Reader mail

Finally got some answers on these queries from last week. Got a dining question? You ask, we answer.


QUESTION: Hi. It's that time of year, again, and I was wondering where to go for soft shelled crabs within a half hour drive of Wilmington. Atmosphere is not an issue, just soft shells correctly prepared with not too much oil or breading. Thanks.

ANSWER: Try Feby's Fishery, 3701 Lancaster Pike(Del. Route 48), Wilmington; 998-9501. I called the restaurant and the person I spoke with said Feby's just got a shipment of soft-shells in. (There's a seafood market attached to the restaurant.) Feby's usually deep-fries or sautes softshells - but the kitchen will prepare the dish anyway you'd like.

QUESTION: Hi, Patricia! I am fairly new to the area and also fairly new to your newspapers, but I really enjoyed the question/answer samplings in the paper today. It inspired me to write to you, as I've been frustrating myself trying to find a great romantic restaurant to take my husband to for his birthday on June 30th. We're partial to steaks and Italian food for nice evenings out (we're both rather picky eaters in our own way and these have been our compromises. I don't eat seafood at all, so that's out!). We've been to Moro several times and LOVED it. I'm hoping to zero in on the Newark or Wilmington areas as we have to drop off/pick up our son at a party and only have a four hour time span with which to eat. Looking forward to
hearing your suggestions. Thanks! Elizabeth, Landenberg, Pa.

ANSWER: Hi Elizabeth. Normally, I'd hand this question over to Eric Ruth, our fine-dining critic. But he's out of the office. (Is everyone but me on vacation?) Not sure of your price point. But here are few suggestions. OK, when it comes to steaks in the Wilmington area, there's always Walter's Steakhouse on Union Street in the Little Italy neighborhood. It's an old-fashioned style steakhouse, some may say too old-fashioned, but definitely an old school steak joint. Sullivan's Restaurant is a chain eatery on Concord Pike, but some beef lovers swear by it. When it comes to Italian, Eric Ruth recently reviewed the new Pomodoro Italian restaurant on Union Street (across from Walter's.) Some people love the tiny and quirky Pastabilities restaurant (on Lincoln Street in Little Italy,) while others aren't fans of the small space. (You walk through the kitchen where owner Luigi Vitrone is cooking.) If you like Moro, you'll probably also like Restaurant 821 on Market Street in downtown Wilmington.