Anything worth having is worth waiting for

Despite the ongoing issues afflicting our Cape Region restaurants, a significant number have newly opened, remodeled or relocated. I’m gratified to see that many of them didn’t fall for the tempting (but false) “deadline” of Memorial Day. In previous years, it was unheard of for a restaurant to open in the off-season or, worse yet, after Memorial Day. “That’s the big day,” owners shouted breathlessly. Well, not so much any more.

That out-of-breath dash to the finish line would often end up in disaster, especially for new or inexperienced owners. The temptation to skimp on server training, menu creation, computer systems and procedures – just so doors could be opened with walls wet with paint and servers wet behind the ears – is difficult to resist. Those who still believed that Memorial Day was the know-all and be-all would turn the key, squarely centered in the Memorial Day crosshairs, only to be descended upon by weekend visitors who would be gone by midday Monday. Computer breakdowns, service breakdowns and nervous breakdowns would result in customers leaving with their fingers angrily poking away on Yelp. And for what? Two days that are gone as quickly as they came? It’s no secret that there’s very little difference in restaurant traffic between the week following Memorial Day and pretty much any week in late April or May.

This year, many of our new eateries exercised due diligence to make sure they didn’t open until they were as close to ready as they could be. Examples include UnWined at the Beach in the old Chez la Mer/Azzurro space at Second Street and Wilmington Avenue. This is owner John Bragg’s second location, and he ensured a smooth opening by importing experienced GM Cassidy Boyd. Yet another new concept is Above the Dunes on the Rehoboth Boardwalk. Greene Turtle veterans Mike Veranzi and Bob Frankis know their stuff, and they did a carefully planned soft opening to the benefit of the servers and kitchen staff alike. Ava’s Hospitality Group boss Chris Agharabi is no stranger to restauranting, and he braved the inevitable delays in the opening of Hammy’s Burgers & Shakes near the Safeway on Coastal Highway by fine-tuning his menu and coming up with clever promotions. (Donate a photo of your favorite puppy dog and get a free order of tots!) Of course there are always growing pains and unexpected snafus. Machines and people can malfunction unexpectedly.

The Bethany Blues Lewes company line was that they would be finished their massive remodel by Memorial Day, and they just made it under the wire. And the wait was worth it. The place looks great. Entrepreneur Bryan Derrickson suffered multiple licensing and supplier delays in the opening of the newly relocated Conch Island, but, again, it was worth it. “The good news,” said Bryan, “is that I got to fix a whole lot of things that were wrong with the old location.”
Mark Hunker and Jeff McCracken (of Eden, JAM and Coho’s fame) will soon open their DC-born concept, Red, White & Basil. The newly revamped building is on The Highway where Gelato Gal and Bonkey’s used to be. This all-inclusive pasta bar brings sort of a DIY concept to Rehoboth. They are so busy putting it all together that they had little time to even notice Memorial Day. They hope to be open sometime this week. The tiny yet colorful Poke Bros. franchise opened several weeks ago in the Rehoboth Marketplace next to Pete’s Steak Shop. They took their time and seem to be quite busy.

Even the southern hinterlands had their share of brave entrepreneurs as Yuzu Sushi opened in the old Flying Fish location. This is Chef Yanni’s second location after he took OC by storm with his Nori Sushi Bar. (Check out Sophia’s, his mom’s new eatery in the Gold Coast Mall.) Also in Fenwick is the new Fins where Smitty McGee’s Irish-ish pub stood for 30 years. Fins Hospitality Group boss Jeff Hamer spiffed the place up for a bright and welcoming space.

Over the years, I’ve encountered several restaurant owners who proudly told me that they ran themselves ragged to open by Memorial Day – and “…everything was OK.” Well, one of the interesting perks of doing what I do is that diners freely email me with their comments and complaints, rather than actually accomplishing something by (politely) informing the restaurant people of their dissatisfaction. It’s all I can do to zip my lip when owners crow of their last-minute Memorial Day openings without the benefit of seeing what popped up in my email box over the weekend. So why go through all that stress and expense just to be open for two days – and not put your best foot forward? Over the last few years, many restaurant owners have finally gotten it, and now I’m relieved to hear, “We’ll open when we’re ready.”

We who live here know that it’s not just about June, July and August any more. We’re moving closer and closer to a year-round paradigm as Zagat, James Beard, Michelin and TripAdvisor continue to shower accolades on our Culinary Coast. First impressions do indeed count, and smart restaurateurs are making sure they can take the heat – both in the kitchen and in the dining room – when it finally comes time to transform their construction site into a well-run dining establishment.