Mark’s Score 8.4
I remember the first time I drove down Rte. 13. I was exploring the area south of Salisbury and I pulled off the main road and on to Bus Rte. 13 to the center of Pocomoke City. As you cross the charming bridge over the river immediately on the right is the Dockside Restaurant nestled snuggly by the river with floor to ceiling windows. As luck would have it, I had arrived in Pocomoke City at lunch time, so it seemed like the perfect place for lunch. The view from the dining room was stunning and I did get a seat by the windows. I was not impressed; the décor was boring and the lunch was ordinary.
Local residents Caitlin and Jamie Evans purchased Dockside in 2019 in a spirit of community pride and hope. Dockside has had a number of owners over the years and last closed its doors in 2018. Caitlin and Jamie felt that a working restaurant in downtown Pocomoke City was vital to the health of the community. They describe their cuisine as “all-American” with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients. They refurbished the restaurant and refocused attention on the riverside dock as a gathering place for the community. To that end, they created “Dock Jam” a concert series featuring live music on the dock during the summer season.
Subsequent to my first visit a decade ago I have eaten at this restaurant on a number of occasions and frankly I have never been impressed. But it had been some time since I ate at Dockside, and I most certainly haven’t eaten there since the new owners purchased it. A while back I was returning from a trip to Chincoteague and I was passing through Pocomoke City so I decided to give them another try.
They open at noon and I had arrived ten minutes early on a very hot and sticky day. Caitlin was washing the dock. She took pity on me and let me sit inside while I waited for the restaurant to open. I appreciated that small act of kindness
I ordered two items from the starter menu, the Cream of Crab soup and their Crispy Brussel Sprouts. The soup was merely adequate, I did not find it memorable. The sprouts on the other hand were a very pleasant surprise. They give you a huge basket of sprouts. As promised, they were crispy and lightly coated with a caramelized balsamic reduction. The crispy sweetly tart spouts were complimented with a generous sprinkling of feta cheese. It was a delightful combination; the mild flavor and texture of the cheese complimented the bold flavor of the sauce. I thoroughly enjoyed the dish and in spite of its size, nearly ate the whole thing.
So how do I feel about the latest iteration of Dockside? I don’t know if I would go out of my way to eat at Dockside, but if you happen to be in Pocomoke, you can have a perfectly satisfactory lunch while enjoying the river views.
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