Sleeping & Eating
La Plata 3
5 Casey Jones American^ $$
(%301-392-5116; 417 East Charles St, La Plata;
mains $14-29; h11:30am-11pm Tue & Wed, to
2am Thu-Sat, 3:30pm-11pm Mon; p) There are
lots of restaurants in America that try to come
off as high-end gastropubs, and they should all
be more like Casey Jones. There’s an excellent
beer selection and a New American cuisine
menu, featuring dishes from wild grilled salmon
to zested-up meatloaf.
Leonardtown 6
5 Cafe des Artistes French^ $$
(%301-997-0500; 41655 Fenwick St,
Leonardtown; mains $13-26; h11am-2pm Tue-
Fri, 5-9pm Tue-Sat, 11am-8pm Sun; p) We love
this restaurant for its unapologetic embrace of
old-school French food – boeuf bourguignon,
croque monsieur, rack of lamb and an excellent
steak frites. The interior has a jazzy bistro
atmosphere; it’s dark enough to be intimate,
but buzzing enough to feel relaxed as opposed
to stuffy.
4 The Victorian Candle B&B^ $$
(%301-373-8800; http://www.victorian-candle.com;
25065 Peregrine Way, Hollywood; $105-160)
This enormous, dollhouse-like bed & breakfast
is frilly in the extreme, with dainty rooms and
friendly service. Rooms are good value for
money, and rates drop during the week.
Ridge
5 Courtney’s Seafood^ $$
(%301-872-4403; 48290 Wynne Rd, Ridge;
mains $10-23; h8am-9pm; p) This fish shack,
which isn’t that far in exterior decor from a
bomb shelter (it doesn’t get significantly better
inside), is run by Tom Courtney, local fisherman
and all-round surly character. So what’s to love?
Fish, crabs and oysters. Tom catches them, his
wife cooks them, and everything is fresh and
tasty.4 Woodlawn B&B $$
(%301-872-0555; http://www.woodlawn-farm.com;
16040 Woodlawn Ln, Ridge; r $170-260; pW)
Seven well-kept suites, all individually decked
out with rustic charm (think boxwood gardens,
fireplaces and vanity chests) and modern
amenities (such as glassed-in showers and
Jacuzzis with views of the water) characterize
the lodging at this farm, which has been
converted into an excellent rural resort in the
cornfields of southern St Mary’s county.Solomons Island a
5 CD Cafe American $$
(%410-326-3877; 14350 Solomons Island Rd,
Solomons; mains $11-26; h11:30am-9:30pm
Mon-Sat, to 9pm Sun; v) Intensely fresh
seafood and produce characterize the menu
at this sunny spot, where natural light, friendly
service, crisp salads and tasty pastas are the
order of the day. The fresh flounder sandwich is
a seafood-lover’s delight, while the shepherd’s
pie is hearty and filling on a chilly day.4 Back Creek Inn B&B^ $$
(%410-326-2022; http://www.backcreekinnbnb.com;
210 Alexander Lane, Solomons; r $120-170,
cottage $225; pW) This rather lovely B&B is
positioned over the eponymous back bay. Pretty
rooms are named after herbs (for example:
thyme and rosemary. Maybe the owners are
Simon & Garfunkel fans?) and manage to be
twee without being frilly.WASHINGTON.DC,.MARYLAND.&.DELAWARE.TRIPS.18
.SOUTHERN MARYLAND TRIANGLE