The hammock might be crooked, but the concept’s on the level

It all started in the early ‘90s when the general manager of Taboo restaurant in West Palm Beach found himself nose-to-nose with a recalcitrant chef who refused to control ticket times. (Ticket time is restaurant-speak for how long the patrons wait for their food.) This altercation was a defining moment for that young GM, and he realized that in order to be successful he had to be proficient at every station in the restaurant - including that of the head chef. So in 1994, erstwhile GM Kevin Reading enrolled in the Culinary Arts program at The Philadelphia Restaurant School.

In the meantime, another student at that respected school was also fulfilling his dream of professional restauranting. Already armed with a degree in hotel/restaurant management from Cornell, Josh Grapski became sous chef for his friend Kevin who had just opened Fox Point Grill in Wilmington. Josh graduated to the iconic Le Cirque restaurant in New York City, but the day-to-day pressure of the kitchen proved to be more of an annoyance than an aspiration. So he emigrated to California to run a restaurant group there. When he returned to Delaware to attend Kevin’s wedding, one thing led to another (it always does…) and wouldn’t you know it, they became business partners at Nage Bistro in Rehoboth Beach. It wasn’t long before they opened a second Nage in Washington, D.C. It was a good match: Kevin’s people management skills meshed perfectly with Josh’s business management skills.

Kevin Reading loves to conceptualize and open new restaurants. So after a while, he moved on to open Abbott’s Grill in Milford and has since created yet another Abbott’s on Broad Creek in Laurel with his old friend and chef Ryan Cunningham. Back in Rehoboth Beach, Josh Grapski was not one to sit on the sidelines, and, as future a(MUSE.) restaurant chef/owner Hari Cameron helped to put Nage on the map as prep cook, line cook, sous chef and eventually head chef, Josh Grapski proceeded to open Root Gourmet (now Nage Pantry), Big Chill Surf Cantina and most recently the Taco Reho truck that serves as the kitchen for Big Chill.

Fast-forward to the fall of 2015 when Josh and his business partners fulfilled yet another dream: A beach house-themed brewpub with a backyard barbecue motif, extensive outdoor seating, multiple bars, a seven-barrel brew system that is designed for expansion, and … hammocks. Lots of them. Co-owner and general manager Rich Garrahan, managing partner Grapski, restaurant designer Steve McLerran, architect Richard Stokes and John Schneider’s team from Broadpoint Construction took five years to conceptualize, plan, and build Lewes’ newest eatery and drinkery, and it all came together at last Monday’s grand opening of the 7,000-square-foot Crooked Hammock Brewpub on Kings Highway, just past Parsell’s and across from Taylor Bank.

McLerran’s influence is obvious the minute you step through the door. A rowboat hangs upside down over top of one of the bars. A colorful light fixture made entirely of hand-painted growlers (jug-like beer bottles) glows above yet another bar. The bathroom sinks are galvanized buckets. A huge outdoor deck bristles with boarding-school cafeteria-style tables and benches. A huge sandbox beckons those patrons who are still waaayyy too far from drinking age. Repurposed barnwood is everywhere, and has been crafted into a huge American flag that dominates one wall. The headlights and taillights of an open Jeep, forever mired in the sand, provide a welcoming glow by the front door. And ceiling-height stainless steel tanks, pipes and brewery apparatus sparkle and glow behind huge picture windows.

The menu is crafted to blend with Crooked Hammock’s custom brews. Beach kabobs offer bacon, sauce-slathered chicken and shrimp, just to name a few. Appetizers include wings, grilled oysters with Tabasco butter, and particularly tasty mini crab cakes. Entrees stay with the backyard theme: A Sussex Clam Bake, grilled salmon, beer-brined pork loin, salads, burgers and 13 comforting sides round out the menu.

Brewmaster Chris Wright has come up with five different beers; the Hammock Saison (their signature brew), the Shoobie, Mootzy’s Treasure, Backyard Brown, and a beer named by none other than ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser, the Wilbon Inaugural Ale. Guest brews are always on tap, including offerings from Dogfish Head, 16 Mile, Burley Oak, Mispillion River Brewing Co. and Heavy Seas. The tap handles certainly pay collaborative homage to Delmarva’s brewing talents.

So why Crooked Hammock, you might ask. Well, GM Rich Garrahan loves to escape into his rickety backyard hammock to enjoy a cold beer. When properly relaxed, often with one leg draped over the side, the hammock would be noticeably crooked. Josh, Rich and the partners’ dream of a place to escape emulates that comfortable, yet crooked hammock. Life isn’t perfect, so they embraced those rough-hewn imperfections to create a hospitality compound that reflects the essence of the worn and wonderful beach life to which so many of us have been drawn. Crooked. And a little worn. And that’s just fine.

Bob Yesbek is a serial foodie and can be reached at byesbek@CapeGazette.com.