Hampden Restaurant Review: Rocket to Venus

A piece exposing Rocket to Venus's greatness is long overdue and well-deserved. While The Baltimore Sun and other local publications still have yet to pick up on Hampden's rising star, my family is definitely very aware of, and thankful for, Rocket's innovative and plentiful offerings. Located near the corner of 34th St and Chestnut, Rocket to Venus is nestled among Hampden's row houses, rather than situated on the neighborhood's main stretch, alongside other great eateries, like Cafe Hon and Golden West Cafe. Perhaps the more obscure location has contributed to its relative obscurity. This same factor, however, allows the establishment to retain its retro-quirky feel, and to cater mainly to locals and regulars. It also keeps the lines down, and I have never once had to wait for a table.

Outside, bikers can park the motorcycles and head into the bar for a drink, or they can sit on the outside patio and socialize while they sit at umbrellad tables and take a smoke. Rocket to Venus is open seven days a week and serves lunch/ brunch starting at 12 pm Sundays. The bar has an ongoing trivia contest and Rocket to Venus also hosts other weekly events like movie nights and bingos. The clientele is as eclectic as the menu, and the wait staff is at once individual and uniformly clad in skinny jeans, dark monochromes and rock & roll t-shirts. They're hip and servers give off an air of edgy self-confidence, but do not make diners feel unwelcome or uncomfortable. Local art, available for purchase, adorns the walls and is rotated constantly.

Of course, as at all good restaurants, the food is the best part. Rocket serves slider-style hamburgers, called wimpies, and also offers tofu ("sloppy jo-fu") and falafel wimpies. Who else could make falafel so appealing that it would tempt my 13 year old brother to try it, and then become his "usual" order? In addition to creative naming, Rocket masters one of my favorite foods of all time; brussels sprouts. In fact, my mom has said that we are probably the "only family that fights over brussels sprouts," but if more families ordered the balsamic roasted sprouts from Rocket to Venus, I am sure that would not be the case. I could easily eat three or four servings of these vegetables, but have to refrain in order to sample some of the menu's other offerings.

My mom always seems to go for the Banh-Mi, a vietnamese sandwich complete with pate, pickled daikon, mint aioli, and veggies. My dad likes the Andouille, Shrimp & Grits, although he tries to mix it up each time we come to Rocket to Venus. To accompany my brussels sprouts, I usually order the Rocket to Venus house salad and either a half-pound of steamed shrimp (with Old Bay) or mussels in a white wine sauce. The cheese plates make great appetizers, and my parents rave about the wine selection. In fact, my father raves about everything. He loves the servers, the counterculture-esque vibe, the unconventionality of the diners, decor, and menu. It has fast become THE family restaurant, and is currently Hampden's best kept secret.

Rocket to Venus certainly finishes strong, offering the famous Dangerously Delicious pies, featured on Food Network, and baked, literally, down the street, on its simple but unique desert menu. To top this, one can order a deep-fried PB&J complete with a scoop (or two) of vanilla ice cream, as well as caramel and chocolate sauces. I've seen people share this, but to me, it's really more of a one-person kinda dish. Regardless, you will either not want to leave or come back the next day, which is sure to be a good omen for Rocket to Venus's entrepreneurial future, not that the owners care about that stuff. They're just in it for the fun. And the food.