Chef Cyrus Keefer’s Pop-Up sneak peek dinner at Sotto Sopra

Chef Cyrus Keefer, who has cooked twice at the James Beard House in New York City and featured by StarChefs.com for his culinary prowess, has a large following in Baltimore and beyond. Formerly the chef at Fork & Wrench, Birroteca and other regional restaurants, Keefer wants a place that is truly his own  – hence the pop-up dinner for Keefer’s Pique Restaurant will be hosted at Sotto Sopra Restaurant at 405 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD.  This is a one evening event with limited seating on Thursday, January 22 with the reception and silent auction starting at 6:30 p.m. with passed hors d’oeuvres and adult libations.  At 7 p.m. the five course tasting styled seated dinner will follow; a sampling of what restaurant goers can expect at Pique when it is opened. Guests will receive packets on the new concept restaurant and ask to donate to their Kickstarter campaign.     

Chef Cyrus Keefer is looking to open his own restaurant in Baltimore’s Hampden neighborhood at 846 W. 36^th Street and he is looking for funding through Kickstarter to raise the dollars necessary.  The restaurant is called Pique, a restaurant committed to seasonal ingredients with an eye to Asian and French cuisine. It will be a 25 seat micro restaurant with dining at the tables as well as the exhibition kitchen counter. Initially Pique will start with dinner service Tuesday through Sunday. They will be BYOB and looking to expand to licensing for beer and wine and numerous special events.

The name of the restaurant Pique (pronounced PEE cue), is actually named after an onion pique, a method of cooking where one pins bay leaves with whole cloves to onions although the other definition of pique, to excite, is as relevant never knowing what else is up Chef Keefer’s culinary sleeves. 

What:  Chef Cyrus Keefer’s Pique Restaurant Pop-Up & silent auction at Sotto Sopra Restaurant

Reception of passed hors d’oeuvres /wine and silent auction plus a seated 5-course Pique tasting menu – Cash Bar

When:  Thursday, January 22, 2015

                6:30 p.m. Reception & Silent Auction

                7:00 p.m. Seated Dinner

Where:   Sotto Sopra Restaurant (Host restaurant)

                405 N. Charles Street

                Baltimore, MD  21201 – valet parking available

Menu:   Reception / Silent Auction

Passed hors d’oeuvres and adult libations

Seated Dinner

·         pork belly dumplings+ whiskey vinegar/ dashi crema

·         insalada bianca + cippolini onion, pickled mushrooms, cauliflower, tart Apple

·         tender octopus+ tomatillos+ green curry+ coconut poached potato

·         egg custard+ marinated tomato & olives, smoked olive oil

·         duck pot au feu + roast turnips, black garlic, ginger, Thai basil

Cash bar

Tickets:  $75 per person includes reception, seated dinner, tax and gratuity - does not include beverages  during the dinner / cash bar. Guests must be 21 or older to attend. Valet parking will be available

Pop Up Dinner Tickets: MissionTix  http://www.missiontix.com/events/product/28970/pique-pop-up

Kickstarter:  Readers can donate at Pique’s Kickstarter Page

Pique Social Media:  Facebook  Twitter @PIQUEBaltimore