Personal Review :
Jeannier's has been a favorite of Space Telescope Science Institute employees
for many years, especially for lunches with interviewees. The atmosphere is
very pleasant, and quiet, making the environment a good place to actually talk
to each other without having to make yourself heard over the din of other
patrons, as with
many other popular restaurants. I've been there many times for lunch and have
enjoyed everything ordered. Lunches tend to favor specialty sandwiches and
salads, with occasional specialties of the house. Plan on spending your full
lunch hour there as service is a bit slow, especially if it's a busy day.
Usually, however, we've never had a problem getting seated promptly. Prices
are moderate but the fare is worth the price.
23-September-1999:
Just as good as ever. The prices have increased slightly, but it's still
a good value when you consider the quiet environment and quality of food.
However, if you're in a rush, you're in the wrong place. One should always
count on spending a full hour for lunch, service can be a bit slow.
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Baltimore Magazine, February 2001 -- "Our Seventy Favorite Restaurants", edited
by
Cynthia Glover; written by Dave Butcher, Linda DeLibero, and Cynthia Glover
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
There's nothing stuffy about this Frenchman. The décor is homey and understated, you can dress casually, and they will endeavor to seduce you with provincial French cuisine. Start with a big bowl of flawless steamed mussels or, perhaps, the assiette Nordique, with its house-smoked salmon, mackerel, tuna, and trout. Proceed to a superbly grilled suprême of capon, the crown prince of poultry, or marinated lamb chops, which arrive perfectly pink (ask if there are wild mushrooms to go with). And do save room for house-made desserts, like the creamy chocolate mousse. Even the oddly displayed "First Aid for Choking" poster off the main hallway somehow conveys that Jeannier's cares about its patrons.
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Baltimore Magazine, February 1999 -- "75 Best Restaurants" - edited by
Cynthia Glover and David Dudley
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
Few things can soothe the ragged edges of a rough day more quickly than settling into a quiet corner at Jeanniers. Chef Roland Jeanniers low-key haunt is secreted in a Tuscany-Canterbury apartment building, and the well-heeled crowd it draws from nearby Guilford and Roland Park is looking for sturdy, traditional fare. Chic it ain't, but that won't matter once you dig into the lusty pâté, silken beef with béarnaise, or hearty Alsacienne sausages with sauerkraut. Have an ethereal floating island for dessert, and enjoy the gracious service.
Why go: A relaxing and very old-fashioned French meal.
While you're there: Consider dining from the light fare menu at the
bar; a very affordable alternative.
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Baltimore Magazine, January 1998 -- "The 75 Best Restaurants", edited by
Cynthia Glover and David Dudley
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
For all the formality of this oasis of classic French cooking, Jeannier's feels comfortable. Maybe it's because uptown regulars arrive on Saturday night dressed just enough to make it an evening out, or that the soft lighting doesn't dampen the happy chatter. Old-school cooking is reliable here: Think chunky, mild duck pâté with gherkins and cocktail onions; quenelle de brochet Nantua--pike fish mousse--with shrimp and lobster sauce; butter-soft tournedos slathered in bearnaise. The service is attentive and stately. It all adds up to gracious--and delicious--dining.
Do: Check out the informal pub for casual dining.
Don't: Leave without tasting the crème caramel.
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Baltimore Magazine, February 1995 -- "75 Restaurants We Love"
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
Moderate, Succulent calf's liver sauteed with raspberry vinegar, chunky pâté, service sans attitude: No wonder this is a French fave of uptown epicures. For nearly a decade Roland Jeannier has dished up consistent Maryland-French cuisine, melding the state's seasonal ingredients with secrets learned from his granny in Provence. Winter specials mean cream and tomato-herb sauces over venison, duck, and rabbit; summer means soft-shells done the Jeannier way. Though the atmosphere is unpretentious, blue-haired bluebloods tend to gravitate toward the dowager's dinning room--tulip-light chandeliers, lace curtains--while hipsters prefer the baby bistro closer to the bar, with its own light fare.
SIGNATURE DISH: rack of lamb jardiniere.
MOST POPULAR: lamb, fish of the day.
WHO GOES THERE: your mother, Roland Park and Guilford denizens.
WHY GO THERE: Escargots de l'abbaye (in a garlic cream sauce served in a
puff-pastry shell), and you don't need a tie.
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Baltimore Magazine, August 1995 -- "Good Meals, Good Deals"
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
LEAST EXPENSIVE ENTRÉ: pasta du jour, $7.75
MOST EXPENSIVE: crab Lord Baltimore, $13.95
BONUSE POINTS: impressive first-date dining spot, shows off your
cultivated French palate and your sensible side.
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Baltimore Magazine, April 1998 -- "Cheap Eats" by Cynthia Glover
{Reprinted with permission of Baltimore Magazine}
LEAST EXPENSIVE ENTREE: French bread pizza, $3.50, added toppings 30
cents each.
MOST EXPENSIVE ENTREE: Crab Lord Baltimore, $13.95
VALUE ADDED: The main dining room's four-star service automatically
comes with the bargain tab.
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