Calvert House Inn in Riverdale

          Normally, I don’t ‘just decide’ to have broiled lobster for lunch, but I saw that Calvert House Inn Restaurant in Riverdale offered a $30.00 Groupon voucher for #15.00.  I’ve passed this place countless times and thought that the building seemed curiously out of place.  It stood out like a remnant of what used to be before the shabby urban sprawl swallowed the area whole.

            Anyway, back to my lunch.  As I checked in with various mobile apps, I noticed they also offer a free glass of wine with the purchase of any entrée via Yelp mobile.  My eyes widened at the thought of killing two deals with one stone, but alas, the two could not be combined.  I was seated and when browsing the lunch menu, I was thinking I might have to order two items to make full use of the entire $30 voucher.  But there it was on the backside of the last page: broiled lobster tail for $26.95 (loaded with crab imperial for an additional $8).    I considered the upsell, but in the end my cheapskatiness won and I went without it.  For the salad, I ordered their calcuminto salad made up of chopped cucumber, mint, tomato, and onions in an oil and vinegar dressing.  With a Yuengling to wash it down, the tangy medley was enjoyable as I eagerly awaited the main course.

            Finally, the gold standard of shellfish arrived.  The tail was plenty large, but there seemed to be no time spent on presentation.  If there was any attempt at arranging the sparse steamed vegetables, it was lost by time it reached my table.  However, the veggies were steamed perfectly and were tasty.  The sweet potato fries were far from the best there is, but they weren’t bad.  The lobster tail was great.  It was very nicely sized, cooked wonderfully, and super splendid when dunked in the melted butter.  Overall, it was enjoyable, but I was glad not to pay full price – I guess I could say that at any restaurant that chops off half my bill.

            Will I go back?  Probably not.  The lobster was good, but this isn’t exactly a cheap eatery.  On special occasions where a fancy meal is warranted, I’d prefer to go to one of the hotspots in DC, not the intersection of Route 1 and 410. 

Mr. Cheap Eats

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