Birthday Party at The Front Porch! I was looking for a place to accommodate 30-to-40 people for my father's 80th birthday party. The Front Porch seemed like a good option and I was pleasantly surprised by the accommodating Katie who made planning this event very easy.
We had the large upstairs dining area to ourselves with two servers taking drink orders and another filling water glasses. We enjoyed appetizers of spinach artichoke dip with tortilla chips and assorted cheese platters with warm fresh bread and chutney. The cocktail hour began at 5:00 p.m. and by 5:30 everyone had arrived - I must say, we're a noisy bunch!
Just shortly after 6:00, we sat down to dinner. Adult plates had an assortment of field greens with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. Children received plates of apple and cheese slices - on a bed of field greens! (This is an extra that I requested so that the youngsters would have something to munch on while we ate salads. Some of them may have enjoyed a salad too but they seemed to like picking the apples and cheese with their fingers.) Youngsters (and some oldsters as well) were entertained by a birthday word search primarily about Reggie and his farm life. Some children even enjoyed coloring farm animals and connecting the dots projects - I came prepared!
I chose the adult catering menu consisting of options: crab cakes, prime rib, rockfish with crab cake, chicken breast with crab imperial. Sides were mashed potatoes and seasonal veggies. Juniors chose from chicken nuggets, pizza, hamburger.
Anyone who ordered the crab cakes (and that was the most popular entrée) had a wonderful dinner. The scallion aioli sauce looked a little lighter in color than what I had a week prior but several folks commented that it was really good (garlic, mango chutney, Chef Jeff's secret blend of spices). I had Rockfish Hemingway (baked rockfish topped with a crab cake) - the crab cake was fabulous. I'm telling you, this is a must order when you visit The Front Porch. The rockfish was dry; I ate about half of it to try to get the flavor and it may have been good on its own with some lemon and butter. Folks who ordered the Chesapeake Chicken (fried chicken breast topped with crab imperial) also got a dry piece of chicken and it looked very dark - deep fried and over done? Perhaps I should have just told everyone that we were having crab cakes since I know them to be A+.
The mashed potato side was interesting - spiced with nutmeg? Took us a second to determine the spice but it grows on you. The seasonal vegetables, a squash and pepper medley, would have been delicious if not over salted. The vegetables were tended but still held their shape and color - not sure if it was a heavy hand or just a forgetful moment and they were salted twice.
The Front Porch was very accommodating about us bringing in a specialty birthday cake (Anita's Cake Shop - half vanilla and half chocolate with chocolate mouse filling - perfect end to the birthday event). Two of my sisters-in-law provided the cake. The Front Porch staff provided tables and cloth for the cake and when it was close to serving time, brought in a knife, dessert plates, and cocktail napkins - no prompting needed.
Brianna was the head server during our event and she kept tabs on us throughout the evening. She mentioned that they had a full house for dinner on the first floor so I was especially impressed by the service we received. The staff even came through to refill water glasses. All three staff members who served us delivered dinner plates - they had every entrée served in a matter of minutes.
The staff were also accommodating in helping our elder guests to and from the dining area - upstairs. Dad even pulled out his inhaler when he got to the dining room! I think it was easier going down. They guided folks to the back stairway - the rise is not as steep as the main staircase in the main entrance.
We received excellent service making this an overall enjoyable birthday event and party experience. Thank you very much to The Front Porch staff! Even Chef Jeff came upstairs to make sure everything was satisfactory.
Monday, May 20, 2013
The Front Porch Restaurant, 22770 Washington St, Leonardtown, MD
Dinner at the bar area of The Front Porch. The Front Porch is known locally as the Sterling House. It was built in the 1850s, purchased in 1911 by Linwood and Ruth Sterling who added to the home size to accommodate their 17 children (can you imagine!). The home received a facelift in 2006 when it was purchased to be converted to a restaurant. Many artifacts found during the restoration are on display at The Front Porch.
I asked the bar tender what the specialty drink of the week was (every bar or bar tender should have a specialty - sometimes they look at me like I'm crazy). He recommended the Mother's Delight which was the special for Mothers' Day and got such good reviews that they want to put it on the menu permanently. He said they needed to come up with a name for the drink and a few folks had ideas - fuzzy slipper being one (seriously?). I suggested the drink be named The Sterling House Cocktail in honor of the home; discussion among several of us in the bar area whittled it down to The Sterling - I hope it sticks! The cocktail is equal parts cranberry juice, pineapple juice, vodka, a splash of triple sec, shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass with a twist of lime on the rim.
I ordered roasted red pepper soup and quiche of the day. They were out of the quiche (must have been a good lunch crowd) so I ordered the crab cake sandwich to accompany my soup. I really like this soup, have had it at The Front Porch several times, and it is always pleasantly flavored and full bodied. The crab cake was fabulous! I left the top half of the bun on the plate and cut the crab cake and bottom bun into bite-sized pieces as I dined. There wasn't much filler, just enough to hold the cake together. This crab cake wasn't highly seasoned either - you could really taste the lump crabmeat. I experimented with varying doses of the dipping sauce provided on the side. Chef Jeff said that it consisted of garlic and mango chutney, pureed, along with spices (he wouldn't tell). It was addictive.
Hubby got the 1/2 pound Angus burger with fries. The burger was fairly well done instead of medium which disappointed him but he said that it had good flavor. He was enjoying his favorite Irish whiskey (Bushmills - not stocked by every location in SOMD) but wanted a cold beer to accompany his burger. The bottle was slightly cooler than room temperature so that drink was disappointing.
Oh well, still a nice evening at the bar area - a Monday night and few places are open. I was happy to relax with a drink and a nice meal.
The downside - just one of my many peeves. The routine response from some 25-to-35 year olds these days is "not a problem" - someone serves me a drink, I say "thank you," and he responds, "not a problem." The server delivers a plate of food, I say "thank you" and he again responds "not a problem." I hope it's not a problem - it's their job! This is one instance where I really, really like Chick-Fil-A training - "my pleasure" is an absolutely wonderful response. When I hear that, I think the person is happy to serve me and s/he enjoys what s/he is doing (even if s/he doesn't). If they can't squeak that out, perhaps a simple "you're welcome" can be achieved.
I asked the bar tender what the specialty drink of the week was (every bar or bar tender should have a specialty - sometimes they look at me like I'm crazy). He recommended the Mother's Delight which was the special for Mothers' Day and got such good reviews that they want to put it on the menu permanently. He said they needed to come up with a name for the drink and a few folks had ideas - fuzzy slipper being one (seriously?). I suggested the drink be named The Sterling House Cocktail in honor of the home; discussion among several of us in the bar area whittled it down to The Sterling - I hope it sticks! The cocktail is equal parts cranberry juice, pineapple juice, vodka, a splash of triple sec, shaken with ice and strained into a martini glass with a twist of lime on the rim.
I ordered roasted red pepper soup and quiche of the day. They were out of the quiche (must have been a good lunch crowd) so I ordered the crab cake sandwich to accompany my soup. I really like this soup, have had it at The Front Porch several times, and it is always pleasantly flavored and full bodied. The crab cake was fabulous! I left the top half of the bun on the plate and cut the crab cake and bottom bun into bite-sized pieces as I dined. There wasn't much filler, just enough to hold the cake together. This crab cake wasn't highly seasoned either - you could really taste the lump crabmeat. I experimented with varying doses of the dipping sauce provided on the side. Chef Jeff said that it consisted of garlic and mango chutney, pureed, along with spices (he wouldn't tell). It was addictive.
Hubby got the 1/2 pound Angus burger with fries. The burger was fairly well done instead of medium which disappointed him but he said that it had good flavor. He was enjoying his favorite Irish whiskey (Bushmills - not stocked by every location in SOMD) but wanted a cold beer to accompany his burger. The bottle was slightly cooler than room temperature so that drink was disappointing.
Oh well, still a nice evening at the bar area - a Monday night and few places are open. I was happy to relax with a drink and a nice meal.
The downside - just one of my many peeves. The routine response from some 25-to-35 year olds these days is "not a problem" - someone serves me a drink, I say "thank you," and he responds, "not a problem." The server delivers a plate of food, I say "thank you" and he again responds "not a problem." I hope it's not a problem - it's their job! This is one instance where I really, really like Chick-Fil-A training - "my pleasure" is an absolutely wonderful response. When I hear that, I think the person is happy to serve me and s/he enjoys what s/he is doing (even if s/he doesn't). If they can't squeak that out, perhaps a simple "you're welcome" can be achieved.
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Expressions Catering (at the Brome Howard Inn), 18281 Rosecroft Road, St. Mary's City, MD
Would you believe that I've enjoyed Expressions Catering quality food three times in May? Expressions catered two full means that I enjoyed - the Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Southern Maryland Higher Education Center and The Patuxent Partnership annual dinner at Historic St. Mary's City. In addition, I really enjoyed the heavy hors d'oeuvres event celebrating the past year of United Way held at Rosedale Manor House, Greenwell State Park.
DINNER REVIEW
You know how difficult it is to cater large events. Both meals were tasty, but the dinner under the tent at St. Mary's City was especially wonderful so I'll focus on that. We were first treated to passed and tabled hors d'oeuvres - huge sea scallops wrapped in bacon - every time I thought the last tray had been passed, another waiter appeared with more succulent scallops. Other appetizers that I tasted included crab dip, crudité, cheese assortment, breads, and crackers. I had just a small dose of each to save room for dinner.
Such a beautiful evening on the St. Mary's River in front of the State House, lovely breeze, cocktails, live music by Ed Warren - it was difficult to get the crowd to move to the tent for dinner! We gathered under the tent a full half hour after scheduled and I actually thought dinner would be a disaster. By the time the formalities of seating, honoring the flag, and invocation were complete and we finally sat, it was more like an hour behind schedule. The staff may have been frustrated but they were very professional and said nothing to the guests - realize that our late start meant that they had to work late.
The salad was dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette that was especially tasty. There was adequate space between tables for servers to move about removing salad dishes and serving the entrée without making hardly a sound. The tenderloin of beef was very tender, not as rare as I would like, but that's our fault for sitting down late. Even so, it was melt-in-your-mouth tender and just flavorful enough that I didn't add salt or pepper. We also had fish - tilapia with a very light breading and a fruit salsa, potatoes, and green beans. You know what a fan I am of crunchy green beans - they still had crunch!
Assorted desserts were already on the tables when we sat for dinner. I didn't try dessert after getting on the scales at a doctor appointment earlier in the week. Will save desserts for weekends only - we'll see how long that lasts!
HEAVY HORS D'OEUVRES REVIEW
I just love hors d'oeuvres - you can have a meal without feeling too full and enjoy a lot of different tastes. The dining table at Rosedale Manor celebrating the past year of United Way fund raising and accomplishments was laden with goodies: crab dip (I think the best I've ever had with huge lumps of crabmeat), meatballs (just the right size for eating without having to bite in half or cover your mouth with a napkin because they're too large - perfect portion), 1/2 croissant sandwiches stuffed with beef or ham (good idea to cut them in half given the other food available, again perfect portion), crudité, and mini desserts of warm bourbon pecan pies, lemon meringue pies, and trifles containing fresh strawberries. Darn it, I completely forgot my swearing off of desserts until the weekend - oh well, they were mini, right?!
TASTE FOR YOURSELF
You can try Expressions culinary expertise yourselves - Expressions Catering provides food service at the Brome Howard Inn, 18281 Rosecroft Road, St. Mary's City. They are open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Hit Thirsty Thursday from 3:30 until 6:00 p.m. for cash bar and $10 hors d'oeuvres specialties. Check the website (www.expressionsofstmarys.com) for schedule and upcoming events (wine and dinner pairings) and they occasionally close if someone rents the Inn for a special event.
Bon Appetite!
DINNER REVIEW
You know how difficult it is to cater large events. Both meals were tasty, but the dinner under the tent at St. Mary's City was especially wonderful so I'll focus on that. We were first treated to passed and tabled hors d'oeuvres - huge sea scallops wrapped in bacon - every time I thought the last tray had been passed, another waiter appeared with more succulent scallops. Other appetizers that I tasted included crab dip, crudité, cheese assortment, breads, and crackers. I had just a small dose of each to save room for dinner.
Such a beautiful evening on the St. Mary's River in front of the State House, lovely breeze, cocktails, live music by Ed Warren - it was difficult to get the crowd to move to the tent for dinner! We gathered under the tent a full half hour after scheduled and I actually thought dinner would be a disaster. By the time the formalities of seating, honoring the flag, and invocation were complete and we finally sat, it was more like an hour behind schedule. The staff may have been frustrated but they were very professional and said nothing to the guests - realize that our late start meant that they had to work late.
The salad was dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette that was especially tasty. There was adequate space between tables for servers to move about removing salad dishes and serving the entrée without making hardly a sound. The tenderloin of beef was very tender, not as rare as I would like, but that's our fault for sitting down late. Even so, it was melt-in-your-mouth tender and just flavorful enough that I didn't add salt or pepper. We also had fish - tilapia with a very light breading and a fruit salsa, potatoes, and green beans. You know what a fan I am of crunchy green beans - they still had crunch!
Assorted desserts were already on the tables when we sat for dinner. I didn't try dessert after getting on the scales at a doctor appointment earlier in the week. Will save desserts for weekends only - we'll see how long that lasts!
HEAVY HORS D'OEUVRES REVIEW
I just love hors d'oeuvres - you can have a meal without feeling too full and enjoy a lot of different tastes. The dining table at Rosedale Manor celebrating the past year of United Way fund raising and accomplishments was laden with goodies: crab dip (I think the best I've ever had with huge lumps of crabmeat), meatballs (just the right size for eating without having to bite in half or cover your mouth with a napkin because they're too large - perfect portion), 1/2 croissant sandwiches stuffed with beef or ham (good idea to cut them in half given the other food available, again perfect portion), crudité, and mini desserts of warm bourbon pecan pies, lemon meringue pies, and trifles containing fresh strawberries. Darn it, I completely forgot my swearing off of desserts until the weekend - oh well, they were mini, right?!
TASTE FOR YOURSELF
You can try Expressions culinary expertise yourselves - Expressions Catering provides food service at the Brome Howard Inn, 18281 Rosecroft Road, St. Mary's City. They are open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Hit Thirsty Thursday from 3:30 until 6:00 p.m. for cash bar and $10 hors d'oeuvres specialties. Check the website (www.expressionsofstmarys.com) for schedule and upcoming events (wine and dinner pairings) and they occasionally close if someone rents the Inn for a special event.
Bon Appetite!
Sunday, May 5, 2013
Dent's Store, 44584 Tall Timbers Road, Tall Timbers, MD
Okay - it's your turn. Where do you buy good beef in SOMD? I hit two grocery stores on Saturday and walked out of each without beef - meat looked grey, I couldn't find 4 pieces that were similar in size, no offer of help from those behind the counter.
I went to Dent's Store in Tall Timbers - you've read my posts about Chief's? This is the other side of the building and it's quite the grocery / deli with just about anything you could want. They even have peck baskets of red potatoes, baking potatoes, and onions - hand select what you need.
I asked for filet mignon - yes, just the previous night I had a well-cooked filet and was determined to have a wonderful piece of beef cooked perfectly by (you guessed it - me!). Wow, I'm on a beef role considering I just had dinner a couple of weeks ago at a friend's home and she served a fabulous filet!!!
Anyway, at Dent's Store, they head to the walk-in frig, bring out a slab, and cut beef to your specifications. How thick do you want it sliced? How many slices? Your wish is their command.
Where's the beef? Dent's Store in Tall Timbers. Try it, you'll like it!
Where do you purchase beef?
I went to Dent's Store in Tall Timbers - you've read my posts about Chief's? This is the other side of the building and it's quite the grocery / deli with just about anything you could want. They even have peck baskets of red potatoes, baking potatoes, and onions - hand select what you need.
I asked for filet mignon - yes, just the previous night I had a well-cooked filet and was determined to have a wonderful piece of beef cooked perfectly by (you guessed it - me!). Wow, I'm on a beef role considering I just had dinner a couple of weeks ago at a friend's home and she served a fabulous filet!!!
Anyway, at Dent's Store, they head to the walk-in frig, bring out a slab, and cut beef to your specifications. How thick do you want it sliced? How many slices? Your wish is their command.
Where's the beef? Dent's Store in Tall Timbers. Try it, you'll like it!
Where do you purchase beef?
Chesapeake Resort and Spa - Rod 'n Reel, 4165 Mears Ave, Chesapeake Beach, MD
A special event Friday night was my third time at the Rod 'n Reel Restaurant in Chesapeake Beach. Sometimes the entire place is referred to as the Chesapeake Beach Resort and Spa but there are several dining options onsite and the Rod 'n Reel is a nice option, especially for large gatherings.
Cocktail hour was very nice with bacon-wrapped scallops and two other served appetizers - I didn't get to taste either of the other two but recognized the scallops and grabbed a server's arm so as not to miss out. There was an abundance of hors d'oeuvres, but servers seemed reluctant to approach guests in conversation. I didn't want to ruin my appetite for dinner but lusted after several more scallops. I saw a couple of platters that were not served but appeared to be vegetable and/or fruit platters and folks were helping themselves.
I had a couple of cocktails before dinner. Guess I'm really used to happy hour prices in St. Mary's - $6 for a vodka tonic seemed a little steep to me. Guess I'm spoiled!
The dinner service was efficient and professional - serving at the left, removing from the right and I didn't hear a single dropped dish. There were probably 100 or more people in the dining area. Well done!
Warm rolls were accompanied by butter and garden salad was delivered to each place shortly thereafter. There was probably a vegetarian dinner option but everyone at the table where I sat got filet mignon, crab cake, green beans and mashed potatoes. The crab cake was unexpectedly delicious served with a side dollop of tartar sauce that was not overly tangy. My filet was well done, however, which was very disappointing. Others at the table were pinkish in the middle - luck of the draw? Actually you should NEVER destroy a wonderful cut of beef like filet by overcooking it. Bummer!
I do, however, understand the difficulty of serving 100 plates within 30 minutes of one another so I will give the restaurant another shot during a private visit and see what happens.
There were two dessert bars - one which I bypassed seemed to have small cakes or bar cookies. I opted for the pound cake - which wasn't even close to home made - disappointing. But, other items at the table made up for that disappointment - chocolate sauce, fresh strawberries and pineapple, watermelon, and whipped cream.
It was a great way to spend a Friday night - celebrating accomplishments of many tri-county leaders. Congratulations to all!
Cocktail hour was very nice with bacon-wrapped scallops and two other served appetizers - I didn't get to taste either of the other two but recognized the scallops and grabbed a server's arm so as not to miss out. There was an abundance of hors d'oeuvres, but servers seemed reluctant to approach guests in conversation. I didn't want to ruin my appetite for dinner but lusted after several more scallops. I saw a couple of platters that were not served but appeared to be vegetable and/or fruit platters and folks were helping themselves.
I had a couple of cocktails before dinner. Guess I'm really used to happy hour prices in St. Mary's - $6 for a vodka tonic seemed a little steep to me. Guess I'm spoiled!
The dinner service was efficient and professional - serving at the left, removing from the right and I didn't hear a single dropped dish. There were probably 100 or more people in the dining area. Well done!
Warm rolls were accompanied by butter and garden salad was delivered to each place shortly thereafter. There was probably a vegetarian dinner option but everyone at the table where I sat got filet mignon, crab cake, green beans and mashed potatoes. The crab cake was unexpectedly delicious served with a side dollop of tartar sauce that was not overly tangy. My filet was well done, however, which was very disappointing. Others at the table were pinkish in the middle - luck of the draw? Actually you should NEVER destroy a wonderful cut of beef like filet by overcooking it. Bummer!
I do, however, understand the difficulty of serving 100 plates within 30 minutes of one another so I will give the restaurant another shot during a private visit and see what happens.
There were two dessert bars - one which I bypassed seemed to have small cakes or bar cookies. I opted for the pound cake - which wasn't even close to home made - disappointing. But, other items at the table made up for that disappointment - chocolate sauce, fresh strawberries and pineapple, watermelon, and whipped cream.
It was a great way to spend a Friday night - celebrating accomplishments of many tri-county leaders. Congratulations to all!
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