On Saturday, July 14, 2007, Ron and I spent the morning checking out the local produce stands in the Thurmont area and enjoying the beautiful countryside north of Frederick, Maryland. Those lovely views, winding country roads, and thoughts of future dinners made from the luscious produce can inspire an appetite.

Since it was early afternoon and New Market, Maryland was only a few miles away, we decided to check out the antiques shops there and to have a late lunch at Mealey's Restaurant.

Mealey's Restaurant (Photo Courtesy Mealey's)

Arriving a little after one o'clock, we found the Pump Room, the main dining area, pleasantly crowded with a nice buzz. As usual the greeting by José Salaverri, the maitre d', was as pleasant as ever - he really makes a diner feel welcome. Likewise, the wait staff is very efficient and friendly. For starters we chose the crab bisque which is flavored with sherry (always excellent) and the fresh spinach salad served with fresh strawberries, sliced green apples, and dried fruit seasoned with a balsamic dressing - the epitome of freshness with not a discolored spinach leaf on the salad plate!

The timing of the wait staff is such that one can finish the starter, relax a bit, and not have to worry about the entrée being served immediately upon the removal of the starter dishes! One does not feel rushed here and the low noise level of the room means that one can carry on a "normal" conversation and enjoy the pleasant surroundings.

We selected the twin beef medallions (with candied wild mushroom Shiraz sauce) served with garlic mashed potatoes and a wild Alaskan salmon fillet with fresh vegetable medley for our entrees. The beef was cooked to order, was very tender, and was complimented by the Shiraz reduction sauce. The salmon plate was colorful and looked like summer! Lightly seasoned and tender to perfection, the fillet was the essence of salmon, not marred by a distracting sauce or coating. Served with mixed yellow and red peppers and squash, this dish was simple and elegant (and tasty).

Mealey's Restaurant (Photo Courtesy Mealey's)

The portions are not overwhelmingly large - which translates to "Yes, I think I would like something sweet" from kitchen's prepared-in-house desserts. José was in excellent spirits (real ones, not bottled!) and treated us to desserts on the house. Now I don't know about you, but this sort of welcome in our dining experiences happens seldom to never in Metropolitan Washington restaurants! The key lime pie is pleasantly tart and the bread pudding, served with vanilla bourbon sauce, is rich and delicious.

We inquired about a favorite dish missing from the current menu - the Mt. Airy pork shank. Now this sounds like a pedestrian dish, but believe me, it is quite special - tender from its marinade and flavorful from the bourbon sauce. Alas! Alack! Woe to the diner, it has been removed from the menu, but we learned that there is a "movement" to have it restored. Speaking with Chef Brian, we encouraged him, in no uncertain terms, to return it to the menu.

Mealey's Restaurant (Photo Courtesy Mealey's)

August 7, 2005 Brunch In one of our visits to New Market (August 7, 2005), we were lucky enough to be there in time for Mealey's Sunday brunch. This was our first experience with Mealey's brunch and what a delight it was. We are great brunch fans and are always on the lookout for a restaurant that we can recommend without qualification. On this day, we found a winner! The place was pleasantly crowded and the wait short and educational - their wine selections in the waiting area kept us reading. Their crab bisque is very, very good for a starter - as are the salads. Try the Caramelized Mt. Airy Pork, which is a tender shank of pork basted with a southern bourbon barbecue glaze, and is served with green beans and garlic mashed potatoes. This is a superb dish and ranks with the best Bar-B-Cue style pork we have ever had.)

Their usual breakfast (buffet style) fare includes: apple raisin French Toast, country style cream chipped beef, buttermilk biscuits, farmhouse scrambled eggs, applewood smoked bacon, maple link sausage, and a bountiful assortment of fruit. One of us sampled all of these and couldn't have been more satisfied. Even though we arrived late in their brunch window, all food was hot, fresh and regularly replenished.

The other of us worked the luncheon buffet which included: chicken breast marsala, bowtie pasta primavera, salmon stuffed with asparagus, bourbon BBQ glazed pork shanks, caribbean sweet potatoes, assorted spring lettuces, and a variety of steamed vegetables. All of these except for the pork shanks were selected. Since we have both enjoyed the pork shanks in the past, they were reluctantly omitted from the sampler this time. What a taste delight these selections were. We must add our thanks to the management and chef for their superb efforts at brunch - with an especially enthusiastic congratulations for the cheese blintz - such a wonder!!!! Even with all of this, the fare was light enough on the stomach to provide space for dessert - again, we must applaud the bread pudding (next paragraph) and add their trifle to our list of musts for our next visit. Also available are: a "made to order" Omelette Station, a Steamship Round Beef Carving Station, and a huge supply of Chilled Peel & Eat Shrimp (one of the most popular features from what we observed).

Don't forget to ask about their specials when visiting for lunch. On a previous visit (April 9, 2005), their pork chops were to die for - tender, tender, tender, covered with an onion marmalade, and served with their delicious garlic mashed potatoes (our vegetable selection). Yum! We subsequently learned that the pork used in this recipe is Berkshire - a quality of pork from pure bred hogs that are not fed antibiotics and other stimulants - an all natural process which adds to the perfection of taste and digestibility usually missing from many pork dishes. Most desserts are made in house and the key lime pie and the bread pudding (with bourbon sauce) are perfect.

This restaurant is comfortable and quiet (the acoustics allow for private conversations which are not loudly resonated all over the rooms). At the same time, the atmosphere lends itself to neighborly exchanges when appropriate. The delightful servers on earlier visits (Diane on our April visit and Tom on August 8) were an added plus, lacking the stiffness and formality which is generally off-setting, and proffering the menu selections with a charm that assures return visits. On our July 14, 2007 visit, we were fortunate enough to have Robin as our server. Dedication to their profession which is reflected in the quality of their work is another reason we love to return to this excellent restaurant.

During all of our dining experiences at Mealey's, we have found the service to be friendly and efficient. There are many seafood items on their menu (we will be trying some of these on our future visits), and in spite of their location (New Market being a little off the beaten path), this is a wonderfully sophisticated restaurant.

We would be remiss if we failed to mention the graciousness of the proprietor José Salaverri, who treats customers as friends coming to his home for a meal. You are individually welcomed, queried regarding your visit, and often escorted to your table by this gentleman. He visits the tables to assure your satisfaction and bids you farewell with a sincerity that is undoubted. Another excellent reason to make the trip to Mealey's.

We have added Mealey's pork Bar-B-Cue dish and the Bread Pudding to our "Bar-B-Cue" and "Desserts" pages.

Our Rating (Five Chefs is Highest)

Also check out the seasonal produce/ flower stand at the east end of town. You will find local produce and good nursery stock. Last summer, they had some wonderful red angel wing begonias which were enormous! This is a good source of fall mums as they grow their own.