Greenbook: A Local Guide to Chesapeake Living -Issue 11 | Page 21

Frederik de Pue says his imagination is always coming up with new ideas, which he sketches on watercolor paper
and keeps in his office. These sketches might become the plate you find on your table at Flamant.
A
lways thinking and ruminating on how best to put “meat and three” of traditional continental fare. His dishes,
his creative ideas to work, Frederik already has his he says, will be equally well prepared but will have more
eye on future opportunities, not only for himself detail, more flair, and more originality. “This approach
but also for colleagues who might appreciate a helpful will keep people coming back because there will always
hand in founding other local chef-driven concepts. “My be something new. Of course we want to please them with
hope is that [Flamant] will draw more people to this street. service and atmosphere, but also with original foods they
I believe it is not competition when there are more res- wouldn’t maybe find somewhere else.”
taurants; in fact, it is a positive way to draw people to the
neighborhood. More restaurants and businesses mean
rederik says the menu will change seasonally, not
more people will come to try my food and that is what I
only to highlight farm products from the Chesa-
think will happen here,” he said.
peake region, but also to stave off complacency in
Flamant is elegantly yet simply furnished in a coastal his creativity. “I don’t like being known for just one thing.
vibe meets Euro-cool sort of way, with an open kitchen, This is boring, and it means all the other dishes aren’t
intimate tables, large picture windows, whitewashed moving,” he says.
walls, tile floors and a beautiful but small bar that seats
Flamant will be open only for dinner, Tuesday through
just ten. Frederik says the restaurant was conceived as a Saturday and reservations are suggested. You can enjoy
chef-driven, gourmet destination where fans can enjoy a drink at the bar until midnight and the kitchen will
dinner as often as they like and where a special date night stay open until 11 pm on weekends. Consider enjoying
has Flamant at the top of the list. “I didn’t plan to build a gorgeous Annapolis sunset from the front lawn, where
a restaurant that caters to the demands of tourists; An- reservations are not required, or eat at the bar. There is
napolis already has that niche. West Annapolis is a small no dress code. Frederik says to come with respect for the
neighborhood where people want to have a local bistro, meal, which in Annapolis might mean foregoing the ca-
where they can make a reservation and walk down the sual look the city is so well known for something more so-
quiet street to enjoy a night out.”
phisticated. Maybe forego flipflops and shorts for sandals
While the menu will highlight an a la carte menu of clas- and a skirt or swim trunks for khakis.
sic dishes he grew up with in Belgium, there will always
Frederik will continue to run his custom catering com-
be a twist. Dishes like local seafood and shellfish, classic pany and has a second kitchen in the basement of the
beef tenderloin, sous vide poultry, potato croquette and building for that enterprise. He says the Flamant menu
garden vegetables will be recognizable, comfortable and will be available for catering and that he is looking into
approachable, but always with a little something extra delivery as well.
that is new and exciting. “I hope once the community has
a rapport with me they might be adventurous and trust
me to try new things from time to time, but I will defi-
nitely feature seafood from local watermen, fresh produce
17 Annapolis Street
from County farms and timeless flavors people can appre-
West Annapolis, MD
ciate.”
He is emphatic that while Flamant has been described
[phone]
by the press as a Belgian bistro, it is actually a more con-
flamantmd.com
temporary concept that won’t rely on the heavy rich
facebook.com/pg/FlamantMD
F
GREENBOOK | SUMMER 2017
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