Freelance writer Robin Daumit with The Baltimore Banner, shares insider stories days before InGrano restaurant in Annapolis opens.
Please Give A Big Welcome To InGrano Restaurant and Events
Rarely does one restaurant close and another open in its place in such a short time, but InGrano knew exactly what they wanted to present to Annapolis, therefore they were ready!
Check out the full story here at The Baltimore Banner for more photos and the article I had so much fun bringing together!
A Restaurant With A History And A Story
Only roughly a month after Flamant, a poplar Belgian bistro of six years, closed in West Annapolis, a new restaurant has taken over its space.
InGrano Restaurant + Events, a fine-dining eatery with chef Adam Pusateri at the helm of the euro-chic menu, had its official opening night this month.
The InGrano name – which means “against the grain” in Latin – is already associated with tasty treats because Pusateri, a native Annapolitan, has been chef/owner of InGrano Bistro Bakery on Harry S. Truman Parkway since 2020.
InGrano Starts First With Grain
At the bistro bakery Pusateri opened at the onset of the pandemic, he had plentiful opportunities to experiment with the possibility of a fine-dining restaurant less than five miles down the road.
During after-hours, the InGrano bistro held supper clubs and wine dinners that repeatedly sold out, energizing the prospects for a future location with a further range of chef-created menus.
Connection To Local Farms – Innovative Dishes
Pusateri, who attended the Culinary Institute of America and worked in restaurants in Las Vegas, aims to do just that at his new venture.
In a Facebook post in early January, the InGrano team wrote, “the idea behind this new restaurant is to take the essence of InGrano – innovative dishes, a commitment to excellence, and connection to the local farms and community – and place it at the forefront of an elevated global dinner experience” that draws “influence from Italy, Japan, Spain, Greece, and more.”
Bistro Bakery To Fine Dining
The new digs are at 17 Annapolis Street, in what was once a quaint residential neighborhood just northeast of the Naval Academy stadium, now lined with specialty stores and coffee shops.
Annapolis foodies are sure to be excited about this boutique-style restaurant. Diners can try items such as the yellowfin cannoli, teasingly likened to a crunchy tuna roll with a hint of spicy mustard, lobster rolls with a sweet and spicy twist, and other enticing starter plates.
Land And Sea Signature Dishes
If you are looking for “signature dishes,” there are two options here: one from land and one from the sea.
An impressive Wagyu short-rib Wellington with mushroom duxelles and fork-tender beef is beautifully bundled inside a crisp, golden-brown pastry along with a drizzle of an apple brandy glaze.
For those who favor fish, large sea scallops sit atop a bed of chive-potato puree finished with crispy parsnips.
Classically Trained – Locally Connected
Pusateri also uses his classically trained artful techniques to elevate what may appear to be traditional dishes, such as the sweet potato-stuffed pappardelle with garlic flower, and farro risotto transformed with truffles and wild mushrooms.
Given the chef’s bakery background, it would be wise to count on memorable desserts such as the deconstructed yuzu cheesecake and the flourless chocolate cake.
In terms of events and capacity, general manager John Buda, who also formerly managed Flamant, told The Baltimore Banner that InGrano offers two venues: a sunny all-season enclosed patio with high ceilings and lots of windows that seats gatherings up to 80 for daytime business events, birthdays or bridal and baby showers.
For those looking for a more intimate evening setting, the restaurant has a private dining room that comfortably accommodates eight. If you’re looking for something more in between, the Bistro Bakery, an already well-established event venue, can be reserved for informal gatherings of up to 40.
Year Round Patio Dining
If you’re worried about losing what Flamant left behind, don’t fret. Many of the prior eatery’s staff members, including Buda, are working at the new restaurant.
Having visited a boutique-style hair salon in West Annapolis several times back in 2015, I watched the slow yet detailed process of what was once a home, then children’s clothing store, be transformed into what would soon be an elegant restaurant.
Two years seemed a long time to make an investment on real estate before it had the potential to make a return on the investment.
Once complete, Flamant did not disappoint and remained a lively ‘out of tourist traffic’ restaurant for the better part of 6 years.
For Those Not Yet A Subscriber To The Baltimore Banner
You may be enjoying this story from another state, or country, therefore not a subscriber to the Baltimore Banner, but would enjoy to know about this local occurrence just the same.
Welcome to the various dining experiences in and around Annapolis Maryland through the insider eye of Baltimore Banner’s freelance writer Robin Daumit.
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I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.