Chesapeake Grille and Deli, Dunkirk, Calvert County, Maryland

A while back I wrote about the fun lunch we all enjoyed at the Chesapeake Grille and Deli in North Beach. I admitted then that I suffered a severe case of order envy when my son-on-law, Michael, chose the Crunchy Crab Burger, which I, forgetting that bacon by any other name smells as sweet, passed over because I didn’t like the name. Fool! After that, a longing for that Crunchy Crab Burger haunted me.

The weeks flew by. Well, some of them crawled, but then one day Nancy and I were heading down to Lusby after taking Ella and Lily to the Wizard of Oz playground at Watkins Regional Park up in Prince George’s County. It was well after noon and we needed to stop for some lunch. Where better than the Chesapeake Grille and Deli in Dunkirk just off Route 4? And what better to order than a Crunchy Crab Burger?

Here it is.

Friends, this is a grand sandwich. It’s a hefty cheeseburger topped with crab dip, a thick onion ring, some seasoned potato chips — Old Bay, of course — and lettuce and tomato. The first remarkable thing is the flavor of each element. You start with an admirable burger, cooked medium rare to order — no mean feat for a slender burger. The white American cheese melts beautifully, and sets a platform for the delicious, umami-rich crab dip. The onion ring adds … well, a good onion ring improves life generally. Here the fried onion adds flavor and some crunch to set the stage for the potato chips. What a mix of flavors and textures!

Even the lettuce is exceptional. It’s a fresh box-style mix, and there was plenty of it, enough lettuce actually to add flavor and texture to the sandwich. When was the last time you noticed the lettuce on a burger — in a positive way? The tomato was just a little too early for Real Tomato Season, despite the attractive color. It didn’t add much, but then they also serve who only stand and wait. (Did you know that’s from Milton?) In all, this was a well conceived, well executed burger. There was a lot going on in that sandwich, and the large bun managed to hold it all together. And the accompanying fries were tasty, especially with a stray drop or two of juice from the burger, or a little errant crab dip.

Nancy had a turkey sandwich, again with fresh ingredients, that she enjoyed and that Lily preferred to her own share of an order of macaroni and cheese, just as Ella preferred my fries to her share. Ordering food for young children is a triumph of hope over experience.

The Dunkirk Chesapeake Grille and Deli is set in a small shopping center just off Route 4, across from the Harris Teeter gas station. It doesn’t have the North Beach location’s grocery/drinks section. The space is pleasant, well-lit and kept remarkably clean and tidy. The folks there are friendly and helpful, and the kitchen gets the orders out in good time. The Chesapeake Grille is a good place to stop on your way through Calvert County. Enter 10092 Southern Maryland Boulevard into your GPS, and be sure to order a Crunchy Crab Burger.

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