Phillips Seafood Restaurant

The Minx and I each had dined at the old Phillips location in Harborplace on numerous occasions going back to the restaurant's opening in the 80s and including a couple of times in recent years. Since they moved to Power Plant, however, we've never had the opportunity to check out the new digs. So when they invited us to a media dinner to sample their current menu, we jumped at the chance.

The first thing that struck me as we were escorted to our table was that the decor is more refined than the 80s mall version of a seafood joint that the old Phillips had. Dark wood, plush booths and banquettes, and chandeliers indicate that they want to be taken seriously as a fine dining establishment. The giant sailing ships are a nice touch as well.

We started with drinks and, although it was dinner time, the Minx opted for the Bloody Mary. I chose the Phillips Amber Ale made by Heavy Seas under the Clipper City brand. The Bloody Mary was rather mild without the usual overwhelming flavor of Worcestershire sauce, and only lightly spicy. But there was a bonus skewer of shrimp, olive, pepperoncino, pepperoni, and cheese to nibble on, making the drink somewhat of an amuse bouche. My ale was light and smooth, no doubt brewed to go well with crabs and other seafood.

In ordering, we wanted to try a blend of traditional and newer dishes, so we started with a bowl of the crab vegetable soup. My mom had a few dishes that she made particularly well and crab soup was one of them. This crab soup tasted just like hers, so I was quite pleased. Not too spicy so the flavors of the vegetables and the crab (both in ample quantities) could shine through.

In the new category, we tried the warm tomato pie. I was envisioning some sort of tomato aspic in a pie shell, but this buttery-crusted pie contained chunks of fresh tomato baked just long enough to warm them. The tomatoes are topped with a roasted pepper aioli and dolloped with what the menu called "sherried crab" but was in actuality a cold crab dip, creating a rather nice blend of textures, flavors, and temperatures.

For our entrees, we thought the grilled rockfish with crab imperial was a traditional Baltimore choice. Rather than placing the crab imperial on top of the fish, it was served in a separate mini-skillet. I dolloped the creamy side dish on top of the fish anyway. It just seemed right. The rockfish itself was quite substantial and perfectly cooked. I also appreciated that the crab imperial was not overly mayonnaisy like some preparations I've had. It was nice and creamy with a bit of crust from broiling the top. Although Phillips is all about the seafood, I have to say the vegetable (asparagus and potatoes with the platter, snow peas, baby carrots, red onion, and potatoes with the rockfish) were exceptional. Lightly sauteed, they retained a nice bit of crunch; the potatoes had tender, almost creamy, insides and crisp skins.

The Minx thought we should also try the classic seafood platter featuring salmon, crab cake, and a shrimp skewer. The shrimp had a mild sweetness to them and the salmon was moist and tender. The crab cake on the platter is not jumbo lump crab meat like their Ultimate Crab Cake preparation, but a more traditional style cake with backfin. Still, if I was wandering around the Inner Harbor all afternoon and stopped in to Phillips for a hearty meal, this would really please my soul.

We were too full to order dessert, but our waitress tempted us by bringing over the dessert tray anyway. We eventually acquiesced and ordered a slice of their lemon cream Smith Island cake to go. Made on Smith Island, this variation on the classic is bright and rich at the same time. Thin layers of yellow cake are mortared together with lemon curd and topped with a cream cheese icing. We ate it as a snack just before going to sleep. Not a bad way to end the day.

Phillips Restaurant has weathered the myriad of changes that have occurred in the Inner Harbor over the past 35 years and it has managed to stay up-to-date while honoring the traditional seafood dishes that have made it a Maryland culinary staple. Their current menu of food and libations reflects the trends of today without alienating those who are looking for a crab cake or some raw oysters on the half shell. And despite being a Wednesday in March, the dining room was packed with additional patrons waiting in the lounge, even at 6:30.





Posted on Minxeats.com.

Ultimate Crab Challenge

I haven't entered any contests in a long time - might have to do this one:

Phillips Foods has just announced The Ultimate Crab Challenge, a national recipe contest for crab lovers. The competition will run from Wednesday, July 6 through Monday, August 22. Just log onto www.UltimateCrabChallenge.com to enter your recipe. The national grand prize winner will receive $1000 and their recipe featured on Phillips' menu in Baltimore, MD.

Original recipes must include at least eight ounces or 1 pound of crab meat. Any grade of crab meat is acceptable, from claw meat to special, jumbo lump to backfin. Recipes may be a cold or hot item.

Are you ready to get crabby? This might be your chance. For more information, visit the contest web site or contact Phillips Foods marketing team at 888.234.2722.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Kinda Big News

From Twitter:
@PhillipsSeafood: We've made a business decision to terminate our lease at Harborplace effective September 30th, and are exploring our options in Baltimore.

That decision will not only affect Phillips, but also Harborplace, which has been in decline for years now. So - what do you think will happen? Will Phillips find another location, or end up leaving town?

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Cooking Something Up at Phillips

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Mr Minx and I were invited to attend a cooking demonstration called "The Freshest Catch," part of Phillips' "Cook, Crack & Eat" series of cooking classes. While they are called classes, the demo was held in the dining room so participants didn't actually see any cooking being done. Instead, Phillips Harborplace sous chef Jonathan Kappes demonstrated various fish-prep techniques, like skinning and fileting a whole salmon, removing the bloodline from a side of tuna, assembling a Phillips'-style stuffed flounder, and cutting swordfish steaks. Not that we'd be doing any of that at home (except perhaps filleting and skinning a smaller fish), but it was interesting to see how a restaurant kitchen breaks down their fish for service. He also gave us tips on choosing fish for home consumption: make sure the eyes are bright and not cloudy; the flesh springs back when pressed with a finger; the gills are red and not black or cloudy. And fresh is almost always better than frozen!

While demoing each type of fish, Chef Kappes described a dish from Phillips' menu that utilized that particular cut, after which we were served that dish - definitely the best part of the class!

First off, we were presented with tandoori spiced salmon with cous cous, Mediterranean salad, & Greek yogurt. Of the four dishes we tried, this was my favorite. The salmon was perfectly cooked and moist, and the yogurt sauce (not pictured) - flavored with garlic, mint, dill, lime, and sugar - was subtle and delicious. I appreciated the pretty colors in the dish, something I don't aways achieve in my own home cooking.

After the tuna demo, we were served blackened ahi tuna with bok choy and wasabi mashed potatoes. The tuna was mid-rare and could have been more rare for my tastes (raw would have been best), but it was good and not overwhelmed by the blackening seasoning. The mashed potatoes, which were very creamy and seasoned with coconut milk as well as wasabi, were somewhat sweet and something I definitely would like to try to make at home. Luckily, I can, because Phillips provided recipes for everything we ate today.

Chef Kappes showed us the Phillips method of stuffing flounder. "Stuffed" in many places merely means "topped," but at Phillips, 3oz of crab meat is sandwiched between two 5-oz flounder filets, making for a protein-heavy portion. Rather than adding carbs to the plate, they serve the fish with a side of green beans almandine seasoned with a touch of garlic. This dish has been on Phillips' menu since day one, and it has that classic Maryland flavor profile that is so familiar to us locals.

Finally, the chef broke down a huge side of swordfish while describing a preparation that he had designed for the specials menu one evening. The swordfish we were served was very simply grilled and came with Jasmine rice flavored with coconut milk, a pineapple chili salsa, and baby arugula. I was really looking forward to the pineapple salsa, but ended up not getting very much of it on my plate. 

At this point you're probably thinking, "man, that plating is shitty!" That's because the dishes were served family style by two servers who each had different components of the dish. They're all going to look a lot prettier when they come out of the kitchen pre-assembled.

And just when we thought we couldn't eat any more (we doggie bagged most of the swordfish), out came portions of tiramisu for dessert. And then we were given a goodie bag containing more recipes, a can of Phillips seafood seasoning, a bag of seasoned nuts, coupons for Phillips products, and a $25 gift card to Phillips! So...if you think that $50 sounds a bit high for a cooking class, then consider it a rather filling lunch with bonuses, instead.

There are currently no other Cook, Crack & Eat classes scheduled, but they have become more and more popular so look for them to pop up again. In the meantime, you can like Phillips on Facebook, or follow them on Twitter, where they're likely to announce future classes.

(We were able to attend the class for free, however, all opinions expressed in this post are those of Minxeats.)

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Cooking Classes at Phillips

I'm attending a cooking class at Phillips this weekend, called The Freshest Catch.

Barramundi. Flounder. Mahi-mahi. It's all so good but how do you select it, clean it, grill it, or stuff it with crab? Learn all of this and more from one of America's most proficient seafood experts. Enjoy lunch, wine, and discuss all the intricacies of a great meal with the chef. This is no fish tale!

Cook, Crack & Eat presents a great opportunity to meet and learn from one of Baltimore's top toques. Chef Weisz's crowd-pleasing style is sure to entertain and each class will be fun, as well as educational.

I'm excited - I definitely need help with my fish-cooking technique. If you're interested, the class is $50 and it includes the chef demo, wine, lunch, and a swag bag to go. This is the last class of the season, but they're bound to have more in the upcoming months.

Classes begin at 11:30, and space is limited, so register early. Call the restaurant to register at 410.685.6600. Visit their website at http://www.phillipsseafood.com.

Posted by theminx on Minxeats.com.

Phillips Harborplace

Remember last week's reminiscences about my dining influences? That same burger- and pizza-loving friend also had a thing for Phillips, the seafood restaurant. I can't remember if there were three or four Phillips in Ocean City in the late 80s, but during one week-long visit, former BF insisted that we eat at each of them. I also remember accompanying her to the one at Harborplace on many occasions. There was usually a long line out the door, but we always waited. No, we couldn't change our plans and walk up to the Rusty Scupper instead. And no, she wouldn't eat at Taverna Athena, Szechuan House, or Tandoor. It was Phillips or nothing. And that was ok - I liked Phillips.

So flash forward nearly 30 years to the present. The three Harborplace restaurants I just mentioned no longer exist. Nor do Paolo's, Jean-Claude's, or Soup Kitchen. But Phillips is still around, still cranking out the crab cakes from Shirley Phillips' original recipe, and still serving the gaggle of tourists who descend on Baltimore's Inner Harbor every summer. Do locals eat there anymore? (Do they eat anywhere at Harborplace, for that matter?) Hard to say. Personally, I haven't been to Phillips since 1997, and then it was to attend a private party with a former beau. The food was good, and I got to try gator for the first time, so why haven't I been back?

The other day I had an opportunity to revisit Phillips via a blogger dinner. The invite was forwarded to me by a fellow Baltimore food blogger. At first I thought, "Phillips - bah!" but then the thought came to me that this restaurant deserves as much recognition amongst the blogging community as do the new restaurants in town. New doesn't always = better. And I haven't been invited to any of the new places. Hmpfh.

So Mr Minx and I went to Phillips. The restaurant was busy on that lovely Spring day, with waits for tables even at 6pm. Nothing like the long lines of yore, the lines that spilled out into the corridor and snaked around past the windows of the restaurant across the hall, but a fairly respectable line nonetheless, especially in this economy. Mr Minx and I were immediately greeted by members of the restaurant's marketing team and their PR firm who plied us with drinks - anything we wanted. It was off to a good start.

A few drinks later, all of the attendees had assembled and the new chef himself, Arturo Paz, brought out the first course. Chef Paz, who worked in the much more glamorous locales of Miami, LA, and NY before coming to Baltimore, reworked the menu to add some new and trendy items to the menu of classic seafood restaurant workhorses like crab cakes and steamed shrimp.

The first course, however, did include steamed shrimp, big ones, plus raw oysters and clams, crab legs, lobster, tuna tartare, and lump crab. This "chilled plateau" goes for $61.99 on the menu, and serves at least 4. While I will admit not caring for the tuna (pieces too big, a little gristly) and thought the seafood was, overall, a bit on the too-cold side, I really enjoyed the crustaceans and bivalves. Anyone can tell you that I'm not a fan of raw oysters, and before now had never eaten a raw clam, but I put away a few of each with squirts of mignonette sauce. Who knew I'd love raw clams? And the giant lumps of crab were mighty tasty when dipped in the accompanying creamy mustard sauce.

Next up we had more shellfish, this time with a modern twist, "steamed mojito clams" with garlic, lime, chiles, and cilantro ($8.99). I could swear I detected some lemongrass in there too. I thought they were...delicious. And the broth cried out to be sopped up with some nice bread, so we requested a bread basket for the table. The ciabatta-style roll I picked did the trick nicely.

Following the clams came lobster corn dogs ($16). I wasn't sure how these would work - would the "lobster" really be some sort of seafood sausage?  Nope - the lobster was hunks of the real thing, unadulterated apart from a dip in corndog batter and a trip through the deep fryer. It's one of those things that should be eaten as soon as the plate hits the table, but as we were polite and of course had to take photos they started to get a tad soggy before I tried one. Still - a big hunk of battered lobster on a stick. Yum.

Finally, we veered back towards the traditional with crabcakes (single crabcake $12.99).  These were nicely sized, with big lumps of crab and mild seasoning.

Mr Minx and I enjoyed our meal, and the company was lively and fun. WBAL's Donna Hamilton was in attendance (with Chef Paz in the photo below) and man, she looks terrific.

The current Phillips menu is more interesting - and dare I say sophisticated - than in the past (albeit without gator), with items like barramundi, shrimp and grits, and calamari with a Thai-inspired sauce. For the traditionalists there are still surf and turf and a fried or broiled seafood platter. The prices aren't unreasonable for seafood-heavy meals, particularly in the Inner Harbor area, and the food is good, so why leave it for the tourists?. Next time you head downtown to eat, instead of hitting one of the national chains in the area (and they are legion), why not patronize a Maryland family business?

At least go during happy hour ($3 drinks) and try those lobster corn dogs (which are on the lounge menu). And have one for me. :)