Rehoboth Foodie

When asked to name the most difficult part of being a food critic, celebrated reviewer Ruth Reichl answered, "Having to write about a restaurant I know I won't like." Well, I'm certainly not Ruth (though I might look pretty spiffy in that big picture-hat), but I cannot tell a lie: I visited Rigby's a couple of times early last year, and my experiences were less than satisfactory. So rather than subject myself to a third visit, I put it on the back burner. And there it stayed.

Then I started getting emails from site visitors (and even the nice people at Rigby's) telling me that they had revamped and cleaned up the place, brought in a

I'd like to thank all the Foodie fans who made me feel guilty for not getting around to this tucked-away piece of the Caribbean. This season's openings, closings, reopenings, remodelings (and possible openings) on Wilmington Avenue have been keeping us busy. But we finally made it. And for the most part, we're better for it.

Like other "theme" places here at the beach, Zogg's is an

Yup, that's a "9.5" alright. It means "just about perfect." So far we've only awarded a couple of these to the over 130 restaurants we've reviewed. We went back several times, desperate to find something wrong, and we failed each time. (Well, OK, the setting sun does sometimes get in your eyes when you sit by the windows that look out onto the bay.) The soft, live piano music didn't hurt, either.

The festivities begin with a basket of simple but fresh

The menu at Stoney Lonen cites an old Irish quote: "...when in Ireland, You are always close to the sea." Well, the menu is certainly loaded with seafood dishes, steaks and Irish goodies, and the proximity to the sea goes without saying. The restaurant occupies a colorful, yet unassuming building on Second St. at the corner of Wilmington Ave. in Rehoboth Beach where the original

[This is a brand new review of Betty's revamped menu and kitchen.]

It's no secret that Betty's Pure and Simple has had its ups and downs over the past year or so. Personally, I feel that much of the hubbub is due to owner Matt Haley's clever, but perhaps skewed, branding of the restaurant. He went for the "Mel's Diner" look and menu, and that's all well and good, except that people associate that sort of thing with $3.95 hamburgers the size of your head and a $4.95 mountain of meatloaf.

Well, the look may be "diner," but the menu was (and still is) more upscale, with quality (read: higher cost) ingredients. My favorite Foodie/Psychotherapist would call this

For years, that sunny corner at First and Wilmington was called the Kannery, where the mom and the boys dished up OK subs, burgers and sandwiches. That is, of course, until George and Soula Vrentzos and their daughter Irene opened the Corner Grille in that very same spot. George was a chef in fine dining restaurants for most of his life, and even within the limitations of a beachy sandwich shop, his

(note UPDATE below) Welcome Cypress! This restaurant is the latest in the parade of eateries to occupy that storied building at 37 Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. Square One, Yum Yum, Shag, Atlantic Jazz Yard--they all flamed-out for one reason or another. I'm sure that Bethany Beach builder/developer Ken Heaps hopes that his Cajun-flavored Cypress doesn't follow suit. The Foodie shares that sentiment.

The decor hasn't changed very much since