Tuesdays with TT: Choptank

In my eyes, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is always a night to go out to since there is so much home-cooking done that day and before the feasting starts the next day. Seafood usually seems to be the best option since I don’t want to eat too heavy. I have gone for sushi in the past, but this year I felt it was a great opportunity to use one of the Blackboard Eats coupons that have piled up in my Gmail. One of the coupons that was expiring soon and also a seafood place was Choptank. This Maryland-style seafood restaurant opened at the beginning of 2010 to mostly positive reviews.

The BBE deal seemed quite appealing although it wasn’t the standard 30% off. According to the email it was choice of one nibble, one entrée and one dessert (from each section on regular menu), and one 12 oz. craft beer or glass of wine per course (pairings selected by Choptank) for $38 per person. After perusing Choptank’s website, I learned a nibble is basically a small appetizer.

After arriving, CT & I learned two things: the city is a ghost town during Thanksgiving(at least the non-touristy areas) and of the people that do stay in the city, they don’t go out for dinner. The restaurant was pretty dead resulting in a lot of bored waiters and bus staff.

We also learned that the BBE deal only allows us to select from 3 or 4 options of each course. This was disappointing since CT & I already did our research on what we wanted to get beforehand, which didn’t necessarily coincide with the options given to us.

While we decided on our order, we were given a complimentary basket of house-made potato chips. They were dusted with Old Bay, a Maryland staple. Super crunchy and delicious chips!

CT says: These were an excellent surprise and possibly my favorite dish of the night!

CT “nibbled” on the Rock Shrimp Taco on a Corn Tortilla with Shaved Cabbage, Crema Fresca, and Avocado. Unfortunately, the shrimp was overwhelmed by the other flavors. Although a bit messy to eat(i.e. liquidy), it was still tasty and a good way to whet the appetite.

CT says: I liked each flavor individually, which I only noticed after the taco fell apart and I picked at it. However, as TT mentioned, in taco form, the shrimp was completely lost in its heavy breading and various toppings.

My nibble was the Fried Oysters, Homemade Dill-Ranch Dressing. These were ok, although a bit greasy. I didn’t get much oyster flavor. The fried oysters we got a Kin Shop were so much better in every way.

CT and I both went with the beer option for our nibbles, while I believe was the Captain Lawrence Pilsner.

After some confusion with the waiter about the Market Fish a la Plancha, which is either Fish of the Day or Prawns or Scallops, CT ordered the prawns with Nuoc Cham sauce and a side of Charred Corn with Cotija Cheese, Piquillos, and Jalapeño. The prawns were cooked perfectly and nicely sweet. The corn was a nice surprise with a ton of char flavor and easy on the teeth since it was sans cob.

CT says: When you say “Market Fish,” that does not mean “Fish of the Day” – that was the lesson I learned, and after some confusion I said prawns (thinking it was a side?) and that’s what I got. I was frustrated when my dish arrived, but the prawns were really tasty and I had a lot of well grilled corn to accompany it. Overall, a nice dish with great flavors, but not super filling either.

I decided to go with the Jumbo Lump Crab Cake, Lime-Chili Aioli, Roasted Butternut Squash and Herb Salad. I am sort of a crabcake fiend. I can’t get enough of them. This one was full of lump crab meat with very little filler, but for some indescribable meaning it was just meh. Not terrible, but not great at the same time. The squash salad was delicious. I couldn’t think of a more appropriate side dish for this time of year.

CT and I both went with the red wine option for the mains. I don’t remember what the waiter said it was. It was a simple red, no complaints.

CT chose the chocolate bread pudding topped with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

CT says: After the light entree course, I thought I would actually walk away from a dinner without being stuffed…I was wrong! This dessert was SO GOOD! I never liked bread pudding until I a few years ago, when I found another chocolate bread pudding I liked at a restaurant which has since closed. I’m always skeptical, but something made me order this one and I’m so glad I did. Toasted and slightly firm on the outside; warm, gooey, chocolateyness on the inside and vanilla ice-cream on top – Delightful! I inhaled this so fast, I’m not sure I even offered TT a bite…oops.

I went with one of their brand new desserts, Peanut Butter Cup ten-layer cake. The waitress (I believe our third of the night) mentioned that they bring their cakes in from some famous bakery that I never heard of. It also came with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which was a bit odd. It was like I got two desserts! 😉 The cake was moist and delicious even for a savory person like myself.

We both had the super sweet dessert wine to end the meal.

All in all, it was a good meal for Thanksgiving Eve. Although we were a bit disappointed by the lack of options, for $38 for 3 courses and 3 drinks, it was hard to complain. The food was good and the menu has a lot more items that I wanted to try, but I am not sure that I am in a huge rush to return. The restaurant automatically added a 17% gratuity, which was a strange number, so I made sure to add a couple more bucks for the staff to get to 20%.

Since the deal was a great value and great minds think alike, Yvo also went to Choptank later on during the holiday weekend. Check out her review this afternoon.