Stan & Joe's: Friendly place where they get it right
Of more interest to Annapolitans these days is the question, "Who is Stan?" And while we're at it, "Who is Joe?"
If you add the combined number of years that Stan and Joe tended bar in this town before deciding to open their own place, the sum spells a boatload of experience with knowing what locals are looking for in a bar and restaurant (you'd recognize Stan from Ebb Tide and Joe held court both at McGarvey's and The Rockfish).
Both guys wanted to own their own place, so when Sean Donlons became available last year, they decided to carpe the diem and follow their dream. People who are happily eating and drinking there these days are gratified that the planets were in alignment for that decision.
As we know, it's all about intrinsics when patrons are deciding which of our city's many bar-restaurant combos will become their own personal Cheers. Intrinsics are those elements that are not easily quantified or qualified, but you recognize them when they're present.
Warmth and friendliness are among those intrinsics, and Stan and Joe's Saloon is such a friendly place that you feel it as soon as you walk through the door. The design, the layout, the furniture, the lighting, everything comes together to make Stan and Joe's the quintessential saloon.
Needless to say, we were not surprised when our beverages arrived and we discovered that drinks are just another example of Stan and Joe "getting it right:" the cocktails ($6.50 for Bombay Sapphire) are generous, the beer ($5.25 for Stella Artois on tap) is cold and the wines are quite wisely-chosen for a "saloon." Ranging from $6 to $9 per glass and from $26 to $42 per bottle, the wine selections include a nice red zinfandel from Francis Ford Coppola and a St. Francis chardonnay that makes us glad that chardonnays are finding favor once more.
Settling into our prime table by the fireplace in the back dining room, we began the task of choosing appetizers for the table (not only did we have a super table, but it came with the services of Jenny who was a really terrific and helpful server). It was a task only because there were several that sounded delicious. Finally we were able to winnow sufficiently as we settled on wings, shrimp and - wait for it - alligator!
There were two appealing shrimp offerings and, reluctantly eschewing the one with tempura shrimp and a smoked chili aioli, we opted for Doc McGovern's Whiskey Shrimp ($10). What a treat. Sauteed in a good Irish whiskey, the jumbo shrimp were then decked out in a mouth-watering barbecue sauce and pointed up with hickory-smoked bacon bits.
Not to be outdone, the Gator Bites ($7) were tender chunks of gator meat crisply beer-battered and served with a dipping sauce of tequila lime aioli. We all gave it high marks (two members of the party had never eaten alligator) and considered it to be a fortunate inclusion on the list of starters.
True to bar fashion, wings were on the appetizer list ($9) with a choice of four different kinds of wings and a choice of bleu cheese or ranch dressing for dipping. We found the Irish wings to be the most intriguing when we were ordering and one taste confirmed our decision. Tender and flavorful (not always true of bar wings!), these were crispy on the outside with just a hint of Irish whiskey.
As we lamented how ravenously we had attacked the appetizers (fearing that we wouldn't be able to do justice to our entrees), the main courses arrived at the table and we found ourselves hungry once more. Two diners stayed with the traditional pub fare items of Shepherd's Pie and Fish & Chips, while the third ordered the Citrus Salmon, but all three were rewarded with tasty and adroitly prepared meals.
The Shepherd's Pie ($14) worked because all of the individual elements were in place: the taste and consistency of the mashed potatoes were flawless, the mouth-watering gravy was just rich enough without being too rich, and the ground beef (often the meat itself is a minus when it comes to Shepherd's Pie) was flavorful and well-seasoned. The haricots vert were delicious and were a perfect foil for the main dish. The diner who ordered this dish was hoping to be able to exercise enough restraint to have leftovers to take home; but alas, that was not the case - Clean Plate Club all the way!
The member of our party who ordered the Citrus Salmon ($17) gave it high praise (I tasted a bite and the praise was deserved), due in part to the expert manner in which it was prepared. If freshness is a given (that isn't always the case, unfortunately, but this fish was very fresh), then seasoning and cooking carry the burden of making the fish taste good. This salmon was moist and full of flavor, not dry like some salmon becomes with cooking, but might benefit from a jazzier accompaniment than the curried rice. This rice, though not overcooked, had very little flavor as there was hardly a hint of curry.
The Fish and Chips ($14) was the felicitous choice this evening. Tilapia filets are used and the homemade beer batter was crispy and good. One possible pitfall for the preparation of fried fish is greasiness; but this fish was not greasy at all, just delectable. The fries were good, too.
Deciding that we wanted to finish our meal with a bite of something sweet, we ordered a pass-around serving of the house creme brulee ($7). We enjoyed it, but we would have preferred a hot crackly surface for more contrast.
The bonhomie at Stan and Joe's isn't just limited to the bar area either, as we found ourselves chatting with a solitary diner whose table was next to ours. When we asked him about the homemade meat loaf he was eating, he declared it supremely laudable and then added that he had really enjoyed their cream of crab soup ($5 cup, $7 bowl) as well.
Stan and Joe's offers a lot of enticements other than friendliness and good food. In addition to their daily lunch and dinner specials, they offer half-price happy fours, free bar nibbles, live music nightly, etc. Their motto is "An American Saloon with an Irish Attitude," but we have this to say to Stan and Joe: we don't care what your attitude is, just keep doing what you're doing.
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