The Canton Neighborhood of Baltimore, MD

My last visit to the Hudson Street Stackhouse was on a 70° F Monday afternoon with my 25-year-old son. They have great burgers and a wonderful beer list. We had a great time then. The question is, can middle-aged people have fun in Canton on a weekend night?

We tested it out yesterday on a cold and windy Friday night. Coming from Columbia, the traffic was a little crazy, which is to be expected. It took us about 45 minutes to drive the 22 miles. We found parking after our second loop around, so our walk to the bar/restaurant was not as bad as expected. My greatest fear was getting a table. We stepped inside and were met with a wall of noise and people. I asked for a table for 6. (They do not take reservations, by the way). He just turned around and asked a couple to move over and we sat down — no wait.

The burgers were still delicious. As for a beer, I picked out a classic — Chimay Rouge. The Stackhouse served this in a tulip glass, showing off its copper color and beautiful white head. The Beer Advocate (BA) Bros consider this a world-class beer. I would have to agree, with its complex tastes of apricot, brown sugar and faint Belgian yeast. According to BA, “Chimay Première is the first beer ever produced by the Trappist monks of Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey in Belgium.” Pretty cool to be drinking this amazing beer, which is regularly on tap in this Baltimore neighborhood bar!

I recommended a Breckenridge Vanilla Porter on nitro to my friend, Art. It was served in a pint glass. He gave it a thumbs up. He likes the smoothness from the tiny bubbles. Thinking of my friends from Burley Oak, I tried to order a Lost in the Dank but the keg had just blown. I also noticed that they did not carry any Jailbreak Brewing beers. Their Van Dammit would be a perfect complement to this great tap list. (Jennifer, you’ll have to check that out.)

As for the atmosphere, it was crowded, dark and loud. The servers hustled and took very good care of us. My old ears had difficulty hearing, especially the higher pitched, women voices in our party. They had rugby and soccer on the TVs, an unexpected pleasure. The answer to the Canton question, yes, Canton can be fun for oldsters. However, afternoons are probably more fun.

We did escape to a quieter location, seeking out dessert at Vaccaro’s. It is just around the corner, and ironically, nearer to our ages — turning 60-years-old this year. Their desserts are decadent and delicious. I strongly recommend sharing.

Cheers!

Warren