November 21st, 2019

The Grove Market, Bishopville, MD, Restaurant, Review, The Art of Wining and Dining, Delmarva

The menu should be part of the entertainment, part of the dining experience. The 3 Cs “I like my food like my fashion: Casual, Classy, and with a Touch of Couture”.

And so our dining experience took us to The Grove Market, located at 12402 Saint Martins Neck Rd., Bishopville, MD 21813. Tel. 410-352-5055. This location is right outside Ocean City.

Crushed seashells pave the parking lot. Flags, a pizza sign, whimsical too. I believe the restaurant only has about 10 tables. And, yes, it is hard to get a reservation so give yourself about 2 weeks. Call, leave a message, give a few dates. If you like to eat late, I suggest you do so. Last reservation is at 9 p.m. Cash only. Checks accepted. It gets crowded in the summer. They only serve wine and beer.

Our reservation was at 8:30 a few weekends ago. This past Sunday, November 17th they closed until the beginning of May. For some of you it might be too late to eat but for us it was the perfect time to enjoy a relaxing dinner. John McDonal was the Chef Extraordinare, from Delaware, he works his magic in a very small kitchen. He has an amazing reputation and a wine connoisseur.

There is no menu. Out loud at your dinner table or if you are seated in the back it will be for the few tables to hear. You need to pay attention because they do offer a lot, both for the appetizers and the entrees.

You will find at the Grove Market quality in their ingredients, culinary competence because John MacDonald outdoes himself every time, service is personal and attentive. The ambiance? Well, you can see by the photos that it is a little quirky. Come hungry because they serve healthy portions. About $100 per person give or take.

The menu changes but they do have a lot of the customers’ favorites throughout the season.

I usually order the duck. It is a Delaware duck, roasted with a semi-sweet sauce and chutney. It is so good….only bones left on the plate kind of a dish.

On this particular night I let TC order it and I ordered a shrimp and crab dish. Crabs from Smith Island, no less, with a bit of Sherry and a slight kick to the dish. Yummy.

The breadsticks are a reminder that once upon a time this little restaurant was also a Pizza place.

I can honestly tell you that everything at the Grove Market is consistently good. Other dishes that are delicious are:

The Rack of Lamb

The Scallops

The Crab Cakes

There are several desserts to try but it seems that one of the most popular ones is the Bumbleberry Pie. There is no such thing as a Bumbleberry…it is just a mixture of berries.

Leslie, the owner, had time to chat on our visit which was great since in the summer there is, practically, no time.

It is a special place. Keep it in mind when you visit next season. You will not be disappointed.

Until next time…..Have a Happy Thanksgiving. Please check AboutMyBeaches Facebook Page.

November 18th, 2019

Paul’s Kitchen & Cullen-ary Company, Chef’s Table Demo, Dinner, Paul Cullen, Musician, Chef, Sommelier, Sunday Market, Lewes, Delaware, Delaware Beaches, Southern Delaware, The Art of Cooking, Wining and Dining

Food serves as a way for people to come together. That is exactly what happened on this past Saturday, November 16th, when 12 strangers, all foodies with three goals in mind….cooking, wining, and dining. We met at Paul’s Kitchen & Cullen-ary Company located at 32882 Cedar Grove Rd., Lewes, DE. Tel. 302-228-9772. Website? http://www.paulcullen.rocks

If you are a resident of Southern Delaware, at some point or another you would have heard of Paul Cullen. Better yet, you would have heard him playing his guitar and singing at different venues, private homes, charity concerts. He has worn many hats in his life and continues to evolve. He will be the first one to tell you this.

Paul’s Kitchen & Cullen-ary Company is on Facebook. You might want to check it out and Like it. He will have the Chef’s Table Demos and Dinners posted as they come available. You will be pleasantly surprised how nice an evening like this one can turn out.

His kitchen is cozy and accessible. He is a great host who will show you around and is open to any questions. Nina will be there, as well, since she oversees that everything runs in a timely manner.

The guests arrived promptly and introductions were extended. Wine and hor’ordeuvres were already set up.

Coming out of the Paul’s Kitchen was the Bruschette alla Robiola, pere e noci. Translation? Cheese and pear crostini. Warm and delicious.

The Chef’s Table was so nicely presented. By now we were all friends.

Crema di Cannellini or White Bean Soup. Perfectly seasoned and paired with wine with an explanation of what we were about to taste from Paul. He was animated and throughout the evening you could see how engaging he was with his guests.

“The measure of a good dish is that it makes you want to take another bite.” This quote from Chef Paul Prudhomme was perfect because after having the soup we really wanted not just to take another bite, it was already gone, but wanted to see what else was in stored for us foodies.

The main entree was the Risotto Ai Porrie Salsicia or as we would say in plain English, Sausage and Leek Risotto. The sausage was homemade and complimented the risotto very well. Those grapes were amazing.

A sweet ending was a Torta di Nocciole or Hazelnut Cake and it was paired with such a good dessert wine. Contact Paul for the wines, please.

Laughter throughout the evening continued with stories from some of the guests. How they got here, how they got together and so on. A few were turning 60 now.

An invitation by Paul to listen to him play was the icing on the cake. Finishing a great dinner with new friends with music was priceless!

Our evening came to an end. One more thing though On Sundays from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. stop by Paul Cullen-ary Company for music, food and to shop for cheeses, nuts and other goodies that could be for yourself or someone on your list.

Until next time have a Happy Thanksgiving. Check AboutMyBeaches on Facebook.