Mark’s Score 8.4
The point of my blog is to explore Delmarva and to promote local community-based businesses. I am a huge fan of this area, but if I had one frustration it would be local businesses’ lackadaisical approach to opening hours. I wanted to visit Portside several months ago, but they were closed, so I went to Cucina Carmela instead. On this latest occasion, I had planned to go to Minty’s Place, but even though their website said they were open, they too were closed, so I went to Portside.
Portside is currently owned by Marcia Christopher, but it has been an anchor of Cambridge’s waterfront rival since 1997. Portside is located on the Cambridge Creek next to the historic drawbridge, offering a front row seat to Cambridge’s working harbor. Portside is as much about sense of place and community as it is about food. The restaurant presents itself as part of the working harbor and watermen’s culture. Each year it hosts the annual Portside Oyster Ball; which raises money for Dorchester County watermen. Their culinary style could best be described as traditional Eastern Shore seafood with an emphasis on locally sourced ingredients, serving traditional favorites such as rockfish, oysters, and crab.
I avoid daytime outdoor dining in the heat of summer. But fortunately, on this day, it was overcast and spitting rain. Though it was raining lightly, there is a roof over the upper deck patio, so I chose to sit outside. The hostess seated me at a table on the bridge side of the deck.
It has been a while since I last ate at Portside, I had forgotten how pretty the view is from the top deck. You get lovely views of the marina, downtown, and the historic draw bridge. They claim to be about location as much as the food. So, while I waited for my food, I walked over to the deck railing. Though the sky was grey, the combination of bridge, water, fishing boats, and buildings across the creek made for a pleasant tableau.
The food arrived in short order. Though I wasn’t wowed by the food, the crab soup was thick, creamy, with a generous portion of crab meat. The fish tacos were prepared simply, the rockfish was lightly breaded and delicately fried. And they were served on a simple bed of lettuce, with a light creamy sauce. I wanted a light meal and I got precisely what I wanted.
I appreciate their strong commitment to the community, that alone would bring me back. The food is ok, but for me, this is the type of place you go to with friends on a sultry summer’s evening for beers and pub food.
What else is there to do in Cambridge?
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