Chefs don’t sugarcoat.

When it comes to food, they don’t believe in pleasantries or savoring what could have been a great meal. That’s why they’re the perfect people to seek out when making your own dining decisions.

“People need to know the truth from a chef’s perspective,” said Rehan Khan, chef of Umami Global Bistro in Catonsville. Khan, whose restaurant serves Mediterranean and Southeast Asian cuisine, admitted to struggling to find quality Indian and Pakistani food nearby.

He doesn’t waste his off days on food destined to leave him wanting. And since we don’t want to waste your time or your money here at The Banner, we reached out to chefs around the region to ask where they choose to eat when they’re not on the clock.

We started in Baltimore County.

Rehan Khan, chef of Umami Global Bistro

“A lot of Far East, Southeast Asian cuisine has been pretty masked for the masses. It’s a lot of doctoring and not true to the core,” Khan said of finding his go-to comfort food in Baltimore County. “A lot of places are basic and missing a lot of passion and love.”

He occasionally finds a little bite of Pakistan in small cart vendors, which he said can be as fulfilling as Michelin-starred restaurants. But to avoid the usual disappointment, Khan opts to spend his money on brunch.

“I like the ease” of the meal, said Khan, who remarked that the Baltimore area does brunch well. “It’s relaxing. You have a bit more time to sit and chat.” He’ll go to Atwater’s in Catonsville for their “pretty good” coffee and a veggie omelet. The eggs are never overcooked, he said — still soft with cheese that’s completely melted. “It’s nicely seasoned, which is big for me.”

Another favorite is the Blue Moon Cafe in Baltimore’s Fells Point neighborhood, where he said the food is also well-seasoned, fresh and always satisfying. They are the best spot for brunch in the area, Khan said. “I’d put money on it.”

Tommy Herrmann, chef of Bluestone Restaurant

“I love Nana’s in Towson,” said Herrmann, who helms the kitchen at Bluestone, a seafood restaurant in Timonium. “That’s my go-to right now.”

The Towson taqueria does everything right: buying ingredients locally and sustainably, making masa dough from scratch with a machine in their basement and getting people their money’s worth, he added. Herrmann said he was impressed by the affordable rotisserie chicken meal packages, which are able to feed a small family. He also recognizes that every aspect of the menu has been made “with love.”

Herrmann’s favorites on the menu are the carne asada tacos and “huge and amazing” torta sandwiches. The steak is always tender, fused with lime, cumin and garlic. The neighborhood also benefits from having an authentic Mexican spot, the Bluestone chef said. “You don’t feel all bloated from processed stuff. … You can’t cheat that.”

“It’s very fulfilling and gratifying to go” to Nana, he said. “Whoever the chef is that day, you get to talk to them about what they’re making. … It’s a really cool spot.”

Carlos Raba, chef of Nana

“I love burgers,” Raba said. “I think it’s just something when you’re a little kid, that’s how they used to praise you. … When I was young it was: ‘We’re going to make you a burger if you get good grades.’”

The tradition has continued with his kids, who he will treat with a trip to Remington’s 29th Street Tavern in Baltimore during days off. Raba orders a smashburger, side of fries and the eatery’s coldest Natty Boh. Sometimes with friends he’ll opt for a turkey club to watch football and baseball games. “It’s very simple, but it makes me comfortable,” he said.

On nights out with his wife, Raba chooses Dylan’s Oyster Cellar in Hampden, where they sit along the oyster bar and chat with staff. And the eatery is good for more than just oysters, Raba said: it’s the perfect spot to grab a cocktail or choose from one of their nonalcoholic drinks.

Other honorable mentions for places Raba likes to go in the county are Towson’s Akira Ramen, which his daughter loves, and Persian restaurant Villagio Cafe.