Harper's Waterfront Restaurant Promises 'Wow Factor' In Edgewater ... - Edgewater, MD Patch
EDGEWATER, MD — Attention to detail is everything at Harper's Waterfront Restaurant.
The new steak house and seafood eatery will offer eye-catching plate presentation, warm hospitality and picturesque views of the Edgewater shoreline when it opens this month.
"My dream was always to put a restaurant here," owner Todd Harper told Patch in an exclusive interview. "I know a lot of people are excited to have us."
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The business is located at Turkey Point Marina & Yacht Club. The property sits just off the South River at the crux of Ramsay Lake and Selby Bay.
Harper bought the marina in 1984. The second floor of its main building has served as an office or an apartment ever since. The Edgewater resident even lived there for nine years, but he always pictured something more meaningful.
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Harper's dream is finally coming true after he spent five years and $2.7 million preparing to open the eatery.
The 59-year-old is known for his previous ownership of nightclubs like Cancun Cantina in Hanover. This will be his first dive into what he calls "casual, upscale" dining.
General Manager Charlie Chrystal of Annapolis and Executive Chef Brian Thornton of Edgewater are helping Harper transition into this new realm.
Both men have spent decades in Maryland's restaurant industry. Harper is confident they have the experience necessary to build a business from the ground up.
"We both appreciate Todd giving us an opportunity to help make his dream happen," said Chrystal, 53.
Anne Arundel County has plenty of other nautical eateries, but Harper's Waterfront plans to stand out with its classy menu.
The Wagyu beef steak will come from a Montana ranch owned by Harper's cousin. Porterhouse and tomahawk cuts will also be available.
Steaks will be served on garnished cutting boards, and the kitchen staff will sear an "H" onto the meat with a branding iron.
"They're going to be blown away just by presentation alone," Thornton, 59, said. "What I'm trying to do here is give people the wow effect. You eat with your eyes first."
Other highlights will include the jumbo shrimp cocktail served in an ice bowl and the smoked wings, which sit in a dry rub for 24 hours.
After their entrées, customers can enjoy desserts made by an in-house pastry chef.
The state-of-the-art kitchen is stocked with brand-new appliances. The cookery features a six-burner stove, two fryers, a flat top, a grill and an oven.
Thornton's favorite appliance is the Unox. This all-in-one machine can smoke, bake, steam and dehydrate. The Unox is also programmable by a smartphone application, so Thornton can control it from anywhere in the world.
"No one else is doing this kind of s--- we're doing. No one," Thornton said, pointing to ingredients like caviar, sugar balloons and nitrogen.
Orders will make their way from the kitchen to the 102-person dining room, which is only available by reservation.
Harper's Waterfront is not sharing any pictures of the restaurant floor until it opens. The managers want guests to be completely surprised during their first visit.
Patch toured the roughly 5,000-square-foot space, but we did not take any photos of the dining room to respect Harper's wishes. We are allowed to describe the setup, however.
Pictures of landmarks like the Bay Bridge adorn the walls. Windows line the waterside, offering a view of the coast. Mounted observation binoculars will lend panoramic sightlines from the 70-person deck.
Indoor and outdoor patrons can sit at the double-sided bar, which opens to the fresh air with accordion windows. Reservations are not required at the bar.
Bartenders will pour draft brews like Guinness, Indian pale ales and light beer. Chrystal even secured a custom Harper's Golden Lager, which is from an anonymous local brewery.
Wine lovers can choose from the 72 bottles exhibited in a dining room display case. The wine list is packed with everything from basic staples to high-end options.
Harper's Waterfront also has a banquet hall downstairs that holds about 60 people. The eatery eventually plans to expand into catering and brunch as well.
"We're going to make great food, we're going to give them good service, you're going to get the best wow factor," Chrystal said, noting that the eatery has 48 employees to serve patrons. "That's my biggest thing: giving our guests the love that they deserve ... It's our pleasure to have them into our house."
Customers can visit Harper's Waterfront by car or by boat. The restaurant has 20 slips for transient mariners.
The eatery neighbors a bridge with low clearance, so Harper bought a pier on the opposite side of the crossing for larger vessel docking.
"My experience with waterfront businesses, especially restaurants, is people want to come and be part of the boat world," Harper said. "They want to see it."
Harper is always thinking about small details like these. That's what's made him a successful business owner.
Along with Cancun Cantina, Harper is the man behind Pasadena bars like Bamboo Bernie's and Twain's Tavern. He's also the brainchild of Hagerstown venues like Barefoot Bernie's, Cancun Cantina West and Hager Hall. He operated all these businesses with a partner.
Harper additionally ran a limousine service, a security company and an offshore boat racing team.
Harper also said he used to be a Montgomery County firefighter and currently is the president of the Anne Arundel County police reserves.
In his spare time, the entrepreneur said he has coordinated donations to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and a local fire department.
Harper has since slimmed down his portfolio. He only kept a few business parks, the marina and the restaurant.
"I'm too old for that stuff," Harper said with a chuckle. "I wore a lot of hats."
Harper has known Chrystal for about 30 years. Their friendship led Harper to tap him for the general manager position at the new restaurant.
Chrystal started working in fast food at age 15. He later managed Annapolis favorites like O'Brien's Oyster Bar & Seafood Tavern, Chevys Fresh Mex and Mission BBQ.
"I've always wanted to do this kind of opening starting from scratch," Chrystal said.
Chrystal has worked closely with Thornton throughout the preparation process.
Thornton said he has opened 14 restaurants throughout his career. He's known locally for opening Blackwall Hitch in Eastport and cheffing at the nearby Annapolis Yacht Club.
The lifelong cook was even named Howard Magazine's 2019 chef of the year while working at Cured in Columbia.
Thornton said he's cooked for presidents, discussed wings with Stevie Wonder and picked peanut M&Ms for Beyoncé.
This passion for cooking runs in Thornton's family.
"My grandmother was 92 and blind, but she could bake and cook like a king," Thornton said. "She cooked food that no other person could cook blind, and that's what set me off. This is all I know how to do, and this is all I want to do."
Food is Thornton's life, so he's excited to get back in the kitchen.
Harper wants Thornton and Chrystal to run the restaurant like it's their own.
The chef and general manager have taken that to heart, picking out the countertops and assembling the chairs personally. Now, they are eager for the doors to open.
"I feel very lucky to have these two gentlemen onboard," Harper said. "Who would've known I'd have the two greatest guys working for me?"
Harper's Waterfront Restaurant, located at 1107 Turkey Point Road, will open at an undetermined date this month. The eatery will be open Tuesday through Sunday.
The hours will be:
- Tuesday through Friday: 3 p.m. to 11 p.m.
- Saturday: 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Sunday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Customers can learn more by visiting harperswaterfront.com, calling (443) 607-5061 or emailing charlie@harperswaterfront.com. Residents can also follow the business on Facebook.
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