City: Baltimore, MD

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (410) 659-0099

Address: 720 B Aliceanna St.

Description: Yes, Roy’s is a chain with two dozen restaurants in the continental United States, six in Hawaii, and one each in Japan and Guam. However, each local menu has about 50 percent Roy Yamaguchi signature recipes and the local chef contributes the other half. One of those well-known and dearly loved items is the Melting Hot Chocolate Soufflé. Order it when you place your entrée selection because they are made to order, not sitting under a heat lamp someplace. Rey Eugenio, Baltimore chef since 2004, takes his inspiration from local availability and fresh seafood from the waters around Hawaii. Something special happens frequently at Roy’s. It could be a “Hulaween” bash with a prix fixe three-course dinner, games, prizes, costume contest, and arts and crafts for $35 per adult and $15 per keiki (child in Hawaiian). Chef Roy Yamaguchi periodically travels to the Mainland, even landing in Baltimore, as he did in August 2009 when three students (Jeff Sarzyuski, Lisa Davis, and Rachael Brosh) from Baltimore International College paired up with famed chefs to win a prestigious internship.