On the Hill Cafe - I can't wait to visit again

A fellow foodie gave me a tip on this ‘must try’ dish for under $10 and it is my duty as a journalist (ha!) to follow promising leads. At least that’s what I tell myself when I’m snooping out new places to try. I was told “On the Hill Café has the most amazing meal for under $10. You have to try the rice, beans, and sweet plantains with the cumin crusted pork!” They proceeded to describe the meal, but they had me at “amazing meal for under $10.”



I checked their online menu and there the dish was for $7.75 with the cumin crusted pork adding an additional $1.50. Since math was involved, I whipped out my trusty fingers and began counting. $9.25, I was set to research (eat) another item for my blog! Just then, excitement turned to panic, up in the corner in small lettering, “Served from 4 to 8pm.” It was only 11:30 am and lunch was upon us all. I scoured the menu, hoping to find something more than soup and salad – and there it was: the Rutter Burrito. Your choice of chipotle chicken or pork with rice, beans, guacamole, pico gallo, sour cream, and jack cheese wrapped in a spinach tortilla. Jackpot! I grabbed my wallet, camera, and notebook and jumped into my oven of a car and scrammed. The sun was unforgiving and even with my car’s air conditioning set to full blast, it was still almost unbearable.

If you do not know what you’re looking for, you may miss it. It’s a little corner café with a few seats and umbrella tables and a modest sign. I snapped a few pictures and even though the searing sun rays made me feel as if I were moments away from recreating that nightmare inducing scene from Raiders of the Lost Ark, the quiet serenity of the neighborhood made me consider dining outside. Once I stepped in and felt the cool breeze of cold, processed air, I decided to stay indoors.

Now here’s where I had the most pleasant surprise. In my experience, cafes that have a full, elaborate menu tend to have modest drink selections and vice versa. The coffee and drink menu alone should pull market share from even the staunchest Starbucks junkie. Add the food selections and Starbucks would not be able to compete with quality nor prices. Take a look at their menu and you'll see how tantalizing the items are at very reasonable prices.  I ordered the Rutter Burrito for $8.00 and the perfect drink for a code red temperature day, a 20oz ice cold half and half for $2.00. I was given my half and half immediately and found a seat and waited for my burrito.

This is a very small place. The few tables outside was nearly half the total available seating. However, there wasn’t a crowd and people seemed to file in at the same rate as others filed out. Even in this small space, lack of elbow room was not an issue. Couples and trios talked of politics, movies, and art. Considering the neighborhood, the bohemian atmosphere is not surprising. Framed photos hung on the walls for $50 a piece, $25 of which would go to the Howard Peters Rawlings Conservatory and Botanical Gardens of Baltimore. The coffee is proudly advertised as organic and free trade. This definitely seems a place where all conscientious consumers can dine at ease.

After a few moments of noting the atmosphere, my burrito was ready. Wrapped in foil and accompanied by a single-serving bag of Utz all natural kettle cooked chips, this lunch definitely looked sufficient to please an appetite. I unwrapped the foil then bit into the spinach tortilla wrapped parcel. The cold sour cream, guacamole, and pico gallo balanced the heat of the hot beans, rice, and chipotle pork. The pork was so tender, the black beans added a nice bulk, the pico gallo was fresh and zesty. This has to be one of the best “non split in half to reach the $10 limit” meal I have ever had. How can this place not be packed? The food is great and the prices are more than reasonable. With plenty of elbowroom and enjoyable peace and quiet, maybe some regulars won’t appreciate me bringing more attention to this little corner nook.