Solomons, MD – Visitors to Solomons Island Saturday, March 28 had a chance to sample a variety of culinary treats. The hamlet located at the confluence of the Chesapeake Bay and Patuxent River held its 15th annual Taste of Solomons. Twenty area businesses participated in the five-hour event.
“It was an awesome turnout,” said Eric Faugnn of Kingfisher’s Seafood. “It’s an event that’s grown every year.”
With the purchase of tickets, each costing $4, customers could enjoy sampler-sized entrees at the various venues.
The McNelis Group office served as a central ticket office for the Taste. According to Julie Fuller of McNelis, some of the entrees that drew the biggest raves from the satisfied visitors included the Mediterranean turkey meatballs from Lotus Kitchen, the oysters Rockefeller at Solomons Pier, and the wine and chocolate at Carmen’s Gallery. Fuller said Monday, March 30 that ticket sales appear to be double what they were in 2014. “About 45 percent of the people I spoke with said they had never come to Taste of Solomons before,” Fuller said.
“It’s like an open house atmosphere,” said Faugnn. “It gets people to try a place they maybe wouldn’t have visited.”
Proceeds from the Taste of Solomons benefit the town’s annual Independence Day fireworks show, which is sponsored by the Solomons Business Association.
OPINION ALERT
Now, for a departure from the normal, here’s a first-hand account of food sampled at the 2015 Taste of Solomons.
The Italian chopped salad at Striped Rock reminded me of the chef’s salads my father and other adult relatives used to spend hours preparing. Virtually every kind of deli meat blended with the cheese and cold vegetables for a real retro dining experience.
The oysters Rockefeller at Charles Street Brasserie was a very pleasant surprise. Instead of cooked spinach on top of a cooked oyster in a half shell (which is usually mostly a shell, which you can’t eat) CSB prepared two deliciously fried oysters (no shell) topped with raw spinach, shredded cheese and a mystery dressing. Rockefeller may be spinning in his grave but this version of the dish was excellent.
Lighthouse Restaurant served, among other goodies, a “crab muffin,” which contained jumbo lump crab meat, cheese, jalapenos, all butter baked on an English muffin. It was a unique way to get a “crab fix.”
An eatery that hasn’t even reopened yet for the spring-summer season—The Grill Sgt.—should be saluted for their four-star sampler—pig, wings, minced pork slider and Guamanian chicken wing along with an order of “funnel fries.” If you aren’t wild about funnel cake and are baffled by the hordes of people who stand in line for hours at fairs and festivals waiting for funnel cake, the funnel fries are a good way to not bite off more than you can chew. They were delicious and at Taste of Solomons I didn’t have to stand in line a long time to try them. Maybe next year I will have to.
Contact Marty Madden at marty.madden@thebaynet.com
