Nancy and I found ourselves at loose ends on a Friday evening in Lusby, so we naturally went to Barrel 9 to get some snacks while we decided what to do about dinner. And I had some cash on cards for the enomatic wine dispenser — the one that lets you get as little as an ounce of wine (or many ounces) from among many selections so that you can do some testing and exploring of high-end wines for a low price. Then you decide what you want and have more, and/or go around the corner to Patuxent Wine and Liquor and buy a bottle. Or have a cocktail, like their Smoked Old Fashioned.
In we went and sat at a high table for two and looked over the menu. Well, I got a couple of ounces of pinot noir and then looked over the ever-changing menu items, and a few specials listed on the wall.
We ordered deviled eggs, of course.
Actually, I forgot to photograph the deviled eggs. These are from a previous visit. Ours didn’t have the paprika. What they did have was that bacon and just the right dose of horseradish — not a sinus clearing dose, just enough for some flavor.
I did photograph a salad,
with that variety of lettuces and goodies that Nancy loves, and some thoughtfully seasoned croutons that I loved.
We also ordered a bowl of chicken tortilla soup (a special),
Nancy pronounced it “really good” after her first taste, and kept pointing out the wealth of ingredients. The soup — that’s a big hunk of avocado peeking out — turned out to be rich with chicken and vegetables, almost a stew. This was a hit, as were the fresh tortilla chips with their good corn favor.
Next up was a chicken pesto flatbread.
Another hit, and a very filling one. The flatbread itself tasted good, and the pesto and other toppings added a lot of flavor. The chicken itself could have used more seasoning, but in all this was another triumph.
I added an order of four stuffed ham sliders.
For those unfamiliar with stuffed ham, which I guess includes everyone who has never lived in Southern Maryland, the dish involves corned ham (which is delicious) slashed all over, and each slash stuffed with a delicious mixture of greens, lots of mustard, and other spices, and then cooked. As a practical matter, for sandwiches the ham and stuffing are layered, as pictured.
That, my friends, is a delicious slider.
That was a lot of food, more than we could eat. I think the five items added up to $48 plus, which is very reasonable for too much food for two. As it happened, a table of four next to us was discussing what to order after their shared charcuterie board. One woman asked about the chicken pesto flatbread, so I gave them a slice of ours. That generated a discussion of Buckets and their whipped feta, bleu cheese dip, and pizza. Then the glories of Hidden Harbor, where they’d gone on the day it reopened for the season for their famous Harbour Hot Dog.
The next table was ordering as we were leaving with our to-go box filled with one piece of flatbread and two deviled eggs. An uproar arose because Nancy and I got the last order of deviled eggs. I offered one to the unfortunate, but he declined, perhaps because he was enjoying his grievance so much. Meanwhile, our friend who’d wondered about the flatbread ordered the carnitas nachos, which I’d admired as orders whizzed by. The flatbreads are always on the menu, but the carnitas were a special, and it was now or never. Wise choice.
As always, Barrel 9 was a delight. We do need to temper our ordering, but then there are so many good things available, and always something new to try. The wines are good to outstanding, and the bartender knows how to mix a great drink. You should go. Try a small taste of wine you’d like y be able to afford, and delicious food that you can. And try their smoked Old Fashioned.
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