Lib's Grill Serves Up Great Offerings Here in Perry Hall

Last Wednesday evening -- right as the biggest snowfall of the year was brewing here in Perry Hall -- my family and I shared a great meal to celebrate my mother's birthday.  We chose Lib's Grill, located in the Honeygo Village Center, and were not disappointed. 

Lib's Grill opened late last year, in the location formerly occupied by the Manhattan Grill.  Owned by the Liberatore family, who are already well known for their five popular Baltimore area Italian restaurants, Lib's Grill markets itself as a restaurant serving "great steaks and grilled meats, sandwiches, and seafood."  The space itself has been made much more upscale in feel than the old style, bringing a new touch of class to the Perry Hall dining scene.

We began our meal with two appetizer selections.  The first consisted of an assortment of oyster varieties from Lib's raw bar.  I chose three of what Lib's referred to as "Purple Ravens" oysters, their name for local Chincoteagues, and three Tom's Cove oysters, also from Virginia.  Collectively, these oysters were very fresh and quite tasty.  Those in my family who are not fans of raw seafood shared the crab dip appetizer.  The dip was served with homemade soft pretzels, and was jam-packed with jumbo lump crab meat flavored with just a hint of Old Bay seasoning.  The pretzels were a nice choice for dipping, but you can also use the bread provided to every table when seated.  Diners are served such a generous portion of crab dip, so you will definitely need the extra bread!

For dinner, my son chose the crab cake sandwich.  This cake was long on flavor and short on unnecessary filling, making for a solid Maryland-style crab cake.  My wife chose the pan roasted chicken entree, which was served with mushroom ravioli and a touch of crispy prosciutto.  Drizzled atop the chicken was a subtle Marsala wine sauce.  The chicken was moist and tender, and the sauce and mushroom ravioli went well together as well.

Being in the mood for a bit more seafood, I selected the tuna.  Lib's serves their tuna sliced and rare, coated with a wasabi pea crust, nestled atop a mixture of crispy rice and Asian slaw.  A Sriracha aioli tops off this Asian-inspired selection.  The tuna was cool in the center -- just as it should be, in order to accentuate the flavors of this top-quality sushi-grade fish.  The Sriracha (a chili pepper-based hot sauce originating in Thailand) aioli was not too spicy, and gave the entire entree a bit of a kick. 

My mother chose the prime rib for her meal.  This item comes in two sizes, 14 ounces or 20 ounces, and my mom chose the smaller of the two, although it was hard to tell given the size of what she was actually given.  This prime rib is a good value considering the amount of meat you get.  Hers was cooked to a perfect medium and accompanied by a flavorful au jus and sides of mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, in this case, green beans.

All-in-all, we found Lib's Grill to be a great addition to the dining scene here in Perry Hall.  It's nice to have a fancier dining option to consider, since so many of the local choices are more casual, chain restaurants.  Lib's Grill sets itself apart with solid food choices served in a spacious, white tablecloth restaurant setting.