Rehoboth Foodie

It's a hike to Milton, DE, but I was pleased to find out that one of the owners had been a chef at one of my favorite places in Rehoboth Beach. Sadly, the first few meals we had at Po'Boys Creole & Fresh Catch were simply not good, so I gave them some time to settle. I've been back five times since that first review, and boy, has it changed in there!

One of my tried-and-true barometers of good cajun food is gumbo [pictured, right]. It's either right or it's not. The cup I enjoyed when we first returned was definitely right. The roux was dark and thick without being floury, and it was well spiced and chock full of andouille sausage and chicken (I added Tabasco, but that's just me). My only regret is that I didn't order a bowl.

Jambalaya [pictured, below right] is also one of my "go-to" dishes when ordering cajun. Again...this New Orleans signature combo of chicken, shrimp, sausage and rice has to be right. Bingo! It was moist, filled with all the requisite goodies, and deliciously spiced -- except for last time (see update).

UPDATE! We recently visited Po'Boys Creole and Fresh Catch and I again ordered the gumbo and the jambalaya mentioned above. The texture of the gumbo and the generosity of the sausage, shrimp and chicken in the jambalaya were again perfect. But I have one gripe. With all due respect to Chef Lee Stewart, please lose the sage in the gumbo and the jambalaya--or at least cut WAY back on it. The key taste in these dishes should be the filé, and the sage blocks it. I tasted no filé. And with Chef Stewart's skills, I know it had to be in there. I tasted nothing but sage for 3-4 hours after I ate. This must be a fairly recent change, because both dishes tasted perfectly authentic on our last few visits. I mourn for the way it was.

On a more positive side, one of our dining companions ordered the blackened catfish [pictured, upper left]. It was as near to perfect as I have ever seen. The outside was deeply spicy and crusty, but the inside of the thin filet was amazingly moist and flaky. I'm not going to change the food rating at this point because everything (other than the seasonings in the gumbo and jambalaya) was quite good.

Now back to the program already in progress:

My dining companion ordered the Fried Crawfish Tails. The tasty coating stayed firmly attached to each and every one of these little crustaceans, making for a crunchy (and filling) appetizer. One of the specials on another visit was Blackened Scallops. Scallops are finicky about how they are cooked, and blackening involves high heat, lots of smoke and attention. Chef Stewart pulled it off just fine. The outside was properly black and crusty, and the insides were perfectly done---not mushy (underdone) or rubbery (overdone).

On a previous visit, one of our cohorts had the Red Beans and Rice. It was a huge portion, served over chunks of that tasty andouille. Though it was mildly spiced, there are more than enough goodies on the table to fire it up. The beans were firm, and the rice just as moist as it was in the jambalaya.

On the last two visits our companions ordered the Zydeco Po'Boy [pictured, above left]. Eureka! They've apparently increased the portion size to bring the sandwiches more in line with the $8-$13 tariff. We also had the Fried Oysters [pictured, below left], and, like the crab cake, were spiced just right--and the breading stayed firmly attached. Another recent special was a deliciously creamy Roasted Reb Pepper Bisque [pictured, below right].

Our last few visits were topped off with their homemade (yes, made right there) Buttermilk Pie. Think of a rich coconut custard--without the coconut. It was cool and refreshing after all the spicy goodies. I have to go back and try the pecan pie.

They now offer Boudreaux's Brunch on Sundays from 11 to 3 (Boudreaux is the friendly alligator on the green wall, pictured right). The bill of fare looks pretty good, and I'm anxious to see if their beignets are as good as Cafe du Monde's. The omelets and variations on Eggs Benedict look good too. I'll keep you posted. If you go, comment below!

Po'Boys Creole & Fresh Catch now has its act together. I do have to say that I was disappointed on our last visit by the excess of sage in my two favorite dishes, but maybe they'll get past this failed experiment do it like they used to.

It gets pretty busy in there, and it does get a little noisy in that small room. Pretend it's Mardi Gras--but keep your clothes on. If they keep this level of quality they'll have to break down a wall into the neighboring space. Proprietors Lee and Amy Stewart should be proud of themselves. They've come a long way.

Po' Boys Creole & Fresh Catch is in the Dollar General strip center on Rt. 16, on the right just as you enter Milton from the east. Their phone number is 302-684-0890. Click here for a look at Po'Boy's menu. (L., D.) Price  Range: Moderate +.

[I have deleted the visitor comments posted when the first review was published. The comments below reflect more recent experiences. Add yours below!]