Saturday, February 4, 2012

Cellar Door, Frederick Maryland

Tony and I recently dined at the Cellar Door. It's a cozy and warm restaurant located in the basement of the building. It used to be the Brown Pelican, our all time favorite restaurant in Frederick, but it closed a few years ago.

There are two sitting areas plus the bar area with a few tables. Tony and I decided to sit in the bar area for our meal. Next time we'll sit in the restaurant area, as the bar chairs were uncomfortable.

We started with the fried mozzarella appetizer, which came with roasted peppers, tomatoes and a balsamic sauce. It was very good. The breading was very light, maybe panko?


Tony had the Eastern Shore - a medley of seafood (fish, scallops, mussels, shrimp) with rice in a tomato and wine broth and served with garlic toast.


I had the crab-stuffed shrimp that was served with asparagus, polenta and tomato butter. (no photo).

Everything was excellent, including the service! However, be warned, the portions are not huge but for us they were perfectly fine. No doggie bag from this place. It's definitely a place for a splurge dinner. Pricing is along the lines of the Tasting Room and Volt, also very good restaurants in Frederick.

10 March 2012: Tony and I have returned here a few more times. The food is excellent! Tony keeps ordering the Eastern Shore, which I had for the first time last night. The flavors are incredible - no wonder he keeps ordering it. We had two appetizers too - the ahi tuna and seared scallops. The tuna was prepared perfectly: lightly seared and raw on the inside. It was served with a nice asian slaw. The scallops (2) were large, plump, and tender. The were served on a bed of onion and bacon risotto, which was creamy and perfectly al dente.
Ahi Tuna
Seared Scallops

On a previous visit, I had the chicken Chesapeake that came with asparagus, lump crab, mashed potatoes and béarnaise sauce. It was a large portion so I had leftovers for lunch.
Chicken Chesapeake

Another good appetizer: the hot crab dip! It's served with toast and crackers. It's rich and creamy, so make sure you share with others.

Eastern Shore




Cellar Door
5 East Church & Market St Frederick, MD 21701
301.695.8460
http://thecellardoorrestaurant.com/

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