10-27-2022 Howard Mag - Flipbook - Page 21
Bangin’ Shrimp Tacos (marinated shrimp, sweet chili sauce, jicama, country cabbage slaw, lime and
onions) at Revel & Main.
The restaurant, which opened in late August,
reinvigorates the intimate Pure Wine Cafe space
with a menu that appeals to post-pandemic
COVID tastes.
“Craft cocktails are a huge category right
now and will continue to gain traction in the
food and beverage world,” Strain says. There’s
Instagram-worthiness to consider, too: “Taking
a picture of a glass of wine is great, but taking a
picture with a colorful cocktail and a great garnish
is better,” he said.
Regulars will still find traces of the beloved
Main Street wine bar at Revel & Main. The new
restaurant maintains a thoughtful wine list, and
the taco selection draws inspiration from a weekly
Taco Tuesday special at Pure Wine Cafe.
Revel & Main has a half-dozen tacos on the
menu for now, including a bulgogi-marinated,
braised steak taco topped with pickled veggies,
rice and sriracha aioli that’s reminiscent of a Pure
Wine favorite. The restaurant also serves appetizers such as truffle fries, birria mac and cheese and
a Maryland elote salad (read: roasted corn, queso
fresco and, of course, Old Bay), as well as a dessert
menu with sweets like tres leches bread pudding
and creme brulee.
On top of the menu changes, Strain is making
tweaks at Revel & Main to fit the post-COVID
hiring landscape.
Many of the restaurant’s staff are new to the
hospitality business, and Strain has developed
his cocktail recipes with easy-to-follow “systems”
that help bartenders turn out drinks quickly and
consistently. He says he’s building the business
with an eye toward expansion.
“Change is hard for everybody; it was hard
for me, honestly,” he said of this next phase. “But
when you put yourself in the position where you
embrace a little bit of fear, good things can come
from that.”
Revel & Main
8210 Main St., Ellicott City. 410-480-5037.
revelandmain.com
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