March 19th, 2013
Yikes! I am not sure what she will say when she sees the heading of this post….well, I am sure I’ll hear about it. I was going to take advantage of this milestone in her life to celebrate; at the same review Nantucket’s. I had not been there in some time. And, we did close the restaurant…perfect for photo moments.
Nantucket’s is a restaurant that has a big following and has been located on Rt. 1 (Coastal Highway), Fenwick Island, Delaware for a long time. So close to Ocean City, Maryland too. It is classic American cuisine, offering something for everyone; seafood, steaks, salads, sandwiches, and a full bar. It’s a good place for a celebration! Tel. 302-539-2607. Website? http://www.nantucketsrestaurant.com You can find them on Facebook, as well. At present, they open Wednesday through Sunday. That will change once the season gets under way.
There are several choices for dining:
At the Tap Room (bar) you will find comfortable high tables. There are also a few regular tables, as well. You may also eat at the bar.
This party of 2 dining room was very nice.
A main dining room, which is where we ate.
And, another cozy, smaller, and more intimate dining room.
Our celebrating party arrived on The Black Pearl. This is a designated driver service; limo. You can hire it by the hour in Ocean City, Delaware Beaches, Sussex and Kent counties. Tel. 302-569-2273.
We met at the Tap Room and then proceeded to our table. At first, our group was a little subdued. Give them time…
There were some specials….I had to be fast with the camera. My dining companions were going to dive into their dishes fast.
For an appetizer, I had the Crab & Artichoke Melt. Five cheeses, sour cream, and tasty spices, golden and bubbly. It was delicious and once it was on the table, others asked for a second order.
The bay scallops on puff pastry also were very well received.
The Soup? Well, this is Nantucket’s Signature Soup; the Quahog & Scallop Chowdah. It is so good that they can ship it anywhere in the U.S.
I was torn between the N.Y. Strip Steak and the lamb. I went with the lamb and so did others. It was delicious; juicy, medium rare…great!
Someone did order the Black Angus N.Y. Strip. 16 ounce cut from the center of the loin. No well done allowed!! It did look beautiful.
The veal scallopini was also ordered. Tasty and delicious.
Encrusted Fillet Mignon was grilled to the customer’s liking and encrusted with Nantucket’s bleu cheese herb mix. Served over a black raspberry cabernet demi-glace.
Mike ordered the Jumbo Crab Cakes – Maryland lump crabmeat with their blend of seasonings and their garlic caper remoulade. The perfect coastal dish.
When Michael ordered the Lobster Shepherds Pie, I was not sure what to expect. Well, he got two 5 ounce Canadian tails, sauteed with wild mushrooms, fresh spinach and a splash of Chardonnay.
I loved the way Susan’s dish looked. It was Pan Roasted Breast of Duckling. Pan seared and finished with wild dried cherries in a port wine sauce.
More drinks, coffee, and then time to eat the cheesecake!!
By this time, we were getting a little louder and there was nobody else around us. Hanky Panky lingerie….
And even more laughs…the cousin obliged.
Susan….did too!!!
And, her Mother decided to act her age!!
And, just as we came in…..we left again in The Black Pearl!!
Note: Thanks to Nantucket’s for taking good care of us as Shelley crossed over to the next decade!!
August 26th, 2012
It was going to be my first time visiting Catch 54 after last year’s fire, when they had to completely rebuild the restaurant. Since their opening, at the beginning of the summer, people kept telling me how cool it had turned out. Well, it has taken me until last week to stop by with friends and enjoy a night of laughter, good food, awesome views and great service.
Catch 54 is part of the family of restaurants under SoDel Concepts, http://www.sodelconcepts.com. It is, also, one of Matt Haley’s restaurants.
Catch 54 is located at 38931 Madison Ave., Fenwick Island, DE 19944. Tel. 302-436-8600. Website? http://www.catch54.com. If you are traveling on Coastal Highway, please turn west at the intersection of Rt. 54 and Coastal Highway (Rt. 1), cross over the bridge. You’ll see the restaurant on your right. Turn right, you will find plenty of parking available. Catch 54 is also located on the same spot as Shark’s Cove Marina. The restaurant opens 7 days a week at 11:30 a.m. Happy hour, from 12 until 6 p.m. They do not accept reservations. You can find Catch 54 on Facebook and Twitter.
From Rehoboth Beach, it takes about half an hour, give or take, with the summer traffic. I was rushing to get there before sunset. Catch 54 has one of the most gorgeous views at our Delaware Beaches. It sits right at Little Assawoman Bay; the salt marshes that line the bay are home of many species of waterfowl. At that time of the evening is breathtaking, serene, and peaceful.
Since I don’t like to wait at restaurants, I have started eating late during the height of the season at the Delaware Beaches. So, we decided to meet at around 7:45 p.m., thinking that people would be almost on their way out. Surprised surprise, there were people waiting. No problem, I just went around to take pictures, some sat at the bar, waiting to be called. No rush. Catch 54 has 2 floors with a bar on each one.
At the upstairs bar, there are also booths available for dining, as well.
It was a beautiful evening so the restaurant was showing off how pretty it looked at night.
Indoors is light, and modern, exhibiting the casual atmosphere of our beaches.
There are 2 decks with tables for dining al fresco.
The outdoor dining tables were going to take some time, so we decided to eat indoors. The restaurant has glass windows throughout so you have an excellent view if you are indoors.
Our server came to get us. His name was Michael. As we are walking to our table, I proceeded to tell him that one person in our party had to eat gluten free. His answer? No problem, I have had Celiac disease since I was young. I know exactly what your dietary requirements are. Worry free eating!! No questions!! I bet Catch 54 does not know what an asset he, actually is. It turned out that Michael was also a fantastic server. Very attentive and his suggestions were perfect.
It goes without saying that when I have lunch or dinner with friends….they cannot touch their food until I take pictures. A few try to dive into their entrees, but are usually stopped on their tracks. I also want them to, honestly, tell me how their dinner was.
So, here is what we ordered.
Oysters on the half shell were ordered; the saltier, the better. Chincoteague Salts came on ice and were delicious.
A friend ordered the Heirloom Tomato Salad, on toast, with herbs, grilled red onion, blue cheese, and a Dijon garlic vinaigrette. The tomatoes are still so tasty; green, red, and yellow.
I went with the Crab & Clam Cakes. I thought they sounded different. They had bacon, Parmesan, spicy mayo, micro beets and lemon. They were soooo good. It really was a good combination. Definitely, would order them again in a heart beat.
For our entrees:
A couple decided to order the Fish Camp Stew. It had fresh fin fish, shellfish, white wine, tomato butter broth, and toast. One came without the toast because of the gluten allergy. It had a well seasoned broth, very light and plenty of seafood.
Another person decided to order the Day Boat Scallops on cheese grits, sweet corn, zucchini and PBR tomato jus. She really enjoyed them, and thought they were very good; cooked to perfection.
I loved my fish. I really did. I had the Pan Roasted Whole Trout, on roasted farm beans, Crimini mushrooms, almonds, and lemon butter. The whole fish was so flavorful. I would, definitely, order it again.
Dessert:
We decided to order two desserts.
The Roasted Summer Peach Bread Pudding was served warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and caramel. Comfort dessert! Not overly sweet, either.
A Lemon Icebox Pie with Blueberries was the second dessert. Sort of like a key lime pie, except lemons were used.
The person that had to eat gluten free is hoping that Catch 54 brings back a dessert called Flourless Chocolate Torte. This dessert was so good whether you had to eat gluten free or not.
Our Delaware Beaches are full of wonderful restaurants. It really is a dining destination for many. We are so lucky!!
Note: Catch 54 also has a kid’s menu!!
Have a great week! Talk to you later….you know I will.
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