The Pier, Solomons, Calvert County, Maryland

We all need a second chance at some point, some of us at several points. A few of us almost daily.

We all went to the Pier for lunch on our first visit to Cove Point two years ago, Liza and Michael and the girls, our co-grandparents Sue and David boyd, and, of course, Nancy and me. It was a glorious day, we had fallen in love with Cove Point, and we all went down to Solomons for lunch. And Solomons is such a nice place, a sailing and boating center situated just short of the point at which the broad Patuxent River enters the Chesapeake Bay — a lovely town with a long, broad boardwalk beside the river. And on that enchanted day it seemed the perfect place to eat would be The Pier, a restaurant projecting far into the Patuxent.

We sat outside — this was during the early days of covid — right by that corner of the deck, with a glorious view of the river, the boats, and the graceful arching bridge. The only thing imperfect about the day and the place and the moment was the food. Exceptional seafood is abundant in the area. Just search “Calvert” and “St. Mary’s” in the blog. The food at the Pier wan’t exactly bad, it just wasn’t worthy of the setting.

Nancy and I have explored many other places in the two years since then. When we finally went back to the Pier it was on another glorious day, 77 degrees, with sunshine and a fine breeze. It was busy with crowds of customers, all chattering happily. And it takes a crowd to fill the Pier. It’s big. The first section has two large rooms, one with tables and the other with a bar and high tops. Then there’s a another section with a bar and more hightop, and there are lots of tables outside. The Pier also has a rooftop area for special events, and possibly other times.

Nancy and I were seated at a table by the window with a view downriver to the Bay. We looked over the menu. Nancy ordered Shrimp Street Tacos ($17), and chose the Kale Crunch Salad as her side.

Nancy took one bite and said, “They have a new chef!” She had tried the shrimp tacos on our first visit, and these were worlds better. Fresh shrimp properly cooked, nicely dressed, and set in corn tortillas — they were great all around. The salad had lots of goodies–cranberries, corn kernels, cabbage, and carrots. It also had kale and an oversweet dressing. 

I zeroed in on the oysters to start — a dozen for $18! The oysters were good, cold, with a subtle brine, and fresh. The shucker hadn’t cut off the oyster foot, but that’s a minor issue. They came with separate containers of a respectable cocktail sauce and horseradish. I combined the two, stirred, and had the elevated cocktail sauce on saltines.

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Outstanding. And it left my sinuses remarkably clear.

I followed with a bowl of the Pier’s soup combination, Maryland Crab and Cream of Crab ($9). The combination brought to mind the excellent Chumbo at Rockefeller’s Raw Bar, where two very thick soups, chowder and gumbo, lie distinct in the same bowl, yielding a sort of yin and yang design. The Pier’s soups weren’t thick enough to form a design a la Chumbo. In fact, the combination looked like a mess.

The flavor, however, was delicious, with the spiciness of the Old Bay seasoning in the Maryland crab soup balanced by the silkiness of the cream of crab. The bowl contained an abundance of the vegetables that come with the Maryland crab, as well as a double dose of crabmeat. This combination really worked.

The service at the Pier was cheerful, friendly, and attentive. I dropped a fork and before I coulld say “Dang!” or words to that effect, the server was handing me a new setup. The closest I can come to a complaint is one applicable to almost all places. I wish that all restaurants would ask whether or not you want a straw. I never use straws myself, and Nancy and others avoid them because of their effect on marine life. And marine life in that particular water is so delicious.

The Pier, it appears, now has food that matches the setting, and we absolutely positively will return. Wherever you live, you should plan a trip to Southern Maryland. There’s a lot to do, see, and eat. Save a spot for a meal at The Pier.

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