Maisy’s is what Downtown Baltimore or what a downtown in general feels like. I prefer the latter, because it reminds me of a part of any city, that truly feels like a city. Baltimore has a lot of neighborhoods within it, yet it does have parts that seem like there’s lots of action.
This particular part of Charles Street, which bridges downtown to Mt. Vernon, is an area I used to frequent all the time. While it gets busier things also seem to be a bit slower. Time has stood still, and so does the traffic, so does everybody.
Good friends of mine were regulars of Maisy’s when it first opened maybe 5-6 years ago, but for various reasons, life happens, and life goes on. That didn’t mean to sound so dramatic. But my friends did sell me on the place without having to sell it. It’s a hidden gem, hiding in plain sight. Near several other restaurants, bars, and other establishments it might be easy to overlook and take for granted. I could see that.
The first time I ate here was literally five years ago. And that might have been my only time. This was before any blogs or pizza storytelling were on my radar. Well it was slightly on my radar or we wouldn’t be here now. I just recall the pizza being pleasantly awesome.
I had been tipped off (sounds so exciting) on the fact that their pizza is one of the more underrated in the city. That’s a relative term. What’s rated one way to you, is well, yeah..
Having no recollection of what exactly I had, I can say that the pizza and atmosphere was tremendous. Maybe it’s having no expectations, going somewhere alone, and going somewhere for the first time. I also recall that I was in between social engagements that day, so that time alone is always welcome. Don’t take that for granted. We all know how time alone is fewer and far between than it used to be. If we let it.
That was a moment in time. Nothing noteworthy, newsworthy, or life changing. Sometimes those are the best. The way the place was lit did leave a lasting impression, and there’s a quaintness, despite the large space, that is perfect for this or any neighborhood. It works in a downtown setting.
Moving along a few years later, you can’t replicate the first time. I was with a friend, and was craving pizza. Surprise surprise. But this time something felt off.
By no means was I trying to relive something that doesn’t exist. The restaurant looked exactly the same, which I like. Well maybe it was different. I don’t know. It’s been a while.
We shared the Buffalo Chicken and The Mediterranean.
There isn’t much home to write about. It was fine. It was food. It was there.
You’ll notice the charring on the crusts of both pies. They went a little overboard. I love brick oven pizza. I love any way a pizza is cooked, as long as the end result is that it tastes good. Sometimes you want it greasy, crunch, and with little thoughts to the craftsmanship behind it.
There’s some effort put into these pizzas, but something was missing. It just didn’t wow me. The style in which it was cut is in line with what I remember, maybe.
The tastes on both were fine. Once again, I don’t know what happened. But it’s average pizza. I wish I could say otherwise. On the Mediterranean there’s too much going on, and many of the vegetables, feta cheese, and even the pesto got lost in the shuffle. When the pesto doesn’t work, you know something is off. The Buffalo Chicken looks amazing, and the pieces of chicken are great, but again something fell flat. The sauce and cheese is fine but…
If we’re counting this exactly, we’re 1-1. I supposed the third time is the time charm. You’ll be the first to know when that is.
Thanks so much and peace be with you…
Ideen
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