Commodore John Barry Restaurant & Bar
The O’Callaghan Hotel Annapolis
174 West St., Annapolis
410-990-1420

The front of The O’Callaghan Hotel brochure reads "A Touch of Europe in Historic Annapolis," and it truly is.

When we arrived at the city’s newest hostelry on West Street, we were hoping for a dining experience to match that description. After being greeted by a friendly valet who parked our car, we were escorted by Steve Drummond, the manager on duty, to the handsome Commodore John Barry Restaurant & Bar. (Nautically-minded Annapolitans will recognize that the name is a salute to the Irish-born sailor known as the father of the United States Navy.)

The sophisticated surroundings in the dining room are rich: mahogany wainscoting, lush carpets, warm colors and sparkling chandeliers compliment the candle-lit room. The wine list is small, but contains a beautiful selection of California wines with a few unusual entries from Virginia and New Mexico…you don’t see that often.

We started our wonderful repast with the Creamy Corn & Crab Chowder. This soup is one of my favorites—however, this rendition was unique and particularly enjoyable. We also enjoyed the Oak Smoked Salmon, which was prepared in a traditional fashion.

Additional appetizers included Creamy Crab Dip, Warm Brie & Walnut medallions over Spinach with warm walnut bacon dressing, to name a few. The pricing, ranging from $7-9, was in line with the portions. The warm olive bread, homemade, dense and crusty, was served with sweet butter, perhaps a little sweeter than appropriate.

The entrees that followed were delicious. A beautifully encrusted rockfish was served atop fresh grilled vegetables, and the pot roast was simply outstanding, served over garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus and finished with parsnips laced in a smooth pan gravy. Other choices ranged from $14-28.

This particular evening, our two-year-old nephew joined us with particular culinary needs not on the menu. No problem. Our delightful waitress, Christine, had the chef prepare exceptional tempura chicken strips with French fries (amazingly, one of his favorite entrees).

Our lovely meal was crowned by exceptional desserts, presented immediately. We feasted on Baileys layer cake and the Tiramisu cake, both delicious.

Following our repast, we conversed with the Executive Chef, Kenny Reyes, who incidentally has won several awards for his cream of crab soup, and General Manager John Clesham, imported directly from Ireland. Mr. Clesham graciously expressed his employer’s desire to extend the finest in comfort and service to guests.

Take a moment after dinner to tour The O’Callaghan Hotel, which is beautiful and well appointed. Besides the spectacular restaurant and bar, there are state of the art accommodations for conferences. The Kilkenny and Galaway Suites are high-tech havens—a fine place for business conferences and meetings—and the banquet rooms the perfect locale for a special occasion.

All in all it was a fine evening. The staff could not have been more accommodating and friendly…. and that was before we told them it was our second anniversary!