Straight Up on Dining Out | Carrol’s Creek

A Recipe for Excellence

By Christine Fillat

 

Jeff Jacob’s family has owned Carrol’s Creek in Annapolis since 1983. Located right on Spa Creek, with a stunning view of sailboats and downtown Annapolis, this place deserves to be on everyone’s go-to list for dining in Annapolis. Consider what a lovely evening we had.

We went on a recent Monday when one would imagine the restaurant scene to be somewhat quiet. Not so at Carrol’s Creek. The tables were filled with families and groups of friends enjoying a holiday meal, with more diners arriving as the night progressed.

We wanted to try Carrol’s Creek’s most popular dishes. The baked oysters are cheesy, with hints of bacon and horseradish. You can tell the oysters are prepared fresh: farmed on the Eastern Shore’s Harris Creek, these oysters still have brine in the shell. They are delicious. The restaurant participates in the oyster recovery partnership.

The award-winning cream of crab soup is rich, with generous morsels of crab meat. It’s rather thick; perhaps a splash more of the promised sherry would lighten and brighten it up a bit.

Empanadas filled with beef, mushrooms, and gouda are prepared with a deft hand, as evidenced by the light pastry, guacamole, and pepper sauce. Chef Ricardo Bello certainly knows his way around an empanada.

A pan-seared scallop dish, with its accompanying pea risotto and butternut squash hash, is elevated with an otherworldly chive truffle oil. If you are a truffle fan, this is the dish for you.

By far, the most exquisite dish we ordered was the rockfish fillet. An herbed crust seals in the tender juices of this local fish and renders it delightful. With risotto, spinach, lumps of jumbo crab meat, and a beurre blanc sauce, this treatment of rockfish is a home run.

Yes, the choices we made from the menu were on the rich side, but that isn’t to say that there aren’t lighter options to be had. One could try the Cioppino, the chicken breast, or one of the salads.

We were amused by the “Coffee and Donuts” Bread Pudding and had to give it a try—for research purposes, of course (a quote from John, our server)! The combination of glazed donut bread pudding with homemade coffee chocolate chip ice cream and a salty bourbon caramel sauce short-circuited all our taste buds for the night. All I can say is, it’s really, really fine. And perfect to share.

Throughout the evening, the Sonoma County Gundlach Bundschu Mountain Cuvée red wine blend was a particular delight. Recommended by John, it enhanced everything we ordered.

Carrol’s Creek is highly aware of dietary restrictions, and the menu reflects this. They are completely nut-free. The menu also notes all dishes that are gluten-free and includes one vegan item. They seem to go the extra mile to ensure that their food can be enjoyed by almost everyone.

A meal at Carrol’s Creek is dining for the joy of a gourmet experience. With its well-considered flavors, a talented chef, and fine service, this is a recipe for excellence.

 

 

Christine Fillat lives on the Magothy River and is an aficionado of  Chesapeake Bay cooking and living.

 

Carrol’s Creek

410 Severn Avenue, Annapolis, MD 21403  |  carrolscreek.com  |  410.263.8102

HOURS:

Mon-Thurs Lunch: 11 am-4 pm; Dinner: 5 pm-9 pm
Fri & Sat Lunch: 11 am-4 pm; Dinner: 5 pm-10 pm
Sunday Brunch: 10 am-12:30 pm; Lunch: 10 am-2 pm; Dinner: 3 pm-8:30 pm

 

 

 

 

 

Annapolis Home Magazine
Vol. 11, No. 1 2020