Weary O'Leary's

My husband and I were cheese-olicious this Valentine's Day and decided to treat ourselves to a nice dinner out. We went to O'Leary's Seafood Restaurant in Annapolis (Eastport). I can't say that this was an inspired pick. It had V-Day reservations available the evening before the big day, and didn't have an outrageously expensive "special" Valentine's Day menu. I have no idea why restaurants think that people think that it is romantic to pay more money for less menu selection, but whatever. In keeping with the winter Olympic season, I would have to say that O'Leary's would not win a medal for best restaurant; if it were competing in a discipline where it would have to qualify to make the finals, it would be one of the bottom qualifying competitors, if it qualified at all. It simply made too many mistakes. I could have overlooked the fact that we had to wait at least 10 minutes to be seated despite having a reservation if the rest of the dining experience had turned out well. It wasn't terrible; it just wasn't good. It started out well, but like many athletes, couldn't sustain, and got tired toward the end of the meal. I liked the fresh lemonade, and the black bean soup with crab had a really nice flavor without being too heavy like some black bean soups can be. It needed a trifle more salt, though. My husband ordered the crab and lobster cake, which had a nice fresh flavor that let the crab and lobster meat stand out. On one hand, the server gets props for noticing (even though we didn't) that the cake was a lot smaller than it should have been; on the other hand, she said that she would bring a basket of bread, which never came. Main courses were disappointing. They took a long time to arrive after the appetizers. I ordered mahi-mahi, served with a Thai bbq glaze, rice, a pineapple salsa, and three jumbo cornmeal battered shrimp. The highlight of the entree were the shrimp, which weren't really anything to write home about. The fish, while fresh, was bland, and not even the salsa and the glaze could save it. The rice was inappropriate. It should have been stickier and of a finer grain to match the rest of the entree theme. It also tasted like the rice in rice pilaf that you would get at, say, Denny's. My husband said that the tuna was good, but that the soy-based sauce was too salty. His fish also came with shrimp, which appeared to be tempura battered. They were really good -- better than the cornmeal battered shrimp. O'Leary's dessert menu is uninsipred. Bread pudding, creme brulee, cheesecake, carrot cake, mousse, and coconut cake. Sometimes I wonder if there is a secret restaurant code of conduct that requires that there be creme brulee and cheesecake on every menu. It just gets old after awhile. I picked the coconut cake because the menu said that it came with blackberries, which I love. I was looking forward to the blackberry-coconut combo. Sadly, the cake came sans blackberries, and while good, was again, nothing special -- your standard coconut cake. Would I go back? No, but it's not a terrible place and has a nice atmosphere, so don't be dissuaded from checking it out. I think that our dining experience suffered somewhat from the fact that the restaurant was overwhelmed on Valentine's Day, and because we had a reservation on the later side. But, any gold medal restaurant would be at its best for any time that it accepted reservations.

Hell Point Seafood: Not hell, but not heaven either

I went to Hell Point Seafood downtown Annapolis for dinner the other day. It occupies the space down by the Harbor where Phillip's used to be. I had been dying to go, because it is owned by Bob Kinkead, of Kinkead's in DC, but the food is supposedly one-third the price. It's about one-third as good, too. Don't get me wrong. I'm not being too critical; Kinkead's is pretty good. I actually have a quasi-mathematical justification for the one-third figure. I had three courses, so one might think that only one of three were good. However, one would be wrong. The soup and dessert were both good, but the main course was eh. I think that the main course should be weighted more heavily especially at a restaurant that specializes in seafood, so it should count for two-thirds. The highlight of dinner was the tomatillo soup. It had nice large chunks of tuna in it and a really nice spice, which was surprising. I don't remember the soup being described on the menu as spicy, but it was; not truly spicy, but spicy in comparison to what passes for spicy at most restaurants. The runner-up course was dessert, an apple tart tatin. It was good, but not the most imaginative thing in the world; certainly no tastier than a good homemade apple pie. I had flounder for my main course. The crabcakes were over $30, so I didn't want to spring for them. I didn't get tuna; although I like it a lot, it's so commonplace, and like scallops, it's one of those things that's usually good as long as its fresh. The flounder was disappointing. It was encrusted in cornmeal, I think (can't remember). It wasn't particularly flavorful or moist without the sauce (which I'm having trouble remembering now). Everyone else seemed pleased with their entrees (tuna and scallops), but I was expecting better given the Hell Point's relationship to Kinkead's, especially because seafood restaurants in Annapolis need to bring their "A" game, since Annapolis is a coastal town. Lest I forget that part of this blog is about coffee, I will note in parting that the coffee was almost bad. It was extremely strong, which I like, but tasted like it had been burnt or sitting for awhile. I probably won't go back because the food didn't impress me enough to justify the expense.

Viet-Thai Paradise: The Good and the Not So Good

My husband and I have been going to Viet-Thai Paradise on Riva Road in Annapolis ever since it opened. I've never gotten around to writing about it. For the Annapolis food scene, which is sorely lacking in good ethnic food, Viet-Thai is pretty good. It does some things really really well, and other things, not so well. Before delving into the good and the bad, I thought I should say that the restaurant is Vietnamese-owned. Thus, if the conventional wisdom is true, then the Vietnamese (rather than Thai) side of the menu is probably better. My experience with Viet-Thai's pad-thai did not disabuse me of that notion. The Good The pho is excellent. The broth is complex, and the different flavors and spices shine through. It comes in several different meat varieties along with fresh sprouts, basil, green onions, white onions, and a hearty amount of noodles. It's as good, if not better as any I've tasted anywhere else. Also try the springrolls. I don't know how to put it. They are supremely tasty, and again, as good, if not better as any I've tased anywhere else. The restaurant uses a wrapper more akin to a lumpia wrapper, rather than the bubbly, less delicate, and chewier eggroll skin. Service and atmosphere are also nice. The restaurant features modern decor, friendly and efficient service, and warm washcloths for the hands, and fresh post-meal orange slices. Other good things to try are lemongrass beef with noodles and the summer rolls. The Not So Good I like to try new things on menus, but most of my attempts to branch out from the pho have resulted in mediocre meals. As one of my Vietnamese friends said, Vietnames restaurants usually get a few dishes right; it is rare that they can hit all of the high notes. I think that this is probably the case with a lot of restaurants. I've had the bun (noodle salad), caramelized pork, and the Viet-Thai special fried rice. Not good and verging on the border of a little bad. There's just something a little off about the flavor of these dishes. However, I'll go back for pho and springrolls anytime!

Punk's: Good Food and Weird Aspirations

How do I characterize Punk's Backyard Grill? Is it a chain restaurant? A fast food restaurant? Does it have good food? The first three questions don't have clear answers, but the last one does. For the first question, Annapolis has the distinction of being home to the first-ever Punk's, which pleases me, because all of the other new restaurants at the mall and the Annapolis Towne Center are chains. However, according to its website, the founders of Punk's want to take the concept of backyard grilled food nationwide. I can understand the founders' desire to have their concept take off nationwide, but even so, it's funny in a roundabout way to aspire to become a chain restaurant. For the second question, I wouldn't call Punk's a fast food restaurant because there is a wait of around 10 or so minutes between the time that food is ordered at the counter and the time that it comes to the table. The answer to the third question, whether the food is good, is a resounding yes. The Punk's concept is fresh and natural food, and it tasted like it! I ordered a burger with pepperjack cheese and bacon. The roll was nice and fluffy -- not the standard spongy roll that one would buy factory-made and pre-packaged at the grocery store. The burger had a wonderful, savory flavor, and the applewood-smoked bacon had a little something extra. It came with a few leaves of arugula and two cherry tomatoes. Eugene ordered a grilled sausage, which was also tasty. Since we were trying the restaurant out for the first time, we decided to go all out, so we ordered two sides -- macaroni & cheese and potato salad, both of which were excellent. Even though mac and cheese and potato salad are rather standard fare, it takes effort to make them really really good. The mac & cheese had a great consistency and flavor and the potato salad avoided being overly mayonnaise-y and was nicely seasoned with pepper. We also ordered two desserts -- a key lime pie and a cookie ice cream sandwich. I am super picky when it comes to desserts, and I had no complaints. The key lime pie tasted like I made it at home, in a good way; perfectly tart and tangy with a nice graham cracker crust. The cookies for the ice cream sandwich were outstanding. They were nice and chewy with a good chocolate flavor and dusted with sugar. Other things I liked... the natural sodas! Instead of the standard Coke or Pepsi products, Punk's offers Boylan's sodas, and I had the sugar-cane cola, which was really nice. Also, the kids menu is healthy. For example, instead of chicken nuggets, it offers grilled chicken bites, and all kids meals come with milk and veggie sticks. At first, I was annoyed by the lack of fries, but then realized that fries don't really mesh with the concept of backyard grill cooking. The only drawback? The prices. They aren't exorbitant or unreasonable, but this isn't a place where you would go to get a lot of food cheap. The burger was a perfect portion for me (a 5'1" woman), but a really really hungry person might find it a bit lacking; some people may balk at paying $6.95 for a burger of that size, especially since cheese and bacon are extra and the sides are a la carte. It was about $30 for both of us to eat, which is a bit much for backyard fare. But, the food is good and imaginative, so I would go back once in awhile, just not all the time.

Stoney River: Not So Legendary Steaks

My husband and I went to Stoney River Legendary Steaks in Annapolis (http://www.bambuza.com/) for a special occasion. The food was fine, but I would definitely try other steakhouses before going back. I remember being more impressed with Ruth's Chris's than with Stoney River. I gave Stoney River a chance even though it's a chain. While I don't turn my nose up at the chains that bind me, I prefer local restaurants. I think that the Stoney River ownership turns its nose up at chains because its website says that the steakhouses, located in several states, are a "collection" and not a chain of restaurants. Stoney River should just own its chaininess like Mortons and Ruth's Chris's. Enough philosophizing. The highlight of the meal for me? The bread with honey butter. The bread is unique; our server (who was really nice) likened it to fried doughnut holes. A close second? The coffee? Perfect, except that it could have been hotter. Sadly, the rest of the food wasn't a highlight. Not that it was bad, it just wasn't that good, especially for a supposedly high-end steakhouse. The salad offerings weren't imaginative at all. Standard steakhouse options. We got a mixed green salad, which included bacon and good cheddar and some almonds. It was good and fresh, just a bit boring. For steak, we ordered a coffee-cured filet and New York strip. The coffee-cured filet was interesting. The texture was good and the coffee flavor was noticeable; I wasn't wowed, though. The New York strip was disappointing. Although we ordered it medium rare, it came out more medium. It was tougher than it should have been (especially for aged steak) and only somewhat flavorful. The sides were ok; we had greenbeans cooked nice and firm, un-noteworthy asparagus, and scallopped potatoes that hit a nice cheese note without being too rich, but could have used more salt or flavor. We ordered the ganache cake for dessert. It was HUGE! I loved that it came with chilled shotglasses of milk -- a perfect accompaniment. The cake was so-so, served chilled, and the chocolate flakes on the outside tasted a bit stale. The frosting was yummy, though. I give Stoney River kudos for serving real cake. I hate ordering cake that turns out to be flourless, or in other words, not real cake. The verdict? Not bad, but not great.

Fondue Monopoly

I went to the Annapolis Melting Pot (http://www.meltingpot.com/) because my friend AZ had a giftcard, which we happily discovered was worth $75. Fondue is fun, but I wish that I could try it somewhere other than the Melting Pot or at home. While the Melting Pot changes its menu up, and the food is fine, it would be interesting to see what a different and probably more authentic take on it would be. I've seen other fondue restaurants in Denver and Quebec, but unfortunately didn't get the chance to go. Here are my main gripes with the Annapolis Melting Pot. First, the ventilation is horrible. I wreak when I leave, and steam was constantly blowing in my face. The Melting Pot should seriously consider installing hoods at each table. Second, I think that it woud be nice if fondue restaurants provided timers if people want them so that they can more thoroughly monitor cooking times. We ordered the Wisconsin trio cheese fondue, Southwest Cobb Salad (a bit bland and too icebergy), the signature selection (two types of beef, shrimp, chicken, and salmon) cooked mojo style (think citrus), and the Oreo fondue. The mojo cooking style is my favorite to date, but costs an extra $5. As always, the chocolate was excellent! The Melting Pot shined in the beverage category. No, I'm not talking about anything as unimportant as cocktails. I'm referring to the coffee. I asked the server if it was good, and she gave it a ringing endorsement as a regular coffee drinker. She was pretty right on. It had that restauranty twinge, but otherwise was pretty good. It was nice and strong without tasting bitter or burnt, and tasted as if it had been brewed in a clean coffee maker. Here's to hoping that the Melting Pot gets a competitor!

Not Tom's Diner

So, I have been faithfully going to the Annapolis Double T Diner ever since it opened, and I must recommend it as a good cheap-eats restaurant staple. Open all night with freakishly fast service and great homemade soups. You get a ton of food, and while the coffee's not terrific, it's certainly palatable (which is a lot coming from me). You can get breakfast 24 hours as well. I never get the entrees because they're all expensive, and really, who wants to pay $15 for a diner entree? I always get a sandwich which generally comes with a cup of soup. Instant gratification if you're really hungry because it gets brought out right away. Also, the diner is owned by a Greek family and has some Greek items on its menu. The pita is to die for and is great with the tzatziki sauce.

Cafe Pronto: The Molestation of the American Palate (A Delayed Reaction)

So, the title. First, is it even right to use the word "molest" in conjunction with the palate of all things? People are molested, not palates (even if it is a gramatically correct usage of the word). Second, is the American palate monolithic? Finally, it's a delayed reaction because the incident occurred back in May. I had written a post about this before but never finished it. However, the incident has become so seared into my brain, that I don't have much trouble recalling it. So, here's what happened. Back in May, my sister-in-law and I decided to stop at Cafe Pronto at Riva Festival for some coffee after making a run to Michael's for cake decorating supplies. I ordered the French roast (as is my custom) at Cafe Pronto, because I really like it there. I was warned that the French roast had been sitting around awhile, but the warning was followed by an offhanded "It is French roast. It's not like it matters if it's been sitting awhile." All of a sudden, I was embroiled in a discussion of the horribles of French roast. Both baristas were very anti-French roast. And yes, one of them said that Starbucks, by burning its coffee has contributed to the "molestation of the American palate," making people think that burnt coffee is good coffee. One of them told me that it smells horrible at the roasting plant when French roast is being roasted, and the other barista showed me French roast beans, which looked oily on the outside. Apparently, the oil on the outside should be on the inside of the bean, but somehow transfers to the outside after extreme roasting. So I asked why the store even sells French roast if it's awful. The answer? French roast "pays the bills" because millions of Americans support bad coffee. If so many people like it, is it really bad? Or just different? Who knows? At any rate, this is exactly the type of food snobbery that I despise. The type of food snobbery that stops people from asking questions at restaurants. I don't understand why people can't be a bit more openminded. It just so happens that I have an appreciation for all types of coffee, burnt or lightly roasted. The reason why I never select the light or mild roast is that I am usually disappointed, yes, even at Starbucks. However, when I visited Hawaii last summer, I never had a bad cup of coffee. The mild roasts were as excellent (perhaps even better) than the bold roasts. So, I know that good mild blends are out there, I just don't trust a lot of coffee shops to get it right or not make it too weak. In spite of this, I still go back to Cafe Pronto. I like that they're passionate about their coffee there (even if a bit too extreme). They have a killer carrot muffin, and this special machine that custom brews coffee. The custom brews are pretty good, but nothing to jump up and down about, in my opinion.