Forbidden Food

“There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.” -Mark Twain

Whenever I have guests visiting from out of town taking them out for outstanding seafood is a must. Living in Annapolis, Maryland means seafood. There is only one place that they absolutely cannot miss - O'leary's Seafood Restaurant. This restaurant has been rated Best Seafood in Annapolis for many years and for good reason.

The question I always get from guests though is - “is there a view?” To which I reply, “the view is the food.” That is also how the staff and the owner answer that question to prospective guests when they call. While O'leary's is close to the water, it isn’t on the water. I always tell my visitors that I’m happy to take them for a quick drink before dinner to the chain restaurant around the corner for a view but if they want the best seafood then we definitely need to dine at O'leary's.

I love this place. It feels like home. It's cozy, it's eccentric, and has personality. It's tucked away down third street just a stone's throw away from the water. It's in a house that is painted with cheerful teal (my favourite color) and has great character. Many times if one is lucky enough they will see a tiffany blue vw bus parked outside, belonging to the owner. It kind of implies that he's a super chill, cool guy, and he really is.

They do what they do extremely well. When you walk in the first thing you’ll notice is the incredible art on the walls. Divers mixed with Octopus seems to be the theme. The bar is quaint and inviting and there are a lot of really unique and interesting liquors on the hand built shelves. Around the corner to the left of the bar you will see a trippy art piece of Anthony Bourdain about which the staff will say, “God watches over us.” They even had a drink on the menu at one point that paid homage to Anthony called Toni’s Groni. You see, Anthony Bourain’s favorite drink was a Negroni and he was known for his saffron risotto. This particular negroni had saffron infused gin in it. It is the attention to the details that make this restaurant a gem.

The staff is inviting and each has their own personal style which I love. You will never find cookie cutter corporate scripted speeches here. They know people in the neighborhood by their first name as this is a legacy restaurant and many families have been dining there for multiple generations. People traveling on business also repeatedly visit and so are often remembered and fondly welcomed.

There are two dining rooms and an outside patio with an incredible mural painted on the wall by Charles Lawrence, a local well known Annapolis artist who also has a gallery just a few miles away. Along with the mural, lots of incredible pieces of art by Charles hang on the walls. One piece in particular has a special story behind it which is such a conversation piece for any guests I happen to bring to the restaurant. It hangs on the back wall and is called Eve. Her hair is flowing in the background and she's covering her naked body with her arms and of course an apple. Nothing is showing but one night when I was there a somewhat uptight guest complained that the piece was pornographic. This piece is anything but pornograhpic, but the owner handled the woman’s ridiculous insinuation with eloquence. He sets the tone for the service, and this alone could be a selling point of the restaurant. Art is art and we get to hang it as an expression of our tastes. O'leary's expression of art is unique and another reason why I find this restaurant inviting being the art major that I was. Pushing the limits and being edgy is a good thing. Observing this just made me appreciate dining there more because the art goes with the theme of “Forbidden Food” because of the delightfully sensually appealing experience I have each time I dine there.

Artistry is also found on the cocktail menu, and the mixologist’s skill is out of this world. These are crafted cocktails that you will not find at other restaurants with recipes all unique to O'leary's. They are crafted with love and with creativity. There's an incredible gimlet on the menu made with gin, creme de cassis, orchid water (which I find incredibly haute) blackberry filtered puree, simple syrup, lemon/lime juice and champagne. This is a luscious and inviting drink to start with. It is fun and playful and helps really set the vibe to enjoy what's coming next.

The last time I dined at this restaurant we opted for the “99 problems but this drink ain’t one”. It's a drink and an appetizer in one, and a real experience you don’t want to miss. Chilled

Jean-Charles Boisset Caviar Infused Vodka graces a martini glass in the middle of the plate, and then around it a beautiful set up of caviar, eggs, onion, capers, creme fraiche and toast crisps. This is an incredible dish to order if you are celebrating something or just want to feel classy. Either way it's not anything I’ve ever seen done at another restaurant.

The other thing that stands out about this restaurant is the fact that they have a really nice selection of half bottles of wine, which gives more options to pair multiple wines with various dishes. For example, the raw oysters are always nice and delicate and a perfect accompaniment is a half bottle of crisp Sancerre, Merlin-Cherrier, Loire France 2019.

The thai mussels are an asian-inspired dream come true. The broth has just the right amount of heat, with flavors of curry, lemon-grass, kaffir lime, thai chili, and coconut milk. It is topped with a grilled baguette, and lord knows you need it to soak up that broth at the end. Just note that if you run out of bread, it is so good, there is no shame in picking up the bowl and drinking it.

The thing I love about this restaurant is that it's a seafood restaurant but you’ll find many cultures influencing the dishes, from French, to Asian, to Italian, or Mediterraenan and of course Maryland; it can be a cultural worldly experience - to me that's exciting. In addition, while this is a seafood restaurant I think it's important to mention that one should not be under the impression that you can’t get an over the top outta of this world steak. What's funny is that on this same street there are two steakhouses. While O'leary's is known for its seafood, it doesn’t mean that they can’t play in the big pool with the steakhouses. In fact, I would rather order their tomahawk steak here and not get raped when the bill comes then order from one of the steak houses and have to order all the sides ala carte. This steak is just as good, if not better and the value wins hands down. It is a grass fed, 24 oz cut of meat that melts in your mouth and is nicknamed the flintstone because it is so big that you think you won’t be able to finish it, but you will clean your plate every time. It is served with a flavorful creamed spinach that makes your toes curl.

If a burger is more your style, they have a burger that is topped with foie gras, goat’s cheese, roasted tomato jam, caramelized onions, arugula, and sherry aioli, served with truffle fries. This goes well with a nice half bottle of Paul Hobbs Cabernet which your mind, body, and soul will greatly thank you for. Meat eaters will also be very pleased eating here.

This brings me to the fact that the wine list is not to be overlooked either. The owner hand selects the wines and likes to carry wines that you won’t see on every other menu of restaurants that you dine in. He likes to turn people onto something they may have never had before, something smaller production and at extremely affordable prices. You won’t get taken advantage of here when it comes to spending on wine and that shows integrity. He also knows a lot of the winemakers which is very special. He prefers to have that straight connection and not being sold something because it's trendy. If you ever get lucky enough to meet him while you’re dining and he picks out your wine he has a way of describing its notes. He paints the picture very well and it's like getting lost in the pages of a really good fairy tale.

Three of my other favorite main courses here include the lobster risotto, the crab cakes, and the whole fish. The lobster is ethereal. It's not just a lobster in a shell; this is more progressive. These lobsters come from Maine fresh everyday. One important thing to note about this restaurant is that they don’t have a freezer. They order things daily and as far as the fish goes the owner Wil is on a first name basis with a lot of the fishermen. The seared ahi is flown in from hawaii and being that I used to live there I can tell. It’s scrumptious.

They only serve the best of the best and it comes through in the taste of the food. Once in a while a guest may complain that they saw soft shells (they are available seasonally) down the street at other restaurants for less money. That's because O'leary's only serves fresh seafood of incredible quality, and when it comes to seafood, that really matters - quality over quantity. So back to this life-changing rich, buttery soft lobster. It's a pound and half steamed then pulled out of the shell then poached in butter - YUM. It is then served on a bed of toasted parmesan risotto with pancetta, mushrooms, bok choy, MD crab meat and more lobster folded in. This will make your eyes roll back in your head and make you just know that God does in fact exist.

The crab cakes are the best in town. Now, you will hear every other restaurant in Annapolis claim this, but this is the only restaurant who is actually telling the truth when they do. They have used the same recipe I think for about 12 years or so. There's a story that apparently anytime a new chef comes on board who wants to change the recipe the owner says he's open to tasting the chef’s version but that they haven’t changed the recipe in years because no one can beat this recipe. It's kind of a funny running challenge that's been going for years. O'leary's has been open for almost 40 years! They are on the third owner but the owner worked there for 12 years or so before he purchased it so keeping true to the legacy was important to him. The crab cakes are one of their staples and best selling dishes along with the lobster. They are jumbo, lump crab meat and the only thing holding them together is sheer willpower; there is no filler here. Pure, lump, decadent MD crab that melts in your mouth and pairs perfectly with a half bottle of Ramey Chardonnay from the Russian River Valley to accompany these babies. It is served with a sweetcorn relish and cilantro lime mustard and this sweetness of the relish is the perfect balance with the tanginess of the cilantro-lime mustard. This is a divine experience and definitely THE experience for people to have when coming from out of town.

Remember when I mentioned the view is the food? Well, this is what I mean here.

The whole fish is one of my favorite dishes and it is what I order most. The fish will vary depending on what the chef has brought in. Many times it is Branzino which is a mild white fish and it is grilled with the head and the tail on. What I love about this dish is it's so simple and clean. The char on the fish makes me feel like I’m camping and it was just caught that day. This is a mediterranean style dish with grilled lemon, roasted vegetables, typically a warm orzo salad with feta. Clean and cooked to perfection. I always tell anyone who orders it, do not leave the meat in the cheeks! That's the most tender part.

O'leary's makes every single thing in house except the bread which is also outstanding and from a bakery in Baltimore. Even the desserts are made in house as well. Typically you will find seasonal inspirations on this menu in all areas from the drinks, to the entrees and the desserts.

In the fall O'leary's did this amazing upside down pumpkin pie that was served in small mason jars. This was not like dense boring pumpkin pie. This was light and airy almost mousse-like, topped with homemade whipped cream and graham cracker crumbles. It was the perfect consistency and the jar made the presentation so fun.

They also have a fabulous after dinner drink menu with dessert cocktails and coffee drinks that are out of this world. The white elephant is one of my favorite dessert cocktails also unique to O'leary's and I’ve never seen anything like it. It's made with Vanilla Vodka, Bicerin White Chocolate Liqueur, Amarula liqueur and fresh whipped cream. Amarula is a fruit in South Africa and elephants will walk for miles to find amarula trees to eat the fruit; hence the clever name the white elephant. This is a tastefully delicious cocktail and a great way to end the meal.

O'leary's also has a great selection of scotch, bourbon and tequila. It's nice to be able to go somewhere and drink a Clase Azul after dinner too and finish ringing the bell on the top of that very exclusive bottle. That's the way you end a dinner at O’leary’s. All good things must come to an end but if there must be an end may it be one with a bang.

O'leary's is great for special occasions, dates, fun times to hit pause on life and be in the moment with great friends, great conversation, and sinfully ambrosial food. The staff is accommodating, and extremely professional yet they don’t take themselves too seriously. The restaurant does what they do incredibly well and it almost should be a crime to be that good. I hope to see them in Annapolis another 40 years strong. Every experience I have had there through the years has been memorable and my family and friends who have experienced it always leave having created very fond memories.