This is a sponsored post, all thoughts and opinions are my own
On a snowy Sunday I entered Luna Del Sea with a bit of skepticism. Usually restaurants that are located near and around the stadiums and the convention center in Baltimore are usually tourist traps. When you walk into Luna Del Sea, the first thing you notice is how deceivingly large the restaurant itself is. It’s pretty huge. The dark lighting and pictures of celebrity patrons on the wall kind of gave me a Italian mobster movie vibe, which I kind of enjoyed. Not every restaurant needs to have a hip vibe with your latest indie faves blaring over the loud speaker.
The menu and cuisine style of Luna Del Sea can be categorized as a seafood restaurant, but their menu is vast ( and at times overwhelming) so if seafood is not your thing there’s plenty of other options available to you. You can order a classic Italian-American dish like fettuccine alfredo or you can order a filet if that’s your thing.
I started with the Luna Del Sea Bisque, which was incredible. Fresh shrimp and scallops are simmered in a ultra flavorful tomato lobster cream bisque. While it is rich, it’s so satisfying that I literally just wanted to swim in it. It’s a must have if you like cream soups. The subtle tomato flavor accents the fresh chunks of seafood in the bisque, if you have a piece of bread use that to scoop up the last bits. That’s how good it was.
Then the Owner suggested I try the crab cake appetizer, which is an appetizer in name only. The generous serving of crab cake was unreal, now more volume doesn’t always mean better, but the lump crab meat was fresh and loosely packed (which I prefer). There was no hint of any fillers and the delicately cooked crab just effortlessly melted in your mouth. Very well done.
Photo is Courtesy of Luna Del Sea
For the main course, I ordered the special of the day which was a lamb shank. This lamb shank was so perfectly executed and delicious it would make any Persian mom swear that she had made it herself. Lamb shank is very popular in Persian cuisine, and I can honestly say this was one of the best lamb shanks I’ve ever eaten. The only thing that was missing from this dish was some delicious Persian rice to accompany it. The meat was delicate and tender, you could simply use your fork to pull the meat right off the bone. Preparing and cooking a lamb shank is no small feat, so I applaud the chefs at Luna Del Sea for executing this protein so masterfully.
I finished my meal/feast with a salted caramel cheesecake that had caramel apples on the bottom of the dessert. The touch of sour cream in the cheesecake makes this a light and delicate cheesecake that doesn’t leave you with that typical heavy feeling that cheesecake lends itself to. The handmade crust was buttery but not so thick that it overpowered the cheesecake.
Okay well it’s obvious that I had a good time eating here, but let’s talk price and logistics. The pricing is reasonable, think M&S Grill price range, the entree prices range from the mid 20’s to the mid 30’s typically. To park your best bet is to park in one of the garages that are nearby (that’s what I did), if you’re coming down for a stadium or arena event Luna is a great option. They have a fairly large ballroom to host parties or events, and they do cater. Their restaurant manager explained to me that their catering team can pretty much execute whatever kind of menu you like.
Overall Luna Del Sea really impressed me, I’ll admit I had low expectations but that was not based on any facts but merely a location based perception that I had. Their staff is very friendly and open to making sure that you enjoy your dining experience with them. Their menu is fairly straightforward which makes it ideal for bigger groups where satisfying everyone can be difficult. Some of your foodie friends may scoff at the menu because it’s not really pushing any boundaries, but you cannot fault a place that pulls off the classics well. Many hip and popular places fall flat on their face when attempting to do the same. Give Luna Del Sea a try, you won’t regret it.
Final Grade: A
