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O'Leary's Seafood Restaurant
310 3rd St., Annapolis; 410-263-0884
by Gilles and Kathy Syglowski

Ireland, land of barren cliffs, grassy knolls and ancient Celtic art, may be one of our favorite destinations for seascapes and lore, but most of us aren't racing to the Emerald Isle to experience culinary mastery. However, here in Eastport, there's a highly-regarded restaurant named O'Leary's where Chef Charlie Bauer presides. Begun as a small, casual, neighborhood seafood house some twenty years ago, it has grown into an upscale fine-dining experience with a wine list as lengthy as War and Peace.

After stripping off our Halloween outfits, donning comfortable khakis and packing our devoted friends in the car, we headed to Eastport on a warm autumn evening. Surprisingly, we were not the only ones assuming a second personality this holiday.

When we arrived at O'Leary's, we were greeted graciously and escorted to our table. Dressed as a doctor (a pharmacist to be exact), our waiter Dzu Do, sporting a stethoscope, white coat and a PDR in his pocket, recited the evening's specials.

I admit that we had some preconceived notions as to what we would be ordering-I'd been thinking about the crab cakes from our last visit all day. We started with the corn bisque topped with lump crabmeat, full of flavor and creamy.

Ordering in "sets" of two, the chefs in our party ordered the crispy grouper with fresh gulf shrimp, served atop black beans and rice, tomato cilantro salsa, chipolte dressing and barbeque. The foodies ordered, yes, the jumbo lump crab cakes served with sautéed red bliss potatoes and roasted white corn tossed with hot bacon dressing, served with a hydroponics mache salad with red grape tomatoes, lemon supremes and olive oil. Though a little pricey, it was far from disappointing.

Each entrée sparkled with a distinctive sauce, almost on the fusion side. Chef Bauer is all about breaking down cultural barriers, taking the best elements of various ethnic/regional cuisines to create new dishes. Our meal was truly a culinary adventure, and we thoroughly enjoyed tasting the mouth-watering results of the best that the world of food has to offer.

Fresh strawberry and blackberry shortcake, made with a huge biscuit and fresh whipped cream, and the key lime tuile, made in house, both delicious and refreshing, were our dessert selections for the evening.

Having made a home and a name for himself as the chef/proprietor of O'Leary's, Chef Bauer and partner Paul Meyer have taken on a new venture. Remember the original O'Leary's with the chalkboards on the walls, displaying the fresh catch of the day? It was invitingly casual-a place where you could just pop in for a bite. Well…it's back. Look for the opening of their newest venture, Rockfish, across the street.

The new and trendy Rockfish promises to be the hottest meal ticket in town. Due to open any time now, it may mimic the original O'Leary's, but will be well worth checking out.