"Lost" at Presto!

I'm not a fan of the ABC series "Lost." I came to the program much too late and could never play "catch up" with all the plot twists.

Still, today at lunch I saw something that "Lost" fans would love. When you order sandwiches at the counter at Presto! Coffeehouse, 1204 Washington St. in Wilmington, the staff gives you a laminated color photograph of one of the "Lost" castaways to put on your table. They match your order with the character. Kind of funny.

Of course, it really makes it even funnier if you're a fan of the show. At first, we didn't get the "Lost" connection. We thought the photo of actor Michael Emerson, who plays the character Ben, was actually one of the Presto employees.

Hoagies

Last month, Second Helpings reader Andy Miller suggested I check out Gaudiello's Italian Hoagies and Steaks located in the back of Trolley Square Shopping Center in Wilmington near the Chinese take out restaurant.

I got a small Italian hoagie ($6.25) with the works - pickles, hot and sweet peppers, etc. I thought I was only going to eat half, but I couldn't stop eating. (Yeah, there goes my healthy eating for the day. But, I ate it with a diet soda. Does that make it all better?)

Really good sandwich. The meat is sliced fresh and had thinly sliced proscuitto. I'd go back again. Maybe next time I'll get a Nigerian hoagie -it's made with roast beef and turkey.

Give it a try.

Food for thought

Today, we featured a couple of dip recipes for this weekend's upcoming Super Bowl party.

And today's New York Times has a story about the chips, dips and "douple-dipping."

On second thought, maybe you DON'T want to read the Times story.

Another closing

The Corner Market in downtown Wilmington is not reopening according to an answering machine message. (I left a message to get more details, but no one has called me back.)

The market at 901 King St. was opened in March 2004 by former Restaurant 821 owner/chef Tobias Lawry. It had a lot of promise. Read the then press release from the City of Wilmington which was brimming with excitement.

(Now, Monday morning quarterbacks, try not to laugh when you get to the part about the Corner Market being "the most recent addition to the continuing downtown renaissance.")

Lawry departed Delaware in Dec. 2004 and moved to Laguna Beach, Calif. At the time, Lawry said he was keeping some interest in the market, but was leaving the daily operations to two partners. Not sure if he was still involved in anyway.

Lawry is now, apparently, out of the restaurant industry. Last time I checked (May 2007), he was selling commercial real estate.

Let them eat cake at Mrs. Robino's

Andrea Wakefield of Mrs. Robino's says the restaurant in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood has passed all inspections and we will be open for business on Tuesday.

It has been closed for more than a week after a Jan. 18 kitchen fire.

The Union Street restaurant will offer free cheesecake or cannoli to any customer who can show staffers their picture on our "How long have you been eating at Mrs. Robino's?" wall

(To the right, is a photo of the wall at Mrs. Robino's, which displays Polaroids of customers and the number of years they have been coming there to eat.)

This past Saturday night, one of the most happening restaurants in Delaware had to be in - wait for it, wait for it - Milton.

Seriously. I went to Kindle restaurant and the joint was jumping. It's a beautiful, two-floor, votive-lighted restaurant in Paynter's Mill off Del. 1, just north of Lewes. Cuisine is new American. Next door is a wine/cheese shop.

People were waiting for tables at the bar and around the fire pit in the lounge. If it wasn't so cold outside, you would have thought it was a summer night at the height of the season.

Eric Ruth picked the black and white pizza ($12) as one of his favorite dishes of 2007 and I can see why. The crust was thin and brittle and it was topped with roasted Garlic Sauce, Black Truffle Ricotta, Asiago, Fresh Mozzarella, White Truffle Oil. I also got the mussels ($10) steamed in a butter chardonnay, shallot and garlic broth. Absolutely delicious.

My companion had the Roasted Tomato Sage Soup served with a Mini Grilled Cheese ($8) and
the Steak “Sandwich” ($19), a beautifully grilled N.Y. Strip served open-face on Sourdough Toast, along with Caramelized Onions, Point Reyes Blue Cheese and French Fries.

Mrs. Robino's update

I checked in today with Andrea Wakefield of Mrs. Robino's about plans for when the Italian restaurant may reopen after last week's fire.

She says workers at the Union Street eatery are "working hard to possibly open Monday or Tuesday, if all goes well with the various inspectors. "

"We can't wait to dish out spaghetti again! " Wakefield says.

Reader mail

Happy Friday.

Hope you have fun food plans this weekend. I recently had dinner at Fork, a cozy bistro in Philadelphia. Had a great winter cocktail - hot apple cider with apple jack brandy - and a comfort foods meal of roasted beet salad and roasted free range chicken. Good stuff. My pal, however, wasn't so pleased with the lamb shank. We were expecting a long, slow, fall off the bones braised piece of meat, but the one that came to the table was kind of fatty and tough. Not so good.

Wow - parking in Philly's Old City neighborhood is out of sight. We couldn't find street parking so, running late for our reservation, we bit the bullet and opted for the valet. Yowsa, $17 to park! (Turned out to be more like $20 after the tip and all.) Don't knock dining out in Delaware - at least you (rarely) have to pay for parking.

Check out today's story on Black Labs Bread. We checked back on owner Barry Ciarrocchi since he took over the old DiFonzo's Bakery in Wilmington's Little Italy. I really admire his dedication to putting out the best products he can.

Now, onto to the mailbag. Readers want to know what restaurants do with their their old wine glasses and the recipe for Better Cheddar is once again requested.

Keep the queries coming. You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

Hi Patricia,

Asking you this might be a long shot, but I'm wondering what Chez La Mer might be doing with their beautiful engraved wineglasses once they become the Porcini House? I'm wondering what other restaurants that close do with that sort of personalized/branded thing as well. A friend and I dined there at least once per year and I'd love to be able to present her with one or more of the glasses as a gift. I tried to find info on their website, but it's now under construction for the new name, so had no luck. Any info you could provide or a direction you could point me in would be appreciated.
Cheers! Jacquelyn

Hey Jacquelyn, that's a really interesting question. I just talked with Jay Caputo, chef/owner of Espuma restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. Jay bought Chez La Mer last summer and is currently renovating the Rehoboth restaurant. He plans to reopen it April 1 as The Porcini House. Jay said to give him a call at Espuma, 227-4199, and he can help you out.

I may be wrong but I thought I remember seeing the recipe for Better Cheddar as made at the Back Burner in The News-Journal years ago. Would you check your files and let me know if you have it? I’m guessing it has bacon bits and green onions along with white cheddar cheese but there must be something else-mustard perhaps? Thanks so much! Maria

Hi, Maria. The Better Cheddar request came up recently - click on the reader mail label at the bottom and see the Jan. 4 entry and also the comments on the Dec. 28 post. News Journal columnist Nancy Coale Zippe also ran a few recipes recently. Here they are again.

Ellen London e-mailed The News Journal, wondering if we had the Better Cheddar recipe from the Back Burner To Go in Hockessin. Sue Franck of Hockessin had sent one that comes close.

CHEDDAR WALNUT SPREAD
2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
1 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/3 cup finely chopped scallions, white portion
2 tablespoons dry white wine
1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional
1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
Combine the cheese, nuts, scallions, wine and caraway seeds (if using) and mix well. Stir in the butter to make a spreadable mixture. Chill, covered, and bring to room temperature before serving. Nice served on rye rounds. Makes about 3 cups.

JACKIE'S BETTER CHEDDAR

Joanne Wright says her sister Jackie has worked on replicating Better Cheddar for a long time and this recipe is "delicious!" Wright notes that while Jackie "isn't one for using exact measurements, this is close" to the Back Burner to Go version.

1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened
1 block (10 ounce, perhaps) extra sharp vermont cheddar, shredded
Chopped green onions (white and green parts)
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 tablespoon of liquid smoke
Dash of McCormick's Season-All seasoned salt and/or garlic powder
Mix well and let sit for a few hours before serving.

Casual dine

There's no end to the casual dining juggernaut. See my story today.

I can't wait for Jay Caputo to unveil his new menu and renovations at The Porcini House, formerly Chez La Mer in Rehoboth Beach.

In other beach news, lots of changes coming. A new Bethany Blues will be built on U.S. 1 between Lewes and Rehoboth Beach. New beach eats also coming to Dewey. Stay tuned.

Top Chef returns

Oh, man, one of my favorite guilty pleasures "The Real Housewives of Orange County" - and let us just take a moment to have a good laugh about that title - had its season finale last night.

What to do now?

Good thing Project Runway is still going strong.

Because I'm going to have to wait until March for the return of "Top Chef", Bravo’s Emmy-Award nominated food show.

“Top Chef: Chicago,” premieres Wednesday, March 12 at 10 p.m.

The knives are being sharpened and 16 rising chefs from across the country will take on the Windy City.

Cookbook author, actress and host Padma Lakshmi returns alongside head judge Tom Colicchio and judges Gail Simmons, of Food & Wine Magazine and Ted Allen, food and wine ambassador for Robert Mondavi Private selection wines.

Bravo says to expect "some of the biggest and most respected chefs" as guest stars. (More Bourdain, please. Less Gail. And, hopefully, we see Chicago top toques Rick Bayless and Charlie Trotter.)

Let the flames begin.

To meet the cast of Season Four, visit http://www.bravotv.com/

Mrs. Robino's fire

A fire last Friday threatened one of Delaware's oldest and most well-known restaurants, Mrs. Robino's in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood.

Here is an email from one of Mrs. Robino's great-grandchildren, Andrea Wakefield:

Dear Ms. Talorico,

I wanted to write to you concerning Mrs. Robino's Restaurant. Last Friday when part of our business was on fire my world stopped for a few minutes. It was horrifying for me to see the smoke pouring from the business that my great grandmother started almost 70 years ago.

The Fire Fighters of the city of Wilmington were outstanding with their quick response. I can not believe how quickly they put out the fire and secured the building. The men working with Wilmington's department of License and Inspection were on the scene and advised us quickly of what needed to happen to get up and running. Delmarva Power has been also available to help and are working with us to get our gas and electrical system in order. Everyone's efforts have been very much appreciated.

The many employees of Mrs. Robino's, some who have been employed for over 20 years, rushed to the restaurant to help and lend their support. I also can not tell you how many our our loyal customers have called and expressed concern and have offered to help, wondering when we will be back in business.

Our family is committed to keeping Mrs. Robino's a tradition in Wilmington! Thank you again to the community for helping us get through this horrible event and supporting us throughout the years!

--Andrea Wakefield

Reader mail

Eric Ruth checks out the "Big Beef" at Pietro’s Prime in West Chester, Pa. Here is his beef, um, review.

Now, onto reader mail. Reader restaurant experiences - one good and one not so good - and restaurant supply stores are the topics today.

You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

Hi,
I would like to tell you about our experience at the Fair Hill Inn a couple of months ago. There were four of us for dinner and only one person ordered an appetizer (a salad for about $12) and then we all ordered dinner. My husband ordered a steak cooked medium rare. It took a very long time for dinner to come and when the waiter went to the next table my husband asked for more bread. The other man said he would like some too and when someone came around with the bread, he put it on both of their plates and walked away, never asking the other woman and me if we wanted any. We all laughed it off, saying we shouldn't have it anyway.When dinner arrived, my husband's steak was medium well. I told him to send it back but we were already there about an hour... then he had to ask for a steak knife, which took a long time because the waiter brought a course to the next table. And the rest of the night went just as bad.There was a "rating card" with the check and I filled it out. Not wanting to give it to the waiter because I was reporting how bad the service was, I took it out with me and asked for the owner. I was told it was a man sitting at the bar and he came over. I told him what happened and he just laughed. I said he couldn't possibly be the owner because I can't imagine an owner not caring that his server was negligent.The next day I called the restaurant and asked for the owner and again I told him about the previous night and how the next table had many courses, came in when we did and left before us. He laughed and replied "I know who you are. You're the ones who only ordered the main course (we had also ordered dessert), and we give preferential service to those ordering entire meals. You had to wait until we were finished with those tables.Also, when I made the reservation I asked for the room with the fireplace and was told they are not using the fireplace, but it has candles and that gives a nice glow.I think this restaurant needs Gordon Ramsey.
Regards,
Anita Rosenzweig

Anita, I called Fair Hill Inn owner Phil Pyle and told him about your experience.

"I feel really bad. It's what we hate to hear," says Pyle, who doesn't recall the incident and said you didn't speak to him. And he doubts that you spoke to his wife who works "the floor" every night nor his partner Brian Shaw, who spends most of his time in the kitchen. You may have talked to a staff member who was reluctant to share your comments with the owners.

Pyle said there is no policy about preferential treatment given to those who order more courses.

When a diner shares a bad experience with him, Pyle says, in most cases, "I say 'I'm very sorry. We do our best. We're human and sometimes we fail to meet expectations.'"

"It's the restaurant business. Sometimes you get the chicken, sometimes you get the feathers. You just can't be perfect to everyone."

The time to tell a server - or manager or owner - about a problem or a meal that is not enjoyable is when you are at the restaurant. The staff can try to correct the problem.
"My job is to make you leave here with a smile," Pyle said.

Pyle said, however, he understands diners who are reluctant to complain. "They don't want to make a scene." He says they can always go to the Fair Hill Inn web site and write their concerns.

Pyle and Shaw - not staffers - read those emailed comments.

Dear Patricia,If you haven't been to Cafe Palermo on Miller Road 3 shops down from Home Depot...GO!!!!I had dinner there tonight and it was one of if not the most delicious meals I've had since I was in Tuscany last Thanksgiving. It's owned by Maria(forgot her last name,sorry) formerly of Cafe Riviera (Concord Mall) and is easily as good if not significantly better. Their pizza is better than Riviera and their dinners are better than their pizza! I went in intending to get a chicken cheesesteak w/the works but I got peering at the specials board and decided I had to try the Taste of Italy. Turn on your imagination now... shrimp, fettucini, rainbow tortellini, gnocchi(I grew up on these, rest in peace Grandmom), portobella ravioli, lobster ravioli, and ricotta pesto ravioli in a garlic parmesan almost Alfredo sauce...addictively good. Brava Maria!!! Speaking of addictively good, their garlic parmesan breadsticks are heaven! Baked with olive oil that tastes like it was just pressed. I dared to have dessert (I rarely have sweets after a wonderful dinner but tonig ht I couldn't say no). Cheesecake, homemade cannolis, mmm but I had to try the Tira Misu. Delicately spongy, subtlely sweet, drippingly delicious. Easily as good as I had in Tuscany. Double expresso with lemon. Happy belly, happier taste buds, sleepytime (you know how that goes!)! $27 on Mastercard. Most prices are under $17 for dinner and $10 for lunch. If you haven't been, GO! If you have, GO AGAIN!!! Tell Eric Ruth, tell everyone! Plus the atmosphere and decor is like an intimate italian villa. I hope to see you there. Ciao! John Neal

Thanks John. It's been a while since I've been to Cafe Palermo. It looks like a pizzeria from the outside and I recall the dining room looking like it was under renovations. Not much atmosphere, but the food wasn't at all bad. I'll have to check it out again.

Several months ago one of your articles mentioned a place where one can go to buy cooking utensils, supplies, etc. I remember you said it sold mainly to the trade, but individuals could go there. I forgot the name of it. Help please.

Thanks,
Chris Jording

Last March (was it really that long ago??), I wrote about restaurant supply stores. It's where food industry professionals - and the public - can shop for good deals. Alton Brown of "Good Eats" on the Food Network is also a big fan of these kind of stores.

Reader Ed Hunt filled me on The Restaurant Store at 3065 New Castle Avenue, Wilmington, De 19720; 421-9950.

The store is indeed open to the public. There's no fee to join. Just go in shop away.

More Shaggy's

The Shaggy's on Main tale today by Rachel Kipp is an interesting read.

Got to say when I heard about the closing earlier this week I made a few calls.

Shaggy’s seafood restaurant was opened in 2005 by Joe Van Horn, former general manager of the Columbus Inn, and Kid Shelleen's in Wilmington; and his then partners David Dietz, who ran the Brandywine Brewing Co, and David Peterson, the former Columbus Inn executive chef.

Dietz was only involved in the business for 90 days. Peterson departed last year and moved to Florida.

(That's Dave Peterson in the photo in the left. He participated in the 2005 "Wawa challenge" where we gave him cash and challenged him to make a meal from food he bought from Wawa. Dave did a great job.)

Basically, Shaggy’s was a place in Newark that got a restaurant license and then acted like a bar. (You can't get a tavern license in Newark.) Not serving enough food and basically being a bar didn’t fly with tobacco and alcohol enforcement agents and it apparently didn’t go down with police.

According to state law, a "substantial" portion of a restaurant's income must come from sales of food rather than beer, wine or liquor.

Yet, restaurants make a lot of money from alcohol sales so I wondered if a food versus alcohol sales crackdown was in the air.

“When you start becoming a problem and draw our attention, that’s when we get involved,” said Daniel Kline, director of the state Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Enforcement, which enforces state liquor laws. "We never want to put someone out of business.”

Kline said when Shaggy’s received a liquor license, owners said it would be a high-end seafood restaurant.

But Kline found out that was not the case.

“Everything revolved around a bar. They were not acting like a high-end seafood restaurant in any shape or form,” he said.

Van Horn said his business was “very seasonal” and began to depend on students from the nearby University of Delaware campus. “We did well during the school year. We sucked in the summer,” he said.

Restricitions were placed on Van Horn and he said by December 2007 sales were down 78 percent from the previous year.

Van Horn said he had no choice but to close the restaurant on New Year's Eve.

First a SI curse, now a Spark curse?

Do you believe in curses?

Superstitious athletes and sports fans have long been convinced of the Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx. The thought goes that anyone who appears on the magazine cover can expect a sudden turn of bad luck.

In 2002, SI writer Alexander Wolff investigated virtually all of SI's 2,456 covers and found 913 "jinxes" -- "a demonstrable misfortune or decline in performance following a cover appearance roughly 37.2 percent of the time."

No matter how silly talk of "a curse" sounds, some athletes refuse to test their luck. For example, to illustrate Wolff's 2002 story, SI asked then St. Louis Rams quarterback Kurt Warner to pose for the cover with a black cat.

Warner refused.

So why all this sports talk in a food blog?

Well, one local restaurateur told me, kind of jokingly, kind of not, that he believes there may be a similar, local curse - the Spark curse. He claims that when Spark magazine has its birthday party at an establishment that place will soon go out of business.

Crazy talk, right? But is there any kernel, or, ahem, "spark" of truth to this "kiss of death" theory? I checked it out.

Spark's past birthday parties have been at the Red Room, Costa's Grill and Shaggy's on Main. And, yep, all have since permanently turned out the lights.

I threw out the "Spark jinx" tale to Spark editor Matt Sullivan and this is his response (thanks Matt!) :

"Well, it’s not like black voodoo caused anyplace to close the day after the party — in fact, every place that’s ever hosted a Spark birthday bash has asked if we’d to come back the following year. Shaggy’s and the Red Room stayed crowded ‘til the day they shut their doors – and both closed for reasons other than a lack of business. Not sure the Spark party is responsible for the regulations on alcohol sales in Delaware. The Costa’s guys, well, they found more success in better locations, so good for them. We’ve got a great shindig planned for Kelly’s Logan House next Friday, and I can personally assure you, the Logan House will be around for awhile yet to come.
And we’re already thinking about where to host the BIG 5th birthday bash next year. I think someone will be willing to risk hosting. "

Clearly if anyone has the luck of the Irish, it's Kelly's Logan House. The Trolley Square establishment has been a part of Delaware's drinking history since 1864.

In other words: Curse, schmurse. Raise a pint at the party and have fun.

A dog to savor

So, I'm still trying to eat healthy, but today at lunch I lapsed.

The Doghouse was calling my name. (I got a hankering for a hotdog because I just found out that a new Johnnie's hotdog house is opening soon on Concord Pike. There will be a short item on Wednesday in my Diner's Digest column.)

The Doghouse, 1200 N. Dupont Highway, New Castle, 328-5380 is a Delaware institution. It's been around for more than 50 years.

I don't know what I like more - the twirling counter seats and old-fashioned atmosphere or the hotdogs with sauerkraut.

The photo to the left, from staffer Jennifer Corbett, is of a Doghouse chili cheese dog. I got a dog with mustard and kraut and washed it down with a Diet Coke. (At least I didn't get a root beer.)

Cheap eats for $3.80.

Tarragon cocktails

Never really been a big fan of cocktails that include herbs. I don't mind mojitos, but, every once in while, you get some drink slinker who thinks they're serving you a salad instead of a soothing sipper.

Hate it when they chop the mint up into little itty bitty pieces. Not only do you now have a drink with floaters, but you have to worry about getting green bits stuck between your teeth.

But this weekend I had the herb cocktails of all herb cocktails at Rae restaurant in Philly. This is a very cool restaurant in the new Cira Centre building at 2929 Arch St. (Next to 30th Street Station.)

The Rae Cocktail ($10) is a super cold combo of vodka, blood orange juice and tarragon. Yep, tarragon. It works. A single sprig floating in the drink. Nice.

Reader mail

Morning food lovers. Good news for Asian food fans - Masamoto, a new sushi house and Asian Grill on U.S. 202 in Glen Mills, Pa. (It's just over the Delaware line.) See my review. It's a BYOB that's just barely a month old.

Interested in fireplace dining? See Peter Bothum's story in 55 Hours.

Today's mailbag gives us chat about gift certificates, soup recipes and new lunch dining hours at Domaine Hudson. Enjoy. Keep the email coming. You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

In September 2007, I purchased two $25 gift certificates for Costa's Grill & Wine Bar through WJBR’s Taste of Wilmington program. I had not yet used them, and see in The News Journal that Costa’s closed on Dec. 27.

Will these be honored at ThoroBreads instead? I also purchased two $25 gift certificates for The Exchange. Will the Costa’s certificates be honored there? If not, who do I contact to request a refund?

Joy

Owner Constantine Dimas ran Costa's for more than two years before recently closing the downtown Wilmington eatery. According to Rachel A. Fatow, Director of Special Events & Catering for Dimas's restaurants, Costa's gift certificates can be used at The Exchange or Thorobreads.

I have lost the copy of the Tuscany Soup recipe that you had in the newspaper. This was the one that explained how to make that wonderful clear stock!
I finished my last of the batch that I had made and froze for both soup and stews. They were wonderful.
Any chance of you reposting this to your blog?
James T. Morgan

James, I think you're looking for "Judy's soup." This is a wonderful chicken pastina soup that my Shaker Heights, Ohio, pal Judy Stenta makes at a house we rent every fall in Italy. The chicken-broth based soup has cavolo nero or Tuscan black kale - in the U.S., its closest cousin is probably dinosaur kale - as well as pastina, the tiny pearl- or star-shaped pasta. You top the soup with grated Parmesan cheese and fresh extra virgin olive oil. For some reason, I can't find it in our archives. I'll hunt around some more and post it as soon as I find it.

Here's a soup that another friend, and Ohio gal, Wendy O'Keefe made last year in Italy. It's named for the villa we rent.

PODERE PIAZZA PEA-LENTIL SOUP

Don't be concerned that the recipe doesn't list exact amounts. (The ingredient below make a huge batch of soup, you can easily cut them in half.) According to Wendy, "this is one of those recipes that you can fool around with – in the way life's experiences teach us to play with recipes."The flavor of the soup improves the next day. If it seems too thick, just add more water or chicken, beef or vegetable stock to the pot during the initial cooking or when reheating. Not thick enough? Add more split peas, barley or lentils and simmer away.

1/2 pound or more split peas, approximately
1/2 pound lentils, approximately
1/2 cup barley, approximately
1 gallon (16 cups) water, approximately
1 ham hock or smoked turkey leg
2 celery stalks, stems and leaves chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chopped, fresh rosemary (optional)
1 teaspoon or so dried thyme
1 bay leaf (use 2 if they're small)
Salt and pepper to taste
Extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese (optional)
Wash the split peas, lentils and barley first and add to a large stock pot with the water and ham bone or turkey leg. Then, toss in the vegetables, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then turn down the heat to low and simmer everything together until very soft, about 3 hours. Stir occasionally, especially bottom of pan, to keep from sticking. You may have to add more water to the pot if the peas, lentil and barley soak up too much of the water. In the last hour, remove ham hock or turkey leg. Trim the meat and return it to the pot. Taste and adjust the seasonings. When serving, drizzle the soup with extra virgin olive oil, sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese and serve with crusty bread.

Domaine Hudson wine bar & eatery in Wilmington has added lunch to its repertoire. Co-executive chefs Jason Barrowcliff and Robert Lhulier are serving up a tasty menu of soups, salads and lunch entrees for the hungry lunch crowd. The restaurant has also extended its "333" wine tasting program to begin at 11:30 am when the restaurant opens for lunch. Previously the 333 deal - 3 selected wines, 3oz pours for $3 - began at 4:30 pm. [View Tom's 3 wine selections of the day at http://www.domainehudson.com/events.html]

Nancy Horisk-Sherr

Attaboy, Nate

Anybody who complains about Delaware dining hasn't eaten lately at 821 in downtown Wilmington.

Had lunch there yesterday and got the day boat scallops ($16), roasted artichokes and fingerling potatoes with mustard aioli and micro mustard greens.

Wow. Good stuff. I cleaned my plate. Chef/co-owner Nate Garyantes is on his game.

To the right is a Fred Comegys photo of Nate at last April's Meals from the Masters Celebrity Chefs' Brunch at the Bank of America HQ in Wilmington. Nate made this cool "eggs and bacon" dish of a tiny quail egg, a layer of creamy applewood-smoked bacon custard, a bit of parsley coulis, sprinkles of fresh morel mushrooms and a frothy topping of coffee-infused foam - all served inside a fragile eggshell.

Now, that's creativity. And it was delicious.

Costa's closes

The least favorite part of my job is writing about restaurant closings. Here's today's story about the closing of Costa's in downtown Wilmington.

The photo to the left is Costa and partner James Mallios at their Market Street eatery, The Exchange.

Mickey gives kids the Heisman

Truth is stranger than fiction and the happiest place on Earth now doesn't always allow kids free run of the place. Read this story from the Associated Press:

ORLANDO, Fla. — The home of Mickey Mouse, Tigger and Tinkerbell has banned kids from its fanciest restaurant.
Beginning this week, children under 10 are no longer welcome at Victoria & Albert’s in the Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. Victoria & Albert’s is Walt Disney World’s only restaurant with an AAA five-diamond rating.
“We want to be the restaurant that’s available for that adult experience,” said general manager Israel Perez.
Only about three families a month ever brought young children to Victoria & Albert’s, said Rosemary Rose, Disney’s vice president for food, beverage and merchandise operations.
Men are required to wear jackets, and women must wear dresses or pantsuits. The hushed atmosphere features live harp music, and the menu, which changes daily, offers seven-course dinners that can last as long as three hours. Prices start at $125 a person.
Rose noted that there are plenty of dining options for families at Disney, which World has 97 other full-service restaurants.

The Skinny

I'm a walking cliche.

I did something I thought I would never do - I made a New Year's resolution. My resolution is not at all original: I decided to become a more healthy person in 2008. That means making exercise a greater part of my life, losing some weight and lowering my cholesterol.

The loss of three family members - three of my father's four younger siblings - in 2007 caused reflection on my own life. Turn it around in 2008. New year. New me.

Today, The News Journal kicks off its Be Healthy Delaware challenge. There are tips for eating wisely and healthy and blogs from some of our own staffers. Check them out.

Their stories are funny, poignant and highly relatable. Read Jeffrey's Jan. 6 posting and video about parking away as far as possible in the employee parking lot. (I actually did this, well, kind of, today. Then I realized I was wearing pointy toe high heels. Walking in these shoes is, in itself, a workout. Tomorrow, I'll park further away from the building, wear flat shoes and carry my heels in a bag until I get to my desk.)

Last year, I interviewed Melissa Clark and her best friend Robin Aronson about their book "The Skinny: How to Fit Into Your Little Black Dress Forever" (Meredith, 2006.) That's Melissa and Robin in the photo taken by NJ staffer Bob Craig. It was taken at DiBruno Brothers in Philadelphia. Melissa is a food writer/cookbook author who frequently contributes to The New York Times and Food & Wine. She's a wonderful cook, eats out often with Times restaurant critic Frank Bruni and she's a size 2. I don't hate Melissa, just the opposite, in fact. Melissa and Robin still struggle with maintaining their weight and write about it on their blog, The Skinny. It's also a fun read.

I like the Skinny's approach of eat-what-you-like way to lose weight and ways to keep it off. Here's a "Skinny" recipe from their book:

Roasted chicken breasts with rosemary apples

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6 to 7 ounces each)

1/2 garlic clove

1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Coarse sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or use olive oil)

2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and coarsely chopped (about 2 1/2 cups)

2 tablespoons white wine or water

1 large sprig rosemary

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rub each chicken breast with garlic. Drizzle with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet and roast until the juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, make the apples: In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat melt the butter. Cook until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the apples, wine or water and rosemary. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook, shaking the pan occasionally, until the apples are tender and have broken down slightly, about 15 minutes. If the pan juices dry out before the apples are soft add another tablespoon or two of water and keep cooking.) Remove the rosemary sprig and season the sauce with salt and a generous amount of pepper. Arrange the chicken on individual serving plates and spoon the apples on top. Makes 2 servings.

Reader mail

Reader mail. Delaware diners and Better Cheddar are the topics today.

You ask. We answer. Every Friday.

Hi Patricia. I moved to Delaware 10 years ago from the Philly suburbs. I was used to diner foods. There is always a diner to be found in Pa. I am just so surprised I have not found [some] in Delaware. Any suggestions? I miss good old fashion diners. Thanks. Kristine LaPorte

Kristine, I'm not sure where you live, but there are some decent diners in Delaware. For breakfast, I like Crossroads, 4579 Kirkwood Hwy. 998-9368. The new Lucky's Coffee Shop & Restaurant, 4003 Concord Pike, Wilmington, formerly the Ranch House, is another good spot.

Some friends love the Hollywood Grill, 1811 Concord Pike, Wilmington, 655-1348. In Dover, there's the good old Hollywood Diner, 123 N. Dupont Highway, Dover, 734-7462. One of our editors likes the Korner Diner, 137 E. Main St., Newark and the Marsh Road Diner, 407 Marsh Road, Wilmington. A longtime favorite has been Cosmos Diner, 316 S Maryland Ave Wilmington, 994-0920. The Smyrna Diner, U.S. 13, Smyrna, 653-9980, has been around forever, but I do know they're getting ready to move to a new location. My hands-down favorite place in Sussex County is the Crystal Restaurant, 620 Rehoboth Ave, Rehoboth Beach. Jimmy's Grille, U.S. 13A Bridgeville, 337-7575, used to be great, but I've heard reports that food and service has slipped in recent years.

Not in Delaware, but not too far away, is Hank's Place, Baltimore Pike (U.S. 1) and Pa. route 10, Chadds Ford, Pa., (610) 388-7061

Last week, Ellen London e-mailed Second Helpings, wondering if we had the Better Cheddar recipe from the Back Burner To Go in Hockessin. Food columnist Nancy Coale Zippe came to the rescue. She says Sue Franck of Hockessin had sent one that comes close.

Cheddar walnut spread

2 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/3 cup finely chopped scallions, white portion

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1 teaspoon caraway seeds, optional

1/2 cup softened butter or margarine

Combine the cheese, nuts, scallions, wine and caraway seeds (if using) and mix well. Stir in the butter to make a spreadable mixture. Chill, covered, and bring to room temperature before serving. Nice served on rye rounds. Makes about 3 cups.

Joanne Wright also wrote to say that her sister Jackie has worked on replicating Better Cheddar for a long time and this recipe is “delicious!” (Thanks, Joanne!) Wright notes that while Jackie “isn't one for using exact measurements, this is close” to the Back Burner to Go version. (For more Better Cheddar suggestions, read the comments from the Reader Mail post on Dec. 28.)

Jackie’s Better Cheddar

1 (8-ounce) cream cheese, softened

1 block (10 ounce, perhaps) extra sharp vermont cheddar, shredded

Chopped green onions (white and green parts)

1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon of liquid smoke Dash of McCormick’s Season-All seasoned salt and/or garlic powder

Mix well and let sit for a few hours before serving.

Trolley Square Acme overhaul

Just got an email that the Acme Market has apparently signed a new lease with the property owners of the Trolley Square site.

Major renovations will be made to the store in June or July 2008. The store will remain open during the renovations.

Improvements will include more cashier aisles, among other things.

Wow, let's hope more is to come. When I lived in the city, I would occasionally shop in that store. It was never pretty. I'm sure stores in Russia had better selections.

Smell the smoke, find the bbq

Is Middletown become a hub of barbecue?
Keith Young called after reading today's mention of a new barbecue joint in Middletown (see third item.)
Seems Young also opened a new BBQ restaurant, Young's Barbecue in Ashley Plaza, in early November. It's off Del. 299; 376-1777. Young says he offers everything from Carolina style pulled pork to beef brisket to ribs.
Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday; he's closed Wednesday and is open 11 a.m to 7 p.m. Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday.

Sushi surprise

Had dinner recently at Masamoto Asian Grill and Sushi Bar, 1810 Wilmington Pike (U.S. 202), Keystone Plaza, Glen Mills, Pa., and I must say, what a find!

Sushi was impeccably fresh and prices right at this brand new BYO. Don't want to give too much away, but look for a review - and more info - coming soon. Get the Masamoto roll ($9) a combination or salmon, tuna, avocado and caviar wrapped in cucumber or, if you're daring, the monk fish liver.

Just an FYI, the eatery is so new (barely 3 weeks), that service is still finding its footing and so is the kitchen.
(I was looking forward to trying Masamoto's version of tuna pizza - that's the signature dish of Food Network chef/restaurateur Masaharu Morimoto, which I sampled recently at his New York eatery - but it wasn't available during my visit.)

But I'm ready to have another meal here very soon.

Looks like the eats beat is off to great start for 2008.