Rehoboth Foodie

The demise of the Cosmopolitan Grill is old news, and is best left for future generations to untangle. The good news is that original Eden Cafe chef/owner Rob Stitt has teamed up with former Summerhouse bartender (and dyed-in-the-wool surfer) Matt Sprenkle. The former roommates  have a long history in Rehoboth and Dewey at Regan Derrickson's Nalu and the now-gone Ponos (now Whiskey Beach BBQ). Blue Moon Executive Chef Lion Gardner was Rob's sous chef at the original Eden, and, at this point, Rob still owns Bayside Barbecue near Pot Nets in Long Neck.

Stitt continues to apply his Eden Cafe culinary chops to the kitchen as Matt makes sure that the front-of-house is, in his words, "super casual and laid back." Though Shorebreak already has some signature dishes that regulars have come to expect (get the Braised Short Ribs!), the menu will vary with the seasons, so some of the items reviewed below might not be available.

Rob's new menu has some interesting highlights--none the least of which are the surprisingly reasonable prices. I'll tell you right now that one of the winners in the appetizer department is the Sweet 'n' Spicy Watermelon Cucumber Gazpacho with Crab [pictured, right]. At the risk of stirring up the Chronic Complainers, this is among the best things I've ever tasted. The cool cucumber mingles with the soft sweetness of watermelon to contrast with the peppery edge of the broth and the light crunchiness of minced spring onions and celery. Several large chunks of crabmeat float languidly on the surface. I'd like to order this stuff in a glass and forget about the spoon. Because of the watermelon component, I fear that it will be seasonal, so I suggest you try it before it goes away. I hope it becomes a regular item.

UPDATE: I have been a one-man ambassador for that watermelon gazpacho since I first had it. But my last visit was a disappointment. The light, spicy broth was replaced with a mealy slurry of what seemed like mashed-up watermelon, and the hot spicy edge that blended so nicely with the sweet berry was gone. No cucumber was in evidence, either. Instead of tiny chunks of cool and crispy veggies, there were large pieces of julienned whatever on the top. Guys! What happened? If you have to fake it, then 86 it. You made me look bad, as I recommended it to everyone at the table (and at neighboring tables) and they just politely nodded afterwards. When melons are back in season, I want to try it again. Hopefully it will be the way is was and I can delete this whole annoying paragraph.

Now back to our program already in progress:

Another surprise is the complex taste and the generous amount of crabmeat and avocados in the Spicy Crab and Red Lentil Soup [picured, above left]. Each spoonful is a cascade of sensation, from savory cumin to warm crab, to the meaty warmth of the lentils to the creaminess of the avocado. It was on the specials menu on one of our visits, but it deserves a permanent spot on the bill of fare. Apparently both soups are Rob's creations, and this certainly bodes well for the rest of the menu.

The Fancy Fries [pictured, right] consists of freshly fried shoestrings, chunks of crumbled gorgonzola and Truffle oil. We had trouble tasting the truffle oil and wonder if they forgot to put it on.

We ordered Mac & Cheese [pictured, left] "for the table." It had a crunchy topping, and was filled with chunks of Andouille sausage and bacon, It tasted OK, but cheese needed to be the primary taste. We all agreed that it needs to be more creamy and cheesy.

More watermelon can never be a bad thing, and the Watermelon Salad (with feta, red onion, radish, mint arugula and a mildly sweet balsamic vinaigrette) is cool and refreshing with a roller coaster of taste. The Mussels appetizer is loaded with small, wide-open and welcoming bivalves that unabashedly bask in a Tabasco-lime sauce with chorizo and avocado. It's topped with a big crostini and could be a meal in itself.

The Grilled Pork Rib entree is 1/3 of a rack (about 4-5 bones). The ribs are nicely seared off and glisten with a brightly sweet Thai sauce, accompanied by a particularly delicious potato salad studded with bacon. The Skate is joined by Cauliflower and Cherries in a slurry of brown butter and sage. Skate is somewhat firm, like swordfish, but not as flaky. I have to admit the combination of ingredients sounded a bit strange, but they all worked quite nicely together.

The Barbecued Pork sandwich [pictured, right] had a distinctively North Carolina vinegary zing to it, but the real surprise was the firm chunks of ... wait for it ... watermelon! Who wooda thought? The meat was nicely cooked (it better be--he does own a BBQ place, after all) and the roll was fresh and soft (a must). The sandwich was accompanied by a grilled pineapple slice and a sweet/tart Peach Slaw. Again--a nice surprise. I made the rounds of the restaurant and asked several other diners what they thought of the sandwich and the little watermelon exclamation points. They all said they loved it.

On one of our visits I had the Diver Scallops with Parmesan Risotto [pictured, left]. The scallops were quickly seared on a flattop, leaving the inside soft and moist, but not at all underdone. The risotto that came with this platter was creamy and quite cheesy. Eat it first! Like grits, risotto firms up as it cools. A side of the risotto that we ordered cooled off rather quickly and lost its creamy texture in favor of a mortar-like consistency. You could tell they started out good, but it's a fact of life. Maybe it shouldn't be offered as a side and just be served as an accompaniment--on a warm plate.

The Roast Chicken special [pictured right], was another one of these combinations that take you by surprise. The large roasted breast with firm and crispy skin perched atop a deep burgundy combination of roasted beets and ribbons of red cabbage. The vegetables were lightly dusted with either pumpkin spice, or some combination of clove, cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg. Whatever it was (I'll find out...) it was simply delicious. Garnish was a cool boiled egg. Very nice.

The menu at Shorebreak Lodge has a lot of hits and very few misses. Rob Stitt is obviously pulling out all the stops in an attempt to dispel the unfortunate baggage from the previous occupant. The guy has proven himself elsewhere (it was his cooking that put Eden on the map, after all). I believe if anyone can make things happen at this star-cross'd spot, he can.

I usually don't spent all that much time on cocktails, but, after all, both of these guys are bartenders, so they should have some interesting little sips. One is named after Sue, the wife of one of the bartender's friends. Southern Sue came up with a cool combo of Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka, Absolut Citron and ... again, wait for it ... champagne! It's served icy cold and straight up. Of course, the drink is named after her [pictured, left].

Shorebreak Lodge is at 10 Wilmington Avenue. By the way, Matt's love of surfing is the reason for the name: Because of the recent beach replenishment and the steep and rocky drop-off close to shore, waves break very close to the shore, creating hazards for surfers. Shorebreak Lodge aspires to be a friendly hangout where people can discuss such things.

Feel free to call for hours (for the present they are only open for dinner) 302-227-9752. Rob Stitt has a magic touch in the kitchen, and I urge you to put this one on your list. Click here for a sample entree menu. (D., Bar) Price range: Moderate.