Happy Friday. As I said Thursday, the mailbag was overflowing this week, so consider this Reader Mail: The Sequel. Scroll down or click here to see letters posted Thursday.
Eric Ruth reviews Ole Tapas Lounge & Restaurant in Newark. Here are his thoughts.
Got a dining/food question? Every Friday, you ask. We answer. Email me at ptalorico@delawareonline.com.
Let's get to the mailbag.
Note: Last week, Henry asked where to take his grandson, who frequently dines in New York's Chinatown, for an Asian dinner in Delaware. We had several suggestions and so did readers. Here's Henry's response:
QUESTION: Dear Ms. Talorico,
Thank you for the post. We will let my grandson choose between Rasa Sayang and Hibachi Steak House. I am sure he will have fun here. Have a wonderful weekend.
Henry
ANSWER: Let us know where you went and how it was. Comment below.
QUESTION: Last Dec. 26, you showcased a recipe for baked pasta with tomato, red pepper & sweet Italian sausage sauce. I had clipped the page with the recipe and about a month ago I finally decided to give it a try and am so glad that I did; we just loved it -- especially the blend of subtle but complex flavors -- unusual combo of ingredients!
After making this unique recipe twice I thought I'd like to take a look at the cookbook by the same author?...(I believe the article mentioned a cookbook.) However, while I did make a copy of the recipe I failed to note the name of the chef and title of his/her cookbook and I have misplaced the clipped article. Could you provide the cookbook author and title of book for me from your archives....please, please!
Do you yourself actually test-drive the recipes you showcase?....Just curious because many of them either look interesting and worth a try and those have been a nice success. I would really appreciate your help on this.
Thanks in advance,
Cathy
ANSWER: Cathy, I'm so glad you liked that recipe. I did too and now I think I may make it for a gathering Saturday night. (We're watching the Fightin' Phils. Go BIG RED. Go.)
The recipe comes from the "Seriously Simple Holidays" cookbook (Chronicle Books, $24.95) by food writer Diane Rossen Worthington. She writes that her baked pasta with tomato, red pepper and sweet Italian sausage is perfect for casual entertaining. Worthington saves cooks a few steps by making use of jarred marinara sauce and jarred roasted red peppers. It's a rustic dish that pairs nicely with Sangiovese, Barbera or a lighter Zinfandel. (I reprinted the recipe for others who may want to make it. SEE RECIPE BELOW.)
I do try to test most of the recipes that accompany stories that I write. (You'll see the byline - Patricia Talorico - at the top.) But I must admit, I don't test all of them. Here's a little whine: I wish we had a "test" kitchen such as the one at the San Francisco Chronicle. My "test kitchen" is my own home or sometimes I take over friends and relatives stoves. I do try to select recipes for publication from very reliable cookbook authors and chefs - i.e. those that actually make their dishes in a real home kitchen. That's one reason why I like Italian cook Marcella Hazan so much. Her recipe ALWAYS work. She told me me makes them at least half a dozen times and her husband double-checks every step. I do cook quite often and understand the frustration and anger that comes from a recipe that is a complete failure.
QUESTION: Hello Pat. I wanted to make a couple of comments.
We dine out often and wanted to share recent experience with you.
Hot Plate, New Castle
We visited Hot Plate and had a bad experience. The food was mediocre at best and the service was awful. It took about 45 minutes to get out orders. While we waited, one of the non-busy bus ladies stood leaned over the counter and was a foot away from my wife as she waited for the meal, while she ate her meal and until we got the check for the meal. It was awful. The chicken wrap she ordered was a thick pita type wrap with a lot of the grease (right off the grill type grease) and included the bonus of a hair on the plate. My experience was not as bad, as I ordered a salad with shrimp and it was OK.
Pomodoro on Union Street, Wilmington
Wonderful food, excellent and fun wait staff that always has something interesting to make the dining experience, special. The whole dorado or other whole fish is usually great. The chefs are from Naples and the meals are creative and prepared like no other Italian place in Wilmington. Try the homemade chocolatechello (even better than its lemon counterpart), usually complimentary, as a cordial.
Ole Tapas Lounge & Restaurant, Newark
What a great new place. Every tapas we tried was great and challenged the tastebuds. Two of the owners were there and one handled us personally, which made the experience special. Next time we will go there for the Friday happy hour where the tapas are 1/2 price as is the sangria!
Madeline's, Little Italy, Wilmington
A piece of South Philly right here in Wilmington. The staff and food remind me of the old neighborhood in South Philly. Often times the waitresses will call the guests "hon" and many regulars crowd the bar talking about the Phillies, politics or whatever is the hot topic of the day....The food is great Italian "gravy" cooking with several homemade pastas to accompany any dish. They will usually "go off the menu" and create any combinations or special entrees that you like. Many times I get the 1/2 spaghetti and 1/2 ravioli dinner...which is not on the menu. The broccoli rabe over pasta is a unique and special dish that is wonderful here.
Tom Clarke
ANSWER: Tom, thanks for the reviews. Very helpful to others. I actually had a very good lunch at the Hot Plate, along with good service, and not such a good experience at Pomodoro. (Though a couple of readers have said they've had wonderful experiences at Pomodoro so I'm going to give it another shot.) I do agree with you that Madeline's is a hidden gem in Wilmington's Little Italy neighborhood and Eric Ruth gives a fork up today to Ole Tapas.
Just a note, readers: I love receiving - and posting - all kinds of viewpoints when it comes to area restaurants. And I also liked that Tom used his full name with his letter. Please share with me all your dining experiences. But I won't post a bad experience UNLESS you use your full name. I think that's only fair. Eric Ruth, Buddy "Regular Guy Grub" Hurlock and I all use our names on dining reviews - good and bad.
QUESTION: I have been looking for a German deli where I can get good lunch meat such as liverwurst, metwurst, lundjager’s blutwurst and haven’t been able to find one in Delaware. At one time I could get it at the deli in Fairfax but they closed and so did the one in Wilmington in Trolley Square. Any recommendations would be very much appreciated.
Thanks,
Rita
ANSWER: Rita, I'm not really sure where to go since Edda's Deli in Trolley Square closed way back when and the Imperial Deli was shuttered last year. You could try Janssen's in Greenville. (Former Edda's owner Edda Wieland works there now in the deli department.)
The Euro Market, 107 Louviers Drive, Shoppes of Louviers, off Paper Mill Road, in Newark, 286-7911, says it offers European cheeses and meats.
Readers, here's the recipe that Cathy wrote about:
BAKED PASTA WITH TOMATO, RED PEPPER AND SWEET ITALIAN SAUSAGE SAUCE
From Diane Rossen Worthington's "Seriously Simple Holidays" cookbook (Chronicle Books, $24.95). The dish can be made a day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Remove from the refrigerator 2 hours before baking and uncover before baking. For a vegetarian version, omit the sausage and use a total of 2 pounds of cremini mushrooms and 2 sliced zucchini.
SAUCE:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups favorite marinara sauce
One 12-ounce jar roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a large, deep flameproof casserole, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage meat, breaking up the meat with a spoon, for about 5 minutes, or until no pinkness remains. Drain off the fat. Add the mushrooms and saute for 4 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red peppers, reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Add the cream, season with salt and pepper and stir to combine. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
PASTA
1 pound penne pasta
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
One half 6-ounce bag arugula leaves
Preheat the oven to 375. Oil a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water, add the pasta, and cook over high heat for 10 to 11 minutes, or until al dente. Drain well. In a medium bowl, stir together the cheeses. Combine the pasta with the sauce in the pot. Add 1 cup of the blended cheeses and the arugula leaves, mixing well to combine. Spoon the mixture into the prepared dish and evenly sprinkle with the remaining blended cheeses. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the sauce begins to bubble and the cheese is browned. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
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