Baker's Restaurant by Apryl Parcher

Robert Matthews enjoys keeping the old traditions, including recipes handed down for generations that draw Baker’s Restaurant fans like bees to honey.

“Thursday is Chicken and Dumpling night,” he said. “People line up with pots and pans for takeout from the time we open until the time we close—it’s really popular.”

In fact, Baker’s Restaurant is so popular that it consistently wins awards, including Cecil Whig’s Reader’s Favorites, Newark Post and News Journal awards. Its family atmosphere, low prices and friendly staff serve up home style cooking that keeps a host of regulars coming back week after week.

“We have folks that come here regularly that remember coming in with their grandparents—back when my grandparents owned it,” said Matthews. “We have a real sense of community.”

That sense of community was evident when Ken and I showed up for this review. We saw some old friends from Chesapeake City that I had not seen in years, and it was clear from listening to surrounding conversations that everyone was having a good time.

Since Robert married his new bride, Wendy in 2005, all kinds of good things have been happening, such as a complete remodeling of the restaurant. Wendy Matthews comes from a food service background, and was prior owner of the Blue Max Inn in Chesapeake City. With her eye for decorating, the restaurant soon had a whole new look.

One very nice touch is the old Syracuse China in a dogwood pattern that was Rob’s grandmother’s. Wendy found a lot of it in storage and brought it back out to use for wall décor and for “extra special serving dishes.”

Like most of the restaurants we’ve reviewed, Bakers has employees who have been with them for years. Our server, Shirly Prewitt from Rising Sun, has been at Bakers for eight years, and recently won the Cecil Whig’s #1 Waitress for 2006 award. She wouldn’t let us take her picture, but she took really good care of us, starting us off with some wonderful drinks.

I had a pomegranate martini called a “Mermaid,” which had a very light and delicate taste, and a pretty, frothy pink color to match. Ken tried the Caramel Apple martini—a pale clear green (with a cherry in the bottom). The glass was glazed with a drizzling of caramel syrup. Both were served with “rocks” on the side (just in case they were too strong), and both were delicious.

“The only thing I haven’t done is bus tables,” he said, “but my
favorite job, I think, is the ‘window.’ We have a long kitchen line
with five people working at a time, four people per dish, to make
sure everything is just right.”

For entrees, Ken decided to go with Pepperjack Chicken, and I chose Thai Grilled Tuna Salad. While we waited for those, we tried the fresh-baked Sour Dough Boulé appetizer—a hot bread bowl of creamy crab dip glazed with melted cheese. It was very crabby, with a chowdery tang. Next came some hot wings, which were nice and spicy.

When our dinners came, we couldn’t believe our eyes. They looked so beautiful; it was almost a shame to eat them. Ken started on his chicken, which had a cheesy sauce and salsa dressing, and a side order of Bakers’ famous macaroni and cheese (made with four different cheeses) with stewed tomatoes. Wendy had saved this dish aside for us, because it’s so popular that it sells out on Fridays. The barbeque sauce on the chicken was quite unique, with a smoky taste and a hint of bacon. “I can’t stop eating this!” Ken declared.

My salad was lovely…chunks of grilled tuna atop a bed of romaine lettuce, with mandarin oranges and glazed walnuts tucked in. The fish was grilled in sun dried tomato and basil dressing, and the taste was out of this world.

For dessert, Ken decided to try the Bread Pudding, and I had Cappuccino Crunch ice cream, which was quite nice. Robert said his favorite is the Bread Pudding, his mother Barbara’s recipe. It literally melted in our mouths—the best I’ve had anywhere! Wendy said it was one of the first dishes her mother-in-law taught her when they married, and Rob admitted that he sometimes succumbs when a particularly nice one comes out of the oven (he’s partial to the crusty tops.)

After dinner Rob and Wendy sat down with us and talked about Rob’s early memories of working with his family.

“I started getting paid when I was 12, but have been here since the cradle,” he said. His first job was dishwasher, but he’s done almost everything else.

“The only thing I haven’t done is bus tables,” he said, “but my favorite job, I think, is the ‘window.’ We have a long kitchen line with five people working at a time, four people per dish, to make sure everything is just right.”

Although Robert and Wendy Matthews love the old traditions that gave Baker’s its great reputation, they would like to have banquet facilities some day, and expand the bar area; but for right now they’re concentrating on great customer service. They recently started a Frequent Diner Club, where patrons get three percent back on their next meal (or they can save up points to pay for an entire meal). Wendy said they got hundreds of responses just two weeks after starting the program.

The food is excellent; the service and new ambience are great—even the prices can’t be beaten…four reasons we highly recommend Baker’s Restaurant, a Cecil County icon.

Photos by Travis Hill