John reviews Tidewater Grille in Havre de Grace
Our Shallow Thought guru and guest poster John Lindner continues his series of tavern reviews. One of these days he's going to order rare duck breast on a bed of frisee, and I'm going to have a heart attack. Here's John. EL
Among the things the Tidewater Grille in Havre de Grace gets right is its view.
You can sit outside under an expansive umbrella, marvel at the trains clattering along a delicate bridge high above the Susquehanna, wonder what creature just thrashed the surface of the water, pretend to count ducks and geese in their shoreline promenade as you surreptitiously people watch; and you can gauge the state of civilization based on how many times the hostess fails to hold open the patio door for the patrons she is ushering to table.*
Or you can do all that from Tidewater’s air-conditioned, glassed-in porch.
After a long bike ride under the hot, hot sun I chose artificial cool. The added cover the porch affords people-watchers makes Tidewater’s porch a comfortable sanctuary. (Since no one outside is looking in, they’re not going to catch you staring.)
My experience of Tidewater’s menu is limited to wings, a cheeseburger and fries. (I know, I know. Look, I hereby vow to vary.) But if you agree with my theory that a poorly conceived burger is a sign of a tired kitchen, then my selection’s a fair test, at least for lunch.
As an exercise in futility, I negotiated with our splendid waitunit on the doneness of my burger. I asked for medium-rare to rare. She said I could have rare if I wanted it. I said I only ask for rare in hopes of getting closer to med-rare than med. She repeated, missing my point, that I could have rare if I wanted it. So I ordered rare. Did my burger come in rare?
Hahahahahahahahahahaha! Not even close. Aside from that, it was very good.
By the way, when in Havre de Grace, I normally hit MacGregor’s, just up the parking lot from Tidewater.**
Also most commendable. Had a great crabcake sammie there. I can’t tell you at what zip code the crab was caught (I’m not an Maryland native), but it seemed like it was probably a nice neighborhood.
Mac’s offers a deck for outdoor dining. Like Tidewater’s, it overlooks the water, but is set farther back. You’ll need binoculars to people-watch Tidewater’s patio.
* We’re doomed.
** For some reason, Tidewater long struck me as perhaps a bit too formal for bikerwear. I don’t know why I bother. I have yet to enter a restaurant and not have my sartorial self-esteem boosted a hundredfold by the presence of someone dressed like a shipwrecked Goth lawnmower repairman.
(Photo courtesy of the Tidewater Grille's Web site)
Categories: Shallow Thought Wednesdays
Comments
So funny you should say that, EL. Had the duck at My Thai last thurs. The duck was OK. But the service was so bad (you gave the place two stars in the review that hangs on their wall) I chalked it up to a fluke. Decided against STW-ing it.
How heart healthy is that?
Posted by: jl | July 8, 2009 10:11 PM
"shipwrecked Goth lawnmower repairman".
OMG that's amazing. My brain is churning that one over and over, trying to serve up an image that works, and is not Captain Jack Sparrow.
Posted by: Frequent LIttle Italy Restaurant Visitor | July 9, 2009 6:19 AM
I loved that phrase too..
http://www.gothsinhotweather.com/
Posted by: Owl Meat Gravy | July 9, 2009 6:34 AM
I have recently learned that The Harryman House bar has burger night on Tuesdays and will indeed serve your burger RARE if you request it as such. Hoping to give it a try this week and will report back!
Posted by: Joyce W. | July 9, 2009 6:47 AM
20-30 years ago, it was really hard to get a steak rare if you were female.
We've had progress. Now, no one can get their meat rare.
Posted by: Lissa | July 9, 2009 8:14 AM
Lousy ERA
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | July 9, 2009 9:05 AM
RoCK made me laugh.
It's been about 10 years since I ate at Tidewater. I remember being underwhelmed but the specifics have escaped me. Apparently, the schtick is working for them and they do not aspire to improvement.
I've been to MacGregor's several times in the past decade. It's OK. I have no idea why I was in Havre de Grace so many times, but I know I got there by boat, so perhaps I was the shipwrecked Goth lawnmower repairman.
I wouldn't make a special trip to HdeG for either of them.
Posted by: Eve | July 9, 2009 9:34 AM
Eve, RoCK made me laugh too. But, it also made me remember that up until the late 60s (if not later than that) The Oak Room in The Plaza Hotel in NYC only served men, and only served steaks (rare or otherwise) in that room. In the women's restauarant (can't remember what it was called) they had dainty specialites for the ladies such as blueberries and cream.
Posted by: Joyce W. | July 9, 2009 9:09 PM
Carl's Chop House in Detroit wouldn't serve women until sometime in the 70's, and then only when the courts ordered them to. After that, a lady couldn't get seated or served without a male escort. It was easier to get into a men's leather bar.
I have no idea if they are still in business, but I've never eaten there.
Posted by: Lissa | July 9, 2009 10:07 PM
I never had any trouble getting served at the Women's Industrial Exchange.
Posted by: Robert of Cross Keys | July 9, 2009 10:24 PM
I never had any trouble getting served at the Women's Industrial Exchange
Which, RoCK, helps prove the point. But you know that, of course.
Posted by: Hal Laurent | July 10, 2009 12:10 AM
I never had any trouble getting served at the Women's Industrial Exchange.
I'm sure you look stunning in a frock, RoCK.
Posted by: Lissa | July 10, 2009 6:46 AM
Joyce and Lissa, I have many of the No Women Allowed memories, including Rutgers University and UVA. It's good to bring them out from time to time, lest The Young Ones not remember for us. I just don't have the energy to get started right now.
I am determined to be amused by Republicans and just love them to death. Otherwise, I'll rip their freakin' heads off.
Posted by: Eve | July 10, 2009 9:40 AM
Eve, the clubs were horrible. Nearly none of them let us in (or blacks, or Jews, or...) Carl's Chop House, however, was not a club. It was a regular restaurant.
Posted by: Lissa | July 10, 2009 10:51 AM
Eve, you have a great philosophy, it will add years on to your life. And (of course) keep you out of jail! :)
Posted by: Joyce W. | July 10, 2009 10:51 AM
The suited salarymen at the basement WIE counter glared when I brought a woman lawyer friend there in the '80's. Several hurriedly finished. I had the impression most were from Commercial Credit. They're out of business. She's still in practice.
Posted by: chowsearch | July 10, 2009 3:05 PM
Decades ago Connecticut had a law that stated women had to be X number of feet from a bar. I could not believe it when I was shooed away from standing near the bar while we were simply waiting for a table at the restaurant.
Posted by: Dahlink | July 11, 2009 8:00 AM