Ixia Restaurant ,situated at 518N Charles St. Baltimore-MD-21201 is the Baltimore region’s hottest and unique new restaurant, lounge and bar reflecting the philosophy that life is at its most basic level with clean, pure and elegant surroundings. The beautiful simplicity of the Restaurant is still before my eyes even after five months of my visit there. This sleek, contemporary establishment adds a dash of sophistication to the famous Charles St. offerings. Ixia is a toll and slender flower that is native to South Africa. The Restaurant owner, UN Kim, said that she selected this name because of the flower’s graceful style of the Ixia. Ixia also reflects the graceful style, retaining the original architectural style of many buildings. The restaurant, having area of 2400 sq.feet has a capacity of 150 to 175 persons on two levels and features a full service bar in an inviting and intimate atmosphere. Parking lots around the surrounding streets range from $6-$9 daily. The Restaurant Ambience is wonderful, very trendy with great food.
We had reached twenty minutes before our reservation time of 6:30 pm and were promptly seated in the raised platform area by the window facing Charles St. While this meant being less immersed in the wonderful décor of Chinese blue walls with gold trim, vibrant pop art, huge semi-industrial chandeliers, and ceiling to floor iridescent white curtains at times held back by expressive matt silver hand sculptures, It also resulted in being little away from the loud beats of club music that emanated from the inside of the Restaurant. The food itself was superb in taste, texture and arrangement and brought out in a timely manner. The complimentary bread came out warm and soft, already buttered and with two varieties of olive oil deeps as well as whipped lemon butter. We were also presented with a complementary hors d’oeuvre of a grape half wrapped in goat cheese, covered with almond flakes and garnished with a light potato flake and delicate purple sprouts. The combination of sweet, tart and lightly crisp was a delight. If I speak about my main entrée, Deconstructed Crab and Corn Chowder, which came out warm and practically melted in my mouth. The rich and flavorful twin crab cakes sat in a light sweet corn sauce and the potato fingerlings were roasted to the perfect outer crispness. I could not leave without partaking from their infamous martini list. The Thrilla of Vanilla, consisting of vanilla vodka, navan and pineapple juice, was little strong but smooth. I closely watched the food items served to my friend and I could see that the food had many interesting flavors and arranged on the plate in such a beautiful way that it brought the best in every ingredient of the dish. The thing which impressed me the most though was, the restaurant’s original and elegant ambiance. It was the best dining experience.
Attentive and knowledgeable staff serves up the menu’s inventive blend of Mediterranean and Asian fare. Traditional dishes are given special treatment, like the grilled fillet mignon, served with smooth truffled potato puree and a robust mushroom sauce. A light appetizer of carpaccio of octopus beforehand makes calamari seem vulgar. Some of the Insider tips are given here for your ready reference. 1. What to drink- Ixia’s bar offers a host of creative martini options. Try the thin Mint, a delicious take on the Girl Scout cookie namesake. 2. Parking- after 6pm, you will find a good deal for parking in the nearby locations.3. Where to sit- Make a request for the raised seating by the windows to watch Charles st. passersby. Choose second-floor loft seating for more intimate meals. There are some special events like chef’s blind tasting menu on every Wednesdays priced at $50 with a glass of house wine. Jazz and blues event is on every Fridays when you can experience delectable food while satisfying your audible palate with soulful melodies. There is no cover charge for this event although reservations are highly recommended. The restaurant remains open Tuesday- Saturday from 5pm to 10:30pm and remains closed on Sundays and Mondays. The restaurant is also very good for the group dinner but is not perhaps suitable for the kids.
I really enjoyed my dinner at Ixia and have no hesitation in recommending this romantic dinner spot to my friends and relatives and you all, who happen to read this. For myself, I am sure to visit this place again and again.
