Photography by Stephen Buchanan
Boatyard Bar & Grill 400 Fourth Street, Annapolis 410-216-6206 boatyardbarandgrill.com
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
On a late-winter evening, and during COVID precautions, we decided to share a to-go order from the Eastport community’s popular Boatyard Bar & Grill, which would be a new experience for us. The Boatyard has always offered takeout and does rip roaring business during the cold weather holidays with their chef ensuring overnight fresh crab cake and crab soup deliveries—“Boatyard crab cakes shipped all over the U.S.” Then there are “Lifestyle-on-the-go Platters.” Well…you get the picture, they know how to cook and deliver good food, off-premise as well as on!
The menu is written with humor à la Chef George Betz…and right about now we need a good laugh! There is lots to read and chuckle about on their website, as well with interjections from owner Dick Franyo on the restaurant’s blog. For instance: “Boatyard rocks out as No. 2 in Best Bars for Sailors in the U.S.” Or, take a look at their sandwich video award: The Travel Channel’s Food Paradise features the Boatyard on the Super Sandwiches segment of the eight best sandwiches in the country! Boatyard takes great strides to help our local community and surrounding environment, so I was thrilled to note this on their website that their “house oyster” named Patty’s Fatty’s are harvested “just a stone’s throw away by Eastport’s last remaining watermen, The Mahoney Family. [These] super-fresh, plump, mild oysters take you back to the Chesapeake Bay of days gone by!”
While perusing the menu, we considered options. I know Antoine’s Stuffed Oysters (five prime Chesapeake Bay oysters fitted with a Florentine Pernod stuffing and gratinéed with Parmesan, cheddar, and provolone) are outstanding, but for this evening we thought a more sharable dish would work for an appetizer…like pizza, especially the cauliflower crust gluten-free version. Hopefully, Boatyard’s Chicken, Bruschetta & Burrata crispy cauliflower pizza will become a regular on their menu. Manager Kevin Schendel says that’s a sure thing, as it’s a great gluten-free offering. It’s absolutely scrumptious and such a great value. Excellent, very thin crispy cauliflower (gluten-free) crust is topped with cuts of chicken breast tossed with fresh diced tomatoes, crunchy onions, and fresh basil. There is a beautiful balance of three cheeses to finish it off: sliced mozzarella, parmesan, and burrata cheese, plus shaved sopressata as the top garnish. Mmm…bursts of creaminess! Actually, it’s so heavy, it’s a knife and fork pizza!
As an all-time favorite and in fact, one of my friend’s crown choices, we had to order the Crab & Artichoke Dip. Creamy, cheesy, bubbly hot crab dip full of lump blue crab, artichoke hearts, spinach, and sweet onions describe the dish.
“The Parmesan in there is magic, as it adds a nuttiness,” my friend claimed. The dip is so thick and rich, it is spreadable over the sliced baguettes which accompany. We like the fact that it is less creamy than many but full of interesting flavors, which encourage a lot of discussion about “what’s that taste?” The artichokes are just the right texture and do not overpower the main attraction of our local specialty—Maryland blue crab. The spinach is an added treat. It has been called the best dip around town and the restaurateur dining with us agreed.
Outrageous Tito’s Rockfish entree came as a loaded dish, heavy with mussels, shrimp, lump crab, and chopped scallops in very rich creamy Tito’s Vodka sauce surrounding the fresh filet of grilled Chesapeake Bay rockfish. The dish sported fresh al dente grilled asparagus and a side of rice. Even though this was a to-go order, the fish filet was moist and flavorful, cooked to our liking, and lived up to its flavor potential, while the shellfish toppings were not overcooked. It was certainly abundant enough to share.
Hawaiian flair is given to the Big Fat Scallops entrée as four fresh, plump, day boat scallops are dusted with Hawaiian turbinado sugar, sea salt, and cracked pepper, then pan-seared to form a golden crust. A garnish of balsamic reduction, or glaze, is added. Interesting textures merged with the spicy red seaweed salad, crispy fried wontons, and the grilled al dente asparagus. Brown rice is included as well to sop up the glaze.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
After our delicious meal I wanted to catch up with Boatyard’s management to find out how they were faring with close to a year of disruptions. Schendel was happy to give an update on the overall picture. They jumped on the new normal immediately when the pandemic hit and turned their main parking lot into an immense al fresco cabana. During the warm weather months, Boatyard had all dining in the large tent styled with a coastal vibe. Fans created a breeze during hot weather and heaters warmed during a chill. There were tropical plants and even the pebbles of the parking lot added to beach ambiance. By the time you read this review, Boatyard will have resumed the outdoor dining experience. They planned to pitch their outdoor tent by March 1, just in time for Spring. Boatyard saw a large increase in to-go orders.
“We thought we did lots of ‘to-go’ business before the pandemic, but we never saw huge changes coming and were surprised that take-away food climbed to 10 to15 percent of our business,” Schendel says. “The back bar was dedicated to carry-out, as the bar stools were removed allowing plenty of space for orders.
“Our main goal has been to keep our people employed, as so many have been with us ten years or more.”
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