September 3rd, 2010
Last Wednesday I had a great day. I went to visit Cuca, one of my Puerto Rican childhood friends, in Philadelphia. Spent the day. Our visits feel like years have not gone by, and believe me in reality, they have.
After getting caught in a nice traffic jam or as they would say in Puerto Rico, “tapon”, my mind kept wondering to the crab house I went at the beginning of the summer. At that time I thought they were very good.
I figured, why not, what’s another day without a home-cooked meal? There have been plenty, believe me.
The Surfing Crab, Restaurant & Bar is located on 16723 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958, just north of Lewes; and a short drive from Rehoboth Beach. The tel. is 302-644-4448. The website is http://www.thesurfingcrab.com. Hours of operation: Mondays – Thursdays from 12 – 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 12 – 11 p.m. and Sundays, 12 – 10 p.m.
Plenty of parking available. I called and reserved a dozen large crabs. There is nothing better than to pick a juicy, fat, hot crab on a summer night.
The traditional bar is located as you come in; to the sides there are 2 eating areas; the ever present long tables ready for crab picking.
The Surfing Crab offers blue crabs, shrimp, fish, oysters, salads and a children’s menu.
A board is posted with all the daily specials. If by any chance anyone in your group does not eat crabs or even seafood, there are a few items on the menu that would be perfect like linguini with roasted garlic tomato and fresh basil sauce, blackened chicken breast with a Cajun-rub, or you can make the salad a meal.
Sandwiches; crab cake, soft shell crab, and the ever present burger are on the menu, as well.
I have ordered their deviled eggs and are very good. It seems that deviled eggs are back on demand; they are in every restaurant.
On Wednesday I started with a salad with blue cheese dressing and it was a pretty good size one.
Finally, the crabs arrived. Oh yes, they were hot and heavy. Easy picking.
Other people came in for crabs and because the way tables in many of the crab houses are set up, you get to talk to other fellow diners. They were vacationing from Washington; staying in Lewes. So, of course, I told them about the blog and bla bla bla; out the business card came and new friends were made.
Yes, a hot summer night before the last big summer week-end of the summer season, as we know it, here at the Delaware Beaches.
Have a great week-end; the weather will get better, it always does….oh, I forgot….talk to you later…
August 31st, 2010
Hola: Espero todos esten bien en tan bonita noche.
I started this blog a year ago in July and Agave was one of the first restaurants I reviewed. If you would like to see that post all you have to do is look under the Archives and click on the month of July, 2009 and scroll to 7/27.
I had not even planned to go out to dinner. Once in a while I do have to stay home and cook. I love cooking. But, I found myself driving north from Rehoboth Beach to the town of historic Lewes. By the way, the traffic was light, what a relief!!
Agave is located on 137 2nd St., Lewes, DE 19958. Tel. is 302-645-1232. Agave is on Facebook.
Just like the many times I have dined in this restaurant, tonight was another good one. I have not been in some time, though. Waiting for the smoke to blow as they say; not because of the peppers cooking in the restaurant, but because of the crowds.
I sat at the bar. Those colorful martini glasses were still there; an extensive selection of Tequila, as well.
For a Tuesday night at around 7:30 p.m. the restaurant was pretty crowded. Agave has opened an upstairs room which is perfect for having a drink while you wait for a table. There are no reservations taken at Agave.
The first thing that caught my attention on the menu was a soup called Crema de Cilantro (Cream of Cilantro). It was a light cream cilantro broth with “queso fresco” and roasted poblanos. Delicious and it has been a new summer addition to the menu. Perfecta y muy bien sasonada.
Agave uses a lot of “queso fresco” which is like a crumbled goat cheese.
For my entree I ordered a Caesar Salad, which had a house made dressing topped with “queso fresco” and crispy bacon, house made croutons, and topped with fillet.
I have had this salad many times and it was still very good tonight. The croutons were particularly good also. They tasted a bit like cornbread.
I noticed that it said that the Caesar Salad was invented in Tijuana. I did not know that or who Caesar was.
Caesar Cardini, an Italian born Mexican, was responsible for its development. He was living in San Diego; also worked in Tijuana avoiding the restrictions of prohibitions.
There are several stories on how or why he created the salad. He apparently added the dramatic flair of the table-side tossing “by the chef”.
The other entree ordered was Chiles en Nogada; meat stuffed poblano chiles with seasonings like cumin, cinnamon and azafran. A nut sauce was drizzled on the top and a side dish of rice and beans was included.
Poblano Pepper is a mild chile peper from the State of Puebla, Mexico. When it is dried, it is called Ancho Chile. It is one of the most popular peppers grown in Mexico.
Chiles en Nogada is a sophisticated dish most popular during the Mexican Independence festivities. It incorporates green, white and red ingredients just like the colors on the Mexican flag.
It was a very nice dinner; casual and relaxing like all dinners should be. Lewes looked so pretty, people sitting outside eating ice cream at King’s Ice Cream or just strolling. Yes, it was picture perfect.
Buenas noches….hablamos luego…..
Note: Information for this post was taken from Wikipedia.
August 25th, 2010
I have known Alice Klein for so many years now. I always remind her that I am such a loyal customer having bought a lot of her jewelry for myself, as well as for many of my friends. I have also come to know her husband, Bryant Clark, also a jeweler. This couple works together 24/7.
I wrote a post on 9/3/09 about T.K.O. and if you would like to read it, please click on the month of September on the left hand of this blog, under Archives and scroll down to the date. In it there is more information on this unique jeweler.
T.K.O. is located on 100 Atlantic Ave., # 6 & 7, Bethany Beach. Tel. 302-539-6992. Cell phone is 302-841-9088. Website is www.tkodirect.com and the e-mail is tkodirect@verizon.net.
It is true when they say that if your job is your passion, you will never work a day in your life.
You can tell Alice is into her work; plastics, precious and semi-precious stones, pearls, gold, gold filled and silver are the materials she utilizes to make unique pieces of jewelry, recognized by the ones that know her creations.
She has been in busines for 30 years and I consider her designs to have that edge that set them apart from the ordinary.
I stopped the other day to get a present and she had so many pretty new designs. I have said it before, that the pictures and even the website do not do justice to her pieces. You have to visit the store to get the full effect.
Alice loves her custom work. Customers are known to bring their outdated jewelry and Alice will give them a “face lift”.
She has beautiful pearls and a great collection of color stones.
At T.K.O. you will find just a little something for yourself for as low as $18 or you can just splurge and spend into the thousands.
Most of all, I think Alice and Bryant, are known for the individualized attention offered the moment you step into their store.
Alice and Bryant; a couple that has been able to work together for so many years also find time to play together, as well. What do they like to do? Extreme kite surfing.
Here is a peek to some of their pieces.
 Natural color fresh water pearls, wrapped in multi-colors of 14kt gold (rose, yellow, white, green) 
 "Porcupine Necklace" Natural fresh water green pearls, enhanced, with detachable clasp.  Another "Porcupine Necklace"  Tahitian Pearls
Have a great Day!! It feels like Fall!! Talk to you later….
August 9th, 2010
One of my friends was complaining about me wanting to go to Rehoboth for dinner on Friday night. Are you crazy, we are never going to find parking and on and on he went.
Oh, he said, I cannot believe you went into Rehoboth this way, you know under the bridge, etc. etc. Well, I never go this way, he continued, hmm, it seems easier, he kept on talking. Oh my gosh, look at the traffic on Rehoboth Ave. I knew it. Good luck finding parking. I just told him to stop complaining. I was even driving him. The other 2 in the car were quiet.
Our target restaurant was the new Cafe Azafran that had just opened on 18 Baltimore Ave. The original restaurant is in Lewes on109 Market St. and this new location was going to be following the same cuisine. The tel. is 302-227-8100. Website is www.cafeazafran.com.
The person that was complaining got a little happier when he saw the parking lot across from Cafe Azafran. Not bad, afterall. He treated for the parking and dinner. But, that’s the kind of friend he is.
Cafe Azafran is known for its authentic Mediterranean Cuisine. They also have Tapas for sharing, entrees, desserts and a full bar.
The restaurant is not just opened for dinner; it is also opened daily from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. offering breakfast, along with a very extensive Cafe Drink Menu.
Scones, croissants, yogurt loaf, baked oatmeal with milk or yogurt, Azafran Breakfast Sandwich, Frittata with Roll and bagels with toppings are among their morning offerings.
I was so surprise to the Dawn there. She was going to be taking care of us. She is the best.
We were hungry so immediately we started with:
Bistro Salad – This salad has French goat cheese, crisp jamon, baby romaine, croutons, tomato, with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette. I really enjoyed it.
The special salad had beautiful tomatoes and also French goat cheese. Also very well received.
And, the Fresh Mozzarella and Roasted Peppers and Olives Salad was also very well liked.
For entrees we had:
Seafood Tarragona which was a bouillabaisse of shrimp, scallops, mussels, calamares, fish, hazelnut and almond Romesco in a saffron shellfish broth. I love soups and this was perfectly seasoned and just the right amount.
Rave reviews from the person that got the Flat Iron Steak. He said it was the best he had had. It had roasted mushrooms, fresh garlic-chive mashed potatoes, bleu cheese butter, and a fresh vegetable demiglace.
The friend that got the Azafran Jumbo Lump Crab Cake also thought her dish was delicious. Cafe Azafran is known for its crab cakes so I was not surprised. It had Catalan spinach, white beans, polenta and an avocado aioli.
The halibut entree was another success. It was accompanied by ratatouille.
We actually did not try any of the desserts but I know that they do have Tiramisu, Lemon Ricotta Napoleon and Crema Catalana which is a Spanish creme brulee, among others.
Anyway, as usual I have to mention that having dinner with friends, good friends, by the way, is the best. Really, it’s true, and you know it.
And that parking space? Right on the ocean block of trendy Baltimore Street, $15 until 2 a.m.
I will talk to you later…..
July 26th, 2010
I have mentioned before that I practically go to the grocery store every day. Regarding dinner, I never know what will strike my mood as that favorite time of the day approaches.
Some times I like to cook but in order to write a post to the blog I need to go out and have someone else cook for me.
Such was the case last night. My mood? Sashimi. That’s what I eat when I go to a Sushi restaurant. You know, sashimi is usually the first course in a formal Japanese meal. The reason is that it is considered the finest dish; it should be eaten before other strong flavors affect the palate.
I went last night to Saketumi. It is my favorite at the beach for sushi or sashimi. It is located at 18814 Highway One, (Rt1 or Ocean Highway), Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. 302-645-2818. Website www.saketumirestaurant.com.
Saketumi is a modern restaurant specializing in Asian cuisine. They have take out, catering, Japanese, Thai, and Chinese. They serve lunch, dinner and brunch on Sundays.
Saketumi has plenty of parking available. And, if you are visiting or are a resident you know how important that is at this time of the year.
I like to sit at the Sushi Bar. I get to see what is going on and interact with the Sous Chef. At Saketumi, this would be Tanaka San. He is an artist when it comes to presenting the food. Just gorgeous. You hate to disturb the plate.
Tanaka has always presented me with an appetizer. I have asked him so many times what it is that I am eating, but to tell you the truth I cannot understand what he says to me, so, I just eat and enjoy it. The fish is in a vinegar sauce with a little bit of onion and I love it; I really do not know what it is, though.
I could not help but take pictures of some of the dishes being prepared.
The tuna sashimi looked delicate.
The Tuna Tuna Surprise or TTS was so colorful. It had inside-blackened tuna, asparagus, sweet goma sauce and wasabi aioli. Outside-akami tuna, tobiko, chive.
The Dynamite was also beautiful. It was a baked California roll, with spicy mayo, scallop, fresh crabmeat and masago on top.
A version of the Dynamite was ordered. To make it gluten free no masago was put on top. Extra tobiko on top. Tobiko is flying fish roe. Very good.
My dish was called Pine Sashimi. Strictly Sashimi for me. It had tuna, yellowtail, salmon, sawara, albacore, kampachi, madai, izumidai, hirame and botan ebi. Got it? It was to die for. The presentation? A work of art.
The albacore (tuna) was white. I had never had it. It was meatier, soft and buttery; melting in your mouth.
What else can I say? I have gone so many times to Saketumi and I can honestly tell you that my service at the sushi bar and the food have been excellent.
Talk to you later….you know I will….
July 14th, 2010
One of my favorite pastimes, in case you have not realized that yet, is eating. Not just eating, but trying new foods and restaurants that are innovative and creative. Who wants to eat the same old boring food day in and day out? Whether I am at the Delaware Beaches, Delray Beach, Florida, Puerto Rico, Boulder, Colorado, Baltimore, Maryland and in between I am looking for a little adventure in eating.
Yesterday, Cindi and I decided that lunch could be a nice time to catch up on what has been going on in our lives. Better to do that while eating.
Liquid Assets has my favorite mussels. I had a craving for them. You have seen me try mussels lately everywhere I go. Well, Liquid Assets mussels are the best, in my book. I think second place would be a little Italian place in Georgetown. But, every time I get to try them in other places my thoughts go back to the ones at Liquid Assets; just delicious!! No comparison.
Liquid Assets is located at 9301 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD. Tel. 410-524-7037. Website is www.LA94.com. Make sure to visit the website to check events, recipes and to find out what’s new in the wine and liquor business.
I just saw a new Vodka called Bakon Vodka. It is a potato vodka, which is the vodka you would need to drink if you are on a gluten free diet. Apparently, it is smooth, and slightly sweet. No strong burn or aftertaste. It has a savory bacon flavor with a clean crisp finish. Interesting.
As I entered Liquid Assets again, I had to ask myself; if I did not know any better would I think I am at a liquor store or a restaurant? The place is unique, no doubt about it. I have not seen one like this at the Delaware Beaches.
The first room definitely gives you the aura of the liquor store but immediately you get to notice the big bar and tables around it; sofas amidst barrels and wine bottles.
There is another dining room that will transport you to a wine cellar, maybe in your own home or in another country. This dining room is probably more conducive to quiet conversation. It has its own bar, as well.
Cindi and I got comfortable and our waitress proceeded to let us know what specials were on the menu that day.
We decided on a bruschetta for the table that was made out of peaches. Loved it. Had a good kick to it.
Cindi had the orzo salad with kalamata olives and chilled canteloupe soup. I had a taste of the soup and it was very refreshing. It was definitely good.
Of course, I had the mussels and they were as good as ever. I loved the pieces of chorizo, the broth and, of course, the bread.
A coffee to finish our meal and before we knew it, it was time to say “adios”. Until next time.
Great getting together with friends. What would you do without them?
Have a great day!! Talk to you later….
June 3rd, 2010
“If life is the pursuit of happiness…the Beach should be the Destination.”
With that in mind, I started my evening, on Wednesday, having dinner at the Beach with friends; good company and engaging conversation, always with this group.
It was that time of the day and I got a call from a good local friend. Yes, the one and only that I wrote about on my first “blogging” day. He was hungry and so was I. We decided on Mixx, located on 26 Baltimore Ave., a block from the beach. The Tel. is 302-226-8700. The website is www.mixxrehoboth.com.
I have got to tell you that it really was a beautiful night in the Delarmava Peninsula. The stars were out and after such a busy holiday week-end the beaches were quiet. We live here and even though we like to see the hustle and bustle of a busy coastal town, sometimes there are those evenings when a little bit of serenity is all we want. And such was the evening on Wednesday.
I have been wanting to try Mixx. I read about it in the fall and what attracted me at the time was that they had a fish encrusted in popcorn. I love an innovative cuisine and I had a feeling this place was going to give me what I wanted.
Mixx is located on the bottom floor of the building. I was very pleasantly surprised to see this bistro with a comfortable bar, just the right size for the restaurant. The decor is modern and colorful with plenty of art.
The size is deceiving; it is bigger than you think. You have the choice of booths or individual tables. There is no crowded feel to it.
On Wednesdays, the special is Burger & Martini Mixx. This means you are able to get $8 burgers and half priced martinis.
I had to call ahead of time to find out about gluten free cooking. I am surprised to see how many restaurants are offering gluten free menus or marking the dishes that are gluten free. Mixx is one of them.
We chose a couple of appetizers. The flashed fried Calamari with 3 dipping sauces. Sweet and sour, roasted garlic and chili, the diavolo sauce. We also had the Thai Pork Lettuce Wraps; toasted sesame and marinated pork, carrots, cucumbers, and rice stick, seved with butterhead lettuce and sweet peanut chili sauce. We all liked these dishes a lot.
Since it was burger night, it usually is more of a limited menu, therefore a couple of gluten free choices were available. The person chose the Deviled Short Ribs, horseradish braised, served with rice and grilled asparagus; finished with a cabernet balsamic reduction. They were so tender and perfectly seasoned.
The rest of us ordered different burgers. The Short Rib Burger which is their signature burger with fried onions, mushrooms served with french fries and truffle oil. She thought is was delicious.
I had the Asian Pork. This was our waiter, Davie’s, suggestion and it was ground pork, roasted garlic and chili sauce topped with an Asian slaw. I chose carrot chips. I loved it and would have it again.
The Bison Burger was ordered. Ground bison topped with sauteed mushrooms, frizzled onions, cheddar cheese and roasted red pepper mayo. He chose sweet potato fries. He was very satisfied, as well.
If you were to ask me to describe this restaurant I would definitely say that it is American Fusion, just like Mixx describes it and I would further expand that its cuisine has an eclectic approach that features dishes using a wide variety of ingredients from different cuisines and regions and then combine them.
Mixx has full and tapas portions available for most menu items.
It never stops amazing me how comforting it is to share a meal with friends. I have said it so many times and I will say it again; Priceless!!
Have a great week…talk to you later…
April 24th, 2010
Well, this week, certainly, I have had a diversed group of posts. From Fager’s in Ocean City, Maryland, Tulip Festival in Lewes, Life Saving Station, Shredder Truck, yesterday, Friday, 4/23, the preview of Avery’s Rest (archaeological dig), and ending in Dewey Beach at Que Pasa? with entertainment at Lighthouse with John Eddie. Afterall, my blog, is AboutMyBeaches, so experiencing what these resorts have to offer is part of my job. Please, don’t laugh. I am serious, it’s true.
I arrived at Que Pasa? at dusk. This Mexican Cantina is located on 124 Dickinson St. in Dewey Beach. Tel. 302-226-1820. I wrote about this restaurant on 9/2/09. Just go and click on the month of September and scroll down to the date. It is an open Bar on the water, facing Rehoboth Bay. The view could not be better. You are able to eat at the Cantina, outdoors or you can go to their own restaurant inside. On a beautiful evening like last night people had started happy hour early and it was crowded.
Happy Hour is not just one happy hour anymore, it is all day. In Dewey Beach, that’s the way of life. It is a true beach town; water, water sports, restaurants and music.
And that’s how my evening started.
A friend mentioned to me, last summer, that I needed to go to Dewey and listen to John Eddie. For one reason or another I never did. Again, she mentioned that he was playing for the first time, this season, at Lighthouse on Friday. She is a true fan of his.
As I mentioned, Que Pasa? was full and we had drinks there and said hello to locals and residents alike. Then, we ate inside because it does get chilly in the evening, at this time of the year.
A few of us ordered the seared tuna. It was so delicious, perfect portion and cooked just the way it should be, very pink in the middle. It was accompanied with sauteed potatoes, a slaw and a chipotle sauce. Other orders were steak quesadillas, shrimp quesadillas, crabcake sandwich. Everyone was happy.
We were enjoying every moment but we really were waiting for the time to arrive in order to see John Eddie.
Finally, we decided to walk around the restaurant to Lighthouse. Que Pasa? and Lighthouse are part of the Ruddertowne Complex of entertainment venues and restaurants located in Dewey.
I was told that even though John Eddie was supposed to start at 9 p.m., he is never on time. On Friday, the fans were getting restless since it was almost 10 p.m. and they were still setting up. You could see everything going on because Lighthouse is not that big and it was full to capacity.
I did not know what to expect of him. He had a boyish look and a resemblance to Bruce Springstein in the way he moves and performs. By the way, Bruce is a fan of his.
His music genre? A little bit of country and a lot of rock and roll. Then add some soul and folk music; that’s John Eddie. His website is www.johneddie.com.
As a songwriter you find that his songs are very personal but some are definitely, foot stumping.
The moment, I kid you not, he started performing there was not one single person that was not dancing. That lasted about 3 hours. He engaged his audience and you were right there with him. Yo Faithful! Raise Your Bottles, Raise Your Glasses and everyone did, many times.
His renditions of Rod Stewart’s 1971 Maggie Mae and Elvis’ 1969 Suspicious Minds were phenomenal. He plays them in every show. Fans expect him to.
His followers travel to see him perform. Today he is at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City, then to Kennet Square, PA and then to San Diego, CA. But, this summer, starting on May 27th, he will pretty much be every Thursday, at the Cove, also located at Ruddertowne in Dewey.
So, if you like to dance and listen to good music, put on your dancing shoes and you now know where to go.
Have a great week-end!!
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