After five years in business, Seafood Shack owners Georgette Schaefer and Pat Whittier decided the time was right to expand their eleven seat restaurant in order to progress and grow and to meet the demands of their loyal customers. Before the expansion the only options were for takeout or to sit on the smallish front sidewalk patio. That patio is still an option, but now you have the choice of two other seating areas: you can sit inside and soak up the air conditioning and enjoy the vibrant and colorful environment there or ask to be seated on the back patio for fresh air and a bit more privacy.

Seafood Shack is located on the premises of what was the original Dos Locos at 42 Baltimore Avenue. As one of the joint owners of that establishment, Pat brings some of that expertise to the making of a really great Margarita. These are for the purist and are served "rocks only." There’s a daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. where you can score a domestic beer or a twelve ounce Hurricane for a mere $2 (and the Hurricanes here are Georgette and Pat’s own recipe—not as sweet as those you might have gulped down in New Orleans). As a specialty drink you might want to kick up your Hurricane and order a Katrina.

Let me say right up front that the Seafood Shack is a no frills sort of place. If you’re looking for linen table cloths, fine china, silverware, or candlelight you are in the wrong place. If, however, you’re looking for some great seafood then you are most definitely in the right place.

Washingtonian magazine recently featured the Seafood Shack by announcing, "You’re not a Rehoboth regular if you don’t know about the Shack," then goes on to heap praise on their po’ boy sandwiches, with good reason. The menu lists a choice of thirteen of these stuffed sandwiches with a choice of having them dressed (lettuce, tomato, mayo) or undressed (AKA naked).

There’s a generally accepted history that the po’ boy sandwich, a New Orleans invention and institution, was invented by former streetcar drivers and brothers Clovis and Benjamin Martin, in 1919 at their restaurant in the French Market. Supposedly the brothers took pity on the men of a local transit worker’s strike and began offering sandwiches made from leftovers to these local "poor boys" who came to their restaurant’s back door at the end of the day. For a nickel, a striker could buy a sandwich. Po’ boys are always served on French bread with a variety of stuffings.

While Georgette and Pat may give a tip of the hat to the Martin brothers, their take on the sandwich is a marvel. They do cost more than a nickel and you don’t have to knock at the back door, the po’ boys are worth every dollar and calorie you will spend.

Susan and I started our meal with my selecting the cream of crab and corn soup, topped with Cajun croutons. The soup is a star, loaded with chunks of crab floating in a rich and creamy broth. Susan ordered the jumbo steamed and Old Bay spiced shrimp. The shrimp are truly "jumbo," defying you to eat one in a single bite. They were the wonderful combination of tenderness and spiciness that set the standard for how steamed shrimp should be served.

There was a mighty temptation to order the shrimp salad after we learned that it was not only homemade but hand shelled by Georgette who told us people clamor for this dish, and it is often sold out by noon. She says, "I can only peel so many a day!" But we figured we’d come back for that and settled in to try to decide which po ’boy to eat.

It was pretty much of a slam dunk for me—soft shell po’ boy. Seafood shack drives down to get these fat crustaceans once a week from their supplier in Crisfield. Be glad they make the trip—the crabs are meaty and perfectly fried before being stuffed into a crusty hunk of bread, topped off with lettuce and tomato. Susan waffled and waffled and finally decided to order the aptly named Peacemaker po’ boy. It’s their signature, and most popular one. Made with one crab cake, two crispy oysters, and two fried shrimp it’s the answer to anyone’s quandary about what to order. This way you get three distinct and hearty tastes of great, lightly cooked seafood that should satisfy your cravings for variety.

If you’re not in the mood for a po’ boy, the menu features other platters, all seafood with the exception of a chicken tender platter. Bring the kids along—there’s a children’s menu. Also, there’s a special side dish that is served after 5 p.m.: sweet corn mashed potatoes with chipotle gravy.

For dessert, take your pick of ice cream or a delicious slice of Key lime pie with whipped cream and shaved almonds.