Surfing Rooster opens in West Ocean City, offering up Southern food with a twist
Meg RyanJeff Burton wishes he had a better story for the origin of The Surfing Rooster, the name of his and Mike Marshall's new West Ocean City restaurant.
“(Marshall) sent me a picture of a chicken on a surfboard, that’s how it all really started," Burton said.
Surfing Rooster, located at 12507 Sunset Ave. in West Ocean City, is bringing comfort food with a twist to the resort town's local crowd. Owned by business partners and brother-in-laws Burton and Marshall, the restaurant was a long time coming for the two foodies.
The restaurant held its soft opening during Mother's Day weekend. Burton said they expected a small crowd of people, but instead were shocked with the amount of business they received.
“We were so packed Sunday morning, we had a waiting line at the door,” he remembers.
The restaurant is now open on a limited hours basis until the summer season ramps up.
Burton and Marshall both have experience in the food industry. Burton worked with the Taphouse Bar and Grille restaurants in Ocean City for nearly nine years before deciding to head in a new direction.
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That direction began in February when Burton and Marshall were getting a drink at a bar and began spit-balling ideas about opening a new restaurant concept. The two men wanted to create a place for locals to get good food and good drinks at a reasonable price.
“We wanted to be in West Ocean City because in Ocean City it’s almost all tourists," Burton said.
West Ocean City is where Burton hangs out, and he wanted to create a place his friends and other locals could come out and make Surfing Rooster a regular hangout spot.
Burton acts as the restaurant's executive chef, while Marshall helps with the menu and everything else the business needs. Burton said the menu is inspired by his travels down south during vacation. Various visits to South Carolina, Georgia and Florida helped heighten his love for Southern cooking and inspired him to bring his favorite dishes to Ocean City.
“We’re Southern-themed, but I kind of make a left hand turn," Burton said.
Burton adds his own spin on Southern classics like his fried green tomatoes with a Thai green salad on top or the fresh heirloom tomato sandwich with a smoked corn mayonnaise.
Other items on the menu include homemade pork cracklins, fried bologna sandwich and sweet potato hummus.
Surfing Rooster is also serving up breakfast with items like biscuits and gravy and the Homage to Elvis, which includes thick cut bacon, peanut butter and banana on grilled brioche.
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The restaurant aims to use local vegetables and seafood to offer customers the freshest ingredients. Burton said Surfing Rooster will also have rotating specials using what's freshly available.
He said the available menu now is only about half of what customers should expect. A full menu will be rolled out shortly, and any items that don't sell well will quickly disappear to make room for the big hits.
A cocktail list will also be released soon, Burton said. With names like the Southern Swell, Rum Barrel Smash and Huckleberry Lemonade, the restaurant is keeping its Southern inspiration with its take on classic cocktails and adult lemonade or iced tea.
Burton said Surfing Rooster also has a happy hour with beer deals, but the two owners want the eatery to be known for its food first.
"(Our) focus is food, then beer," Marshall said.
Creating another spot for locals in West Ocean City is Burton and Marshall's ultimate goal. With that, Surfing Rooster can ride into the winter.
“If I keep the locals now, I think I can carry myself and my crew here through the winter time," Burton said
If you go:
What: The Surfing Rooster
Where: 12507 Sunset Ave. in West Ocean City
When: 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays; hours will change in the summer season
Contact: (443) 664-8166, Facebook.com/TheSurfingRoosterOC
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On Twitter: @The_MegRyan