Photography by Stephen Buchanan
I will tell you a secret. My husband and I will travel for good food. But lucky for us, Knoxie’s Table in Stevensville is only a short drive away.
Before our dinner, I knew very little about Knoxie’s, just that it was part of the Chesapeake Beach Club on Pier One Road, an enclave with spectacular water views that is known for first-class event venues.
I reserved an early dining time because I wanted an opportunity to see the premises in daylight. We arrived just as the day’s rain stopped and were rewarded with beautiful blue skies. Following the signage, we got a sense of how well the amenities complement the natural beauty of the setting.
The Inn, home to Knoxie’s Table, features a facade of wood and stone, and that theme continues into the restaurant, where the natural materials blend with various hues of blue. It is a comfortable vibe.
I think decor is a part of your total dining experience and should support the star of the show, which is, of course, the food. Sometimes, restaurants try too hard. (We once dined at a famous Paris restaurant done up in red lacquer. It may have been chic, but I felt like we were eating inside a nail polish bottle.)
So, Knoxie’s got the vibe right; let’s see how they do with the food.
The restaurant is not busy at this hour, but there is a pleasant hum of activity coming from the bar. We were seated, introduced to our waitress, Jada, and given menus. Let me insert here that Jada was excellent. I had many questions, and whenever she did not know the answer, she cheerfully trotted off to the kitchen and came back with answers. One of my questions was about the inspiration for the name. I liked the idea of incorporating “table” in the title as it suggests a sense of communal dining. Jada reports back the name Knoxie is the original owner’s wife’s maiden name.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
The restaurant has weekly specials to include a locals’ night, Whiskey Wednesdays, and half-priced bottles of wine on Thursdays. We were fortunate to be dining on Thursday and found the wine list well-balanced in both its offerings and price points. We decided on a Kuranui Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand. I was also pleased to notice that the beer selection included local breweries, Bull and Goat, and RaR.
As expected, the menu draws heavily on Eastern Shore food culture, offering an array of sea and land options that make it hard to choose. Lobster, shrimp, oysters, seabass, salmon, and for the non-seafood or gluten free diners’ venison, duck, steak, or pasta are offered. As I read the list of sides accompanying each dish, I noted how carefully they had been curated to showcase the entree.
We started with Oysters Rockefeller, Mediterranean Flat Bread, and Caesar Salad.
Jada informed us the oysters were from PEI (Prince Edward Island); James Bond may have been an oyster expert, but we are not; we just know a good oyster when we eat one, and these were very nice medium-sized oysters enhanced by a generous serving of spinach, cheese, and bacon slivers.
The Mediterranean flatbread could have been a light lunch; the crispy bread was loaded with tangy capers, olives, feta, and mascarpone. I could see having this dish al fresco with a nice bottle of rosé in one of The Inn’s outdoor dining spots.
A good Caesar salad is about the marriage of crunchy romaine, a snappy, clingy dressing, and croutons that are not a stale afterthought. This was a wow salad. The “croutons” (almost as big as airplane wings) were two slices of ciabatta bread cut on the bias and skillfully balanced atop the salad, visually appealing and tasty.
Photography by Stephen Buchanan
My spouse chose crabcakes with garlic mashed potatoes and vegetables for his entree. The menu describes the crab cakes as served with mustard sauce, a presentation we were unfamiliar with but are now firm fans. The mustard sauce elevates the crabcake to another level. It at least should be called sauce “a la moutard.”
I chose parmesan-crusted chicken. My serving was generous, a large portion of chicken riding on a bed of angel hair pasta sprinkled with crispy kale. The kale was an inspired touch!
Although we could have stopped at that point, the dessert menu was calling. Again, choosing was difficult, but we opted for a slice of New York-style cheesecake. I thought the cheesecake was more reminiscent of Basque style with the brown crust. But I won’t quibble; it was delicious.
The food and beverage manager, John Michael Fromert, stopped by our table to check in, and I was able to gather a little more information about the chef, Matt Robbins. Robbins has an impressive cooking background in well-liked Eastern Shore restaurants and is a CIA (Culinary Institute of America) alumnus.
I mentioned earlier that food is the star of the show, but the supporting players, decor, and staff round out the dining experience. I would say that Knoxie’s Table is a hit.
Knoxie’s Table | The Inn at Chesapeake Bay Beach Club, 180 Pier One Road, Stevensville | 443-249-5777 | baybeachclub.com/food-drink/knoxies-table
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.
