My Experience at Ida B’s Table- Black History Month

In last week’s post, I mentioned a restaurant called Ida B’s Table located in the heart of Baltimore City. I thought to myself, its Black History Month and this is a black-owned restaurant, therefore, it deserves a post of its own. Lately, there has been a lot of negative press in the news about Baltimore City’s education system, law enforcement, juvenile challenges, lack of opportunity, crime, food deserts, and other issues that various communities are facing across the nation. I figured that it was time to touch on something positive for a change. This month couldn’t have been a better time to feature this business!

It was that time of the year again, my brother’s birthday. My immediate family’s tradition is to celebrate each person’s birthday by going out to eat.  It’s never really about the food, it’s about getting together to catch up with each other. We joke, we laugh, we talk about work, upcoming events and projects and any other topic that comes to mind.  While my parents, my youngest brother and I don’t typically stray away from the normal American cuisine, my middle brother will typically select a place that we have never heard of. Usually, we are all concerned about whether or not we will like what’s on the menu. I’m always prepared to order a salad just in case. This time, we were pleasantly surprised by his choice. He told us to meet him at Ida B’s Table at 10:00 for brunch, a place where we had never eaten.

I called the night before to see if I could get a reservation on short notice and the representative who answered said they were booked for the time we originally requested. She told us that if we arrive by 10:00, we would be okay. We arrived about 5 minutes before the restaurant opened on a busy Sunday, the day after his birthday. I was already impressed by the atmosphere as soon as I walked in. The hardwood floors, the black art that graced the walls, and the soulful music in the background caught my attention immediately. We were greeted by the host with a smile and menus. Then, we were escorted to our seats.

Of course, I immediately went to the restroom to check for cleanliness as I always do and it was spotless. The restroom in restaurants determines whether or not I want to eat there. Although I know that the restaurant had just opened its doors, I was very impressed. I went to the restroom again as the restaurant started to get crowded to ensure that it stayed clean throughout our visit. That lets me know that employees are keeping an eye on it.

The waitress greeted us with a smile and took our orders. The restaurant serves a variety soul food dishes and some vegetarian dishes, typical American cuisine. I chose a vegetarian option, spinach scramble. The waitress brought the food out and came back to check on us periodically. The customer service was exceptional. I also noticed how diverse the staff was. The food was amazing! I even ordered a kale caesar salad to go. The owner happened to know my brother so she came to our table to wish him a happy birthday and she asked about our experience. How often does that happen?

Just when you think you’ve been everywhere in the city you grew up in, you really haven’t. I wanted to feature this restaurant because we really enjoyed it and to send positive vibes throughout Baltimore. If you happen to be in town, check it out. No, I’m not getting paid for advertising it, I genuinely enjoyed the experience. Maybe she should open one in Wakanda!

Readers, where have you been lately? Care to share your experiences? Drop it in the comments!

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