Lunch – Easton Maryland

…continuing with our September 2023 road trip exploring the Delmarva Peninsula.

When I made the reservations for our stay on the west side of the peninsula, my decision was based on both location and cost.  I didn’t initially expect Easton Maryland to offer much for wandering tourists like ourselves.  After planning what I expected to be the most interesting and rewarding part of our adventure in this area, I finally went back to see just what Easton had to offer…and I was pleasantly surprised.

Easton is the county seat for Talbot County Maryland.  The town has a population of about 17,400 making it one of the larger cities on the lower Delmarva Peninsula.  The town was founded in 1710 on 2 acres of land that cost 15,000 pounds of tobacco.  After a courthouse was built, a tavern/inn followed to accommodate those who had court business.  Stores and homes followed.  The village was initially called “Talbot Court House”.

As we cruised toward the center of Easton, I spotted the town’s old Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington Railway depot…later served by the Pennsylvania Railroad.  There seems to be some disagreement as to when the widely flaring protective eaves was built. 

One source stated that this depot was built ca. 1920 by the Pennsylvania Railroad…but I’ll go with what the plaque on the building reads.  It states that the depot was built in 1906…during the time that Easton was served by the long gone Delaware and Chesapeake Railroad.  In any case, I was happy to find the old postcard showing the depot back during the time when trains were critically important.  Passenger service ended in 1949 and freight service was discontinued in 1953.

I’d done a bit of research and one dining option I’d zeroed in on was Doc’s Downtown Grille.  It is in the historic center of Easton.  I couldn’t find any history about the building Doc’s occupies...but...

I did discover that the building to the right of Doc's Downtown Grille dates back to 1877, when the first floor was built.  The Shannahan and Wrightson Hardware Company added a second floor in 1881 and the third floor in 1889.  It’s a good example of a Victorian style commercial building.  This was the largest hardware and farm implement store on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.  Love this photo of a tractor being transported on an early flatbed truck...

Sorry, but I digress whenever my mind wanders and I find something that grabs my attention.  Back to our lunch!

The interior of Doc’s Downtown Grille was cozy and warm…and quite busy as we showed up for lunch a bit after the normal lunch hour.  The long and narrow dining area plus the large wooden bar add to the ambiance.

Bill had to have oysters as his appetizer.  It was six oysters for $10.00, not the highest price for this seafood delicacy that we encounter on our road trip.  Bill thought that they were pretty good too.

For Bill’s entrée, he chose the Fried BBQ Pork Shanks and Cheddar Grits. ($18.00) The pork shanks were tossed in a house-made BBQ sauce.  Believe it or not, this pile of food was featured on the “Small Plate” portion of the menu! 

My lunch choice was the Hot Honey Old Bay Chicken Sandwich. ($15.00) The fried chicken was tossed in the sauce and then served on a toasted potato brioche roll with lettuce and tomato.  It was sided with ranch dressing and house made chips as my side.  While it was a good sandwich, I had expected a bit more of a spicy heat ‘pop’ than it had.

Laurie and her sister, Bonnie, decided that they weren’t too hungry so they split this large Prime Rib Dip Sandwich. ($17.00) This sandwich consisted of thinly sliced slow roasted beef prime rib with caramelized onions, Swiss cheese and horseradish mayonnaise on an herbed focaccia roll.  It was accompanied with that bowl of coleslaw.  It was more than enough food for the ladies!

Both the food and the service were solid…and we did like this cozy downtown dining spot.  To learn more about Doc’s Downtown Grille, just go to Doc's Downtown Grille | Easton MD | Facebook.

As we began wandering around the center of Easton, exploring and browsing through shops, I took note of one more gastronomic find.  This is the Wardroom Bistro and Grocery.  We had just eaten so we just took a look around, drooling a bit but not really considering the possibilities.

The Wardroom is a market…with a wine shop, an in-house cheese monger, it has a charcuteries case, offers house-made pasta and gnocchi and, as you can see from the second photo above, it has a bakery...we love great bakery bread!  The Wardroom is also an Italian restaurant offering brunch, lunch and dinner. 

We missed the opportunity to eat here during our stay.  We were sidetracked by the plethora of other dining opportunities in the area.  I know what Laurie would have ordered for her evening meal at the Wardroom…the Linguine Fra Diavolo with Maine lobster, Calabrian chili, San Marzano tomatoes and basil. ($40.00) I would have been torn between the Four Cheese Ravioli ($23.00) and the Fettucine Bolognese. ($28.00)

You can check out what The Wardroom Bistro and Grocery has to offer by checking out their website at Welcome | The Wardroom | Epicurean Market in Easton, MD.

That’s it for now… The next post will be focused on history and historical structures.

Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

Headed West…Just a Little Bit

…continuing with our family trip this past September with Laurie’s sister, Bonnie and her husband Bill, as we explored parts of the Delmarva Peninsula.

From Rehoboth Beach we headed north and west up DE Hwy 1 and then south and west on US Hwy 9/DE Hwy 404. 

Our first stop on this day was in Georgetown Delaware, the county seat for Sussex County.  The Sussex County Courthouse on the Circle was built between 1837 and 1840.  It originally featured a squat entrance tower with an undersized cupola over the tower.  In 1914 the tower was enlarged and the columns were added to the front.  Other renovations in 1970 gave the structure a more Georgian appearance.

There are only 3 counties in Delaware and Sussex is the largest.  At 1,196 square miles, it occupies 48% of the state with only 23% of the state’s population.  Sussex County was originally organized in 1683 under English colonial rule.

The first railway depot in Georgetown was built in the late 1860s when rail service reached the town.  This depot replaced the original structure in 1892.  Originally it may have been a single story building with a steep pitch to the roof.  Historical documentation shows the appearance of the second story, complete with gables and dormers, appeared ca 1912.  It was probably used as a residence for the station master and other railway employees.

Georgetown’s first rail service was provided by the Junction and Breakwater Railroad…a subsidiary of the Old Dominion Steamship Company.  The Junction and Breakwater Railroad was only 43.8 miles long and it connected with the Delaware Railroad at Harrington Delaware.  These rail lines were later part of the Pennsylvania Railroad.

This 'firehouse' is located near the old Georgetown railway depot.  The history of Georgetown’s volunteer firefighters dates back to 1831 when the “Georgetown Fire Association” was founded and the first firefighting apparatus was purchased.  The old jail was used to store the equipment until 1904 when this structure was built to serve as the firehouse.  It is dedicated to Georgetown’s past, current and future firefighters.

Both the old depot and the firehouse or station have been preserved and are owned by the Historic Georgetown Association.  To learn more, just go to https://www.georgetowntrainstation.org/.

This transitional Federal/Greek Revival style building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as ‘The Brick Hotel”.  This 2.5 story structure was built in 1836 and it was in constant use as a hotel for 110 years.  It was converted from its original use in 1955 when it was remodeled as a bank building.  In 2008 it was once again converted, this time back to a hotel.  However, in August of 2021, the “Brick Hotel” once again closed…and the space is being leased for offices.

Georgetown was not the first county seat in Sussex County.  However, citizens living in the western part of the county had a difficult time traveling to Lewes Delaware for court related business.  After petitioning the state, a new centralized site for the county seat was selected in 1791.  Georgetown was laid out in a circle about one mile in diameter in the original survey.  The town did prove better as an administrative center…and it is said that Georgetown is “16 miles from everywhere in Sussex County”.

The town has been growing rapidly since 1980 when its population totaled 1,710 residents.  As of 2020, the town was home to 7,134 people.  The area is a center for the chicken/poultry industry.  That has led to a major influx of immigrants.  Over 20% of Georgetown’s population are of Guatemalan descent.

We continued down US Hwy 9 toward Laurel Delaware.  We put on the brakes when we spotted this Antique shop along the way.  The Delaware Avenue Antique Emporium was a great find…with lots of variety and fun things to look at…and buy.  The woman who owns it was very pleasant and helpful.  No pressure or hovering.  We thoroughly enjoyed this unexpected stop along our route. 

To learn more and to see a number of photos that are superior to the ones I took, go to Delaware Avenue Antique Emporium | Laurel DE | Facebook.

Our next stop was in Laurel Delaware.  We were going to do a little shopping but the group prevailed and they wanted to keep moving so we’d have plenty of time to explore the area where we were going to be based for the next 3 nights.

Nevertheless, I did manage to stop and take photos of the old Laurel train station.   It was built in 1910 and it has been extensively restored by the Town of Laurel, now housing the Laurel Heritage Museum.  To learn more about the museum and the Historical Society, just go to Laurel De Historical Society.  I love the idea that those building plaques have been saved by the historical society

Laurel’s rail service was originally provided by the Delaware Railroad.  This railroad covered the state from north to south with connections to towns on Maryland’s east shore on the Chesapeake Bay.  It was leased and under the financial control of the Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore Railroad.  At its peak, the Delaware Railroad had only 95.2 miles of trackage.

We drove north from Laurel Delaware via DE Hwy 13, then turned west on DE Hwy 20 to the Maryland state line.  From there we headed northwest for a few miles to Federalsburg Maryland.  Distances are minimal on the Delmarva Peninsula with this drive encompassing only about 18 – 20 miles.

Yes I did have one more railroad depot on my list for the day… The Maryland and Delaware railroad depot, (later the Pennsylvania Railroad), has been preserved and it houses the offices of the Maryland and Delaware Railroad Company, a Class III short-line railroad that was formed in 1977.  This railroad operates 92 miles of track and supports a large number of industries in the area.

I could not determine when this attractive little depot was built but I did find an old photo/postcard picturing it that was dated in 1915.  As for the RS3M Locomotive, #1203 was originally built by The American Locomotive Company in 1952 as an RS-3 road switcher.  It was rebuilt by Conrail with a new and more reliable engine in the mid-1970s.  The Maryland and Delaware Railroad owns 3 locomotives of this type...still operating after 50 plus years!

That’s all for now… Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave

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

Back to Rehoboth Beach…

Continuing with our road trip to the Delmarva Peninsula with Laurie’s sister Bonnie and Bonnie’s husband Bill…

After exploring Lewes…a very worthwhile venture…after a slight detour we headed back to Rehoboth Beach so we could experience it in sunny weather with less wind and warmer temperatures.

Curiosity got the best of me and knowing that Bill, Bonnie and Laurie like different types of beer, I took us on a little side trip up DL Hwy 1 to DL Hwy 16 to the town of Milton.  Milton is the site of the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and Tasting Room.

What drew me wasn’t the beer but instead it was the strange and weird sculpture in front of the brewery.   This creation is called The Steampunk Treehouse.  It was created in 2007 and debuted at the Burning Many event in Black Rock Nevada in late August of that year.  This mishmash of recycled and reclaimed materials is 40 feet tall, 40 feet wide and it weighs 8 tons.  It was reassembled and installed at the brewery in June of 2010.  It’s the closest we’ll ever get to a Burning Man festival…

Our group ordered their beers at the bar/tasting counter shown in the first photo.  Even though it was a weekday, a large number of people were imbibing both indoors and outside on the patio.  There were about 22 different brews on the menu ranging from the Blue Hen Pilsner to the Catchy Chorus, the Hazy Squall and the World Wide Stout.  In addition, the brewery list ‘rarities’, an example being the Birra Etrusca Bronze.

As I wasn’t drinking, I looked for something to nibble on.  So did Bill.  The Dogfish Head Craft Brewery operates a kitchen from a walk up window outdoors.  Options include a number of individual pizzas or pizza by the slice, 4 sandwiches and a number of miscellaneous items including the Bavarian Pretzel shown in the second photo.  It was served with beer cheese and mustard. ($7.00)

…once the beer and the pretzels were consumed, we headed back south toward Rehoboth Beach.  To learn more about the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery and its products, go to Brewery | Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales | Off Centered Stuff For Off Centered People.

We didn’t get far before we spotted an Antique Store and felt that we ‘had to’ stop!  It was a cute shop and we did spot quite a few things that caught our interest.  The antique and refurbished furniture selection was particularly interesting…but not practical for us with a SUV full of people and luggage.

This model ship…the USS Preston, a Clemson Class Destroyer that was launched in 1920 would have looked good in our bonus room.  Oh well!  It’s a little curious as to why someone decided to build this particular ship model.  It was never in a war and nothing of note happened during its operational history.  The actual ship was 314 feet long and its crew consisted of 6 officers and 108 enlisted men.

To learn more about this antique shop, go to Unique Finds | Facebook.

Finally we made it back to Rehoboth Beach…

Parking is a premium in the center of Rehoboth Beach but as we were staying in a hotel almost next to the beach, we had that issue under control.  Just for contrast, I took a sunny photo from our balcony…much better than the rather gray photo I took only a day earlier.

The sunshine certainly makes a difference doesn’t it?  The surf was still a bit rough as there was a storm offshore but the view was a lot nicer.  It was still a little chilly by the ocean but there were some folks walking on the beach.

Rehoboth Beach’s mile-long boardwalk is one of the town’s most popular attractions.  It’s flanked by shops, restaurants, family amusements and more.  It and the beach itself are two of the reasons that Rehoboth Beach that the beach is rated as one of the best on the East Coast.  The town itself only occupies 1.2 square miles of land area.  The population is about 1,100 but in the summer it swells up to 25,000.  Laurie took that photo of me wandering around looking for photo opportunities. 

To be honest, we don’t ‘get’ the attraction of the boardwalk other than its proximity to the beach and the ocean.  Families with kids would definitely disagree with us as would many younger folks...

This is a view of the downtown area or commercial center of Rehoboth Beach.  This wide street is lined with gift shops, places to eat and drink, novelty shops and more…for several blocks along both sides of the street.

Rehoboth Beach was founded in 1873 as the Rehoboth Beach Camp Meeting Association as a site for Methodist Episcopal Church camp meetings.  That is when the first boardwalk was built.  The Association disbanded in 1881 and in 1891 the state legislature incorporated the town as “Cape Henlopen City”.  In 1893 it was renamed as Rehoboth Beach…

Not only are there shops lining both sides of Main Street, but there are even more up little alleys off that extend perpendicular from the main avenue.  We wandered on for quite a while as the ladies looked for shops that caught their interest.  FYI, we didn’t succeed.  Too touristy and too little quality or variation from the tourist town theme.

FYI, we did drive around the area to see what it looks like outside the intensely tourist focused areas.  We explored the North Shore area just outside the town’s official limits and we found a different world that was full of beautiful homes and tree lined streets.  It’s this area where President Biden and his wife have their summer home…

That’s all for now… Just click on any of the photos to enlarge them.

Thanks for stopping by for a visit!

Take Care, Big Daddy Dave