Rehoboth Foodie

Wouldn't it have been fun to be one of the lucky people flying on U.S.Air in the mid '80s and 90s under the watchful eyes of senior flight attendants Bill Shields and Joe Maggio! If their bar, Aqua Grill, in Rehoboth Beach is any indication, you can just imagine the fun in the first-class section. (I wonder if they had a mirror ball up there?)

Aqua is a popular outdoor watering hole smack in the middle of it all on Baltimore Avenue. But there's a hidden surprise tucked into the back: A restaurant! This is not bar food, and when you move back under the canopy and grab a table (if you're lucky), you'll find that even the few menu offerings that sound like bar food have a clever gourmet twist. And, yes, it IS noisy (and there was a live entertainer last night--even noisier), and it IS outside (oops...the occasional fly or mosquito), but I have to assume that anybody with a full complement of faculties would be aware of that before entering. So I'm going to talk about the food--you're on your own for the rest of the experience.

On a recent visit, we started with "Slip Sliding Away" (four generously portioned sliders filled with either chopped round steak or teeny crab cakes). Served with pickles, grilled onions and other fixin's, the quality of the beef is immediately obvious. More about the crab cakes later. Another member of our party had the soup du jour--last night it was a delicately spiced and buttery Cream of Crab with lots of crabmeat. I have to say, however, that the star of the soup show was the cool gazpacho, chock-full of crispy veggies and bold spices, almost like a mild salsa. Cross your fingers that they have it when you go. On one of our visits we dined with a local celebrity and she ordered "A Bucket of Love." Plump Littlenecks are steamed in a delightful combination of sake, ginger, red pepper and garlic. Quite good. On other visits we enjoyed the Seared Sea Scallops drizzled with a bracing chili-soy vinaigrette, and the Grilled Heart of Romaine (apparently everybody's doing that nowadays) splashed with balsamic, sprinkled with Reggiano and slathered with a mild Caesar dressing. Of course, they have the obligatory wedge (can't throw a rock around here without hitting a wedge). Aqua's talented chef has (mercifully) come up with a clever variation by adding black olives, avocado, bacon, swiss cheese, turkey, tomatoes and eggs. It's like a club sandwich without the bread!

In my most recent restaurant (the BBQ place), there were several recipes that I stole from my mother. People loved 'em. Last night at Aqua I ordered the cucumber/onion/vinegar side. Bill Shields came over to the table and told me that the recipe was his mother's, and that he loved it and that's why it was on the menu. I used to serve my mother's version at my place too! Go figure.

The generously crabby crab cakes are surrounded by a puree of corn (including some whole kernels) and surprisingly crispy sweet-potato fries. To be fair, I have to say that the slaw was a couple of notches down from ordinary and didn't live up to everything else on the plate. I know slaw is just an afterthought, but this chef can do better. The 10-Pack Abs (a short-rack of baby back ribs) are quite nice and have a crispy seared crust (the only way to serve 'em!). They also come with those nice sweet potato fries and that sad cole slaw. Trust your Foodie: Ask the server to double the fries and lose the slaw, or sub a side veggie. The ribs and crabby patties are worth it.

I don't usually make a big deal about specials because they come and go, but one of our party ordered the blackened chicken over pasta with a delicious (I stuck my finger in it when he wasn't looking) red pepper puree, also called a coulis. Earlier this season, our party was urged to "Trust the Rainbow"...Trout, that is: Pan-fried in panko with a broth of fennel and Pernod (a licorice-flavored liqueur like the Greek ouzo or the Lebanese arak) and saffron rice. It was outstanding with not-overcooked julienned veggies. "Working the Boardwalk" is a simple rigatoni dish covered in a rustic Puttanesca sauce with the requisite olives, capers and other bright-tasting goodies. (If you know the loose translation of the Italian word "puttanesca," you will get the little joke in the name of the dish. I'm not telling you.)

The Bacon Blue Cheese Burger and the Cuban ("Castro's Castaway," of course, with pork, cheese & pickles on grilled bread) have both been highly recommended by several of my trusted Foodettes. Have you tried any of the other sandwiches? Please share your thoughts below.

Proprietors Joe Maggio and Bill Shields are also well-established realtors here in Rehoboth Beach. You can have, in their words, your "cake and condo too" at what they claim to be the first "Real Estate Cafe," serving breakfast, lunch and dinner right in their offices on the second floor of First Street Station on Rehoboth Ave. at First St. The Foodie will get to it eventually. So many restaurants--so little time.

Aqua Grill caters primarily (but not exclusively) to boys who like boys and girls who like girls. The huge deck/bar is at 57 Baltimore Avenue, on the north side near the intersection with Second Street by the water tower. The few tables they have in the restaurant area fill up fast, so if you want to eat there, reservations are strongly recommended (302-226-9001). If you just want to drop by for a quick sip, come'n in. Who knows? You might make a new friend or two. Aqua Grill is open for lunch on Fridays and Saturdays, with a popular brunch on Sundays. Dinner 7 nights in season, of course. (L. (see previous), D., Bar). Price range: Moderate +.