Bistro St. Michaels | 403 S. Talbot Street, St. Michaels | 410-745-9111 | bistrostmichaels.com
Dinner Monday, Tuesday, Thursday 4:30–8 p.m. & Friday–Saturday 4:30–9 p.m. Brunch Saturday & Sunday 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
I love when the name of a restaurant gives you a hint about their culinary point of view. Restaurants with clever names like Orange Goat (yes, that’s the name of a real restaurant) get a nod for creativity but leave me clueless as to what my dining experience will be. Not so at Bistro St. Michaels, a simple but eloquent name that conjures thoughts of a cozy atmosphere, convivial hosts, and well-prepared food.
On the night friends and I dined, the prophesied winter mix had stayed across the Bay Bridge and the shore was left with cold, wind, and rain—a perfect night for a bistro meal. Housed in what was once a private home on Talbot Street, you enter immediately into the restaurant proper with an open floor plan, a small bar on the right, another bar toward the rear, a dining area on your left, and the kitchen. What could become a log jam of waiting diners is avoided by the staff’s immediate attention. Your name and party number are taken, and you are quickly seated. One of the first things I notice is the energy in the rooms. Wait staff bustling. A low hum of conversation. There are happy diners here. Both upstairs and downstairs dining rooms project a rosy-beige glow enhanced by Parisian-type wall sconces. French art posters complete the bistro theme.
Doug Stewart, the executive chef of the Bistro as well as part-owner with Laura Poole, is a graduate of The Chesapeake College Culinary Program. In his 18 years in the food service business, he has worked at Latitudes, The Old Inn, Mitchum’s, and The River House. At the Bistro, he presents a new American menu that pays homage to traditional culinary styles and local cuisine, while sourcing the best sustainable, organic offerings for his patrons. Gallic classics dot the menu—steak frites and French onion soup, for example—but the chef has not forgotten his shore heritage and, so, we have oyster stew, oyster pot pie, and, on the evening we visited, Crispy Rockfish. To walk us through the menu we were very lucky to have drawn Christian as our waiter. The young man was energetic and knowledgeable. He clearly knew the menu from ingredients to preparation but, more importantly, he was very proud of the product the restaurant was offering.
While pondering the selections, we nibbled on a good crusty French baguette, although not house-made, it was the perfect sop for the in-house rosemary, garlic-infused olive oil. We chose two appetizers to share, shrimp and grits and an onion confit tartlet with brie and poached pear. The presentation of both was perfect—I personally would have liked a little more caramelization of the onion in the confit.
One of my friends chose the short ribs with blue cheese chive Pommes puree, Brussel sprouts, shallots, and green peppercorn jus, accompanied by a glass of Sea Pearl New Zealand 2018. My pescatarian friend chose the Crispy Rockfish on a bed of spinach and potatoes, with lemon thyme jus. She paired her dish with a glass of Rose La Villa de Maison Vialade Rose France 2017. Both friends enjoyed their meals, one declaring “best short ribs ever.”
For my entree I deliberated, steak frites or lamb? Steak Frites was a straight-forward preparation while the Herb-Crusted Lamb with Dijon rub, beet jam, currant jus offered the kitchen more of an opportunity to show their chops. Our wonderful waiter helped with the decision. He described both the cut of the lamb and the process; marinate, rub, grill, oven. It was a good choice. The presentation was lovely (I love food towers but am always reminded of mother’s admonishment not to stack my food—now it is a trend). The beet jam and currant jus offered a hint of sweet and tart to each bite of lamb, and roasted rainbow carrots provided a crunchy counterpoint.
The cocktail and wine offerings had something for everyone with good price points and at least eight single-glass wine choices. There was some intriguing, fun cocktails I would like to try on another occasion.
With both our palates and stomachs satisfied, we still managed to save room for dessert. Dessert offerings veered toward the comfort side—mousse, creme brûlée, gelato, house sorbet, and on the night we were there, a cheesecake. We chose chocolate mousse, the sorbet trio of lemon, raspberry, mango, and a salted caramel gelato. All were served with a garnish of berries.
As we were winding down the meal, I asked our server if he thought the diners were local or tourists given the abysmal weather. He said he thought it was about 50/50 and went on to describe what the Bistro was doing to woo local patrons. They have instituted theme nights with a good price point. His excitement was palpable regarding the upcoming Brazilian night, which involved some partnering with Lyons Distillery for one of the food preparations (I don’t want to give that secret away). He also mentioned the owner and partners have a catering company, Royal Oak Catering Company. You may also leave your email address to receive notification of any special events the Bistro is hosting.
I think Bistro St. Michaels offers a charming and palate-satisfying night out. A little French (without the ubiquitous French waiter), a little local fare, and a little adventure into new tastes and preparations.
Sharon Harrington is a retired social worker by profession and, now, a passionate gourmand/chef in practice, having trained with reputable culinary personalities and institutions, notably: Chef Francois Dinot; L’Académie de Cuisine; the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park; and Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She currently resides on the Eastern Shore.
