Dining Out: Renovations at Angelina’s

by Lynn Williams
maindish@baltimoreguide.com

On the same April day, The Baltimore Sun reported two related items. From the Taste section came the tidbit that Angelina’s restaurant, the Parkville mainstay known primarily for its stellar crabcakes, had banished its homey, club basement-style décor and morphed into an upscale, white-tablecloth restaurant. And in the Maryland section, there was a fond obituary for 92-year-old Angelina Tadduni, founder of Angelina’s.
Although Angelina’s hadn’t been on my list for a review, I made reservations. I just had to know if Mrs. Tadduni’s spirit was smiling.
Actually, I hadn’t been to Angelina’s in ages, and I fear that there are lots of former fans who hadn’t, either. Over the past few years there were plenty of rumors: Angelina’s had closed, Angelina’s was still open but the famous crabcake recipe was owned by someone else, and a catchall “things just aren’t the same.” It seemed like time to look in on the changes.
Although Angelina’s has been around since 1952, I first made its acquaintance in the Eighties. Angelina still ruled the kitchen, turning out her signature homemade ravioli and manicotti, but the restaurant had been sold to the Reilly family, and had developed an Irish vibe (including a basement “shebeen”) to go with its Italian menu.
But those crabcakes were king, and the recipient of many “best-of” magazine awards. So I sent up a little prayer to the restaurant gods: “Please don’t let them have changed.”
From the outside, Angelina’s looks pretty much the same. Inside, though…gee, Toto, are we still in Parkville? No more Irish paraphernalia, no more pie display case. Instead, there are forest-green walls, white and green napery, tapestry banquettes, and petite crystal chandeliers. Rectangular glass vases hold peach-colored lilies, and jazz plays in the background.
It remains to be seen whether the neighborhood will embrace the uptown look, but it’s clear from one glance at the menu that this is still the old-fashioned, trend-free Angelina’s of yore. With few exceptions, nothing on the menu would be unfamiliar to diners in 1952, and our waitress told us that many of the old family recipes are still used.
The verdict? Well, there are a few things that could stand upscaling and updating. Why serve a tasteless white “Italian” loaf when there’s a good Italian market right across the street? Salads could be more imaginative, and their dressings improved—not to mention actually served on the salad. And what’s with the green maraschino cherries on the coconut cake? Nobody likes these.
Still, the food was very good. The French onion soup ($7) was packed with sweet red onions, and the thyme-scented broth was delicious, if a bit crowded out by all those onions. Shrimp and scallops marinara over linguini ($20) featured absolutely mammoth shellfish in a light, sweet “Tuscany” sauce flavored with sherry. And the crabcake ($22) was just as remembered: lump crab with just enough filling to hold it together, flecks of parsley, and a lightly-crusted golden-brown exterior. There’s a sprinkling of Old Bay on the plate, but none in the crab.
Desserts include chocolate and coconut cakes, and a pleasant homemade cheesecake. We left full and happy, and pretty sure Angelina would approve.

Angelina’s
7135 Harford Rd.
Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Phone: 410-444-5545
Our dinner for two: $71.02

The Latest Dish…
Pretty soon you’ll be seeing all kinds of advertisements with ideas for how to wine and dine Mom on Mother’s Day. Here’s one of the more unusual ideas, as it doesn’t involve brunch. Sotto Sopra, the stylish Italian restaurant at 405 N Charles St., is offering an evening of live opera performances and a six-course dinner highlighted by stuffed calamari, creamy asparagus soup with osetra caviar, spring pea risotto and marinated filet mignon with Gruyere potato napoleon. The cost for all this – which may just make up for that grueling 30 hours Mom spent in labor—is $57 per person, excluding beverages, tax and tip. For reservations, call 410-625-0534.