After what felt like an endless drive to Rehoboth from Brooklyn – it took a full hour to get out of Brooklyn and through Staten Island to New Jersey – my friend Leslie and I were famished, thirsty and eager to begin our vacation in earnest. My parents had already eaten so Leslie and I stopped at Lupo di Mare in the cheerful yellow Hotel Rehoboth for dinner before even dropping our bags at the house.

Choosing to dine at the bar, we were immediately charmed by the youthful bartender. Why? He carded us and it actually made it seem sincere. Charming.

Via DJOtaku

But then:

“What is soppresata?”

“Do the pastas come in half portions? What do they cost? Half price? What is the full size dish is an odd number?”

“What does this mean? Should I get this? Will I like this?”

These are only a few of the many, many questions our dining neighbors squawked at our patient bartender while my friend and I considered the menu and ordered drinks.

The food? It was fine. Good even. I remember liking the gnocchi that accompanied my chicken about three times as much as the chicken itself, but the details are long gone. Blame the cocktails, the wine, the long drive or just Vacation Brain.

Henlopen City Oyster House is a great new-to-me spot. Taking the place of one of Rehoboth’s long-past-its-prime restaurants, the owners of HCOH stripped the decor down to the bones, making the space modern, bright and uncluttered. Continue reading →