"Piratz" treasure

While Silver Spring's "Piratz Tavern" lacks Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley in starring roles, the new buccaneer restaurant does look like it came straight out of the Caribbean.

Upon entering the restaurant combined with a bar, the first thing that strikes a patron is the sheer effort put into decorating the long, narrow interior. Walls are covered in emblems of pirates, from flags and mirrors to swords and signs. Candles, goblets and knives line the numerous tables, giving the rooms a feel cozy feel not unlike the cabin of a ship — but without the seasickness.

Part bar and part restaurant, "Piratz Tavern" serves a variety of different types of food, from Piri Piri Chicken and Mussels Thai Style to Jamaican Jerk Pork and Cod Fritters. One of the few soups, the Caldo Verde, is a creamy blend of potatoes, kale and seasoned kielbasa - a warm choice for a cold night.

Served with each sandwich is a serving of fulfilling fries, though other side choices include a small salad or cooked vegetables. The Fresh Catch sandwich, which features different types of fish depending on the day, is moist and tender, though the sauce is overdone, making the bread soggy. Another select sandwich is the Caribbean BBQ that, although spicy, is mouth-watering and flavorful.

If the pirate food hasn't filled you up by the end of the meal or if you're just in the mood for something sugary, the menu has plenty to offer. Cheese plates, baked apples and fruits salads, as well as a delicious custard flan, are all excellent non-conventional choices. The flan is a sugary egg-like cream which is served with chopped fruit to accent tastes.

Like many restaurants in Down Town Silver Spring, "Piratz Tavern" continues the trend of high priced entrees and reasonably priced sandwiches, soups and salads. Where the full meals average $20, some more, the sandwiches and salads are around $7 or $8 each. Deserts are tasty, but high-priced, around $6 each.

Background music reminiscent of the Caribbean plays in the back round as diners devour and staffers serve. Going far beyond reasonable expectations, the staff of "Piratz Tavern" are not only friendly and courteous, but well dressed too — very well dressed. Done up in pirate-wench-captain garb, depending on age and gender, the costumes are complete with bodices, feathers, cutlasses, patches and hats.

Even though the menu features dishes with sea-like monikers, the food bears a striking similarity to nearly every other type of food found in Down Town Silver Spring. Even this common-place food can't detract from the fun derived from the restaurant's enthusiasm. Now if just Depp and Knightley were waiters...

"Piratz Tavern" is located at 8402 Georgia Ave, Silver Spring.