July 27th, 2013
 
Lucky if you are visiting the Delaware and Maryland beaches on this gorgeous week-end!! No humidity, bright blue skies and perfect temperatures. If you are driving from Virginia, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland and surrounding areas, you are probably going to take Rt. 50 East. And, you will probably be stuck in traffic. The beaches are at their height of the season and that’s what happens.
A tip!! Stop at The Big Owl Tiki Bar in Kent Narrows. Take Exit 42, no matter which way you are going. The actual address is 3015 Kent Narrows S., Grasonville, MD 21638. Tel. 443-827-6523. Website? http://www.thebigowl.com. It opens every day of the week for lunch, dinner, coffee, and drinks. They do have live entertainment. For example, tonight, Saturday, 7/27, Levi Stevens Duo will be playing at 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. and The Big Money Band will be playing on Sunday, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. You can check the schedule on the website above mentioned.
The Big Owl Tiki Bar literally sits on the water. Gentle breezes, and an awesome scenery as you watch the fishing boats go by.
Michael and I stopped for a bite to eat on the 4th of July week-end. Yes, we were crazy enough to be on the road and to also be stuck just like I told you. But a little detour made our trip certainly more enjoyable.
We both had the fish tacos. They were grilled, moist, and totally delicious.
The Big Owl has a following and it gets crowded, but that is part of the fun.
They have Happy Hour all day on Monday. Then, Tuesdays through Thursday, the Happy Hour is from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
I think you will certainly like it!! So, have a great week-end!
November 9th, 2011
The other day I was looking at how pretty the trees were turning in back of my house. The colors were so brilliant. As pretty as they have been, I know, that leaf clean-up is a never ending task and it is around the corner.
Every time, and I mean every time I travel Route 50 from Rehoboth Beach to Baltimore or Washington, it never fails, I stop at Harris Crab House. I don’t really know anyone there. At times maybe a server or two.
Harris Crab House is located at Kent Narrows Way in Grasonville, Maryland. I never say Grasonville. I always refer to that area as Kent Island. Telephone? 410-827-9500. Website is www.harriscrabhouse.com.
This is a short post. Nice, sweet and to the point. Harris Crab House has the advantage of being on the water. The views are gorgeous. In good weather you can eat outdoors. Visit the website for all kinds of specials. You can also order on-line.
I feel good when I am eating these delicious steamed clams. I am not ashame to admit it, but they do have plenty of melted butter.
The oysters, ice cold and salty!!
The view? Well, I just told you….it is priceless!!
Note: All you can eat Oyster Buffet on Friday nights….
Talk to you later…
December 29th, 2010
One more trip to the airport. Then, I found myself sitting on the enclosed balcony of one of those restaurants that I visit when I am traveling on Rt. 50 coming from or going to Baltimore. The attraction besides the food is the location. Water all around you; beautiful scenery.
Kent Narrows is a waterway that separates Kent Island from the Delmarva Peninsula where I live. The area has traditionally been a location for seafood packing and restaurants.
If you are traveling that route it would be a great place to stop to relax, eat and enjoy the moment. I did that today.
I looked at my watch and it was 4:30 p.m. Wow, I cannot believe I am such an early bird. I am not sure if that time of the day is considered sunset, twilight or even dusk.
A few drinks were brought to us and an order of Oysters Rockefeller and a Fried Oyster Caesar Salad hit the spot.
After sunset, there is twilight and finally dusk; it will also vary according to your latitude.
So, the following pictures reflect those 3. And, it only took a few minutes to change from one to the others.
It was so peaceful, cozy and relaxing. It is nice to feel that way towards the end of another year.
Have a good one…talk to you later…
December 1st, 2010
When having to travel on Rt. 50, over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, towards Baltimore, the airport, Washington, etc., 2 restaurants I hit all the time. It seems they are the only ones I do prefer to stop and relax. Remember, that this is my own personal opinion. Yes, my blog. There are more restaurants in the area but I just like these 2 the best.
So yesterday, Tuesday, I found myself traveling that corridor and it was already about 3 p.m. Not having had lunch I don’t know if my stopping at The Narrows qualified as late lunch or super early bird. Their happy hour had not even started.
There were a few customers and the restaurant was getting ready for a wine tasting. The Narrows is located at 3023 Kent Narrows Way South, Grasoville, MD 21638. Traveling West take exit 42 and traveling East take exit 41. Tel. 410-827-8113. Website is www.thenarrowsrestaurant.com. They are on Facebook and Twitter.
The Narrows was opened in 1983 and it sits on the foundation of an old oyster shucking house.
This restaurant is casual with beautiful views of the water at this time of the day. Yesterday, it was cloudy, but still beautiful.
You can sit indoors or on their porch, which is also enclosed but with windows that are open during the summer months. If you choose the porch then you are on top of the water. I like to see the boats slide by.
I had to give Harris Crab House a rest; lately I have had the craving for crabs and steamed clams. Harris Crab House is across the highway. Having that satisfied, my next craving was the best cream of crab soup, at The Narrows. I am not kidding you it is so delicious, thick, lumps of crab meat; I don’t even want to know the calories.
I started with just a cup of the cream of crab soup; could have had a bowl. It is presented with a cruet of sherry. You practically can put your spoon in and it will stand straight up. Then cut it with the sherry. Some of us put more sherry than others. My parents were in that group. They loved this restaurant and every time they visited; this was a must stop restaurant. Alissa, our waitress, told me that one time somebody asked for a short glass with ice and proceeded to also put that sherry on the glass. So, to each its own.
I told Alissa that I had been given their cream of crab soup recipe many years ago by my mother in law and when I made it; sorry but it was not the same. Could it had been that an ingredient was left out? She then gave me a copy and it is somewhat different from the one I had. I will give it to you in a little bit. You will love it. Well, if you don’t like cream soups, then this recipe might not be the one to try.
The other appetizer ordered was the grilled buffalo quail. Perfectly grilled and seasoned.
For my entree I chose the sliders. After my soup I wanted something lighter; no kidding. Three sliders; mini crab cake, bison, and ahi tuna, served on potato rolls and frizzled onions. I have to tell you that I have never ordered sliders anywhere, but I thought this was an interesting presentation and it hit the spot. I loved the 3 combinations.
I opened them up so that you can see how good they looked.
At this time of the year the crab meat at The Narrows is coming from Louisiana, the bison, I believe, from up the road on Rt. 16 in Delaware and the oysters from the Choptank River.
The Narrows also has a gluten free menu so the catfish was ordered from that menu even though he really wanted the one from the regular menu which was peanut encrusted. Nevertheless, he said that it was very good.
I promised you the crab recipe so here it goes:
Cream of Crab Soup
1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
1 small carrot, grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon chicken base (I asked what this was and it is bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Remove any cartilage from the crab meat and set the crab aside.
In a thick pot, warm cream, half & half, sherry, chicken base and seasoning to slow simmer.
In a separate pan toast the roux (flour and butter) for a few minutes until it smells of toasted nuts (do not burn). See note below.
Add roux to cream – bring back to a simmer – wisk until smooth.
Serve garnish with the chopped parsley and please pass a cruet of sherry.
Serves 4 to 6
Note: A roux is a cooked mixture of flour and butter. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews. Warm butter, add flour and stir until mixture is thick and starts to turn slightly brown and has that nutty smell.
Now you know why I did not want to even check the amount of calories in this soup.
The Narrows is so well known for its crab cakes and soups that they ship anywhere in the United States. Catering is also available so please give them a call.
I want to thank Alissa for taking such good care of us.
Well, it was time to keep on trucking towards Delaware. I usually take the backroads and as I was driving; not too many cars on the road, I passed this house all decorated; it reminded me that I have yet to put one Christmas decoration on my house.
Talk to you later….have a great day….
June 2nd, 2010
Who would make an appointmet in Baltimore, Maryland the day after Memorial week-end? Well, I did. That was really crazy because just in Ocean City, Maryland, right here at the beaches, there were 250,000 visitors that decided to spend the week-end with us. I don’t know how many in the Delaware beaches but plenty were here, as well.
Needless to say, they have to go home so on Tuesday we all drove West in caravan style.
At one point we are at a dead stop on Rt. 404. Many of you know which route this is. A suggestion was made in my car to take a “short cut”. Yeap, the short cut took us 10 miles back on a winding road that was sort of familiar but really wasn’t.
It did not matter to much to me and I just laughed and hoped that other suggestions would not be made.
My thoughts were really on where I would, definitely, be stopping on my way back. Harris Crab House is a must for me when I find myself traveling these roads. The restaurant is located right there in Kent Island and I have talked about it in the past. And once again I am talking about it because you never know how the food or service is going to be. The location is perfect for a crab house. Right on the water, watching the boats go by.
Harris Crab House is on Kent Narrows Way, North, Grasonville, MD 21638. It is Rt. 5/301, Exit 42. Tel. 410-827-9500 and website is www.harriscrabhouse.com.
It was late in the afternoon but not dinner time so the idea was to have just an appetizer. Well, I have to confess that I love steamed clams, especially, cherrystones.
Of the small clams there are “littlenecks” that are from Littleneck Bay, Long Island, N.Y. and are better eaten raw or in chowders, and the “cherrystones” which are slightly larger in size and named for Cherrystone Creek, Virginia. These could be eaten raw or cooked, but I love them best steamed, as mentioned above.
I really was a pig; I ate 60 clams. Yeap, I did. I am not guilty beacuse they were so good; sweet and salty and the perfect size. Then I just had 3 crabs; a balancing act.
The crabs were not as good as they usually are. The man at the next table who had eaten plenty of crabs in his life thought they were paper thin. And, they were, even though they were tasty. The waiter said that they were hit hard during the week-end. The size of the crabs were large but not that large, really. They were out of the jumbos, and the prices were high.
This man mentioned that his favorite crab house in Ocean City, Maryland is The Crab Bag. Probably so, but I will have to check it out since I have not been there this season. Will let you know.
By the way, I had lunch in Baltimore, Maryland yesterday at a restaurant called Tark’s Grill. I did not take pictures but it is worth mentioning in case you are in the area of Greenspring Station, Lutherville. It was delicious with an extensive wine list and menu. There is outdoor seating available and my signature salad, Lindsays Chicago Chopped Salad with Blackened Chicken was great. It had chopped pickles, almost unnoticeable, but it really added to the salad.
Tark’s Grill is a traditional American Bistro. The address is 2360 West Joppa Rd., Suite 116, Lutherville, MD 21093. Tel. is 410-583-Tark. The website is www.tarksgrill.com.
I hope you have a great day…talk to you later…
October 24th, 2009
When I travel between Delaware and Baltimore, Maryland I have a few favorite restaurants that I make a point to stop for either lunch, dinner or kick back a little and have some appetizers.
This is the time of the year for oysters and I remember when I first moved to Baltimore and went to the famous Lexington Market; my first introduction to oysters. I was not sure if I was going to be able to eat them but, just like I love clams, oysters became a favorite; raw or steamed.
Harris Crab House is one of those restaurants I stop all the time. It is a true crab house and seafood restaurant; you can see from the parking lot the oysters being hauled in. Check that picture.
The address is Kent Narrows Way, North, Grasonville, Md, 21638. It is Rt. 50/301, exit 42 and follow the signs to Harris Crab House. Their tel. is 410-827-9500 and the fax is 410-827-9057. The e-mail address is into@harriscrabhouse.com and the website is www.harriscrabhouse.com.
My favorite items on the menu are the jumbo crabs, when available. Those big gigantic crabs are so tasty and easier to pick when they are that big. Other favorites are the oysters and clams. On Friday’s, starting around 5:00 p.m. they offer their all you can eat oysters, cooked or raw, stew, fried, you name it.
The restaurant has outdoor seating, weather permitting. Right on the water, with great views of waterfowl, and boats going by. The tables are all covered with paper ready to be filled with crabs and other seafood delights. They also have a full menu and bar, as well.
Harris Crab House will mail order anywhere in the world. Check their website for all kinds of information, specials, tailgating, and coupons.
And, remember, only about 4 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge.
As I mentioned above, this is the time of the year for oysters. I figure maybe a few recipes are in order.
I love buying cookbooks and I do make those recipes my own. Sometimes I doctor the recipe a little or just leave the way it is. One book that I have had for a long time is Private Collections: A Culinary Treasure by the Women’s Committe of the Walters Art Gallery. Last printing was in 1979. The Walters Art Gallery is now known as the Walters Art Museum. It is located on 600 N. Charles St., Baltimore. Tel. 410-547-9000. Website is www.thewalters.org. It is open Wednesdays – Sundays from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.
In case you do not know this museum, The Walters Art Museum is internationally renowned for its art. It was a gift to the city of Baltimore by William (the father) and Henry Walters (the son), who had artistic interests and public mindness. Today, the art collection has more than 28,000 objects. Please visit the website for on-going and future exhitibits.
The following recipes I have used plenty of times and I hope you like them:
Oyster Stew
1/4 lb. bacon
1 quart scalded milk
2-3 large potatoes
Pinch of thyme
Large bay leaf
2 T chopped parsley
1 pint oysters with their liquid
3 Ts. butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Peel and boil the potatoes in salted water. Drain and mash them in a soup kettle.
Dice the bacon in small pieces and fry it in a skillet over moderate heat. Remove it to a plate and add milk to the frying pan to scald it. Remove from heat.
Add the milk to the mashed potatoes gradually.
Add thyme, bay leaf, and parsley and heat to boiling point, but do not let it boil or it will curdle.
Remove bay leaf and add the oysters and their liquid, butter, salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with the fried bacon.
Toasted bread will be a great addition.
Serves 4.
Oyster Casserole
1 1/2 pints fresh oysters
1 package Uncle Ben’s long grain and wild rice mixture
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 t paprika
1/4 lb. sharp cheese, grated
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs
4 Ts melted butter
1/4 oyster liquor
Drain the oysters, reserving 1/4 cup of the oyster liquor.
Cook the rice according to the package directions, to the moist stage.
In a buttered casserole arrange 1/3 of the rice. Lay half the oysters on top, sprinkle with some salt and pepper, if you want, paprika, and 1/3 of the cheese.
Add half the butter.
Then repeat the process ending with a layer of the rice and cheese. Spoon the oyster juice over it.
Top with bread crumbs, butter, and remaining cheese.
Refrigerate for half a day, then bake for 20 minutes on a 400 degree oven.
Serves 6.
Oysters Cotton Patch
1 pint oysters
Pancake flour
2 eggs, well beaten
Cornflake crumbs
Oil to measure about 3/4 inch in the frying skillet
Drain the oysters and pat them dry. Then dip them, one at a time, first in pancake flour, then into the beaten egg, and finally in the cornflake crumbs.
Pat them again gently and set aside.
When ready to serve, heat the oil, and fry the oysters at medium heat, no more than 8 at a time, until brown on each side.
Drain them on paper towels and keep them warm until the oysters have been fried.
You can serve these as an appetizer, over a salad or as a dinner with a salad and vegetable.
Serves 4.
Enjoy and see you sooon…..
Note: Information on the Walters Art Museum was taken f rom www.thewalters.org.
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