Admiral T.J. O'Brien's

Outdoor dining in Sturbridge; plus a Maxwell-Silverman's follow-up

by Jim Johnson

407 Main Street, Sturbridge
347-2838
Sun.-Thurs. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
Fri.-Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m.
Major credit cards
Full bar
Handicap accessible

Before I launch into my review, I'd like to comment on my recent report on Maxwell-Silverman's. I closed it with the comment, "The moral of the story: If you own a restaurant, teach your serving staff the following words: `The customer is always right.'"

My dining companion received overcooked fish, and we believe that our server and a "host-like person" had been less than responsive. We received no replacement meal or consideration on the bill, despite the fact the entree was uneaten.

Owner Gus Giordano responded with a note, "Although I take full responsibility for all my servers, your server on your first visit did not represent my standards and policies."

His note ended, "The moral of this story: Don't hire a good friend's wife."

Since I didn't specify the night or describe the server, I would guess that the restaurant conducted some kind of investigation to find the "guilty" party. It appears to me, however, that it may instead have found a scapegoat. Indeed, I place greater blame on the host, who was belligerent and rude to us and seemed to bully the server. Likewise, the chef that evening offered little support to our server; instead of preparing another dish as our server requested, he simply tried to doctor the rejected dish.

New moral of the story: place blame where it belongs and create an environment that empowers your wait-staff.

(Please remember that, as I reported in my review, a second experience at Maxwell-Silverman's was superb. Don't let my one bad experience keep you from going. Also, we should all support establishments that treat older buildings with respect rather than destruction, and I salute Mr. Giordano for his worthy efforts.)

There's no easy transition from Maxwell-Silverman's to Admiral T.J. O'Brien's other than to say that these servers seemed to be having the times of their lives. They laughed with their customers and each other, they boogied playfully to the beat of background music (and later to a live duo), and they provided attentive, well-paced service. I'm convinced that even bad food would have tasted good.

That wasn't a problem, however, since the food was quite good, even better than we expected at this pub-like establishment hidden off Main Street in Sturbridge. A friend and I had been searching for relaxed outdoor dining, and the Admiral's place provided just what we were looking for.

As the evening went on, the outdoor deck also provided lots of famished mosquitoes, and we eventually retreated inside, where we found a pleasant, clean, and cordial setting with lots of wood and subdued lighting. We also found displays (including a massive model of a battleship) honoring the memory and accomplishments of the much decorated Rear Admiral Timothy J. O'Brien. The World War II hero was the uncle of the restaurant owners.

O'Brien's appetizers include straightforward pub fare with a Navy theme. For example, we ordered "Caps Off" ($4.95), known in most parts as stuffed mushroom caps. (We passed on "U.S.S. Buffalo" wings, "Mozzarella Masts," and "Jalapeno Anchors.") The caps were obviously made on premises and fresh, a group of six still sizzling in a chafing dish. The stuffing was moist with plenty of crabmeat, onions, peppers, and herbs. Steamers ($7.95), a special, were sweet in a basic broth, and a cup of black-bean soup with rice and ham ($1.50) was so thick, it almost passed as an order of rice and beans.

Entrees change nightly, except for a handful of deli and specialty sandwiches, burgers, "The Admiral's Catch" -- choices like Baked Stuffed Shrimp ($13.95) with crabmeat stuffing and Broiled Scrod ($8.95) topped with Newburg sauce -- and "Landlovers' Specials" like Chicken and Broccoli ($8.95) and Veal Parmesan ($10.95). The evening's specials included Grilled Lemon-Pepper Catfish ($11.95), Beer Battered Sea Scallops ($11.95), Filet Mignon and Lobster ($18.95), and Prime Rib ($13.95).

My bug-bitten tablemate ordered Poached Fresh Salmon ($11.95) with dill bechamel sauce. The fish was plain and let the light cream sauce really take charge. Despite its large size, the fish was cooked perfectly throughout. The mashed potatoes on the side were great -- red bliss potatoes just slightly undercooked and mashed with the skins on.

I ordered Grilled Caribbean Spiced Pork Chops ($8.95) and was surprised at how large the two chops were for the price. Although they were lean, they were by no means dry, and the spices packed plenty of punch -- sort of a Cajun mix with some citrus flair. I'd opted for the baked potato, which was cooked just right.

Desserts, unfortunately, were nothing special: plain-tasting carrot cake and somewhat stale and soggy apple crisp.

Plan on spending between $10 and $20 per person, depending on hunger and thirst.