Gene Kearns wrote:

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 07:51:59 -0500 (EST), "Harry Krause"
wrote:


Gene Kearns wrote:


On Sun, 14 Mar 2004 06:20:51 -0500, Harry Krause
wrote:

Charlotte Hall is landlocked, but a few miles away is Benedict,
Maryland, a sleeply little village on the Pax River. Look for the east
side of the Route 231 bridge there. There's a wonderful little
waterfront restaurant there called Tony's. And there's a place to tie
up boats. If you are coming up on the weekend, you need reservations.
Wonderful view of the Pax River.

Well, got back with the toy in a pretty uneventful manner, although I
was nearly run over by three trailered boats at Buggs Island. I was
in the right lane, there were two boats in the left lane, and the
other boat decides to swoop from the right lane all the way over to
the left turn lane to do (I guess) a U-turn. The predictable result
was boats, trucks, and trailers flying every-which-way. I don't think
there was any major damage other than to some Hanes.

Only sad note to the trip was that Tony's (which was highly regarded
by the locals) was a victim of Hurricane Isabel and has not been
rebuilt. We settled for "Captain Billy's Crabhouse" which was not
only just a couple of miles off our return route, but turned out to be
a pretty decent restaurant overlooking the Potomac at the 301 bridge.
Got a quick look as some Amish and a fox hunt, too....

--


Sadly, you were misinformed about Tony's, as it reopened about a month
ago. My wife and I had dinner there a few weeks ago, and were delighted
by the crab cakes, the delicate veggies, and the fellow playing piano.

Wouldn't mind hearing more about Captain Billy's. The one time we went
there it was closed (too early in the season).



Aw, crap. I hate that. The machinery dealer we talked to in
Charlotte Hall told us that it had not been rebuilt. Thus, the
season being what it was, we elected to make the trek back home toward
the Southwest.

Though I haven't seen Tony's, it was described as a semi-gourmet
restaurant. Captain Billy's, in contrast, is an upscale crab house.
Season being what it was, they were out of live crab, but my wife got
crab cakes, which I thought were excellent. I ordered oysters, which
was a large order and was some of the best oysters I have had in
years.

There are two restaurants, side-by-side, that were owned by, the now
deceased, Captain Billy. I assume they are under the same management.
Both restaurants are on and over the Potomac River and afford a scenic
overlook of the river... at the US 301 Bridge. The wind, through this
area, can be quite stiff.... and was the day we dined. In fact, the
wind can be brisk enough to cause closure of the bridge.

With my one experience, though not as upscale as Tony's, I can
recommend Captain Billy's as a nice place to dine and just sit,
enjoying the river activity and sipping on a old one. They have
access from a road leading off of US 301 via land and a couple of
finger piers if you elect to take the Parker that far afield. Prices,
though high to my way of thinking, were commensurate with other
restaurants. Figure on about $20 per entree, plus drinks, tips, and
other amenities. It was painfully obvious that the closer one gets to
water, the higher the cost of living. True everywhere, I guess, but
mercifully, not of such magnitude locally (yet).

Anyway, here are a few pics to document some of what we saw...

http://myworkshop.idleplay.net/caver...harlotte_hall/



Thanks...my wife and I drove over to Billy's once...that was the time we
found it to be closed. We were attracted by the gaudy billboard on
highway 301. It looked like a good place to set awhile and watch the river.

Tony's is a really small restaurant in a tiny town along the Patuxent
River. There's no reason for a restaurant that good to be there; I doubt
many locals eat at Tony's. The town is charming, and has the color of a
19th century river town along the Missouri. The Pax River is pretty wide
there, too.