Beachside offers apps to beer nuts
What deadline would you like to face shortly after the birth of your first child? For James Beard Award-nominated chef Jay Caputo, the answer was already in process - open a new restaurant in Rehoboth Beach around mid-July.
Known for his creative, upscale menu at Espuma Restaurant & Martini Bar, Jay is adding a similar flair to the fun, casual offerings at his new venture, Beachside Bar & Grill (or Beachside Rehoboth as it’s known on Facebook). When you read the menu, you can see this is not ordinary beach grill fare, but inventive and sometimes surprising dishes.
Jay and his business partner, David Dietz of BBC Tavern and Grill in Greenville, have transformed the corner of Rehoboth and Lake avenues from a shoe store (formerly a gas station) into a comfortable destination for delicious food and custom cocktails.
Of course, as in any complex project, there were a few bumps along the way, including the discovery of non-empty gasoline tanks beneath the concrete parking area. Fortunately, the tanks hadn’t sprung any leaks and all it took was time (and DNREC approval) to safely empty and remove them.
Furnishing the restaurant became a family affair, as Jay and his dad fashioned table tops from salvaged barn wood. Set on metal stands and covered with an epoxy glaze, their soft colors contrast perfectly with the simple wooden banquettes in the corners of the dining room. A curved bar top is crafted from an array of colorful wooden laths, also under a gleaming epoxy finish that trapped some unusual trinkets and personal souvenirs.
Two beautifully worn doors serve as wall decorations, alongside vintage water skis, rough-hewn shelving and various whimsical items (like the stuffed seagull in the photo). Some light fixtures dangle from overhead surfboards, while others are made from a carousel of illuminated beer bottles. As you can see from the photo, one of Jay’s favorite sayings is painted over the window, “You’re gonna need a bigger boat.”
The restaurant will have about 60 seats between the bar and dining room and space for another 30 on the outdoor patio which is draped with lights and accented with lush plantings. We were sitting on a few of the yard-sale chairs and their matching formica table when a man leaned over the fence and asked Jay if he needed any palm trees. Not yet.
Working in the kitchen at Beachside will be interesting for the staff. Instead of one large working space, the prep area is outside the kitchen door. It’s protected overhead by a canted roof and on the sides by the building’s walls and walk-in refrigerators, which may explain the hopes for a bigger boat.
When I asked Jay how he envisioned his new restaurant, he described it as “someplace I’d like to go.” After our first meal at Beachside, I’d say it’s a place we’d all like to hang out. We were invited to the first of three nights of soft opening. Friends and family had the opportunity to sample the menu while the staff put their training to the test.
This was the sharpest “soft”
opening we’ve ever experienced. Service was friendly and efficient, while the food was perfectly prepared and beautifully plated. We started with crisp Brussels sprouts that were airy and crunchy with a bright, salty flavor from a combination of soy, lime and pecorino cheese. Jack’s appetizer was the quesadilla in the photo. A unique combination of wild mushroom, silky goat cheese, red peppers with hints of Balsamic was served with a creamy pesto aioli.
Entrées we sampled included an impossibly crunchy fried chicken with barbecue glaze and an eclectic Cobb salad that featured a mixture of greens, multi-colored cherry tomatoes, a scattering of crisp-coated chicken breast and a warm poached egg. When I broke into the runny yolk, it mingled with the sesame ranch dressing to create a luxurious mouthful.
Be sure to save room for dessert, or more specifically, the strawberry shortcake. Slices of juicy berries, dotted with whipped cream, nestled between slices of tender cornmeal shortcake and drizzled with a Balsamic glaze - what an astonishing combination of texture and flavor.
I wanted to include a recipe for one of the dishes on the menu and received the instructions for homemade beer nuts (below). Just remember, this is a Jay Caputo recipe for people who already know how to cook. He lists the ingredients and outlines the preparation, but leaves it to the chef to fine-tune the amounts and timing to reach the right result. If you want to taste this clever concoction cooked correctly, I’d recommend a visit to Beachside bar and grill.
Beachside Homemade Beer Nuts
Peanuts will have cinnamon
Almonds will have cumin and coriander
Cashews will have smoked paprika
Caramel Mix
brown sugar
maple sugar
water
All nuts will be tossed with seasonings and cooked in caramel mix separately. Bake, then mix together to serve.
Send comments, questions or recipe ideas to capeflavors@comcast.net.
