What brought you to Boatyard Bar and Grill, and what makes you stay there?
I’ve worked at Boatyard for seven years. I was recommended for the chef ’s position by a mutual friend, and got along famously with then-GM and owner Dick Franyo. I stay here because it’s a great place to work. We are one of the busiest independent restaurants in the area, so there really isn’t a slow time of year, so it’s always challenging with no room for boredom. We do a lot of charity work, which is rewarding. That being said, Dick is, without a doubt, one of the kindest, most patient, and most laid-back people I’ve ever met.
What do you think are Boatyard’s biggest strengths?
Easy question—number one, it’s the food, of course! I eat here every day—I know it’s good. Everything on our menu is prepared fresh daily. We use the finest, freshest ingredients possible. Number two, customer service! We’re constantly training and retraining our staff to make sure each and every customer has a great experience at the Boatyard.
What’s your favorite local ingredient?
Being from Maryland, I’d have to go with crab, rockfish, or Maryland tomatoes.
How often do you change the menu at Boatyard?
We are always making changes to the menu, and we make it our mission to make sure there is something for everyone. One of the ways we do that are the specials. Each day, there are four or five specials on the menu, along with four or five different oysters from all over North America. If a certain special goes over well, we’ll tweak it until it’s perfect. Eventually, the most well-received items will make it on the main menu. That way, our friends, neighbors, and customers all have a say in what we serve.
If you had to choose one restaurant in Annapolis or on the Eastern Shore – other than your own – to dine at, where would it be?
Wow, tough question. Being in the business for so long, I have many friends, colleagues, and former employees to who run great kitchens in this town. After spending so much time in my own restaurant, I find it difficult to go out to another and relax – I always find myself critiquing! I prefer low-key, out-of-the-way places, and one of those places, dare I say, is Wild Country Seafood Carry-Out in Eastport. Their fresh perch sandwich kills, and their steamed crabs are always perfect.
What’s the most popular dish on the menu at Boatyard? The crabcakes, hands down—best in town!
rrRockfish Love Point
Pairs well with Rutherford Ranch Chardonnay
r8 ounces fresh rockfish (Available from the Chesapeake Bay or your local fishmonger)
2-3 ounces fresh jumbo lump crabmeat (Maryland is best)!
3 heirloom cherry tomatoes
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
Asparagus spears, blanched
4 ounces rice (prepared the way you like it, there are no rules here. I like lemon rice)
2 tablespoons lemon-herb butter (recipe below)
Rub each filet with a touch of olive oil, sea salt, and pepper, and place on a mediumhot grill (making sure you switch angles so you get those sexy grill marks on your fish) for about three to four minutes per side.
rDon’t overcook your fish—remember, you can always cook it more, but once it’s overcooked, there’s no taking it back.
rMelt your lemon butter in a sauce pan and gently toss the crab and tomatoes until warm. Just before the fish is done, throw blanched asparagus on the grill to heat it up. When the fish is done (when it’s moist and flakey), serve it over cooked rice. Arrange the crab, tomatoes, and butter over the fish and finish with the asparagus.
rLemon-Herb Butter
r1 cup butter, softened
1 tablespoons lemon rind, grated
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon fresh chives, chopped
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Combine all the ingredients and keep chilled until use. You can make a bigger batch and freeze it for future fish, chicken, or steak dishes. Use it straight from the freezer.
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Photos by Tony Lewis, Jr.
