The future is now - and bright - at the Marina Deck

A masterful menu at the Marina Deck

By Christopher Tagle
Oceana Magazine

Dave and I went to the Marina Deck restaurant last week to drop in on owner Dennis Kalchthaler. I always look forward to my visits here, whether it's to enjoy a beverage at the bar, have a sumptuous dinner or try something from his breakfast menu before heading to the office.

It just doesn't matter. Dennis's signature style, along with his vast knowledge and experience - and that of kitchen manager Chuck Blake - make for a safe bet no matter what you choose, steak to seafood, 9-pound lobsters and dungeness crabs, breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Lobsters are the overriding theme at the Marina Deck, located right on the bay at Dorchester Street. A 9-pounder occupies the tank found near the hostess stand, as do several 3- and 4-pounders. If you didn't know better, you'd think they'd just been plucked out of the bay.

The sun was setting as our server, Jamie, approached us, all smiles. She described the day's specials: a mini surf and turf (with a 4-ounce lobster tail and 5-ounce filet), 8- to 10-ounce cuts of tuna steak (fresh off the boat), and mixed steamed vegetables.

As Jamie went to fetch our drinks, the "bread girl" arrived with a basket filled with fresh, warm breads and rolls, a concept held over from the days when Frank Hanna owned this restaurant. The moist coconut and blueberry muffins are a great start to an excellent meal.
Dave had never tried the Marina Deck's cream of crab soup, which is my personal favorite in town. The chunks of crabmeat are nicely spiced in a zippy cream-based sauce but are not overpowered by the seasonings.
Along with the cream of crab, we sampled the soft pretzel topped with crab dip, a seafood/potato-skin concoction (created by cook Joe Sergo) and steamed shrimp.

"These shrimp are great," declared Dave, a shrimp steamer himself at an array of local establishments. "They're seasoned and steamed just right." Between bites, he mumbled something about how the chef didn't break the "3-minute steamer rule."

I was busy sampling Sergo's skins, a ranch-flavored potato bonanza packed with crabmeat, shrimp and scallops, smothered in cheddar and monterey jack. This was when I figured out exactly what Dennis' "signature style" is all about: His seasonings are thoughtfully selected to bring out the natural flavor in everything he serves.
Like the tuna and black Angus New York strip steak that came next. Instead of blackening the cajun tuna, the chefs here broil it, giving it a dynamic kick of tuna flavor with the tantalizing tang of cajun seasoning.

Replying to my subtle seasoning comment, Dennis said, "It's meant to do that."

Simply masterful.

And guess what? That wasn't even the best part of my medley. A crab cake sat on my plate - an enormous mound of jumbo lump crabmeat seasoned with Dennis' own "special sauce." Now, I have sampled crab cakes all over Maryland, from the pretenders to the elite, but the Marina Deck's version is outstanding.

I've often said, "Just give me a pound of crabmeat and a fork, and I'll be in heaven." This is darned close to that. I found myself trying to count the lumps in the cake, that's how big they were. And as it turns out, that "special sauce" holding it together had the signature subtle quality that brought out the best in the crabmeat.

Dave was kind enough to let me sample his lobster tail (as long as he could sample my crab cake), and what a treat. Buttery and soft, it almost gave me goose bumps.
"Don't forget to mention the view," Dave reminded me.
"Forget the view," I said, ignoring the setting sun reflecting off the water. "That plays second fiddle to the food."

I was amazed at the sheer size of the menu. The Marina Deck is a full-service restaurant, and Dennis hasn't forgotten anything. The dungeness crabs of which he is so proud, he explains, are a prehistoric crustacean from the Pacific. "See the markings on their backs?" he asked, tracing the caveman-like drawings on the crab's shell. "The meat is sweeter than the Maryland blue crab."
As a certified Angus beef dealer, the Marina Deck is equally proud of its steaks. The prime rib is almost as buttery as the lobster tail, and so very tender. Dave proved that point when he used just his fork to cut it!
Restaurant staples like sandwiches and burgers are available for lunch, while omelettes of all kinds are offered for breakfast. Dinner choices include pasta, steak and seafood. I wondered aloud if I could even order a peanut butter sandwich.

"You sure can," Dennis told me.

I figured as much.

Jamie, as it turned out, was a joy of a server, constantly attending to our needs. She ran silently and stealthily, never bothering us, but always at beck and call to remove empty plates and freshen drinks.
As a "regular" patron of sorts, I can say the same about the entire staff. Dennis hand-picks his employees carefully. Denise is the bar manager, and she's as cordial as Jamie was, all the time.

"Did you mention the beautiful bay view?" Denise asked me as I jotted notes.

Like I said...

My medley, by the way, included a 6-ounce New York strip that is, interestingly enough, also their breakfast steak, but fit to be served for dinner. Later, after looking over the vast breakfast menu, I noticed eggs Benedict were not listed. I approached Chuck and asked him how, with all the varieties and combinations available on the menu, did they ever forget eggs Benedict?

"It's a daily special," he replied.

Of course it is. Dennis doesn't miss a thing.

-- Christopher Tagle