Take the chianti, leave the gun.

Tony don't whack us!

We got the date wrong for Lorraine Bracco's appearance at Kreston Wine & Spirits in Wilmington. (Errrrrrrr.....)

Bracco, known for her role as Tony Soprano's psychiatrist Dr. Jennifer Melfi on the HBO series "The Sopranos," will sign autographs and wine bottles on June 10 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the store at 904 Concord Ave.

Bracco launched her own label, Bracco Wines, in 2006. Call the store at 652-3792 for more information.

- Patricia Talorico

Owen Wilson at Iron Hill

Owen Wilson had a bite to eat last night at Iron Hill Brewery in West Chester, Pa.

He had a turkey burger and a Belgian Wit beer.

Wilson is in the area filming the new movie "Marley & Me."

His on-screen partner Jennifer Aniston had lunch recently at the Gables at Chadds Ford.

Strawberries, really good lasagna and crusty bread

Sorry I've been MIA for a few days.

I was asked to cook a dinner at the Ronald McDonald House for - gulp! 70 plus people (we made food for 80) - and have spent the last few days shopping, planning and cooking. (All was well after a couple of panic attacks and a very, very brief meltdown.)

A story will be coming very soon in the Wednesday Life section (along with recipes.) The dinner was last night and it turned out even better than I had hoped. We got raves from the families and volunteers.

My book club helped with the cooking (thanks ladies!) and so did the wonderful staff at Harry's Savoy Grill.

We couldn't have done the dessert without Harry's pastry chef Jeanette Behrens, and Harry's executive chef and all around good egg David Leo Banks who provided much needed guidance (have you ever had to take a recipe and then do the math so it will make enough for 80 people?) along with cheese grating and sopressata slicing.

Our dinner: "Really good" lasagna layered with bolognese, sopressata and white Parmesan sauces along with fontina, Parmesan cheese and fresh basil.

An assortment of fresh greens from the terrific folks at Highland Orchards.

A huge variety of crusty breads from Black Labs Breads - (THANKS, SANDY AND BARRY!)

And a luscious and dangerously sinful strawberry tiramisu made with the most beautiful, sweet and fragrant strawberries from Highland Orchards, homemade lady fingers from Jeannette and a light, fluffy whipped cream/mascarpone/Cointreau flavored cream.

I'm packing on pounds just thinking about it.

-Patricia Talorico

Fried chicken - Dewey style

Ed's - the popular Dewey Beach dining spot for steamed crabs and fried chicken - caught fire this weekend.

But, hey, a fire ain't stopping Ed from making money on Memorial Day weekend.

According to Chief Deputy State Fire Marshal Randall Lee: "They brought in a portable grill and continued cooking."

That, my friends, is Dewey Beach ingenuity.

Happy Tuesday

Hope your weekend was filled with great food.

The grill got a workout: Salmon, pork tenderloin and shish kebabs all met a fiery fate this past weekend. Look for a story tomorrow on skewers, kebabs and sates, along with other grill tips and recipes.

I also recently stopped into Pike Creek's Soybean Asian Grille, 4702 Limestone Road, Pike Creek Shopping Center (it's in between the K-Mart and a frame store.)

Popular place, good food. (Get the curry puffs!) Look for a review this Friday.

- Patricia Talorico

Starry eyed in Philly

I was supposed to go to a dinner Tuesday night for New York Times Food Columnist Florence Fabricant hosted by Philadelphia restaurateur Stephen Starr. (Pictured above.)

And now, I'm really sorry I had to miss this event at The Residences at Two Liberty Place.

Fabricant, who just wrote the gourmet cookbook, "Park Avenue Potluck," presented tips for elegant entertaining followed by an tasting of the latest culinary creations from Starr's crew.

Hors d'oeuvres included pairings of champagne with ostera caviar, morel mushrooms and caramelized onion tarts and beef tenderloin with watercress and horseradish cream. Dessert included miniature lemon and huckleberry tarts and chocolate ganache tarts with coco nibs.

- Patricia Talorico

Reader Mail and other dining/food/drink info

Everyone and their brother is taking off early on Friday, so Reader Mail, normally every Friday - you ask, we answer - is coming at you early this week.


Please take a gander at the Biggest 55 Hours EVER section in Friday's paper - and online.

It's chock full of great, "hey, did you know?" information that should keep you busy this summer.

I've got a couple of features on new Rehoboth restaurants and other beach eats. (That's the new Agave Mexican Grill in Lewes (above) and

(below) is the Porcini House, formerly Chez La Mer.)

Check out the day-by-day list of farmers' markets. There's also information about area wineries.

See Eric Ruth's review on Friday. He isn't fond of the squishy sofas, disco music and steaks at The Establishment in Newark and only offers a 1-star rating.

Last week, I wasn't taken with the food at King Tex-Mex in Elsmere. (Bland Tex-Mex? Next, please.)

But a reader points out, I may have missed the boat:


Good Morning, Ms. Talorico,

My name is Ana Viscarra and I have been living in Delaware for almost 24 years greatly missing my home country's delicious cuisine.

A friend of mine "discovered" that King's Tex Mex makes Salvadorean food and the great joy and happiness that this has given me, my family, and friends is almost indescribable.

I read your recent review on the 55 hours, and I would ask you to PLEASE revisit this little gem of a restaurant and try the House Specialties which include PUPUSAS, YUCA CON CHICHARON, TAMALES DE ELOTE, BISTEC ENCEBOLLADO, TAMALES DE POLLO.

I guarantee you will NOT be disappointed. (Pupusas are El Salvador's most traditional food, and King's makes them fresh and wonderfully delicious.) Also please keep in mind that in El Salvador the food is not spicy, which would explain the lack of heat in the Mexican dishes you tasted.

I agree with you in understanding the restaurant's dilemma with its name and identity as it is located in Elsmere and the owners do need to play it "safe".

I just hope that one day, Elsmere and the rest of Delaware will be ready for a different and exciting "new" Latin American Cuisine--Salvadorean!

Thank you for taking the time to read this.

Sincerely,

Ana M. Viscarra, MA
Bilingual teacher

OK, Ana. You convinced me. I'm headed back to King Tex-Mex very soon.

"Top Chef" recap

Butterscotch and scallops.

Hmmm....Think about that for a minute.

Do you want to eat that dish? Does anyone want to eat that dish?

You're a chef. You're feeding some of the most discriminating palates in the world - namely Anthony Bourdain and Jose Andres, who owns one of my favorite Washington, D.C., restaurants, Jaleo. (That was my place when I lived in D.C. It was Amada before Amada was Amada.)

Now, the challenge last night on "Top Chef" was to open a restaurant and serve WHATEVER YOU WANT.

So one team decides on an Asian-themed restaurant and one of their first thoughts is - BUTTERSCOTCH and SCALLOPS???

What the.......??? I don't get it.

And neither did the judges.

And that's why Dale, the mastermind behind that hideous dish, was sent packing last night.

I once ordered a chicken sate dish at a Wilmington restaurant that was served with chocolate sauce. Not chili chocolate sauce such as mole but chocolate as in Bosco. It was a poultry sundae. Needless to say that restaurant didn't last long.

- Patricia Talorico

Let the flames begin

Have you dusted off your Weber or Char-Broil?

I think every newspaper Food section in the country led with a barbecue story today. No big surprise considering Memorial Day is considered the unofficial start of the grilling season. We featured a story on barbecue sauces - tomato-based versus vinegar based.

Here's a look at few others:

The San Francisco Chronicle highlighted the secrets of succulent grilled chops.

The Washington Post highlights Memphis Barbecue contest.

Grilled sausage and tropical side dishes get a closer look in today's Los Angeles Times.

Grill gadgets and tools are examined in the Chicago Tribune.

- Patricia Talorico

First Look: Bistro on the Brandywine

Popped into Bistro on the Brandywine at U.S. 1 and 100 in Chadds Ford, Pa., recently for a light meal. Well, it was really more like a snack.

It's Dan Butler's new casual bistro next door to his Brandywine Prime Restaurant. (Some may remember the site as a former antiques store.)

No liquor license yet - it's pending - so we had to settle for iced tea ($2.50 each.) You can bring your own ...

Airy, roomy and modern with light shades of blue, gray and green. No faux Colonial muskets or historical bric-a-brac decorating the walls. I like.

We shared a plate of roasted garlic, olives, goat cheese and toasted crostini ($6.95). It's a fine, not really exciting nibble, but I much preferred the moules frites ($9.95), a wonderful combination of sweet, plump mussels in a mustard sauce tinged with saffron and served with crispy, thin French fries, which were hard to stop eating.

If the rest of the dishes are as good, it looks like Butler has a winner on his hands.

I'm looking forward to a return visit soon to plow through chef Seth Harvey's menu which includes pizzas, steak, skate wing and chicken dishes, all under $20.

- Patricia Talorico

Taco Bell to the rescue (urrrp!)

"The food's bad," a relative once told me about a restaurant she had experienced, "but they sure give you plenty of it."

That's the way I feel sometimes about many of the chains, which almost universally (and successfully) play on diners' affection for large portions of mediocre food. I'm fond of the occasional cheap-food splurge -- more so in these economic times -- but I believe the best way to approach the urge is not with the 3 pounds of pasta platter at Olive Garden, but with a tidbit or two of the occasional decent menu item.

There's the 3-wing special at KFC, for example (not on the menu, but they'll sell you one if you ask for it). The fried mozzarella sticks at Burger King can soothe a junk-food yearning quite nicely, and cheaply.

This week, Taco Bell gets into the cheap-tidbit market in a big way. Thursday, its new menu of under-a-dollar goodies arrives, and I have to admit, I'll probably check it out. God help my stomach.

Here's the menu:

At 79 cents: Triple Layer Nacho, topped with red sauce, beans and nacho cheese sauce.

Melted Three Cheese Roll-Ups, a flour tortilla with three cheeses.

At 89 cents: Cheesy Double Beef Burrito, a warm flour tortilla filled with two portions of seasoned beef, Mexican rice and nacho cheese sauce.

At 99 cents: Big Taste Taco, a flour tortilla with beef, lettuce, cheddar cheese and crunch strips.

Wild about Whirlwind Wit

Over the weekend, I stopped into the Eighth Annual Brandywine Valley Craft Brewers beer fest at Iron Hill in Media, Pa.

The crowd atmosphere had a definite "Frat Party: 10 years after Graduation" vibe.

Lots of 30 somethings (mostly men) wearing T-shirts, shorts, drinking brews and smoking stogies.

This wasn't a smart place to carry a suede pocketbook. It was entering a fashion hazard zone just walking through the crowd due to frequent cup bumping and spillage.

Hey, watch it guy, brown ale stains!

But, singles, just a suggestion: if you're looking for guys, then maybe you should start attending more beer festivals? Wear a dark shirt and leave the suede at home. Though, I can't guarantee the guy won't have beer goggles on...

The festival, held outside of the restaurant, featured 25 of the region's top breweries.

I'm much more of wine lover than a beer drinker, but I had a few sips of Dogfish Head IPA (it deserves all the kudos it receives) and I loved the Victory Brewing Company's Whirlwind Wit.

It's a Belgian style witbier and you could taste lovely hints of orange peel and coriander. This is a great summer sipper.

Tried to pick up a sixpack at Kreston's for a beer drinker who missed the brewfest, but couldn't find it.

- Patricia Talorico

Do you know you dining utensils?

I discovered I sure didn't after taking this online quiz picturing a variety of antique silver tableware, all of it very pretty, and a'' pretty esoteric. You have to wonder what kind of long-gone mentality prompted people to believe they actually needed a sterling silver, handcrafted bacon serving fork, or a "lemon pricker." In my opinion a lot of dining's true appeal lies not in complexity and artifice, but in the primal simplicity of "breaking bread" together, without fuss.

Grilling gossip

OK, need to share this.... I just got off the phone with Gourmet magazine executive editor John "Doc" Willoughby.

We had a long chat about his new cookbook "Grill It!" (DK Publishing, 2008.)

It's going to be one of my selections for The News Journal's Cookbook Club. Stay tuned. I'm handing out books next week.

Anyway, I told John about Bob Harper's comment that grilled Brussels Sprouts taste like potatoes. (See below.)

He started cracking up. Then, he said his writing partner Chris Schlesinger grows his own Brussels Sprouts so the pair are going to give it a whirl.

(John and Chris have written nine cookbooks but have NEVER grilled Brussels Sprouts.)

Wow. I shared something new with a Gourmet magazine editor. Pretty cool.

Oh and just FYI, Willoughby said while grilled Brussels Sprouts sound good - roasted ones are great - he was dubious that they will taste like potatoes. (Me too. But we can dream can't we? )

No heat in this Tex Mex

Bland should never be used in a sentence about Tex Mex cuisine.

And I couldn't work up much enthusiasm about my middle of the road meals at King Tex-Mex Restaurant in Elsmere.

Bob and Brussels sprouts

Yeah, I'll admit it: I'm a fan of NBC reality series "The Biggest Loser."

It's so much easier to watch people trying to lose weight than it is to actually do it yourself.

I just got some insider info about Bob Harper, the inspiring fitness coach. He LOVES to fire up his backyard grill.

"The best thing about grilling, for me, is the mental image I have of all that excess fat falling off the food," Harper says.

"It's the healthiest way to go. I grill all my vegetables. I just spray them with a little olive oil spray and they're good to go."

Harper's favorite veggie to grill: Brussels sprouts. Grill them long enough and he claims they'll taste "just like potatoes."

Yeah, OK, Bob. Whatever you say.

Harper's new book, "Are You Ready!: Take Charge, Lose Weight, Get in Shape, and Change Your Life Forever" (Broadway Books, 2008) includes advice that successful weight loss can begin when you build confidence and get rid of negative thinking.

Start by repeating this mantra: Brussel sprouts are better than potatoes.

Do you feel thinner already?

Can Meryl cook like Julia?

Meryl Streep as the late Julia Child?

I'm not sure if she can pull it off, but Dame Streep is currently filming the new Nora Ephron directed flick "Julie & Julia."

Streep is playing the famous chef and Amy Adams (Enchanted, June Bug) will play Julie Powell, the frustrated temp secretary turned blogger who attempted to cook all 524 recipes in Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking."

(Just an FYI, Child wasn't a fan of Powell's project.)

I dunno, looking at the photos of Julia and Meryl, I'm guessing it isn't that much of a stretch after all.

Top Chef recap

Andrew, my favorite "Top Chef" wack-a-doodle, must have been channelling his inner crazy when he decided to make raw food maki rolls for Chicago cops.

That was the challenge - make a boxed lunch that's healthy, nutritious and tasty, for the Windy City's finest.

So Andrew makes maki rolls and doesn't use rice, but decides on some kind of experimental combination of quinoa? and nuts? to look like rice.

Yeah. Right. That's what I want to eat. Like....never.

And neither did the judges and the gals and guys in blue.

Raw food has never taken off. For good reason. It seldom tastes good.

And olives and grapes just don't sound very good in a chicken salad sandwich... even though Spike defended his combination and insulted judge Tom who questioned the pairing. I'm so over Spike, his stupid hats and dumb nickname.

Lisa: Undercooked rice and nearly raw shrimp? Officer, arrest this woman for culinary crimes. Why is she STILL in this competition?

Bye, bye Andrew. I will miss those looney eyes and kind of scary off the wall statements. (Didn't he say something about pulling a knife on someone?)

Now, Andrew go return to your park bench or favorite city street corner, wrap your head in aluminum foil to stop the Little Green Men from Mars from controlling your mind, only listen to what the good voices tell you to do and yell out kind, rather than weird, strange, head-scratching comments, to all who walk by you.

What's up Doc?

For an upcoming story on grilling, I will be talking to John "Doc" Willoughby.

Doc and his writing partner Chris Schlesinger are a renowned grilling team who have penned nine cookbooks including "Thrill of the Grill" and "License to Grill."

Their latest book is "Grill It!" (DK Publishing, 2008.)

Doc is the executive editor of Gourmet magazine and a former senior editor of Cook's Illustrated. Chris is an award-winning Massachusetts chef.

Got any grilling questions?

Comment below and I'll throw 'em out to Doc.

Sex up your chicken

Bored with bland breasts? Today's food article - with terrific and hilarious illustration by NJ artist Dan Garrow - gives some ideas of what to do to spice up chicken.

Dining around

Had dinner with friends last week at the Washington Street Ale House.

I know staff writer Victor Greto wasn't impressed with a recent City Restaurant Week meal, but my dinner of grilled garlic soy marinated flank steak over chopped iceberg lettuce with marinated mushrooms, roasted pepper & smoked tomato ranch dressing ($12) was quite enjoyable. We also shared the old standby - crab and artichoke dip ($12) - and it was light, fluffy and had a good crabby flavor with plenty of lumps of meat. A rave was given to the panko wasabi crusted sea scallops over baby spinach with soy wasabi vinaigrette & roasted shiitake mushroom salad ($12.)

Our server said the Ale House kitchen just changed the menu.

I know someone at our table wasn't happy about an overcooked burger - asked for medium-rare it came to the table closer to well-done - but I think, overall, the group was pleased. Just one thing: It can get quite loud in the "patio" room when it's crowded. I had to lean in and listen hard when someone across the table was speaking. That can get tiring, and, old. Fast.

Also, stopped in Jasmine on Concord Pike on Saturday night after seeing "Forgetting Sarah Marshall." (One of the funniest and raunchiest movies I've seen in a long time. This is a must-see, especially if you liked "40-Year-old Virgin" and "Knocked-Up").

Got a selection of great maki rolls and a good sake. I haven't had great service there in the past, but our waiter was on the ball. Not surprised it was so packed.

- PT

Talula's and the Times

The New York Times has "discovered" Talula's Table in Kennett Square, Pa.

Forgive me while I laugh - and not about Talula's. It's a wonderful place.

It's just that News Journal and Second Helpings readers have been reading about Talula's for quite some time.

The photos to the right of chef/owner Bryan Sikora preparing one of his now famous farmhouse table dinners were taken by News Journal photographer Bill Bretzger LAST JULY.

Think twice before purchasing?

It seems like a thoughtful - and easy - present that most people would enjoy.

But keep in mind, there can be downsides - big, money losing downsides - to purchasing restaurant gift certificates, as this News Journal Letter to the Editor shows.

Got a certificate in a drawer? Use it pronto. In this economy, you never know what could happen.

A chef's fight against oral cancer

One of the most surprising, and saddest stories, within the culinary world last year was the news that Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago was suffering from Stage IV tongue cancer. (This is as serious as it gets; there is no Stage V.)

Achatz's Alinea has been proclaimed by Gourmet magazine as the most exciting restaurant in the U.S.

Achatz, a follower of molecular gastronomy who worked in the kitchens of Charlie Trotter and Thomas Keller, re-imagines flavors and combinations in truly unexpected ways.

The New Yorker just profiled Achatz and his fight. Surgeons wanted to remove his tongue, but Achatz wasn't having it and sought other options.

Read his story. And click on the slide show.

Burrata cheese, Flower Market mustard and Reader Mail

Happy, rainy Friday.

Ugh. I was going to head out to the Wilmington Flower Market at lunchtime for my annual stock-up of sweet, yet slightly spicy Flower Market Mustard. (Believe it or not, the market is open today - even though it seems like it's time to pull out the ark.) But I have no desire to slosh through mushy, muddy Rockford Park just for mustard. Why don't they just rename the Flower Market - the SHOWER MARKET. It always seems to rain at least one or two days during this annual three-day fund-raiser for children's charities...I guess, there's always tomorrow.......

But I'm so happy; this morning my boss brought me in burrata cheese from DiBruno Brothers in Philadelphia. Thanks Betsy!

Burrata is the silky, oozier and creamier cousin of fresh mozzarella. It's usually tied up in a pouch and resembles a pretty gift. You let it sit at room temperature and eat it with fruit or crackers, kind of like brie. I usually get my burrata from Claudio's Market on Ninth Street - it's next door to DiBruno's in the South Philly Italian Market. (The photo below by Matthew Jonas is finished packages of burrata cheese made by Claudio's that were getting ready to be shipped to Wolfgang Puck's American Grille restaurant in Atlantic City, N.J.)

Also, Eric Ruth chows down at Ameritage Bistro in Wilmington and shares his thoughts.

Now, onto to Reader Mail. Remember, you ask, we answer. Every Friday:

QUESTION:

Patricia,

I don't ever write to the News Journal or any reporters but I wanted to tell you about the Bon House in the Midway Shopping Center. Now I know that this place has been around forever and is one more Chinese restaurant on Kirkwood Highway. But something has changed and I hope you'll go and try it. They added a sushi chef who is extraordinary. His food, his plating, his ideas are wonderful.

This man is an artist.

Nothing in Wilmington comes close. I'm hoping you'll go and see for yourself so that others will go and he remains at the Bon House. I teach at the University of Delaware and have no connection to the restaurant other than I like great sushi and this is the real deal.

Thanks and I hope you'll go and enjoy as much as I have,

Christiaan Taggart

ANSWER: Christiaan, thanks for the email. Wow, the Bon House, 4713 Kirkwood Highway, Wilmington, 633-1218, seems to be making a comeback. That's exciting news. I used to frequent the restaurant for its Chinese food, but after several disappointing meals, I haven't been back for quite some time. A quick check shows that back in March, a Second Helpings also commented about the Bon House sushi bar. OK, I'm going to take your suggestion and sit at the sushi bar. I'll report back soon - and maybe with an upcoming column

Readers, anyone else been to the Bon House recently?

QUESTION: I'm arriving this weekend from Los Angeles to celebrate a big birthday with a local Delawarean. I'd like to take her someplace delicious and charming, but can't seem to find anything. She lives in Newark and doesn't get out much.
Please share with me your top two or three favorites!
Thank you so very much,
S. Morris

ANSWER: S. Morris, I'm guessing that this isn't a budget meal. The Fair Hill Inn near Elkton, Md., is one thought; it's not far from Newark. Moro in Wilmington offers some of the best food around. If you're looking for charm, than Krazy Kat's at the Inn at Montchanin may satisfy. I haven't been there to eat lately, but someone just told me it was one of his favorite restaurants.

Pizza recipe

I've said it before, I'll say it again, Osteria in Philadelphia rocks.

Philadelphia Inquirer food writer Rick Nichols got his grub-by little hands on their pizza recipe.

But good news! he shared it with readers. (Hey, he does work in the City of Brotherly Love, after all.)

Osteria's pizza is outstanding. I'm so making pizza this weekend.

Another excellent pizza recipe is the one Dan Butler (Toscana) uses and he shared it with us. Click here.

Top Chef recap

If you're a chef known for Italian food, and then make it bland and boring, sorry, but you deserve to be smacked upside the head with wet spaghetti.

And sent home.

As Nikki was last night on "Top Chef."

Guest chef Gale Gand is one of the best pastry chefs in Chicago, if not the country, but she hardly had a role this episode. Chalk it up to bad editing. Kind of disappointing.

Dale wins the most annoying chef award due to his pouty face, crybaby, locker slamming antics. Ugh. Gordon Ramsay's at least entertaining when he goes stark raving mad. Dale just looks like he needs a time out.

And doesn't Lisa's mad mug always looked p.o.'ed. Why is she even on this show?

But what's worst?

Andrew making the same dish as he did in an earlier challenge?

His "culinary boner" remark? (Eww. Make that visual go away. Please.)

Or Nikki's overly sweet butternut squash pasta? (Obviously, the answer is Nikki. Good for the judges for '86ing her. Haven't we all had poorly produced butternut squash pasta or soup that tastes more like dessert than dinner?)

The best thing about "Top Chef" is that it always sparks new ideas in the kitchen. Star anise is a fairly potent spice and using it to infuse creamed spinach is certainly a bold and interesting move - Richard's idea, Andrew's execution - but Padma hated it. (I think I'd like to try it; but then I love fennel and anything with an anise or licorice-y flavor.)

Speaking of anise, I just made this dish recently and it's a great pairing with grilled fish:

Slice fresh fennel, red onions, fresh orange segments and black Kalamata olives. (Squeeze any extra orange juice into the bowl.) Then mix together along with drizzles of good, extra virgin olive oil, and a little salt - the olives are already salty - and freshly ground black pepper. (You can use some of the fennel fronds for decoration.) Let it sit at room temperature and serve alongside the fish.

Rehoboth Restaurant Week: Dogfish Head

Hey all. Our staff is stopping in a few places this week for Rehoboth Restaurant Week.


We won't be covering every place like we did with City Restaurant Week in Wilmington, but we do want to provide a sampling of the event and bring you different voices - and tastes.


Talorico got an early jump with a visit last Friday to the Porcini House Bistro and Treetop Lounge (formerly Chez La Mer) IT WAS UPDATED TODAY.


Also today, staff reporter Victor Greto shares his experience at Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats.


Victor is darn proud of the fact that he's definitely NOT a foodie - just a regular guy who enjoys a good meal. Just like many so other diners. Enjoy.



By VICTOR GRETO


Who knew that spinach leaves could be so tasty?


Or venison (dead Bambi) could be so tender and not salty?


Or that Banana Foster could have so much ice cream?


This is what one can experience during Restaurant Week at the Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats in this downtown seaside resort.


The restaurant doesn't advertise it all that well, and I had to ask for the restuarant week flyer-menus (which I already had downloaded off the Web site). But our waitress, Olivia, was helpful and eager to please. Ironically or not, what I didn't care for was the beer: the Indian Brown Ale that came with the "grass-fed meatloaf with 90 Minute IPA gravy" was too syrupy for my taste.


Although the meat loaf was fine -- despite my feeling that the "grass-fed" claim was both superfluous and begged a host of other questions -- the gravy tasted like something poured out of a bottle and warmed up. But the spinach salad with hazelnuts and goat cheese tossed in an apple cider vinaigrette was so good, I ate most of it off the plate of a friend I had dragged with me. And let me be clear: I loathe spinach as much as Bluto did.


I ordered the melon-wrapped proscuitto, which was good, but puzzling because I have no idea why melon smothered by fatty ham should taste so fine together. (EDITORS NOTE: Melon and ham are a classic combination because the saltiness of the cured ham tends to enhance the sweetness of the fruit)


But, see, this is something I learned while shoving forkfuls of both appetizers in my mouth: that good taste in food is all about combinations. I know. Any foodie knows this, but I'm not a foodie, and masochistically proud of that fact. OK?


The Raison D'Etre beer (come on; does a beer really have to have a name like that??) that came with my grilled venison tenderloin with dried cranberry sauce was better than the brown ale, but it still was too syrupy for my taste. (EDITORS NOTE: Dogfish owner Sam Calagione has long touted that he likes to make "off-centered ales for off-centered people" - hence the "off-centered" name.) But the venison itself was good -- tender like the name, and presented in small chunks -- and I liked the sauce with it, too.


For dessert, I ordered the beach beer float, which was fine, but they skimped on the ice cream. Alas. My friend ordered the Banana Foster Warm Brown Sundae, which was much better, and came with a cartload of ice cream -- that they may have taken from my float, come to think on it -- that was delicious to the last pool of cream.


What also is cool about eating at a restaurant here just before the summer season kicks in is the relaxing atmosphere.


Contact Victor Greto at 324-2832 or vgreto@delawareonline.com.

Fire-roasted tomatoes

Super, major bummer: Fire swept through the Tomato Sunshine Garden Center north of Rehoboth Beach this morning.

Tomato Sunshine has long been one of my favorite Sussex County stops in the summer for tomatoes, of course, along with fresh basil, cantalopes and other fresh fruits and veggies.

The staff is always so nice and they have beautiful cut flowers. I often pick up a bouquet to decorate a beach house.

Oh, man! I hope they can rebuild before my July beach vacation!

Rehoboth Restaurant Week: Porcini House (UPDATED)

Rehoboth Beach's Restaurant Week has been under way since Monday, with $20 to $30 prix fixe dinners available at 22 participating eateries through Saturday.

Go to http://www.rehomain.com/ for a complete list of restaurants.

We're sending a few staffers out and about. Look for highlights soon.

Friday night in Rehoboth, I got an early gander at the very crowded Porcini House Bistro and Treetop Lounge (formerly Chez La Mer) on Second Street. (That's a photo of the old Chez - sorry, don't have a new photo of the Porcini House just yet......but I'll post it when we do.)

Lots of excitement about this restaurant. And just to give you a contrast - Fusion, a restaurant nearby on Wilmington Avenue which had once been one of the most popular eateries in Rehoboth, was practically empty.

Chez always seemed like a "grown-ups" restaurant to me. Jay Caputo, chef/owner of Espuma, took over the legendary Rehoboth French restaurant last summer and gave it a beautiful face-lift.

After a winter of renovations, the restaurant has emerged with a fresh, warm, inviting and modern look as well as an updated menu.

Antique pine floors remain, but they have been sanded and reinforced. Walls are painted in soft orange and mossy green hues and tables covered in tan linens. There are new ceilings, windows, an open-air porch and fireplace lounge.

I'm not sure about the wooden banquette that lines the wall in one dining room. Lots of pillows on it but, to me, it didn't look that comfortable. And it was funny, but when servers went to seat people at two tops - with the banquette as one seat - there was immediate hesitation from diners about who would sit where.

But my dining buddy said he thought the banquette was comfortable and I liked that the chairs seemed to have higher cushions. (I dunno, I like sitting up "high" - it's a short-person thing, I guess.)

Among the standout dishes were the terra "flatbread" ($12.50), a super thin crust pizza with a lightly blistered and crunchy crust, topped with meaty porcini mushrooms, truffles and a sprinkle of parmesan.

Caputo's menu also includes large- and small-plate risotti. He has a deft hand with rice and we loved his creamy tomato basil, chicken and parmesan risotto ($9 small portion.) For main dishes, the seared tuna with chickpeas, olives, cherry tomatoes and basil pesto ($17) is a new lighter, fresher approach to some classic Italian flavors.

There are still a few kinks to work out: The kobe beef hot dog ($12) was served too charred for my taste, and my Culinary Companion dismissed it as "a novelty dish." (The hot dog was so blackened it looked like it was produced by a boozy uncle manning the grill at a family backyard barbecue after a few too many brewskis.)

The guy sitting at the table next to us also complained that his burger ($13) was overcooked and barely touched his "grilled fresh popcorn."

But all was better with creamy and downright dangerously delicious chocolate mousse ($6.50).

After Caputo makes a few kitchen adjustments - and has a talk with the grill guy to stop serving blackened meat unless someone requests it - I have a feeling this is going to be one of the must-eat-at restaurants of the summer.

Just thinking about the flatbreads and risotto makes me want to return very soon.

And just an FYI, reservations are accepted only for parties of six or more. Call 227-6494.

Speaking of the beach, the summer season is fast approaching, and there are more than a few new Sussex places on the horizon. One of the coolest I've seen so far is Stingray Sushi Bar + Asian Latino Grill, 59 Lake Ave. in Rehoboth Beach.

Owner Darius Mansoory took over the 59 Lake restaurant and is in the middle of renovations. (You can't miss it, it's the bright orange building across from Zebra Ristorante on Lake Avenue.)

Very roomy, big bar. Sushi bar was still being built last week.

And it has parking - FREE parking.

- Patricia Talorico

Restaurant Week comment

Just an FYI - I had to remove a comment from the last post because it contained profanity and offensive language - which we don't allow on this blog.

We ALWAYS encourage everyone to share opinions, but, please, keep it clean - just as you should do with your kitchen.

The poster had a beef with Restaurant Week coverage and I'd like others to see it. So, here is a cleaned-up version of the comment:

"You people are [rectums]....you want to promote and advertise restaurants in Wilmington and in your reviews you trash them? not one...but every single one you reviewed for restaurant week....[Bad word here] you, Eric and Patricia."

To answer the ANONYMOUS Angry Commenter: The job of the features department staff, whom all contributed to this week's coverage and WROTE THEIR NAMES ON THEIR REVIEWS, is NOT "to promote and advertise" restaurants.

Want to promote a restaurant? Hire a PR staff. They'll say whatever you want them to say.

Want to advertise? Call The News Journal's advertising department - a completely separate department than the editorial department.

Our job is to give READERS honest assessments of what restaurants were offering this week and to share our experiences. Which we did. Quite thoroughly. I think our staff did an excellent job.

And, just in case anyone was wondering, The News Journal's staff paid for ALL meals.

Did we "trash" everyone? Not at all. Click on the City Restaurant Week label on the bottom and scroll through the archives, you'll find accolades for Domaine Hudson, Deep Blue, The Exchange, CW Harborside (Conley Ward), and Harry's among others.

OK, I'm getting down from the soapbox to pour a cup of coffee. Enjoy the weekend. Eat and drink something delightful.

- Patricia Talorico

City Restaurant Week: Mikimotos

By CHRISTOPHER YASIEJKO

I had never tried foie gras.

There's something about force-feeding a duck or goose to fatten its liver that turned me off. But this account is for all tastes, so I chose the duck and foie gras shumai for a City Restaurant Week dinner first course at Mikimotos.

Our waiter, conscientious and friendly throughout the evening, delivered the dish on a long, narrow plate, part of an attractive presentation. After the host found us a table 20 minutes before our reservation, our hopes were high.

I expected to taste something rich, something that would amplify my conflicting feelings about how this dish came to be. Instead, the foie gras had the consistency of a meatball, if slightly softer. It tasted bland, which was especially unfortunate considering it was wrapped in a flavor-muting dumpling.

Glad I ordered the Purple Haze, a $10.50 confection of hot Gekkeikan sake and a shot of Chambord served in a ceramic carafe. It was warm and strong, and the shot provided a nice, spicy kick. Suddenly, the foie gras left my mind.

My girlfriend had the pork ribs and peanut sauce, and she was pleased with her choice - the meat slid off the bones. But when the main course arrived, she cast a jealous eye at my plate - I had ordered the grilled petit filet mignon, again presented beautifully, a fist-sized chunk of beef coated in crunchy black peppercorn with a medium-rare center, a deep purple hue that tasted delightful. The butter-infused mashed potatoes, topped with crunchy, breaded asparagus, were the highlight of the dish.

Mikimoto's seems unsure about its identity. The decor is somewhere between that of a comfortable pub and a fine-dining establishment. The lighting is chic, but the tables are basic and close together. This being Restaurant Week, the place was buzzing even at 6 p.m. Maybe the loud house music is an afternoon thing, but it was a bit much. The wall art is equal parts modern and kitschy - the more casual of Mikimoto's dual personalities featured framed prints of the Japanese manga series InuYasha and of Usagi Yojimbo, the rabbit bodyguard you may remember as a character in "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles."

And the fine presentation of each dish left me perhaps more disappointed with the flavor than I might've been had the food arrived in a less aesthetically pleasing arrangement. That's not a call for downplaying the presentation. I just wished the taste would live up to the promise. My girlfriend's main course was a sushi and sashimi platter with a good variety of samples. The rice-coated shrimp was wrapped in shredded shrimp, so the first touch to the tongue threw the taste buds into the full flavor. That was a nice touch.

And there was enough on the plate to fill her before she was half-done. For dessert, I chose the lime and pineapple bombe. A delicious, warm pineapple dumpling topped it. A nice dose of Baileys coconut caramel sauce was drizzled throughout the dish. Know this: Ice cream boosts the value of most any dessert. It certainly made this one complete, a welcome counterpoint to the warm dumpling.

My girlfriend pined for a scoop of ice cream with her ginger cake in cardamom sauce. The cake was overwhelming, and with its chocolate crust I couldn't help noticing a resemblance to a large Devil Dog. If you can't get enough ginger, it's the dessert for you. If you like a balanced combination of flavors to finish a meal, try the bombe instead.

Contact Christopher Yasiejko at 324-2778 or cyasiejko@delawareonline.com.

City Restaurant Week: Cafe Mezzanotte

By SHRUTI L. MATHUR

At Cafe Mezzanotte, I was happy to see a full dining room and bar when my boyfriend and I strolled in a few minutes early for our 7 p.m. reservation.

He commented that, for some reason, he felt we were in a senior dining hall. It could be the clutches of blazer-clad ladies that surrounded our little two-top. However, 15 minutes later, all those ladies scurried out, holding theater tickets and we were left with a near empty dining room, except for a group of what looked like three corporate colleagues, a man with his date, Miss Blackberry, and a two intimidating-looking men.

The departing diners left huge dishes of half-eaten pasta on the table, the leftovers looking like enough to be a full meal. I hoped out loud that our Restaurant Week portions would be as sizable.

But first things first: I needed some wine. I noticed that most of the dishes on the Restaurant Week menu were also listed in the regular menu, and the entrees had suggested wine pairings. Except for the Ravioli Blush, which I had decided on.

Being somewhat of a novice to wine pairings, I asked my waitress for a recommendation but she was unsure so she had to ask someone else. I had my doubts, thinking maybe I should have just chosen a wine, but within a minute she came back and said the chef himself suggested the Cabernet Sauvignon. I ordered it.

The customary basket of bread was already on the table when we arrived, but instead of the usual olive oil and pepper, a dish of olive oil flavored with finely chopped tomatoes, onions, garlic and herbs sat on the table. Spread on the light, tasty bread, it tasted like bruschetta, or something I might have ordered from the menu, not a freebie with every meal.

I started my meal with the crab-stuffed oysters, which were delicious. Good size chunks of crab meat filled each oyster shell, surrounding the oyster meat inside. Four shells were presented on a bed of salad. I thought I might only get one or two shells.

The shrimp salad my boyfriend ordered had a pile of spinach, with a tangy dressing, surrounded by four plump shrimp and four wedges of toasted bread. He felt the shrimp were oversalted, but loved the spinach and bread. This was a good start. If the meal follows this pattern, we are set.

And really, I really, really wanted it to.

But it didn't.

The ravioli pockets itself were delicious, filled with a good blend of cheeses. Unfortunately, the carrot-colored blush sauce, which had a cheek-tingling tang on the first bite, was overall fairly bland; I got tired of eating it halfway through the dish.

The chicken calabrese, topped with bacon and cheeses with olives and normally $22 on the regular menu, was equally disappointing--after trying a bite, I whispered to my boyfriend "it tastes like something I could make myself."

The accompanying boat of steamed vegetables went untouched. And that was a problem. It's not that the food was unedible, but it didn't taste like anything I wanted to pay $105 for, including two glasses of wine and the tip. I felt I could have had the same meal at Olive Garden, and probably for less.

Mezzanotte seems like a good spot for the afterwork corporate crowd, which seemed to stay around the bar, ordering small plates to go with their booze, or the pre-theater crowd, also more interested in wine than food.

I heard a waitress mention that the restaurant hosted a lot of wedding rehearsal dinners and the like, and that is what the food tasted like: a catering menu for a banquet hall. I ate a good chunk of my cannoli, and I thought my boyfriend was going to lick the plate clean of his tiramisu.

But when I pressed him later on the tiramisu, he admitted that it wasn't the best tiramisu he's ever had. The ladyfingers were good, but it lacked the signature espresso flavor.

"It just tasted really good after that entree," he said.

Contact Shurti L. Mathur at 324-2888 or smathur@delawareonline.com.

City Restaurant Week, new Rehoboth eats places

Hey gang, no Reader Mail today.

Instead, our staff continues to blanket the city, pull out credit cards and chow down at the 10 restaurants participating in City Restaurant Week. (And we're getting very, very full.)

See Eric Ruth's review on Harry's Seafood Grill.

Coming up later today: Mikimotos and Cafe Mezzanotte.

In other news, if you pick up today's Fri./Sat./Sun. edition of USA Today look inside and read the new Open Air magazine. I wrote a story for the "Adventures in Eating" column about Chinese food and interviewed Susanna Foo and Chinese food expert Nina Simonds.

I have another article coming out in the magazine in the fall edition on cooking with beer.

Also, I'm heading down to Sussex County later today to see Jay Caputo's new Porcini House restaurant in Rehoboth Beach. (It used to be Chez La Mer.) Jay also owns the fabulous Espuma. Look for a report on Monday.

Sam Calagione, owner of Dogfish Head brewery in Milton - and author of the new, fun book "He Said Beer, She Said Wine" (DK Publishing, April 2008) and rock star of the beer world - told me to stop in the new Mexican restaurant in Lewes on State Street. Can you say margarita?

And here's some exciting scoop:

Darius Mansoory has taken over the former 59 Lake Restaurant in Rehoboth Beach (previously Third Edition and, more memorably, Fran O'Brien's) and plans to open Stingray Sushi Bar and Asian Latino Grill.
Mansoory, owner of Mikimotos, Washington Street Ale House and Presto!, all in Wilmington, is the middle of renovations. He says he has lot of plans for the 200-plus seat restaurant, which includes a lounge and bar.
Look for an opening later this month.

Now, go dine some where and then share, share, share.....

Desperate Seeking Hipness at Harry's

By ERIC RUTH

In a city never renowned for its hipness, fate seems to have bestowed a cool slickness on just one place -- Harry's Seafood Grill. Weeknights, weekends,summer and winter, this is the one place with the cosmopolitan buzz young professionals yearn for, a place where modern-edged food is lubricated nicely by chilly cocktails

An event like restaurant week isn't needed to spread the word about this Riverfront gem; the word has already been heard. Still, Harry's $35 menu offers good reason to find new appreciation for the kitchen's deft touch with bright flavors, especially with the Hawaiian "poke" (pronounced "po-keh") fish appetizer, left cool and raw and dressed with sesame, ginger and green onions.

Those sensibilities were somehow forsaken with one Restaurant Week appetizer, a chaotic combination of griddled shrimp, peas, mushrooms and grits that couldn't manage to create a harmonious whole, lost in an overly tart dressing of lemon and garlic. Flavors regained harmony in a bowl of smoked shrimp bisque with a drizzle of lemon-cayenne creme fresh, even if there was nothing about it to raise much praise or amazement.

The one entree that spoke best of the sassy personality within Harry's soul was also the least pretentious -- fat wedges of crisp and creamy "mac and cheese," elevated to the realm of gooey greatness with the addition of lump crab meat and a side of olive oil-poached tomato. Such sensuality paired better with the extraordinary creme brulee than with the "assorted cookies" dessert.

City Restaurant Week: Ameritage

By GARY SOULSMAN

It's fun to grab hold of the big knife and fork door handles of Ameritage Bistro and wander inside.

It led me to wonder what might be ahead during dinner: big taste, big ambience or big feeling of making a mistake?

For me, none of the above. I left a bit soothed and relaxed by the setting and service, somewhat happy with my dinner choices and confused by the blending of flavors in some dishes.

My first impression is that it was great to see such a prominent Orange Street space being used and to note that there was a friendly vibe to the downstairs bistro Tuesday night.

As you swing open the burgundy doors, you enter an airy and open market, where, if memory serves, the bar of the Brandywine Brewing Co. once stood. Now there's a market with pastries, cheese, olives and more.

Upstairs is an amazingly large dining room. It was softly lit and quiet in the early evening hours when we were there, the walls showing a devotion to the Art Nouveau paintings of Gustav Klimt. With other diners, I could imagine relaxing in the room. But we didn't want to have it all to ourselves. So we settled downstairs, though we also feared that the wood floors would make for a loud time as the crowd began to built.

We were happy to note that neither the noise nor the jazzy background music were annoying. As to the food, here's our scorecard:

- Small dishes of olives cured in olive oil and rosemary. (Great idea, taste fell flat.)

- Dinner roll (Fresh with good flavor. Even better if it had been warmed.) Olive oil for bread (Light and lovely.)

- Warm frisee salad (This frizzy chicory was a revelation with poached egg, diced potatoes and the Italian cured meat, known as pancetta, all topped with a Dijon red vinaigrette. Yum!)

- Bistro salad (The baby greens, orange segments, cinnamon-toasted hazelnuts, shaved prosciutto with citrus-white balsamic vinaigrette. It sounded so good we wanted to really like it, but decided we liked the dressing more with the bread than the salad. Go figure.)

- Steak frites (The grilled flat-iron steak was cooked perfectly and would have been best served hot, rather than a bit cold. But what was the chef thinking with those white truffle Parmesan fries? Do those flavors go together? Double yuk. Left'em all.)

- Chilean sea bass with citrus-shaved fennel and a red onion salad with black-truffle vinaigrette. (A dish that was both hot and cold with flavors that kind of confused us.)

- Bailey's creme brulee (Yes, yes and triple yes. Better than a version we had the night before in the Green Room.)

- Lemon white chocolate macademia nut sundae. (Once again too many competing flavors. The lemon square at the bottom was a nice sweet surprise. But what looked to be white chocolate macademia ice cream was surprisingly dull and disappointing.)

Since I had ordered the sundae, I has happy to find dried apricots and actual macademia nuts with the check. Nice touch.

Overall, given the vibe, attentive service and the pluses on our food scorecard, I would go back - and make a point of avoiding dishes that sounded excessively exotic.

Contact Gary Soulsman at 324-2893 or gsoulsman@delawareonline.com.

Reader review City Restaurant Week: Harry's Seafood Grill

More City Restaurant Week staff reviews will be coming in soon of Ameritage, Mikimotos, Cafe Mezzanotte and Harry's Seafood Grill.

In the meantime, I'll share an email I received from a Second Helpings reader about her Wednesday lunch experience at Harry's:

Went to Harry's Seafood today with the office for a "thank you" lunch.

I ordered from the $15 menu because I really wanted fresh fish, unfortunately, there was only one option (opa), other than salmon on the regular menu which I don't eat.

I opted for the City Restaurant Week menu because it had a broiled tilapia, which I do eat. It had a nice dusting of basil encrusted on it, with a wild mushroom reduction and served over herbed red quinoa, which I've never had before, but loved.

It had a nice nutty flavor to it and the fish was cooked to perfection! I got the Smoked Shrimp Bisque w/Lemon-cayenne creme fraiche and it had a wonderful smoky flavor, creamy and lots of baby shrimp. Delicious!

Then, everyone was ordering dessert so I did order a peanut butter/chocolate cake from the menu, but.... it was more like peanut butter with a kind of cookie dough cake. Not for my liking so I brought it back to the office for the poor souls who didn't get to go!

Honestly, everyone ordered different dishes and I don't think ANYONE of our 10 people were unhappy. Our boss said the fish tacos had so much flavor and my co-worker sat next to me and had the crab cakes and man, they were packed with lump crab.

I almost reached over and forked his food!! Only two of us got something from the City Restaurant Week menu and we both got exactly the same thing - and he loved it too!

Anyway, I've enjoyed TWO wonderful, filling City Restaurant Week lunches this week at the participating restaurants, and I wish I had planned better and went to more!!!