Tidbits: Rehoboth in August Edition

I headed to Rehoboth Beach last week for a few days of rest and sun (and, er, clouds). I usually try to hit up places I have not visited while I'm there, though a visit to one famous brewpub is always on the agenda.

* The Pig & Fish is a puzzling name until you realize it means "Eat Like a Pig, Drink Like A Fish". And I certainly did during happy hour (4 to 6 pm), where various appetizers, beers and such are half priced. I got two Dogfish head 90 Minute Pale Ales and a Hennepin for half off, and enough appetizers to force me to have to return at some point. Their crab dip ($6) comes with lots of sliced bread for dipping. It wasn't a chunky dip at all, but more of a smooth and silky crab-flavored fondue. What was particularly fascinating was their "hog wings" ($5.50) - pork shanks cooked in either BBQ sauce or Italian herb butter. Quite a good bit of food and drink for happy hour.

* I made a tough decision on lunch thanks to the Urbanspoon app I downloaded onto my phone (damn this thing is useful, especially since the Wifi in the guest house was not working). I finally settled on Lily Thai on 1st Street. It has some pricey entrées - and a bowl of soup for dinner can run you $7. This is why eating out for lunch is such a good idea. For $8 I got a lunch special: salad (better than most side salads I usually get), a fried spring roll and, for my main course, fried catfish - Southern style (still not quite sure if they meant "Southern Thailand" or "Southern USA"), with potatoes and onions in a yellow curry sauce. Though the crispiness of the catfish didn't really hold up after a few minutes, the fried catfish still went nicely with the curry sauce. A Thai iced tea costs about $4 for lunch, a nice addition to your meal.

* I always stop by Dogfish Brew Pub while in Rehoboth, though it was so crowded when I got there that i figured i would just have a beer or two and then go somewhere else for dinner. It pays to hang out at the bar because I was able to snag a seat that one diner had just vacated (and it only took 15 minutes). I got there, it so happens, on International IPA Day, a day to celebrate craft beers. Dogfish had its special 75 Minute IPA available, a beautiful looking and tasting IPA for $5. I got to sample more with my dinner, a regular burger with my choice of toppings ($8 plus $1 for each topping) - avocado and goat cheese spread. It amazes me how they fit a burger like this - an average width burger, mind you - on such a tiny bun. It was almost like a burger that Wimpy would have eaten. Back to the sampler: I got to try several in 4 oz glasses. My favorite of the five? Chateau Jiahu, based on a 9,000 year old Chinese recipe and featuring honey and rice in the mix. The ultra fruity Black & Red stout was also a winner, though not one I could finish a whole glass of. Also of note: the Palo Santo Marrón and the Chicory Stout (I love the dark beers, what can I say?) My least favorite was the Shelter Pale Ale, the Dogfish original and a good beer but it really kind of pales in comparison to the others I sampled. I guess it would pale, since it's a pale ale (har har har).

* One friend of mine suggested a Nic-O-Boli from Nicola Pizza, and so I made it my last meal in town. Nicola is a friendly establishment with pizza and other Italian-American standards. Their Nic-O-Boli ($7 to $10 depending on the fillings) is a standard stromboli filled with their tomato and ground beef sauce, a local favorite. I got mine with everything, including anchovies, which I never get enough of a chance to eat.