Off-season in Rehoboth: Business as usual!

I’ll never forget that day in January 2011 when Trish Vernon (may she rest in peace) honored me with an invitation to scribble every week in her newspaper. It’s still an honor, in fact, not only because I like being a part of Cape Gazette, but also because of the hundreds and hundreds of texts, emails, posts, letters … whatever … I’ve received commenting on, complimenting, and yes, complaining about (and that’s just fine, by the way) my weekly use of the Gazette’s ink supply. I feel so attached to this area – coming here as a kid, staying with my parents and my sister in that top southwest corner room of the Carlton Hotel, then, just out of high school in the late ‘60s, bangin’ out rock ‘n’ roll for three years on the boardwalk in Ocean City. Now we’re in another century, and I’m not only filling this page with whatever it is I do, but for the last nine years I’ve had the pleasure of talking about it every week on the radio.

That’s a lot of time (pass the Advil, please)! And, unlike the ‘60s, ‘70s and even the ‘80s, I love watching how much of the in-season hustle and bustle continues well into the winter, with restaurants boldly opening when no restaurant had opened before. Our towns, along with many of our eateries, host various events that not only keep the lights on, but keep local foodies busy as well. 

In the immortal words of longtime restaurant icon Keith Fitzgerald (former owner of Back Porch Café), “It’s not just about corn dogs, pizza and fried fisherman’s platters any more.” And though I must say that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with corn dogs, pizza and (properly constructed) fried fisherman’s platters, there is so much more here than in the late ‘60s when we skinny long-haired players would trek up to Rehoboth in our VW bus (with the peace sign on the side!) for a Grotto pie or a roast beef sandwich at Pappy’s after playing a raucous four hours of rock ‘n’ roll.

In the immortal words of lyricist Benard Ighner and songwriter Quincy Jones, “Everything must change, nothing stays the same.” Who could have guessed that in this new century, our little towns would sport two (count ‘em – 2!) family-owned Turkish restaurants? Or an actual backroom speakeasy with glowing menus and one-of-a-kind cocktails? Three Thai eateries treat us to their spicy fare, and when it comes to Chinese, we’ve got everything from chef-driven, made-to-order cuisine to quickie carryout and delivery. Austrian food from a cherished family cookbook may be had any time in Lewes (with a drive-thru, yet!). We even have two local spots that crank out authentic Salvadorean food (pass the curtido, please…).

When I first started at the Gazette, one of the most prevalent comments I received from readers was the desire for an Indian restaurant. Well, be careful what you ask for: We now have two! Regional Indian cuisine is dished up by a family who brought their skills here from Punjab, India. Another spot sports an internationally renowned chef who adds a whisper of Asian to his Indian fare to create a tasty combination of both cultures.

Getting back to corndogs, pizza and fried fisherman’s platters, this is the beach after all, and nobody does it better than our burger joints, beachy breakfast spots, sub shops, fresh seafood restaurants and Italian joints with all sorts of pizza, from wood-fired Neapolitan-style all the way to down-home Detroit style. We’ve got fine-dining steakhouses, a chef-driven Asian-fusion bistro, real hickory-smoked BBQ and flame-roasted pit beef, classical Mediterranean treats (they don’t bring bread to the table – they bring big, plump olives!), brewpubs with multiple taps and pub grub galore, and even a few ethnic grocery stores, just in case you want to try this at home.

So many restaurants – so little time! Thank you, Cape Region, for allowing me to celebrate our brave entrepreneurs, friends and families who see fit to ply their culinary trade in a seasonal resort. I’ll have more goodies for you next year. And I sincerely hope your 2024 will be happy.