June 12th, 2011
Dogfish Head Brewery is the host and Delaware Restaurant Association is the sponsor. 20 restaurants from around the State of Delaware will compete in the Delaware Restaurant Association’s Second Annual Beer, Bocce and BBQ Tournament. Date and Time? Monday, 6/13 from 3 to 8 p.m. Location? Dogfish Head Brewery at #16 Cannery Village Center, Milton.
These restaurants will be competing for the Bocce Cup, and for a cash prize to be donated to the restaurant’s charity of choice. The Justin W. Jennings Foundation/Justin’s Beach House being one of them.
Plenty of food and drinks. Live music by Reedo and the Front Porch Offering.
Please take notice that the Jolly Trolley will be offering free rides to and from the event from Jake’s Seafood on Rt. 1 in Rehoboth.
Spectator tickets are $25. To purchase them call 302-738-2545. For complete info., please visit http://www.delawarerestaurant.org.
And, speaking of raising money for charity – The Justin W. Jennings Foundation and Justin’s Beach House – Chicks for Charity (Southern Delaware) will be hosting an event at Fish On located at The Villages of Five Points in Lewes. This event will take place on Tuesday, June 14th at 6:30 p.m.
The event will benefit The Justin W. Jennings Foundation and Justin’s Beach House. I wrote a post on 5/16/11. If you would like to see it, please click on the month of May on the left hand side of this blog and scroll down to the date. You can find out more about The Justin W. Jennings Foundation by visiting the website: www.justinjennings.org.
On Tuesday you will have the choice of 2 entrees, a cash bar will be available, raffle items and a 50/50 drawing.
The cost is $25/person and includes gratuity. Cash or check only, please. All reservations are to be made by e-mailing gals4thegood@aol.com.
Have a good one!! Talk to you later…
June 7th, 2011
What got my attention and interest was an appetizer which is served at the Pickled Pig Pub; the fried pickles. I like pickles but I am not crazy about them. Michael, my son, told me these were very good.
Fried pickles are found in the South and are made by deep-frying sliced battered dill pickles.
The Fried Pickled Spears, house battered, kosher-dils served with a spicy dipping sauce can be found at the Pickled Pig Pub located at 18756 Coastal Hwy #3, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. 302-645-5444. Website? www.pickledpigpub.com. They open at 11:30 a.m. for lunch and dinner starts at 5:00 p.m. Open 7 days a week and plenty of parking.
The Pub was deceiving; bigger than I had expected. It is a casual atmosphere. Come as you are kind of place; unwind after work, a quick lunch, a beer on a hot day.
Happy “Hours” are from 4 – 6 p.m. The Pickle Pig Pub has plenty of beers on tap and bottles, as well. A big supporter of local craft beers.
These pickles are served as appetizers. The menu is varied and interesting. You can find the menu on their website above mentioned.
The Pickled Pig Pub had a very nice cheese board, as well.
Of course we had other things on the menu. I had the Every Day Pub Burger. Nothing better than a burger at the right time; lettuce, tomato, onion, served on a brioche bun. Your choice of American, Swiss or provolone.
Michael ordered the Pub Pulled Pork, Carolina vinegarstyle, which is my favorite, by the way. Or, sweet southern barbecue, coleslaw topped on a brioche bun.
On that day the restaurant was crowed and I was surprised since I did not know if it had been discovered yet.
Had a nice lunch. The pickles were delicious, our waiter was attentive and I will definitely go back.
Note: The sister restaurant, Pig and Fish is located on Rehoboth Ave., downtown. Website: www.thepigandfish.com.
You know what? I could get an addiction to those pickles.
Have a great day!! Talk to you later….
April 28th, 2011
The Historic town of Lewes is getting ready for a celebration on Friday, 4/29. It is called Fun Friday. Lewes is celebrating the Royal Wedding. I wrote a post on the different events throughout this special day. You can read it by clicking on the month of March, 2011 on the left hand side of this website and then scrolling down to the 9th.
“Friends are the flowers that never fade.” With that in mind I went to meet Jody on Tuesday in Lewes, Delaware. I met Jody not long ago; an instant friendship. She is funny, likes to talk and likes to try new restaurants, as well.
About 3 weeks ago a new restaurant opened in Lewes. When I first heard about it I thought it was only a bakery. This new eatery is the perfect combination; a bakery, a restaurant, and a bar. Sounds like heaven. Their motto? “Come for Dessert, Stay for Dinner”.
Cake Bar is located at 115 Second St., Lewes, Delaware 19958. Tel. 302-645-CAKE (2253). Website? www.sugarbakerscakes.com.
What a difference!! As you come into Cake Bar from the Second St. entrance I was pleasantly surprised. The bakery is at the front. Nothing like looking at beautiful baked goods in a warm atmosphere to wet your appetite.
Jody and I met Jamie, the owner. Friendly; like you know her. She told us that she and her family had been coming to Lewes for a long time and that they owned a home in town. They were looking for a place to start a business and when the opportunity came they grabbed it. Right in the center of town.
I like what they have done with the dinning areas. It was comfortable and a good choice of colors.
But that is not all, Jamie and her family own a very successful business in Catonsville, Maryland. It is called Sugar Bakers Cakes at 752 Frederick Rd., Baltimore, MD 21228. The website is www.sugarbakerscake.com. The tel. is 410788-9478.
In business since 1996, this company has made a name for themselves. Please check their website to see the most amazing cakes for all occasions. The reviews? Awesome!! Appearing in The Today Show and Whose Wedding is It Anyway?.
Their cakes are delivered to Baltimore, Washington, and to the Maryland and Delaware resorts.
You can contact them either in Baltimore or in Lewes for a complimentary wedding cake consultation. June is around the corner, so I hope brides to be are reading this post.
One thing that caught my attention was that you can call Cake Bar and order dessert trays; 10 person minimum for all trays. Just cookies, or a selections of brownies, blondies, and mini desserts. Served in easy to handle, bite size pieces.
The Fancy Feast includes mini eclairs, tiny mousse cups, fresh fruit tarts and dipped strawberries, among others.
You can also order miniature desserts by the dozen. Just give them a call if you would like more info. Remember their number is 302-645-CAKE.
Jody and I checked the menu. Cheeses, Maryland Crab Dip, fries with garlic truffle aioli, wings, mac and cheese, shrimp cocktail, steamed shrimp, steamed mussels are a few of their starters. Then the soups and salads followed. Sandwiches like Maryland Crabcake, the Delaware Dip, the BLT and G(uacamole) which had thick smoked bacon, roasted and sandwiched with arugula, juice tomato, and creamy guacamole. The Hot Dog Muffaletta is their take on New Orleans; a big, grilled all-beef dog in a baguette roll, packed with pepperoncini’s, red onion, roasted red pepper, provolone cheese and tapenade.
Some of their entres were shrimp and grits, day boat scallops, fresh daily fish, flat iron steak, meatloaf and mash. The Delmarva Chicken is a Delaware chicken brined in traditional local marinade of lemon, buttermilk, garlic, olive oil and seasonal herbs and then roasted. Choice of garlic mash or fresh veggies.
Jody and I decided on a salad. You know how it is, summer is around the corner, afterall.
Jody chose the CakeBAR Salad which had lettuce, cucumber, tomato, sweet red pepper, red onion, olives, artichoke hearts, and goat cheese Feta, with red wine vinaigrette. She topped it with grilled shrimp. It was light and she very much enjoyed it.
I chose the Wedding Salad which had baby greens topped with seasonal fresh berries, toasted pine nuts, crumbled goat cheese and house-smoked duck confit. Served with a honey citrus vinaigrette. I loved it. I think the combinations of all the fruit, the smoked duck and the dressing were a perfect marriage of flavors.
No dessert for us. Can you imagine? All homemade and we had the willpower to say no. Our waiter, which by the way was very good, named them all. We still resisted.
I wish Jamie and her family the best. Stop by and say hello.
Note: Fun Facts from Sugar Bakers Cakes: They use 75,000 eggs per year and 1.8 million chocolate chips per year. Yikes!!
Please remember that Cake Bar has happy hour.
Have a great day!!…talk to you soon…
April 3rd, 2011
Even though the building is painted in different colors and the interior has been redecorated over the years, the memories came back once I stepped into Stingray. This restaurant, located at 59 Lake Avenue in Rehoboth Beach was years ago called Fran O’Brien’s. It was an institution; anyone visiting the beaches; this was the “it” place for “apres beach”, drinks, food, and dancing. It really was the place to see and being seen.
But enough of that since I am really dating myself. That’s exactly what I told Laura, our server. Laura was friendly and really knew the menu well.
Stingray is one of the favorite sushi restaurants of a couple of friends. And guess what? They were there. Joe and Carla; they are sushi connoisseurs. Carla told me that I needed to order the Man Eater and the Malay Roll. Laura agreed, as well.
It was the perfect evening to visit Stingray. This will be their fourth season in Rehoboth Beach. The tel. is 302-227-6476. Website? www.stingrayrestaurant.com.
Being that it was Sunday, it was quiet. The music was playing and the restaurant exuded a club-like atmosphere.
A full bar, a lounge area where dinner can be enjoyed with reservations.
The sushi bar took center stage. Take Out is available until 1:00 a.m.
Other rooms were outfitted with tables and some with booths.
An enclosed glass porch was available and looked like it would be very nice to spend an evening having dinner on that porch while checking out the comings and goings on Lake Avenue.
I ordered the Man Eater and the Malay Roll.
The Man Eater had fried fresh salmon with jalapeno and spicy mayo, sprinkled with chopped fresh cilantro. It was delicious and the combination of the salmon with jalapeno gave it a good kick. Not overly so, but just a hint. Finished with the cilantro was perfect.
The Malay Roll had crispy Chilean sea bass, asparagus, and spicy sauce inside, sesame seeds outside. Very tasty, as well.
Then I decided to order live scallops sashimi. The presentation was very nice. The only thing is that I like the scallops to be sliced thin with lime. I thought that with the cucumber cup you could not really taste the scallops since they were chopped.
Then I asked Laura if she could ask the sushi chef to prepare an order just like I wanted. There was a marked difference and eating the scallops with the lime, well, was the best.
My husband had 2 orders of the same thing. One was the smelt roe, served on the cucumber cups. He liked them.
Then he had the Pocono Mountain Roll, which had steamed shrimp, crab plus masago mixed with a spicy sauce. It was good. I had one of those; it was a nice roll. It was one of those rolls that I would call safe. Safe, meaning not daring just comfortable; easy on your palate.
Stingray has a Sushi Bar on Wheels. You can have your own private sushi bar at your next event. Which means that you can be a guest at your own party. It offers a variety of maki rolls and sushi selections for your guests to enjoy.
Their Sushi Chefs will roll your selections behind their 6 seat sushi bar; fresh fish selections will be displayed in their refrigerated glass front sushi case. To find more information about this, please call 302-227-6475.
Besides Sushi, Stingray offers seafood, chicken, pork and beef. There are even a couple of vegetarian dishes on the menu, as well. Soups and salads are always on the menu.
Reservations are accepted for parties of 6 or more.
There is happy hour every day from 4 – 6 p.m. with 2 for 1 sushi rolls. These will be selected rolls, dine in only and available in the bar and lounge only.
Saturdays and Sundays the happy hour starts at Noon until 6 p.m.
Some of the Latin dishes were Pork Mojo, lobster quesadillas, and fish tacos. During the season more items will be added.
It was a nice evening. At this time of the year, plenty of parking, no lines, so I am taking advantage before the gates open on Memorial Week-End.
Talk to you later…..have a good one….
March 26th, 2011
Tantos anos este restaurante ha estado en nuestra playa y que extrano que nunca lo habia visitado anteriormente. En una semana he ido 3 veces.
Oh, excuse me. I got caught into my Spanish. I was just thinking that this restaurant has been in our beach for so long and I had never paid them a visit. I don’t even know why. This past week I have gone 3 times. I actually found a waiter that I knew, Alex, who is working at Dos Locos and he took care of my family with his usual friendly disposition.
Dos Locos is located at 208 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971. Tel. is 302-227-3353. Websited? www.doslocos.com.
First of all, I have to congratulate them for having a Gluten Free Menu. So exciting it is to find so many restaurants in our coastal area having this menu for the customers that have a gluten allergy.
The first night I went I only got a couple of pictures because I forgot to charge the battery. In the back of my mind I knew that I would be coming back to try one of the stonegrill meals.
Remember my old partner in crime, Debbie? Well, she was there with me again. Catching up after not seeing each other for quite some time. And, she asked me; what do you want me to order? It really did not matter as long as one of us had the stonegrill meal.
We took our time in ordering because we were bla, bla, bla, and more bla. Taking a look at the restaurant I want to let you know that it was very comfortable, casual and relaxing. A nice side bar area on one side; on the other, side booths and single tables were available. The restaurant also had another room in the back. It was crowded. It is a restaurant that welcomes everyone.
Our waiter brought us some tortilla chips and salsa. The chips were warm and a little salty; perfect. The sauce? I would have put more cilantro and a bit of lime juice.
Debbie decided to have the beef fajitas; hold the beans, please. Guacamole? Of course. I had that dish the other night and mine was good. Debbie really enjoyed hers today, as well.
Stonegrilling is done on individual stones that are over 700 degrees. What’s good about it? It sears the food at high temperatures, therefore, all natural juices are contained. It is healthy because there are no oils; the meats; so tender.
I chose a combination of Angus beef filet and shrimp. You can choose rub and sauces, but to tell you the truth I forgot about it and was not sure how it was going to taste.
When the stone was brought in, it was so hot; no wonder they say the stonegrilling is not for children. It looked beautiful.
Then, I followed the directions and turned over the food so it would cook on the other side. I cut and enjoyed a great lunch. I asked for a side salad. You had the choice of salad or rice. The taste of the beef was juicy and I must admit that I did not miss any rub or other seasoning. The shrimp were large and cooking them over the stone was perfect.
Dos Locos has a retail shop right next door. It is a Gallery. In it they have t-shirts, pick up souvenirs, plaques, hot sauces, and salsas.
They also carry the line of candy wrapper handbags. Popular and very interesting. Check that website www.nahuiollin.com.
It was already about 4:30 p.m. Long lunch even though it did not seem so. In the past I have said that sharing a meal with a friend is always….priceless.
Note: Dos Locos opens daily at 11:30 a.m. Check the website www.doslocos.com because they have so many specials and even Karaoke at 9:00 p.m. on Monday and Saturday evenings.
Hasta luego…..nos vemos……
March 17th, 2011
Back on November of 2009 I received an e-mail from a person named Ellen. She suggested I went to check out a small restaurant that had just opened in Delray Beach. She thought the food was great and she wanted other people to experience Jimmy’s great food.
That’s all it took. One taste of his delicious food had my whole family sold. Jimmy’s Bistro is located at 9 South Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33483. Tel. 561-865-5774. You can also find Jimmy’s Bistro on Facebook.
I wrote a post on Jimmy’s Bistro on 11/27/09 and all you have to do to read it is click on the month of November, 2009 and scroll down to the date.
This past week I have gone to Jimmy’s twice. And, let me tell you that I was so happy for him. Jimmy himself is nice and friendly and vivacious. And my gosh, the restaurant is packed every night. No lunches anymore, just dinner. Reservations are a definite. The restaurant is small and cozy. It has a bar; it is small too.
I had so much faith in him and people have found him. The restaurant still has its daily blackboard with all of his offerings.
The first night I visited I had the Hog Snapper. I had never had it. It was fresh; caught on that day. It was a mild and white fish. This fish has a hog shaped head. It is found in and around tropical reefs in the Atlantic and Caribeean Sea. The Hog Snapper is not commonly caught by rod and reel. It has a reputation for being somewhat easy to shoot with a Hawaiin sling.
On Tuesday night there were four of us. A few appetizers were ordered.
Dave had the mussels. And, I had the goat cheese and beet salad. We were going to share. Both were very good. The combination of the beets with the fried goat cheese was excellent. The mussels were tender, accompanied by baguettes to dip in a well seasoned sauce.
Anita had the pear and Gorgonzola salad. She thought it was good even though at first we all thought that it was blue cheese. Upon questioning our waitress, she brought us the wedge of Gorgonzola. It did taste like blue cheese, though.
For our entrees, the choices were:
An Asian duck ordered by Marisa. She thought it was very well cooked and delicious.
Dave chose more of a comfort food dish; the braised short rib with mashed potatoes. He really cleaned the plate, so you know he liked it.
Anita chose the mussels for her entree. She really enjoyed them.
And, I chose a tomato soup with a Parmesan crust. This soup is fantastic and filling. It is served steaming hot. Then I pushed the crust into the soup and it was amazing. This soup is always on his menu.
Sharing food with friends on a somewhat warm evening was just priceless. The conversation was effortless and the music and the restaurant were very enjoyable.
P.S. I hope Jimmy reads this post. I want him to try benches instead of the chairs that are at present placed in front of the restaurant. Also the sign is only seen from the side and not very well. From the street on Swinton you cannot tell what it is.
Have a good one…talk to you later…
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 20th, 2010
There are now millions of people that are on a gluten-free diet. What these people eat is so important for their well being. Living eating gluten free keeps them healthy. Yet for some of you that don’t have any dietary restrictions, probably you would not give it another thought. I don’t have a problem with “glutens” but my husband does. Therefore, it has become my interest, as well. I also eat gluten free most of the time.
Gluten free is the new diet for this century. Years ago it went by a different name. My grandfather had it. It is known as celiac disease. A strict following of a gluten free diet is the only way to go. No little pills here or there to take care of it. Also, the symptons vary from person to person. It seems that when nothing else is found and the patient still feels terrible, then a test for celiace disease is done. All it takes is a simple blood test.
Leading universities are doing research and since last year labels need to disclose if wheat it present. The moment I see wheat I back off. But, it is also in so many other products; soy sauce, vanilla, toothpaste, soaps, shampoo, make up.
As you already know, I like to eat. And so does my husband. What I have found out is that states like California, Colorado, mid Atlantic states and northern states, as well, are so up to date on this and other food allergies. Restaurants are informing their wait staff how foods are prepared and menus are also available. Believe it or not having a gluten free menu saves the restaurant time and money; otherwise I will be asking the wait staff to go back to the chef and ask how the food is prepared.
Get informed. And, don’t be afraid or embarrass to ask.
So, this subject took me to South Florida. This state is so progressive in so many things, but the moment I say gluten allergy, well, I see this glazed look in their eyes. Then, I start telling them what it is bla, bla, bla.
I know that the national chain P.F. Chang has a gluten free menu and has separate cooking pans. I went to this restaurant in Boca Raton some time ago and they were very knowledgeable.
I have been here, in Delray Beach, and I was about to give up and try to complain to someone about the lack of knowledge regarding gluten allergies when in the most unimaginable restaurant, Cody, our waiter brought us a gluten free menu. I could not believe it. Bru’s Room, located at 35 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach, has a gluten free menu. Unreal; a sports bar/restaurant. Finally someone has been paying attention. They have been asked one too many times they told me; so easy.
Bru’s Room has the best wings that I and my whole family have ever tasted. Truly the best. I will put them against any restaurant in the U.S. I like the triple threat; hold the garlic. I do like garlic but for some reason I like my wings without garlic. They are sweet and tangy with a good kick; fried then rolled on their sauce and fried again. Amazingly lean; not greasy. Served with either blue cheese or ranch. Guess what? They are gluten free. Go to http://www.brusroom.com/gluten-free-menu to check what else they have to offer. Soups, appetizers, salads, entrees, sides, wings and ribs.
The telephone number for Bru’s Room in Delray Beach is 561-276-3663. Website is www.brusroom.com. Besides the Delray Beach location, they also have locations in Boyton Beach, Coral Springs, Deerfield Beach, Pompano Beach, Royal Palm Beach and Sunrise.
Something unique they also have is Bru’s Traveler, which is their restaurant on wheels. It is a 24′ mobile restaurant equipped with everything to make those amazing wings and everything else pretty much on the menu. It is “Bru’s Food on your Turf”. For more information please call Tracy Bambach at 954-650-8254.
Bru’s Room is very popular; packed on Sunday football; televisions all over the place, pool tables; I am laughing as I write this because after 2 weeks of explanations at every restaurant I found a sports bar who listened.
Note: Celiac Disease is an inherited autoimmune disorder that affects the digestive process of the small intestine. A percentage of diabetics also may get celiac disease. When a person that has celiac disease consumes gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley, the individual’s immune system responds by attacking the small intestine and inhibiting the absorption of important nutrients into the body.
Also note that information for this post was taken from the cookbook by Carol Fenster, author of Gluten-Free Quick & Easy.
Have a great one!!…Talk to you later….
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