Eating out in Westminster, Maryland

Every now and then you have one of those dining experiences that transport you. This is one of those.

Now, mind you, we have some great restaurants nearby. Just down the street a few blocks is the Sheppard Mansion. Truly a magnificent setting. And up the street, okay, ten miles up the street, is Restaurant Sidney. Neil Annis is a gifted chef with few to challenge his talents. I mean it...he's wonderful.

But I also think Ken Lurie, owner and chef at Bud's at Silver Run is remarkable. Last Thursday friend and innkeeper extraordinaire Deb Mosimann from Swiss Woods Bed and Breakfast (and one of my eight broads in the kitchen colleagues) spent a delightful evening enjoying conversation with Ken while imbibing delicious food.

We started with fried goat cheese on a bed of sun-dried tomatoes. Now, admittedly, goat cheese is a favorite of mine...just ask any guest who's been served an asparagus goat cheese quiche at The Beechmont. Don't think greasy, because it's anything but. Then, rock fish (fresh from the Chesapeake Bay) with a vanilla vodka sauce. At this point Ken brought out the bottle stuffed with vanilla beans...the fragrance of vanilla was sublime. And to top it all off, a bison steak with green beans and fingerling potatoes. Ooops, shouldn't forget to mention the miniature tarts filled with lemon curd to perfectly end a most perfect experience.

We hope you'll think of this write-up when you next stay at The Beechmont. Whether you decide to dine at Bud's at Silver Run or one of the other fine restaurants in the Hanover and Gettysburg area, please let us know so we can reserve a spot for you. We'll share comments on other restaurants as we have the chance to enjoy their offerings.