January 11th, 2012
“Lewes has always been essentially a seafaring town. Blessed with an excellent harbor, Lewes is home to a large fleet of charter fishing boats stationed on the canal along Anglers Rd. It is also the base of the Delaware Bay and River Pilots Association, whose members guide cargo vessels to and from the ports of Wilmington and Philadelphia. The University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean & Environment makes Lewes its home.” lewes chamber of commerce
At times I ask friends what they have been up to and usually the answer is Out & About. So, that’s what I just did Tuesday when I went to Lewes to visit 3 friends. What would I do without them? Don’t know. I find myself so lucky to have so many really good friends. The other day I reposted on Facebook something to the effect that “it did not matter how serious life gets, you want to count on those friends you can be stupid with”. These ladies are definitely on that level of friendship.
Lewes had taken the Christmas decorations down. New year and new expectations for all the coastal towns. The merchants were happy with the holidays; plenty of shoppers, fantastic weather, beautiful scenery. Second Street is the Main Street in Lewes; a quiet day in Lewes it was.
Our choice for lunch was Striper Bites. Lewes offers its visitors and residents many good restaurants within walking distance. Striper Bites is located at 107 Savannah Rd., almost where Savannah Rd. meets Second St. Tel. 302-645-4657. Website? www.striperbites.com. It is a most loved neighborhood restaurant with 2 other sister restaurants in Lewes; Kindle and Half Full.
Striper Bites opens year-round, full bar, plenty of seating; in the summer outdoor dining is available all the way into fall. Please note that they will be taking a well deserved rest; closing on Sunday, 1/15 until Thursday, 2/9.
Our server had to come a few times to our table. You know how it is, we were trying to out talk each other; catching up.
We had a laid back lunch. Since we are trying to watch our figure after the holidays then soup and salad is what we ordered. To tell you the truth I should probably be eating a piece of lettuce and call it a day. Anyway, this is what we had.
Jody and I decided on the Striper Bites House Salad. This salad was a mixture of fresh greens with archichoke hearts, roma tomatoes, kalamata olives, cukes, red onion rings tossed in Italian vinaigrette and topped with toasted pinenuts and crumbled bleu cheese. Jody and I decided to substitute the bleu cheese for feta cheese.
I thought the salad was very good. After some of the food I had been eating lately, it was refreshing and light. Toasted pinenuts added that extra crunch.
Our friend, Debbie D, had the same salad with the bleu cheese but she went the extra mile of topping it with grilled Rockfish. She thought it was delicious. We live on the coast and seafood is the specialty of many of our restaurants.
One friend that does not need to watch her weight is the other Debbie that was with us. Nevertheless, a hearty beef vegetable barley soup hit the spot. Nothing better than soup on a chilly day. She thought it was well seasoned and the barley and vegetables were enough for a light lunch.
I looked around and the restaurant was crowded. Good to see the people Out & About.
A few cups of coffee and tea completed what I always find a priceless time with friends.
Please note that Striper Bites opens Mondays through Saturdays from 11:30 until closing. Check the website for specials and events; they have plenty. It is closed on Sundays and….No reservations.
October 17th, 2011
I thought it would be hard to go and review an eatery that is owned by friends. You know how it is, you are a little apprehensive. You never know how service/food are going to be on a specific day. Except at Casapulla’s the service and the food have been consistent through the years. They have plenty of experience. In business since 1956.
Luigi Cassapulla was the Italian immigrant and patriarch of this family. His story so interesting; vision, hard work, supportive wife and plenty of kids.
Luigi was Paula’s grandfather. Paula and her husband, Mike, opened in Sussex County in 1984. But, they have been at Lighthouse Plaza on Rt. 1 in Rehoboth Beach since 1997. The tel. is 302-227-7827, or, if it is easier for you to remember then, 227-subs. Website? www.casapullassouth.com.
I was thinking that subs are so versatile. They travel well; perfect for gatherings and at this time of the year; Monday Night Football.
So, I found out that subs originated in Italian American communities in the northeast; around the late 19th to mid 20th century. In the U.S. the common denominator is the bread. In all types, it is an oblong bread roll as opposed to sliced bread.
In Europe this type of sandwich is served on a baguette or a ciabatta.
Some say that the sub or submarine originated in Groton, Connecticut, where there is the largest United States Submarine factory. The sandwich was commonly eaten by workers in the naval yard.
So many terms for this sandwich, depending where you are from. For example, the term hoagie came from Philadelphia. Hog Island was a shipyard where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort. It has been said that the Italians working there during WWI introduced the sandwich. At the time it was made out of a variety of meats, cheeses and lettuce between the bread. It became known as the “Hog Island”, the “Hoagie”.
All in all, subs, submarines, hoagies and other similar ones can now be found worldwide.
I came into Casapulla’s and I found a well lit place, super clean. Ordering is done on one side of the counter with plenty of boards showing what they have to offer.
I met Tiffany. I don’t know why but I always ask…if you are here eating for the first time what would you order? She knew her menu well. She mentioned the Italian, and one of her favorites, the Chicken Cheesesteak (with fried onions), and I wanted to also try the Turkey Stuffer.
So, I had all 3. The Italian with everything on it; the works. The chicken cheesesteak was a 6 inch but the other 2 were 10 inches each.
While I was waiting for my subs to be ready I checked the store even more. You can buy deli meats (Boar’s Head) by the pound. Available are a wide assortment of chips. And, they also had pastas, sauces, and pizzelles, as well.
There is a freezer in case you just don’ t feel like cooking. It has sausage and peppers and other goodies all homemade. Some of those pastas and sauces could certainly be a great addition to the prepared food. Easy or lazy cooking, whatever you want to call it.
There was a new item on the menu this summer. It is an Italian salad which has all the ingredients of the Italian sub, except the bread.
Their menu is extensive. You can check it out on the above mentioned website. They have party platters. They also deliver lunch to your office from Monday through Saturday. For the Georgetown and Millsboro area, please call them between 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. For Lewes and Rehoboth call between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Please remember that delivery charges are applicable. Again, their number is 302-227-subs.
Now to my tasting in the privacy of my own home. I would not have dared to sit at Casapulla’s with 3 subs. I could have encountered a friend or someone else that might have thought I was going nuts.
Sub #1 – The Turkey Stuffer – Juicy store-cooked turkey breast with creamy mayo, savory stuffing and whole berry cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving year-round.
I thought it was delicious. Who would not like this one? The combination of the cranberry, the turkey and the stuffing was perfect. I must tell you that I loved the size of their sub roll. It was not overpowering at all. You were able to take a full bite of the sub and experience everything there without spilling all over the place.
I had to open it so that you could see it better inside.
Sub #2 – The Italian – I like an Italian sub all the time. It is one of my favorites. Again, it was a good true Italian sub with all the trimmings. Genoa salami, capicola, pepered ham and provolone.
Sub #3 – Chicken Cheesesteak – Warm, cheese melting, fried onions. What can I say? Thanks Tiffany. It was definitely good.
Paula, Mike, their kids, and their entire staff are friendly….the staff saw me taking pictures and graciously smiled…probably wondering what the heck is she doing.
I almost forgot to tell you. You do believe me that I did not eat all that food. I was frantically calling my neighbors to pass on to them the other halves. Nobody was home until later. I did find takers; Bill and Sharon.
Talk to you later….if you are driving out of town….have them prepare some subs to go…easy.
P.S. Some of the information for this post was taken from Wikipedia.
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