the Four Seasons Grill, Gambrills, Maryland

I was hoping when I read the menu that my first experience at the Four Seasons Grill in Gambrills, Maryland would be a good one. I had a difficult time deciding what to order. The contemporary dining room with adjacent lounge looked promising. The restaurant has only been open since September. I was there for lunch with a clientele of primarily parties of women, with a few mixed groupings.

Although I didn’t order wine, I did look over the list which, though not vast, was well beyond the typical offerings in my area, ranging from reasonably priced domestics to Dom Perignon. The waitstaff was prompt with water and delicious bread sticks so fresh from the oven that they were too hot to handle for a moment. The options of soft butter or a pesto olive dipping oil were offered. I hadn’t thought I was so hungry, but it took restraint to not devour that delicious bread.

On the appetizer list, the Mediterranean Platter, with hummus, fresh mozzarella & grilled veggies with something called baba ghanoush sounded like a meal in itself. I made a mental note to order it in the lounge the next time I come in for a martini. Or maybe the Scallops Napoleon, or goat cheese brulée, or smoked salmon platter. And these were just the appetizers.

The menu offered a scrumptious array of surf and turf: lobster and truffle risotto, jambalaya, flat iron steak, lamb ragu parpadelle. I am rarely intrigued by a pork chop, but listen to this: Double Pork Chop stuffed with caramelized cinnamon pears & Gorgonzola cheese, wrapped with prosciutto, topped with brandy sauce. Are you listening? How about Pasta Purses stuffed with pears and Gorgonzola in a creamy béchamel sauce sprinkled with toasted hazelnuts. The dinner menu added more salad and steak options and additional side dishes, including crispy macaroni and cheese with crab. Do you see my dilemma?

I chose the Spicy Crab Flatbread: crab meat, oven roasted tomatoes, chili peppers & basil with a touch of cream of crab. It was fabulous.

Just to be thorough, I checked out the dessert tray and selected the lemon torte, although the various cheesecakes and tiramisu looked wonderful.

My waitress, whose name I did not catch, was prompt and courteous, giving us enough time to decide and visit while still checking to see if we needed anything. My glass did get empty, but the restaurant was pretty busy. I was relieved the service was good enough because there is so much more eating I have to do here.