Sunday Brunch at Mealey’s Restaurant
I’ve been hearing great things about Mealey’s Restaurant in New Market for ages, and I finally had a chance to eat brunch there today with my mother and my (step)son. I don’t think I have adequate words to describe how delicious this brunch was or how wonderful this restaurant is.
First, Mealey’s Restaurant has a cozy, traditional, rural American ambiance, with a homestyle dining room accented with elegant antiques, creating a comfortable sort of “upscale country” vibe, if there is such a thing. Although the dining room was packed full, there was still plenty of room to maneuver about, so you could lean back in your chair after eating if you needed to. The service was impeccable, so we tipped accordingly at the end of our meal. All the staff members were polite and responsive–in fact, they were the fastest hosts and servers I have encountered in years, always quick to bring an extra cup of coffee or whisk away a spent plate.
One side of a long table was heaped with lunch offerings such as steamed shrimp and smoked salmon, the smoothest sweet potatoes ever, green beans, roast beef you could carve yourself, and a ton of other fresh options. The other side of the same table was dedicated to gourmet breakfast options: a made-to-order omelet station, a spinach frittata, cheese blintzes, French toast, home fries, and more.
But the piece-de-resistance was the dessert table, where I almost lost my mind trying to decide between all of my favorite desserts in the world: creme brulee, bread pudding with vanilla bourbon sauce, chocolate fondue for fresh fruits, caramel cheesecake, apple crisp, key lime pie and English berry trifle. So I opted to create two small “sampler” plates with about one spoonful of each item–the perfect ending to a great meal.
My impression is that Mealey’s goes the extra mile to buy the freshest, tastiest ingredients available on the market–all the flavors in the foods were so savory and strong, as they should be. For example, the cucumbers in my salad were sweet like the ones I grow in my own backyard in the summertime, and the shrimp tasted exactly as shrimp should, with no odd “fishiness” about it. I would rank this brunch a 10 out of 10–we were completeley satisfied and left wanting for nothing. How often do you get to eat a perfect meal like that? We’re lucky we have Mealey’s in Frederick County.
Mealey’s Restaurant
8 Main Street
New Market, Maryland 21774
Reservations Phone: (301) 865-5488
www.mealeysrestaurant.com
Not many People know about Mealeys but it is one of the two Upscale Restaurants that my Family goes too for Very Special Ocassions. Between Dutches Daughters and Mealeys, Frederick has two VERY Great Upscale Dining Restaurants for those who Love Great Food and Service!!
Oh and I just thought I would mention….Dutches Daughter has Lunch Specials on Tuesday Afternoons. They are Spectacular for the price you pay…You may want to go there and then post a Blog about your experience!! It is just a thought!!
Dutch’s Daughter has always struck me as Frederick County’s most overrated, overpriced restaurant. You will find little creativity or finesse in the kitchen and the plating of food isn’t impressive at all. Still, there’s no denying its popularity, especially among natives.
If you like Mealey’s, enjoy, but rumor is that 60something owner, Jose Salvierri, is looking to retire in the not-t00-distant future. He has long done battle with the food chains and that is a young man’s battle. Let us hope Mealey’s continues after he sells, and that the building isn’t converted into a series of business suites like we today see at the late, great Turning Point Inn.
Upscale isn’t Mealey’s or Dutch’s Daughter. I’m sick of people thinking these places are great, even the Tasting Room is often mentioned in the same sentence.
Try some upscale places in DC or Baltimore and you’ll realize that. Hit up CityZen, Citronelle, Charleston, or even the Comus Inn and then see what your opinion of those places is.
As for Frederick…these places ARE upscale. Now I don’t know about DC or Baltimore’s Restaurants but then again I don’t go there much.
R.J., comparing Citronelle, CityZen or Charleston with DD or Mealey’s isn’t valid. I dined with a friend at CityZen in December and we dropped nearly $350 for two. Great meal, but definitely overpriced. Charleston is indeed fine but, again, it’s an unfair comparison. I’ve had many meals the equal of what I’ve had there. Citronelle is among the top restaurants on the East Coast, and you will pay for every penny.
All things are relative. You can’t compare a Porsche with a Camry. Once you decide to bring up Charleston, you might as well bring into the equation the world-class venues in Manhattan, San Francisco, LA and Chicago. At that point, Charleston and CityZen aren’t standouts at all, and actually suffer in some comparisons. At that point, why not include restaurants in London, Paris, Tokyo and Hong Kong. Would you have snobs decrying the lousy food at CityZen?
Mealey’s is a nice country inn. Nothing exceptional in any way. Dutch’s is a nice, close place for a fair-to-good steak or seafood. Don’t go in expecting a four-star experience, but it’s a favorite venue for friends and family–and for 95 percent of diners who can’t afford the finest places in the nation.
I agree with Frequent Diner. To compare restaurants in Frederick to ones in DC is ridiculous, unless you can afford to go that “upscale”. It’s not for me. I’d rather stay local.
I think the restaurants in Frederick are great personally, although I don’t care for Dutch’s Daughter, mostly because I am allergic to shrimp and crab and don’t eat red meat so their pickins are slim for me.
Besides, the idea of travelling to DC just for a meal seems ridiculous to me.
$350 for 2 for a meal…That is utterly Ridiculous!! I would also rather stay local and patronize the Restaurants in Frederick.
As far as the $350 goes…I would NEVER spend money like that on a meal but rather donate it to a Charity!! WOW….that just blows my mind that people would actually spend money like that on a dining experience!!
The last time I was at CityZen and Citronelle, the total for two was well over $600 w/ chef’s menu. The last time at Charleston was over $500 for the six course.
I’d much rather pay that kind of money for a great meal, than $100 for a mediocre one here that is great for Frederick.
Keep in mind that these totals include wine vintages of the likes that you cannot typically find in the Frederick area. In fact a very LARGE percentage of these checks was just wine.
I have yet to find a good champagne brunch in the Frederick-area. When I lived in DC, my all-time favorite brunch spot was Melrose at the Park Hyatt on 24&M. The service was perfect, the food great and they poured a decent bottle of champagne. Eight years ago, the cost was $50./person.
I think I’d like to be R.J’s guest sometime for dinner!
Catherine, I don’t think a $50+ brunch would fly in this area. Have you tried the Comus Inn? I think I remember hearing they have a brunch and I know their menu is pretty pricey.
Let it be known that a couple can have outstanding meals at Charleston, CityZen and Citronelle for far less than $500 to $600. You won’t get top-shelf wine, but the experience itself will likely be just as memorable.
R.J., with your high-end preferences (and budget), why do you continue to live and dine in Frederick County? You would be
far happier in Washington, Manhattan or similar.
Liz,
My husband and I had lunch last week at the Tasting Room and forked over $80.00 for the meal. That’s about $40./ea, close to DC prices.
The menu, in my opinion, was dull…but I enjoyed the wine.
I haven’t tried the Comus Inn. I’ll have to check it out.
This discussion is fascinating. I struggle to understand the either/or thinking . . . why not enjoy both Mealey’s for what it is, and CityZen for what it is? Mealey’s has an ambience that is all its own set in historic New Market . . . the upscale restaurants in DC are unique as well, situated in a world-class city. I think it’s great to live somewhere where you can experience both so easily. Last night my son and I drove downtown, enjoyed the Wizards game and were home in 45 minutes. Frederick is special because it’s close to the city and far away all at the same time. My opinion as a newbie.
Bravo Jim.
I work in D.C. but decide to live in Frederick as it was where I grew up. I agree regarding your assertments on the culinary experiences in NY.
For whomever suggested it… I love the food at The Comus Inn. They’ve really done wonders with that place!
Don’t know about you, catherineineburg, but I often find The Tasting Room a triumph of style over substance. Many fine dishes, to be sure, but just as many missteps and overpriced. If you’re looking for a better experience locally, head to The Lightfoot Restaurant in Leesburg. Enjoy.
http://www.lightfootrestaurant.com
Good point about the Tasting Room. Lately, I’ve felt their menu’s to be rather uninspired. It is definately worth the drive to go somewhere else I believe. Not to mention, their Martini’s have gone downhill also
Thank you for the Lightfoot recommendation. It looks beautiful…and I agree the Tasting Room has lost it’s thrill, at least for me.
I’ve worked in a few kitchens and may be harder to please but the service wasn’t very good, nor was the food and the table wasn’t level so it rocked back and forth the whole time…urrrrr!.
I haven’t tried Dutches Daughter…doesn’t sound very eclectic.
The argument for or against certain experiences is essentially a matter of the taste and ethic of the person involved. This area has a long way to go before it produces and supports a dining spot with the creds of Citronelle or others of the DC cast, but you’ll pay for it when it arrives. Quality ingredients are here and being handled credibly by the likes of Mike and David, et al. Preparation and “plating” are here as well as a very good, if not top shelf, wine selection. What is not yet arrived is the courage to touch the sky, to use those elements to test the limits. From personal experience, I know that something too far out would wither for lack of custom, unless they charged the gut gouging prices of a Zen or Inn at Little Washington, and how would the locals afford to keep patronizing then.
I’ve lived here thirty years and I can vouch that we’ve had several examples of exceptional quality in town before and we let them slip through our fingers, because we didn’t understand them or couldn’t afford the tariff. So until we can, let’s enjoy TR and DD and Mealey’s for what they are – what we deserve.
Wow, what an interesting dialogue this post has sparked! I just wanted to add that brunch for 3 at Mealey’s last Sunday cost us under $80. All I know is the food was delish, the service was the best I’ve had in months, and we had nothing to complain about.
Hmmmm. Strange. I worked, in a nearly previous life (While I was in college, somewhere around 15-20 years ago) at a Zagat’s rated 4 star restaurant as a line cook, and most of the staff would eat at a greasy spoon a few blocks away. What I’m getting at should be obvious, but palate is not a prix fixe thing: sometimes what you really want is some giant greasy chimichanga, and sometimes what you want is a foie gras that melts nanoseconds after passing the lips. My wife liked Mealey’s, and thought of it as a fairly nice place. I fail to see how that’s a placement into some sort of canon of haute cuisine, and therefore subject to criticism on the basis of what’s “upscale”. (I’m not offended on her behalf, just bemused at the “thread drift”) Generally, I think that the kind of class issues necessary to make the definition of “upscale” important put such considerations well outside of my range. At the same time, I’m enough of an elitest to desire some refinements in my daily life, so I think I can understand how such things work. Bottom line is that terms like “gourmet”, “upscale dining”, “fine dining” ad nauseum are marketing terms, and reflect what the market will bear, not the desirability of the food to the individual.
The main picture at the top of the website… where is it? Is Mealey’s Restaurant close by? I’m meeting a friend from PA and I want to go where that picture is.
Anne, that picture is taken right in downtown Frederick at the Carroll Creek Promenade. Mealey’s is in New Market, which is about 8-10 miles east of Frederick.
I live down the street from Dutches Daughter i think they are over rated all restraunts are in Frederick after all what is there to do here. At least if you go to DC you can enjoy the mudeums a show etc down there what is there here in Frenick? NOTHING
Marie
Learn to type or at least do it when your not under the influence
Good one Rusty.
your –> you’re