The Town Dock in St. Michaels
Poured into the bowl at our table: A complex, savory, bright, warm, herb-flecked broth with strips of fennel. Chunks
of salmon and bay scallops, with grilled shrimp (that day’s seafood). And a terrific house salad for balance.
Sitting down to the bouillabaisse at the Town Dock in St. Michaels actually summoned a sigh from deep down inside.
Sighs like that take a long time to elicit. This one took at least thirteen years. That’s when Chef
Michael Rork decided to leave Baltimore and the Harbor Court Hotel overlooking the burgeoning Inner Harbor, to bring his family
to St. Michaels. (Thirteen years. Doesn’t that almost qualify them as locals?)
And while bouillabaisse is
the house specialty at Town Dock, fresh seafood is the focus, even in the off-season. Rork’s goal, he says, is to make
the Town Dock a ‘seafood destination restaurant.”
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| Michael Rork takes some time out to talk. |
When he first bought the Town Dock, it wasn’t. It was more like…“well… your
basic fry house.” And quickly, Rork began to change things. ”Just two things a day. That’s fairly aggressive,
if you think about it. Go from prepared Caesar dressing to fresh. Go from fried scallops to pan-seared. Two a day, that’s
a lot. Imagine a business trying to change two things a day.”
The staff bought in, and in fact, were eager to go one better. “They got into it. I had to kinda
pull ‘em back.” Today the menu has come a long way. Small plates include seared scallops with edamame. Calamari
with Chive-Leek Remoulade. Entrees: fried shrimp and oysters (an homage to history?), wild salmon, and Duck Duck — a
roasted half duck with duck confit. Rork’s wife Betsy attends to the wine list and the pairings. There are 50-60
on the list at any one time and they change weekly.
We talked a little bit about where the Town Dock and its menu are going. “People
are eating smarter, eating less,” says Rork. “So we’ll continue with more small plates.” He’s
also is striving for local, and says that in summer, he can serve as much as 90% local. On keeping it fresh? “I check
the cookbooks. I see what’s in season.”
Rork also teaches. The Town Dock offers classes throughout the year, including “Cooking
with Herbs,” “Local Ingredients,” “Barbecue” “Northern Italy” and “Southern
France.” It can be as hands-on as you want. And the result: a four-course dinner with four different wines, cookbook.
($80. pp, including tax, gratuity and paired wines. It’s a great deal.)
Any advice? Quick tips for handling
seafood well?
1. Keep it basic. Don’t make the recipe too complicated.
The more ingredients, the further you get from the simple taste of good food.
2. Buy what you’re familiar
with. Start with a fish you know and a recipe you know. Then try a little substitution. Nothing too crazy. (“Change
two things!”)
3. Don’t be pretentious. Just enjoy cooking.
4. Don’t overcook seafood. People do, generally. Salmon should be firm to the touch rather than flaky.
Go for medium over medium well.
5. At a good
restaurant that you trust, Rork says, let the chef decide how to cook your seafood. Feel free to say “however
the chef wants it.” They’ve been doing this a long time. They know.
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| Chase serves out bouillabaisse at the table |
Town Dock Bouillabaisse:
Fish Stock:
2 lbs. fish scraps (bodies,
bones, shells)
1 large onion, quartered
3 stalks celery, chopped
14 threads saffron
1 gallon water
Place all ingredients in a large stockpot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1-1/2 hours. Strain stock;
discard solids.
Soup:
1 stalk celery, julienned
2 carrots, julienned
1 onion, julienned
3 cups fresh fennel, julienned
1/4 c. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh
basil, chopped
1 bunch fresh oregano, leaf
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 c. tomato paste
32 oz. can diced tomatoes,
with juice
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
20 threads saffron
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/2 lb. medium shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 lb. bay scallops
20 mussels, cleaned
10 clams
For Soup:
Sauté garlic, vegetables and herbs in olive oil until tender. Add stock, tomatoes
and tomato paste. Simmer 1-1/2 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. (Soup may be prepared several days ahead to this
point; refrigerate until until ready to use.)
To serve: Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium; add seafood and
cook about 10 minutes; clams and mussels should open and shrimp cooked through. Serve with good bread.
Town Dock at a glance:
- American cuisine with a seafood focus
- Waterview dining
- After March 24: Open Mon - Sat, 11:30 a.m. - 9 p.m., Sunday,11
a.m. to 8 p.m.
- Extended hours from Memorial Day to Labor
Day
- 125 Mulberry St., St. Michaels, MD 21663
- 410-745-5577
