It is going to be raining all week in Sussex County but a bright spot will be Bon Appetit, 312 Height St., Seaford, DE. Please don’t think I am not driving to Seaford. From Rehoboth Beach is about 45 minutes. But it beats sitting in beach traffic. And, plus you will get an amazing dinner.
T Cooper who was raised in Seaford introduced me to this restaurant. I have been dying to go back and last night we took off leaving behind the beaches for a drive across farmlands until reaching High Street.
The parking lot was full. First Day of Summer felt like Fall. The restaurant was crowded.
Their Motto is “Be our Guest and Eat well.” As you come into the restaurant you feel like being a guest in someone’s home. The photographs, the roses filling a vase and a single rose on each table. And tablecloth draped tables. Those details were not missed by me.
We spoke to Karen, the owner. Chino, her husband was in the kitchen working his magic. A few drinks to start.
The menu changes often but there are some dishes that are always offered because they are so good.
Let’s talk about Butter. Look how beautiful the butter on the table looks. It is one of those details that you can appreciate.
And by the way the French baguettes were warm. Just so you know.?
A traditional Onion Soup always on the menu. TC’s starter. It hit the spot on a rainy night.
I was debating because a few appetizers caught my attention. The Country Pate won. It was perfect. Thinking out loud how pate, French bread and a glass of wine is the best.
One of those dishes I mentioned that are always on the menu is their duck. On this night it was served with a pineapple sauce. TC will have a good lunch today as he enjoys his take home leftovers.
Debating between the rockfish and softshell crabs, our server without hesitation said sofshells. Our server was awesome ; knowing her menu well and maneuvering a restaurant full of diners with ease.
Softshells are my favorites and the first of the season. Very lightly breaded, perfectly seasoned, and pan fried. The best. So sweet. I took my time eating them because I did not want them to end.
Dessert? The Chocolate Mousse won me over but they have more than afew homemade desserts. It was smooth and not overly sweet. That’s how it should be.
I almost forgot to mention another detail. Ever since they opened the restaurant many years ago, every dish is accompanied by a vegetable mousse. It was a detail noticed on my first visit and once again noticed last night.
What can I say to finish my post? “Happiness Is Great Food and Great Company. “ The perfect recipe.
AboutMyBeaches is on Facebook and Instagram. Bon Appetit is on Facebook.
Please note that they will be closing on 7/2 until 7/17. Reopening on 7/18. For reservations please call 302-629-3700.
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For many years Bethany Beach has been known as one of the quiet resorts. For many of us that have been in the area for many years and have seen it grow, there is nothing quiet anymore. It is vibrant and it is full of life. All you have to do is come visit at different times of the year to see how this small town has grown so much. People come to these beach towns because it is a way of getting out of the cities. The Delaware Beaches are so popular now, not only to vacation but to live here and establish new businesses.
The Starboard Center is located at 32892 Coastal Highway, Bethany Beach, DE 19930. There are 6 business offices located in this very centrally and accessible location. One of the offices, Suite 3, is 460 square feet. It looks pretty nice and it is ready for rent. The other office is 725 square feet and will be ready in a few weeks. CAM charges are very reasonable, plenty of parking too.
For more information, please contact Joe Maggio Realty at 302-539-5500.
What perfect way to start in a new office for the New Year.
Make that call to Joe Maggio Realty at 302-539-5500, and see for yourself.
Happy Thanksgiving.
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Meatless Monday is a trend. In reality you can do this any day of the week. One day or more than one. But it is catchy to say “Meatless Monday”. Leaving the meat behind and for one day enjoy the many dishes that usually revolve around meats.
I have roots in Baltimore. My husband was from Baltimore. My sister in law lives there. I worked in Baltimore for years before moving to the Delaware Beaches. Way before I started this blog too. Baltimore is a city of many firsts. Museums, churches, hospitals, neighborhoods. Many times it gets bad reviews but I really enjoyed my time there.
Private Collections: A Culinary Treasure is a cookbook that contains timeless recipes put out by the Women’s Committee of the Walters Art Gallery, a one of a kind museum located in Baltimore. Beautiful art treasures are displayed in its pages, along with amazing recipes from soups to nuts.
I have posted this recipe before, but just in case you missed it, here it is again. It is a different type of onion soup but the combination of ingredients makes it a winner.
ONION SOUP CHABLIS
1 lb. white onions, sliced very thin
1/4 lb. butter
2 cups chicken broth (your choice of unsalted or salted, or even a mixture of both)
1 cup Chablis
1 tsp. salt
pepper
2 cups medium cream (half and half will do too)
Swiss cheese, freshly grated
In a large soup pot saute the onions in butter until soft and transparent but not brown. Add chicken broth and simmer until the mixture is reduced somewhat. To tell you the truth, I skipped that step.
Add the Chablis, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for about 2 minutes.
Stir in cream, heat, not boil, and serve.
Garnish with plenty of cheese. The marriage of flavors is awesome!! You’ll see. Enjoy!
Serves 6.
Remember that with any recipe you can always make it your own.
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In June of 2013 I got curious about the 2 lighthouses located between Lewes, Delaware and Cape May, New Jersey. Writing a blog about the Delaware Beaches and beyond gives me so much information. Information that I can pass on to you. The Delaware Beaches are year round resorts and there is plenty to do if you choose to do so, or nothing at all if you just want to relax. I went on a tour this summer with the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation. This organization is dedicated to the preservation of the Harbor of Refuge Lighthouse. When I first visited you could not step out off the boat and go inside the lighthouse. We actually then went inside the East End Lightouse. More about that one in another post. Since then there has been a lot of restoration to the Harbor of Refuge, and this summer they opened it for tours.
The Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation can be contacted by calling 302-644-7046. The website is http://www.delawarebaylights.org/
My friend, Sharon, who is a true local, and very proud of it, had never visited the lighthouses but always wanted to. We arrived at the Cape-May Lewes Ferry Terminal in Lewes. That’s is where we would be picked up. Arriving a little early we decided to have something to eat at the outdoor bar/restaurant called On the Rocks. Best view and great burgers, as well.
Finally, the boat arrived and Sharon and I were ready.
The Cape-May Lewes Ferry was just coming in but our main goal was to get to the historic and iconic Harbor of Refuge.
It was one of those beautiful days in Delmarva and Cape Henlopen looked awesome.
The keeper of this lonely offshore lighthouse. It was hard work. Storms were relentless and waves would reach all the way up the lighthouse. We first passed the East End Lighthouse. But, we had to continue to our destination.
The Delaware Breakwater along with the lighthouses are engineer marvels of the 19th century. They were the first strucures of the kind built in the Western Hemisphere. In 1976, the Delaware Breakwater, the East End Lighthouse and the Harbor of Refuge Light Station were inducted into the National Register of Historic Places as the Nation’s first offshore Historic District.
The imposing Harbor of Refuge was in front of us. We got off the boat and climbed the stairs to the different levels where the Keeper lived. Docents are able to give you all the information you need. The most important thing is the feeling you get of what would be like to “walk in the steps of the Lightkeeper”.
The Harbor of Refuge’s dock has been restored. So much work in raising funds to maintain this historic lighthouse. The dock has been dedicated to Red Moulinier, President of the Delaware River & Bay Lighthouse Foundation for his time and efforts. The lighthouse still has more renovations on the way along with maintenance. It has been painted and it looks beautiful.
From the top of the lighthouse the views are unbelievable as you can imagine. At times, dolphins and mantas pass by.
By visiting the website above mentioned you will be able to see what tours they will have next year. Also check the sunset tours. You will not go inside the lighthouses but will circle around them for those Kodak moments. Tours book quickly and, of course, it also depends on the weather. This weekend they have tours on Saturday, but they are already sold out. For more info. you may call Red at 302-226-3866. There is also a button on the website for donations. Every little bit helps.
If you would like to see my other posts on these lighthouses, with photos, please visit my website at http://www.aboutmybeaches.com.
Have a great time this weekend. The beginning of Fall!!
By the way, lots of locals on this tour. We had fun!!
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The Rehoboth Beach Museum is located at 511 Rehoboth Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Right by the roundabout and the Chamber of Commerce. It is a small museum full of the history of Rehoboth Beach. I always tell my guests that it is worth going because it tells you how this much loved town was and where it is going. Throughout the year there are events and exhibits.
Step Back in Time when the members and friends of the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society are invited to revisit Rehoboth Beach in the 1950s and 1960s by attending a Sock Hop on Saturday, September 29th from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Rehoboth Beach Museum.
If you are too young to know what this is, local teens once delighted in the summertime Wednesday night “boardwalk dances” held at the foot of Rehoboth Ave., and the colder -weather “sock hops” held in the high school cafeteria. Year round, Snyder’s soda fountain shop on the Avenue was the place to be. As a local hang out for several generations, cherry and vanilla cokes and the house specialty “Bon Bons” are unforgettable sweet treats synonymous with Snyder’s.
Participants are encouraged to wear their dancing shoes (or go boardwalk barefoot style) and dance to oldie selections spun by a local DJ. Requests will be taken. Acceptance is limited. There is no admission fee, but donations will be accepted and appreciated. Please call the Museum at 302-227-7310 to reserve your spot.
Have a great time….This is the Second Season in Rehoboth Beach and not to be missed!!
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When we share a meal with friends, it is so much more than food (really?)…and, when we share it with girlfriends, and for purposes of this post, like the Swirl Girls, then it is really priceless. Some of us have known each other for years while others, are getting to know each other very fast. Here we were trying to figure out which table would be the best one. Right after Memorial week-end we had the place to ourselves since we arrived early. We did not want a big table. We like to be cozy in order to get that conversation going. The group had just gone to watch the Book Club, if you get my drift.
The majority of us had not yet dined at Our Harvest. This restaurant located at 1106 Coastal Hwy., Fenwick Island, DE 19944, opened last year. Every day, at 5:00 p.m., you can come in and experience a way of eating that has become so popular in the U. S. Telephone is 302-581-0377. No reservations are accepted. The website is http://www.ourharvestde.com.
As the season progresses please have in mind when you would like to eat. You have to have a plan because it gets crowded at the Delaware Beaches. If you arrive and there is a wait, you could have cocktails, relaxing in their bar or in any of the very comfortable leather sofas.
There is an open concept kitchen. You really can see how the kitchen is running. I have to tell you that I probably should have come to try Our Harvest last year. I love their sister restaurant, Liquid Assets, in Ocean City, MD, and I did not want to like this one more. Guess what? They are completely different.
The menu was presented and our server knew the menu well. She explained the concept of eating small plates and shareables. At that moment all we wanted was some wine. Having watched the Book Club, wine was very much consumed by the characters. It was time to relax. The wine that you see at the table was from South Africa. A full bodied Merlot called Immortal Hero.
At first you are a bit overwhelmed because you, actually, do not know how much to order for the table. And, we all have our likes and dislikes. We managed to do a good job and we were all very pleased with how the evening was progressing. Could not believe Jane Fonda looks that good at 81… I know, I know.
We all decided to have a small plate to start our dining experience. Every time I see the offering of a Grilled Caesar Salad, I order it. Years ago I had it at a restaurant in Hagerstown, Maryland. Since then, a few have gotten close at how good that one tasted so I wanted to see how this one would be, more so because it had Boquerones which are white anchovies. They are very mild and usually they are marinated in vinegar. It gives the salad a kick. I will have to say that this Caesar was excellent.
Others ordered the Salt Roasted Beets & Two Cheeses. Served on a wooden plank it had whipped ricotta, Stracciatella, local greens, black pepper and beet vinaigrette. Stracciatella cheese is produced from Italian buffalo milk in the southern Italian region of Apulia. They use a stretching and shredding technique. This particular small plate could have been shared by two people.
We ordered the Spring Harvest Flatbread. A crispy crust filled with local peas, ramps, morel mushrooms, local asparagus, ricotta, gruyere mornay, green garlic pesto and crispy capers. Ramps are a special type of wild onion, found in eastern Canada and U.S. And a Gruyere mornay is a bechamel sauce that has Gruyere cheese added to it. It was delicious but to tell you the truth we probably ordered too much. Not that we did not eat it, by the way.
“Friendship is a delicious meal to be shared off one large plate.” So, we decided to order our large plates. This particular dish I truly loved. It was called the Vegan Feast. It was a whole wood fire roasted head of cauliflower, benne cashew crumb, and a lemon garlic vegan aioli. At first we thought it was cheese but it was the benne cashew crumb. Cashews are lower in fat than other nuts. You can find online a lot of recipes for this vegan seed.
A very popular dish at Our Harvest is a whole Amish air chilled chicken…Arnold Palmer brine, (sweet tea and lemonade brine chicken, I believe), wood fired with lemon and rosemary. Liquid Assets has an amazing chicken, as well. Both chickens are completely different and delicious in more ways than one. We ordered TWO.
Needless to say, no need for dessert. We decided that definitely we would be back. Thanks to our server and also to the hostess that so graciously explained to me how the restaurant worked.
And so I end my post with this quote from John Lanchester….”Hospitality is central to the restaurant business, yet it’s a hard idea to define precisely. Most, it involves being nice to people and making them feel welcome. You notice it when it’s there, and you particularly notice it when it isn’t. A single significant lapse in this area can be your dominant impression of an entire meal.”
Until next time….
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It is that time of the year when our beaches get a well deserved rest…..hahaha….I don’t think so. That happened so long ago, I do not even remember. If anything, every week there is something to do besides a walk on the Boardwalk, chilling out, reading, listening to live music…..so What’s Going On?
Thursday, 10/6 – WALKING TOUR OF REHOBOTH BEACH – Starting at 9 a.m. at the Bandstand. This tour is sponsored by the Rehoboth Beach Historical Society. $10 and reservations are required by calling 302-227-7310. More info? Please visit http://www.rehobothbeachmuseum.org.
Thursday, 10/6 through Sunday, 10/9 – GREYHOUNDS REACH THE BEACH – You will see hundreds of Greyhounds coming to the beach for this annual, very well attended event. And if it does rain, they don’t care. They still will have their raincoats on!! You will see them in Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach. Wine and Biscuit Preview Party on Wednesday evening, Ice Cream Social, and Greyhounds in Art show. More info? Please visit http:/ww.grtb.org
REHOBOTH BEACH FILM SOCIETY PRESENTS:
Wednesday, 10/5 and Thursday, 10/6 – THE BEATLES: EIGHT DAYS A WEEK. This is a new documentary by Ron Howard. Remember him? Happy Days! The touring years is based on the first part of The Beatles’ career (1962-1966). It is the period in which they toured and captured the world’s acclaim. Ron Howard’s film explores how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr came together to become this extraordinary phenomenon “The Beatles”. Screening times are at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the Cinema Art Theater starting 30 minutes before each screening. Admission is $8 for RBFS members and $10 for future members. Location? 17701 Dartmouth Driive in Dartmouth Plaza, behind the Lewes Wawa in Lewes.
Wednesday, 10/5 and Thursday 10/6 – THE HOLLARS. This is a comedy about family interaction which will make you laugh. The Director, John Krasinski, takes a poignant look at the bonds of family and friendship. The screening will take place at 7 p.m. and tickets can be purchased at the Cinema Art Theater starting 30 minutes prior to the screening. $8 for RBFS members and $10 for future members. Location? 17701 Dartmouth Drive in Dartmouth Plaza, behind the Lewes Wawa.
The mission of the Rehoboth Beach Film Society is to promote cinematic arts and to provide education and cultural enrichment for our community. For more info. on these and other events, please visit http://www.rehobothfilm.com
Friday, Saturday, Sunday, October 7, 8, 9 – FALL SIDEWALK SALE – In Rehoboth Beach and Dewey Beach….9 a.m. until 10 p.m. Get ready for some bargain shopping as the stores bring everything outside so you can get the best deals ever!! More info? Please visit http://www.beach-fun.com.
Friday, Saturday, October 7 and 8 – BUDDY FEST WEEKEND – An annual event at the beach! Raising awareness of people with Down Syndrome. Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. Buddy Up Party at the Lions Club Community Center in Dewey Beach. A 1-mile walk kicks off Saturday’s events on the Rehoboth Beach Boardwalk at 9 a.m. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Bandstand. After the walk please stay and enjoy live entertainment by Mario Rocco. More info? please visit http://www.boardwalkbuddywalk.com.
Saturday, 10/8 – DEWEY GOES PINK! In conjunction with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, The Starboard in Dewey Beach, Delaware paints the town PINK!
This is the 6th annual Dewey Goes Pink event. Race registration opens on Friday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The race will begin at 11:30 a.m. Proceeds will go to the Delaware Breast Cancer Coalition, now surpassing $225,000 in the first 5 years. It is a 5k race or a 1.5 mile walk. Steve “Monty” Montgomery and Adam Howard started this tradition in memory of their moms. For more info., please visit http://www.deweygoespink.com.
Saturday, 10/8 – SODEL FEST – Celebrating Wine, Food, & Music on Delmarva….Hosted by SoDel Concepts. Location? Independence Clubhouse at 237 Samuel Adams Circle in Milllsboro (closer to Rehoboth and Lewes). It is a benefit for Children & Familes First, Food Bank of Delaware and the Rotary’s End Polio Now….Noon until 4 p.m. More info and to purchase tickets, please visit http://www.sodelfest.com.
Saturday, 10/8 – RUDDER ANNIVERSARY PARTY WITH THE HUBCAPS/THE FUNSTERS/LOVE SEED MAMA JUMP/GREEN MEANS GO. More info? Please call 302-227-3888 or visit http://www.deweybeachlife.com
Through Sunday, 10/9 – CLEAR SPACE THEATRE PRESENTS: HOW I LEARNED TO DRIVE – “A wildly funny, surprising and devastating tale of survival as seen through the lens of a troubling relationship between a young girl and an older man. It is the story of a woman who learns the rules of the road and life from behind the wheel. Winner of the 1998 Pulitzer Prize. Contains mature content. For more info. and tickets, please visit http://www.clearspacetheatre.org.
Clear Space Theatre is located at 20 Baltimore Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Tel. 302-227-2270.
Friday, 10/28 – 10/30 – SEA WITCH FESTIVAL 2016 – For all activities and information for this amazing festival, please visit http://www.beach-fun.com.
Wednesday, 11/2 – GIRLS NIGHT OUT – A benefit and fundraising event for Cancer Support Community Delaware. Location? Atlantic Sands Hotel. You will Shop, Share and Make an Impact!! Cancer Support Community Delaware is located at 18947 John J. Williams Highway, Suite 312 in Rehoboth Beach. All services are free of charge. More info? Please visit http://www.cancersupportdelaware.org.
Friday, 11/4 through March 12, 2017 – WINNING PHOTOS OF 2016 DELAWARE BEACH LIFE PHOTO CONTEST – An exhibit that will open On Friday, 11/4. The photograph above is from Joann Kingsly. This small, but mighty exhibit of award-winning photographs were chosen from among more than 200 entries. The images capture the many forms of life on Coastal Delaware. Location? The Rehoboth Beach Museum, located at 511 Rehoboth Ave., in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. For more info. please call 302-227-7310 or visit http://www.rehobothbeachmuseum.org.
Sunday, 12/4 – SANTA FUN RUN – At The Starboard in Dewey Beach. Plenty of notice to sign up!! This is a non-competitive 1 mile run/walk. Noon until 4 p.m. More info? Please visit Events at http://www.cffde.org
KEEPING OUR FINGERS CROSSED – No bad weather, Please!!
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It is the perfect time of the year to try one of Rehoboth Beach’s restaurants that opened this year. The summer crowds are gone. Locals come out and not having to pay for parking is a blessing.
So nice to get together with Debbie and Jody….birthday girl was Debbie. Arriving early at Blackwall Hitch located at 52 Rehoboth Avenue in Downtown Rehoboth Beach. Tel. 302-226-0550. Website? http://www.theblackwallhitch.com/rehoboth
Blackwall Hitch looks amazing inside. Plenty of tables, comfortable enough that you are not on top of each other. It is so well appointed, very chic indeed.
The expansive bar is on the other side. From Wednesdays through Sunday live music begins at 9:30 p.m. until 12:30 p.m. For more info. on who is playing, please visit http://www.theblackwallhitch.com/rehoboth/live-music
Starting with The Blackwall Salad of mixed field greens, grape tomatoes, cukes, red onion and carrots, tossed with their signature house vinaigrette. A simple salad with flavor and big enough to share. I could have had a different starter but after eating my way through Portland, it was best to keep it low cal, if you get my drift.
The Chicken Lemongrass Soup was loved by Debbie and Jody…roasted chicken, lemongrass, celery and onions topped with a fried veggie dumpling.
People are talking about their Fish Tacos and our taco connoisseur, Jody, was the one to try them. She said they were amazing, full of flavor. Blackened Cajun Mahi-Mahi served in soft taco shells with spicy slaw, roasted corn salsa, avocado, feta cheese, pico de gallo and avocado sour cream, served with a side of herb pearled couscous.
My Striped Bass was delicious, as well. It was pan seared served with a chayote squash salad and lime butter sauce.
Debbie’s Salmon Kale Salad was colorful…Grilled Atlantic Salmon, basil oil and kale salad with roasted red beets, mango, and candied walnuts tossed in their poppyseed lemon vinaigrette.
No dessert was necessary even though there was plenty of temptation like Sminth Island Cake, Chilled Key Lime Panna Cotta, Monkey Bread, Chocolate Flourless Torte, Pineapple Upside Down Skillet Cake, Chocolate Truffles and more. But we were so good. Only coffee and tea, please.
Our server was attentive, more than attentive if I should say so. It is feast or famine, some don’t care and others care too much.
Wednesday, October 5th Blackwall Hitch Presents – Inside The Glass. This is their inaugural event of Dinner Series. These dinners will take place the first Wednesday of the month and will feature a specially crafted chef’s dinner. Multi-course dinners will be paired with drinks. 4 p.m. until 10 p.m. Reservations are recommended. This first dinner will feature a 4-course craft beer dinner menu. Please check their Facebook Page for more information.
Blackwall Hitch offers other menus as well: Gluten Free Menu, Kids Menu, Happy Hour Menu, Late Night Menu…just check their website above mentioned and click Menu.
So what can I say about our dining experience? We loved the atmosphere, and the food was very good. I had been told that it was pricey, but we found that it was a la par to all other restaurants in Rehoboth Beach at that level.
Dinner is even better when we eat together, catching up is always priceless with Jody and Debbie.
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