That gentleman to the right in the snug, black T-shirt is celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, he of the short temper and fabulous hair. The lady in red is Cafe Hon owner Denise Whiting, and she probably wishes Chris De Burgh was somewhere close by.

Four months after Ramsay apparently got Whiting to give up her trademark on the word “Hon,” a national television audience will find out how he did it. Cafe Hon’s turn on Ramsay’s “Kitchen Nightmares” will air Friday night on Fox.

The show, for those not familiar, follows Ramsay as he whips a struggling restaurant into shape, often with the tough love only he can provide. Here’s the synopsis from the show’s website of of Ramsay’s trip to Charm City:

Chef Ramsay heads to Baltimore… and immediately has his hands full when he visits Cafe Hon, a Southern Comfort eatery in need not only of a restaurant renovation but also a public image makeover. The owner of Cafe Hon has come under fire from the city of Baltimore for trademarking the word “Hon” – a term of endearment for Baltimore culture. Find out if the restaurant revamp and renewed public image will be enough to win back the city of Baltimore and revive its tradition of southern comfort cooking.

Meanwhile, another Baltimore establishment is getting a similar treatment this week. “Bar Rescue,” which aims to do for watering holes what Ramsay does for restaurants, is filming at J.A. Murphy’s in Fells Point.

J.A. Murphy’s was one of 260 bars to apply for the show’s second season, according to The Baltimore Sun, and will be closed for renovations Friday before a “reveal” party is held Saturday night.

No date has been set yet for J.A. Murphy’s episode of “Bar Rescue,” according to The Sun, but it is expected to air by the end of the summer.

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The more things change, the more they stay the same.

That’s a good thing at the just-reopened tearoom of the Woman’s Industrial Exchange.

Irene Smith, new operator of the landmark Baltimore City restaurant located at 333 N. Charles St., placed a bright oil painting of the tearoom’s former waitresses above the mantle Tuesday. In their starched white aprons and blue uniforms, this legendary crew led by the inimitable Marguerite lends a nostalgic touch to the bright pink walls.

Talk about your welcoming committee!

Smith said business has been steady since the tearoom reopened Dec. 7. Patrons are still sticking with the old house favorite, the chicken salad, deviled egg and tomato aspic platter for $9.

Other menu items include vegetable pot pie, meatloaf and Tina’s mushroom pie with mixed greens — all served with delicious, bite-sized Maryland beaten biscuits.

Even Jacques Kelly, a staff writer at The Baltimore Sun and one of the city’s unofficial historians, has visited and loves the re-do, Smith said.

“We are seeing the old schoolers who are here who were skeptical,” she said. “And there have been lots of kids from Peabody coming in who we love seeing sitting next to the 70-year-old patrons.

“One guy comes in four times a week, orders the chicken pot pie and cleans his plate.”

Besides the new oil painting, by local artist Mark Becker, Smith has supervised other adornments.

The tearoom, open daily from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., is decorated and dedicated to Baltimore icons, cultural leaders and famous daughters. One dessert is dedicated to the two daughters of other local restaurateurs at the Chameleon Café in Lauraville: Fern and Gertie’s vanilla ice cream with chocolate Grenache.

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On Wednesday night, around the time I’m usually thinking about a pre-bedtime snack, I found myself at the mercy of a DJ trying to figure out the right sound levels for his thumping club music.

I was attending the “soft opening” of Bond Street Social, a new restaurant and bar in Fells Point. (Full disclosure: It was an event for friends and family of the new staff, and I was there at the invitation of my best friend, who is working as a waiter.)

Bond Street Social took over the space at Bond and Thames streets formerly occupied by the DuClaw Brewing Co. The interior is very sleek and modern, all hardwood floors, wrought iron and leather-backed chairs. Flat-screen TVs hung behind the two, long bars, where the bartenders appeared to be generous with the alcohol.

Such generosity comes at a price, of course. The cheapest beer is $5, and cocktails start at $9. Bond Street Social is upscale and not afraid to admit it, especially since it won’t admit anyone under the age of 23 after 10 p.m.

Talk about upscale bars in Fells Point (and other parts of Baltimore) and their chances for survival are not new. But I can’t think of a place that is attempting to stake its claim the way Bond Street Social is. They might lose some customers who are just looking for a bottle (or four) of Bud Light and a chance to mingle, but these people probably weren’t going to spend $50 for an 80-ounce “social drink” in the first place.

I can easily see Bond Street Social becoming a go-to happy hour spot for young professionals in Harbor East and hipsters across the city, especially in good weather when people can sit outside. It’ll be interesting to watch how it fares beyond that.

(Incidentally, the DJ figured out the music volume, which to me still seemed a bit loud for a place that doesn’t have a dance floor. And then I went home and had some Teddy Grahams before I went to sleep.)

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The famed Hollywood Diner — donated to the city of Baltimore after its use on the set of Barry Levinson’s 1982 movie “Diner“ — may, again, be closing its doors to customers as soon as Friday.

But owner Cheryl Townsend, who is also the proprietor of the Red Springs Cafe and catering company (formerly on Calvert Street), said she’s not entirely sure they will be closing despite reports to the contrary.

“I haven’t made my final, final, final, final decision,” she said, sitting in a booth Thursday afternoon in the nearly-empty diner.

The catering side of her business will go on regardless of whether the diner stays a diner, she said.

When the Hollywood Diner reopened in March under Townsend, it was featured in “Sweat Equity,” a Daily Record series about small business start-ups. And, from the beginning, things seemed to be going great for the cafe, located on the corner of East Saratoga and Holiday streets.

The restaurant met sales projections every day in the first few weeks but business started to slow as summer set in. Townsend attributes it to her inability to properly market the diner to downtown lunchers and partly to Baltimore’s growing food truck business.

In one case, a truck parked on the street right next to the diner. The food trucks charge a little less, she said, but she never wanted to sacrifice quality by resorting to buying cheaper food.

Townsend said she expects to know whether or not she will keep the diner open in the coming days.

Watch the video about the Hollywood Diner from March, part of “Sweat Equity,” The Daily Record’s series about small business start-ups.

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Fellow residents of Mt. Washington (and those who frequent the area) will be saddened to learn that our beloved restaurant, The Falls in Mt. Washington, has announced it is closing, effective immediately.

The cafe/restaurant, located on Kelly Avenue near the Mt. Washington Tavern, made the announcement via its Facebook page Tuesday morning, with the reason for its closure unclear:

The Falls was never perfect, but it wasn’t for lack of effort. We always wanted the Falls to be a great place to have some good food, good drinks, and have good conversation- not only with each other, but with us as well. Anyone who came to the Falls more than once knows that there was always something different from visit to visit, and that was because we were always committed to improving, growing, and evolving.

When I moved to Baltimore a little more than a year ago, The Falls was one of the first places I found nearby to get a great breakfast. It was my go-to place when I had visitors. (I always recommended the Crab Eggs Benedict.)

I showed my guests the funky art they had on the walls, the life-sized busts of Abraham Lincoln and Napoleon and the books they kept on the shelves in between the tables. It was unique.

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So many questions come to mind after reading about Wendy’s rolling out a new hamburger after 42 years. Such as:

- A pickle chemist? Where do I sign up?

- No mustard on a hamburger? Wendy’s says it’s to “emphasize the flavor of the beef.” I say a dollop of mustard never hurt anything.

- There was seriously consideration of using green-leaf lettuce? I’m glad the company came to its sense on that one.

- Why do crinkle-cut foods (like the pickles on the new hamburger) usually taste better than regular-cut foods?

- “Wendy’s director of hamburgers”? Where do I sign up?

-  How nauseatingly-tempting does a “cross-country burger-eating tour” sound?

- Will consumers spend $3.49 on a quarter-pound burger they could get cheaper at one of Wendy’s rivals?

- Anyone else have a hankering all of the sudden for a Frosty?

(AP Photo/Paul Vernon)

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A Chippwea Falls, Wis,. brewery will offer 30 draft beers as part of a new beer garden set to open this week at Power Plant Live! in the Inner Harbor.

Leinenkugel’s Beer Garden will be located in 2,500-square feet of restaurant space and 200 square feet of outdoor space at the ground level of the development owned by the Cordish Companies. Cordish has just completed a $10 million renovation of the historic former plant.

Next month, Leinenkugel’s will host a month-long Oktoberfest. The family-owned, fifth generation brewery is nearly 144 years old. The brews are among the favorites in the Midwest.

In addition to the draft beers, the garden will offer 30 different bottled beers. The garden has a “self serve” draft beer option, allowing customers to pick their favorite draft beers and even mix them.

As part of the renovations at Power Plant, the beer garden will have the outdoor garden with a fireplace, rose bushes, up-lit trees and communal seating. The main restaurant will have a retractable roof and sliding garage doors on three sides.

“We’re thrilled that Leinenkugel’s Beer Garden will open in Power Plant Live!” stated Jake Leinenkugel, president of the Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company. “It’s an honor that the premier beer garden in Baltimore will showcase our acclaimed collection of handcrafted beers to a new audience. Baltimore is truly a great beer town and we’re excited to be a part of it.”

Leinenkugel’s is hosting a month of Saturday-only Oktoberfest events beginning Sept. 17 that include live music, contests and food and drink specials. Some of the envents include a Miss Oktoberfest Contest, oompah band and dancers, fish fry, a homebrew competition and a chance to win a trip to the Leinenkugel’s Brewery in Chippewa Falls.

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Artie Donovan

Nearly two weeks shy of its grand opening on LaSalle Road in Towson, Gino’s Burgers & Chicken held a dress rehearsal Tuesday to the delight of dozens of former devotees of the legendary local chow.

Former Baltimore Colts great Artie Donovan held court at tables in the restaurant located near the intersection of LaSalle and Joppa roads.

Other happy guests sat before baskets of onion rings, fries, burgers and chicken. They were the invited guests of St. John Properties, manager of The Shops at Maryland Executive Park.

“Every day people come up and ask when we are going to open – some take their picture outside,” said Laura Miller, a co-owner of the Gino’s along with her husband, Jared, and partners Scott and Leslie Autry. “Today, we had to turn 50 people away who saw the crowd and thought we were having our grand opening.”

That is expected to take place on Aug. 19 or 20, Miller said.

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The historic Manor Tavern in rural Monkton has been sold to a group of local investors who also own An Poitin Stil, Kooper’s Tavern and Slainte.

The sale was announced Wednesday by MacKenzie Retail LLC.

The new owners are local restaurateurs who include William and John Mitcherling, Patrick Russell, Bill Irvin and Jim Franzoni.

The Manor Tavern, located in 5.5 acres at Monkton and Old York roads, is the unofficial entrance to a pristine, picturesque Baltimore County community known as “My Lady’s Manor.”

The tavern was once a rustic watering hole for the landed gentry of that area and has since undergone numerous renovations and expansion. To this day, it continues to draw patrons from Baltimore and Harford counties who delight in menus featuring local flavors.

“We’re thrilled at the opportunity to continue Manor Tavern’s legacy,” Russell said in a statement. “It’s one of the last, true operating landmarks in our community, so we see this as an opportunity to preserve a bit of history for future generations as well as get back to our roots.”

Added MacKenzie Senior Vice President John F. Harrington: “The sale and revival of this historic landmark is a testament to the community’s love of history and creativeness in keeping its landmarks alive for future generations to enjoy.”

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Charles Village welcomed Tuesday a fresh new addition to the neighborhood, Freshii.

Located at 3113 St. Paul St. in the space formerly occupied by Gordon Florist, the Charles Village Freshii is the first location for the quick-service restaurant chain in the Baltimore area.

“With sustainability at its core and customized meals made of 100 percent fresh ingredients, Freshii is a truly unique concept to Baltimore,” said Baltimore locations co-owner Rebecca Fielding in a statement. “As a Baltimore resident, I recognized the need to bring an affordable, healthy and quick dining option to the city. I’m excited to introduce Baltimore to the Freshii experience.”

Free coffee will also be available with any purchase this week, along with other daily promotions.

The Charles Village Freshii is 2,500 square feet and features a convenient outdoor patio area. Freshii is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers a menu of  salads, wraps, rice bowls, yogurts and soups. Off-site catering is also available for parties, meetings, receptions and special events.

The restaurants operate without energy-devouring dishwashers, hoods, ranges and ovens and with smaller store fronts. The packaging (bowls, straw, cutlery, fountain cups, etc.) is made from eco-friendly vegetable starches, like corn or potatoes, biodegrading quickly, leaving behind only carbon, biomass and water. What is more, if a customer brings in a bowl, it is washed and filled by Freshii employees.

Freshii has 50 locations currently opened, with an expected 80 more to open by 2012. Three hundred have signed to open by 2015.

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