LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
EATING Out |
by Jennifer P. Rubenstein |
This Shack's no Shack
Last week after seeing a fabulous show at the Rehoboth Beach Theatre of the Arts, some friends and I strolled into the Seafood Shack on beautiful Baltimore Avenue. We had entered with the plan of snacking on bar food such as wings and fried shrimp, but we were surprised to find that the Seafood Shack has expanded its menu with many salads, entrees, and special items. Don't get me wrong, you can still get some of the best wings, steamed shrimp and onion rings in town, but now you can also get filet mignon if you prefer. Proprietors Stephanie Dalee and Shelia Savaliski have just completed their first summer as owners of the little restaurant tucked away on Baltimore Avenue. They have put an incredible amount of work into the place inside and out with a full-on face lift, a big new sign, re-vamped front and rear porches (dogs are welcome on the rear porch), and a brand new menu. We decided to try a few different items and share. I ordered the Caesar Salad with grilled Mahi. The fish was just the right portion and tasted great: flaky and moist, with wonderful flavor. The dressing was delicious, and as you know, Caesar Salad is all about the dressing. While Steph can usually be found behind the bar, Shelia is usually in the kitchen. I asked Shelia about the Caesar dressing and she said that her secret is to use high quality ingredients, anchovy paste and Worcestershire sauce instead of vinegar. It produces a delicious, creamy dressing that I would like to buy by the bottle. Most of the dressings and sides are made in-house and with care. They are especially proud of their chipotle mayo, wasabi ranch, and Caesar (of course) dressings, their potato salad, black bean and corn salad and soups. There is also a special vegetable of the day (I love the cucumber salad). They are very committed to putting out quality food even though they are "just" a seafood shack. In fact, we tried the filet mignon, but I will get to that in a minute. First I want to tell you about the grilled chicken po' boy. The chicken was moist and freshly cooked, the roll was also fresh and light, and the tomatoes tasted like they were grown in someone's garden. The Shack has long been known for its po' boys, so it was no surprise that this was a delicious sandwich. The surprise came when my friend, Deb, ordered the Steak and Cake. This is a platter with filet mignon, a crab cake and two sides. The crab cake was delicious with a nice crunch on the outside. Deb chose the potato salad and corn and black bean salad as her sides; both of those were delicious as well. The steak was cooked to perfection and seasoned deliciously. We were thrilled at the quality of the filet. I can not recommend it highly enough. Steph and Shelia said that they have been selling a lot of filets, and they laughed about how they are becoming known for their steak, even though they are a seafood place. I have also heard people rave about the Bermuda Triangle salad which is a trio of chicken, tuna and shrimp salads served on a bed of greens. In addition to the food, the Seafood Shack offers a lively atmosphere, happy hour from 4 to 6 p.m., drink specials, karaoke on Thursday nights, ladies' night on Fridays, and live entertainment on Friday and Saturday nights. You can see one of the flat screen televisions from almost every seat in the place, so it should be a fun place to be for football this fall. To see the full menu, a photo gallery and entertainment calendar, visit their website at www.seafoodshackrehoboth.com.The Seafood Shack is located at 42 1/2 Baltimore Avenue in downtown Rehoboth Beach. They can be reached at 227-5881. Most recently, they have been open seven days a week, but look for that to be scaled back to Thursday through Monday at some point this fall. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 13 September 12, 2008 |