Rehoboth Foodie

Venus on the Half Shell in Dewey Beach never really impressed me that much until recently, when uber-chef Pete McMahon took over control of the kitchen. Formerly of the Blue Moon (and more recently, part-owner/chef for JD Shuckers and former manager of the never-a-dull-moment Jimmy's Grille in Dewey), Pete brings a consistently good reputation to this long-time Dewey Beach staple.

The most obvious "value-added" about Venus is the view. The restaurant is located at the end of Dagsworthy Street, right smack on the Rehoboth Bay. A large glass wall faces a beach and the water. On our most recent visit, it was a beautiful night and the sandy little beach was set with dining tables that were almost totally full of guests. The other "value-added" is the warm ciabatta-style rolls that arrive with little bowls of olive oil. The four of us went through two baskets-full.

Everyone pretty much agreed that the nomination for star of the appetizer show was a toss up between the Buttermilk Fried Oysters and the Eggplant Tower. Anyone can hurl an unsuspecting bivalve into a fryer and hope for the best, but it takes a little extra preparation to ensure that the crust comes out crunchy and still attached. They were accompanied by a colorful and citrusy Shoepeg corn salsa. The Eggplant Tower was stacked with layers of Boursin cheese sandwiched between slices of eggplant and crowned with a chunky puttanesca sauce full of the required capers and olives, with a dusting of Romano cheese. One of my loyal Foodies ordered the Pan Roasted Clams. At the risk of (further) annoying the Chronic Complainers, I will state unequivocally that the Chardonnay butter broth was simply sublime. In fact, I couldn't stop myself from "accidentally" dropping pieces of those fresh ciabatta rolls into his bucket of clams. Always polite, of course, I fished them out with my fingers and ate them. The clams were clams and were OK, but that broth stole the show.

If you're feeling beefy, the Kobe Sliders will make you smile. The tender (and generously portioned) Japanese beef burgers are stuffed into three soft little rolls and accompanied by the standard fixin's. In an uncharacteristic moment of moderation {don't get used to it}, The Foodie suggests you order these to share. The Scallops Wrapped in Wontons appetizer sported little wonton strips tied around scallops like little mollusky birthday ribbons. They were quickly fried (to crisp up the wonton) and playfully dotted with a sweet Hoisin-Lime sauce. A little ramekin of bright green Wakamee Seaweed Salad is paired with a dark Ponzu dipping sauce (an aromatic sauce made from citrus juice, soy sauce, mirin, fish stock or Bonito flakes). The presentation was delightful, though I think the dish would have had a more exciting mouth feel if it had had two or three of the larger Sea scallops (wearing more wonton to crunch) rather than five or six of what I assume were the smaller Bay scallops.

One of the standouts on the entree menu was the Lobster, Shrimp and Scallop Lasagna. More like a big enchilada than an actual lasagna, the chopped shellfish were wrapped in spinach pasta and then slathered with basil pesto and cheese sauces. Quite good. Another of my trusted Foodettes had the Rock Shrimp and Langostinos in creamy pasta with smoked tomatoes. On our last visit I ordered the Jumbo Soft-Shell Crab stuffed with scallops and crabmeat. The broiled (not fried) softshell is not "jumbo" at all, but the delicious filling sure is. The entire creation is comfortably nestled in a bed of white sweet potatoes and served with crunchy, bright green broccolini. The white and flaky Pan-Roasted Rockfish was properly cooked and simply spiced. It joined buttery stewed oysters, mashers with Old Bay and still-crispy sugar snaps.

Venus on the Half Shell is an interestingly appointed, multi-level facility with a large bar and, of course, the sandy beach/outdoor dining combo (in-season, of course). Just turn west onto Dagsworthy street and if you hear a really loud splash, you've gone too far. Be sure to check their hours in the off-season (302) 227-9292. Click here for a sample entree menu. (D., Bar) Price range: Expensive -.