Dining – ‘A Touch of Italian’

...continuing with our family road trip in September of last year.

After exploring Lewes and checking out the center of Rehoboth, and then driving through the upscale residential areas near town, it was time to look for our evening meal.  Note: We didn’t manage to stumble across the location of President Biden’s summer home. 

I had done some research looking for a likely dinner venue in or close to Rehoboth.  Laurie, her sister Bonnie and Bonnie’s husband Bill all bought into my selection once Bonnie verified that, given their menu, it was a likely choice.

It didn’t immediately dawn on me but I’d seen that sign for “Touch of Italy” before, actually just earlier that day.  I’d taken a photo of an older building in Lewes that is home to another “Touch of Italy” location.  This location has a faux ‘old Italian architecture look’ and it must be doing well as signs were posted telling diners that the building next door was being redone as an expansion.

Shades of Chicago!  The difference is that in Chicago the restaurants with bakery cases near the entrance were all Greek owned with menus a mile long.  Touch of Italy put their Italian image over the top by featuring a deli counter/operation as well.

It was just a touch early for dinner but the restaurant and its bar were fairly busy anyway.  Other than those arches in the dining area and some art on the wall, the Italian décor was minimalist but the dining room was pleasant in any case.  It really comes down to the food doesn’t it?!

Laurie and I can’t help ourselves.  We both really like good Calamari Fritti.  Touch of Italy’s version came with a side of their spicy fra Diavolo sauce. ($14.95) This was a very nice version of one of our favorite Italian appetizers.

The other 2 appetizers didn’t work for us.  One of them was the Rollatini Di Melanzane…cheese stuffed rolled eggplant, the latter which neither of us ever acquired a taste for. ($12.95)   Alternatively, I would have enjoyed the Polpette Della Mamma…aka “Mamma’s Meatballs”…hand-rolled veal, pork and beef meatballs topped with Touch of Italy’s tomato sauce and fresh ricotta. ($13.95)

Our other starter/appetizer was Touch of Italy’s Garlic Cheese Bread shown above. ($10.95) Their Italian bread is baked with butter, garlic and mozzarella, then topped with oregano and it’s accompanied with a side of their tomato sauce.  It was excellent as well as very filling!

We were intrigued by another ‘bread’ related starter.  It was Taliano…thin focaccia filled with robiola cheese and drizzled with white truffle oil. ($18.95) There is even an upscale version of Taliano…which adds prosciutto, arugula and oven dried tomatoes. ($24.95)

Bill loves salads and he especially likes Caprese…in this case with handmade mozzarella with fresh sliced tomatoes topped with basil and then drizzled with extra virgin olive oil.  This was the $8.00 version.  A $14.00 option was available for sharing...

Two other salads were available on the menu.  One of course was a Caesar Salad. ($7.00 small/$12.00 large) The large version of the other salad on the menu would have served Laurie well as her dinner.  It was the Mista Salad…a house specialty.  It consists of a fresh spring mix topped with strawberries, candied walnuts, shave wine-washed goat cheese and the restaurant’s honey herb champagne vinaigrette. (Small $8.00/large $14.00)

On my receipt this dish was listed as Della Nona…but it isn’t on the on-line menu so it must have been a special.  In any case I found a recipe for it…also on-line…and in addition to the penne pasta it includes peas, prosciutto, thyme, white wine, heavy cream and lots of Parmigiano Reggiano.  This version also included shrimp and tomatoes. ($28.95) The ladies shared this entrée and they thought that it was very good!

Bill’s seafood obsession was behind his choice for his entrée.  This is the Linguine Fra’ Diavolo. ($28.95) The linguine was tossed in a spicy marinara sauce with shrimp, clams, mussels and calamari.  It was a winner...

There is a nice variety of entrees on Touch of Italy’s menu.  Some examples include Manicotti, Scampi, Salmon with Nonna’s potatoes, both chicken and eggplant parmesan, cheese or spinach ravioli, and gnocchi.

For my entrée, I went for the Fettuccine Alfredo in a light Parmigiano Reggiano cream sauce with added pan fried breaded chicken… ($28.95) It wasn’t the healthiest thing on the menu but it was very good!

Looking for something other than an entrée?  Touch of Italy offers a number of wood fired pizzas plus you can design your own version.  Then there are a couple of calzones available as well as no less than 11 different Hero sandwiches. 

While Touch of Italy isn’t the best Italian restaurant we’ve ever eaten in, it is the best we’ve experienced in a few years.  We just wish that they’d open a new location…Farragut Tennessee isn’t too far from our home and it could easily support such a dining option.  To learn more about Touch of Italy with its 3 locations and to see its menu, go to Touch of Italy - Rehoboth - Rehoboth Beach, DE (touchofitalyrehoboth.com).

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them…

Thanks for stopping by to see what was for dinner!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave