Posts tagged: Chick N’ Ruth’s

Monday October 1, 2012

With the sun in the sky and a desperate need to get away from the boat and all it’s little projects we called in on our friends Brian and Stephanie to see if they’d like to join us on a little tour through town today.  The large 9 hp had been put on the dinghy and we were going to ride up the Severn River to Spa Creek and dock in the heart of downtown.  No long walks for this girl today.  Coming up to that dinghy dock it was already pretty crowded but we managed to squeeze in and tie off.  Getting right down to window shopping we went into some of the prime real estate shops right on the water like The Pink Crab filled with flowery dresses and then next door to Sperry Top-Sider where I looked to see if there was any chance the shoes I wanted were on clearance.  They were not and I’m assuming that store does not have a clearance section.  Helly Hanson did though but it was all bulky winter coats that I couldn’t fit on the boat.  Matt shakes his head at the four jackets/coats I already have but they all get tons of use.

Leaving the classy and yacht inspired stores we moved on to the more touristy ones along Main St.  There were plenty with shot glasses, t-shirts, and mugs letting you know you were in Annapolis and signs decorating the walls saying things like ‘Do one brave thing today then run like hell’.  Back on the street we found a hopscotch court in between a few buildings and although Matt and I shrugged our shoulders as how to play, Stephanie and Brian were quick to throw stones on the numbers while hopping the length out and back.  When they finished our eyes wandered up and down the road of where to go next.  Then in front of us it stuck out like the sore thumb it is, the orange and green front nestled into the subdued whites, blacks, and reds around it.  “You guys hungry?” we asked?  “Yeah, we could eat something” they replied.  Cutting across the street we walked into Chick & Ruth’s and found the main floor full of other patrons.  We were led to the upper section and were the only ones up there among ten or so tables.  The menus were set in front of us and we were told they’d give us some time to look them over.  About fifteen minutes is necessary since this is a 12 page menu.  As we flipped through the pages we all kept coming back to the lump crab cakes and one other thing.  Happy hour started at 5 and they offered half off beers and wines.  It was just going on four o’clock and we almost debated leaving and coming back an hour later but with no real plans we figured we could eat and still stay long enough to enjoy the hops on special.  As the waitress came to take our order we went around the table and ordered the same thing, the lump crab cake meal.  We also let her know that we’d be there for quite awhile, unless she had the power to change happy hour to 4:00.  No luck on that front.

When the food came out all talking stopped as our faces were suddenly stuffed with some of the best crab cake I have ever tasted.  The food was so filling though that my plate stayed in front of me well into happy hour as I picked at it’s remains while enjoying Sam Adams and Fordham for about $1.75 a bottle.  I don’t know why it took us almost a week to get here but I hope there’s at least one more visit while we’re in town.  Before we could even exhaust the four drink limit we were all to full to let anything else cross our lips.  Paying our tabs we were back on the street where the temperature had dropped about ten degrees and a light rain was starting.  Even though it was early in the evening most of the shops had closed already and we wandered into the next open one we found.  It was a spice and herb store and while drying off we took in the names of all the exotic spices and lifted the lids to get a smell.  Some were a specific spice alone and others were rubs and marinades for grilling.  There were way too many tempting ones to choose from and while Matt and I eventually left empty handed our friends picked up a few ounces to kick up the top notch cooking they always seem to pull off.

Thinking we’d head back to the dinghy and call it a night as it was cold and dark and sprinkling we spotted a bar on the second floor of some shops with neon lights flashing through the windows and we felt it deserved a closer look.  Getting to the top of the stairs we found it was not the night club we imagined it to be but a restaurant/buffet instead.  It still deserved a beer though and we sat next to the windows that drew us in and watched the lack of action out on the street.  Even though we didn’t find the club we impulsively started searching for as soon as we thought we had come upon one (I miss a loud thumping techno beat!) I’d still label this day a success.  This is why we’re out cruising.

*Yes, Chick & Ruth’s did have wifi and I was finally able to get my work done.  So many reasons to love this place.