Day Trips: Crabs year-round at Dock of the Bay, Gumbo soup at Hull Street Blues and sad farewell to the Newseum
It looks like another busy day ahead. We will be visiting two local restaurants and crossing the state line. So get comfortable. Buckle up. Here we go.
Let’s begin at Dock of the Bay, 9025 Cuckold Point Road Sparrows Point. It’s also called Miller’s Island. To begin with, the location is ideal. It’s located on a river and that provides great views while dining. Closed Monday, serving lunch and dinner, very casual, a bar with TV’s, outside seating (would not suggest it now), an adjoining patio for private functions, a playground and crabs year-round (call first).
It’s locally owned, a big deal in my book, you can arrive by boat, my 70-foot boat was in drydock that day, and there are monthly specials. During my visit, I made a huge mistake. My server, Sheila, told me to order the crab cake but I opted for the shrimp salad sandwich.
Nothing wrong with that, but I walked by other tables and saw the crab cake and heard how people were raving about them. I should have listened. Well next time. Some menu highlights include seafood alfredo, crab fluff, the dock burger and chicken Chesapeake.
Reach them at 410-477-8100.
Okay back in the car heading downtown, Locust Point to be exact. And here we are arriving at Hull Street Blues, 1222 Hull Street, off Fort Avenue. Open seven days for lunch and dinner, Sunday brunch 10-2 ($18.95, reservations suggested), banquet room upstairs, a top deck in season, casual, a stop on the water taxi, nightly specials and locally owned.
The menu is seasonal, the chef is from the Milton Inn, nautical pictures adorn the walls and a warm atmosphere. Menu highlights include the salmon BLT, black bean burger, gumbo soup and the steamship round.
Reach them at 410-727-7476.
By now I’m sure you’re full, so let’s get some exercise by walking in the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave, DC. If you like history this is definitely your place. There are seven levels, 250,000 square feet and 15 theatres and galleries.
It opened in April 2008. Some of the Founding Partners were the Freedom Forum, Bloomberg, Comcast, ABC and NBC.
In my opinion, the highlights include the Berlin Wall Gallery, 9/11 Gallery, Inside Today’s FBI, Pulitzer Prize-Winning Editorial Cartoons, Hubbard Broadcasting Concourse, and Pulitzer Prize Photographs Gallery. But honestly, the entire museum is a highlight.
But be advised, the Newseum is closing December 31. It was sold to Johns Hopkins for their use in graduate programs. There is still time to get over there. It makes for a great day trip. Adult admission is $24.95, seniors (65 and up) $19.95, ages 7 to 18 $14.95.
Reach the Newseum at 202-282-6100.
Now let’s rest.
Eddie Applefeld is a Baltimore native and a graduate of Towson University. He has been in the broadcasting profession for over 30 years. Currently he is the Promotions Director of WCBM radio. Before that, he was part of the Rouse & Company show on WQSR, host of a cable TV show called Dining Out and adjunct instructor at Towson.
His past accomplishments include being named a finalist in Baltimore Tourism’s Employee of the Year Program and winner of Toastmaster’s Speaker of the Year contest. He was also twice a heartthrob for the American Heart Association’s gala fund raiser.