Popular Eats in Canton

In Baltimore there are many different areas to visit, each with their own distinct attraction that draws people in. Canton is one of those areas in Baltimore that provides plenty of entertainment and attraction to all who visit. This post is going to describe some of the best places for dining in Canton.

Mammas on the Half Shell, a famous seafood restaurant in Canton offers many different meals however they are famous for their Mac & Cheese side that comes with almost any entrée you order. The atmosphere is perfect for anything from a double date to a night on the town with the girls. There is a bar located downstairs to go on game night, and upstairs there is a more intimate setting. Mammas opened in 2003 with the incentive of providing Baltimore with an authentic seafood restaurant to provide friends and families with a place to come together and eat. They succeeded.

Nacho Mamma’s is the other hot restaurant located in Canton.

It is conveniently right next door to Mamma’s on the Half Shell, however it could not be more different. Nacho Mamma’s offers to its customers Mexican cuisine, has a life size replica of Elvis in the front, and can be heard playing loud salsa music from down the block at happy hour. It advertises bring the old great Baltimore back in their football, beer, and baseball. It is a good time to be had by all.

Canton offers much in the way of restaurants and entertainment with Mamma's on the Half Shell and Nacho Mammas being only two of the many in the area. It is worth the trip to walk around the square at night when every restaurant is packed and loud and there is music and laughter. Canton is one of Baltimore's hidden treasures and it is worth the trip.

Is it Worth the Extra Mile?

The Towson Mall has been a growing hot spot for many university students on the weekends this past year. It recently added new fashionable stores like Free People and Madewell to it and has many great restaurants like The Cheesecake Facotry and PF Changs. It is starting to feed into the high-end fashion that many of Loyola, Towson, and Johns Hopkins’s students are into. Not only does the mall have some great new stores to shop in, but it is surrounded by lots of places. Towson Hot Bagel, a great place for breakfast and a favorite among many students at

Loyola, is just to the left of the mall, third exit off the circle, while to the right of the mall just a bit down Joppa Rd. Is Target, Michaels, and Panera! The mall is also surrounded by many delicious and fabulous places like Pasta Mista and Smoothie King across the street, or Barns and Nobel. A new addition to the Towson area, which attracts more students to head towards the mall, is Urban Outfitters. Many love this unique, trendy, and fashion forward store and now you no longer have to head towards the Inner Harbor to shop!

One downfall to the Towson area is that there is no movie theater anymore. Many students now have to travel to White Marsh to catch a movie, but it is well worth your trip! White Marsh has many outdoor stores to go to as well as restaurants. There you can shop, eat, and catch a movie! A one-stop wonder! Although White Marsh lacks a bit in some of the clothing stores that many students are into, it is worth the extra mile sometimes to go and take a look around.

Cheesecake Factory

Burgers, pasta, burritos, seafood and of course, cheesecake! If you like any of these food items that I listed, then Cheesecake Factory is the place for you. Since my freshman year at Loyola, I have loved going to Cheesecake Factory. There are so many different options and it is such an amazing atmosphere. The lighting is dimmed down low, there are booths and tables, the seats are upholstered with a tan linen with a darker tan design on it. The seats are comfortable and cushiony. The restaurant as has light music playing in the background. Just walking in to the Cheesecake Factory makes me happy and I feel welcomed.

The setting of the restaurant is lovely, as i described above, but what really is important is the food! I have never had a meal there that I did not like. Everything is unique and has a homemade taste to it. The bread they bring when you first sit down at the table is delicious. I just load a piece up with butter and enjoy ever bite! I normally order appetizers when I go there as well, I can't resist! My favorite appetizers include the Dynamite Shrimp, Fried Calamari, and the Crab and Artichoke Dip. After devouring the appetizers, I move on to the best part of the meal, the main course! I have a few favorite here as well. The Louisiana chicken pasta has a spicy kick and the chicken is breaded with parmesan cheese. I also enjoy the 4 cheese chicken pasta, the old fashion burger, and the chicken and biscuits meal! Finally, if your stomach can fit anymore divine food in your belly, its time for cheesecake! (You can't go to the Cheesecake Factory with out ordering their signature item!) Like most other parts of the meal, I have a few different types of cheesecake as well. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, Pumpkin Cheesecake, Oreo Cheesecake, 30th Anniversary Cheesecake, and the Godiva Cheesecake!

I could keep going but I am sure you want to stop reading by now and start driving over to Cheesecake to pick yourself up some of this awesome food! If none of the things I mentioned don't make your mouth water, then you're crazy--just kidding! But seriously, there are so many options that you won;t even know where to begin to look for something to satisfy your hunger! So go enjoy the Cheesecake Factory, you will not regret it!

M&T Stadium

While there are many different people in Baltimore, whether they are different in personality, where they live, or their age, all Baltimoreans come together every Sunday from opening day to hopefully the Superbowl to watch their favorite sports team play at M& T B
ank. The Baltimore Raven's are a way of life for people who live in the city, with every home game being almost sold out if not completely sold out, it makes you wonder if they may be some of the most dedicated fans in football.

I was fortunate enough to attend a Raven's game vs. the NY Jets. As soon as I entered the parking lot I could tell that the Baltimore Ravens was not so much a team but a way of life for the fans. Between the tailgating in the parking lot and the crowds of people in their purple cameo, it was hard not to be wrapped up in the festivities. M&T stadium was finished in 1988 and cost an estimated $200 million. There is a seating capacity of

71,008 people, a sold out game could feel like the sky is bleeding purple. At the Jets game there were a few brave souls wearing green, however the green was swallowed up by the purple. It made you want to be a fan.

It is said that Ravens fans are some of the most behaved and loyal fans in the league because of their enthusiasm, team support and sportsmanship. I have to say, that since attending a game I noticed all 3 of these things are completely true. As the stadium states on their website, "Our mission is winning, winning football games on the field and winning off the field by serving our fans". Baltimore and their Ravens in M&T Bank are truly an inspiration to football fans everywhere.

The Rainforest in the Inner Harbor

At an outstanding 92,052 square miles, Baltimore is the largest city and cultural center in the state of Maryland. The city is packed with 620,961 residents, while the Baltimore Metropolitan Area has just under 2.4 million. The city had the second largest port that handled immigrants and manufacturing products. Clearly this was the typical city full of vast buildings and yellow cabs around every corner. The only problem seemed to be that your daily dose of mother nature was no where to be found. A decline in manufacturing along the coast of the United States lead the city to move the city into a service-oriented economy. Big construction projects such as the Maryland Science Center, Baltimore Ravens football team and stadium, Baltimore Orioles baseball team and stadium, Harborplace, and the National Aquarium were erected within the Inner Harbor area.

The solution to Baltimore's need for a taste of nature was brought in when the construction of the National Aquarium was finished in 1981. Located at 501 E. Pratt Street, the building is a huge glass enclosed square. Constructed by Peter Chermayeff of Peter Chermayeff LLC, this building is separated into three different buildings: Pier 3 Pavilion, Pier 4 Pavilion, and the Glass Pavilion. It holds an outstanding 16,500 specimens which are scattered throughout the dolphin display, rooftop rainforest, central ray display, and the multi-story shark tank.

Today the aquarium drives the most tourists to visit Baltimore with attracting 1.5 million people a year. In 2006, Coastal Living name the National Aquarium the #1 aquarium in America.

On a personal note, I have been to this amazing collection of ecosystems and would recommend to all that find themselves in Baltimore. At a very reasonable entrance fee, you have an unlimited amount of time to spend with animals seen all across the world. It's something you must experience to truly understand my testimonial.

- John Kenyon

The Finest Establishment Known to York Road

York Road is comprised of a massive strip of pavement that crosses the majority of Maryland. On the weekends past 9 P.M. Loyola students are only concerned with less than a 1/2 mile of the monstrous roadway. This small section is home to Favorites Pub, Murphy's Bar and Grill (Murphdogs), Zen West, Jerry's Tavern, and Swallow at the Hallow. After some bar hopping, I am proud to announce Favorites Pub has proven time and time again to be the best bang for your buck.

In a given night, the average cab ride from Loyola is around $8, but if you master the art of rhetoric you can bring it down to $6. Only if you're lucky though. From there, Favorites Pub charges a $1 cover fee to pay for all the shenanigans the rowdy boys pull throughout the night. After being accepted in you are granted access to a variety of drinks ranging from $3 beers to $4 shots. Mix drinks are a bit more expensive. Enjoy your stay, but don't clear your wallet...you still have to pay for the cab ride back.

On a more serious note, safety is a huge concern for the bar and Loyola Police. It is advised that you never walk home, walk out in the street, or take rides home with unknown individuals. If you find that you're the only one left on York Road, you can call campus police to get a safe ride home.

Don't be fooled by the shady appearance of this small building during the day. When the sun goes down and Loyola students make their way through the doors, this building bumps beats. With an impressive sound system and dimmed lighting, this small bar turns into the perfect weekend rave for everyone to enjoy. On a side note, expect champagne to rain down from the heavens around 1 A.M., so don't wear your expensive dress shirt out. By far the best part of the night...

DISCLAIMER:

21 or older to enter this paradise. Don't waste your time you silly underclassman.

- John Kenyon

Chipotle or Qdoba? That is the question

Chipotle has always been the hot spot for many Loyola, as well as Towson and Johns Hopkins, students to go and get a quick and delicious meal. While waiting in line students struggle with the difficult decision of burrito, taco, or burrito bowl. Your mouth begins to water as you think of all of the options you have to make your meal your own. The cilantro and lime rice give a great base flavor to your meal and the spices on the chicken give it that extra kick. If chicken is not for you don't worry they have steak and pork options as well. Next comes the color and spice and everything nice. Lettuce, cheese, sour cream, corn and guacamole can be added for a cheesy, crunchy, tangy touch. If you are looking for the spice, you have a choice between mild and hot salsa to kick it up a notch. As they wrap your baby of a burrito up filled with all of the flavor, color and taste you finally begin to imagine that first juicy, spicy, tangy bite of heaven. To top off your meal you can buy homemade chips made with a citrus and salty touch.

So you may be asking yourself now, "Why would anyone want to eat anything else!?" The truth of the matter is Qdoba is actually very similar to Chipotle. They have pretty much the same options and toppings, although if I must say, Chipotle's chicken is much better. Where does the difference lye? The money! College students are poor individuals. Chipotle gets more business because they are not only close to campus, but because they accept students meal cards to pay for their meals. Now mom and dad are paying for Chipotle not you!

So if you are looking for a good mexican fix at a semi decent price and you don't want to pay for it....head over to Chipotle on York Rd. near Giant supermarket. Dinner's on mom and dad again!

-Melissa