Every year in February, the Downtown Annapolis Partnership makes it possible to get out and try the best restaurants the city has to offer, without breaking the bank. Behold – Annapolis Restaurant Week.
What Annapolis Restaurant Week offers that makes it stand out from other cities? The fixed price menus! Yes – all participating restaurants offer up 3-course dinners for the same price, $34.95. Plus – some restaurants take it to the next level – offering a 2-course lunch for $15.95 and even a 2-course breakfast for $12.95.
With over 40 restaurants participating this year – its hard to decide where to even start!
So we asked RNR Roadshow Captain Conor - our resident self-proclaimed Foodie - what his top picks for Annapolis Restaurant Week 2018 are:
Buddy’s Crabs and Ribs – a downtown staple – don’t miss the Blackened Chicken Tacos for lunch and for dinner – how can you beat the Seafood Trio (Crab Cake, Lobster Tail, and Grilled Shrimp) for $34.95!?
Caliente Grill – after showing off my figure skating skills over at the Quiet Waters Ice Rink – I like to refuel with some guac (you don’t have to pay extra when it’s Restaurant Week!) and the Bistec Encebollado. If I have my girlfriend and I am showing off couples figure skating style- and we need dinner – don’t mess around and get the Ceviche Mixto, Camarones Al Ajillo, and Flan for dessert.
Carpaccio Tuscan Grill – can we start by saying how amazing this place is because instead giving each table some plain bread and olive oil before the meal – they bring out pizza bread! Which is basically a basket of slices of cheese pizza. Take that Olive Garden! Anyways – Carpaccio is offering lunch and dinner specials – so if you go during the day – I would go with the Insalata Cesare and the Penne Vodka Carpaccio Style. Dinner time – switch it up and start with the Insalate Mediterranea and have the Vitello Marsala for your main course. They haven’t listed their desserts – so maybe you can ask to have more pizza bread?
Fado – Fado is offering lunch and dinner menus – but the star here is the salmon bites – these mini slices of heaven feature salmon, on boxty, with horseradish sauce. Full Disclosure - you could put just about anything on Fado’s boxty and I would eat it…
The Federal House – if I am downtown on Tuesday – this is where I am having lunch – cause the steak fajita tacos sound legit and you know the Federal House’s Cream of Crab Soup is A+. For dinner- I would go out on a limb and try something new – like the Shrimp Tostadas, Baseball Sirloin, and the Apple Strudel.
Galway Bay – all I can say is that if you have never had the Shepherd’s Pie from Galway Bay – run, don’t walk, over to Main Street and get one … it is the best I have ever had – and I have had a lot of Shepherd’s Pies.
Lighthouse Bistro – as you might have deciphered from my last choice – I am a fan of the savory pies. So a chicken pot pie at Lighthouse Bistro will be consumed by me at some point during Restaurant Week
Middleton’s – I love the steamed shrimp from Middleton’s! But they aren’t on the Restaurant Week menu – but you know what is – Oysters Rockefeller and the Middleton Special! Plus – they have $6 Stella draughts!
Miss Shirley’s – Miss Shirley is shaking it up- offering lunch and breakfast, but no dinner. And while I love me some Miss Shirley’s French Toast – I am going with the BBQ Mac and Cheese Skillet. I don’t think I need to explain this any further - it’s a skillet loaded with mac n cheese House-Made Pulled BBQ Pork with local Baltimore BBQ Co. Chesapeake Sauce. I might just order 2 … haven’t decided yet
O’Leary’s – Wil is always cooking up something fantastic – but the menu winner to me is the Shrimp and Grits. They are stick to your ribs low country goodness in a bowl. Gotta have it every time.
O’Brien’s Steak House – don’t get fooled by the Shepherd’s Pie – we already know where to get that – but do stick with Oysters Rockefeller and the Stuffed Salmon. Salmon stuffed with Crab Imperial – yes please!
Rams Head Tavern – have you ever been to an RNR Private Artist Showcase and seen the guy in the corner stuffing his face with Crabby Tots? Yeah, that’s me – no shame in my game – they are incredible and definitely worth getting for Restaurant Week!
Sam’s on the Waterfront – good thing the Kobe Burger isn’t on the restaurant week menu – because it will force me to try something else. The seafood is always on point here – so the Rockfish is going to be the go to here … and if you don’t know, now you know – the Crème Brulee Cheesecake is outrageously good.
So there it is ... Conor's top picks for Annapolis Restaurant Week 2018 - so get out there and eat all the foods!
