22/12/2016
First and foremost, this is an unsolicited endorsement; it comes from a very pleasing gastronomical experience!
I drive Magnolia road into town on a daily basis from Market Street and I was hopeful when I saw the "For Sale" sign come down at the old Hemingway's/Allegro Bay restaurant. My curiosity grabbed me and drew me inside, long before opening, to find out the direction the new owners would be heading. It was then I had the opportunity to meet Chris Fox, learn of his experience and mindfulness to detail, along with his goal in bringing a large part of Maryland to a small part of the Texas Coast.
Months before opening, he told me if it was his choice he would open just before Christmas, yet in the same breath; he would accept an opening after the first of the year.
I spoke with Chris a week before opening, and already understanding just how committed he was to accomplishing this goal; he informed me the restaurant would be having a soft opening the week before Christmas. I wasn’t the least bit surprised.
Determined to be there on opening night, Marie and I showed up around 6pm on December 19th. We were welcomed into a cozy, warm and friendly environment. The wait staff was very disciplined, for as new as they were as a team, and the aromas coming from the kitchen created instant comfort.
The menu was very clean, non-pretentious and in a way simple, but the offerings were far from common. There are five distinct categories, “Fields”, “Maryland Traditions”, “From the Wood Fire”, “Plates to Share” and “Sweets”... Interesting and thought provoking, where does one start? Marie and I perused the menu, everything she considered I wanted to share and vise-a-versa; sounds like we'll be in for a medley of flavors. We decided to select one item from each of the categories.
We ordered everything at once and asked them to be served as they hit the prep counter. First out was their Wood Fired Caesar Salad. Hold on for just a moment, how do you fire a salad? Man, were we ever in for a surprise! The romaine spear was ever so delicately enhanced with the smoky flavor from the wood burning grill; add to that fresh parmesan, fried anchovies and old bay croutons. Every bite was pleasant and the salad soon disappeared only to have placed before us the Baked Oysters. These were a blend of leek and onions fondue with smoked bacon and fontina cheese, a take on Oyster Rockefellers on steroids. This took me back to earlier conversations with Chris, "I want Rockport to have an opportunity to experience flavors they would only dream of", he was spot on there!
I have to regress for a moment, in another earlier conversation with Chris, in which he told me, “I want to introduce Rockport to some unique cocktails that are dear to my heart. I’m passionate about creating and melding flavors with alcohol to create drinks that will enlighten your taste buds". So before ordering dinner, we ordered cocktails. Marie's favorite is a champagne cocktail, which was offered in its perfection. I, on the other hand, wanted to try his Bourbonapolis. This stared with Old Forester Bourbon, and then was blended with Elderflower Liqueur, fresh Thyme and Lemon, local Honey and Swedish Herb Bitters. No words needed, simply silence as the aroma penetrated the senses!
Moments following our Baked Oysters, we were presented with the Calamari "From the Wood Fire". This was presented with Arugula and Lemon Scented Olive Oil. The Calamari carried smokiness and the flavors were stunning. It just can't get much better than this... oh yes it can!
It was now time for a Maryland Tradition, “Free State Cake”; this will definitely be the talk of the town. And, as the menu says, it’s "The pride of Maryland! Jumbo lump crab cake broiled house sauces." There was one problem; they seemed to forget the cake part. Now I know it was there, it just happened to be undetectable yet offered the opportunity to create a golden crust. A house sauce was paired with the "Pride of Maryland". (What? How could anyone dare try to try and pair lump crab with sauce?) But I’ve got to tell you, they knocked it out of the park.
I ordered another one of their specialty cocktails, this time I elected to try their Old Boulevardier. I asked earlier if it could get any better, I won't challenge that, this drink was better than the first! It complimented my desert choice to perfection. The Old Boulevardier is a blend of Old Overholt Rye, Aperol, Sweet Vermouth, Chocolate Bitters and Flamed Orange, (remember, I told you about their Wood Fired Grill). So think about this pairing, drum roll please, Old Line Pudding. Alright, maybe the drum roll was a little early; let me tell you about the pudding. This is Maryland's oldest indigenous cuisine dating back over three centuries. It is a Native American recipe with cornmeal, ginger, warm spices, nuts and molasses, topped with strawberry, mint and whip cream. In one sense it was like a thick flan with a chocolate color. Perfecto!
What a pleasant way to end a perfect outing. But a funny thing happened though, I wasn't stuffed and uncomfortable, I was simply satisfied and fulfilled. How amazing.
As I looked back over their menu I found one solitary fried item, hand cut fries, my favorite way to eat potatoes. Hmmm…maybe I'll try those the next time.
Until then, thank you Chris and Andrew Fox for bringing a large part of Maryland to a small part of the Texas Coast!!!
