If you live in Ocean Pines or are staying nearby, you must check out the Java Bay Café at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club. The sprawling clubhouse is a destination spot for weddings. Open to the public every day, it’s a combination of a two-level indoor and outdoor dining area, the indoor Java Bay Café, an indoor and outdoor bar, an expansive deck and boat slips, a gelato bar, and Java Beach—a sandy floored dining area with umbrella-covered tables. Located adjacent to an adult-only pool, the outdoor area offers live entertainment on weekends. Inside, comfortable and sophisticated leather chairs and sofas are the meeting grounds for hipsters who enjoy free wifi and breakfast, lunch and dinner at Java Bay Café.
    I had a fabulous lunch with my good friend, Ginger Fleming, and her 9-month-old son, Cooper, at the Java Bay Café this week. Ginger married her husband, Frank Fleming, on the deck at the Ocean Pines Yacht Club in 2005. Laura, the trendy manager, gave us our choice of an indoor or outdoor table. Considering the sunny and 80 degree weather conditions, we selected a table outside on the split-level deck with a serene view of the bay, boats, pool bar, and spot where Ginger and Frank were married.
    Before my visit, I knew that many Ocean Pines residents stop into the Java Bay Café weekly for coffee and breakfast. But during my meal this week, I was most impressed with the number of items on the surprisingly extensive menu. In the coffee house’s display case, baked goods include cookies, pastries, bagels, and breads. Stacey Payne, the newest addition to the Java Bay Café staff, personally bakes these treats on a daily basis, and the aroma of freshly baked delights captures your senses as soon as you enter the door. On the menu, a combination of appetizers, salads, wraps, sandwiches, soups, and meat and seafood entrées offers something for everyone.
    Laura recommends the Tuffy’s Turkey sandwich that is named after a legendary ghost that haunts the Ocean Pines Yacht Club. Served on a large croissant, the sandwich is a jaw-dropping concoction of honey smoked turkey breast, goat cheese, and spicy raspberry sauce. Java Bay Café serves a Quiche of the Day and Soup of the Day, everyday. When Ginger and I had lunch, the Quiche of the Day was pepper, onion, and cheddar, and the Soup of the Day was Chicken Chowder. French Onion soup—caramelized onions in a rich veal and beef broth topped with croutons and Swiss cheese—is a permanent fixture on the menu.
    Ginger and I started our meal with an order of Baked Brie. Served with crackers and apple slices, the warm Baked Brie is doused with honey and butter. I particularly enjoyed the taste of honey as I indulged in the appetizer. Other starter dishes at Java Bay Café are Ravioli, Chicken Quesadilla, Clam Strips, Chicken Tenders, Shore Fries, Mini Crab Cakes, Munchie Plate, Onion Rings, and homemade Crab Dip with French bread and Old Bay tortilla chips. Jumbo Chicken Wings are available BBQ, jerk, buffalo, Old Bay, or sweet chili. Hot Wings are bone-in tender pork shanks tossed with chipotle BBQ sauce. “The Buffalo Shrimp—lightly fried jumbo shrimp tossed in buffalo sauce—are really good too,” says Ginger, who is a regular customer at Java Bay Café.
    For our second course, Ginger ordered the Tuffy’s Turkey sandwich and I selected the Reuben on Rye. Both sandwiches are colossal in size. As expected, the delicious blend of goat cheese and raspberry sauce make the Tuffy’s Turkey sandwich a winner. Stuffed with corned beef, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and Thousand Island dressing, the Reuben is served on butter-toasted rye bread. I consider myself a Reuben expert, and I highly recommend the Java Bay Café’s version of my favorite sandwich.
    Dockside Cheesesteak, Cabana Burger, Maryland Crab Cake, and Bayside BLT are just a few of many more sandwich options on the menu. The Jerk Chicken Sandwich is marinated and served on a Kaiser roll with honey mustard. I was also pleased to see Rockfish Po’ Boy—fried rockfish on French bread with lettuce, tomato, and Tabasco mayo—on the menu. Another popular meal is Fish Tacos—grilled mahi mahi in a flour tortilla topped with shredded cabbage, diced tomato, and salsa verde.
    Salads are in abundance at Java Bay Café. Greek, King Caesar, and Steak House Wedge are each crowd-pleasing salads. The Caribbean Cove salad is a blend of baby greens, candied walnuts, caramelized onions, dried cherries, bacon, crumbled goat cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette. The Mandarin Chicken salad is a refreshing combination of grilled chicken breast, mandarin oranges, cucumbers, carrots, craisins, wonton strips, mixed baby greens, and mango pineapple vinaigrette. The Newport salad is a concoction of shrimp, tomatoes, hard-boiled egg, black olives, red onions, and romaine lettuce. Each salad is available as a wrap. Chicken Salad Wrap, Chicken Caesar Wrap, and Garden Grill Wrap—balsamic marinated grilled zucchini, yellow squash, bell peppers, portabella mushrooms, red onion, and basil mayo—round off the Wraps menu.
    After 4:00 p.m. daily, Java Bay Café offers entrees with starch and vegetables. Classic Crab Cake, Grilled Mango Chicken, and Sizzlin’ Sirloin are staple entrées. I recommend the Seared Scallops topped with a citrus tarragon buerre blanc, and the Jerk Pork—Jamaican spice marinated grilled chops topped with mango chutney.
    Weekly specials at Java Bay Café are $5.95 Roast Beef on Monday and $1.25 Tacos on Tuesdays with $3 sangria, margaritas, and Coronas after 4:00. Wednesday evenings are Family Pool Night at 6:00, and Thursdays are $5 appetizers. On Friday and Saturday, enjoy live music outdoors after 7:00. Sunday presents a brunch buffet at 9:00 a.m. and a deck party at 5:00 p.m. Happy Hour takes place daily from 4:00 to 7:00 and presents $5 appetizers.
    As the seasons change, watch for changes in the menu and specials too. “We provide new discounts and draw a huge crowd for football games, and we just added a new large television inside the Java Bay Café,” says Laura. Stacey adds, “Free wireless internet access makes the Java Bay Café a hip spot to peruse your laptop and enjoy a glass of house wine or a warm cup of coffee.” Free parking and boat docking is available. Call 410-641-7501 for more information, or visit www.oceanpines.org  . Coming next summer … Java Beach!