Rehoboth Foodie

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In 1958, brothers Frank and Dan Carney borrowed $600 from their mom to open a pizza parlor on the campus of their school, Wichita State University. The tiny slant-roofed building had room for only 9 letters (including spaces) on the existing sign, so the hut-like joint became ...Pizza Hut.

By 1973, the operation had grown to 1000 restaurants all over the world. In 1977, PepsiCo purchased the business, and by 1986 had expanded it to over 5000 stores. There were 10,000 Pizza Huts by 1994, and PepsiCo sold the chain to Tricon Global Restaurants which eventually became Louisville-based YUM! Brands, owning and operating 36,000 Pizza Huts, KFCs and Taco Bells in over 117 countries and territories. Hopefully mom got a return on her $600.

It's no secret that the Rehoboth Beach Pizza Hut is getting a little long in the tooth. I always worried a little when I'd

As Bobby Ciprietti and his partners work to expand Touch of Italy into Five Points, the downtown Lewes location continues to pack 'em in. Case in point: I try to schedule my review visits in such a way that I can go a few times during the season and also the off-season, giving me a better idea of how places adjust their service between summer and winter. To that end, my most recent visit to Touch of Italy in Lewes to take place on a cool, late December weeknight. In fact, I wondered if they would even be open. When I called, I was told, "We'll keep the place open for you." How nice. And I fell for it.

Open? The place was packed! People were crowded around the door waiting for tables or to be served at the deli counter. In fact, I had to push them out of the way just to get inside. Was this Katz's or Carnegie Deli in New York? Was this Zabar's on the upper West Side where you have to fist-fight your way to the

One of the hundreds of online accolades about Grove Market restaurant includes the description, "diamond in the rough." Even a diamond in the rough is still a diamond, and this one doesn't need a bit of polishing. It's just fine the way it is.

Now keep in mind that it's my obligation to be critical and ferret-out things that you might not like about a restaurant. I'm fortunate that most of the places around here are at least OK, but I'm always on the lookout for careless slipups and missteps. So if it was my job to find any substantial fault with the Grove Market, then I did not do my job (I did have one gripe--I'm saving that for later). What I DID do was have one of the most delightful and delicious evenings I've enjoyed in a long time.

The Grove Market was converted from a bait shack (wait 'til you see it) into a restaurant in 1987, and head chef John McDonald joined the crew in '93. He is the very knowledgeable wine critic for the

Regular visitors to RF know that we were less than impressed when JAM Bistro was located in the basement of the old Epworth Church on Baltimore Ave. in Rehoboth Beach. Besides, it's a known fact that people generally don't like to trek downstairs to eat. The food and service were consistently haphazard, and many visitors to RF agreed. Could our perceptions have been altered by the underground gloom?

It doesn't matter, because owners Mark Hunker and Jeff McCracken cleverly moved the sadly subterranean JAM across the street into the bright, amply windowed building that was once home to the storied Camel's Hump restaurant. The attitude, the surroundings -- and the food -- instantly improved. Operations manager (and pastry chef extraordinaire) Danielle Panarello hit the

Climbing the staircase into Planet X is like entering another dimension, glowing crimson from Chinese lanterns that sway in the wind. Pillow-strewn banquettes make even the darkest corners inviting. A purple Buddha peers out at you, his multi-armed grandeur reflected in a mosaic of mirrors that sparkle in the muted glow of ornate chandeliers. "New agey" decor (complete with the obligatory beaded curtain) blends strangely well with the undercurrent of nondescript, soothing (and equally new-agey) music.

The covered porch wraps around the side of the building. On a warm summer's night, it's the perfect place to see and be seen (don't worry--the inside is air conditioned). All in all, Planet X is the most creatively appointed eatery in Rehoboth Beach.

The servers are casual and easygoing, often taking orders without writing anything down. (This can sometimes invite

My most recent restaurant in Maryland was just down the street from a popular crab house and general-all-around seafood joint called Bethesda Crabhouse. Members of that original family have taken over the old Curley's BBQ spot just north of the Nassau Bridge in Lewes and opened The Surfing Crab. They're steamin', fryin' and broilin' themselves into their very own niche here at the beach.

I was a little surprised that their prices on