Kettle Hill "Culmination" of Power Plant Live! Renovation

A pair of New York hospitality veterans are teaming with Baltimore Orioles legend Rick Dempsey to open a new American-themed restaurant at Power Plant Live, capping a multimillion-dollar renovation for the Cordish Cos.’ downtown entertainment district.

Kettle Hill — a concept inspired by President Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders — will serve regional fare for lunch and dinner and have the feel of an “upscale casual restaurant,” said Desmond Reilly, a partner in the $1 million project set to open in late March.  The 6,000-square-foot bar and restaurant, designed with a rugged and masculine feel, was previously occupied by Babalu Grill, the Cuban-themed eatery that shut its doors in September 2009. The restaurant will include a 2,500-square-foot outdoor patio.

Kettle Hill is the first restaurant started by Reilly and Kristopher Carr under the newly formed Keystone Hospitality. Reilly and Carr met in 2004 while bartending at a New York nightclub. They teamed with former Orioles catcher and current MASN analyst Dempsey and multiple unnamed local investors on this deal.

The goal is to prove the Kettle Hill model in Baltimore and open 15 similar restaurants during the next seven years, Reilly said. Keystone Hospitality is eyeing Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia for future locations, he said.

Meanwhile, the duo has started working on a fast-casual concept for the Baltimore area, but no details or locations have been finalized.

At Kettle Hill, the menu will be tailored to the season, with items such as steaks, seafood and salads. The restaurant also wants to work with local farmers on sourcing chicken, beef and produce, Reilly said. The bar will feature hand-crafted cocktails and nine to 12 draft beers, with a variety of local suds, he added.

Kettle Hill will bring capacity back to 100 percent at Power Plant Live, which Cordish spent $11 million last year to refresh.

Reed Cordish, a vice president with Baltimore’s Cordish Cos., said Kettle Hill is the “culmination of the expansion and renovation of Power Plant Live.”

Other restaurant tenants include Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Tatu and Joe Squared Pizza.