Boaters and landlubbers alike will enjoy dropping anchor at Pusser’s Caribbean Grille in Annapolis.
On Annapolis Harbor in the Marriott Waterfront Hotel, the atmosphere is friendly and casual. This weekend, Pusser’s offers a nearly front-row seat for the United States Powerboat Show.
Bowing to the atmosphere of the Caribbean and its waterfront location, the restaurant offers several signature cocktails using Pusser’s rum. The most famous is the Painkiller, which is rum, cream of coconut and orange and pineapple juices.
Coconut, rum and tropical fruit flavors are found in many of the menu offerings, as well. Coconut-rum shrimp ($8.50) are beer-battered, then rolled in rum-flavored coconut and fried. Though they looked a little overdone, the taste was nearly perfect. The large shrimp were moist and flavorful, and the batter, while beyond golden brown, was light and crispy, with a nice hint of coconut. Gingered yellow-tomato chutney made a sweet yet tart dipping sauce that was a perfect contrast.
Other island-inspired starters are jerk chicken and pineapple quesadilla served with mango-corn relish and Cuban black-bean soup. Oysters on the half shell ($7.95 for six) were from Louisiana.
Fruit and spice also are evident in the salads. Pusser’s tropical side salad ($7.50) is greens, grilled pineapple and toasted cashews in a ginger dressing. The mix of flavors is excellent, and the crunch of the cashews is a nice addition to the salad. Our serving would have been better if there had been a little more pineapple and a little less dressing, however. Jamaican Cobb salad bursts with the addition of chilled jerk chicken.
One of the specials, Key West cod ($20.95), was the standout of the evening. A large portion of cod was perfectly cooked, light and flaky. While the seasoning covering the top looked as if the dish might be one of those blazing Jamaican varieties, it was much more subtle, providing something of an afterglow to the fish. It was served with an outstanding squash puree - a bold squash flavor and a nice, thick texture. We guessed the extra bit of sharpness came from the addition of some type of cheese; unfortunately, our waiter had just returned from vacation and could not identify the secret ingredient.
Rockfish Annapolitan ($26.50) is pan-seared rockfish topped with sauteed jumbo lump crabmeat and bearnaise sauce. A generous portion of jumbo lump came with the dish, but unfortunately, some of it was quite cool. The rockfish seemed a little fishy, but it was well-prepared. The sauce brought a perfect finish to the mild seafood.
Other island favorites include Caribbean blackened mahi-mahi, jerk-rubbed tuna steak, a barbecued salmon tower, Jamaican grilled pork ribs, West Indian pork steak, Cruz Bay papaya-glazed chicken, rum-glazed top sirloin steak and Rasta pasta. The Pusser’s Haitian Creole seafood gumbo has earned top awards for the past 11 years at the Annapolis Gumbo Cook-off.
If you are in the mood for more traditional cuisine, Pusser’s offers standards such as filet mignon, New York strip steak and Maryland crab cakes.
A special three-course meal featuring seafood-stuffed lobster ($24.95) is available during October. The entree is a 1-pound whole Maine lobster with a split tail stuffed with a seafood medley of bay scallops, shrimp and crabmeat in a brandied cream sauce. The seafood was all perfectly cooked, but the sauce seemed a bit heavy for the delicate seafood. Maybe the sauce can be ordered on the side. Steamed red potatoes and vegetable medley round out the plate.
The meal special starts with the tropical salad and ends with another Pusser’s signature dish, honey-rum bananas over coconut ice cream. This simple dessert was out of this world. The bananas were sweet and bursting with flavor. The honey-rum-caramel sauce was sweet but not overpowering, an exotic twist to the subtle coconut ice cream.
Other dessert choices include mango sorbet and gingered coconut creme brulee, as well as apple dumpling a la mode, Key lime pie and chocolate lovers temptation cake.
Lunch sandwiches are served with a West Indian slaw and include: Jamaican pork steak, Cuban ham, herb-rubbed mahi-mahi and barbecued chicken sandwiches. Fresh fish tacos, Cuban roasted salmon in sofrito sauce and crab quesadilla are available at lunch.
The boat show is open from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday and until 6 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $17, $4 for ages 7 to 12.
RESTAURANT: Pusser’s Caribbean Grille, 80 Compromise St., Annapolis, 410/626-0004, or visit www.pusserusa.com
HOURS: Open at 11 a.m. daily for lunch; dinner 5 to 10 p.m. weekdays and to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
PRICES: Dinner, soups/salads $4.25 to $13.95; appetizers $6.95 to $14.95; entrees $15.95 to $27.95
ACCESS: Wheelchair accessible
PARKING: Street or city garage
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