From Dock to Dinner Table

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Reviews

Water, water everywhere is the view you see walking into the main dining area of The Narrows restaurant. The owners, Bo and Brenda Hardesty, built the restaurant in 1983 on the site of an old oyster shucking house in Grasonville. (Bo’s granddaughter, Caroline, kindly shared with us during our visit a picture of the original building showing The Narrows erected on the same footprint.) The couple wisely let the surroundings dictate the build and finished their restaurant’s interior with a soft gray and blue palette and touches of natural wood. Carefully curated nautical features adorn the walls creating a warm and welcoming ambiance.

In the restaurant’s bio, the Hardesty family explains that they had two goals in mind when they opened the restaurant; to let diners view the busy life on the waterways (I love this subtle lesson in connecting the work of the waterman to the meal on your plate) and to showcase Eastern Shore food.

Let’s see how they did.

Two signature items the Hardestys wanted to feature on their menu were the jumbo lump crab cake (for which they are famous) and fried green tomatoes, a cherished family recipe from Bo’s mother. Traditionally, green tomatoes are gathered before the first frost, prepared with a buttermilk batter, fried, and served with a zesty sauce as accompaniment. Although more readily available in warmer months, they can still be sourced through a food purveyor.

My spouse and I were hungry but needed more time to peruse the menu, so we placed our appetizer order first and continued to browse. Our server, Taylor, offered knowledgeable suggestions about the menu and encouraged us to take our time. I started with the Fried Green Tomatoes, and my spouse ordered Clams Casino. Our server said that, for some reason, there had been a run on clams that day and the kitchen was currently out (although I was sorry we missed the clams it is good to know they are a crowd pleaser.)

The fried green tomatoes with dabs of lemon aioli arrived and were delicious. We each ate two and battled over the last one. With clams not available, my spouse chose the Oysters Rockefeller. Full disclosure, I am not the oyster eater in the family. I have the utmost respect for the man or woman who ate the first oyster; however, I do like to taste the oyster accompaniments be it a mignonette sauce or the more traditional spinach/hollandaise combo. Five plump oysters arrived garnished with a colorful spinach and tangy hollandaise topping. The spouse was pleased.

For our entrees we chose the Halibut and Petite Filet Mignon with a glass of Manu 23 Sauvignon Blanc from New Zealand to compliment the halibut. There are a variety of wine options for food pairings, and should you choose to go in another direction, signature cocktails and craft beer are offered. The halibut was a colorful presentation, a generous piece of white fish resting on orange, baked butternut squash in a saffron cream sauce with a little cap of micro greens. Crisp bright green beans finished the dish. The filet arrived in a rich mahogany colored au jus flanked by a haystack of crispy fried onions and whipped garlic potatoes. My steak was cooked perfectly.

There were so many things on the menu I would have liked to have tried. I watched a French Onion Soup go by with cheese dripping like molten lava down the side. You may not think French onion soup belongs in a seafood restaurant but just like the little black dress, a good French onion soup is always appropriate. I have a secret guilty pleasure of observing the food ordered by other patrons. The table nearest us had ordered the Crab Cakes. I watched golden puffy cakes land on their table and could not resist asking how it was, they replied “delicious.” We were quite full but could not ignore the siren call of Cheesecake accented with raspberry sauce. The serving was very generous and easily shared.

For a rather chilly Sunday evening, the restaurant was very busy with couples, families, and a large group in the private dining room. The staff seemed very comfortable in their roles, service was smooth and polished. I think part of their secret, as shared by granddaughter Caroline, is the longevity of staff, that has created a feeling of family. The blurb in the menu mentions that the torch has been passed to the Hardesty daughters Kelly and Kate who continue the legacy of their parents but with a forward vision. They have expanded dining options with a new banquet room, and outdoor and fireside dining. Chef Matthew Cohey joined the restaurant family in 2007 and has guided the food experience with consistent and innovative menus. As we finished our meal, we experienced a lagniappe, (a-little something extra as they say in New Orleans)—a beautiful sunset over the water.

Additional amenities include: Complementary dock and dine; Happy Hour, Sunday through Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m.; and Tuesday is locals’ night for Queen Anne’s County residents from 4 p.m. to close.

The Narrows | 3023 Kent Narrow Way S., Grasonville | 410-827-8113 | thenarrowsrestaurant.com

Sharon Harrington is a retired social worker by profession and 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.