LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
EATING Out |
by Jennifer P. Rubenstein |
Food and Fun at Aqua Grill
I knew we were in for a good time when we approached Aqua Grill last Sunday evening on Beautiful Baltimore Avenue because I could see the bustling porch full of smiling men. The weather was warm and breezy, and as we made our way through the crowd, even people we didn't know were greeting us fondly. In the back, a gaggle of people were around a table where Cassandra from PlanetOut was handing out T-shirts, temporary tattoos, and other goodies from Gay.com. It was a party atmosphere. This year, 2008, will mark Aqua Grill's third summer of operation under co-owners Bill Shields and Joe Maggio. Each year, the atmosphere and food seems to get better and better. Bill and Joe have created an establishment with a vibe inspired by the best aspects of their favorite hangouts in Key West, California, and Spain, based on their many years of travel as airline employees. Comfortable large wicker chairs with floral print fabric and pillows immediately put diners in the right state of mind...lean back, sip a fruity beverage and enjoy. For you readers with pale skin like mine (I don't tan, I just burn), it's a blessing to find a place like Aqua where I can feel like I'm sitting outside without baking in the sun. The interior restaurant is open on two sides, so it feels breezy, plus it is totally shaded by an overhanging roof and huge blue canvas canopy. It is quite pleasant. On the other hand, for you sun worshippers, there is also seating available out on the front porch where you can toast yourselves to a beautiful golden brown (I'm so jealous). Wherever you end up sitting, you won't be disappointed by the service and the food. We were shown to our table by the lovely and professional Jenny Barger, who is working the hostess stand this summer at Aqua, and promptly greeted by our server, Dino, who was wonderful. He was a gem, making sure that we had everything we needed all evening. The menu has so many interesting items, we found it hard to choose among the seafood, Asian, Spanish and traditional dishes. So, we had some of everything. These are the types of sacrifices I make for you, my dear reader. All kidding and sarcasm aside, there are a lot of choices at Aqua, and we tried to select a wide variety to sample. We started our meal with more than a few appetizers. The Seafood Martini was a chilled assortment of shrimp, scallops and other seafood with tiny chunks of mango. It was very fresh and light. The Bucket of Love was a huge platter of steamed little neck clams in an Asian broth that was subtly flavored with Saki, garlic and ginger; I loved that it was served with a few slices of baguette so that I could dip them into the broth. Yum. The Peace Offering platter was one of my favorite appetizers: a thick dark flavorful hummus was served with calamata olives, Thai slaw, pita bread, and the highlight of the dish: a green curried eggplant. Our overall favorite appetizer, though, was the Sunken Treasure Tuna. Sesame encrusted sashimi-grade tuna is slightly seared and served with seaweed salad. It sounds good, right? It is good, but then they put the sauce on it and it becomes extraordinary. (It's always all in the sauce, isn't it?) This sauce had us puzzled. It is described in the menu as "chili soy drizzle vinaigrette," but we kept sticking our fingers into it trying to decipher the exact ingredients. It was an amazing sweet and spicy, bright red, beautiful drizzle. Chef Stasia Gabrielle came out to check on us and I wanted to ask for the recipe for that drizzle, but I was too intimidated. The entres arrived, and they were all delicious. The Wild Thing is the wild game dish of the day, and on Sunday, it was rabbit that was slow cooked and served with mashed potatoes and greens. The greens had an interesting bright flavor (maybe lemon) that offset the savory slow cooked meat. In addition to tasting good, it was presented beautifully. All the guys who walked by our table (which was FULL of food) kept pointing to the rabbit dish and asking, "What's that?" Dino brought us a handful of forks, and we gave out bites to all the guys who asked. Everyone liked it; in fact, two different guys, both named "Bobby" told us they thought the rabbit was delicious. I promised that I'd put their comments in the article. Our next entre was the paella (pronounced "pie-ay-ya"), which is called Spanish Fly on the menu. I can see why. It tasted divine and could easily inspire romantic thoughts. It was freshly made (not mushy like paellas can be). If you've never had paella, it is a traditional Spanish dish where rice is fried in a special pan with garlic and saffron until the bottom is toasted, and then it is topped with vegetables, seafood and/or meat. The rice in Aqua's paella had a nice crisp to it, and I could definitely taste the saffron. Aqua's paella was full of flavor and topped with tons of mussels, clams, bell peppers and linguica (a Portuguese sausage). It was wonderful. The favorite entre at my table, overall, though was the ribs. Stasia is famous for her ribs, and they are still coming out perfect. One of my friends had never eaten baby backs before, and she loved them. We assured her that she was now spoiled for any other ribs. With an average entre price of less than $17, Aqua is a bargain. Co-owner Bill Shields took great pride in telling me about their extensive customer service training and the fact that everything is handmade to order and fresh (no frozen food). Aqua Grill is located at 57 Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach (near Second Street). For reservations, call 302-226-9001. To see the menu or pictures from Memorial Day Weekend, visit www.aquagrillrehoboth.com. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 06 May 30, 2008 |