March 2nd, 2024
Our destination last Saturday was Dalmata Italiano located at 28 Wilmington Ave., Unit E in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. 302-227-8512. It opens Thursday through Sunday from 4:30 until 10:00.
I like restaurants that are neighborhood oriented. Those that you don’t need a special occasion or wait until the weekend as many of us do, but the ones are familiar, that once you get in you feel so comfortable.
My fellow diners love to eat, this included Sophia and her friend, Darby who are 8 and 9.
The menu has something for everyone. The bar is comfortable serving some very neat, crafty cocktails.
For appetizers we had the following to be shared by the table:
The charcuterie board had a variety of cheeses, cured meats, veggies, and the marcona almonds were an added surprise. These almonds have a texture and taste that compare to no other almonds; moist, plump and creamy.
The Brussels Sprout Salad with shaved brussels, truffle-thyme vinaigrette, fresh grated parmesan, sauteed shiitake mushrooms and toasted almonds. I have had other brussels sprout salads but the mushrooms really added so much more.
The Burrata Caprese melted in your mouth. Loved the balsamic pearls and the pickled shallots.
I have to laugh as I write this post having coffee on this rainy 2nd day of March. I am salivating.
Next were not appetizers but we ordered them as such so we could try more things. I had been told how good Dalmata is, how they make their pasta inhouse.
The Cacio E Pepe is the simplest dish. It is Roman consisting of grated pecorino Romano and black pepper. I actually never order this dish but know some that order it all the time. If not by itself, it is a great shareable starter.
I never make good meatballs so why not? The spaghetti was house made and the meatballs had pecorino Romano. Pecorino is made from sheep’s cheese, not the same as Parmesan. It gives more of an earthy flavor. Look how good this looks.
Next……Let’ get down to the business of Pizza. It is a whole meal. We ordered two. Well I told you we like to eat. From the photo they almost look alike but they were totally different. In the back was the White Lightning and in front the Fig & Prosciutto.
The White Lightning had creamy roasted garlic, mozzarella, fontina, provolone, roasted wild mushrooms, crispy kale, ricotta and extra virgin olive oil.
The Fig & Prosciutto ? wow so pretty. I have had a fig tree for 24 years. Love them and the combination on this pizza was great. Garlic, mozz, fontina, whipped ricotta, prosciutto, fig, shallots, balsamic glaze and arugula.
Both pizzas had a thin crust and were well done which is how I like my pizza.
It is called the Pizza’s cousin…The Calzone. It was filled with 4 cheeses and a side of marinara??
Dalmata’s Tiramisu was a sweet ending. Never seen it like this but it was very good, as well. Lady fingers soaked in espresso… yum.
I think Dalmata thought we still looked hungry so on the house a Peanut Butter Pie showed up. Rich and fluffy.
Thanks so much to the staff at Dalmata. It was a fun evening. We are all coming back. Too many other things to try.
Cheers to good company and delicious food.
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March 6th, 2015
Jimmy Durante started as a piano bar player. Billy Joel’s “Piano Man” is based on his experiences as a piano bar player, as well. And, Andrea Bocelli, the famous Italian tenor played in a piano bar to pay for his singing lessons. Just a little trivia in order to start my post.
The Thoroughbred Club is a piano bar located inside Charleston Place at 205 Meeting Street in Historic Charleston, South Carolina. Tel. 843-722-4900 You can find it on Facebook.
They do offer afternoon tea and light music. During the evenings you will find Calvin (Deke) Taylor a.k.a. “The Entertainer” playing some pretty good jazz. It gets crowded. You can contact him at 843-554-4039 or his cell 843-822-0389. His website is http://www.calvindeketaylor.com. Click on it and check his videos.
The menu is light and just enough. Tapas style, grazing here or there.
While at Charleston Place you could have found us listening to his music in the evenings. It had a great beat. It was fun and entertaining. We ordered sliders, an artichoke dip and drinks.
Another night lollipop lamb chops, meatballs, cheeses and drinks.
Have a great week-end. Talk to you later.
April 3rd, 2010
A Brunch is the perfect start for any day, but Sunday is the day we usually pick for this type of eating. Here, in Rehoboth Beach, a lot of the restaurants will be serving brunch on Easter Sunday just like everywhere else.
But why is it that we have this obsession with brunch? Is it because we are too lazy to cook on a Sunday; kill two birds with one stone? Breakfast and lunch? To tell you the truth on Sunday, I want to keep it simple. You can call it anything you want but to me having a good, full bodied, cup of coffee, seasonal fruits, baked goods and Rapa Scrapple, is what I would call the perfect brunch.
Rapa Scrapple? What is it? Well, it is one of my favorite breakfast meats. Rapa is the brand name and to me there is no other like it. Scrapple is a pork product and the company is in Bridgeville, Delaware. Two brothers started this company in 1926; Ralph and Paul Adams. The plant is still in Bridgeville and it is the largest producer of scrapple in the world.
I had the first taste of Rapa Scrapple in the island of Exuma, Bahamas, in 1974. We were visiting friends and they had brought scrapple from Baltimore, MD. I have loved it ever since and my family is a big fan, as well.
My favorites are the original and the hot and spicy. I like it thin and crispy; definitely, not mushy. I hope Missy is reading this blog, because I know she likes scrapple as much as I do. She might even comment on the blog.
I also like scrapple sandwiches. Thin bread, not toasted and a little bit of ketchup, would make it the perfect scrapple sandwich.
Mark your calendar because this year’s Apple Scrapple Festival in Bridgeville will be Friday, October 8th and Saturday, October 9th. For more info. please visit their website www.rapascrapple.com.
Living at the beach, usually means that you have a couple of guests at your house from time to time. I know that I go the extra mile when I have guests. I really do want them to feel welcomed. So how do I make them feel special? Read on…
Mimosa
Chilled champagne and orange Juice. If you do not have time to squeeze your orange juice, the market has great choices. Just get a good one. Put 1/2 and 1/2 in champagne glasses and serve.
Kir Royale
A bottle of chilled champagne or sparkling wine. This is such a simple and timeless drink.
1 part creme de cassis
5 parts Champagne
Pour creme de cassis into a champagne glass and gentley pour champagne on top.
Easy Caramel Rolls
Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
2 loaves frozen bread dough, thaw out and cut in pieces and placed in a well greased 9 x 13 inch pan.
Melt:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsps. milk
1 small package vanilla pudding (not instant)
Pour over dough. Let it rise for about 3 hours.
Bake for about 30 minutes.
Let it stand a few minutes and then turn out on a board, cut and serve.
Ground Ham on Pineapple Slices
Combine:
2 cups cooked ground ham
2 tsps. prepared mustard
4 tsps. mayonnaise
8 drained pineapple slices
Spread mixture on the pineapple slices. You want to put enough on each one to make a mound but cover the whole pineapple slice.
Bake slices in a greased pan in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes or so.
The combination of the ham and pineapple is delicious. It is a quick meal, as well. Very versatile; not just for breakfast.
Enjoy it with friends; it tastes better that way….Happy Easter!!
December 4th, 2009
I love Eggnog. Too bad it is so high in calories. I like it on Christmas morning when everyone is opening presents. It’s true. I just do, but I rarely do that anymore.
If you live in Delaware, you most likely buy Lewes Dairy products. It is a family operated business. You can learn more about them by visiting www.lewesdairy.com. The cream is exceptional and during the Holiday Season they do make eggnog. I have added rum to the eggnog and then whipped some of their heavy cream and folded it into the mixture. It will be thick. You can almost eat it with a spoon. Don’t get on the scale next day. I have a few friends that buy the eggnog and put it in the freezer and eat it like ice cream. So good!!
One eggnog recipe that I have and make every year is the following:
Eggnog
6 egg yolks (save the egg whites)
1/2 lb. confectioners’ sugar
3 cups of dark rum
1 quart of whipping cream (I use Lewes Dairy)
1/2 cup peach brandy
Freshly grated nutmeg
In a large bowl, beat egg yolks and gradually beat into them 1/2 lb. of sugar.
Add very slowly, beating constantly 1 cup of the rum. Let the mixture stand covered for about 1/2 hour to get rid of the egg taste.
Add, beating constantly the rest of the rum. If you just want to use one cup then do so. Add the brandy. Refrigerate the mixture, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours.
Beat until stiff 6 egg whites and fold them lightly into the other ingredients.
Serve the eggnog with freshly grated nutmeg.
The next 2 recipes are for Coquito. It is like eggnog but it really is a traditional Puerto Rican drink. It is served during the Holiday Season, including the Spanish festivities of Three Kings Day.
I have to laugh because if I were to make the Coquito in the purest way, then I would have to get coconuts and grind the pulp to get the milk, etc. etc. I already could picture the looks I would get at the supermarket when I carried 5 or 6 coconuts to the cashier line. The easiest way is going to be opening a can of coconut milk.
Coquito
2 14-ounce cans of coconut milk
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups premium white rum
Combine the coconut milk, condensed milk and rum in a blender. You will probably have to do this in batches. Puree until frothy. Pour into a pitcher. Refrigerate until nice and cold. Another way is to pour the coquito into an empty bottle of wine or liquor that has a screw top and then refrigerate. You will need 2 bottles.
Coquito #2
2 cans evaporated milk
1 can cream of coconut
2 cups rum
1 dash of salt
Some ground cinnamon, optional. A dash or two will do.
This is very easy. All you have to do is mix all ingredients. This will make about 1/2 gallon. Pour the mixture in about 3 bottles of liquor or wine with screw tops. Make sure the bottles are rinsed out. Refrigerate.
Remember that you can add a little or a lot of the rum. It’s up to you. Even if you do not drink alcoholic beverages, it would be nice to have in the refrigerator for those unexpected guests in the days to come.
Note: You can also make the Coquito without liquor.
Enjoy…talk to you later…
November 14th, 2009
Beseme, Besame or Dame un Beso, all mean the same; Kiss me. This bistro wants you to remember their food like an unforgetable kiss; to “linger in your mind long after it’s gone from your lips”….
I wanted to go back to Beseme since I have not been there in ages and Lewes is one of my favorite towns. So, Debbie, Cindi and I decided to make that restaurant our meeting place today. The 3 of us have not had lunch together in a long time and I really do enjoy keeping in touch with friends. I think you know that already.
For a Saturday, and with the weather not been the nicest, Lewes was crowded. Actually, the Delaware Beaches were all crowded.
Beseme is located on 142 Second & Market Streets in historic downtown Lewes. The telephone is 302-645-8108. The website is www.beseme.biz. It is open year round. Breakfast from 8 a.m., lunch from 11 a.m. and dinner from 5 p.m.
I entered through the entrance on Market Street, which is the main entrance. The entrance on Second Street is through the Hotel Rodney.
Beseme is bigger than it appears from the outside. A very pretty bar with lots of wood is the first thing I saw. Two rooms for dining that were nicely decorated and not crowded. This is a historic building so the woods and atmosphere are very warm and inviting.
We were presented with the lunch menu. There were soups and starters, salads as main courses, omelettes, crepes, and burgers with your choice of bison, lamb or beef.
Their all natural meats come from BAR Farms in Lewes and Wells Meats in Philadelphia.
Since I already knew I would be posting on my blog, I asked that we all have something different. I decided to go with the bison burger with provolone cheese, Debbie had the Macho salad which had roasted chicken, goat cheese, figs, baby corn, tomatoes, pine nuts, avocado, cornmeal croutons, with a champagne vinaigrette.
Cindi had the Temptation Omelette, which had eggplant, tomatoes, onion, green pepper, Gruyere & Parmigiano-Reggiano.
Their organic eggs come from Cleckner Farm in Bivalve, Maryland.
We all decided that our food was very good. My burger came with their house cut waffle chips. I would say that you could get addicted to those.
For our sweet ending we ordered only one dessert and we chose the crepe with berries. Our waitress throught we would like that one. This restaurant is known for their crepes and this one was light and refreshing. Really, a perfect ending to our lunch.
I would suggest that you go and visit Beseme’s website. They have events and menus plus a lot of other pertinent information.
Tomorrow, Sunday, the 15th at 6 p.m. Keith Mack will be performing. And, on Tuesday, the 17th at 7 p.m. the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild will have poetry, short stories and prose.
Besides their lunch menu, they also have the traditional dinner menu and a small plates menu, which is like a tapas way of dining. With this type of dining you can order several dishes for the table and everyone can sample the food. The restaurant has a full bar but you may also get wines by the glass and they have a very good selection from Chile, Italy, South Africa, Spain, California and Argentina.
As usual, part of having a good meal is sharing it with the people that mean a lot to you. Cindi, Debbie and I have been friends for a long time and every time we are together laughter is not far behind.
We really did enjoy Beseme so let me know how you like it.
See you soon….
October 1st, 2009
At their location on 59 Rehoboth Ave., in the heart of Rehoboth Beach, this old standby is about to put away their 35th season. It is the type of restaurant that has a loyal clientele that keeps coming back year after year. It has those 5 requirements that make a restaurant successful. The quality of the ingredients, the culinary competence, the service, the ambiance and price.
The first thing you notice is the ambiance and how could you not? The Back Porch is located in a turn of the century house; a romantic atmosphere at its best.
Their food is excellent and unique. I went there 2 weeks ago with my husband and a friend. I had for an appetizer the Chorizo stuffed calamari, cranberry bean and green tomato ragout, pepita gremolata. Then for my main course I had the Prosciutto wrapped loin of rabbit, confit leg, sweet potato gnocchi, almonds and porcini. Out of this world!! The meat was so tender and very well seasoned.
Our friend had the local salad and for dinner he had the grilled wild king salmon, summer squash chowder, zucchini dill croquette. He seemed to really enjoy it.
My husband had the carpaccio of foi gras and magret duck breast, shitake, shaved parmesan and truffled mini mesclun. He thought it was very good. For his dinner he had a pan seared Atlantic halibut, sweet potato mole, local corn, avocado and roasted poblano. Excellent, as well.
His dinner came from a gluten free menu. Yes, the waiter told us that with so many people with gluten allergies or intolerances it was easier for them to pull out of their regular menu the items that were gluten free.
The Back Porch is open on week-ends in this time of the year. Dinner hours start at 6:00 p.m. Lunch and Sunday Brunch from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. Reservations are recommended so please call 302-227-3674 or e-mail them to info@backporchcafe.com.
If you visit their website www.backporchcafe.com you will find a great treat. They have some of their recipes posted for you to try. At the present time they are: Cafe Flambe, Marilyn’s Bean Salad, Golden Tomato Gazpacho, Peach & Blueberry Bread Pudding, Scones, the South Western Beef Salad, Timbales of Crab Custard and Spinach Mousse with Sweet Yellow Pepper Puree and the Back Porch Vinaigrette. When you are in the website check the dining rooms so that you can see the pictures. They are great.
As usual, a good dinner accompanied with a great friend and my husband, is always enjoyable. See you soon….
Note: In the height of the season, the parking in Rehoboth Beach can get tricky because you have meter parking on the main and side streets and the town is crowded. If you are not within walking distance, your best bet is to call Seaport Taxi Service. They are available 24 hours and the tel. in Rehoboth is 302-226-2232 and in Lewes is 302-645-6800.
September 29th, 2009
 Last year I saw this restaurant open up in Delray, right in the middle of Atlantic Ave.; where the action is. At first I was not sure what was going to happen in that corner. I don’t know, it seemed that the previous establishments did not last long.
Well, this restaurant is always crowded. During the summer they have had great dinner specials and if you want to start your week right, then this might be the place to go. You may be able to get 50% off selected bottles of wines.
Believe me, they really have wines. They have an Enoteca. And, what is that? It is simply a wine cellar. You will be able to see their selections, menus, galleries, among other things in their website which is www.vicandangelos.com. This restaurant is located on 290 East Atlantic Ave., in Delray Beach. Their telephone is 561-278-9570.
You cannot miss the location of the restaurant. The colors are very attractive. I think the picture above shows a little of the look but in order to appreciate it, you should eat there sometime.
Outside dining is great because you feel you are in a living room with comfortable chairs. The inside dining is air conditioned even though their bar is open to the outside. It is very attractive and you can see the Enoteca from a lot of the tables. It gives it quite an ambiance.
We had just arrived from up north, so we sat inside since it was a little humid. Excuse me, that was an understatement. It was hot. But when they presented us the bread at the table, forget the heat; this bread was amazing. They do not make it in-house but they really improve it. Garlic cloves, olive oil, crusty parmesan cheese and warm bread. Priceless!!
We ordered their chicken wings because people talk about them. They are grilled but the meat falls off the bones. Very good. Then, of course, we ordered a calamari appetizer; it is not real Italian unless you order some calamari. They were grilled with a bit of sauce. Molto bene!! I have a friend, whose father, every time they go to an Italian restaurant asks: “who wants some calamari?”. So I am mentioning this on his behalf.
My husband had the Gorgonzola wedge and I must say that they were very attentive to his gluten allergy, so their awareness was refreshing. We had salads, because it was what the weather called for. My Ceasar salad had the white anchovies and that brought this salad up a notch.
As happy hour approaches the restaurant gets hopping. I think Vic & Angelo’s has those 5 ingredients that I have mentioned before make a restaurant. These are: Quality of the ingredients – if the restaurant has money then it should buy the best, culinary competence – it is the chef’s responsibility, service – prompt, anticipating what is needed, ambiance – tranquil and relaxing and the last one is price – reasonable for the food you get.
What really ended this lunch on the right note, was that when I presented my license, since I always put on my credit card “see I.D.”, the waiter said that he had a soft spot in his heart for Delaware because he had lived in Bethany Beach for several years. And, I knew he was not making this up because he knew Rt. 26 very well. It was nice.
We left the restaurant with smiles on our faces.
September 12th, 2009
This Asian inspired restaurant is on its way to becoming a legend in all my beach towns; from Lewes, to Ocean City, Maryland. I find someone I know almost everytime I visit the Cultured Pearl from these beach towns.
Rob and Susan are the owners of the Cultured Pearl. Susan started the restaurant in 1993 and its original location was on Wilmington Ave., in Rehoboth Beach. I really enjoyed going there and it was very cozy. So, at first, I was not sure how I was going to react to being in a new location. They have been there now for a couple of years, and I have been there for dinner many times.
This new location was not only going to be the home for the Cultured Pearl, but the whole building was envisioned as a “mall” with the restaurant on the top.
The address is 301 Rehoboth Ave. in downtown Rehoboth Beach. Tel. is 302-227-8493 and the website is www.culturedpearl.us.
Yes, these are “the shops at the Pearl”. I will be reviewing them at some point, but my interest at this time is the restaurant. Years ago this was the location of Quillen’s Hardware Store, whose business serviced the town of Rehoboth Beach for many years.
In trying to keep true to the traditions of Japanese architecture, they have incorporated in the decoration, bamboo, flowing water, koi and live birds.
As you walk into the “mall” you will see stores on either side. The reception desk for the restaurant is on the first floor. John is usually there to greet you. You will give your name and then you will be escorted upstairs or if you need an elevator, that is available as well. If you are going just to the bar for a drink or to wait for someone, you may just go up the stairs where you will be passing some really pretty cockatiels.
The Cultured Pearl has a great atmosphere and it is very cozy, whether you are sitting at the bar or the sushi bar or the main dining area. If you happen to be there on good weather and are lucky to be seated outside, you are in for a treat. The rooftop area, as it is called, has a “lake” effect with koi below you and gazebos on top. Rehoboth Beach looks so pretty at night and you definitely will have an advantage point from the rooftop.
The restaurant can accommodate private parties. Is your company trying to host a presentation? Then, their special room is equiped with panels and monitors and separate music system for that sole purpose. Menus can be arranged to suit your needs, as well.
There is always something for everyone on the menu. You don’t have to have sushi in order to really enjoy it. During the year, they have specials and brunches. And, a carryout menu is available. That tel. is 302-227-4217. The best way to find out all this information is to go on their website, which by the way, it is very informative.
As I mentioned before in other posts, when I go to a Sushi restaurant, I like to sit at the sushi bar. On this night, the bar was crowded, even though it was a Sunday, and it was funny to hear all the questions asked to the chefs, like; do you cook sushi at home, what is your favorite roll, etc. etc. It gets everyone talking and putting their two cents in.
My husband was with me and we started with the Edamame. We like it warm and just with a little bit of salt. I had the Miso soup and, let me tell you, theirs is the best. Best taste and seasoned perfectly. It is white miso, tofu, green onion and wakame seaweed. Great combination. For my entree, I wanted Sashimi Sara which was a chef selection of 15-18 pieces of sashimi (not cooked and no rice). This particular dish included my miso soup. My husband ordered the Japanese Bagel roll and for his sushi he ordered several pieces of eel. Everything tasted so fresh.
This is one of those restaurants that have an awareness for people with gluten allergies. They offer Teriyaki and Soy Sauce that is gluten free.
For my sweet ending, I had “mochi”, which is ice cream of different flavors surrounded by dough made of rice flour. They are the size of a half dollar and the dessert was presented in a martini glass; so easy to share. Just pop them in your mouth.
A few posts back, I mentioned that the perfect recipe for a good restaurant is quality of ingredients, culinary competence, service, ambiance and price. This restaurant fits that bill perfectly.
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