Baltimore Diner
Jack’s Bistro to close; Blair’s on Hudson to open
Ted Stelzenmuller plans to stay in Canton, with his staff, for ‘everyday food’
After 10 years, Ted Stelzenmuller said he plans to close Jack’s Bistro to open
He doesn’t have dates confirmed yet, but said the transition will take place in the months ahead.
“It’s going to be within the next few months, and I just wanted to give people a heads-up,” he said.
Although Jack’s Bistro will serve its last meals soon, Stelzenmuller plans to keep some of the restaurant’s best-known dishes on the menu at Blair’s on Hudson, which is named for his mother’s family. Keep an eye out for plates such as the mac and cheese with chocolate and the Guinness filet mignon at the new restaurant.
Otherwise, the menu at Blair’s on Hudson will carry more “everyday food,” such as noodle dishes and burgers.
“That’s what I love, that’s what I’m good at,” Stelzenmuller said.
Stelzenmuller bought the building on Hudson Street in November 2015. Originally, he planned to relocate Jack’s Bistro to the new space, but chose a more casual concept instead.
“I’ve had two restaurants in the past, and it does not work for me,” he said. “I don’t need to line my pockets, I just need to be happy and part of that happiness is just cooking.”
While closing Jack’s Bistro marks the end of an era, Stelzenmuller said the restaurant is going out on a high note. He said it was satisfying when City Paper referred to the restaurant as an “institution” in a 2015 review.
“That’s kind of all I really ever wanted Jack’s to be,” he said. “You’ve gotta grow.”
At Blair’s on Hudson, Stelzenmuller plans to serve lunch and dinner daily, plus Sunday brunch. The space, which is similar in size to Jack’s and will seat about 68 guests, is under construction, awaiting final electrical and cosmetic touches.
And when the new restaurant opens, the full staff is coming with Stelzenmuller, he said.
“We’re just going to take some stuff with us, walk across Canton, put it in there and open the doors,” Stelzenmuller said.
The Baltimore cafe and late-night study spot is opening a third shop at 40 W. Chesapeake Ave. in Towson. The owners are aiming for a September opening, co-owner Minh Vo said.
The original Bun Shop in Mount Vernon opened at 239 W. Read St. in 2013 serving sweet and savory buns from across the world, including beef-stuffed Cornish pasties, Cuban guava and cheese pastries, Mexican rotiboy coffee buns and empanadas. The selection changes daily, and the menu at the Towson location will be the same as the shop’s two Baltimore locations.
Vo owns the shops with brothers Andrew and Lam Bui. They opened a second Bun Shop location downtown on Light Street last April.
The 3,600-square-foot Towson store will mark the Bun Shop’s first outpost beyond the city’s limits. Like the Mount Vernon eatery, the Towson location will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily.
Sagamore Spirit President Brian Treacy said it has received requests to distribute its rye from outlets in a number of cities like Chicago, and the whiskey became available in the Windy City this month. Treacy said Chicago was an attractive market for its booming foodie culture.
Upon entering a new market like Chicago, Sagamore looks to get its whiskey on menus at bars and restaurants, where Treacy said customers are more curious and open to trying new drinks than in liquor stores.
Sagamore Spirit is currently available at bars and retail stores as far west as Park City, Utah, and Las Vegas. But the middle of the country remains largely untouched by the brand. Treacy said the company is looking to Texas next,.
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