Mark’s Score 8.5
The Washington Hotel was built in 1744 and has been more or less in operation ever since. Unfortunately, like the town in which it is located, the inn has fallen on hard times. In the eight years that I have lived here, this hotel has opened and closed at least three times (by my count). Earlier this year the hotel (including the restaurant) was sold to Dana and David Zucker, owners of Sugar Water Manor on the Manokin River. After some refurbishment they recently have reopened the hotel and their new inhouse restaurant, Sugar Water. I have always been a sucker for rising from the ashes stories, so I have been looking forward to the reopening of this historically significant property.
I grew up in New England, a part of the country chock-a-block with colonial architecture and interior design. They say familiarity breeds contempt, and to be honest, I am not a fan of colonial design. All too often refurbishments of colonial establishments can become trite and all too cute. Having established my credentials as a hard sell when it comes to all things colonial, I think those of you who like colonial design will be well pleased with the refurbishment. You certainly get that colonial vibe, without it being cloying or too cute by half.
Last time I ate at Sweet Water I ordered the BLT. I never order BLTs, they are ordinary and I can easily cook one myself. So, making a BLT memorable is a Herculean task. I ordered the BLT because Sweet Water claims to be a farm-to-table restaurant and most of their ingredients are grown on their own or neighboring farms, including the bacon. If the only way you can make a BLT memorable is by using quality ingredients, then this would indeed be the occasion to order a BLT.
For me, eating out isn’t just about filling my belly, eating out is a social occasion. While waiting for the BLT, I struck up a conversation with the owner and the waiter. I manage the IDIS internship program at Salisbury University (SU) and the waiter happened to be a sophomore in my school. He was thinking about doing an internship and Sugar Water was looking for interns. Unfortunately, Sugar Water was looking for interns in hospitality (that topic is taught at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, not SU) so no joy there, but I might have just gained a new student for my fall job hunting and interviewing class. I love how often serendipity can play a significant role in your life. That statement is even true for obsessive planners, like me.
So, what of the BLT? It was superb. The combination of fresh vegetables, homemade bacon, aioli, and brioche bread made for a very memorable sandwich. But the real surprise was the French fries. Making excellent fries is harder than it seems. How often have you had soggy, tasteless and under-salted fries? When my meal arrived, I asked for salt, before even tasting. I took one bite of the crisp fry and immediately cancelled the salt. The fries were perfectly cooked and perfectly salted. To make extraordinary meals is fairly easy, to make the ordinary extraordinary takes real talent. The combination of historical significance, friendly staff and excellent food make this restaurant a must visit.
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