Dining at the Delaware Beaches

[JLK]

Rehoboth

Eve Zibart's take on Espuma.

It's one of the few restaurants in the beach town that I haven't yet visited. This is due to the fact that I'm usually in Rehoboth with my meat and potatoes eatin' parents.

[hm212]

Dewey Beach

We will be in the Dewey Beach area next weekend and are looking for a restaurant that would have great ambiance (Would great food too be to much to ask?).

Does anything like that exist in that area?

[hillvalley]

Bethany, Dewey Beach, Rehoboth

In between Dewey and Bethany, closer to Bethany, there is a lovely seafood restaurant (and market) on the bay side. I can't remember the name but I know it was open Thanksgiving weekend last year.

There are usually a couple of restaurants open in Rehobeth, more than you would expect. In the strip mall with the movie theater there is an Italian restaurant which is pretty good when you consider its location.

[bigpinot]

​Dewey Beach, Rehoboth

Rehoboth has much more quality and variety than Dewey when it comes to dining at the beach. Having grown up very close to Rehoboth, I think I've eaten at nearly every restaurant within a 20 mile radius.... If you're looking for good food, I suggest the following:

Blue Moon -- consistently one of the best in the area, this restaurant is located in a quaint converted beach house. Save room for the Moon Pie dessert!

http://www.bluemoonrehoboth.com/

Espuma -- describes itself as "eclectic Mediterranean" cuisine. Their website is a little over-the-top, but don't let that discourage you...

http://www.espumarestaurant.com/

La La Land -- the bubble machine out front will be your fist indication that this is a funky, whimsical restaurant. They have several indoor rooms and an outdoor patio (weather permitting) that create nice ambience.

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

They're all good, but my favorite is Blue Moon. I believe that BYO wine is allowed at all 3 and the corkage fee is reasonable (~$10). Enjoy!

[shogun]

​Rehoboth

I had a great birthday dinner with the family at Eden, which appears to be open during the off-season (or they need to update their page). I can also second Bigpinot's suggestions of 'Espuma' and "Blue Moon", with the caveat that I've never been (We were supposed to go to both, but in what became the story of that weekend, we couldn't in both cases for different reasons ), but both were hugely recommended by my uncle who has a place there, and whose opinion I value as highly as anybody else here! I hear Dish! (Warning: Really whacked-out Flash website) is good, too.

[crackers]

​Bethany

I've enjoyed several good meals at DiFebo's which is about one minute west of Bethany Beach. I particularly enjoy the antipasto salad, the prosciutto platter and the pasta specials. They are open every day, lunch and dinner. It is very family friendly, and they'll do simple dishes for the kiddies, but it is still a white tablecloth place. They also opened up a more casual pizza and pasta place called Isabella's nearby, but I've not been there yet.

[mr food]

​Bethany, Rehoboth

Eden remains the best beach meal I've had with a good wine list and they were kind enough to waive corkage-good stemware so no need to BYOGs. The last time I ate at Blue Moon, it was pretty bad (brunch-I mean how do you screw up brunch?) . BBQ blues in Bethany is a pretty good value with decent BBQ and a good place if the kids are along. Sonoma (also BB) ain't worth it. LaLa Land has been around for many years so they must be doing something right. Dish was hit and miss and kind of diner like decor. We liked Fusion and again corkage was waived. Celesius was also pretty good but its been a few years since our last visit. There's a Chinese place across from these two places that we picked up some good carryout. Sidneys (sp) has great bands and the back room can turn into a pickup joint for every persuasion as the night goes on. We used to like Cloud 9 but the last few times, I've ordered a steak-$5 corkage but their list is ok. Overall, the more I eat at the beach, the more I prefer to dine in-get some spiced shrimp and a couple of steamed lobsters and you're good to go. Of course , there's always Nicola-mediocre za but those nicobolis!

Edited June 13, 2013 by porcupine

[Heather]

​Bethany

We'll be in Bethany Beach 6/9-14, and if anyone has a suggestion for a good, casual, kid-friendly seafood place I'd be much obliged. Seafood market suggestions a bonus. Our condo is a little north of the "downtown".

Also, how expensive are the grocery stores?

[mr food]

We'll be in Bethany Beach 6/9-14, and if anyone has a suggestion for a good, casual, kid-friendly seafood place I'd be much obliged. Seafood market suggestions a bonus. Our condo is a little north of the "downtown".

Also, how expensive are the grocery stores?

Generally cheaper to bring food/wine from DC though no sales tax in Deleware. Stop for produce on the way down-plenty of places from which to choose.

[bigpinot]

​Rehoboth

I had a few good meals in Rehoboth recently:

Eden -- Good food & efficient service, though the restaurant was a bit noisy. Corkage was waived for me as well, on the condition that I let the waiter have a small glass of the wine (his idea - sounded like he's done this routine before...).

Celsius -- One of my new beach favorites. They have a prix fixe menu for $30 (I think), which includes soup, entree, and dessert. They also accept restaurant.com certificates, which makes the meal an even better deal. We enjoyed the food too - sort of a mediterranean-inspired bistro menu, if that makes any sense...

Lazy Susan's, on Rte 1, north of Rehoboth, is a great place for pick-your-own-crabs and beer. The restaurant doesn't take reservations and can get packed on the weekends.

[Heather]

Generally cheaper to bring food/wine from DC though no sales tax in Deleware. Stop for produce on the way down-plenty of places from which to choose.

Thanks! That was tentatively the plan but thought I should check. We'll bring the staples from home.

[JLK]

Any recent reports from Rehoboth? I'm heading down tonight for a few days.

[Waitman]

​Rehoboth

Any recent reports from Rehoboth? I'm heading down tonight for a few days.

I asked Kliman a similar question the other day:

Mt. Pleasant, DC

Is there any restaurant in Rehoboth that isn't
mediocre and overpriced?

Todd: Take a look at the July issue. [of Washingtonian Magazine]
I'm with you, by and large, about the fine-dining options.

But Espuma delivers. There's some smart, accomplished cooking coming from Jay Caputo's kitchen. You're not likely to come away feeling like somebody's been playing with too many ingredients in the back.

And a handful of new-ish places -- Fish On!, Northeast Seafood Kitchen, Blue Coast, all of them owned by the same company -- has figured out that what people really want from a nice meal out at the beach is simple, focused flavors and good, fresh fish.

[Pool Boy]

​Rehoboth

We were in Rehoboth Beach a couple of weekends ago and we dined at Eden, Fusion and Chez La Mer.

Eden was my favorite, and not just because you can BYOW ($5/stem was the corkage fee this time). It has a unique feel to the room and they've expanded the upstairs significantly. But we chose to remain on the main floor with one of the booths with the gauzy fabrics dangling hthere to make the booths even more cozy. Very good service, quite good food. The highlight was actually the tableau of food underneath one of the entrees, a concoction of corn, bacon, tmato and various seasonings. Super.

Fusion was very good, and was my wife's favorte this trip. A bit more spartan, but with some interesting art. It does have some noise issues even without it being a full room. But leaving that aside, the food is quite, quite good. Very fresh and creative and a decently priced winelist, if a little spartan (eden's was better -- and better described along with fun section headings like 'Don't Hate Me Because I'm Pink') as they do not allow BYOW. Their desserts are fine, but we passed this year opting for some banana, brown sugar and sour cream crepes at Le Crepes Suzette over on Penny Lane.

Chez La Mer, which I thought had slipped a bit a few years ago was back in form, but perhaps not at its peak. But stil a very good meal. Inventive enough, but just well prepared food served simply and efficiently. A nice and french-heavy winelist, they also do not allow BYOW. But they do have 1/2 price wine nights on Mondays. Definitely worthwhile.

We've only been to LaLaLand once a few years ago and found it to be horribly overrated. Too crowded floor (tables way too close together), not so great service and a tad pretentious.

Espuma is on our hitlist for either late in the season if we make it back this year, or next season.

[JLK]

Has anyone ever stopped at La Quetzalteca, that Mexican joint on 404 just before Georgetown en route to Rehoboth?

[dinwiddie]

​Rehoboth

It has been several years, but we used to go to Rehobeth Beach regularly. Eden is very good, the Back Porch is also good, especially if you can get a seat outside up on the roof. For dessert have them make the special back porch coffee, it is a show of flame and fun. Both permit BYOB.

If you like Sushi, the Cultured Pearl is very nice, good food and a great room but they don't allow BYOB and thier wine list is only OK. Chez La Mer is good seafood and a very good list, but as TJ said, go on Monday.

I had a bad experience at Celesius the last time we went (horrible service, the server was rude to our kid who was being very quiet and had asked for some iced tea, my nephew's salad came half way into the entrees, etc.) and the management, who I talked to as we were leaving indicated that they couldn't care less. Food was ok, but I won't go back, too many other good places to go.

Blue Moon is fun, and Sydney's Side Street serves late, often has jazz, and serves wines and Port by the flight. Food is ok but nothing to write home about.

[JLK]

​Rehoboth

Just returned from Rehoboth yesterday. Hits included a revived LaLaLand and the new Retro Cafe on Wilmington for brunch. Misses included the declining Celcius and Summer House. Oh, and the ubiquitous Grotto Pizza continues to be unimpressive (try telling that to my folks).

The Summer House, chosen by my parents, is apparently under new ownership. When they picked the place, I objected pointing out that I had done shots with friends there only a summer ago. "You want to eat there??" I asked. They did. Mom, Dad, Aunt and Uncle liked everything about the place; I attempted to get through the meal without sulking. It's noisy, there are TVs everywhere and the food was very whatever. Folks liked the soft, warm bread (which was undercooked really) which comes with olive oil and shredded parmesan. I tried sprinkling the cheese atop the bread but couldn't get it to stay. I gave up.

Spinach and artichoke dip was popular with the crew, as were the salmon entrees and crab cakes. My ribeye was excessively salted and cooked to medium well (I ordered medium).

The Summer House is not significantly cheaper than restaurants I think are a step (or three) better. I very much needed a beer, however they don't offer any - any!! - on tap so I had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc from their very questionable wine list. Beringer White Zin anyone?

[JLK]

​Rehoboth

We celebrated my boyfriend's birthday at LaLaLand. The biggest surprise? Bartender David (aka Leopardhead) was in a lovely mood. Seriously, I usually warn people I take there for drinks that he's known for and loved in spite of his cantankerousness. No need this trip.

The takeaway for me from this latest LaLaLand meal was that the food was much improved, while the presentations remain stalled in the era that loved stacks, columns, garnishes and other embellishment. Perhaps this is meant to cater to the average tourist (aka my parents, aunt and uncle), perhaps not. Either way, this recent meal left my relatives, prone to groaning when I pick LaLaLand because of its "high falutin'" menu and high prices, raving.

In the end, we had a few more friends join us (LaLaLand handled the increase from 6 people to 8 with grace). At least five people ordered the lobster main. I'll try to recall details, but there were lots of glasses of wine and cocktails too.

My starter of Korean-style spare ribs with red cabbage (instead of the advertised kimchi) was delcious, a hearty portion. My boyfriend's gratin of escargot disappeared quickly and when he asked if I wanted a taste, I could tell he didn't mean it so I was kind and declined. I did, though, get a taste of Mom's great goat cheese torta with pine nut crust and a red beet emulsion. She looked at me timidly when the dish arrived, questioning the beets, but then she loved it all.

Caesar salads at LaLa are H-U-G-E and come with a delicious buttery parmesan crisp. Dad was nice enough to give his to me. The soup of the day was a white gazpacho; a crab bisque was also available and enjoyed by one of my friends.

I have been getting burned by veal lately, but I ordered the veal porterhouse anyway. It had tremendous flavor, but was a little tough in spite of being cooked to medium rare. Its sides were killer - gnocchi with truffle butter and sauteed favas.

Too full for dinner at the end of it all. We paid the bill and walked it off, all the way over to Ben & Jerry's followed by drinks at the Frogg Pond (karaoke is Sunday nights presently; Monday is live music).

[vsky]

​Dewey, Rehoboth

Big Fish Grill (Rehoboth): 2 huge softshells for $22 crispy and clean. Grilled rare tuna also huge, perfecty cooked, a little underseasond for me, but fresh and meaty all the same. The sides were weird. Huge mash and tiny veggies . I couldn't get addtional recs for seafood so I felt we did well considering...
Dewey Grill (duh): right across from the Starboard. It's a 'health' food bar which we didn't realize. wasn't a huge fan of their ceaser dressing, but I can be picky. However the bf loved, loved their turkey burger on whole wheat bun (thank goodness, since he asked if the chef had something against a 'real' burger nicely :-) and that's when he was told it was a 'health' food place.) I'd recommed for a quick bite close to the beach and bloody marys were good too.
Northbeach: (Dewey): Picture perfect setting. Sunday's special mammoth frozen drinks 5.75 (prob 16-20oz) I guiltily had 2. Get the fried fish sandwich. Half the heat hot fish goes on the sandwich, half goes in your companions mouth. It says a dijon tartar sauce, but after asking about it the waitress said it's just regular - which it was (poor girl - who was a really great waitress - gets requests for the "dijon tartar" for other food, and nobody believes her when she says it really the same as the other tartar on the menu, it's these stories of 'guests' in restaurants that doesn't make me miss the biz).

[Josh Radigan]

​Bethany

Bluecoast in Bethany Beach. Not bad, small-ish bar, but a big lounge area. Service was surprisingly plesant considering the amount of tourists which I am sure can grate on them throughout the crush. OK wine list, overpriced but not outrageous, bottle of Calera Pinot Noir ran us $48.00 bones. Fried Lobster Tails, 4 small tails, 2 biters basically, $17.00.
Hour wait, then once we hit the table, clean space, lots of elbow room.
Fried Oysters, plump and not dried out, Wife had the Chilled Romaine with spicy blue cheese dressing and bacon. Not bad, a little over=dressed on the greens.
Entrees were hawiaan spiced Tuna for the wife, and I had a rare tenderloin with asparagus.

Let me just say this, finally someone cooks asparagus that has crunch. Its supposeed to have that cigar ash taste and not be limp.
Overall, good place. Pricey...yes. But its suppossed to be that way.

[bigpinot]

Georgetown

Has anyone ever stopped at La Quetzalteca, that Mexican joint on 404 just before Georgetown en route to Rehoboth?

I ate there once, out of curiousity. It's definitely authentic (all of the employees were clearly latinos) and I think I was the only gringo in the place. Food was nothing special, unfortunately, given the relatively large population of latinos who live in and around Georgetown.

[bugsy]

Lewes

spent the week between christmas and new years on the beach in Lewes, DE. the hit of the week was the second street grille

http://www.secondstreetgrille.com/

as good a dinner and ambiance as is available at the beachs....DO NOT SPEED IN LEWES>>>not even 1 mph over. nasty

[JLK]

​Rehoboth

The Retro Cafe has moved to the larger space next door and the old Retro Cafe is now the GreenMan Juice Bar and Bistro. The GreenMan's menu didn't do much for me, so breakfast yesterday and today has been at Retro. It's OK. I'm not as jazzed about the food as I was last year. The service has suffered during the expansion--that much I know. The owner who also plays the role of server seems 100x as harried as he did last year. My nutella pancakes today were pretty good. My scrambled eggs yesterday required two tries--the first batch came out in little crumbles even though I'd asked for them "easy." Oh well...I'm not at work, at least.

My non-foodie family enjoyed The Pig + Fish Restaurant which is new. I'm not a fan. Our appetizer of hummus, sun dried tomatoes and feta cheese ended up being a mix of the three, rather than a sample of the three. It had an odd, but not inedible, curdled texture. I was starving so I ate it. My main, a tobasco-smoked pork tenderloin, showed up well done instead of the medium I requested. But the real problem was the semi-sweet maple-tinged sauce accompanying it, as well as the soggy asparagus and beyond-crisp carrots.

Better luck next meal.

Appetizers at LaLaLand last night were very, very good. The menu hasn't changed since last year (which is unlike the place), but what we had was even better than last year's visit. Thai spring rolls featured a crispy, greaseless crust, and the Korean BBQ style ribs were really tremendous, tender and full of flavor. I didn't try the calimari, but my friends made it disappear quickly.

We moved on to Ristorante Zebra for main courses. Pretty good, and I like having the option of ordering pastas in a half portion or whole. My carbonara ($10) was suprisingly un-rich. It was fine, but not tremendous. My friend had a much better dish of pappardelle with mushrooms and truffle oil. No room for dessert.

[ol_ironstomach]

Fenwick Island

We'll be on Fenwick Island next weekend for a buddy's engagement party, and hanging around for an extra coupla days. Apart from breakfast at Jimmy's Kitchen (mentioned in the OC thread), what else in the area is worth checking out?

[1000yregg]

Fenwick, Bethany

I recommend Crabcake Factory (on 12000 Coastal Highway- ocean side) for their delicious jumbo lump crabcakes.
For breakfast, The Fractured Prune around 120th has great, hot, fresh doughnuts.
For more upscale, try bluecoast (no caps means shi-shi) in Bethany Beach- first come first serve, but pretty nice food.
These are all pretty close the the place in Fenwick.

Here is a post from our trip last year.

[Nick Freshman]

​Rehoboth

I am heading to Rehoboth in a few weeks, and I am wondering if anyone has had a great meal there recently. I know that there are some real gems, but they also seem to turn over quite frequently, and I fear that what I enjoyed in the past may no longer be worthwhile. By the way, if any of you recommend Grotto's Pizza, I will lose all respect for you--that place is an abomination. Thanks.

Also, I know there is a travel section, but I think that the beaches are essentially local offshoots. Nonetheless, I don't want to be in the wrong place, so we can move this if need be.

[Pool Boy]

​Rehoboth

One favorite of ours is to have dessert (or breakfast) at La Crepes Suzette (I think that is what it's called) located in an 'alley' of shops called Penny Lane. They make killer crepes, particularly the brown sugar, sour cream and banana version. But they are all good. In the mornings, they don't make crepes, but the window next to the place is connected and they make some good coffee and great pastries (chocolate croissant is great).

Some favorite lunch-time places and lower end of the price spectrum joints are Gus & Gus on the boardwalk (try the hot dogs and grilled cheese...fries are very good and I am told their cheesesteak is quite good too, not to mention their fried chicken!). And if you're looking for pizza, we avoid Grotto and head to Nicola's.

[christopherc]

​Dewey

We are thinking of trying Venus on the Half Shell this year in Dewy. We have heard good and bad can anyone expand on that?

[ol_ironstomach]

Fenwick; along the way

Fenwick Island recap:

We were at a private party at Captain Pete's Mediterranean Cove (700 Coastal Hwy, approx W. Atlantic St) for one of Pete's nephews, so I can't really tell you what the food is like there on a normal night, but they pulled out the roasters that they normally only use during Orthodox Easter and spitted a whole lamb and a whole pig. Six hours and 200 lbs of wood charcoal later, stuffed only with Greek oregano, olive oil, and lemons, both roasts were perfectly juicy, tear-apart tender, and tightly bound by their crisp brown skins which had split circumferentially at the joints. Apart from these special-occasion treats, the other stand-outs were their dolmades - still the best I've had anywhere, delicate and moist instead of dense, starchy and chewy - and the taramosalata, which was pleasantly light and not particularly salty. Excellent, but not as transcendant, were the spanakopita and tyropita. I must disclose that Pete and Helen's extended family figured largely in my appreciation of Greek food when they lived in Potomac, so I have a certain home-cooked bias, but all of the dishes we ate last weekend had that same flavor that I remembered from years ago, and I loved it. I noticed that just couple miles to the south there was a sign for Ocean City's annual Greek Festival at the end of July, but have no idea if they'll be participating.

As it happens, Jimmy's Kitchen (between W. Georgetown and W. Houston) was almost directly across the highway from where we stayed. It's got that friendly, happy beach shack family kinda vibe, and serves up a perfect fry-up. Good S.O.S. (one of my guilty pleasures) but also good fluffy pancakes, egg sandwiches, and coffee. Prices are frighteningly reasonable, as in Denny's-reasonable. Most breakfast mains are in the $4.50 range, but if you can afford $6, the Nor'easter (two eggs any style, bacon, one sausage link, hash browns, two pancakes and a side of creamed chipped beef) will satisfy the caloric needs of a small steam generator. Two big thumbs up.

Tempted by Blue Coast but distracted by Sietsema's comment last year about the parent company, we decided to roll the dice on the newest member of the chain, Catch 54. Located on Rt 54 about a mile west of the main drag, it occupies a scenic location on the sound. Unfortunately, I found it to be somewhat uneven for the price, and not nearly as interesting as the online menu would have me believe. "Crab cake sliders" were a trio of tasty little crab balls served on slider rolls with a slice of tomato and pickle, but the amount of bread in each roll overwhelmed the crab. Ditching the top half of each roll brought the whole thing into balance, apparently a widely-recognized problem because our server commented that "a lot of people do that" when clearing our plates. Baked oysters fared a little worse, topped with an attractive but somewhat bland crab imperial. We had higher hopes for fresh fish, but surprisingly the only fresh catch on the menu were the tuna, and the rockfish on the daily specials list. Described as crispy skin-on pan-fried rockfish in a chili oil, we both found the dish to be disappointing and confused. Between rather too much chili oil and an uneven fine dice of cucumbers and red onion, the flavor of the fish got lost. Which was no small feat, because the chili oil also suffered from a serious lack of oomph...it was little more than a red oil puddle. The crisped skin had a great texture, but not much of the concentration of flavor that I usually associate with pan-frying. Our final tab came to over $90 for two, about the same as what we paid on the way home for a vastly more satisfying meal at Waterman's in Rock Hall.

[beezy]

​Rehoboth

I went to Rehoboth two weeks ago, and just to add:

- Back Porch remains consistently good, although a little pricey. I had a fantastic lunch of orzo salad, and some grilled chicken. Mr. Beezy's gazpacho was quite remarkable.

- Retro's breakfast seemed pretty tired. My breakfast quesdilla eggs were bland, smothered in cheese (it's a quesadilla, yes, but not a block of cheddar), with some bac-o tasting bacon. The lemon ricotta pancakes were pretty good, but a little dry. Coffee was completely anemic.

- The Grotto's gelato was no better than Kohr Brothers, and twice as expensive.

- There's a great place on the north end of town that's brand new - the Pig and Fish. As the name suggests, there's lots of pork and seafood, both fresh and good quality. I had a great meatloaf studded with mushrooms. They're also a microbrewery, although we didn't imbibe since we were on the way home...

I am glad to see that there's still nasty beach food to be had - GusGus, the Grotto and the like are still thriving. As frou frou as Rehoboth is, it's still the beach.

[bigpinot]

​Rehoboth

For breakfast, try the Crystal Restaurant (620 Rehoboth Ave.) for huge omelets, pancakes, scrapple & egg sandwiches (a locals favorite!), etc. There is usually a line, but the service is fast. And, no, it is nothing like the Crystal City Restaurant...

Another option is Oby Lee (722 Rehoboth Ave.). They roast their own coffee beans onsite, and have a nice assortment of homemade quiches, and pastries of all kinds. They also have wireless internet access, I think.

Other recommendations:

Nicola's pizza - their version of a stromboli, the Nic-a-boli, is legendary.
Fish On - located north of Rehoboth, in Lewes, Fish On has nicely-executed seafood dishes that are reasonably priced. Interesting wine list too.

For greasy-good beach food, you can't go wrong with Gus & Gus and Louie's.

[Tweaked]

Rehoboth

Just got back from several days in Rehoboth...so I'll add my 2 cents to the list...

Back Porch Cafe - The sort of place where ambiance out weighs the cooking. You're at the beach, you're relaxed, feeling kinda crispy from sitting on the beach all day, the weather is perfect, you're enjoying the company of your friends...$30 for overcooked roast guinea hen, well the setting is nice, and I did mention you're enjoying the company of friends. Seemed like the chef was going for the big time and not completely pulling it off. Perhaps too ambitious of a menu would be a good way of putting it...but lovely ambiance.

Eden Restaurant - A dressed up place that could easily pass for a restaurant in say the Penn Quarter. The food while still pricey, more $30 entrees, was more even then Back Porch. We enjoyed the Lobster and crab tower, the flatbread with duck confit could have used a little more punch, the seared tuna was excellent, scallops yummy, and lamb chops nicely rare...the one clanger was the chicken breast with house made fettuccine, but then again that's what you get for ordering chicken breast

Summer House - Your basic nicely appointed saloon style bar and grill...a place that might perhaps sprout from the minds of the Clyde's Group. Doing the basics here, large sandwiches, burgers, salads, etc. etc. Nothing to complain about, nothing to write home about...but a pleasent place to have lunch.

Funnel Cake...yes you must buy some on the boardwalk and enjoy it on the beach...I mean you are on vacation after all

[DonRocks]

Rehoboth

Wouldn't you know that my one chance this summer to sample Jay Caputo's highly touted restaurant, Espuma, would fall on a Monday evening - the only night of the week it's closed.

So thanks to this thread (link provided for our WETA.org readers), I found Chez La Mer as an alternate choice. Chez La Mer is a Rehoboth Beach institution that has been open since 1980, but more importantly, it has half-priced bottles of wine on Monday nights.

It was an expensive, hit-and-miss meal, the highlight being one of the best housemade country patés I've had in quite awhile - not to mention a $31 (half-priced) bottle of 2006 Domaine de Tempier Bandol Rosé. I have all sorts of details I could tell you, but why on earth would I write about individual dishes when there's gossip to report?

As I was sitting there, reading through the menu, I saw that the chef-owner of Chez La Mer was ...

Jay Caputo.

Huh?

On the way out, I asked about this, and this is what I was told by a restaurant employee:

Jay Caputo purchased Chez La Mer on or around June 15th, and Espuma is currently on the selling block. When it sells, Caputo plans to start spending his time at Chez La Mer, modernizing it, and the name Chez La Mer may be, to paraphrase from Sir Patrick Spens, nae mair.

I'd say this is the Rehoboth Beach equivalent of Fabio Trabocchi leaving Maestro, but I've already made a past career out of trying to make small things seem big, and I'm so beyond that.

Cheers,
Rocks.

[mr food]

​Rehoboth

We like Fins in RB for excellent seafood and a fun bar scene especially when Jamie (sp) is pouring. He's the former owner and always makes you feel welcome. Good wines by the glass and great oysters for light fare. Ask him for dinner recs as we've never been disappointed. Portions are large so two can split an entree.

[1000yregg]

​Rehoboth

Was down at the shore for Labor Day weekend.
Went with a large group of friends to Cafe Zeus in Rehobeth Beach.
All in all a nice meal. We started with a few appetizers- the toasted ravioli and baked brie with apricot- both delicious.
I had the raspberry soup with creme fraiche- nice, summery.
I got the Veal Sirloin- Oscar style with crab on top. The veal was nice, crab was just ok. My cousin got their rack of lamb which was pretty great.
For dessert, I had profiteroles, but I also tried their Delaware state fair prizewinning cappuchino cheesecake.
My only complaint would be that the place was host to live music, some cabaret singer Viki Dee, and her speakers were right in front of our table making dinner conversation difficult.
I would say it was an alright meal, don't know if I would rush to return though.
Sat. night, I walked by Espuna which looked closed down.

[Pool Boy]

​Rehoboth

As I was sitting there, reading through the menu, I saw that the chef-owner of Chez La Mer was ...

Jay Caputo.

Huh?

On the way out, I asked about this, and this is what I was told by a restaurant employee:

Jay Caputo purchased Chez La Mer on or around June 15th, and Espuma is currently on the selling block. When it sells, Caputo plans to start spending his time at Chez La Mer, modernizing it, and the name Chez La Mer may be, to paraphrase from Sir Patrick Spens, nae mair.

I'd say this is the Rehoboth Beach equivalent of Fabio Trabocchi leaving Maestro, but I've already made a past career out of trying to make small things seem big, and I'm so beyond that.

Cheers,
Rocks.

Very interesting. I didn't read this before we went this past weekend and we just found out discovered this fact as well. DR, do you think that Chez La Mer will be his one and only home in RB then? Renamed the new Espuma or something entirely new?

We actually had the good fortune of dining at both Espuma AND Chez La Mer this trip. And let me tell you, Espuma blew Chez La Mer away. Far, far away.

Don't get me wrong, Chez La Mer has some great dishes, but also some real duds. But I am getting ahead of myself. See the section below for my report on Chez La Mer FWIW. Espuma will deserve a bit more time and attention to detail to write up becuase it was that good. Yes, that good. As in make me want to drive back just this upcoming weekend for no reason other than to just eat there.

Here's a Chez La Mer 2007 report --

Well, my wife got the details about Chez La Mer's changing hands. Apparently, the previous owner was finally tired of having to work every summer and, after 25 straight of them working, she sold the place to the owner of a place just a block away, Espuma.

We were in town with some family and my father was looking forward to getting the bouliabaisse, and he got it and it is still divine, but I get ahead of myself.

The first things we noticed about the space is that the new owner invested in better chairs for all of the tables -- great news indeed. While the dining room chairs were always OK enough, even they became butt-whackers after a time. But they did not compare to how lousy the porch and roof chairs were -- cheap plastic patio chairs you can buy at Wal-Mart or wherever for $2 each. These chairs, while not perfect, were a huge improvement!

My wife got the escargots and declared them quite delicious -- so much so that I didn't even get a taste! They were prepared with mushrooms butter and garlic en croute. She mentioned that there seemed to be more mushrooms than escargots, but that this did not detract from it too much at all. I got their pate, which I declared was still up to form. It was served with nice tiny crouton toasts, capers, pistachios, onions, and cornichons and a sauce in a tiny bowl. Still very very good.

The main courses were a bit of a let down though. My wife got a stuffed chicken roulade of a sort while I got the sweetbreads. They were both adequate, but nothing very special. I thought my stuff lacked flavor and was a bit under-seasoned and when I mentioned this to my wife later, she agreed her main was underseasoned as well. Still, the portions were good and not too big. But, since I had the pate and helped my father polish of the bouliabaisse, we decided to skip the desserts (probably a mistake as the desserts are usually quite good).

I will hold out hope that the new owner will make further changes to the menu to bring his own twist on French Cuisine here in Rehoboth Beach, but I hope the changes are for the better. ONE THING that they have not changed is that their winelist is still HALF PRICE every MONDAY night. At those prices, there are some real steals on their list.

Cautiously still recommended, but there may be some misses along with the hits if you go still this year/season.

As an add-on now knowing what Jay Caputo's deal is in moving over to the Chez La Mer space full time (perhaps next season?), there may be precious little time to head back there before it changes completely? So if you love good pate, escargots en croute and boulliabaise, get there NOW.

[Pool Boy]

​Rehoboth

Some more details on Espuma--

OK, here is what the my wife and I had for dinner at Espuma --

I had Prawns with beans lemon olives and broth of the gods -- this was simple ane brilliant at the same time. Perfectly executed.

My wife had 'Bacon and Egg salad'. A poached egg which was then barely dipped in bread crumbs and super flash fried on top of some really excellent bacon and a salad to go with it all....Super.

My main course was a Duck Confit with brown butter gnocchi and oyster mushrooms with fig spread on top -- well executed and the duck was the highlight of this dish. Good stuff.

My wife opted for the Chicken (with crispy skin) with peppers, almond ravioli and lobster and best mystery sauce ever -- Damn fine.

Wine was 2003 Fiddlehead Cellars Pinot Noir 728 fiddlestix -- awesome cinnamon and brown butter and ripe cherries and brown spice -- a very good wine. Maybe 90 points.

Dessert was an Ice Cream Sandwich with ginger orange ice cream and cinnamon meruinge cookies and dried cherries.

All in all a great meal. It was made better by the fact that we could linger a bit and the space was nice. Comfortably appointed, there is a wall and curtains alternating to set off the dining room from the bar to leave you feeling a bit of the vibe of the bar area without it becoming too noisy. Service was excellent with the staff being very familiar with the whole menu and specials as well as the wine list -- always a plus. The fact that it was ridiculously walkable from the place we were staying was another plus.

I'd definitely go again -- or wherever the chef decides to be now that he's bought Chez La Mer.

[wysguymd]

​Rehoboth

Haven't been to Rehoboth in awhile, but was there in early January. Not many options, so finally tried Eden. Very impressed, one of the better meals out I've had in along time. Everything was excellent!

[hillvalley]

Anyone know if anything besides Nicobolli's and Grotto will be open over the long weekend?

[Pool Boy]

​Rehoboth

I assume everyone read in the Washington Post a few weeks back that Chez La Mer is now Porcini House. Below is the snippet from the Washington Post...

Anyone been there yet?

Porcini House

With his modern-Mediterranean restaurant Espuma solidly booked, chef-owner Jay Caputo has created a stellar hangout of an offshoot, sort of Espuma-light, just a block away. The old Chez La Mer site has been redone as a gleaming-wood cottage with open porch, deck lounge and off-season fireplace. The menu is ideal for dawdling over drinks but is also kid-friendly. Best bets include tapas-style appetizers, gourmet panini slivers (especially good is the luscious duck confit with dried cherries and pistachio pesto or croque-monsieur-ish country ham and Gruyere), irresistible flatbreads (porcinis, ricotta and black truffles or artichokes, roasted peppers and olives), a half-dozen risottos and a few heartier main dishes, including a homemade chicken pot pie, roast chicken or Portuguese-style mussels with sausage.

PORCINI HOUSE 210 Second St., Rehoboth Beach. 302-227-6494. Dinner appetizers $6-$12; flatbread and panini $10-$13; entrees $10-$25.

[JLK]

I'm driving out to Rehoboth tomorrow and will report back with any finds. It used to be easy for me to bamboozle my family into letting me pick the restaurants, but in recent years, they've started pushing back, wanting less "scary" food and also wanting less expensive options.

[JLK]

​Rehoboth

Here I am, in overcast Rehoboth Beach, going stir crazy from too much family time and too much pouting/sulking/complaining about food. You may recall from my posts that I have an aunt who always orders a "French martini" but is never satisfied, and often, upon seeing tuna offered as an entree, asks if it can be served "blackened." I regress to my teenage self and do much eye rolling.

Tonight we hit new lows at the new Porcini House. I put my head in my hands a few times. At the end, I took aside the server (Tim) and thanks him gratefully for not rolling his eyes as I did. He laughed it off.

Anyway...the food. We'd had lots of snacky foods back at the house so none of us had appetizers. I couldn't decide between two of the offered risottos, corn or tomato, so I ended up with half portions of each at the suggestion of the server. Although I didn't think I was that hungry, I ate about 90% - burp. Really rich and delicious. I offered my difficult aunt a taste of either and she declined as risotto is too "creamy." My father, who usually eats whatever is put in front of him, does not like rice. I don't get it either.

My mother, sulking over the choice of restaurant, the lack of you-peel shrimp or anything else she considers sufficiently "beachy" ordered - wait for it - a burger, well done. It arrived pink and she sent it back. *sigh* In the end, she hated it, the accompanying popcorn (I'll admit, that's a weird side) AND the side of potato puree she ordered. She really should have had the chicken pot pie, but refused citing the presence of black truffles. She hates mushrooms and can't understand that they're not the same.

Both aunt and uncle had the tuna "cooked" and cleaned their plates although the tuna looked awfully dry to me.

Uncle was annoyed when the pinot noir he let the server pick ended up being $12. I somehow managed to bite my tongue. What I wanted to say was "pick your own wine then!" and "that's not that bad!" He also pointed out that at his country club, his wine glass is "full." I wanted to tell him that when you pour crappy wines...oh never mind.
<Do you sense that I have been in hell this week? I have. Someone please adopt me.>

[DonRocks]

Rehoboth

I asked Kliman a similar question the other day:

Mt. Pleasant, DC

Is there any restaurant in Rehoboth that isn't
mediocre and overpriced?

Todd: Take a look at the July issue. [of Washingtonian Magazine]
I'm with you, by and large, about the fine-dining options.

But Espuma delivers. There's some smart, accomplished cooking coming from Jay Caputo's kitchen. You're not likely to come away feeling like somebody's been playing with too many ingredients in the back.

And a handful of new-ish places -- Fish On!, Northeast Seafood Kitchen, Blue Coast, all of them owned by the same company -- has figured out that what people really want from a nice meal out at the beach is simple, focused flavors and good, fresh fish.

I had dinner at Blue Coast tonight.

"Simple, focused flavors and good, fresh fish." Ridiculous.

It wants to be Black Salt, but the meal I had tonight was about what I'd expect from The Reef, and I'm actually being unkind to The Reef: I originally wrote Stoney's, but in fairness to Blue Coast, they at least make some attempt at plating the dishes.

Everything is either pulled from the awful display case (frozen-looking tilapia filets, tuna that looks purple, etc.) or from the freezer. The quality of meat in the crab cakes was as bad as any I've had in years - have you ever had that salty, stringy, canned, 99-cent Gulf-of-Thailand crap from Trader Joe's? This is that.

The bar, the wines, even the beers are as bad as anything, anywhere. The one merciful exception was a Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale.

Does anyone actually taste these comments before they leave the keyboard?

I'll figure out a way to be less brutal in the morning; tonight I'm pissed off to the tune of $175 for three people.

[edenman]

Rehoboth

Never eaten anywhere but the Dogfish Head brewpub, and don't see any need to eat anywhere else, either. I don't go to the beach for fine dining, I go for burgers and beers. And I don't go to Rehoboth for the beach, I just go for Dogfish.

[hillvalley]

Does anyone know where I can get live crabs? I'll be in Bethany but will drive from OC to Rehobeth for them.

[1000yregg]

Rehoboth

Went to Espuma in Rehoboth Beach, this labor day weekend- wow great meal.
Pics
The rethought "bacon and egg" salad was pretty cool. I had the Black Mission fig salad with parmesan foam.
For entree, I got the trio of Berkshire pork, but the best was their special, the Veal Ossobucco.
Someone else got the vegetarian extravaganza, which ended up being 7 different vegetarian items- 3 cold, 4 warm- like an ultra solo tapas experience.
Dessert was good, too- Jay's ice cream sandwich- 2 meringues sandwiching hazelnut ice cream was inspired. We also tried the chocolate, chocolate, chocolate- molten chocolate cake, pots de creme and a chocolate milkshake.

[maplarry]

Bethany

Had dinner at Steakhouse 26 recently. It's the fourth time we've been there since the opening and unfortunately noticed the food quality, although very acceptable, continues to decline. The decor is really well done, some staffers are great (some are not) and the TV's at the tables in the bar section are a nice touch. Drinks are good; beer on draught consistently good. Food, however, seems to be lacking. First two times we had steak and/or salmon. Pretty good. Last spring the salmon had to be sent back it was so poorly done. Yesterday, was build your own hamburger night -- can't beat the deal at $5.00. Except, hamburgers were full of grizzle and comparatively very small. Will think twice before re-visiting.

[Ericandblueboy]

Going in April. What's the best restaurant in Rehoboth these days? I looked at Espuma's menu and just doesn't sing to me. I don't care for any kind of salad when I'm eating at a fancy restaurant. Couldn't care less about any attempt at Asian cooking (not while I'm at the beach). I'm likely to eat at La Tolteca for lunch - my favorite tex-mex joint in the entire mid-atlantic region.

[Ericandblueboy]

Rehoboth; along the way

We left town shortly after 7 on Friday on Easter weekend. There was no traffic on the beltway and we made it to Rehoboth in just over 2 hrs. We celebrated our early arrival at La Tonalteca (part of the Las Toltecas chain). It's cheap tex-mex food but it's the one place we always go to when we go to the beach. Unfortunately we never went to be the beach this weekend because it rained all day on Saturday. Instead we ate at 3 joints on Saturday.

First we went to Jake's Seafood on Rt 1. The Maryland crab soup was a delicious vegetable soup (would've been great if there were more crab meat), the steamed clams were fresh and plump, but the crab balls werenothing special (I thought they're known for their crab balls?). We next stopped by Go Fish, a fish and chips shop owned by some Brits in Rehoboth. The cod was nicely beer battered but the entire restaurant feels greasy and sticky. For dinner we went to Blue Moon. The online menu was pretty exciting but the actual menu was much different. We ended up with antipasto (5 different cold cuts), fried green tomtatos (served with lots of pesto), lobster fricasse (the sauce was great but the dish came with very dense spatzle - so what if it's handmade?), potato leek soup (bland), and pasta Bolognese. We only had a bite of the pasta before we moved onto the dessert, which is the largest moon pie that I've ever seen. I don't think the food's great at Blue Moon but it's pretty good for the beach and the restaurant itself is really charming.

On the way home on Sunday, we stopped by the Narrows on Kent Island. We had mini crab cakes, cream of crab soup, baked clams, fried oysters and seared ahi tuna. Stick to the crabs and the place won't disappoint. In fact, the crab cakes were delicious.

[Pool Boy]

Rehoboth

Blue Moon -- Good but a little disappointing. Nice space, good server, but food was not there for me. If you have a special with soft shell crabs (and they were wonderful for this early), why, oh why would you cover them with some sort of glop (salsa) on top? Crispiness is what it is about and you killed it! Ahh!

Gus & Gus on the Boardwalk -- just look at the pictures. These guys are dependably greasy good.






Stupid donrockwell software is making me do this in two posts.

[Pool Boy]

Rehoboth

Porcini House - Went for brunch. Eggs Benedict 2 ways and really quite good Bloody Marys.



Espuma -- Still the best of the lot out there. We were going for interesting and got lobster night. Butter poached ad grilled with 8 accompaniments that were all good and some outstanding.

[Pool Boy]

Rehoboth

Just FYI, when we were there a few weeks ago, it looks like Fusion has been closed and being re-invented as Salt Air. A new restaurant by Jonathan Spivak and others. Read on about it here.

To me, the menu looks like a dumbing down of what is offered (plus an awful lot of non-seafood, for a place called Salt Air) and an appeal to 'families' (kids menu????!).

It'll be worth a try just to see how it goes when I am there next....

[Pool Boy]

Rehoboth

Another year and another trip to Espuma. Tried a different preparation of lobster this year...butter boached on top of some really excellent cous cous and some drizzled sauces of fennel, harissa and a tiny bit of balsamic. It worked and was delicious. Starters included a bacon tart (wow) and also a dish involving crispy mussels (delicious). Desserts involved a muffin/biscuit (somewhat savory) paired with nice strawberries and a little salt and basil ice cream as well as a napoleon involving chocolate, banana and I think peanut butter. A very good meal (the Patz & Hall chardonnay was way too oaky for me).

Gus & Gus also delivered for great boardwalk food, as always. Made for a nice lunch.

Of note it seems that the Greene Turtle is moving in to space right on or above the boardwalk.

Also, Nicola Pizza has massively expanded on to their existing space by taking what I think is a connected behind the scenes connection to a large two story building right on Rehoboth Avenue. It's huge.

[backstreets]

Lewes

The Surfing Crab at 16723 Coastal Highway, just north of Lewes, is a friendly place worth checking out. I ate at the bar there last weekend and had a good $15 grilled tuna caesar salad. Good sized portion, fresh ingredients, I'd go back. They also were offering Smith Island cake which was chocolate cake with white frosting and that was a winner also. The big draw seems to be their all you can eat crab dinner. Its a casual place with picnic tables in a very clean air conditioned space.

[baczkowski]

Lewes

I enjoyed a large sandwich of homemade bread, fresh mozzarela and imported italian meats at Touch of Italy Salumeria & Pasticceria (33A Baltimore Ave). When you walk in it looks like they just sell deli meats, cheeses, pasta, and Italian cookes to go, but they actually make several sandwiches. As you walk in the door there's a narrow sign advertising the sandwiches right in front ofand above you. Don't just look there though. Turn around and look above the door and you'll see about 8 more sandwich options. I didn't notice this sign until I was walking out. There were at least 3 more sandwiches I would have tried from that list. They have a paper takeout menu that lists all these sandwiches, too. I talked to one of the owners on the way outside and he said the family is from New York and is trying to create a authentic Italian experience. I'll definitely be back there.

Another "secret" that locals seem to mostly know about is that Grub Grocery (owned by the Cultured Pearl owners) does daily lunch specials like Roast leg of lamb and 2 heaping sides for around 7 bucks. easily worth the price.

[sheldman]

Rehoboth

Tuesday afternoons in the park behind the Rehoboth Visitors Center (just west of the traffic circle) - a nice farmers market with sandwiches, ice cream, etc, along with good-looking produce. I had never been to this market until today. Check it out if you are in town for a few days.

[brr]

Does anyone know a good source of live crabs in the Rehoboth beach area?

[TedE]

Rehoboth

Does anyone know a good source of live crabs in the Rehoboth beach area?

Hope this isn't too late. I think Jimmie Lynn's up Rte 1 towards the Lewes turn off sells live by the bushel. I know for a fact that Rehoboth Seafood market at the 1/1A split does, but I've been less impressed with their product in the last few years. You could also try Ed's in Dewey and see if they will sell them unsteamed. Aside from that most of the places I know are a decent drive away (mostly down towards OC where there are lots of options).

[Waitman]

So, how about some cheap-ass chicken wing joints and other beer-absorbent-entree-oriented places?

[hillvalley]

Rehoboth

Don't know if it is still there but there used to be a wing place a few doors down from Nicolas. Of course, a nic-o-boli is the best absorbent there is. Also the take away fish and chips place on Rehoboth Ave half a block or so below the beach.

There's always Hooters on Rehoboth Ave but I know you would never go there.

[JanisPitts]

Fenwick; Bethany

We are in DE regularly and like to try new places. We just tried the Lobster Shanty in Fenwick which is owned by the folks at Nantucket, also in Fenwick Island. Also recently tried Off the
Hook, a new seafood restaurant in Bethany Beach. Both are recommended, but unfortunately neither take reservations so you have to time it right.

[Waitman]

Rehoboth

Wanted to like Espuma -- the people were so nice, we were so tired of chicken wings and pizza. But the food felt uninspired, and at beach prices I wish I'd saved my money for a decent night out back in town. Decent deckle, OK lamb and cous cous and a dry "Three Day Pork."

Alas.

[jiveturk21]

​Bethany, Rehoboth

We really liked our dinner at Salt Air in Rehoboth. Both appetizers that we had were only average, but the entrees were great across the board, especially the roast chicken and any simply prepared fish that we got. The cocktail list was fine, although it was tough to find a non-sweet drink on it, but the wine list needed some work. Our server was nice, but flustered at times, he really didn't know the menu very well. I figure that he was new or just not personally any good, the rest of the wait staff seemed to be on top of their game.

We also enjoyed dinner at Patsy's in Bethany. Again, fish preparations were great, portions were large and the service was fantastic. We didn't even look at the wine list, it was our last night there and we were done drinking, so I can't speak to that. Prices were pretty high - they must make a killing because it was packed - but I didn't feel like it was a bad value for the money.

[1000yregg]

Fenwick; Rehoboth

I was down at Fenwick Island last weekend for my annual boys trip with friends from grad school.

We went to Touch of Italy in Rehoboth for lunch before going on the Dogfish Head Brewery tour. Their sandwiches were delicious- had the No. 2 - hot capicolla, handmade mozzarella and sun dried peppers. They also bake their own Italian bread.
pics

We had crabs at Fenwick Crab house- decent, good beer selection. Their crabcake was something to be desired. To make up for it, we had the delicious crabcakes from the Crabcake Factory in OC.

Another evening, after drinks at the House of Welsh (very old school place), we had the fantastic Quahog Chowdah at Nantuckets as well as some delicious PEI mussels with basil pesto garlic and white wine sauce.
pics

[brr]

Rehoboth

That was exactly our experience. Some decent cocktails and pleasant quirky staff. But the entrees were very mediocre with the 3 day pork and the paella in particular featuring borderline toxic levels of salt. We beat it before dessrt and it was still $150 per couple.....

By contrast we had a very pleasant lunch at the Summer House one day - nothing fancy, just decent food prepared well

Decent crabs from Jimmy Lynns (thanks TedE)

lots and lots of great beer from Dogfish

Wanted to like Espuma -- the people were so nice, we were so tired of chicken wings and pizza. But the food felt uninspired, and at beach prices I wish I'd saved my money for a decent night out back in town. Decent deckle, OK lamb and cous cous and a dry "Three Day Pork."

Alas.

[Mrs. B]

Rehoboth

That was exactly our experience. Some decent cocktails and pleasant quirky staff. But the entrees were very mediocre with the 3 day pork and the paella in particular featuring borderline toxic levels of salt.

I had the same experience with the salt level in the paella, next time I should man-up and say something I suppose. The staff was lovely.

[theakston]

Rehoboth

We just returned from a wonderful Columbus day weekend at Rehoboth. Can’t beat wall-to-wall sun and 80F weather in October!
We always like to take our dog – so we like the patio at DogfishHead – for the beer, and the friendly staff who welcome our Border Collie. The food is less inspiring but passable for lunch. Saturday night we attempted to get into Salt Air but they were jammed by 7PM and already had a 90 minute wait (they don’t do reservations). We wound up at Cultured Pearl for Sushi and had a wonderful appetizer of Hamachi collar. We returned to Salt Air on Sunday and we were able to get a table with minimum wait. But that is not all – Sunday evening is $19 for any 3 courses off their menu !!!! Even on a 3 day weekend! Food was good and service was good and a reasonable wine list to boot.
The stand out of the weekend was the new place next to Salt Air – Henlopen City Oyster House. Great selection of fresh and briny Oysters, steamed clams and shrimp, and a fantastic selection of beers. They had an impeccably kept CASK Hop Devil, a dark, wood-aged beer from the new, local brewery Evolution as well as the DogfishHead “Bitches Brew” that even the DFH pub had run out of. The friendly and knowledgeable staff great oysters and beer make this a place to which we will definitely return. Soon.

[Travel addict]

Rehoboth

We've been going to Rehoboth for 30+ years; for the last 2 of those our absolute favorite restaurant there is Lupo di Mare in the Hotel Rehoboth, on Rehoboth Ave not far from Lingo's Realty but on the opposite side of the street. The chef here has magic in his fingers... everything just comes out great, even standard Italian fare is raised to a higher level. Prices are typical for Rehoboth but seem less because of the quantity and quality of what you get. I always have enough for lunch the next day. My favorite app is the fresh figs stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto, grilled and drizzled with a good balsamico... Ab-Fab! Also the grilled octopus is delicious. Very authentic, typical food that you would find in Italy, where we spent this past summer. We also like the Back Porch, Eden, and Pig & Fish. Not wild about Dogfish, we have found the food to be dull and the wait to be long. Also underwhelmed by Espuma, thought it was overpriced every time we've gone although we liked the food (not loved). Can't wait to go to Henlopen City Oyster House based on the recommendation above, we'll try it this weekend!

[lmnop]

Rehoboth

We've been going to Rehoboth for 30+ years; for the last 2 of those our absolute favorite restaurant there is Lupo di Mare in the Hotel Rehoboth, on Rehoboth Ave not far from Lingo's Realty but on the opposite side of the street. The chef here has magic in his fingers... everything just comes out great, even standard Italian fare is raised to a higher level. Prices are typical for Rehoboth but seem less because of the quantity and quality of what you get. I always have enough for lunch the next day. My favorite app is the fresh figs stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto, grilled and drizzled with a good balsamico... Ab-Fab! Also the grilled octopus is delicious. Very authentic, typical food that you would find in Italy, where we spent this past summer. We also like the Back Porch, Eden, and Pig & Fish. Not wild about Dogfish, we have found the food to be dull and the wait to be long. Also underwhelmed by Espuma, thought it was overpriced every time we've gone although we liked the food (not loved). Can't wait to go to Henlopen City Oyster House based on the recommendation above, we'll try it this weekend!

We also love Lupo di Mare. We eat there almost every time we're at the beach. Last weekend we decided to check out a few places in Lewes for the first time and really enjoyed Kindle and Fish On. Fish On is owned by the same group that owns Lupo di Mare. It was definitely worth the short drive to Lewes from Rehoboth. My husband loves mussels and orders them nearly everywhere we go and their version was especially enjoyable due to the spicy broth. I tried the steamed shrimp and scallop dumplings and while the flavor was good, I found the wrappers to be a bit limp and slimy for my taste. I had a crab pasta special for my main and my husband had the night's biggest winner with the pan roasted salmon. It has a sherry maple glaze that seemed like it would be too sweet, but it wasn't at all and the salmon was perfectly cooked. I would definitely order that the next time we're there.

[Ericandblueboy]

Rehoboth

Had a very nice dinner at Lupo di Mare. BTW, what does Lupo di Mare mean? Wolf of the sea or catfish? I was a tad disappointed that they didn't have razor clams or lobster bruschetta. Instead, we had some excellent grilled artichoke and some interesting shaved Brussels sprouts drizzled with truffle oil. My spaghetti with clam sauce was pretty good as was my wife's sausage and red pepper linguine. The side of boccoli rabe; however, was a mess of overcooked greens without much other flavors.

[Pool Boy]

Rehoboth

Went last weekend, hit up Espuma again -- great meal.

Wanted to get to Cultured Pearl also this year, but decided to head out early to head back home.

I'd heard rumors that Porcini House had closed, but it was clearly open when we walked on by.

[stilgar]

Dewey

Just back from a long weekend in Dewey. I will have to say that The Cultured Pearl is a must for anyone going to the Rehoboth area.

[Ericandblueboy]

Rehoboth

Kliman's quick rundown from his chat:

* Salt Air Kitchen. I think this is the best place at the beach, right now, for a good and relaxing dinner out. The dishes are built with local produce and, often, local fishes and meats, and the kitchen is smart to get out of the way and not fuss too much with the bounty.

* Espuma. More creative cooking, with hits and misses. I've had terrific dishes here, and some not-so, but I don't think I've ever left here feeling disappointed. And sometimes, I've left quietly elated.

* Nage. Better than the DC location. A vast array of wines available in small pours, and the cooking, when it's on, can be very good. Creative comfort food.

* Eden. I like it best for composing a meal of small plates. Good grilled things. The wine list isn't gouging, and there are some interesting picks.

* Northeast Seafood Kitchen, in Bethany. Focus on the top half of the menu, like the fried Ipswich clams. The rewards aren't as great when it comes to the bigger plates. And save room for the chocolate cake with a pitcher of chocolate sauce.

* Cafe Azafran, Lewes, for tapas. Cozy setting, very inviting, and the cooking, while not exacting as you might like, is generally very satisfying.

* Kindle, in Lewes. I like that it doesn't try too hard. Uncomplicated, uncluttered plates, and it generally pulls off what it attempts. Steak tartare, steak frites. At lunch, an excellent BLT with avocado.

* Bethany Blues BBQ. Pretty prefab, and service is scattered, but I like the ribs. And I like the long list of bourbons.

* Casapulla South. Superlative hoagies. Even the tuna fish hoagie is fantastic.

* Louie's. For pizza by the slice only. Make it pepperoni.

[1000yregg]

Rehoboth

Based on this thread, we booked a table at Salt Air Kitchen last night. I was a little worried because they've been getting a lot of disappointed reviews on Yelp and CH, but we figured we'd give them a chance. I started worrying when we showed up for our 6:30 reservation. Henlopen Oyster next door had a line out the door, and Salt Air was only 30% full. Right away they told us that they were a little behind and we ought to wait at the bar. We thought this was odd as they seemed slow. We enjoyed some drinks at the bar, and after 15 min we were seated.
We decided to get a bunch of appetizers first to share. These came out shortly and they were pretty good: pinchos with chorizo, figs, house canned sardines, quail with sunchokes, watermelon salas, and a great lump crab dip.
At this point it was a good experience, but then the night then turned sour.
First, our wait time between starters and entrees was about an hour. We had three different people come by saying it was going to be just a few minutes. They all asked if they could bring anything for us. We just wanted our food.
When the entrees arrived, I had ordered a half roasted chicken. It looked beautiful on the plate, but I was a little worried when it did not come apart easily with my knife. Right away, I pulled the leg, and noticed redness and red blood in between muscle fibers. I'm comfortable with a little pink or blood stains in my chicken, and so was one of my dining companions who is a great cook, so I asked the waiter to come check on this plate. Immediately he was very defensive, and he said that because the bird was brined this was normal. He then walked away. I had to get him a second time, and I asked him to send the chicken back. He did so, but then he returned and told me to speak with the chef-owner on my way out so he could explain the blood. He said we were still wrong about the chicken.
My tablemates all enjoyed their food, but everyone was frustrated with the service. The swordfish was good, the crab cakes were mostly backfin but were ok. When they all finished, I did not have my chicken, so I asked the waiter, after having to get up to find him to just cancel the chicken.
This then started an odyssey with the bill which had to be corrected three times to remove the chicken and then fix the 20% gratuity that was tacked on for our group of 7 which was still calculated pre-chicken. We eventually got the manager to remove the mandatory gratuity.
Salt Air may have promising food, but the service, where all the complaints online address was just awful, I would not return and I would in fact discourage people from going.

[rockcreek]

Fenwick

Took the lads to Catch 54 in Fenwick Island, right on DE Rt. 54 west of Ocean Highway. It's operated by Matt Haley's SoDel Concepts, a local operator with restaurants all over coastal Delaware. They tout farm and ocean to table, so I was looking forward to it. Tough to get a good piece of fish at home, for some reason.

We went a few years ago and it was nice; crowded but friendly, and the food and service would have cut it in most places. Apparently, they suffered a fire in the Spring, so when we went upstairs I thought something didn't jive with my recollection of the layout.

Anyway. I started out with as nice grapefruit cooler and Blue Point and PEI oysters. Oysters were fresh and briny, although I admit to bring utterly spoiled by BlackSalt. I got some nice sea salt topped Parker House rolls to keep the boys occupied; they even tried the herbed sweet cream butter that came along.

Dinner was a generous piece of buttermilk fried catfish (a special) served over a zingy potato salad with a side of cucumber & red onion salad. Really nice; fish wasn't great at all, the potatoes had body without being heavy (hey - they're potatoes) and the cucumber salad was slightly sweet and refreshing. The little one went with cavatappi with butter, and the big one didn't see anything in the kids menu interested him, so he opted for a medium rare bacon cheeseburger - a man-sized half pounder with white cheddar and tomato relish. He proclaimed it "spectacular" and made a pretty good go at it. Quality burger, served on a burred grilled brioche.

Can't beat the view; right on Little Assawoman Bay overlooking a
inlet. I really enjoyed it, with two observations:

a) I don't purport to understand restaurant economics at all, but couldn't you serve slightly smaller portions, charge a dollar less, and still make the same money? This isn't a knock on the prices at all; they were eminently fair. I could have eaten 75 percent of that meal, paid one dollar less, and felt full and like the meal was still reasonably prices.

the restaurant had a lot of open tables. Maybe it's the economy, or maybe we just picked a quiet weeknight, but the last time we went, we waited for easily 45 minutes. Same part of the season. I hope they make it because the food and location are totally worth the trip.

I got to get text to speech working on my phone. My thumb hurts.

Cheers!

[RWBooneJr]

I've never eaten at a(muse) in Rehoboth, but my girlfriend sent me these photos. She loved it, and I'm looking forward to trying it at some point this summer.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Rehoboth

Lady Kibbee and I were bound for Henlopen City Oyster House last night, but the wait was a good hour. So we headed down the street to Planet X, and I'm glad we did. After a perfectly fine round of appetizers -- seared scallops and smoked wild salmon rolls, we had the absolute best crab cakes I've ever eaten. And I've eaten in Fenwick Island and Annapolis and Baltimore and everywhere else crab cakes have bragging rights, but beyond a doubt these were spectacular. Two nicely sized all Maryland lump crab with no apparent filler and just plain wonderful. I will return this week for those same crab cakes, and maybe more than once.

Two nights ago, we ate a pleasant sushi dinner at Cultured Pearl. There certainly is an interesting selection of sushi rolls at this place, and the live music adds another dimension of interest. The hamachi collar/cheek was a very nice way to start the meal, followed by three of the more interesting rolls.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Rehoboth

Dinner at Jake's Seafood tonight on Baltimore in Rehoboth. Great meal, but the place was packed and the service was slow. Nonetheless, the crab bisque was sinfully good, the crab cakes were on a par with most of the best I've had -- but Planet X still had better crab cakes -- and the Rockfish stuffed with Crab Imperial was really nice....but sat under the heat lamp a bit longer than it should have and was somewhat dried out. So, aside from the service and timing, this is a high-quality seafood restaurant with overall reasonable prices.

Let me re-emphasize -- the crab cakes at Planet X are the best I have ever had.

[Kibbee Nayee]

Rehoboth

On my final day at Rehoboth Beach, I visited the Fractured Prune for donuts. They were incredible. If DC has a better offering of donuts anywhere, I haven't found it. Hot, fresh and dipped to order....!

[mr food]

Rehoboth

Salt Air is probably the best restaurant in Rehoboth these days. this is based on consistenly good meals over several visits. We spend quite a bit of time here so have made the rounds and Salt Air is #1 in our book. Google Rehoboth Foodie for a pretty good run down on dining in this area.

[dcs]

Rehoboth

When you go to the beach with your kids the trip clearly cannot be all about food. Although we did not get to every place I wanted to try during a recent long weekend in Rehoboth, we did manage to squeeze in some pleasurable meals along the way.

Morning was the time for long walks before the kids awoke. The first stop was usually The Coffee Mill for some liquid fuel. It is in the Rehoboth Mews alley between Baltimore and Rehoboth Avenues. They stock a relatively large variety of coffee beans and teas, but all we had were cappuccinos and whatever drip coffee they were serving, which we enjoyed. The store looks more like a small shack, but the place appears to be a local institution. Curiously, their own website expresses confusion over whether the shop first opened in 1984 or 1992. I seem to recall the sign on the outside advertising that they have been open for 19 years; that would mean they opened in 1993 (unless the sign was one year old). Regardless of when it opened, the coffee was good and kept us going until our next stop, which was usually The Point Coffee House and Bake Shoppe.

The Point is so named because it is located at the point where Route 1 meets Route 1A. They may have the most bare-boned website I have seen. I can also recommend the cappuccinos and drip coffee here as well, although they do not have quite the selection of beans as the Coffee Mill. Although this place has some good looking baked goods and an interesting sandwich menu, we never actually ate anything here, so I cannot tell if looks were deceiving. I think this place is relatively new, because I found something called Oby Lee Coffee Roastery on the Internet at the same address. ARLnow.com reports that Oby Lee may be opening a new shop in Clarendon.

After more coffee at the Point, it would be time to head over to Pasqualini's Bakery. This place looks a little run-down and is almost hidden behind the equally shady looking Crystal Restaurant on Rehoboth Avenue near the drawbridge. (In fairness, we did not go in the Crystal Restaurant and I understand they serve a quite respectable breakfast). Pasqualini's has an assortment of pastries and dougnuts and some crumb cake that was voted best in Rehoboth by our kids. I think if I wanted a cake, I would give these folks a try. They had a number of interesting looking cakes in their cases.

Speaking of crumb cake, I favored the ones sold at Dinah Lingo's Grocery, which had a larger chrunchier topping. Lingo's grocery also had a large number of fresh pastries and breads out in the mornings and there was a sign in the Village By The Sea alley between Baltimore and Rehobeth Avenues that they would soon be opening a bakery in that location.

Our morning walks typically ended with spinach and feta crepes at Crepes by the Sea on 1st Street. This appears to be a new place. They served up some respectable crepes but never seemed very busy, so if you get a chance you may want to stop by. I wish them well.

After seeing the lines forming outside the Royal Treat for breakfast, we gave them a try one day. The Royal Treat serves standard breakfast fare and delivered well prepared food, but I am not sure I would stand in the line that forms at the front door of folks waiting for a table (we got there early). There is only so much you can do with eggs and pancakes. The only oddity here is that most egg dishes do not automatically come with home fries, which need to be ordered a la carte. If you visit, you should be warned that it is cash or traveler's checks only.

With all that walking and eating out of the way, it would be time to hit the beach. But, inevitably, hunger would soon return.

Sitting at the bar at Obie's by the Sea I mentioned to the bartender that i need to satisfy a request to find a place that served grilled cheese and french fries. He said he understood and gets the same request from his son at least once a week. He suggested we head over to Arenas in the Village By The Sea alley. That was good enough for me. The place is obviously popular and was mostly full during both of our visits. The food portions for some items are generous if bordering on preposterously large. Three of us could barely make a dent in the shrimp nachos appetizer we ordered. On another visit, the pulled pork special on the chalkboard was actually two sandwiches. All in all a decent lunch place, even if they did serve us frozen mozzarella sticks during one visit.

On another afternoon, I slipped out to the bar at Jakes for a couple of beers and a late lunch. I agree with the comment above about the seafood bisque. It was incredibly rich and jam packed with fresh seafood. Coupled with a half dozen blue points and a couple of pints of a Yards ale, it made for a satisfying lunch. We made it back for dinner that same evening and I particularly enjoyed Rose's Rockfish, which is a simple preparation broiled in a white wine sauce with chopped tomatoes, celery, and onion, It was almost a stew, with a nice rustic feel.

One night I tried to vector the group to Stingray, a self-described sushi bar and asian latino grill that was highly recommended by the bartender at Jakes, but we ended up at The Cultured Pearl instead. The kids have recently taken to sushi, but their tastes are still limited. Nevertheless, I did get at least one of them to try something that was not tuna or salmon. I also had a few tastes of the shrimp and vegetable tempura, which I thought was particularly well prepared.

On our final evening we ended up at Ristorante Zebra. It is in a pleasant location in a Victorian House on a quiet street directly across from Stingray. I found the interior decorations to be somewhat odd for an Italian restaurant, with paintings and murals with zebra and giraffe motifs. The first five photos on this page are pictures of the interior. The food was solid and traditional if unremarkable. I would definitely venture back. There were some families with children, but I was left with the overall impression that this is the type of place that you bring your parents to (or your grandparents). BTW, we found that the half portions of pasta were more than ample as mains, especially if you had appetizers, but I have a suspicion we may eat lighter than most.

I would like to give a final hat's off to Bin 66, the only liquor store in downtown Rehoboth. It does not have an extensive selection, but I was able to find some wines that I had previously purchased from Arrowine to enjoy back at the hotel in the evening.

[jiveturk21]

​Bethany; Rehoboth

My long, well thought out post will forever remain lost due to some technical issue that I will never be able to explain. So, here is the short version.

Henlopen City Oyster House is the best restaurant in Rehoboth, killer choices at the bar, amazing food, overpriced wine list (for the beach) that at least has good selections.

Maureen's in Bethany is easily our favorite place to grab dessert, which generally consists of ice cream.

Surf's Up still makes great steak and cheese subs.

[sheldman]

Rehoboth

I have a history of eating poorly in Rehoboth Beach - e.g., too much mediocre fried fish, and too many places attempting a hip nightclub vibe along with overpriced food.

Did better this weekend with a couple of places that were new to me.

Shorebreak Lodge (http://shorebreaklodge.tumblr.com) for dinner - don't mean to oversell it, but it was a nice place attempting a (sorry) "foodie" vibe, striving for simplicity and good preparation.

For breakfast, Greenman (http://www.greenmanjuicebar.com/ordereze/Content/2/Summary.aspx) - juice bar, quiches, waffles, etc. - a little cramped but a friendly place that makes you feel better than if you'd eaten too many greasy potatoes at the Crystal Diner.

[Ericandblueboy]

Rehoboth

I've never eaten at a(muse) in Rehoboth, but my girlfriend sent me these photos. She loved it, and I'm looking forward to trying it at some point this summer.

11 course tasting for $111...at A(muse). Momofuku Ko's 10 course dinner is only $125 (and they have 2 Michelin stars). If the clientele is mostly from DC, maybe they won't realize how expensive this place is.

[Ericandblueboy]

Rehoboth

Had lots of seafood this weekend, starting with Henlopen City Oyster House in Rehoboth. I started with a sampler platter of oysters, 8 for $16, one of each kind they carry. I decided not to touch any of the condiments (mignonette, horseradish, and cocktail sauce) and just slurp them down. I'm actually surprised at how briny they all were, but they were fresh and tasty. Next I had some steamed middleneck clams with garlic, butter, and some red chili flakes - again, fresh and tasty. Next I had some fried oysters ($9) - why are fried oysters cheaper than freshly shucked oysters? Very nice oysters. Finally I had a heaping platter of fried clam strips that I could not possibly finish ($8). I'm pretty sure the clam strips were made in-house but it wasn't anything spectacular. For simple seafood preparation, Henlopen is very good. I did overhear that they will stop serving lunch at the end of March (during the high tourist season).

For dinner I went to a(Muse). Unfortunately I didn't find the seasonal menu all that exciting. My first dish is kale, which turned out to be a salad. I was thinking something braised because raw kale is not really edible in my book. I took a couple of bites and stopped eating. My server noticed that I didn't finish it and offered to replace it with something else. I must acknowledge that's a very hospital thing to do, although I didn't get anything else and paid for the kale because I ordered it. I also didn't think to ask her how the kale was prepared. I did ask about the fluke and the perch. Fluke was served "crudo style" but it was cooked - so I'm not sure why it's served crudo style. At first I thought it was cooked by heat but in retrospect, it could've been cooked by citrus juice (but it wasn't very citrusy tasting). The fluke wasn't bad, just not what I expected. The third dish was a whole perch - simply seasoned (salt) and grilled nicely - but ultimately boring. After 3 dishes, I added a potted chicken, which was pretty good and with some bread, filling.

[jiveturk21]

Bethany Beach

Even though my family has been coming to Bethany Beach on and off for 20+ years, we have never really gone to any "fine dining" establishments in town. Maybe we hit up Patsy's once or twice, but we usually head up to Rehoboth to get our fix. But, now that we have a one year old, and even the 20 minute drive each way can seem daunting, we searched for a local spot that would be on par with what Rehoboth has to offer.

After some quick research, we settled on 14 Global, right next to the post office off of Bethany's main drag. It is tiny and crammed, but the food was spot on, WAY better than we expected. Duck confit and shaved asparagus salad, venison sliders, corn pone bread, short rib and lobster tacos. All were pretty much home runs. Well made cocktails, solid wine list. Service was mostly good as well, although a bit scattered as the night went on (servers were leaving as the crowd dwindled). The only downside to the meal was dessert - peanut butter cheesecake with bananas and chocolate - and it was a BIG downside. It was almost as if it came from another restaurant, completely unappetizing. Whatever, I had eaten ice cream every day so far at the beach, don't need another dessert anyway. So, in the end, this is a huge plus for the Bethany Beach area.

Later that night we stopped by Beach Liquors - southern tip of Bethany proper, right off Route 1, next to the CVS - to get some red wine for sangria the next day. I figured we would find something serviceable, but was SHOCKED to find an awesome wine selection. They even had a temperature controlled room with a lock on it to keep the good stuff (and there was a lot of it). Prices were cheap, compared to many stores in Northern Virginia, and I am telling you that the variety was super impressive. I may stop back by to stock up on the way home.

Two unexpected gems in Bethany.

[jiveturk21]

Rehoboth

With most restaurants jammed the night of July 3rd, we stopped by Cabo (in the old Porcini House location) for some Mexican food. It is almost impossible for me to believe that this place is owned by the same person/group as Espuma because Cabo, in a word (or maybe two), is downright awful.

We got there early (5:30 PM) because we had our one year old with us. Service was comical from the beginning, several servers running around like chickens with their heads cut off in a restaurant that was maybe 30-50% full the entire time we were there. It was crazy, they weren't just auctioning off plates at the tables, they would walk into a room (I would say that our room had eight tables, four of which were taken) and say, "Who ordered the burrito?" Are you freakin kidding me!? Do you know how many people in a room in a Mexican restaurant might order a burrito or a taco or an enchilada!?

Anyway, drink orders (a variety of margaritas) were placed within minutes of sitting down, but took a while to come out. They tasted awful. They weren't too sweet, which was good, but lacked any real flavor whatsoever. Our appetizer was a dip trio (guacamole, queso, salsa) seemingly straight out of a jar served with maybe 20 tortilla chips. It took us a while to get some more, but I'm not sure why we bothered when the dips were so bad. Dinner came a cool one hour and twenty minutes after we ordered it, awesome when you have a one year old with you. All the food was terrible.

One of our servers (we seemed to have about five, but no one was actually focused on anything) finally realized that it was a shit show and came over to apologize to us. She told us that there was only one chef in the kitchen, the rest of the staff called in sick. Maybe you should put a sign at your host(ess) stand that says, "Be forewarned that we only have one chef and a bunch of clueless servers tonight, your experience will suck, but we will still charge you the same amount for your food as if we actually had a clue what we are doing." When she gave us the check, she brought a random drink out to us (not one that we had ordered before) and said that it was "on her" because the night was so bad. Gee, thanks.

Third time in my life that I have not given a tip - the previous two were a Waffle House in Kansas City and The Crabhouse in Fair Lakes (before it became Joe's Crab Shack). Cabo was the worst of all those experiences.

PS: This is a serious question. If you kitchen staff is essentially MIA on a night, do you still open the restaurant, pretend that everything is OK, all the while knowing that your customers are going to be screwed?

[bettyjoan]

Decided to book a last-minute trip to Lewes for the July 4th weekend - did you know Dogfish Head has a hotel now??? I'm pretty excited, especially since pup gets to go, too.  We'll have to get up early and stay up late to get him some beach time, but it will be worth it to see his happy little Muppet-face. 

Other than the Dogfish Head brewpub, any thoughts on places to get some decent beer and food?  Outdoor/dog-friendly seating is an extra plus.

[DonRocks]

Decided to book a last-minute trip to Lewes for the July 4th weekend - did you know Dogfish Head has a hotel now??? I'm pretty excited, especially since pup gets to go, too.  We'll have to get up early and stay up late to get him some beach time, but it will be worth it to see his happy little Muppet-face. 

Other than the Dogfish Head brewpub, any thoughts on places to get some decent beer and food?  Outdoor/dog-friendly seating is an extra plus.

I wonder if this is owned by the brewpub, or if they just lease out their name like they do with the DC-area restaurants.

I remember lambasting them for rip-off pricing on their growlers, but then they wrote me and said they have no managerial control over the restaurants; only a naming agreement.

And my empty growler still sits on my kitchen shelf.

[bettyjoan]

It is my understanding that the hotel is owned by the founder of Dogfish (so, Dogfish).  He said he was seeing all these people coming to his brewery from out of state, so he felt like there was a market for another hotel in the area.  Apparently they gutted an existing motel and really spent some time/effort on the design - I am looking forward to checking it out.

[Dr. Delicious]

Rehoboth

Jake's Seafood (downtown location) was recommended to us as one of the best seafood places in Rehoboth. To be honest, we left rather disappointed. The meal started off promising, with a really tasty Seafood Bisque. It tended toward the thick side, but I'm not against that. It also had quite a bit of fish in it. The mains were where the problems lied. My fried flounder fish sandwich was basically tasteless. It was a battered and fried piece of flounder, but it didn't taste like anything. Moreover it was served on a terrible bun, that was a puffy piece of nothing. Even the tartar sauce was bland. The lack of taste was a common refrain around the table. Oy!


Bethany Beach

Off The Hook. We had a great meal here. This is a small restaurant that seems to cater more to locals than tourists. It's a farm to table type restaurant, which I always interpret as good, fresh food, with small portions. Well, the portions at this place were enormous. I focused on the seafood, getting mussels as an app and a cioppino for my main. Both had ample mussels/fish, and a tasty broth for dipping. The cioppino itself had mussels, clams, salmon, monk fish (?), shrimp, and slices of chorizo. That's a lot of fish! The homemade rolls (toll house?) served in a touch of oil were a nice compliment. Prices were reasonable. Everyone left very satisfied.

[Seanchai]

Rehoboth

Had two very good and moderately priced meals in Rehoboth this past week.  Henlopen City Oyster House never fails to please as I had some delicious oysters as well as a pretty good clam po'boy.  We also went to Pig & Fish for the first time and really enjoyed it.  The fish and chips were awesome as was a refreshing cold Thai melon soup.  Both places also have excellent craft brew options that paired well with the food.

[naxos]

Rehoboth

Snuck away to the beach for a couple of days a week ago and had two pretty good meals in Rehoboth- Henlopen City Oyster House had delicious oysters( several varieties to choose from), excellent steamed soft shelled clams which are not easy to find down south here), and I asked for the soft shelled crabs to be sautéed and they were delicious .
Second meal was at a new restaurant out on the highway next to the Food Lion- Michys Relaxed Dining- free parking, they take reservations and have really good food- from burgers to pork chops to steak - warm bread and good desserts. Friendly service, owner /chef good informal atmosphere and worth the drive out of congested Rehoboth for a really good meal.

[DrXmus]

Bethany

I'll second the recommendation for 14Global. The cocktails were very good and occasionally original. I enjoyed The Dragon, which was essentially a rocks margarita with habenero-infused tequila, and it lasted me the entire meal. Others in my group got different cocktails and were mostly impressed. If I were to knock the cocktail service, I'd say the fact that each drink came out about 2-3 minutes after the previous one seemed off-putting. Do you wait to taste yours until everyone gets theirs? Do you drink yours while everyone stares at you wishing they had a drink, too?

We ordered a couple of apps to share. The crab dip was enjoyed by all, but to be honest it doesn't stand out in my memory (from 4 days ago, admittedly). I have to comment on the "Corn Pone Bread- Aged white cheddar & bacon infused pone, with agave & cinnamon lime butter." Now, maybe I don't know what corn pone is, but when I grew up in SC it essentially meant "cornbread." 14Global's corn pone is a rectangle of fried, thick corn mush which is soaked in sweet butter. I ate it and I liked it, but it was really more of a dessert. I expected cornbread with a side of sweet compound butter. Not so much.

The gluten-free eater in the group was very happy with the number of options she had and enjoyed the scallops she ordered. I had the "Pan Seared Halibut- Alaskan halibut, served with a sweet peach and spicy habanero compote, with a puree of celery root and Yukon potato accompanied by pan roasted purple cauliflower". I don't say this often, but the fish was oversalted! I love salt, but this was too much. The "compote" had a nice bite to it, but it was very, very sweet and when combined with the very salty fish, the components didn't complement each other well at all. Mrs DrX had the "Black Garlic Crab Ravioli- Black Garlic infused pasta filled with lump crab, shallot, ricotta, and mascarpone cheese, with asparagus & lemon-dill cream sauce" which she didn't stop raving about until the next day. The flavors were terrific and the pasta was cooked perfectly.

[dwt]

Rehoboth

Two weeks ago, we went for  a long weekend. I have nothing new to add to the many laudatory posts on the Henlopen City Oyster House. It continues to be very good. I was impressed by their raw oyster service and discovered a new favorite: Stadish Shore from Duxbury, MA (http://www.standishshoreoysters.com/).

The entrees we had at The Pig and Fish were every bit as good as those at Henlopen City Oyster House. We focused on the fresh catch section of the dinner specials menu. They offer about a half dozen different fish and shell fish with two preparations from which to choose. We enjoyed halibut with polenta cake and pesto. The fillet was a generous portion, and well prepared, justifying the $28 price of entry. The polenta  cake was also good and too large for me to finish. We sat in the front room where the bar is. It can get loud when crowded (all hard surfaces). There is a back room that is probably quieter. 

[Seanchai]

We're heading out to Bethany Beach for a week this Saturday.  Any recommendations on low to mid range places in Bethany, Rehoboth, Fenwick Island?  Yes, we're travelling with two teenage boys and my MIL so high end places are out.      Thanks.

[mr food]

We're heading out to Bethany Beach for a week this Saturday.  Any recommendations on low to mid range places in Bethany, Rehoboth, Fenwick Island?  Yes, we're travelling with two teenage boys and my MIL so high end places are out.      Thanks.

in Betheny-Betheny Blues BBQ. Good food and perfect for families. Keep in mind most places at the beach don't take reservations. Rehoboth-Big Fish Grill, Salt Air, Lupos Italian Kitchen, Fins for oysters, food is mixed however.Henlopen Oyster House. EDIT: I guess I was too late but good for next trip.

[Seanchai]

in Betheny-Betheny Blues BBQ. Good food and perfect for families. Keep in mind most places at the beach don't take reservations. Rehoboth-Big Fish Grill, Salt Air, Lupos Italian Kitchen, Fins for oysters, food is mixed however.Henlopen Oyster House. EDIT: I guess I was too late but good for next trip.

Thanks for the suggestions.  We did fit FINS which we liked a lot, including the oysters.

[mr food]

for Bethany, add Blue Coast. Fun bar scene but it gets crowded and no reservations.  For Rehoboth, add Papa Grandes-street Mexican.  Upstairs deck and inside bar with Chris behind it, Try the margaritas,

[frazwr01]

Our family is about to take our annual beach trip to Bethany beach.  I'm wondering if anyone has a go-to suggestion for a fish market? Anywhere along the beach in Maryland or DE is fine (I'm willing to drive a bit for great quality fish). 

I should add that I live around the corner from Black Salt in the Palisades and grew up along the coast in Florida, so I'm pretty spoiled when it comes to fresh seafood.  I just feel like I've never been able to find a consistently good fish market close to Bethany.... I'm really just looking for a spot that gets daily fish delivered from local fishermen.