Much of the Eastern Shore has a reputation for catering to the three R's: "Rich, Republican and Retired." That was probably reinforced when Rumsfeld and Cheney nearly simultaneously bought property near St. Michaels a couple of years ago and became fixtures on the local restaurant scene.

And the R part is certainly in effect on Route 50, which is lined with signs for the Republicans who are now engaged in a hotly contested primary race in the first Congressional district.

But the Shore is a lot more diverse that people give it credit for. And maybe that's why, at the coffee shop in Centerville, a group of people gather every month to talk about their love for Barack Obama.

The cafe's owner said she likes to stay non-political, but when one member of the group hand-painted stones with "Obama 2008" on them -- they're called "Ba-rocks," get it? -- she just HAD to display them on her counter. She likes Obama, too. And all over town are signs for Frank Kratovil, who is running against all those Republicans in the 1st District and hails from the county.

Whatever your politics, the town's coffee shop, Hayden's Alley, makes good lattes. Centerville also features a pretty town square with one of the state's oldest courthouses.

And in 2004, our dining critic, Elizabeth Large, gave only two restaurants her coveted four-star rating. One was a barbecue joint on Harford Road, and the other was Julia's, of Centerville. I have never eaten there -- unlike Elizabeth, I'm not paid to enjoy $25 entrees, and besides, whenever I pass through in the afternoon, they're closed. But here's what she said:

Almost everything here strikes the right note for the way affluent Americans like to eat out in the '00s. The servers are warm and friendly but not too chatty. If a waitress gets busy, other members of the staff pick up the slack. The small wine list is thoughtful and not too pricey. And the food is intriguing but not too offbeat, beautifully presented, and, most important, tastes great.     

The haute cuisine comes in the form of contemporary American with Asian accents. (David is of Korean descent.) He can do elaborate, but he's not above simplicity when it's called for. Case in point: the oyster stew, which may be the best I've ever had. The oysters were poached separately, so they were beautifully plump and sweetly juicy in their bath of perfectly seasoned cream and oyster liquor.

If you want more excitement (although why would you?), the crab summer rolls are fabulous, with their rice-paper wrappings bursting with shredded vegetables, rice noodles and lumps of crab meat with a sweet, set-your-hair-on-fire-spicy dipping sauce.

Centerville is on 213 about a half-hour from Annapolis and is an easy day trip from Baltimore or Washington.