December 15th, 2010
I came to Delray Beach about 7 years ago. If I remember correctly the first restaurant I went to was City Oyster. Sitting outside is one thing the restaurants in Delray offer, when possible. Yes, dining al fresco, people watching, palm trees swaying and the train just passing by just make me enjoy my dinners even more.
I have not had dinner at City Oyster in some time; I did not have it the other day either. I came for oysters very early in the evening; a few people at the bar nobody yet sitting outside. Come to think of it, South Florida has been a bit chilly. Also, it was because the oysters and drinks were on special if you sat at the bar. Not for me, I will even pay more and sit outside. Remember that I will be going back to Delaware and sitting outdoors is a treat, at the moment.
The service was great. More so, because they let us sit down at a prime outdoor table and we were just going to have a couple of drinks and some oysters.
City Oyster is located at 213 East Atlantic Avenue, right in the middle of this trendy Village by the Sea. The tel. is 561-272-0220. Website is www.cityoysterdelray.com. City Oyster is not the only restaurant for the Big Time Restaurant Group. They also have restaurants in West Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and New York.
We ordered 2 kinds of oysters; they had a variety. Ours were nice, cold and salty.
City Oyster is mainly a seafood restaurant but they also have salads, burgers, chicken, pork chops and steaks. And, for the sushi aficionado they have a complete sushi menu; appetizers and rolls.
The oysters hit the spot and off we went….talk to you later….
December 1st, 2010
When having to travel on Rt. 50, over the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, towards Baltimore, the airport, Washington, etc., 2 restaurants I hit all the time. It seems they are the only ones I do prefer to stop and relax. Remember, that this is my own personal opinion. Yes, my blog. There are more restaurants in the area but I just like these 2 the best.
So yesterday, Tuesday, I found myself traveling that corridor and it was already about 3 p.m. Not having had lunch I don’t know if my stopping at The Narrows qualified as late lunch or super early bird. Their happy hour had not even started.
There were a few customers and the restaurant was getting ready for a wine tasting. The Narrows is located at 3023 Kent Narrows Way South, Grasoville, MD 21638. Traveling West take exit 42 and traveling East take exit 41. Tel. 410-827-8113. Website is www.thenarrowsrestaurant.com. They are on Facebook and Twitter.
The Narrows was opened in 1983 and it sits on the foundation of an old oyster shucking house.
This restaurant is casual with beautiful views of the water at this time of the day. Yesterday, it was cloudy, but still beautiful.
You can sit indoors or on their porch, which is also enclosed but with windows that are open during the summer months. If you choose the porch then you are on top of the water. I like to see the boats slide by.
I had to give Harris Crab House a rest; lately I have had the craving for crabs and steamed clams. Harris Crab House is across the highway. Having that satisfied, my next craving was the best cream of crab soup, at The Narrows. I am not kidding you it is so delicious, thick, lumps of crab meat; I don’t even want to know the calories.
I started with just a cup of the cream of crab soup; could have had a bowl. It is presented with a cruet of sherry. You practically can put your spoon in and it will stand straight up. Then cut it with the sherry. Some of us put more sherry than others. My parents were in that group. They loved this restaurant and every time they visited; this was a must stop restaurant. Alissa, our waitress, told me that one time somebody asked for a short glass with ice and proceeded to also put that sherry on the glass. So, to each its own.
I told Alissa that I had been given their cream of crab soup recipe many years ago by my mother in law and when I made it; sorry but it was not the same. Could it had been that an ingredient was left out? She then gave me a copy and it is somewhat different from the one I had. I will give it to you in a little bit. You will love it. Well, if you don’t like cream soups, then this recipe might not be the one to try.
The other appetizer ordered was the grilled buffalo quail. Perfectly grilled and seasoned.
For my entree I chose the sliders. After my soup I wanted something lighter; no kidding. Three sliders; mini crab cake, bison, and ahi tuna, served on potato rolls and frizzled onions. I have to tell you that I have never ordered sliders anywhere, but I thought this was an interesting presentation and it hit the spot. I loved the 3 combinations.
I opened them up so that you can see how good they looked.
At this time of the year the crab meat at The Narrows is coming from Louisiana, the bison, I believe, from up the road on Rt. 16 in Delaware and the oysters from the Choptank River.
The Narrows also has a gluten free menu so the catfish was ordered from that menu even though he really wanted the one from the regular menu which was peanut encrusted. Nevertheless, he said that it was very good.
I promised you the crab recipe so here it goes:
Cream of Crab Soup
1 lb. jumbo lump crab meat
1 small carrot, grated
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups half and half
2 cups heavy cream
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon chicken base (I asked what this was and it is bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
Remove any cartilage from the crab meat and set the crab aside.
In a thick pot, warm cream, half & half, sherry, chicken base and seasoning to slow simmer.
In a separate pan toast the roux (flour and butter) for a few minutes until it smells of toasted nuts (do not burn). See note below.
Add roux to cream – bring back to a simmer – wisk until smooth.
Serve garnish with the chopped parsley and please pass a cruet of sherry.
Serves 4 to 6
Note: A roux is a cooked mixture of flour and butter. It is used as a thickener for gravy, other sauces, soups and stews. Warm butter, add flour and stir until mixture is thick and starts to turn slightly brown and has that nutty smell.
Now you know why I did not want to even check the amount of calories in this soup.
The Narrows is so well known for its crab cakes and soups that they ship anywhere in the United States. Catering is also available so please give them a call.
I want to thank Alissa for taking such good care of us.
Well, it was time to keep on trucking towards Delaware. I usually take the backroads and as I was driving; not too many cars on the road, I passed this house all decorated; it reminded me that I have yet to put one Christmas decoration on my house.
Talk to you later….have a great day….
November 11th, 2010
I don’t know but now that it gets dark by 5:30 p.m. I feel lethargic. Last night I could have stayed home but I had read on the paper that there was a restaurant in Lewes called the Blue Sea Cafe. Predominantly Mediterranean food. It sounded interesting and some of the dishes mentioned were appetizing.
It was also mentioned that the Blue Sea Cafe opens for dinner. With great expectations I went to check it out, but immediately was disappointed to see that it was closed. Another couple was there, as well, looking for the same restaurant.
Across the hall from the restaurant is Jerry’s Seafood. The Blue Sea Cafe and Jerry’s Seafood have the same owners.
I could see my husband’s hesitation. I cannot blame him. Even though there were plenty of cars parked in Lewes, there was not a soul at Jerry’s. The other couple went into Jerry’s and I proceeded to check the specials on the outside board.
Apparently, the Blue Sea Cafe is open every day for breakfast and lunch but only Fridays and Saturdays for dinner at this time of the year.
Jerry’s address is 108 2nd St., #1, Lewes. Tel. 302-6445-6611. Website is www.jerry-seafood.com. They have been in Lewes for 5 years.
It was my first visit. Ray was our waiter and he was very nice and prompt. We ordered an appetizer of smoked salmon and smoked trout but told him to hold the mini bagels. You know, the gluten allergy.
I enjoyed it; plenty for 2 people to share.
I usually like to start my meal with a salad; it cleans your palate before an entree.
Jerry’s is known for “Home of the Crab Bomb”. Jumbo lump, Old Bay, Mayo and a few special ingredients make it a 10 ounce ball. It is served in a ramekin. A smaller version (6 ounces) is available, as well.
I did not have it because I was set on the evening’s special; the fried oysters.
I wanted them to hold the potatoes and give me extra vegetable slaw.
I thought the oysters were well seasoned. The breading was light. I liked the veggie slaw very much. The combination with the oysters was very nice.
I asked Ray how the crab cakes were prepared. A lot of restaurants use fillers in their crab cakes and usually that means bread. Ray told me that Jerry’s Seafood does not use any fillers.
My husband thought the crab cakes were good but I could tell that his heart had been set for the Mediterranean food.
Jerry’s Seafood has daily specials and a Raw Bar. You can check it out in the website above mentioned.
It would have been nice to see the restaurant with more people. It would have added atmosphere to the evening.
My table at Jerry’s was at street level. Two familiar faces were watching us. Cindi and Cindi. They stopped, we chatted, and off they went. Main street Lewes is Second Street and if you are in town you are bound to run into someone you know.
Talk to you later…..
November 1st, 2010
The last time I was in Florida, a couple of months ago, all I saw at restaurants was Mayport shrimp. I wanted to know a little more about it. Then I met Tina who is from Atlantic Beach and her mother was the first woman in Florida to have shrimp boats.
Well, Mayport is a historic coastal village, settled in 1562, east of Jacksonville on the St. Johns River and a few miles from Atlantic Beach, where I chose to stay. On that location is where the St. Johns River meets with the Atlantic Ocean, therefore, making getting out to the ocean and to the shrimp a total breeze.
At the time of my visit, the shrimp boats were already at rest in their berths but they are a beautiful sight to see off the coast, from my hotel room, and south along the coast.
There are 4 types of shrimp that inhabit these waters; brown, white, pink and rock shrimp.
The historic Village of Mayport is also the home of the 3rd largest naval facility in the U.S., covering 3,049 acres.
It is also a busy port for cruises. For years there has been plenty of controversy regarding the pollution these ships bring to the waters, therefore, organizations to save Mayport are very active.
Mayport used to have plenty of seafood restaurants to eat. But, now just a few remain. One of them is Singleton’s Seafood Shack located at 4728 Ocean St., tel. 904-246-4442. It has been there since 1969. Besides being able to eat there, you can also buy fresh seafood.
This past year, Guy Fieri from Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, from the Food Network visited the restaurant.
I wanted to check it out and this was actually the first place I ate upon arriving at Atlantic Beach.
From the outside it looks just like a shack. As you enter the restaurant, you will see the fresh seafood displayed, except that on that Monday they did not have much.
You can sit outside but we were not able to do so on that day either, which was too bad since it was a beautiful night with the sunset descending on the port. We ate in a screened in balcony. Casual with wooden tables and benches. We could see the shrimp boats; beautiful.
I wanted the fresh fish and decided on King Clip. I had never heard of it but it can be spelled Kingklip, as well. They call it a strange little devil and it is a cross between an eel and a silverfish. Mostly found in South African waters, Chile and Argentina; meaty cod-like texture. The best way to eat this fish was fried. Their suggestion.
Did I like it? I was not wild about it. I thought it was a bit bland. The hush puppies were amazing, though.
The other fish ordered was the Triggerfish, which is found in shallow, coastal habitats, especially at coral reefs; oval shaped and compressed body.
The choice of cooking was blackened. It also came with black beans and rice and hush puppies.
I had a taste and I thought it was good, but I think we all thought that the restaurant was just okay. We were happy to have gone but, not rushing back to it.
Looking around the other tables, the majority of patrons were eating their food fried. Once in a while is good, actually very good, but I also like to be able to experience the taste of the food.
Note: They had interesting sauces. I could not resist and bought the Colon Cleaner. I have a friend that might get a kick out of it.
Anyway, have a great Monday….chilly out there, don’t you think?
October 21st, 2010
Having lived at the Delaware Beaches for almost 30 years I have seen a lot of changes but the most have happened in the town of Bethany Beach. It was definitely a seasonal town with summer starting on Memorial week-end and ending on Labor Day.
I remember also when once my parents visited from Puerto Rico and we went to get something to eat at a small place and they wanted a beer and they were told that it was a “dry” town. What? My mother could not believe it. Where have you moved to, she asked?
But as they visited more often and as the town progressed, with more buildings and restaurants and amenities they could see that it was the perfect place to raise a family. They, actually, loved coming to Bethany.
Bethany still surprises me every time that I visit. During the summer it is packed. Twice I could not find parking this past summer. The beautification of the town is fantastic. The additions of new restaurants offering fare for everyone’s taste let visitors and residents stay in town instead of driving up and down Ocean Highway (Rt. 1).
One of the newer additions to the town is Misaki, located at the York Beach Mall in South Bethany Beach. Tel. 302-539-0500. It offers Asian Cuisine, including sushi and sashimi.
The trend in sushi restaurants, some with very innovative cuisines, has sprung from coast to coast.
During past visits to California the sushi and sashimi have been presented in such a way that you cannot help but fall in love with it.
I love the traditional rolls even though I usually order sashimi. I get excited when splashes of color are added to new dishes; mango and figs being examples of those.
I also remember the little sushi restaurant that started many years ago in Fenwick Island, Delaware, just south of Bethany Beach. All of us, residents and locals fell in love with it. From then on sushi restaurants in the Maryland and Delaware beaches have not looked back.
Last night is was raining and I decided that a trip to Misaki would be the thing to do, besides the fact that they had good specials. I had not visited this restaurant because, here in Rehoboth Beach, we have 2 great restaurants offering Asian Cuisine; The Cultured Pearl and Saketumi. I am partial to them; both different in a lot of ways and excellent. I wanted to see how Misaki would measure to the restaurants in Rehoboth.
Passing through Bethany Beach and entering South Bethany, right at the last light, on the right hand side, is the York Beach Mall and Misaki is located on that strip mall.
It is a small restaurant but can accommodate enough people comfortably. It had a good sushi bar, and usually that is where I would sit but since there were 3 of us, a booth was most appropriate for casual conversation.
The service was excellent, attentive and not intrusive. He presented the specials and let us catch up and relax.
Shelley does not eat sushi so she decided on the chicken teriyaki, which she had tried before and really liked it. She was not disappointed this time either.
I had the chef sashimi. I also ordered, the aji mackerel which was suggested. It is also called horse mackerel and the fish had both delicate and robust flavors.
I had the Miso soup which they make every day. My favorite is the one at The Cultured Pearl. I have tried it every where I go and that one is still the one.
John had a combination of roll and sushi.
I think Misaki can hold its own to the Rehoboth Beach restaurants. It is great to be able to have so many choices. People have received this restaurant with opened arms; it was packed last night.
Have a great day!! It is beautiful outside….talk to you later….
September 13th, 2010
On the day we were boating we also had to get something to eat, therefore a stop at Monty’s South Beach was the thing to do. It is located at 300 Alton Rd., Miami Beach, FL 33139. Tel. 305-673-3444. They are working on their website at the moment. No reservations.
Perfect location at the Miami Beach Marina where Monty’s has a captive audience.
Raw Bar, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Music; at lunch on Friday it was, actually pretty quiet. A few people were taking a scuba diving class. It was funny to see them just sitting there on the bottom of the pool. I could not help it so I took their picture.
The restaurant had a gorgeous view and plenty of outdoor dining.
We were hungry so we ordered a shrimp appetizer. Cooked Cajun style; they were spicy and a little messy. There was a lot of sauce which I used later to put on my salad which was topped with blackened red snapper.
A grilled chicken salad was also ordered and both salads were of a substantial size.
Scott ordered the grilled red snapper fish tacos.
We enjoyed our lunch and off we went to Stiltsville. But, on the way out the surprise was the Manatee. He was beautiful showing his scars.
Talk to you later….have a great day!!
September 3rd, 2010
Last Wednesday I had a great day. I went to visit Cuca, one of my Puerto Rican childhood friends, in Philadelphia. Spent the day. Our visits feel like years have not gone by, and believe me in reality, they have.
After getting caught in a nice traffic jam or as they would say in Puerto Rico, “tapon”, my mind kept wondering to the crab house I went at the beginning of the summer. At that time I thought they were very good.
I figured, why not, what’s another day without a home-cooked meal? There have been plenty, believe me.
The Surfing Crab, Restaurant & Bar is located on 16723 Coastal Highway, Lewes, DE 19958, just north of Lewes; and a short drive from Rehoboth Beach. The tel. is 302-644-4448. The website is http://www.thesurfingcrab.com. Hours of operation: Mondays – Thursdays from 12 – 10 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 12 – 11 p.m. and Sundays, 12 – 10 p.m.
Plenty of parking available. I called and reserved a dozen large crabs. There is nothing better than to pick a juicy, fat, hot crab on a summer night.
The traditional bar is located as you come in; to the sides there are 2 eating areas; the ever present long tables ready for crab picking.
The Surfing Crab offers blue crabs, shrimp, fish, oysters, salads and a children’s menu.
A board is posted with all the daily specials. If by any chance anyone in your group does not eat crabs or even seafood, there are a few items on the menu that would be perfect like linguini with roasted garlic tomato and fresh basil sauce, blackened chicken breast with a Cajun-rub, or you can make the salad a meal.
Sandwiches; crab cake, soft shell crab, and the ever present burger are on the menu, as well.
I have ordered their deviled eggs and are very good. It seems that deviled eggs are back on demand; they are in every restaurant.
On Wednesday I started with a salad with blue cheese dressing and it was a pretty good size one.
Finally, the crabs arrived. Oh yes, they were hot and heavy. Easy picking.
Other people came in for crabs and because the way tables in many of the crab houses are set up, you get to talk to other fellow diners. They were vacationing from Washington; staying in Lewes. So, of course, I told them about the blog and bla bla bla; out the business card came and new friends were made.
Yes, a hot summer night before the last big summer week-end of the summer season, as we know it, here at the Delaware Beaches.
Have a great week-end; the weather will get better, it always does….oh, I forgot….talk to you later…
August 27th, 2010
My goodness, it has been such a long time since I have gone to Ed’s Chicken. They have been in Dewey Beach for so many years. If you have visited Dewey Beach and have not eaten at Ed’s then you might as well go back and do so, because it really is an institution.
I have even brought my parents from Puerto Rico through the years to eat chicken and crabs there and they always looked forward to that.
Ed’s Chicken & Crabs is located at the corner of Swedes St. and Rt. 1 in Dewey Beach. Tel. 302-227-9484. It seems that they are always open. Credit cards are accepted.
When I first went to Ed’s Chicken (that’s what it was called), I loved the way they marinated the chicken. You could taste the vinegar marinade. It was delicious. Later on I would eat other things there but chicken is what I liked.
Yes, an institution or a roadstand, and in Puerto Rico they would probably call it a chinchorro. It has had several facelifts through the years; paint, fencing, and umbrellas. But what has not changed is their friendly disposition. The owners always there to take care of things.
On Thursday, I decided to go there after enjoying the bay. The man behind me was raising his eyebrows as he listened to everything I was ordering; 2 dozen steamed clams, 1 chicken dinner, 1/2 dozen crabs, and the seafood medley which had all kinds of seafood. Yes, you guessed it, I was writing a post for the blog.
Let me tell you that Ed’s is a very popular restaurant, but you never have to wait long. Five minutes, if that.
Ed’s has carry out but the best is just sitting out on the corner of the highway and eating outdoors in the casual atmosphere known here at the beaches. No liquor license but you may bring liquor in.
I have to tell you that I was a little disappointed with the chicken. It is not that it was not good, it just was not the vinegar marinade that I remembered.
The clams were very good and the seafood medley got good reviews, as well.
I thought that the crabs were o.k. but definitely I have had better ones. This has been a very good year for crabs and I was not that crazy about these ones.
It was good eating outdoors; such a beautiful evening. Every time I can do this, it makes my meal better.
Have a great week-end….
 
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