{Travel Tuesday} Victoria Gastro Pub in Maryland

After driving many hours from NYC to Maryland (to visit our newborn nephew), my husband suggested we have dinner at Victoria Gastro Pub.  It was one of the best places in the area for craft beers, so of course he had to check it out!  And for non-beer drinker me, he convinced me to dine here with entree options like Lobster Grilled Cheese and Duck Poutine.  Good beer and warm, comforting food - yes, it was a good night! 

So many craft beers....so little time! After going through the binder full of options including many local brews and an exhaustive bottle list, my husband tried the dark roasted Lucky 7 Porter from Delaware's Evolution Craft Brewing and the smooth Oliver's Bishop's Breakfast Oatmeal Stout from Baltimore's Pratt Street Ales. 

Chicken Liver Pate ($7):  Rich and decadent, this tasty (and not overly salty) pate was served with a sweet apricot and cherry chutney and warm challah toast (artfully arranged like a game of Jenga!).

Duck Poutine ($8):  As a good Canadian gal, I'll seek out poutine wherever I travel.  Though this plate of duck fat fries (like the ones we last enjoyed in Chicago at Hot Doug's), duck confit, duck gravy, and melted gruyere cheese was not a poutine (which is fries, gravy, and cheese curds), it was a comforting guilty pleasure.

Kobe Burger with Gruyere ($13): Beyond being a juicy burger, where else can you get a Wagyu (Kobe) burger made with meat from Snake River Farms (the same place The French Laundry has sourced its meats) for only $13?  The burger came with Gruyere cheese, caramelized onions, mushrooms, house pickles, lettuce, tomato, aioli, and smoked paprika fries on the side.  With its juices running after our first bite, this burger was almost a "5-Napkin Burger".

Lobster Grilled Cheese ($16):  Brie fondue and big chunks of Maine lobster - what could be better?  This hot grilled sandwich was a winning combination, especially partnered with homemade jalapeno potato chips.  Though we both still prefer lightly dressed lobster rolls, this sandwich was a nice twist on the classic grilled cheese.

Victoria Gastro Pub was a worthwhile stop on our road trip.  It also hosts beer and wine pairing dinners.  Victoria Gastro Pub is located at 8201 Snowden River Parkway in Columbia, MD.