I took my family there for a special Easter brunch and couldn't have been more disappointed. Although the place was decorated nicely (but dated) and the staff very accommodating (but clueless), the food was far below the price being asked. $30 for a frittata? Yes, there were other selections that included seafood, which my wife and daughter selected which arrived as a very small portion and tasted very fishy. My steak was extremely tough and full of fat and could not be eaten. When brought to the waitresses attention, she smiled, took my plate and brought me my bill. That's the other issue. The waiters and waitresses were completely at a loss about the food, its preparation or options. We chose this restaurant because of the high reviews, but will think twice about doing so in the future. This restaurant has promise, but it has a ways to go to get there. Would not recommend.
(1)
Ray H.
Visited Aug 28, 2014. Very average, had signature dish rockfish 213, not a lot of flavor. Wife had a nightly special scallops dish, very underwhelming, 3 small scallops over risotto that was rumored to include lobster, way overpriced at $38. Desert was good, an upscale version of a banana split. Overall not worth the drive from the Ocean City area and def not worth the cost of the dinner.
(3)
Sherry M.
Amazing meal. Great service. I've gone twice in two weeks- crab cakes were awesome and no filler. Nice size meal. Also had the lamb chop meal. Delicious!! Chef Hughes is great. Love this place. Fine dining but sooo great for Salisbury, MD.
(5)
Neely J.
Ordered appetizers, mains, desserts, and a delicious bottle of wine. All were wonderful, well seasoned, and loaded with fresh herbs from the restaurant garden Chef Hughes was even nice enough to show us after our meal. Rhelda (our server) and Chef Hughes went out of their way to ensure we had a wonderful experience. Nothing but glowing recommendations will follow our visit to Restaurant 213.
(5)
Ai-Ling L.
Three "Excellents" for Restaurant 213. Last night's dinner was beyond our expectations! Our waiter was friendly but not overbearing. The mini-tasting of a creamed zucchini soup with a hint of heat gave a prelude to the careful attention to flavors of the meal to come. Then came the scoop of lemon mango sherbet garnished with a fresh mint leaf to clear the palate. I had the lobster, removed from its shell, served over angel hair pasta,. There was supposed to be a sauce over it, but I am lactose intolerant and asked for the sauce on the side. The lobster was cooked to perfection and had a slightly smoky flavor. To me, it didn't need the creamy crab sauce. My dinner companion had filet mignon-- well-done, as he usually orders it. He was surprised at how tender it was. To his delight, the filet serving was a larger portion than he is accustomed to receiving at other restaurants. The chef added spinach, carrots and potatoes, complimenting the beef with their flavors and textures. Our overall impression was one of excellent service, excellent quality, and excellent atmosphere for that special night out.
(5)
Ramona N.
The sashimi appetizer was awesome. Never thought I would say I like things like that. The crab cakes were good and yet the scallops over risotto was out of this world.
(5)
Yikchi F.
I wish I could give it a 3.5 stars because we dined here twice in the past 13 months. First time was very good and the second time is just good. Both time we ate there we had the prix fixe dinner, and the choices of dishes are similar both times. Don't get me wrong, the dishes were all well executed (we had the filet mignon and the rock fish) and tasty but for some reason something was just lacking the second time around. May be we were expecting some changes to the menu after one year instead of more or less the same exact appetizers, entrees, and desserts. In conclusion, this restaurant will provide a satisfying fine dining experience with much 'wow' factor.
(3)
Bob B.
Seemed like we were off to a great start until we tried to order from the wine list. After choosing 3 that were not in we finally asked what was there. The available wines not up to how the wine list reads! Food was good but not for the price point. The server was not very helpful and not familiar with the dishes. Asked to speak to the chef/owner but he was unavailable. Called several times later that week and could not be bothered and would not return our calls as we requested.
(1)
Jim H.
Great food this was our second time here in the last two months the restaurant is beautiful and outstanding. The service is outstanding. We highly recommend this restaurant. Great great great
(5)
Chad G.
This IS fine dining! Definite 5 star experience, even with a few caveats. I came here for my one year anniversary of moving to town. I had the prix fixe menu(served on Thursday and Sundays only). I was impressed they had a number of selections to choose from for each course for those trying to avoid shellfish, meat, etc. Very thoughtful! The meal started with a teaser. It was a shot glass sized espresso cup filled with what tasted like cream of broccoli soup. It was tasty, but I love broccoli, so that's not surprising. Next were three baked oysters in a tarragon sauce. Sublime! (caveat: one did taste fishy, but I'm not going to downgrade a star on a bad oyster) Next was a lemon sorbet to cleanse the palette. Main course: Tenderloin steak topped with a peppercorn brown gravy and julienne carrots, spinach, and potato's as sides. This was delectable! While I don't believe the steak was prime, it was VERY good! (caveat: I was a bit surprised they had no Bearnaise nor au jus in the back, I can't imagine a top notch restaurant without both, much less neither.) The carrots, spinach, and potato's were all top flight delicious. Dessert was either a creme brulee or "chocolate sheba"(which is a hot mini bundt cake plated over chocolate and vanilla creme and filled with a hot chocolate sauce). While the entire world thinks it's "cool" to get creme brulee, please stop being so pretentious! I went with what was easier and was less likely to be messed up, and it was ridiculously good! I could write an entire review about the dessert itself. I haven't had a dessert that good in YEARS! A few more of the caveats, the server was a bit chatty. I'm being a bit nit picky here, and I realize that. I'm simply not looking for a BFF every time I go to a fancy restaurant. The fact that it's the shore means it is probably more "folksy", so I guess it's understandable, just not my thing. It's also worth mentioning that we can hear you talking in the kitchen. Nothing bad was said, but we could hear. We were the only people there. Also, the price of the dish on the website is different than at the restaurant. The prix fixe menu was billed as $39, but less than that on their website, and menu too, I believe. Again, it's a buck or two, so it's nit picking, but I am a stickler for detail. Might have been nice to see the head cook too(perhaps the owner if he was there), since we were the only table in there for an hour. Did it close the door on all other "probable" fine dining restaurants in the area I have to try at some point or another? No, it didn't. With the few oopsies, it left the door open. That being said, did it solidify itself as the first fine dining offering on the shore? YES, and then some. With a bit more attention to detail, it may rival even major metro markets fine dining.
(5)
Morgan M.
My husband and I went to dinner here on vacation. It was delicious! We started with the soup du jour, which was a cream of crab. It was perfect, with big crab lumps and a complex cream base. My husband had the rockfish on the menu and I had the scallops special which was served over lobster risotto....both were amazing! For dessert, we had the chocolate Sheba. It was good but probably not quite what I expected. The menu said it was a flour less chocolate cake but it was definitely a chocolate cake with flour. My husband had a mojito, which was fresh, not too sweet and quite good. Service was great. The restaurant was essentially empty except for one other couple, which was kind of disappointing because I hope the place will make it!! Definitely recommend this place!
(4)
Barry V.
So...you've heard that James Beard-honored chef Jim Hughes has a restaurant nearby and you figure it's time to find a good meal near Salisbury, MD. Off you go on the main drag through Salisbury, past Salisbury University, one strip mall after another, a larger mall, lots of fast food establishments, when you spot a squat, square building across the road. You say to yourself, "That can't be a high-end restaurant." You walk inside and discover a quaint, formally decorated (white tableclothes set with nice china) dining room. You are seated and offered a menu, wine list, cocktail list, and informed of all the day's specials that seem to be longer than what's listed on the menu. You also notice a picture of the chef shaking hands with President Reagan and learn that he was once Mr. Reagan's personal chef. Okay, depending on your political persuasion, you're either happy or not. And then there's the food. Everything our party ordered was fantastic. If you are looking for a so-called diamond in the rough of an area of the country not known for excellent food, this is the place. It's pricey, but worth it.
(5)
Michele P.
We were returning to DC from a lovely day spent in Assateague and decided to grab dinner on the way home. Salisbury is apparently a rural area, with a college, but the dining pickins were ridiculously thin. Salisbury and nearby Fruitland dining consists almost entirely of tepid food chains and fast food. We have more discerning tastes so I stumbled upon the sole review for Two Thirteen... so we took a chance without knowing anything about the food, prices or ambience. Although the restaurant itself evoked memories of my grandma's double-wide, the decor and layout were tasteful and elegant. It is indeed the best restaurant in at least two towns and the local diners were gussied up and out for a posh evening. Our waiter was professional, solicitous, and attentive, as well as knowledgeable about the food and wine. The prices were very very reasonable. We ordered the pre-fixe menu, for only $35! The food was delicious, the presentation was also flawless. The meal opened with a tiny cup of creamy broth. After that the baked oyesters, yum, especially the one smothered in lump crab meat. Then the delightful blood orange sorbet to cleanse the palate arrived and we savored the simple but fresh flavors. The main course was the tenderloin with a hint of blue cheese to infuse the succulent, juicy meat. It was so tender, so perfect, that I nearly injured myself trying to finish it. Accompanying the beef were potatoes and spinach blanched in pernod! It was delicious, and so unexpected?! For dessert we had the creme brulee, which although ubiquitous, was perfectly prepared. All in all I am so glad we discovered this restaurant. Everyone was so friendly and the food was really out of place in that glum area. I would definitely stop there again if I ever get out to the eastern shore area. The bathrooms were sweet too, very nicely decorated and comfortable, with many different soaps, lotions and other amenities, including lemon scented hand towels and complimentary altoids! We had such a good time there, I highly recommend it!
(5)
C O.
Too much money for mediocre food. But what really irritated me enough to write this review (I really prefer to write about places I enjoy) was the elaborate routine they kept putting us through when they were out of something. They'd bring out something very similar, like one type of ravioli when we'd asked for another, then tell us we'd placed the wrong order. When we argued, they'd apologize and say they'd replace it, only to come out later and tell us they were out of it all along. If it had only been once, I'd have believed it, but it happened enough for me to suspect that this is standard procedure. Beyond that, our dinner took almost three hours, almost all of which was wait time. The food wasn't really all that good. The ambiance was awful, and it's freezing. Needless to say, none of us stuck around for dessert. The only redeeming quality was the earnest, friendly wait staff. They weren't very polished, and the "we're really out of this dish" routine was obnoxious, but I won't blame them for some crazy policy the chef probably cooked up.
The only real gourmet restaurant in the Salisbury area, Restaurant 213 is a fantastic dining experience. The restaurant is small, so reservations are recommended. The ambiance is wonderful, perfect for a romantic occasion. The service is impeccable. The wait staff is very well versed in the menu and can offer assistance in choosing the right wine for the meal. I've been to fancy, big time restaurants in cities that weren't as nice as 213. And the food... everything from presentation to flavor is just perfect. every meal begins with an amuse bouche, a small tasting soup to waken the taste buds and prepare you for the meal to come. The salads are large and beautiful. I've tried several different entrees, and they've all been delicious. My favorite was the lobster ravioli with wine sauce. If there's any place they fall, it would have to be the desserts. They sound and look much better than they taste. Over all though, Restaurant 213 has been one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.
(5)
E A.
Waaaay overpriced, service ridiculously slow, and food does not live up to the hype. I wished it was good, but it's not, if you're looking for something fancy or gourmet you would be better off going to DC, or Rehoboth. I definitely think quality is worth seeking and definitely worth paying more for, but this is definitely not the case for 213. I'm not a picky person, and enjoy eating at hole in the wall places, as long as the food is good, I'm good. But if one is being charged on average $37.00 per entree, you are certainly expecting the restaurant to come up to that level, from the ambiance, to the food. To begin with, the decor is a conundrum. They bill themselves to be a supposedly fine dining restaurant, but the chairs are something one would find in a bingo hall, and the ceiling to match... well maybe just don't look up. On the plus side, lighting was good, and the table had actual white linens. Minus- the silverware, it was awkward and silly, it's like a nouveau pretentious sculpture. On to the food, bread service was literally 4 small slices of bread, (Don't fill up.) and a garlic infused olive oil was offered with it. Next was an Amuse Bouche of a zucchini soup in demitasse cups. While the soup needed a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and it wouldn't hurt to add a squeeze of acid by way of lemon, to brighten the flavor, the best part was when my husband turned his cup to me to show the VERY VISIBLE LIPSTICK STAINS ON THE RIM !!! It was hilarious, as it clearly didn't match his shade, and how the server, and the chef/cook who poured that soup didn't see that dirty lipstick stain on the very white cup escapes me. When pointed out to the server, she apologized and offered to replace it with one that didn't come in a dirty cup. While she was nice about it, she didn't seem to be in a hurry either. Onwards to the appetizers - I had the Oysters which were small, sad, and way overcooked. There was 4 pieces, and it was like eating to broiled bits of cardboard swathed in tarragon butter, yours for only $12. The other thing we ordered was the scallops, it was seared properly and the sauce which wasn't bad was also unmemorable. It was described as being served with Thai peanut noodles, but at literally a tablespoons worth - dispensable. At $13.00 a bargain at this point. Next was the main, Veal 213 was cooked properly. It came with "mushroom" potatoes which was small red potatoes clumsily carved into mushroom looking shapes, and while I appreciate the effort, if the food is good, it should be good enough to stand on it's own without a gimmick. It also came with sauteed spinach which needed salt, and some shredded carrots, which was good. The veal was sauced with a morel cream reduction which was fine enough, reminiscent of the swedish meatballs sauce in Ikea, which I like. At $38.00 the best thing we could come up with to describe it was - business class airline food. The other entree was Seared Tuna, ($37.00) described as peppercorn encrusted, more like 'sprinkled', but whatever, the more disappointing thing was the utter lack of flavor. It came with the same spinach and carrots on the side and also some artichokes which clearly came from a can, and was too acidic that even an artichoke lover like myself could not 'choke' it down. No pun intended. And finally dessert, Grand Marnier souffle - which we had to order at the beginning of the meal a mere 2 hours past, only to be now told "Sorry but they've run out" I just want to cut my losses at this point, so we say no problem, and we don't want anything else but the check. But what I wanted to say was, REALLY, YOU RAN OUT? It's egg whites and you ran out? We ordered that 2 HOURS ago, and you're just now telling us you ran out? There's a freaking grocery store across the street, no one could buy some eggs, to make your house specialty dessert we ordered 2 HOURS ago? The kicker was at the sideboard where they keep water pitchers and after dinner cordials - was a big bottle of guess what? Grand Marnier! If would be hilarious if it wasn't so tragic. Say, the chef doesn't want to make it, he's busy having a meeting right now ( as he's sitting 2 tables away from us), and there's no one else in the kitchen. But don't lie for pete's sake. Or come up with a better lie, "we ran out" is just sad when you had to order it 2 hours ahead, and you just now realized it? Come on. I have worked in the restaurant industry in various capacities my whole life, from being a server, to bartending, to being a cook, so I always want to be forgiving of restaurants and give them the benefit of the doubt, whether the server is in the weeds or something has gone wrong with the order, but when a restaurant advertises itself to be this upscale, and charges NY prices for it, it should somewhat live up to that promise, sadly Restaurant 213 does not. But if you like airline food and don't mind paying dearly for it, then by all means, enjoy.
(1)
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Address :213 N Fruitland Blvd
Fruitland, MD, 21826
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Dressy Noise Level : Quiet Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
FamilyOfFoodies F.
I took my family there for a special Easter brunch and couldn't have been more disappointed. Although the place was decorated nicely (but dated) and the staff very accommodating (but clueless), the food was far below the price being asked. $30 for a frittata? Yes, there were other selections that included seafood, which my wife and daughter selected which arrived as a very small portion and tasted very fishy. My steak was extremely tough and full of fat and could not be eaten. When brought to the waitresses attention, she smiled, took my plate and brought me my bill. That's the other issue. The waiters and waitresses were completely at a loss about the food, its preparation or options. We chose this restaurant because of the high reviews, but will think twice about doing so in the future. This restaurant has promise, but it has a ways to go to get there. Would not recommend.
(1)Ray H.
Visited Aug 28, 2014. Very average, had signature dish rockfish 213, not a lot of flavor. Wife had a nightly special scallops dish, very underwhelming, 3 small scallops over risotto that was rumored to include lobster, way overpriced at $38. Desert was good, an upscale version of a banana split. Overall not worth the drive from the Ocean City area and def not worth the cost of the dinner.
(3)Sherry M.
Amazing meal. Great service. I've gone twice in two weeks- crab cakes were awesome and no filler. Nice size meal. Also had the lamb chop meal. Delicious!! Chef Hughes is great. Love this place. Fine dining but sooo great for Salisbury, MD.
(5)Neely J.
Ordered appetizers, mains, desserts, and a delicious bottle of wine. All were wonderful, well seasoned, and loaded with fresh herbs from the restaurant garden Chef Hughes was even nice enough to show us after our meal. Rhelda (our server) and Chef Hughes went out of their way to ensure we had a wonderful experience. Nothing but glowing recommendations will follow our visit to Restaurant 213.
(5)Ai-Ling L.
Three "Excellents" for Restaurant 213. Last night's dinner was beyond our expectations! Our waiter was friendly but not overbearing. The mini-tasting of a creamed zucchini soup with a hint of heat gave a prelude to the careful attention to flavors of the meal to come. Then came the scoop of lemon mango sherbet garnished with a fresh mint leaf to clear the palate. I had the lobster, removed from its shell, served over angel hair pasta,. There was supposed to be a sauce over it, but I am lactose intolerant and asked for the sauce on the side. The lobster was cooked to perfection and had a slightly smoky flavor. To me, it didn't need the creamy crab sauce. My dinner companion had filet mignon-- well-done, as he usually orders it. He was surprised at how tender it was. To his delight, the filet serving was a larger portion than he is accustomed to receiving at other restaurants. The chef added spinach, carrots and potatoes, complimenting the beef with their flavors and textures. Our overall impression was one of excellent service, excellent quality, and excellent atmosphere for that special night out.
(5)Ramona N.
The sashimi appetizer was awesome. Never thought I would say I like things like that. The crab cakes were good and yet the scallops over risotto was out of this world.
(5)Yikchi F.
I wish I could give it a 3.5 stars because we dined here twice in the past 13 months. First time was very good and the second time is just good. Both time we ate there we had the prix fixe dinner, and the choices of dishes are similar both times. Don't get me wrong, the dishes were all well executed (we had the filet mignon and the rock fish) and tasty but for some reason something was just lacking the second time around. May be we were expecting some changes to the menu after one year instead of more or less the same exact appetizers, entrees, and desserts. In conclusion, this restaurant will provide a satisfying fine dining experience with much 'wow' factor.
(3)Bob B.
Seemed like we were off to a great start until we tried to order from the wine list. After choosing 3 that were not in we finally asked what was there. The available wines not up to how the wine list reads! Food was good but not for the price point. The server was not very helpful and not familiar with the dishes. Asked to speak to the chef/owner but he was unavailable. Called several times later that week and could not be bothered and would not return our calls as we requested.
(1)Jim H.
Great food this was our second time here in the last two months the restaurant is beautiful and outstanding. The service is outstanding. We highly recommend this restaurant. Great great great
(5)Chad G.
This IS fine dining! Definite 5 star experience, even with a few caveats. I came here for my one year anniversary of moving to town. I had the prix fixe menu(served on Thursday and Sundays only). I was impressed they had a number of selections to choose from for each course for those trying to avoid shellfish, meat, etc. Very thoughtful! The meal started with a teaser. It was a shot glass sized espresso cup filled with what tasted like cream of broccoli soup. It was tasty, but I love broccoli, so that's not surprising. Next were three baked oysters in a tarragon sauce. Sublime! (caveat: one did taste fishy, but I'm not going to downgrade a star on a bad oyster) Next was a lemon sorbet to cleanse the palette. Main course: Tenderloin steak topped with a peppercorn brown gravy and julienne carrots, spinach, and potato's as sides. This was delectable! While I don't believe the steak was prime, it was VERY good! (caveat: I was a bit surprised they had no Bearnaise nor au jus in the back, I can't imagine a top notch restaurant without both, much less neither.) The carrots, spinach, and potato's were all top flight delicious. Dessert was either a creme brulee or "chocolate sheba"(which is a hot mini bundt cake plated over chocolate and vanilla creme and filled with a hot chocolate sauce). While the entire world thinks it's "cool" to get creme brulee, please stop being so pretentious! I went with what was easier and was less likely to be messed up, and it was ridiculously good! I could write an entire review about the dessert itself. I haven't had a dessert that good in YEARS! A few more of the caveats, the server was a bit chatty. I'm being a bit nit picky here, and I realize that. I'm simply not looking for a BFF every time I go to a fancy restaurant. The fact that it's the shore means it is probably more "folksy", so I guess it's understandable, just not my thing. It's also worth mentioning that we can hear you talking in the kitchen. Nothing bad was said, but we could hear. We were the only people there. Also, the price of the dish on the website is different than at the restaurant. The prix fixe menu was billed as $39, but less than that on their website, and menu too, I believe. Again, it's a buck or two, so it's nit picking, but I am a stickler for detail. Might have been nice to see the head cook too(perhaps the owner if he was there), since we were the only table in there for an hour. Did it close the door on all other "probable" fine dining restaurants in the area I have to try at some point or another? No, it didn't. With the few oopsies, it left the door open. That being said, did it solidify itself as the first fine dining offering on the shore? YES, and then some. With a bit more attention to detail, it may rival even major metro markets fine dining.
(5)Morgan M.
My husband and I went to dinner here on vacation. It was delicious! We started with the soup du jour, which was a cream of crab. It was perfect, with big crab lumps and a complex cream base. My husband had the rockfish on the menu and I had the scallops special which was served over lobster risotto....both were amazing! For dessert, we had the chocolate Sheba. It was good but probably not quite what I expected. The menu said it was a flour less chocolate cake but it was definitely a chocolate cake with flour. My husband had a mojito, which was fresh, not too sweet and quite good. Service was great. The restaurant was essentially empty except for one other couple, which was kind of disappointing because I hope the place will make it!! Definitely recommend this place!
(4)Barry V.
So...you've heard that James Beard-honored chef Jim Hughes has a restaurant nearby and you figure it's time to find a good meal near Salisbury, MD. Off you go on the main drag through Salisbury, past Salisbury University, one strip mall after another, a larger mall, lots of fast food establishments, when you spot a squat, square building across the road. You say to yourself, "That can't be a high-end restaurant." You walk inside and discover a quaint, formally decorated (white tableclothes set with nice china) dining room. You are seated and offered a menu, wine list, cocktail list, and informed of all the day's specials that seem to be longer than what's listed on the menu. You also notice a picture of the chef shaking hands with President Reagan and learn that he was once Mr. Reagan's personal chef. Okay, depending on your political persuasion, you're either happy or not. And then there's the food. Everything our party ordered was fantastic. If you are looking for a so-called diamond in the rough of an area of the country not known for excellent food, this is the place. It's pricey, but worth it.
(5)Michele P.
We were returning to DC from a lovely day spent in Assateague and decided to grab dinner on the way home. Salisbury is apparently a rural area, with a college, but the dining pickins were ridiculously thin. Salisbury and nearby Fruitland dining consists almost entirely of tepid food chains and fast food. We have more discerning tastes so I stumbled upon the sole review for Two Thirteen... so we took a chance without knowing anything about the food, prices or ambience. Although the restaurant itself evoked memories of my grandma's double-wide, the decor and layout were tasteful and elegant. It is indeed the best restaurant in at least two towns and the local diners were gussied up and out for a posh evening. Our waiter was professional, solicitous, and attentive, as well as knowledgeable about the food and wine. The prices were very very reasonable. We ordered the pre-fixe menu, for only $35! The food was delicious, the presentation was also flawless. The meal opened with a tiny cup of creamy broth. After that the baked oyesters, yum, especially the one smothered in lump crab meat. Then the delightful blood orange sorbet to cleanse the palate arrived and we savored the simple but fresh flavors. The main course was the tenderloin with a hint of blue cheese to infuse the succulent, juicy meat. It was so tender, so perfect, that I nearly injured myself trying to finish it. Accompanying the beef were potatoes and spinach blanched in pernod! It was delicious, and so unexpected?! For dessert we had the creme brulee, which although ubiquitous, was perfectly prepared. All in all I am so glad we discovered this restaurant. Everyone was so friendly and the food was really out of place in that glum area. I would definitely stop there again if I ever get out to the eastern shore area. The bathrooms were sweet too, very nicely decorated and comfortable, with many different soaps, lotions and other amenities, including lemon scented hand towels and complimentary altoids! We had such a good time there, I highly recommend it!
(5)C O.
Too much money for mediocre food. But what really irritated me enough to write this review (I really prefer to write about places I enjoy) was the elaborate routine they kept putting us through when they were out of something. They'd bring out something very similar, like one type of ravioli when we'd asked for another, then tell us we'd placed the wrong order. When we argued, they'd apologize and say they'd replace it, only to come out later and tell us they were out of it all along. If it had only been once, I'd have believed it, but it happened enough for me to suspect that this is standard procedure. Beyond that, our dinner took almost three hours, almost all of which was wait time. The food wasn't really all that good. The ambiance was awful, and it's freezing. Needless to say, none of us stuck around for dessert. The only redeeming quality was the earnest, friendly wait staff. They weren't very polished, and the "we're really out of this dish" routine was obnoxious, but I won't blame them for some crazy policy the chef probably cooked up.
(1)Dave O.
Another fantastic meal at Jim Hughes' Restaurant 213. Tonight was one of his signature wine dinners featuring central California coast wines. A five course gourmet meal fit for a king. Chef Hughes, a Master Chef, and James Beard recipient, yet again outdid himself. I started with a gin martini, as always perfectly mixed, and the only negative of the evening, he was out of Hendrich's, so I had to make do with Bombay Saphirre. First course was a "jimmychanga" made with lobster and Santa Barbara shrimp. Paired with a Chandon Blanc de noir wine, yum!! Next up a mesclun salad paired with Sterling sauvignon blanc, very nice. The entrée was a scotch salmon, pure hedonism. Jim described the sauce as cream, scallions, and more cream, fantastic decadence. The salmon was melt in your melt delish. Paired with a wonderful Acacia pinot. Final course was flourless chocolate cake with chocolate coated figs. All good, but what really set it off was the Newton Claret 2009, out of this world flavor fusions. All of the above, plus Jim Hughes' color commentary made for a fantastic culinarily epic experience!
(5)Josh A.
The only real gourmet restaurant in the Salisbury area, Restaurant 213 is a fantastic dining experience. The restaurant is small, so reservations are recommended. The ambiance is wonderful, perfect for a romantic occasion. The service is impeccable. The wait staff is very well versed in the menu and can offer assistance in choosing the right wine for the meal. I've been to fancy, big time restaurants in cities that weren't as nice as 213. And the food... everything from presentation to flavor is just perfect. every meal begins with an amuse bouche, a small tasting soup to waken the taste buds and prepare you for the meal to come. The salads are large and beautiful. I've tried several different entrees, and they've all been delicious. My favorite was the lobster ravioli with wine sauce. If there's any place they fall, it would have to be the desserts. They sound and look much better than they taste. Over all though, Restaurant 213 has been one of the best dining experiences I've ever had.
(5)E A.
Waaaay overpriced, service ridiculously slow, and food does not live up to the hype. I wished it was good, but it's not, if you're looking for something fancy or gourmet you would be better off going to DC, or Rehoboth. I definitely think quality is worth seeking and definitely worth paying more for, but this is definitely not the case for 213. I'm not a picky person, and enjoy eating at hole in the wall places, as long as the food is good, I'm good. But if one is being charged on average $37.00 per entree, you are certainly expecting the restaurant to come up to that level, from the ambiance, to the food. To begin with, the decor is a conundrum. They bill themselves to be a supposedly fine dining restaurant, but the chairs are something one would find in a bingo hall, and the ceiling to match... well maybe just don't look up. On the plus side, lighting was good, and the table had actual white linens. Minus- the silverware, it was awkward and silly, it's like a nouveau pretentious sculpture. On to the food, bread service was literally 4 small slices of bread, (Don't fill up.) and a garlic infused olive oil was offered with it. Next was an Amuse Bouche of a zucchini soup in demitasse cups. While the soup needed a good seasoning of salt and pepper, and it wouldn't hurt to add a squeeze of acid by way of lemon, to brighten the flavor, the best part was when my husband turned his cup to me to show the VERY VISIBLE LIPSTICK STAINS ON THE RIM !!! It was hilarious, as it clearly didn't match his shade, and how the server, and the chef/cook who poured that soup didn't see that dirty lipstick stain on the very white cup escapes me. When pointed out to the server, she apologized and offered to replace it with one that didn't come in a dirty cup. While she was nice about it, she didn't seem to be in a hurry either. Onwards to the appetizers - I had the Oysters which were small, sad, and way overcooked. There was 4 pieces, and it was like eating to broiled bits of cardboard swathed in tarragon butter, yours for only $12. The other thing we ordered was the scallops, it was seared properly and the sauce which wasn't bad was also unmemorable. It was described as being served with Thai peanut noodles, but at literally a tablespoons worth - dispensable. At $13.00 a bargain at this point. Next was the main, Veal 213 was cooked properly. It came with "mushroom" potatoes which was small red potatoes clumsily carved into mushroom looking shapes, and while I appreciate the effort, if the food is good, it should be good enough to stand on it's own without a gimmick. It also came with sauteed spinach which needed salt, and some shredded carrots, which was good. The veal was sauced with a morel cream reduction which was fine enough, reminiscent of the swedish meatballs sauce in Ikea, which I like. At $38.00 the best thing we could come up with to describe it was - business class airline food. The other entree was Seared Tuna, ($37.00) described as peppercorn encrusted, more like 'sprinkled', but whatever, the more disappointing thing was the utter lack of flavor. It came with the same spinach and carrots on the side and also some artichokes which clearly came from a can, and was too acidic that even an artichoke lover like myself could not 'choke' it down. No pun intended. And finally dessert, Grand Marnier souffle - which we had to order at the beginning of the meal a mere 2 hours past, only to be now told "Sorry but they've run out" I just want to cut my losses at this point, so we say no problem, and we don't want anything else but the check. But what I wanted to say was, REALLY, YOU RAN OUT? It's egg whites and you ran out? We ordered that 2 HOURS ago, and you're just now telling us you ran out? There's a freaking grocery store across the street, no one could buy some eggs, to make your house specialty dessert we ordered 2 HOURS ago? The kicker was at the sideboard where they keep water pitchers and after dinner cordials - was a big bottle of guess what? Grand Marnier! If would be hilarious if it wasn't so tragic. Say, the chef doesn't want to make it, he's busy having a meeting right now ( as he's sitting 2 tables away from us), and there's no one else in the kitchen. But don't lie for pete's sake. Or come up with a better lie, "we ran out" is just sad when you had to order it 2 hours ahead, and you just now realized it? Come on. I have worked in the restaurant industry in various capacities my whole life, from being a server, to bartending, to being a cook, so I always want to be forgiving of restaurants and give them the benefit of the doubt, whether the server is in the weeds or something has gone wrong with the order, but when a restaurant advertises itself to be this upscale, and charges NY prices for it, it should somewhat live up to that promise, sadly Restaurant 213 does not. But if you like airline food and don't mind paying dearly for it, then by all means, enjoy.
(1)