I am extremely excited about a new restaurant in Prince Frederick called Bulrushes Cafe. I was fortunate to attend the soft-opening of my friend, Bobby Bonner’s new food adventure! Bobby, along with his wife Wendy, has been operating Caney Creek Catering for the last six years. They have been putting out great food from their food trailer and providing catering for events.
Bobby told me he has wanted to open a restaurant since he was in fourth grade. As a youngster, when workers were paving the streets in his neighborhood, he went to them and took orders for lunch…that was the beginning of his cooking career. Although he has worked (and still does) for the Elevator Union (IUEC Local 10) for 34 years now, and he recently retired (after 30 years) as a Paramedic, he never lost his love for cooking amazing food. And now, his boyhood dream has come true.
On Saturday, we ordered Shrimp and Grits, Scrambled Eggs, Lamb Burger, and Beignets. The food was amazing!! The Shrimp and Grits had perfectly cooked shrimp and smokey, creamy grits. It was the best I have ever had! The Scrambled Eggs came with Bacon, Home Fries, and a Croissant. My daughter said the eggs were cooked just the way she likes them. And the Croissant…it was so light, flaky, and scrumptious! Bobby told me he was in the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning making them. We also had the Lamb Burger, and it was wonderful. With a taste of mint and tzatziki sauce, it was cooked as requested and served with French Fries topped with Feta Cheese. The Beignets were tasty pillows of dough and were terrific! Light and airy and dusted with powdered sugar, these will be on my table every time I go to Bulrushes!
I first met Bobby and Wendy when they were serving food out of their food trailer at Mully’s Brewery in the Calvert County Industrial Park, in Prince Frederick. For several years, during the week, they served breakfast and lunch to workers in the Industrial Park.
When I say Bobby’s food is delicious, I mean it! In fact, he has competed at the World Food Championship for the last three years! The World Food Championship is one of the largest international food competitions. More than 1,400 cooks from 42 states and 15 countries compete for part of the $350,000 total prize purse. Competitors include celebrity chefs, up-and-coming culinary stars, and home cooks. Unfortunately, this year, the 2020 competition was canceled because of the coronavirus. The ninth annual event will take place in Dallas, Texas in November 2021.
Bobby’s results from his World Food Championship entries are:
2017 – 2nd in the Seafood Category
2018 – 11th in the Seafood Category and 1st in the Super-qualifier
2019 – 17th in the Seafood Category (two points separated 17th place and 1st place).
For the 2020 World Food Championship, Bobby qualified by coming in 2nd in the Taste of America competition in the Soup Category. He made a Sausage, Kale, and Potato Soup. Since the 2020 competition was canceled, he will compete in the 2021 Championship next November.
And whirlwind that he is, Bobby is involved in feeding the hungry in the community. He supports Farming 4 Hunger (at Serenity Farm in Benedict) (https://www.farming4hunger.com). Recently, he felt the need to do more to directly benefit the community. He was given a school bus and is working on refitting it to enable him to provide lunch for hungry children. The Lunch Bus will go to local schools and neighborhoods. Bobby and Wendy are wonderful, caring people!
Bulrushes opened on Saturday to rave reviews. They serve breakfast and lunch. For the next couple of weeks, they are having a soft-opening. This means they have a limited menu, as they work out the kinks with food and staff. They are planning a Grand Opening in early December.
Bobby told me, “I want to have a unique, upscale menu with items that are different from what you find at other restaurants”. He plans for the menu to evolve and change as seasonal items become available. He is also planning to offer special dinners featuring local products.
Bobby and Wendy and helpers transformed the former Fiesta Bar and Grill. The lobby area is beautiful, and the dining area is comfortable and welcoming! Since they serve breakfast and lunch, the dining room is available for use as an event space. It is perfect for birthday parties, showers, rehearsal dinners, Christmas parties, classes, and other occasions. They have a screen and a projector if needed. They can also provide catering.
Bobby and his food trailer can sometimes be found serving up deliciousness to hungry beer drinkers at Mully’s and Scorpion Breweries on weekend evenings.
This restaurant is one of my favorites! I cannot wait to go again. I highly recommend Bulrushes! Stop in and see Bobby and Wendy and have a wonderful meal!
Bulrushes Cafe hours are:
Tuesday – Sunday – 7:00am to 2:00pm
Monday – Closed
Rating (out of 5):
- Food – 4.9
- Service – 4.7
- Ambiance – 4.7
Total – 4.8
Bulrushes Cafe
- 135 Central Square Drive
- Prince Frederick, MD
- 410-535-6900
I wonder if they will be open for dinner anytime?