Out Of The Fire, "Environmentally Conscious" Dining on Goldsborough Street in Easton

[brr]

We stayed in Easton a few weeks ago and enjoyed several fine meals. One of them was at Out of the Fire, a beautiful, high-ceilinged space in downtown, oldtown Easton. While the menu does extend beyond pizza, that was our main focu so we can't comment on the other dishes on offer.

The first sign that this place might be good was the fact that the only slot for 4 they had available on a Friday night was for 8.45. We settled in and split a few salads, while choosing a nice Chianti Classico from a very reasonably priced wine list and then ordered the Mushroom, Spinach and Goat Cheese pizza and the Italian Sausage pizza
with smoked mozzarella, roasted red peppers and olives.

Both were delicious, thin crust and clearly made with fresh ingredients.

For dessert, they were out of a bread pudding concoction that sounds delicious so the 4 of us split a pepermint fudge type thingy, and some type of meringue thingy (sorry, I didn't take notes, it was late, and, well, I was drunk) - they were good, but obviously not good enough to indelibly imprint themselves on my brain.

They also have an extensive and ever changing selection of wines by the glass. Service was relaxed, friendly and excellent, highlighted by the fact that when we inquired about wines by the glass our waitress gave us generous samples of 3 different wines so we could better make a choice.

Oh, and its cheap. 2 apps, 2 pizzas, 2 desserts, a bottle of good wine and 3 glasses of wine came to a little over $100, not including tip.

This place is a real gem, and you can get there in about 80 minutes from DC.

[Walrus]

We wrote about this place on eG -- we were there last spring (I think? Two springs ago? How time flies!) and had a fabulous meal. This was where Craig was introduced to Scrumpy Jack cheese (yum!) and where I had some REAL mint chocolate chip ice cream -- as in, flavored with actual mint. It was faboo. I highly second brr's praise!

[MeMc]

Seriously. My school day just ended and if I didn't commit to going for a chinese hot pot tonight, I'd be driving Easton right now! I need some pizza. Thanks for the great info!

[MelGold]

Just as an interesting aside to this, Rustico's chef Kevin Kearney was the exec chef of Out of the Fire for 4 years. If you can wait for about six weeks, you can try something similar on Slaters Lane and save the drive time.

[brr]

Just as an interesting aside to this, Rustico's chef Kevin Kearney was the exec chef of Out of the Fire for 4 years.  If you can wait for about six weeks, you can try something similar on Slaters Lane and save the drive time. 

thats great intel! thanks

[lackadaisi]

Based on the egullet reviews, Jlock and I stopped in about a month ago while in town for an Avett Brothers concert (outstanding) and had an excellent meal. Unfortunately, I can't remember all of the specifics, but we left extremely impressed.

[crackers]

Just as an interesting aside to this, Rustico's chef Kevin Kearney was the exec chef of Out of the Fire for 4 years.

This may explain the very disappointing meal I had this weekend at Out of the Fire. My instinct was to eat at The Narrows, but I rememberd the good words about this place. The only reservations available were before 5:30 and after 9:00pm. Normally that would mean the place is popular, but we arrived to find only two other tables seated. It never got more than a quarter full in the hour + it took them to serve us two courses. The best dish of the night proved to be the first - my seared tuna, with grapefruit, golden beets and pickled onions was very tasty, marred only by a gloppy aioli spread inartfully on top. The others - a meze platter and Caesar salad were utterly forgettable - the salad coming with what looked like bagged chopped romaine with boxed croutons. We followed with Margherita pizza, which was a true let down, especially since we could see the open flame in the oven (manned by a team of local teenagers). The crust was of the thick and tough variety, with heavy layer of salty roasted tomato sauce and topped with chewy mozarella and a few sliced shards of basil. Most of it was left on the plate. Then a long wait until the other plates arrived. A duck breast over risotto - tough, flabby meat, cooling to near congealed by the time it arrived - and an organic salmon, cooked well, but overpowered by a thick sweet glaze, and a heavily cinnamoned mound of squash alongside. We had brought a couple of bottles of wine with us, paying the $30 corkage, and then were given a hard time by the manager (?) about taking the remainder of the open bottles out the door with us. She eventually relented. We were out the door sans doggie bags as soon as we could get the bill. Maybe we just ordered wrong? But a pizza place that can't make a decent Margherita pizza? Not going back.

We headed back to St. Michaels and got burgers and beer at the St. Michael's Harbour Inn.
eta: Bistro St. Michaels was closed for vacation or that would have been my first choice.

[DonRocks]

Owner Amy Haines has been repeatedly recognized for her concern for the environment, as well as her support for artists.

"Haines Named 'Chesapeake Champion' for the Environment" by Chris Polk on stardem.com

"From the Arctic to the Mid-Shore: Inuit Art at Out of the Fire" on talbotspy.org

"Horn Point To Present Environmental Award to Amy Haines" on myeasternshoremd.com