Mark’s Score 9.0
The Fool’s Lantern is a relatively new addition to the restaurants on Talbot Street, opening in April 2023. The name is a reference to St Michaels’ claim as “the town that fooled the British” by hanging lanterns in trees during the War of 1812.
The owners, Mike and Kristin Hannon, came up with the concept for the restaurant on a trip to Verona, Italy.
Fool’s Lantern is a combination tapas bar and taphouse. What makes their concept unique is their wine and beer self-serve feature. You get a card from the front desk and you then pour your own beer or wine in 2 oz., 4 oz., or 6oz. glasses from the “Drink Wall.” There are two sections of the Drink Wall, one dispensing beer, the other dispensing wine. The beer portion of the drink wall are merely standard taps offering locally crafted beer from both the large famous local brewers and some not so famous small local brewers. It is an opportunity to try beers you might not find anywhere else. The wine section of the wall is a series of four enomatic machines, dispensing varieties of wine of lesser-known vineyards from around the world.
The concept intrigued me and I have been meaning to try out this restaurant for a while. I finally got a chance on New Year’s Eve (daytime). I knew they served tapas, but I was unaware of the Drink Wall. To me, eating out is as much about the occasion as it is the food. So, any restaurant that offers a unique experience has already half-way won me over. Perhaps the self-serve tap isn’t that innovative, most bars have beer on tap. But at least they went out of their way to include some unusual hard to find local beers. If you are not sure that you would like an unfamiliar beer, you can start with a 2 oz. glass, and you are none-the worse the wear if you don’t like it. Same is true of the wine, there are tens of thousands of wines, how could you possibly know if you would like an unfamiliar wine? If you want to try a new wine, pour a 2 oz. glass and give it a try.
I did not order from the tapas menu. I ordered their “Mid-Shore” sandwich. Which is a turkey sandwich with guacamole, Swiss cheese, arugula, tomato, and sriracha mayo on ciabatta. It came with a small side arugula salad with house dressing. To accompany the sandwich, I poured myself a glass of Pieropan Soave Classico. Two things stood out about this meal, the sriracha mayo and the house dressing on the side salad made this ordinary meal memorable.
The waiter was very helpful and friendly. He was also obviously excited about their “Drink Wall.” His enthusiasm was infectious. I also like their modern twist on late Victorian interior design of the restaurant itself. On a street with a great many ordinary restaurants, this one is a nice addition and well worth a visit.
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