Aquatica

931 Pulaski Hwy.
Havre de Grace, Md.
410-939-7686 or http://www.aquaticarestaurant.com

Atmosphere: Serene
Cuisine: Seafood; Asian-French fusion
Clientele: Fine dining fans
Dress: Dressy casual
Service: Attentive
Don’t miss: Thai-sauced mussels, tuna tournedos, surf and turf Aquatica, key lime pie
Tariff: Appetizers/salads, $6-$9; entrees, $18-$32; desserts, $6

Mark Laubner took a bold plunge into treacherous waters by opening his very own restaurant in an unlikely spot. The longtime chef has cooked for millionaires (personal chef to heiress Doris Duke), set new standards in resort dining here and across the Pacific, and made a name for himself cooking on the local TV show “Entertaining Seafood.” But he launched his new venture, called Aquatica, late last year despite storm warnings from his friends and colleagues—fine dining on the less than picturesque Route 40 in Havre de Grace seemed a surefire oxymoron. His wife and business partner, Kelly, who grew up in town, spotted a “For Sale” sign on a nondescript building on Pulaski Highway; somehow, she convinced her husband that they could transform a frog into a prince.

The Laubners (parents of five boys, ages three to fourteen) enlisted the help of family and friends to transform the former pit beef stop into a serene oasis on the busy thoroughfare, squeezed between a motel and a martial arts studio. (The three oldest boys continue to help out behind the scenes.) Using a water theme to reflect the restaurant’s name and seafood orientation, they painted the walls and ceilings in a soft blue and created a whimsical room divider with plants and lights that suggest undersea fauna. This is the most creative touch in otherwise plain and simple surroundings enlivened only by the cool jazz playing on the sound system.

The restaurant seats sixty-four in two adjacent dining rooms and in the bar area, featuring a handcrafted wine rack filled with the restaurant’s selection of boutique pours. (We ate in this area and would suggest a decorative screen to shield the swinging doors opening into the kitchen.) Mark is a real oenophile, and the Laubners tasted hundreds of candidates before stocking their restaurant’s cellar with more than a hundred brands of red, white, and sparkling varieties. A special supplier is featured each evening, and our well-meaning waitress asked if we would like to sample a Rutherford “cabaret” to go with the surf and turf. After a moment of confusion, we ordered the cabernet and gave it good marks at $7 a glass. (Bottle prices range from $21 to $185.)

In addition to his wine savvy, the owner’s considerable culinary credentials include cooking at the late-lamented Garden Restaurant in Ocean City and Garden Gourmet in Rehoboth. His most recent gig was a seven-year stint as corporate chef for Phillips Seafood.

Though classically trained in French cooking (French cooking giant Auguste Escoffier has long been his “hero”), Laubner’s stint as executive chef at the Sheraton Waikiki introduced him to the excitement of Asian flavors. These dual influences are reflected in Aquatica’s menu, where entrees include Laubner’s chili lime crab cakes, mahi-mahi in Thai curry coconut cream, and orange ginger-steamed salmon, as well as rich French sauces paired with tuna, beef, and chicken. “Balance is my goal,” he says. “I like to mix my classic training in food preparation with new ingredients and break down the barriers between the two cooking styles and flavorings.”

A successful example of this philosophy in action are his Canadian mussels, tiny and tender after steaming in a bath of coconut milk thinned with sake and punched up with spicy red Thai curry paste, sautéed garlic, and strips of lemongrass. We used what remained of the croissant-like loaf of wonderful bread (Laubner’s invention) to sop up every drop of the liquid in the bowl.

Our other appetizer, a bland Caesar salad, was a disappointment (except for the homemade croutons)—especially with a price tag of $8. Better to go with the restaurant’s sprightly house salad, featuring a mélange of spring greens, grape tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and Gorgonzola bits tossed in Laubner’s original honey-persimmon dressing.

Seafood is the name of the game at Aquatica, but one of the best tastes we had was a remarkably tender and flavorful petite filet mignon. Gilded with a decadent red wine sauce, it was superb. Its partner, a chili lime crab cake that is the chef’s signature dish, paled by comparison. My idea of the perfect crab cake calls for the finest lump crabmeat—and little else. Aquatica’s version featured shredded crab and a whole lot of filler, topped with a dollop of bright green avocado mayonnaise spiked with lime juice and hot chipotle. Except for the surprise sauce, it was unremarkable; I suspect it is a holdover from the chef’s Phillips’ days.

On the other hand, the kitchen’s tuna tournedos were luxurious in both quality and flavor. A duo of thick center cut medallions—cooked rare, as ordered—were cloaked with a rich red wine sauce liberally laced with shallots and punched up with peppercorns. Each of our entrees came with the starch and vegetable du jour—on this evening a tasty ratatouille of crunchy edamame beans, onions, zucchini, and diced tomatoes accompanied by tiny roasted potatoes. Subtle hints of rosemary and parsley made them special.

That evening’s dessert selection included Laubner’s own homey house-made chocolate bread pudding, studded with chocolate chips and served warm with a swirl of hot caramel sauce and a twist of whipped cream.  Our other choice was a silky key lime pie prepared by Lucie Yeakel, who recently opened a small bakery, Patisserie Lucie, next to Aquatica. Among Aquatica’s other specialties are Lucie’s triple chocolate cheesecake and a tiramisu supplied by a local Italian baker. Like Aquatica’s appetizers and main courses, the dessert selection changes frequently. “I get bored cooking the same things over and over and like to change the menu every so often so my clients don’t feel the same way,” says Laubner.

Laubner has mentored many young cooks during his career and enjoys the role of teacher. His staff includes local young people who have taken an interest in cooking and whose instincts and passion bode well for careers in the industry. The addition of Aquatica to Harford County is indeed a boon to this picturesque part of the Chesapeake Bay region—even if Pulaski Highway doesn’t quite make the cut.

P.S. If all goes according to plan, look for Mark Laubner to host a new cooking show on the Food Network featuring tailgate entertaining. The pilot was recently filmed at the Ravens Stadium in Baltimore.

Mary Lou Baker has been writing about food for more than twenty years.