By DCist contributor Austa Somvichian-Clausen
Jeff Black opened Addie’s in Rockville twenty-two years ago as a classy seafood spot named after the restaurateur’s grandmother. It was Black’s first restaurant, and it became a neighborhood institution over the years, right up until it shuttered its doors in 2013 in search of new space.
Four years later, Addie’s has made its much-anticipated comeback at new digs in Potomac, Maryland (12435 Potomac Park Ave.). DCist had the opportunity to stop in and taste the relaunched menu.
Seafood lovers will appreciate seeing the same sustainable and seasonal fare they’ve come to expect from the Black Restaurant Group (which includes Logan Circle’s ever-popular Pearl Dive Oyster Palace). Addie’s new location is in the up-and-coming Park Potomac and was designed to look and feel as welcoming as a home, complete with a formal dining room, a more casual den, an oyster bar, and an outdoor patio. Expect new items such as crab and shrimp puffy tacos and a reinvented seafood tower concept.
With plenty of area to roam and much to see, including an entire wall covered in unique door handles, the new space feels like traditional luxury with a modern, eclectic flair.
“The original Addie’s was my first restaurant and an ode to my grandmother. While the new restaurant also honors her, it benefits from the lessons learned opening multiple different concepts,” Black says.
Sitting down to eat, the first thing you’ll hopefully taste are the biscuits. There’s a reason they have a cult following: the recipe is from Grandma Addie herself. They encapsulate the buttery, pillowy, flaky goodness that you would expect from a Southern family’s prized biscuit recipe.
Taking a side step away from the traditional, the drinks here are inventive and well-presented. For a punch of fall flavor try the Apple Air, a well-spiced autumnal concoction of Barr Hill Gin, Laird’s Apple Brandy, Allspice Dram, apple, lemon, and finished with an apple chip. Besides the specialty cocktails, which are $13 each, there’s wine by the glass, local draft beers, and an interesting selection of vintage sodas including selections such as Cheerwine and Jarrito Mandarin.
If you’re looking for the full Addie’s experience, getting a customized seafood tower is a necessity. They offer three size options: petit comes with seven items for $78, grand is nine options for $92, and you can truly indulge with the supreme option of 12 items for $110. What comes in your tower is completely up to you, thanks to a robust array of more than 20 dish options, ranging from a traditional shrimp cocktail to more inventive fare such as their tempura soft shell crab. The Maryland Blue Crab claw is also a standout that’s both flavorful and meaty. The kitschy and original mix of tiny plates, bowls and saucers used to serve up each dish is a fun detail.
Black himself says that he’s excited for the “build your own” seafood tower concept because he’s never seen it anywhere else.
“We ordered special plates so that we could also put hot items on the tower and they would remain hot, which is pretty rare,” he says.
Another unique addition to the Addie’s menu is their option to order “dinner for two,” which are pretty pricey and range from $49 to $78. Executive Chef Dane Sewlall recommends the whole roasted Mediterranean bass ($57), which has a delicate flavor and texture.
It’s not all about the seafood at Addie’s, either. Meat lovers will rejoice at the shareable Two Allen Brothers Ribeye, teeming with mushrooms, potatoes, foie gras butter, and roasted shallot jus.
Addie’s theme of “nostalgia and novelty” continues into their dessert menu. They have a selection of $15 Champagne popsicles in various fruit flavors like mango, lemon, peach, and watermelon. For a bite of nostalgia, try the salted caramel banana cream pie trifle. It’s definitely a mouthful to say, but feels like an elevated version of the kind of dessert you’d have at your grandparents’ house: comforting and food coma-inducing. The chocolate bombe offers up a more modern, elegant end to your meal, adorned with edible flowers and a brush stroke of fruity color that pops underneath a dome of toffee brownie and chocolate mousse.
With a mid-to-high price point and requiring a bit of a trek from DC proper, Addie’s is all around an indulgence. But if looking to treat yourself or a special someone with quality, locally-sourced seafood, a buttery biscuit (or five), and a truly modern, elegant dining experience—Addie’s is the place to go.
