Photography by Scott Selman
Photography by Scott Selman
Billed as a California Coastal/Mediterranean restaurant, Smashing Grapes tempted us to visit, to explore what exactly this cuisine would be. We know Mediterranean food, but the label California Coastal elicits lots of questions. Our delightful server, Emma, explained the menu reflects the freshness of ingredients with a focus on vegetables (especially avocados), with seafood also being a major player. The cuisine is characterized by a reverence for fresh, simple preparation, and the use of sustainable ingredients whenever possible. The three-year-old wine-and-dine concept, that formerly housed a Green Turtle sports bar, is brought to us by Titan Hospitality—creators of Eastport’s Blackwall Hitch and Gambrills’ Blackwall Barn & Lodge. Smashing Grapes’ new fusion-style menu includes homemade pasta dishes, a small raw bar selection, charcuterie, flatbreads, and four versions of avocado toast.
The outside patio was inviting and busy with many diners on the evening of our visit. Of note, there are the tables with a built-in, table-top fire pit, which are first-come, first-serve only. However, we were also delighted by the interior when we stepped into Smashing Grapes. The entire front is floor-to-ceiling glass, which lit up the simple but hip decor with plenty of natural light. Chic ambiance is the style in the bar area with a few interesting low round tables and club chairs for those who like to talk and sip. There are also a few high-tops. Our early evening arrival meant plenty of choice in the airy main room for a table or cozy booth. We decided on a booth for easy conversation and were pleased with the toned-down music.
True to the Smashing Grapes name, there’s an emphasis on wine with an expansive bottle menu spotlighting more than 350 wines from California, Spain, Argentina, Germany, and beyond. Special wine events include a serious sommelier-led VIP Wine Tasting—a private tasting pairing California wines to four courses of chef-selected small plates. There’s also a lavish-sounding Sunday brunch to keep in mind.
For this evening’s wine selection to go with our starters, we went with server Emma’s suggestion—Rustic Reserve California Chardonnay from the wine-by-the-glass menu. The bright, gold, citrusy Chardonnay appears to be hard to get via retail, so keep that in mind if it sounds appealing when you visit Smashing Grapes—it does happen to be available at the Blackwall Barn store. There’s also an inventive craft cocktail list and close to a dozen draft beers.
Emma was very knowledgeable about the menu, as well as friendly and attentive throughout our meal. In fact, this is a place that is anxious to please—more than one manager stopped by to greet us and inquire about our satisfaction. It wasn’t obtrusive—it was novel in today’s challenging restaurant scene with labor shortages. Many points for recognizing the value of demonstrating sincere interest in diners’ experiences.
We were tempted to devour the entire little baguette of fresh warm bread with garlic herb butter we were served but opted to try some starters instead. I chose the Lamb Meatballs that turned out to be a very substantial portion of five meatballs heaped in a wide-rimmed bowl. An abundance of chickpeas surrounded the meatballs, which were doused with a mildly spicy harissa tomato sauce and plenty of feta crumbles. Fresh mint leaves brought more of the Med influence to this concoction.
My companion chose the crab bisque, which was delivered with novel flair: an assistant server brought a pretty, white bowl where a sweetly-sized “crabcake” sat and proceeded to pour a small pitcher of gorgeous thick coral bisque over it. Nice presentation! The bisque was delicious with a good, but not overpowering, kick of spice. Lo and behold, the crabcake was actually a clever blend of lump crab and potato...most unusual, but quite surprisingly, it worked well. Perhaps a wise way to keep this popular seafood soup more reasonably priced in today’s costly seafood market.
For my entree, the Atlantic Halibut looked interesting. The entree was designed vertically (meaning layered high) as a large thick block of pan-seared, pearly-white fish topped with a firm asparagus puree. Charred green beans and fingerling potatoes surrounded the flatfish. It was unusual to note that crispy potato straws were also part of the entree.
My friend chose a land-based option: Steak au Poivre, a generous seven-ounce portion of sliced wagyu skirt steak from Snake River Farms. The cut was nicely grilled, rather than the customary pan-sizzled. The meat was lightly dressed with herb butter and au Poivre sauce on the side. We might have preferred a bit more of the typical cognac in the sauce, but without it, we felt a little less guilty about devouring every one of the superb house-cut fries. Yes, fries are available everywhere these days, but these were truly a cut above. Fresh potato flavor, with a nice crisp, even with the meat set atop.
The source, Snake River Farms, is worth learning about. Breeding wagyu since the late 1980s, Snake River prides itself on controlling its entire supply chain, from the ranches where their cattle are raised to what they describe as their humane processing facility. Skirt steak—the cut for our au Poivre meal—is well-marbled, though sometimes a bit tougher than more pricey cuts. But it’s so tasty that it makes a good choice for many recipes.
An indulgent beef entree calls for a good red wine, especially where wine is a big focus. The oak-aged Arborist blend hails from Vina Robles in California’s Central Coast region where the company owns and farms six Certified Sustainable vineyards. Another reason to consider it: Vina Robles partners with One Tree Planted to plant trees. Proceeds from sales of the Arborist help the iconic Paso Robles oaks. The medium-bodied wine complemented the beef, with its black cherry, plum, and tobacco aroma and nice fruity, chocolate taste.
Dark Chocolate and Chili Bread Pudding with a mild hint of ancho chili appealed to our sweet tooth for its uniqueness. It was a lesson in enough richness to share. The warm fudge brioche was surrounded by a dark chocolate sauce, and a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream paired beautifully with the warm dessert. A dab of whipped cream and fresh strawberry finished the dish.
A final note about the eclectic menu: careful attention is given to special diets with four items noted as vegan and another four gluten-free offerings.
Rita Calvert has close to three decades in the food, media production, marketing, and public relations fields. She has created myriad programs, events, cooking sessions on national television for corporations, the stage for cookbooks, and founded the original Annapolis School of Cooking.
Smashing Grapes: 177 Jennifer Road, Annapolis | 410-266-7474 | smashinggrapes.com
