Rehoboth Beach

[SWoodyWhite]

For what it's worth, this eGullleteer has now moved to Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, so we now have a permanent resident to ask questions about the area. I may not have all the answers, but at least I'm here for a hands and teeth on response.

But first, I have to find a good winter coat.

[morela]

SWoody:

Glad to know you're there!

Off season, are places like Back Porch Cafe, Blue Moon and La La Land open?

I like those places.

Totally dig La La Land b/c of that bartender with the leopard hair and for those ballistic 10 oz martinis that make me think I'm someone else.

Do you shop at Bin 66? It's a great wine store, but you prolly know already if you live there. If you don't know 66, the guys who run it are Tom and Tom and they have two awesome black labs that run around store. Wine tastings are usually 4-7 on Sat. during regular beach season.

Cheers.

[SWoodyWhite]

I haven't had a chance to explore Rehoboth proper, being located more towards the outlet malls and very busy with job hunting. I'll have to report on what's open off-season later. I can tell you (and everyone else) that Rehoboth is increasingly a year-round area, not just for tourists. A surprising number of businesses have been installed along the Highway that are geared for permanent residents, such as doctors offices, which is good news for people like me who have chosen to call this area home.

Two places I have been able to sample since our arrival are the Rehoboth Diner and the Rose and Thorn. The Rehoboth Diner is right on Highway One, located where an Italian eatery used to be. It's nothing spectacular, but serves decent diner fare from a menu that runs for pages upon pages. For some reason, both my other half and I had a hankering for the grilled Reuben sandwich, which was pretty good. The soup de jour, a tomato bisque, was the better part of the meal, made on-site and very tasty. The best news is that they're open 24 hours, a rarity in these parts.

The Rose and Thorn is in Lewes, the next town up the coast, along their restaurant row. We've had some pretty good dinners there before, and figured a stop there before visiting Bruce's daughter would be a good idea since her cooking skills don't exist. Again, good soups to start, with Bruce enjoying their chowder while I went for the soup de jour, which was an Italianesque take on the ingredients of a Denver omelette. He enjoyed the crab cakes, I tried their tapilla (? spelling), which was nicely breaded and served atop smashed potatos. The Rose and Thorn has a good bar, very friendly waitresses, and feels like an English pub but with better food. We'll be going back.

Thanks for the questions, meaghan! When I get the answers, I'll be posting.

[Malawry]

Blue Moon was closed last year in the off-season, though I don't know if they will be this year. Meanwhile for diner breakfast I am fond of the Crystal Restaurant right after the turnoff for the downtown beach area. They make French toast from Texas toast which is quite tasty. I've never had a breakfast food there that I didn't like, although you should only order the fruit plate in season (I went once in the dead of winter and was served just grapefruit. Which I love, but that's not a fruit plate!).

A friend of mine from school and her husband run the boisterous picnic-table-and-newspaper Mickey's Crab House in Bethany. Fun place for inexpensive family seafood. I am pretty sure they are open most, but not all, of the year.

I'll be down there in December and hope you will have some good recommendations for me and my friends then. We always make one trip in the wintertime. I love Rehoboth in the winter, it's beautiful and not crowded and quiet. And you can buy winter coats cheap at the London Fog outlet.

[JennyUptown]

Totally dig La La Land b/c of that bartender with the leopard hair and for those ballistic 10 oz martinis that make me think I'm someone else.

LEOPARDHEAD! Ha, ha. I know him well and he does make a killer drink, served with plenty of snark. In an amusing way. Their appetizers are quite nice too...interesting take on bruschetta.

Blue Moon, IMHO, is a nightmare. I would never, ever go there again. On the other hand, the food at Dogfish Head Brewery on Rehoboth Avenue was better than expected.

Oh, and that fish & chips joint on Rehoboth Avenue, beach block, isn't to be missed. Charming and cheap (plus, who doesn't need deep fried sausage every once in awhile).

[Malawry]

I second Dogfish Head, which is usually about as formal as we get at the beach. I love any place that makes their own ketchup.

[SWoodyWhite]

I haven't tried Dogfish Head yet, although I've enjoyed their beer.

I was able to find out that Blue Moon will be closed from New Years through approximately Valentine's Day.

A couple of links are probably in order:

Dogfish Head: http://www.dogfish.com/

LaLa Land: http://www.lalalandrestaurant.com/welcome.html

[simdelish]

Was just in Rehoboth this past weekend for a bit of R&R...Have had a place there for years... spend the summers, and lots of off-season weekends...so have seen a lot of places come and go. Off the top of my head, a few quickie comments, and will check in another time with more good recommendations for you, Woody.

David is the bartender at La La Land,... and he just shaved all his leopard off last week!!!!! He has had it for at least a year or more, if I can remember that far back considering whenever I am there I have a very large drink in my hand. Get him to tell you how his hair gets handpainted... a 3 hr process. Always a good place to start out the evening, and to take house guests, as the decor is fun (particularly the restrooms).

The best place on earth (or at least for 200 miles) for subs and deli sandwiches is Casapulla's, right behind the QVC outlet on rt 1. Always crowded, their Italian subs have no equal, and they have great steak/cheese, and even proscuitto subs. If I lived close like you, I would eat lunch there every day.

Dogfish is good for beer and food both. Good place for hor's d'oeuvres or hangover lunch as well as dinner. Was there twice this weekend! A growler of one of their in house brews makes a great gift. They also have live music during the off season.

For the best music in town YEAR round, hands down, is Sydney's. A premier jazz club, that gets more than just jazz. The crowd can be a a bit weird depending on the night... but the music is ALWAYS good.

The place you MUST go to tho, is Patsy's in Bethany. A L'Academie de Cuisine grad for those of you knowing D.C. locals, Patsy worked at Glen Echo Inn, ran her own catering company in D.C. and then took her skills to the beach. Originally intended as a gourmet carryout, everyone wanted to eat in instead, so she kept adding tables, finally took away the display cases, put in a bar, and enclosed the porch. The place is darling, with hand painted scenes (each different) on every table. But the reason to go there is the food: FANTASTIC. I recommend the seafood bundles, the salmon, the mussels are the most tender I have ever eaten...really anything (!) is great... and last Saturday, I had her special of WILD BOAR which was incredible. They have wine dinners also off season, but are due to close soon tho. Check out the website www.patsysgourmet.com She heads to Key West for the winter and lots of yummy inspiration, and returns to open in the late spring. Tell her Lee sent you!

This should get you started... hmmmm, I'm getting hungry just thinking about Patsy's. maybe I should head back down there this weekend and do some Xmas shopping...

[Susan in FL]

I moved from that area two years ago after living there my whole life, and the restaurants in Rehoboth and Lewes are the only thing I miss from Delaware. There are some superb places, from Casapulla's for subs and Dogfish Head for beer and beer food and Thrasher's for french fries, to the upscale restaurants like Ristorante Zebra (is it still there?), the Back Porch Cafe, LaLa Land, 1776, and the Cultured Pearl (what I think was one of the best sushi restaurants in the country). I don't know Patsy's; is it new? SWoody, do you mean the Rose and CROWN? In Lewes I also used to enjoy Second Street Grill and Gilligan's especially for lunch. Also FYI, not gourmet or upscale, but really tasty, Big Fish Grill had well prepared seafood. Please keep us posted on your explorations and favorites.

[SWoodyWhite]

SWoody, do you mean the Rose and CROWN? 

Susan, you're right, my error on the name! For what it's worth, they have their own website, at http://www.roseandcrown.org , but I don't know how frequently they update it.

Taking the good with the bad, I was talking with one of the doctors while at the Beebe Emergency Room, and he was recommending the Cape Gazette as a good resource for dining deals, particularly during the off-season. Turns out, they've got their own on-line restaurant guide, http://www.diningdebeaches.com/

which looks to be a good resource, at least for starters.

[Susan in FL]

Thanks for the links! The Gazette's online restaurant guide is cool! I'll be taking a look at that. I subscribed to that weekly paper for years primarily for the restaurant and entertainment ads and reviews (and also to find out the news of the Cape school district where I was employed). Who knows, maybe I will be willing to fly up north for a visit afterall. I guess Jazz Fest is over... Please let me know of any other good events.

I was reminded of some Delaware food I miss last night when the clams we bought for our scaled-down version of a seafood feast were so small, we considered ourselves commiting infanticide. Up there, Copps' top necks are perfect.

[Mark Sommelier]

Years ago there was a Chinese carryout in Rehoboth called:

WONTON DESIRE

[BobL]

I spend a great deal of time in Rehobeth & Lewes and find the resturants there a never ending

wonderland. FWIT here are my humble opinions.

Casapulla's for subs - Agree 100%

Dogfish Head for beer and beer food - Disagree...average at best

Thrasher's for french fries - The very best, but an import from OC

Ristorante Zebra (is it still there?) Great food & yes it's still there

The Back Porch Cafe - was not impressed. It's lost some of it's luster.

LaLa Land - never been but my wife went last summer and wasn't impressed

1776 - Average steak house even with $50 cuts of dry aged beef

the Cultured Pearl - never been but have heard that it is great.

Patsy's - haven't been, but will. It's the latest buzz.

Big Fish Grill - Great. Eat there alot. Usually and hour wait even in Feb.

There's now a market next door that sell everything the the resturant serves.

Blue Moon - good food

A few worth mentioning not covered above

Upscale - Espuma & Celcius - $$$$

Good Mex - Poco Loco - great margaritas & much better than Tujuana Taxi.

Breakfast at The Whitecaps Cafe in Oak Orchard.

A call in advance and a drive to Bethany can net a wonderful meal at DiFebos.

[Susan in FL]

The Back Porch Cafe - was not impressed. It's lost some of it's luster.

Oh no, sadness is upon my heart.

Blue Moon - good food

They did also have a suberb wine selection -- actually both of these places did. I hope that hasn't "lost some of its luster," as well.

[hillvalley]

I love Difebo's. Ate there then night after Thanksgiving, which is a family tradition.

The cheesesteak place in Bethany is also pretty good, for outside of Philly.

[BobL]

An excellent wine selection is a MUST in the area, but what I find shocking is the poor selection of beers offered by even the best places. The beer selection usually sounds like a frat house refrigerator. Dog Fish Head is the best that most places offer. Ican't find a good IPA anywhere except for the liquor stores and even then Miller Lite and Bud dominate.

[Susan in FL]

Bob, have you checked out Coastal Wines & Spirits? If not, you may want to give her a try (on Route 1 and Route 5 in Milton). Sallie is willing to order anything requested, beer or wine, and if it's possible, she will get it. It's just that there are certain beers for which there is no distribution contract in Delaware. We used to have to go into Maryland for Old Dominion beers, including Tupper's Hop Pocket and other favorites.

[tjaehnigen]

My only serious disappointment with the Rehoboth restaurant scene is the decline at Chez la Mer. It was always a pernnial dining choice for me, but the last two times have left me disappointed.

Fusion, just down the street from Chez La Mer, is quite good and has pretty god wine list too.

BTW, there is a wine shop on the main drag now that has some seriously fun wine-os to talk to about wine. I forget the name of the shop, but it is about 2 blocks from the beach on the right hand side of the drag as you drive toward the beach.

[BobL]

I been to most of the Liquor stores in the area over the years abd can usually find something drinkable. The people in the shop on Rehobeth Ave are great and have been trying to get me a bottle of Pyrat Pistol for almost a year.

I've never tried Fusion but have been tempted. It so hard to walk past Celcius and not go in.

[tjaehnigen]

I been to most of the Liquor stores in the area over the years abd can usually find something drinkable. The people in the shop on Rehobeth Ave are great and have been trying to get me a bottle of Pyrat Pistol for almost a year.

I've never tried Fusion but have been tempted. It so hard to walk past Celcius and not go in.

Is Celsius any good? I always walk past it and am tempted to go in, but I am usually on the way to Fusion.

Anyone tried Eden? I've heard good things about it.

[Susan in FL]

I loved Eden. Before I moved, they were talking about selling the restaurant. I wonder if they did. Dinner and lunch were great, but it was a favorite spot for going out to lunch with friends, and a fun place to eat at the little bar. Good wine, martinis, and even some decent beer on tap.

Celsius... good, but was always a disappointment to me, for some reason or other.

[SWoodyWhite]

My partner and I tried the Prime Rib Special, offered every Sunday at the Purple Parrot (247 Rehoboth Ave). A nice 1 lb. slab of prime rib, from 5pm "while it lasts", for just $10.75, with smashed potatoes and veg, we both thought we'd gotten more than our money's worth. They also have "Diner Dinners" on Thursday nights, at $7.50, and 1/2 price burgers on Monday nights. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday, they'll be open the rest of the week through the winter.

We also shared their baked brie, served with roasted garlic and fresh fruit (amazing what can be made seasonal in December, no matter where we are these days).

Someone with a good sense of humor had a hand in painting the place, including the gigantic yellow lab sleeping contentedly in front of the fireplace! I keep wanting to give him a friendly scritch on the nose, even if he is only 2-D.

Sorry, I can't find a website.

[SWoodyWhite]

Some things may be difficult to find in Delaware. Good Mexican food, for example.

The reason I'm belaboring the obvious is because tonight Bruce and I went to Dos Locos Mexican and Seafood Restaurant (10 Wilmington Ave., Rehoboth Beach DE) to sample their 1/2 priced entrees special (Mon/Tues from 5-10 pm). It's an attractive place, with the colors all correct and the ceiling trimmed with strings of chili pepper lights.

The first hint that something might be off was the basket of tortilla chips and salsa that were brought to our table with the menus. I've never seen tortilla chips that thin before; they were like wafers. Our margaritas were the second clue, as I winced from the cloying sweet taste. "Is something wrong with the margaritas?" I asked Bruce, who thought they must have been made with Rose's Lime instead of Triple Sec.

The jalapeno poppers we had for an appetizer were great: lightly breaded and crunchy on the outside, filled with oozy cream cheese, with a tangy and correctly sweet raspberry/pepper jelly for dipping on the side. But the entrees were a return to the land of the lost: Bruce's crab meat enchiladas tasted well of crab, as he expected in these parts, but had no "oomph" to them. (That his meal was served on a plain white plate, with no attempt at adding any color in the form of garnish, earned zero points from him as well.) My "Tres Amigos" enchilada plate had one filled with black beans that was all right, a second filled with over-cooked, shredded chicken that dried my mouth out, and a third filled with ground beef that tasted as if someone had simply added a handfull of chili powder to the pan and let it go at that. All of the enchiladas were made from the same wafer-thin tortillas, lacking the taste and texture of masa, almost as if they had been made with corn meal as a substitute, but generally corn meal has more flavor. The Mexican rice was cold and dry, and the refried beans so flavorless that Bruce had to add hot sauce twice, not behavior I expect from the Philly native.

We overheard one of the owners telling a customer that they plan to go to Mexico during January for their regular "closing the joint" month-long vacation. Judging from what they've learned about Mexican cuisine on past trips, I suspect that when they return we'll still be able to find more authentic food at Taco Bell.

[JennyUptown]

My turn to say "my bad" and in a big way. In my previous post, I said Blue Moon was bad, but what I meant was Dos Locos (where the best thing we tasted - in all seriousness - was the corn dog).

Apologies for the screw-up. I could have saved you the trauma...

[SWoodyWhite]

Not really your fault, Jenny. Bruce spotted the 1/2 price special in the Cape Gazette, and I think he's been feeling guilty about taking me away from SoCal, where good Mexican food is plentiful. We did take a stroll along the boardwalk afterwards, and had a good laugh. If anything, this will give me more incentive to learn how to prepare the cuisine myself. (Time to dig out the Bayless books...just don't tell Jinmyo! )