by Fay Jacobs
I'll get right to the point. At Mano's on Wilmington Avenue, the many seafood, beef, chicken and vegetarian entrees ore wonderfully prepared and presented, they are moderately priced, and you con feed your fancy from strictly meat and potatoes to adventurous and eclectic.
And did I mention that they are always, always reliably open?
I've had weekend breakfast there so early (8:30 a.m. in the summer.) I didn't even wont a Mimosa yet; brunched on Sundays at every imaginable hour (with possibly the best Bloody Marys in town); lunched from the terrific sandwich and salad menu on many an overcast or hot, hot, Saturday; and joined friends there for dinner at hours ranging from unfashionably early to "I got stuck on the Bay Bridge and tied up on Route 404, oh please let the kitchen still be open.
And it always is.
In fact, I don't know how Helen, Dan and Gregg do it, but they have made Mano's atmosphere inviting and menu-appropriate whatever the hour, whatever your mood. And if Helen does leave her place behind the bar to sit down, I've never seen it.
I've been sampling the menu for years, capped by a recent Sunday evening dinner where Chef Gregg made certain that Bonnie and I tasted the latest innovations-so I've got a lot to tell.
Let's talk appetizers: the broiled Shrimp wrapped in bacon with barbecue sauce, atop onions and cucumbers is a unique treat. Enjoy escargot? Gregg's light puffed pastry is the perfect complement for the unusually large delicacies in a rich garlic butter saut. Afraid the crab-stuffed mushrooms might be light on crab? No way. It's luscious crab meat, broiled to perfection, without a hint of filler. And the appetizers range from just $3.75-$6.50
Salad lovers, you can feast on the House Salad ($2.00) or step up to the French Country Salad of mixed greens with granny smith apples, crumbled blue cheese and balsamic vinegar dressing ($4.75). It looks smashing and tastes that way, too. Ready for a Caesar? At $3.75 it rivals those at twice the price.
On to the entrees: Try the Linguini with shrimp and scallops-if you crave garlic you'll be in heaven. The shellfish is cooked just right.
Speaking of fish, the Salmon Nicholas ($12.50) is accompanied by red and black caviar, potatoes and subtle sweet and sour carrots and apples-and a marvelous saffron cream sauce.
But the entree I like best is the one I probably wouldn't hove ordered if Gregg hadn't selected it for us: the Wicked Prime Rib Grille ($13.75) with a tomato sauce spiced with
onion, pepper flakes, garlic, vinegar and brown sugar. I would have missed it, worried that the sauce would overpower the prime rib. But the meat was butter tender; and the flavor sublime. Bonnie and I raved-and, selfish parents that we are, kept our "doggie bag" for ourselves rather than give it to Max
Just before slipping into a food coma, we checked out the creme brulee (skillfully singed) and chocolate brownie, accompanied by Dan's Cafe Mary Ann-espresso, Bailey's and a pistachio liquor. "This is a winner;" we said, just before crying "Uncle!"
Entree prices range from $10.50 (and there's a nice 10 oz. sirloin for $11) to $16.25 for the lamb chops. But most of the choices are in the $12-$ 13 range.
As for the Mano's Brunch, it just may be the best value at the beach. The menu offers numerous choices, and brunch includes a cocktail and you get change back from your ten dollar bill.
I'm particularly partial to the Eggs Toulon (like Benedict, but with Nova Scotia salmon you know, lox) french toast (uniformly dipped in egg and well cooked, unlike lots of other places!) and omelets. Friends boast about the breakfast burrito, which I haven't yet tried, but it may be next. Brunch choices also include salads, burgers (veggie, too) and sandwiches. Again, it's great and a marvelous value.
The ambiance at Mano's is just as eclectic as the food. The tables are well-spaced and the service is speedy but not frantic. The music covers many moods as well, with Sunday morning showtunes, lots of contemporary sounds, a sprinkle of oldies, and country and jazz.
As for the crowd, it's eclectic, too. Rehoboth weekenders and full-timers mix easily with couples and families in town for a visit.
Last Sunday, a couple sat behind us with their wellbehaved eight-year old daughter who was experiencing cofteewith oodles of cream and sugarfor the first time. Friends of ours noticed the historic first and everyone got to talking.
That's just the way it is at Mano's. Friendly and a feast for any mood. See you there, day or night.
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3/28/97 Issue. Copyright 1997 by CAMP Rehoboth, Inc. All rights reserved.