Cloudy With A Chance of Crabcakes

Saturday we finally got some rain...much needed rain!  It was cloudy most of the day, but by dinner time it was starting to clear up just a little.

Mr. Tide, Bugs, and I spent the day doing errands and just hanging out together.

And when our son headed over to a friend's house for the evening we decided we really should try and figure out what we were going to have for dinner.  After debating the merits of going to the grocery store, we both decided that we would head out to eat instead.

As the more particular eater in the family I usually pick the restaurant, but tonight I told Mr. Tide to decide.  So off he drove to St. George Island (most of us locals call it St. Georges, even though technically there is no "s" on George) to visit a restaurant we've never been to.  St. George Island was the site of the first battle of the Revolutionary War in Maryland back in July of 1776.  Today it is home to an eclectic mix of both homes and people.  It's a charming little part of Maryland which is very prone to the wrath of mother nature and due to it's low lying nature, it sometimes floods.  So it's always attracted brave families who can stand strong even when they have to start from scratch following hurricanes or tropical storms!

Such was the case for a landmark restaurant know as Evans Seafood.  I think it is actually called the Island Bar and Grill these days, but no one who is from around here will ever call it anything but Evans!  Although I had not been to "this" Evans restaurant, I had been to its predecessor many times before it was destroyed by a hurricane a few years ago.

Like the phoenix rising from the ashes, a new and more modern Evans restaurant now calls St. Georges home, and I have been wanting to visit it for a while now.  It has recently changed management and chefs, and I had heard great things about it, so we decided tonight was the perfect time to check it out.

If you've ever wondered how to find a good seafood restaurant almost anywhere in the US, all you have to do is drive down a road until you end up at the water and then look for a broken down looking building and a tattered sign with a picture of a crab or a fish on it.  That's how old seafood restaurants that haven't been destroyed by a hurricane look, but since Evans was destroyed, they decided to gussy up the place a little when they rebuilt it, and this water tower now serves as a way of letting you know "you're here"!

It's kind of hard to miss the crab house when there is a giant crab beckoning from above!

And I love this giant tape measure or whatever you want to call it on the side.  I assume it's used to measure the water level in the tank, and if it's filled by rain water then it's not too surprising that it's so low!

The restaurant is located across the street from the Potomac River and right on a creek, so the views are wonderful.  And of course you can paddle, sail, or motor on over for a drink or a bite to eat, so what's not to love?!

Even on a cloudy day it was worth taking a stroll down to the end of the pier!

Inside, lots of windows, a casual atmosphere, whitewashed walls, and little reminders to kick back and enjoy yourself can be found throughout.

We ran in to several friends that we haven't seem for awhile which was great fun!  And the crab cake meal I had was quite tasty!  Mr. Tide had the fish and chips and said his was yummy too!  But the best part of my entire meal, were the hush puppies!!!  I could have skipped the veggies and the crab cake and just eaten hush puppies!  And you know you are in southern Maryland when the server asks you if you want honey with your hush puppies....YES, is the correct response...yum!

After saying goodbye to our friends and heading back outside I snapped a few photos of the nautical decor outside the restaurant.  These old barnacle covered crab pot buoys remind visitors of the important role watermen and women have played in our area.

And an old boat propeller, tucked behind tall ornamental grasses, sports a nice fresh coat of white paint and adds a nice nautical touch!

For folks traveling from out of town, there is even a small hotel next door to the restaurant.  You can ask for a room with a creek view, or one that overlooks the river, either way you can't go wrong!

When we left the restaurant the sky had finally cleared and I was able to capture a beautiful sunset!

It was hard to get good pictures of the sinking sun with the low light, but we stood and watched it until the giant orange ball had completely slipped away to start the day in another part of the world.

All in all it was a wonderful day, a little rain, a little relaxing and a little crab...now that's living!  I hope you had a wonderful Saturday too!