ENTERTAINMENT

Henlopen City Oyster House owners open Blue Hen

RAE TYSON
DELMARVANOW CORRESPONDENT
The Blue Hen Co-owners Joe Baker and Chris Bisaha at their new restaurant located in Rehoboth Beach. Monday, March 27, 2017.

Despite some initial trepidation, the owners of a wildly successful Henlopen City Oyster House have opened a second restaurant in Rehoboth Beach.

And the new endeavor, Blue Hen, is in the same Wilmington Avenue block as their flagship restaurant, making it easier for co-owners Chris Bisaha and Joe Baker to oversee both operations.

"The proximity is important," Baker said.

Not to mention the importance of a proven track record for partners Baker and Bisaha.

In just six years, the Henlopen City Oyster House has evolved into one of Rehoboth Beach's most popular restaurants. In season, diners wanting a table or seat at the bar occasionally encounter waits as long as an hour and a half.

PHOTOS: Henlopen City Oyster House, 'beach meets the city'

Moreover, the restaurant last year was named Delaware's top small business by the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Baker and Bisaha, said SBA's Cindy Small, "have demonstrated remarkable growth in a very short period of time, and have indefinitely secured a spot in coastal Delaware's foodie scene."

Despite the roaring success of their restaurant, Baker and Bisaha were reluctant to open a second establishment, fearing it would detract from the success of the Henlopen City Oyster House.

The Blue Hen located in Rehoboth Beach. Monday, March 27, 2017.

"We thought about it for many years and, initially, we were not going to do it," Bisaha said.

But an opportunity to open a new restaurant in the nearby Avenue Inn forced them to reconsider.

READ MORE: Henlopen City Oyster House named top small business

Though both liked the proximity, it also presented concerns.

"We kept asking, how can we do this and not compete against ourselves?" Baker said.

Ultimately, Baker, Bisaha and Executive Chef Bill Clifton came up with a concept for Blue Hen that made it different.

They also decided that a team of dedicated employees would contribute to the success of both restaurants.

"We are only as good as our staff," Baker said.

As they discussed concepts for the new Blue Hen, the partners knew what it should not be: a clone of the Henlopen City Oyster House.

The new eatery does not have a raw bar nor does it specialize in seafood.

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The Blue Hen located in Rehoboth Beach. Monday, March 27, 2017.

Instead, they decided to "add a lot of meats to the menu," Baker said.

The charcuterie menu features cured American hams and sausages and a rotating selection of interesting cheeses.

Blue Hen's current menu includes an array of specialty cheeses, including Meadow Creek Grayson from Virginia, Doe Run 7 Sisters from Pennsylvania along with other selections from Vermont, Washington, New York and California.

Blue Hen also is using locally raised, grass-fed pork and beef from farms in Virginia. Baker said they decided on the heirloom White Park cattle for their beef dishes. The breed, known for its spectacular taste, is originally from Great Britain.

The heirloom breed hogs are raised on a farm in Virginia and transported to Delaware.

The menu also features three "raw" selections — venison carpaccio, Wagu beef tartare and Yellowfin tuna crudo.

And the selections do include several seafood options, a nod, perhaps, to the restaurant's proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.

"So far, everyone seems to like the menu," Bisaha said.

MORE DINING: Authentic New England fare comes to Rehoboth

The Blue Hen in Rehoboth Beach.

Like their other restaurant, Blue Hen also features an innovative drink selection. The taps behind the bar include six craft beers, two wines and "nitro," a cold specialty coffee that offers a creamy taste coupled with a beer-like fizz.

The draft beer selection includes offerings from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, Missouri and Belgium.

In addition to cocktails, the menu also includes an extensive wine list.

"We try and keep a fun list" of beverages, Bisaha said.

While the Blue Hen is about the same size as the Henlopen City Oyster House,  that will change when a street-side patio is open for al fresco dining. Blue Hen also is closer to the ocean, about a block from the boardwalk.

For now, the Blue Hen is only open for dinner.

Information about Rehoboth Beach's newest restaurant can be found on Facebook with limited information at www.hcoysterhouse.com.

"So far, we are pleased with the response to Blue Hen," Baker said.

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