You probably have a “top five” in your head of places you love to go out to eat and drink. Dylan’s is in mine. They’re actually in my top three now. (The other two, in no order, are Peter’s Inn and Petit Louis.) At Dylan’s, it’s not just about food and cocktails that are executed perfectly, but there’s also warm and friendly service and good vibes all around. And if oysters are not your thing, there are a lot of other options like the potato skins, the incredible smash burger, kale and Caesar salads, oyster stew (in colder months) and more. Don’t not go because you think it’s all oysters! (I’ve heard lots of people saying they haven’t been to Dylan’s for that exact reason.) Go, to Dylan’s (make a res to be sure you’re in). They’ll take good care of you. And know you are supporting nice people. I always say it, nice matters.
It feels like I’ve known Dylan and Irene of Dylan’s Oyster Cellar forever. And it feels like Dylan’s has been around forever, too. It just feels good to be there. Not fancy but still feels like a night out. Best soundtrack, fun, easy and ever-changing. It’s also the perfect sized restaurant. Some of my favorite bartenders and shuckers, past and present. Oysters are always shucked perfectly, the list changes all the time and the shuckers (or Dylan if he happens to be nearby) can tell you all about where they came from and how they’ll taste.
I distinctly remember visiting Dylan at the restaurant while it was mid-build. About half of the flooring was down and I was already in love. Gotta love a classic choice in tile. I also remember going to Dylan’s first pop-up location in Mt. Vernon (where Sugarvale is now) and being so enamored with Dylan’s descriptions of the oysters and tasting my first sardine toast. That spot very well may have been my intro to raw oysters, too. I’ve had so many now, I honestly can’t remember. And, the first time I had the kale salad. That was like, BOOM OMG WHAT IS THIS. What can I say, I have big reactions to food when I love it.
I hope you visit my friends at Dylan’s soon. There is literally not one dud on the menu. So, bring some friends and order the whole thing!
ps. This is my first of many Baker’s Dozens to feature couples running small businesses. Hope you enjoy.
Cake or Pie? And what kind?
Dylan: PIE! and Atlantic Beach Pie (key lime but with lemon instead and saltine crust…)
Irene: This is a terrible answer because it’s not cut and dry. It’s no slice, if you will. The answer depends on the occasion. I think in general I would choose to both make and eat cake over pie. However, cherry pie with vanilla ice cream or strawberry rhubarb pie – chef’s kiss.
Your most prized possession?
Dylan: My Dale German oyster knife, perfect for finicky & brittle local oysters.
Irene: My kittens. They are a brother and sister. I adopted them from the same litter as my friend last spring, who also adopted a brother and sister! Molly McNulty and I have the same cats! It’s very fun.
What’s your favorite thing to order out at restaurants?
Dylan: I usually stick to the classics, whatever that place is known for.
Irene: I usually gravitate toward seafood (go figure) or what the server recommends. They know best. I’m not like my brother who always orders a Caesar salad as a baseline to judge a restaurant.
What’s your favorite to cook at home?
Dylan: Larb Gai.
Irene: Last year I got a CSA for the first time from Jones Family Farm so I have subsequently gotten into cooking a lot of vegetables at home. I love cookbooks and am starting a cookbook club this year with my friend Laura Beth Resnick who owns Butterbee Farm!
What’s your morning beverage and how do you take it?
Dylan: A shot of espresso & black coffee, separate.
Irene: I just drink water in the morning usually, but once I get to work I like to hit one of the coffee shops in Hampden. I do switch up my order and my shop from day to day. Most often I order a 12oz drip with a splash of half & half. That’s pretty old school, but it gets the job done.
What’s your personal motto?
Dylan: One day at a time.
Irene: Keep It Simple (Stupid) aka KISS
What’s your favorite holiday and why?
Dylan: Thanksgiving – stuffing.
Irene: I’ve always loved Halloween. Spooky season starts in August. I’m that girl.
Best advice you were ever given? And from whom?
Dylan: “If you want to be happy, just be happy!” From my dad.
Irene: To practice ethical reciprocity. It’s easier said than done, but it’s a practice. “Treat other people the way you’d want to be treated- it’s the golden rule”. – Mom
What do you feel is your greatest accomplishment?
Dylan: Quitting drugs & alcohol and remaining in the restaurant business.
Irene: I feel like I have been able to achieve many things I have set out to do. I generally feel like an accomplished person but I feel most accomplished when I am asked to be of service.
The last text you sent?
Dylan: Good morning, I spoke with Doug. He seems like he won’t sell but might. Call when you can.
Irene: Dylan – you were supposed to have an interview with him at 1pm. i did it for you. but he can talk to you too?
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Dylan: Clean sheets & a cat.
Irene: When a cat chooses my lap to sit on.
What do you love most about food?
Dylan: Watching people’s reactions to enjoying it.
Irene: I love everything about food. I love that cultures are defined by food, that our trips are planned around eating food. That our literal survival has been and will always be dependent upon food. Food makes life interesting, communal, nourishing and abundant!
What’s your favorite place in Baltimore?
Dylan: The top of the 395 overpass as you come into the city – great view.
Irene: Hampden! My whole life pretty much exists within it!
Read more of Amy Langrehr’s “Baker’s Dozen” series at Charm City Cook.
