Treaty of Paris Restaurant in the Maryland Inn

By Patricia Barry

Treaty of Paris
Annapolis, Maryland
Tel: 410-216-6340
Website is under restoration
Expensive
Appetizers: $9.00 to $16.00
Dinner: $28.00 to $38.00
Hours: Brunch: Sun. 11:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Lunch: Mon.-Sat. 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.5:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Dinner: Mon.–Thurs. 5:30 to 9:00 p.m.
Fri.-Sat.5:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Extensive Wine List
All major credit cards honored

A new trend for Annapolis restaurants is to take reservations by voice mail – with a promise to return the call. Sometimes this works, other times not. In the case of the Maryland Inn’s Treaty of Paris Restaurant, on the two occasions we called, we received one return call. On the occasion when we did not hear back, we took a chance and got lucky. No reservation, but there was room for us.

And it was worth the chance just for one of the appetizers on the lunch menu. My guest had the Crab Salad, that could only be called “super fresh” with the spices appropriately sprightly for the delicacy of the crab. Sitting on a bed of butter lettuce, the stellar seafood was accompanied by poached pears, tomato and cucumber carpaccio (thinly sliced) dressed with a grapefruit vinaigrette. Although it suited us, the dressing was a bit tart. If you prefer a milder dressing, do inquire about available options.

My selection sounded most mysterious – Maryland Vegetable Crab Cappuccino. How could one resist that title? Well, it was served in a lovely cup. And the Cappucino moniker came from the top foam of citrus, completely covering the warm red broth, large chunks of back fin crab meat and generous-sized pieces of tomato, corn, green beans and onion. Whereas some soups contain vegetables that have a universal consistency, enabling a diner to discern one from another, these vegetables were tantalizingly al dente, each delivering its own personality. The spices worked perfectly with the ingredients. This was an innovative take on Maryland crab soup and stood out on its own among all items on the menu.

This memorable soup was created by Executive Chef James Barrett who arrived in the Maryland Inn recently from a five-star restaurant in Scottsdale, AZ. He felt comfortable with seafood from the Chesapeake Bay, since this area was his home while growing up in the south county. Chef de Cuisine is Thorin Peugh, also imported from the Southwest. They are trimming the old Maryland Inn menu to offer lighter dishes than in former days. And as they were quick to say, their mission is “to have more fun with local seafood.”

When queried about the top picks among their diners, since their arrival just several months ago, the answers were interesting, but not surprising. Crab cakes was the first choice, and there was no fault with the abundance of large back fin lump meat and the apparent lack of binder, nor the generous size of the cakes. Also there was a request for the citrus beurre blanc on the side, rather than napping the kingly crab that did not need another crown. This dish was served with a spiced potato hash, excellent tasting, but unfortunately, it had absorbed the citrus beurre blanc as well, becoming too richly buttery.

The second choice was sea bass, mentioned by another diner, served on a base of baby potatoes, roasted garlic spinach, and a Tuaca (Italian brandy-based liquor) pan sauce. It was all touted to be just right in texture and taste.

My ally in food selected the Grilled Rack of Lamb paired with wild mushroom risotto and a port wine caramel glaze, a superb choice for the fragile lamb. Our only disappointment here was the fact that the server carved the meat off the bones of the rack, leaving only one bone as a symbol. Chef de Cuisine Peugh explained that the carving made eating easier for the diner. If you like to chew or dig away at your bones, ask the server to serve the rack whole. However, the proof is in the tasting, and it was excellent.

If we were blessed with either another diner or another stomach, we would have selected the Classic Bouillabaisse of lobster, mussels, rockfish, shrimp, clams, with leeks, garlic, and toasted French bread. That will be on the top of our list for the next visit.

Popovers and bread sticks are legendary and continue to be so.

The Maryland Inn is a venerable building in the National Historic Landmark District of Annapolis. Its flatiron design dates back to the 1770s and boasts of hosting founding fathers including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and John Jay. The Treaty of Paris Restaurant, nestled on the lower floor of the distinguished colonial building, is named in honor of the treaty signed in Paris in 1783 terminating the Revolutionary War. Legislators from the Maryland General Assembly still congregate in the Treaty of Paris Restaurant.

May we recommend the extraordinary architecture on both the exterior and interior of this structure. You will be charmed by the restaurant’s old brick, wide wall boards, beamed ceilings and iron chandeliers.

The accommodation rooms have recently been restored and the menu and website are undergoing the same degree of care. In the meantime, they have pulled off an exquisite soup in their Maryland Crab Cappuccino.

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