October 14th, 2011
I was thinking that there will be lots of visitors this week-end in Rehoboth Beach to enjoy “everything jazz”. I know a lot of friends that don’t even buy tickets; they like to walk from venue to venue; just show up and hope that there are spaces available. But, if you want info. please visit www.rehobothjazz.com.
The next day the question will be, where should everyone have breakfast. Believe me Rehoboth has bakeries and coffee shops galore, but there is not a place that comes close to home cooking like The Crystal Restaurant. It really is a breakfast hangout. Lately, it looks more spruced up than ever. It is located at 620 Rehoboth Avenue. Tel. 302-227-1088.
Crystal opens early and closes at 4 p.m. You can have breakfast all day, though. If you decide to have lunch, their hamburgers are delicious.
Then, Debbie, Alice and I decided to have breakfast the other morning. Breakfast is not my favorite. These 2 friends had very boring omelettes; egg whites, with spinach; hold the potatoes, hold the bread; already the egg yolk was held. I mean, really. Missy, our other friend, left for Florida. She was my scrapple companion.
And, Roberta. I don’t know. She is always somewhere. She really dives into her breakfasts. I must admit that. Pancakes and everything else. She is so thin, though.
Anyway, it was my turn to order. Okay, give me the ham and cheese omelette and hold everything else. My gosh, I really would have loved to have ordered their chipped beef on toast. They fix it jus the right way at Crystal’s.
Our waiter was almost gone when I yelled; Oh what the heck, bring me a side order of scrapple. That was much better. Anyway, I had to get ready for the Apple-Scrapple Festival tomorrow in Bridgeville, Delaware.
So, if you are here in Rehoboth, Crystal’s is open year-round, 7 days a week. They do have a bar, as well.
Have a good week-end…..talk to you later….
June 18th, 2011
I was ready for GreenMan. New season and new expectations. Breakfast with Jody. She is a foodie and ready to try anything. She held back a bit when I asked for a shot of wheat grass. Come on, I said, you have to tried it. I was telling her this, knowing that I had never had it myself. I expected a very earthy taste. It was somewhat earthy but what gave it a sweetness was a small piece of apple which was put through the juicer. About 3 bunches of the wheat grass make just a couple of ounces. Jody tried it and thought the same thing; not bad at all. I sipped my wheat grass through my breakfast and felt totally “green”.
 Green shot of wheat grass with a sliver of apple I have written about GreenMan in the past. If you want to, check my post, written on 12/17/10. Just go on the left hand side of this blog and click on the month of December and then scroll down to the 17th.
GreenMan is located at 12 Wilmington Avenue. Tel. 302-227-4901. On Facebook, just like everyone else is. The restaurant opens Wednesdays through Mondays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m.
It has an extensive menu and I have had delicious breakfasts while sitting in this quaint house. At times I have sat outside, on their porch, depending on the weather. GreenMan is simple, and small. It is popular and can get crowded easily.
Fresh fruit juices, smoothies, quiches, organic coffees, paninis, salads and bison burgers, among some of their offerings. The grits with sausage and cheese is a favorite. So is the creme brulee French toast, which I will have some day. Right now, only in my dreams.
Jody and I sat around and started to catch on our lives. We both can talk. When it was time to order Jody chose the tomato and basil quiche. GreenMan’s quiches are well known. You can also order full quiches, which is great to know in case you have unexpected guests. Just give them a call.
In keeping with my “green” attitude of the day I ordered a tofu wrap. It was very good. Chopped potatoes, tofu, spinach and just enough seasoning for breakfast.
If you are in Rehoboth Beach or surrounding areas and want to have a good breakfast or lunch, you should give GreenMan a try. Let me know how you like it.
Hope you have a nice week-end…..see you….
February 27th, 2011
By early afternoon, yesterday, we knew we were going to eat crabs. Years ago there was a small crab house in Ocean City, Maryland that we loved to go. As it happens, it was falling all around them. Anyway, that’s what Nolan, the owner, told me last night. In the past few years it was rebuilt into one amazing crab house. You can smell Old Bay seasoning as you approach the restaurant.
The Crab Bag is located at 13005 Coastal Highway, Ocean City, MD. Tel. is 410-250-3337. It opens at 9:00 a.m. serving breakfast and even though it is a full crab house, they offer so many other things to eat; seafood, steaks, hamburgers, sandwiches and salads. Their website is www.occrabbag.com but it is under construction at the moment. You can still go on it and download their menu. You can also find them on Facebook.
I really go there for the crabs. It has been quite some time since I had been there. Crabs, at this time of the year, are coming pretty much from Louisiana. Last night they were offering all you can eat or you could order by the dozen. I ordered by the dozen; only the biggest ones. Crabs are also expensive during these months, but every single table was taken at the Crab Bag.
The Crab Bag has two floors with decks and outdoor dining, as well. It is February so everyone was indoors.
There is nothing better than picking crabs in a crab house. It is loud, people are hammering away, drinking; a constant chatter. It is the perfect way to establish conversation. Your hands are fast working, grabbing those lumps of crab meat.
But then, of course, if you are a true Baltimorean, then there is no better way to accompany those steamed, extra large crabs than with a Natty Boh. It has to be very cold too. Frosted glass, the best!!
Natty Bohs (National Bohemian) is back in Baltimore after a 15 year absence. Steamed crabs and Natty Bohs define Baltimore. It has always been a tradition.
We sat on the second level and that had another full bar but not as many tables. Mike was our waiter and he was busy. He was very good; attentive and fast.
We started with some steamed clams; middle necks, chargrilled with fresh shallots, celery, green peppers, spices, Parmesan cheese and bacon. They were tasty and went fast.
Then our crabs arrived, steaming hot. Mike asked us if we wanted vinegar, melted butter, and Old Bay. My answer? All of the above.
We dug into the crabs; they were heavy, juicy and sweet!! Perfection. To me, there is nothing like the Maryland blue crab. Not in season? Then, this is the next best thing.
Some steamed corn complemented the crabs. The corn was nice and sweet for this time of the year. Don’t know where it was coming from, though.
Nolan, the owner, stopped by to see how everything was. It really was very good and the service was the best. No complaints.
We left the Crab Bag, still full of customers enjoying what the Delmarva Peninsula is known for. We told Nolan that we had come to get our crab fix for the week-end. He in turn told us that there are people that stop by 2 times a week for crabs. Cannot get enough!!! I agree because I can’t either.
 See you later... Talk to you soon….you know I will….
February 21st, 2011
We did not know what the weather was going to do today, but Paula and I did not care. All we wanted to do was sit, have a cup of coffee and probably a bite to eat for breakfast. Yes, we had to catch up. She is part of that group of friends that are considered my “partners in crime”.
We decided to go to The Gallery Espresso. Neither Paula nor I had been there. Downtown Rehoboth was crowded. Long week-ends are usually pretty busy this time of the year even if it is cold.
The Gallery Espresso is located at 70 Rehoboth Ave., in the 1st Street Station. Tel. 302-231-2113. There is a website, http://www.thegalleryespresso.com. I tried to visit the website but did not open up. They could be working on it so I am going to confirm that it is the right one.
This is a coffee shop but it has an added twist; an art gallery and retail items. That side of the coffee shop is being set up so not everything was in place. They are going into their 3rd year in this location.
During the warmer months you can enjoy outdoor seating; a few tables are available. Please note that they serve all day breakfast and lunch.
The coffee shop is owned by John and Judy. John took care of us this morning. I did not know what to order. They had burritos, egg sandwiches, crepes, hot sandwiches, grilled wraps, salads and grilled paninis. For the young at heart they have oatmeal, grilled cheese, grilled peanut butter, peanut butter and jelly and peanut butter and fluff.
At first I wanted a crepe but they were dessert crepes. John suggested the grilled panini. I had an Egg’n Cheese Panini; swiss and ham on herbed grilled multigrain panini. It was pretty big. I don’t know why I say this because I really ate the whole thing. It was nicely grilled and the combination of swiss cheese, ham and eggs, well, you know how it is…good!!
Paula was not that far behind because she chose the French Toast. These were big slices of French bread with buttered maple syrup. She did not have any problems eating this either. I love French toast when is made with French bread; a different flavor and consistency.
Coffee and chatting. My coffee was bold, served in a large cup. Their espresso is imported from Italy. You can buy their brand of coffee right there, as well.
I could not believe we were there for over 3 hours solving the world problems, and also our own.
Then we took a look at a dish going by. They were beautiful crepes. I just got up and went to the next door table and asked them if I could take a picture of the Banana Caramel Crepes. There were 2 crepes filled with fresh bananas, Ghiradelli caramel sauce and whipped cream. They really did look delicious.
I always approach the gluten free factor and John told me that this summer they are planning to offer some gluten free items.
The Gallery Espresso was relaxing; perfect place to work on your computer, read the paper; or just enjoy another day at the beach.
Talk to you later…..soon….
February 9th, 2011
About 6 or 7 years ago I went with Shelley and Scott to this New York Style Deli Market called Way Beyond Bagels. It is located at the Shoppes at Addison Place. The address is 16850 Jog Rd., Delray Beach, FL 33446. Tel. 561-638-1320. The website is www.waybeyondbagels.com. This area is called “county club mile” because if you drive on this road, all you will pass is one country club/gated community after another.
I always used to get their chopped liver and their waldorf chicken salad; my mouth was just watering thinking about it. Since we were out and about it was the perfect place to stop and get a bite to eat. I have not been there in quite some time.
You do need a car since you have to go west from downtown Delray Beach. I took Atlantic Avenue to Jog. Then turned left and went about 1 mile. You will see it on the left hand side of the road.
It is always crowded; very popular. They open Mondays to Fridays from 6:30 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays from 6:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m.
When you step in all you see is beautiful food every where. It really is a New York Style Deli Market. Everything looks so fresh.
They carry Brooklyn’s finest smoked fish like nova, belly, sturgeon, sable, chopped nova, whitefish, scotch salmon and baked salmon.
They have about 2 dozen different bagel flavors, and hand whipped specialty cream cheeses.
They have salads and ready to go salads, soups like split pea and chicken noodle. The day I went they also had chicken pot pie, stuffed cabbage and wraps all ready to go.
I almost forgot to tell you that they have a great assortment of baked goods. For example, the cookies looked great but I did not get any. I cannot tempt myself that way. They had mini linzer tarts, and ruggalah, muffins, homemade chocolate flourless torte, homemade chocolate peanut butter flourless torte, just to name a few.
We ordered one croissant sandwich with waldorf chicken salad. It was delicious.
Mine was a plain bagel with chopped liver and the works. It was just like I expected it to be; fantastic. I even bought chopped liver to go.
It is one of those places that you can come for breakfast, lunch or even stop and get something for a light dinner.
There is a self serve dining room and also outdoor seating. The outdoor seating is so popular that it really was hard to find an empty table, therefore, we ate inside.
Way Beyond Bagels caters, but please call them or go on their website above mentioned for more information. They offer free delivery on all orders above $125.00.
It’s good to talk to you….I’ll do that later again. See you,
January 9th, 2011
I know breakfast is supposed to give your body the fuel needed to face the rest of the day. To tell you the truth I don’t find breakfast that exciting. Well, unless I can have a Rapa Scrapple Sandwich. I don’t eat too many of those either, though. You know, trying to lose weight; definitely, that’s not going to help.
Wait a minute. I guess I should tell you what Scrapple is. Well, to me there is only one; Rapa. That’s the company that makes it. It is a pork product from Bridgeville, Delaware. I like it sliced thin, sauteed until crisp; in a sandwich or by itself. More info? Their website is www.rapascrapple.com.
For breakfast my friends and I go to our favorites in Rehoboth Beach, like Crystal or Greenman. It is usually a special time any time I can get together with them. Their names? Why not? Missy, Debbie and Roberta and once in a while Alice, when she is in town.
When in Delray, I follow pretty much the same routine than at home; coffee, cream, and Stevia; later on, a gala apple. But, once in a while I like to find that special breakfast place; the one where I can sit outdoors and have a cup of coffee, an omelette, with no one rushing me.
I was in Delray before the Christmas holidays and we decided to try Atlantique Cafe. This Cafe is located at the Atlantic Plaza, 777 East Atlantic Ave., Suite C-8. Tel. 561-272-1170. Website is www.atlantiquecafe.com. You can find them on Twitter and Facebook. They have breakfast, lunch and dinner. Plenty of parking, as well.
Part of the charm of Delray is that it is a very walkable town. If you are a walker you can pretty much cover the whole downtown. If you are coming from A1A on Atlantic Ave., then right after you cross the intracoastal bridge, on the right, you will find the Atlantic Plaza. The Cafe is towards the back. And, if you are coming on Atlantic Ave. from I-95 then continue until you see the bridge and the Plaza will be to your left.
It was chilly; but now that is 20 degrees in Delaware I guess it is all relative. I wanted to sit outside, and so we did. They were busy but attentive. Some people sat with their dogs at their feet.
I don’t know if I was up to explaining the gluten free allergy so early in the a.m. Guess what? They were good. It was easier than I thought.
I went inside to check the restaurant and I was impressed; bigger than I thought with a bar that could fit plenty of people. By the way they have happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. They also offer free Wi-Fi and have large t.v.s for all those sport enthusiasts.
Finally, I decided to have a Greek Omelette. It had onion, tomato, spinach, gyro meat and feta cheese. As much as I say about breakfast I have to tell you that the omelette was moist, and I think the gyro meat and the feta were a pretty good combination. It was a big omelette but, no, I did not have any trouble finishing it, which by the way, came with a side of hash browns.
My husband’s breakfast was not on the menu; he made his own thing; Corned Beef, fried onions on hashbrowns. He also wanted cole slaw. He knows his cole slaw and liked this one a lot. If he had said it was o.k. then I would have known better.
I loved that huge tree. We sat under it and it added so much to the atmosphere of this restaurant. I did not have lunch or dinner but they do offer salads and platters, cold sandwiches, off the grill and even a kids menu. Full dinner menu is also available Mondays through Saturdays from 5 p.m. until 10 p.m.
If you are visiting Delray, give them a call if you would like to know what entertainment is being offered. At the time of my visit Elvis was there on Saturdays.
Have a great week….keep warm if you are up north…enjoy yourselves if you are in warmer climates…talk to you later…..
December 17th, 2010
Always looking for a place to have something to eat; a unique place with a different ambiance. Debbie and I got together before I left to come to Florida to sort of catch up like good friends always like to do. I was surprised when she told me that she had never been to Greenman Juice Bar & Bistro; afterall, even though she is not a native, she practically could be.
Greenman is located at 12 Wilmington Ave., about one block from the beach. Tel. is 302-227-4909. No website, but if you are on Facebook, you can become their friend and check out what’s going on at this very popular local spot.
Late breakfast, early lunch that was about the time we got there. A little quiet but that quickly changed. The restaurant is definitely small, but you would not want it any other way. Tables are available and in good weather you can also sit out on their porch. Just sit yourself and someone will come to your table quickly. A board behind their counter will show some of their teas, smoothies, and organic drinks that are available.
For such a small restaurant they offer a wide variety of foods; gourmet sandwiches, soups, quiches, salads, and burgers, among other things on the menu.
On that particular day Debbie had the daily quiche. Nice size and she said that it was very good.
I had a panini breakfast sandwich with cheese. The eggs were light and the cheese in it did not overpower the panini.
Then, our eyes followed the waiter to the next table. You could not help to stare. We were in close proximity. What was that? It was huge. Well, it was their homemade Pumpkin Creme Brulee French Toast. I just could not help myself and asked the gentleman before he plunged his fork into this amazing French toast if I could take a picture for my blog. He happily agreed.
We drank coffee and tea and enjoyed our company. I always find that my relationships with my friends are priceless and sharing a meal with them is just the best. Lucky, actually is how I feel.
A few days later I decided to take my son Michael for lunch at Greenman. Just like Debbie, he had never been. I knew he would fall in love with it, which he did. He then just took Erica yesterday as snow was falling in Rehoboth Beach. She loved it just as much. It reminded them of the undergraduate years just left behind in Boulder, Colorado. Greenman could have fit in Boulder perfectly.
Please remember that Greenman is open from Thursdays to Mondays from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. through the New Year. They also have take out and are still taking orders for holiday baked goods.
Have a great week-end…….talk to you later…
October 3rd, 2010
What a gorgeous day it was, yesterday, at the Delaware Beaches. I decided to go to Rehoboth and check out Cafe Papillon. Then, I encountered a multitude of people. Yes, they will be there today too looking for bargains on the sidewalks of Rehoboth Beach.
I had forgotten that this week-end was the sidewalk sale. Downtown merchants in Rehoboth clean out their stores and everything pretty much goes on sale.
No, it is not my thing. That’s probably why I did not give it too much thought. Anyway, I had to park two streets over south of Rehoboth Avenue.
Rehoboth is a small town so it was easy walking. Lots of people walking the Boardwalk, as well.
Cafe Papillon is located at the Penny Lane Mall, 42 Rehoboth Ave., Tel. 302-227-7568. Website is www.cafepapillon.com. The Penny Lane Mall is a small alley full of shops that connects Rehoboth Ave. with Wilmington Ave.
Cafe Papillon is right in the middle of the mall. It is an authentic French Cafe and if you speak French, well, you will be right at home.
On one side you will find the patisserie where French baked goods are sold. Salads and sandwiches are sold there as well. Coffee and Beverages? On that side also. Everything is made in-house.
I was gazing at the tropezienne, fruits tarts and eclairs, but just got coffee. I was waiting for my crepe.
A tropezienne is a creme tart that takes a long time to prepare. It was developed in St. Tropez using local ingredients.
The creperie is on the other side and it is strictly for the purpose of ordering and cooking the crepes right there in front of you.
Different crepes were ordered. One was a ham, cheese and tomato and the other an egg, smoked salmon and tomato. I was watching him make the crepes and at the same time I wondered what he thought I was doing. Every time he added an ingredient I took a picture. He really did not mind, he told me so.
I could not wait to eat it. Outdoors at the cafe was perfect; a sunny, cool, autumn day it was. Sitting al fresco, enjoying our breakfast made us feel we were somewhere else and not one block off the Atlantic Ocean.
Of course, we had to have a dessert crepe. The suggestion was the Nutella and Banana Crepe. Nutella is a hazelnut base spread very popular in Europe and I think fairly popular here in the States, as well.
The combination of the fruit and the spread was delicious.
Just as we finished we took off for a long walk; had to. I don’t need to explain why.
Have a great day!! Talk to you later….
Note: Cafe Papillon is only open on week-ends now until October 17th and then is until next year. Another thing to remember is that they only accept cash.
 
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