calamari dishes we’ve enjoyed on other excursions. Truly enjoyable! The shrimp Malaga also was out of this world: a large shrimp stuffed with baby spinach, Manchego cheese, wrapped with prosciutto in phyllo dough, flash fried, and laced in a red pepper coulis. Wow! Our third appetizer was my favorite: thinly sliced beef Carpaccio with shaved Parmesan cheese, truffle olive oil, and lemon over baby greens. Fantastic!

Our entrees followed right after the appetizers with exceptional presentation and obvious quality. We decided on sharing three of them. The rockfish all’escarola was perfectly seared and served over wilted escarole, golden raisins, toasted pine nuts, and kalamata olives finished with a lemon infused extra virgin olive oil. The filet of fish was so moist and delicate—it was excellent. Tortellini Tartufo featured homemade, sautéed tortellini with julienne prosciutto di Parma, shallots, black truffles, all in a cream sauce. It was divine. Staying adventurous, we decided to try a very special dish: the Strangolapetre. Now this is a dish I have never had and it sounded delicious. Guess what? It was. Small prosciutto dumplings were poached and finished in a veal demi glaze and olive oil sauce.

Finally, we splurged on several desserts. A luscious hazelnut ganache was my favorite. The crème brûlée was a classic and will remain, to my taste, the best in town. The super flavorful, fresh, and fruity peach sorbet is probably the best dessert after this scrumptious dinner.

My dining companions had a chance to share a delightful glass of Chianti. Overall, the wine list proved abundant in selection with balanced choices in taste and price, for every palate.

Arturo is involved in all aspects of the operation. He has surrounded himself with talented staff and it shows. The food is superb and well presented, but most of all, consistent. The menu is revised seasonally and the addition of fresh whole fish to the menu (when available) is an outstanding idea.

On a final note, Osteria 177 has the spirit and follow-through that it takes to become a landmark; it applies and respects all true aspects of a dining adventure.

Gilles Syglowski is a Certified Executive Chef, Certified Culinary instructor and a food Service consultant. He is a graduate from the Lycee d’Enseignement Professionel Hotelier in Metz France. He is currently the General Manager of the Woman’s National Democratic Club in Washington DC. Mr. Syglowski has more than 30 years of experience in the hospitality industry.

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Cafe Normandie – Authentic French Cuisine

Cafe Normandie, located in one of Annapolis’s most pleasant settings, is family-owned and operated. It has built a solid reputation for over 17 years by offering guests superb cuisine and pleasant dining. The restaurant offers a casual, comfortable setting, and is the perfect place to spend time with family and friends.

Cafe Normandie features an impressively varied menu, complete with house specialties, with something sure to please every member of your group. Also be sure to ask about the vast wine selection. The friendly staff at Cafe Normandie looks forward to making your next dining experience a pleasant and truly unforgettable experience.

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Northwoods Restaurant Review

609 Melvin Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401
(410) 268-2609
www.northwoodsrestaurant.com

When to Enjoy: Lunch Tues.–Fri. 11:30 a.m.–3 p.m., Dinner Tues.–Sat. 5:30–10 p.m. and Sun. 5–9 p.m.
Expect to Pay: Appetizers $8–10, Soups & Salads $6–13, Sandwiches $9–13, Lunch entrées $11–22, Dinner entrées $23–29, Prix Fixe $35, Desserts $7–9, Beverages $2–6, Wine available by the bottle, half-bottle, and glass.

On previous visits to Northwoods in 2001 and 2004 we enjoyed great dining experiences. We are pleased to say our most recent visit was also wonderful.

The dining room is cozy and warm. Beautiful French impressionist paintings adorn newly painted, light yellow walls; Northwood’s atmosphere remains familiar and very comfortable. We truly enjoy chef/owner Russell Brown’s philosophy: consistent quality of ambiance, service, and most important, food. It is difficult to believe that Brown and a couple partners (now departed) opened the restaurant nearly 23 years ago. Kathy and I decided to take advantage of this dining opportunity to have an early Valentine’s dinner.

We were courteously greeted by Jack Taylor, the house manager, and escorted to a nicely appointed corner table, whereupon our server Pat attended to us. We were thrilled the prix fixe dinner option remained on the menu: $34.95 per person, up only slightly from $32.95 in ’04. The prix fixe is a fabulous way to experience the full scope of Northwoods’ menu. You receive four courses: choice of soup or appetizer, house salad, choice of any entrée, and a sweet finale from the dessert cart.

So we shared our entire meal, sampling each other’s selections, beginning with an escargot bugatti; a heavenly dish of escargots baked in mushroom caps and bathed in an unctuous garlic and wine cream sauce. Next, the beef tenderloin bruschetta was just outstanding: toast points topped with nicely seasoned slices of beef tenderloin and covered with a tomato mix. It was served aside small mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette, which complemented it perfectly. We were then served delightful, little crisp salads, tossed in light wine vinaigrette.

For entrées, we choose the pork tenderloin Gorgonzola and veal scaloppini roulade. Cooked and seasoned just right, the tenderloin was laced with a creamy, rich Gorgonzola cheese sauce and served atop orzo pasta: an absolute delight. The scaloppini, one of the daily specials, consisted of a veal cutlet stuffed with broccolinis and Swiss cheese, served over gemelli pasta and finished with a succulent mushroom and Marsala wine sauce. Both of the entrées came with side dishes of baked tomato and fresh asparagus.

Next was my favorite part of the meal: dessert. Pat rolled out the cart and all the desserts, cakes, pies, and other delights looked scrumptious. We settled on three of them. Kathy’s favorite, the coconut cake, was quite moist and not overly sweet—perfect. The flourless chocolate cake was simply marvelous, but my favorite was the European-style blueberry pie. What a sensational dessert. It transported me back to our recent trip to France, where, on one of our sightseeing tours in the Vosges Mountains, the regional specialty was Myrtle pie. What a hit!

From an elegant wine list, where you will find a wide array of popular good wines at the right price, Kathy chose a Jordan Chardonnay and was very pleased with it.

Back in November, Northwoods put lunch service back on the schedule, Tuesdays through Fridays. We wished to have actually visited the restaurant for lunch but it did not quite match our schedules. Looking at the menu, I am certain we would have enjoyed lunch just as much as our fine dinner.

We happen to have a special penchant for this restaurant. We love the consistent quality and the overall value of excellent service and Chef Brown’s talents and those of his sous-chef, Brad Dawson. A tip of the toque to Northwoods. Enjoy!

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Annapolis Restaurant Guide | Restaurant Reviews

Announcing the Annapolis Restaurant Guide from What’s Up Publishing in Maryland…  Your number one source for finding local dining in your area. Search by name, type of cuisine, restaurant location or all of the above. Our restaurant guide includes Annapolis, Eastern Shore, the Chesapeake Region and many other surrounding areas.

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