by Michael Vyskocil, photography by Nikola Tzenov
You can taste it in the brick-oven-baked pizzas. You can see it in the kaleidoscope of colors and textures on the plates that come to your table. You can feel it amid the home-like environment that invites you to sit down, relax and leave the cooking to someone else. That’s the ambiance that defines the newly opened Fiamata Restaurant & Lounge. Tucked along the busy Baltimore Boulevard corridor in Finksburg, Fiamata has given Carroll County an experience akin to walking into an Italian friend’s home, where a fabulous meal and good friends await.
Co-owned by Eric Schlueter and Bill Lericos, Fiamata conveys a design and décor that result from months of careful planning to achieve just the right blend of aesthetics and functionality. Inside, an open dining area is anchored by a centerpiece bar and accented by a stone fireplace that sets the tone for one’s meal here. Since its opening in March, Schlueter says the response from the Carroll community has been tremendous.
“The locals are really excited to have a casual place with an upscale feel. They’re happy to have a restaurant that cares about its food and service, too,” he says. “We’re trying to pay attention to a lot of the little details that other places miss. We’re creating an experience and trying to anticipate what guests may need next before they ask for it.”
Start your dining experience with one or more of the starters, such as the Shrimp Apollo. Prepare to savor tender jumbo gulf shrimp perched atop garlic crostini and accented with a sun-dried tomato scampi. Heartier appetites will appreciate Fiamata’s selection of pasta entrees, which blend the freshest ingredients in dishes that will appeal to every taste bud.
Try the Tagliatelle Tramonto. Its medley of ingredients includes sautéed chicken breast served with goat cheese, sun-dried tomato and fontina bathed in a luscious lemon white wine sauce. The Tagliatelle Primavera is another explosion of colors and tastes — asparagus tips, mushrooms, baby spinach, sun-dried tomato, broccoli and cherry tomatoes served with your choice of garlic and extra-virgin olive oil, Parmesan alfredo, marinara or vodka rosé sauce.
The guest favorite Fettuccini Mediterraneo is a house specialty. It combines jumbo gulf shrimp with seared scallops and jumbo lump crab, topped with your choice of marinara, Parmesan cream or vodka rosé sauce. Whether ordered for lunch or dinner, the Fiamata pizzas are crafted from freshly prepared dough and thoughtfully selected ingredients before being baked in the flame of the brick oven. Among the selections, the Fig & Pig pizza combines a sweet-tart fig compote with prosciutto, goat cheese and arugula, topped off with a balsamic glaze.
Fiamata’s wine and cocktail program delivers a curated depth of libations to pair with the food you’ll enjoy with your meal. The Ruby Slipper is as beautiful to look at in the glass as it is to sip, thanks to its blend of Amaro, rhubarb bitters and lemon raspberry flavoring topped off with a silky foam. Ask your server to recommend a vino blanco, vino rosso or selection from Fiamata’s cellar collection to pair with your lunch or dinner.
Suppose you have some capacity after your meal for dessert. In that case, you’ll find several delicious options on the menu, including an almond raspberry cheesecake, tiramisu, cannoli, gelato and a decadent chocolate mousse cake. Staying true to its name, Fiamata — which translates to flame in Italian — is bringing a community together through its passion for good food and warmth of hospitality.
Fiamata Restaurant & Lounge
2900 Baltimore Blvd. Finksburg, MD
410-833-5777 • thefiamata.com
