Dinner at Georgetown Harbour

After two days of excessive doses of meat - first at Old Glory and then at Hill Country Texas Barbacue it was time for a change. We had spotted earlier, though to early for them to be open, some restaurants at Washington Harbour. 

So we walked up through Georgetown, went back to the park. Unlike this morning, when it was quiet, it was really busy with walkers, runners, skateboarders and cyclists and after about an hour's stroll opted for Tony and Joe's Seafood Restaurant. As we will be spending much of this holiday far away from the sea, it seemed only right that so close to Chesapeake Bay we should enjoy the seafood, and it was a great choice.

A selection of breads were brought to the table as we sat down, one was a brioche style, another maize cakes and the final one sweet and of the texture of a small sponge cake.

We opted for appetisers with me going for Half a dozen Top Neck Clams steamed with garlic butter, lemon and spring onion (or scallion as they are called here). The last time I had top next clams was in Swansea MA, two years ago, theses were even better than those. Steamed very gently until they were open the garlic and lemon gave them an even tastier flavour than when they are steamed in salt water. The intensity of the lemon was almost eye-watering. I'm saying this as a person who slices up and eats a lemon as a fruit. I loved it, some people not so keen on lemon as I might have found it a bit strong. Drew opted for  Maryland crab soup with a spicy tomato vegetable broth - the flavours were rich and there was plenty of crap meat in the soup.

For mains Drew opted for seared diver scallops with sauteed spinach, leeks, black lentils, yucca fries served with a lemon chive beurre blanc. These were the fattest scallops I had ever seen , see photo on the right. Most chefs in the UK would have cut them into two or three and sold them as that number. The lentils set the scallops off well, giving a vegetable earthiness to go with the seafood earthiness of the scallop. My crispy soft-shell crab was also spectacular. It was served over ratatouille with a pesto sauce. I like soft-shell crab, there is a particularly nice dish of it on the menu of the Thai House in Cardiff, but these crabs were the most meaty I have seen. Often with soft-shell crab the flavour is in the shell itself, here it was in the shell and the crab meat inside. With the crispness of the shell offering a nice contrast to the softness of the meat. The ratatouille, often a mess of veg, was crisp and firm with a strong basil flavour coming from the pesto. We both had meals that matched our flavour preferences. Sometimes what looks like a good combination doesn't turn out to be, not here. They were just what we wanted as a balance to the last two nights of meat.

Drew, who has been very abstemious so far this holiday, saw the Key Lime pie on the menu, it was to much to resist. It was a large slice of pie with, so I am told, a sharp key west lime flavour. It led to an empty plate, always a good sign. 

After dinner we wandered back through Georgetown and to the hotel, where I had the fun of naming the embassy photos Drew took earlier today.