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Story by Christine Fillat | Photography courtesy of Jenna Walcott
The Bartlett Pear Inn in Easton has been getting a lot of buzz lately as the place to go for fine dining in Maryland. Owned and operated by Jordan and Alice Lloyd, the couple are Easton natives, come back to the homeland after forays into the culinary corners of the Atlantic coast.
Chef Jordan Lloyd’s basic philosophy of cuisine is something he calls “dirt to table.” “My goal,” says Lloyd, “is to have the products in the dirt in the morning and on the table at night.” Lloyd works with local farmers who supply the restaurant. This year, the Lloyds started their own organic farm where they grow much of the produce that is on the restaurant’s tables.
A companion and I made an early reservation on a Thursday evening in mid-August. Painted a restful plum, the walls are hung with striking monotypes by Zemma Mastin White, Alice’s aunt. There are starched white table cloths, sturdy classic furniture, and the floors are hardwood, the better for the wait staff and the ebullient Chef Lloyd to bustle about and give personal service to each diner. At 5:30 p.m., the restaurant was relatively quiet, but it became animated as the night progressed.
We started with two signature cocktails, the Glass Pear, with fresh pear juice, vodka, pear liqueur, and cassis, and the Phil Collins, with Broker’s Gin, lemon, tarragon, and a pretty, square cucumber ice cube. The beverages were refreshing and just the way you would want a cocktail to be: a little prelude to dinner, something to mellow the senses, and with the use of fresh herbs and juices, a hint of what is to follow.
For appetizers, the Octopus Garden Grilled Baby Octopus, “Chaud-Froid,” is served with a surprising curry-kaffir lime leaf ice cream and squid ink tuille. This dish must be eaten quickly, as soon as it reaches the table, for the full effect of the hot grilled octopus with the cold, savory ice cream. If you linger over this dish, the curry-kaffir lime leaf ice cream becomes a cream sauce. It’s still good, but the joy of the hot-cold contrast is lost.
The fork-tender Black Bottom Farms Braised Pork Belly, with an Asian cabbage slaw with vegetable pickles, was crunchy and fresh, another study in contrasts: the delicate with the crisp.
My choice of the Pan Seared Rhode Island Sea Scallops, with citrus marinated beets and grilled romaine lettuce, was that of the detective. It’s the test of a kitchen to produce scallops that are flavorful and fresh tasting. I also love beets and grilled romaine lettuce. The beets were petite and grown on a nearby farm. More dirt-to-table. The scallops didn’t disappoint: they were nicely seared and delicious. Surprising was the lotus root chips. Crunchy like a potato chip but decidedly exotic, a lovely garnish.
My companion chose the slow-roasted rabbit for his main dish. Served on a generous bed of haricot vert with pearl onions and radishes, with a classic blanquette sauce made with grainy mustard. The rabbit was fall-off-the bone tender, and the sauce was the sort that would inspire one to taste and taste again.
For dessert we had a cheesecake ice cream parfait with blueberry compote, and a white peach jubilee with anise hissop pound cake and Gran Marnier. The cheesecake ice cream was fine but ordinary. When I think of pound cake, I envision cake and crumb. Flambéed tableside by Chef Lloyd, the cake became crisp, like a cookie. It was good, but not what I was expecting.
In all, the food at The Bartlett Pear Inn is excellent. Chef Lloyd’s credo is righteous, and the experience is well worth the visit.
The Bartlett Pear Inn is also a bed and breakfast. The Lloyds host cooking lessons, jazz nights, and wine paired evenings. In the pursuit of taking dirt to table nationwide, the couple has just introduced a kickstart campaign to produce an online video food series, “Life of an Ingredient.” There are no boundaries for this Pear.
The Bartlett Pear Inn is located at
28 South Harrison Street
Easton, Maryland 21601
410.770.3300
www.bartlettpearinn.com
Hours of Operation
Restaurant: Wednesday-Sunday 5:30-10pm, Closed Monday and Tuesday
Inn: Always Open
info@bartlettpearinn.com
Reservations:
reservations@bartlettpearinn.com
Chef Jordan Lloyd worked with Michel Richard at Citronelle in Washington, DC, Thomas Keller at Per Se in New York, and Christian Delouvrier at La Goulue in the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami. He learned European-style service at Auberge du Soleil in Hilton Head, SC, and The Four Seasons in Washington, DC.
Christine Fillat lives on the Magothy River and is an aficionado of Chesapeake Bay cooking and living.
From Vol. 5, No. 5 2014
Annapolis Home Magazine