Rehoboth Foodie

A few people have scolded me for saying "too many" good things about some of the local restaurants. As I explain in About the Foodie, I believe that the fierce competition here in Rehoboth Beach actually does make most of our restaurants pretty good. Indeed, "only the strong survive," and the marginal ones tend not to last very long anyway. I do write critical things about places, and you'll see them as you browse the reviews and commentary. (And by the way, you can always add your own comments -- good or bad -- after any review.)

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I will further annoy the Chronic Complainers by proceeding to write some nice things (all of them truly earned--no fawning here, I promise) about The Buttery in Lewes, DE. Of course, all restaurants have good and bad nights, but my most recent meal there was a delight, and all six in my party agreed.

My regular dining companion started with The Buttery Seafood Chowder. With this soup, "Buttery" is both a proper noun and an adjective. It was creamy and loaded with clams, firm white fish (cod?) and shrimp. Frankly, it was almost too filling for an appetizer, and I believe it would be more suited for a hearty lunch with a sandwich. The Soup of the Day was a gumbo. Unfortunately, nobody at our table ordered it, but I did gawk at a next-door table (I leaned back so far I almost ended up with my head in their champagne bucket). From observation only, it looked equally rich and chunky with sausage and shrimp.

I can't get past their Blue Cheese Salad, and often order the "for two" version at lunch. The "for one" version is generous, with artichoke hearts, red roasted peppers, vinegary little Kalamata olive-exclamation points, cukes, tomatoes and red onion. The slightly sweet vinaigrette coats the salty chunks of bleu cheese and serves as a perfect counterpoint to the 'chokes and olives. My other dining companion (we'll call her "Mary Ann") had the House-Smoked Rockfish Timbale (timbale = any mixture formed into a shape then turned out onto the serving plate). Replete with tangy pickled onions, capers, cornichons (crisp pickles made from tiny gherkin cucumbers) and a grainy mustard, it was great slathered on the crispy crostini. Other appetizers included The Buttery Cheese Plate (a nicely presented potpourri of fromage with Apple Quince butter and Port Wine Fig Jam (!), and the Autumn Beet Creation (beets, beets and more beets...add buttermilk bleu cheese and pickled horseradish, thank you).

The main courses could easily have been anticlimactic, but they stood up for themselves just fine. The star of the show (at our table, at least) was the Berkshire Pork Osso Bucco. At the risk of sounding like I'm "on the take" (I am not), it was simply phenominal. Both sweet and savory with maple and sage, this darkly braised pork shank (not unlike the more traditional veal shank osso bucco) was moist, rich and fell off the bone. It was nested squarely in a warm and delicious butternut squash risotto and topped with hazelnut gremolata (minced parsley, garlic, lemon zest and tiny hazelnut pieces). Add some crisp, bright green broccolini and top it all with an apple cider-vanilla reduction. Dear Reader, this Foodie has dined in literally thousands of restaurants, and this is one of the best entrees I've ever had.

My friend "Mary Ann" had the Naturally Raised Rabbit Duo. It was prepared as a combination of Confit (duck that's salted, cooked and preserved in its own, flavorful fat) and Dijon Rabbit Sausage. This crispy and NOT greasy presentation was surrounded by wild mushrooms, roasted onion, dark red beets, brussel sprouts and a moist olive-oil grit cake (!, again). Mary Ann's preferred dining companion ordered the Meyer Lemon Baked Rockfish. Served on a bed of rice, it was paired with crispy broccolini and topped with a pickled onion-apple relish and a nutty brown butter. His plate was spotless when they finally wrenched it from his trembling hands.

My regular visitors know I have issues with some restaurant desserts that probably started out nice, but wither into tastelessness in the walk-in cooler. Well, to make a long story short (I know, it's too late for that) we all shared the Tirimisu and the pumpkin Creme Brulee. Both were made on the premises and both were delicious.

Regarding lunch: I really like the Bleu cheese salad and the Buttery Beach sandwich (turkey with smoked gouda and a bright not-too-sweet mango chutney. Add lettuce, tomato and mayo on a fresh crackly French baguette). Several other lunch goodies I've seen happily devoured are the Seafood Mac & Cheese (don't ask, just get it),  the smoked salmon BLT (salmon and crisp bacon, for goodness sakes. What's not to like?), and the Veggy Lasagne (a stratified creation of Swiss Chard, mushrooms, fennel, pasta and marinara, paired with a beet salad crunchified with toasted pumpkin seeds). Almost makes you want to swear off your carnivorous ways!

The Buttery is open daily (always call off-season: 302-645-7755) and reservations are strongly suggested in-season. They have a Sunday Brunch and a surprisingly filling pub menu for the happy hour crowd (including tapas with a Meditteranean bent, cheeses, a rich kobe burger, crab cakes...the list goes on). The Buttery is ensconced in a proud old mansion that dominates the corner of Savannah Road and Second Street in historic Lewes. Dine on the porch, inside the dining room or in the pub. (B. (Sundays), L., D., Bar). Price range: Expensive -.