Dewey Beach Country Club – Sneak Peek

For a while it was McShae's. Then for a very short while it was Surfside Grill. Then longtime Dewey bar guy Greg Plummer (of Hammerheads fame) morphed it into Dewey Beach Country Club. This tiny, golf-themed spot looks not all that different from any other watering hole along the highway. Huge bar, 5000 TVs – even some amusement games. But the difference between this incarnation and the others is that they have actually brought an experienced chef into their kitchen. Mark Schaeffer (Striper Bites in Lewes) has the kitchen well in hand. And though the menu sounds very much like bar grub, the quality is much better than most similar places. Greg Plummer understands that things are becoming more and more about the food pretty much everywhere – including TV-filled bars.

The menu is divided into 7 or so sections and is very easy to decipher. Apps include an AMAZING (quite possibly the sleeper there, in fact) lobster bruschetta and some particularly good wings. There are 6 choices in all, with prices ranging from $11 to $15 (that being the lobster, of course). Soups and salads include a particularly good crab soup, ever so slightly redolent of ginger! There is a nice selection of regular salads. I tend to be drawn to the sandwiches, and on our first visit we had the buttermilk fried chicken breast sandwich (strongly suggested by Corey the barkeep). You can get it coated in sauce too, and surprisingly the sauce does not take away from the crispiness of the chicken. That in itself is a feat in the kitchen.

Burgers and Dogs range from $8 to $15. I was urged to try The Big Dog served very properly with diced onions and pickle relish. But I opted for the cheesesteak. Sharp provolone and grilled onions decorate the properly chipped ribeye. And the roll was nice and soft Amoroso's style. And there is a selection of four entrees including a steak, shrimp & grits and pan-seared tuna.

This is an open-to-the-street bar that is working hard to establish a reputation for good food. That is a difficult thing to do, but the new operators are well connected in the area and hopefully can attract enough locals who will sample the food and come back for more. We will definitely go back. I'm planning on the Cuban Sandwich and the Green Eggs & Ham burger (with Taylor Pork Roll and a grilled tomato!).

The Dewey Beach Country Club is located at 1705 Coastal Highway between Dagsworthy and McKinley Avenues. Check their off-season hours at 302-227-1614.

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