Forgotten Mile Ale House offers beers, gourmet comfort food
A new business has decided to set up shop along the unmemorable stretch of highway between Dewey and Rehoboth Beach, known mostly by the locals as the “Forgotten Mile.”
But the aptly named, Forgotten Mile Ale House, refuses to be anything but remembered.
The Ale House is owned and operated by brothers, Steve and Mike Lucey, who also own Ulysses Gastropub in Wilmington and Six Paupers Pub in Hockessen. When the location of the former Captain’s Table went on the market, the veteran Wilmington restaurateurs thought it had potential.
"We've always loved the area but struggled with finding the right spot," Steve Lucey said. "Dewey is a party town. Rehoboth can be a parking nightmare."
But the available space situated right in the middle came with a prized amenity: a 65-spot parking lot.
The building has been completely remodeled to represent the Lucey brothers' high-quality standards and reputation, featuring an upscale gastropub that serves cold beer with gourmet comfort food.
In addition to virtually unlimited parking, the ale house boasts 14 taps and a large selection of craft beer bottles and cans. The tap lineup changes weekly, featuring local brews as well as out-of-area crafts from famed breweries like Flying Dog and Lagunitas.
"We want to offer our guests an exceptional and ever-changing experience each time they visit," general manager Rich Nofi said.
This philosophy is also applied to the Ale House's food.
The menu is handcrafted using fresh and local ingredients, and will change seasonally, he said. Although the restaurant has only been open for five months, there are a few selections that already demand a permanent spot.
"Some are so well loved, I think there would be an uproar if they disappeared," he said.
Like the menu's most popular dish, the chicken and waffle-ish — a spice rubbed chicken breast coated in sweet waffle batter, flash fried and topped with pan gravy and whipped potato, or the "surprisingly popular," buffalo sprouts, he explained, which are freshly sliced Brussels sprouts, flash fried and tossed in homemade honey IPA buffalo sauce.
"We like putting a modern spin on tradition," he said. "We like thinking outside of the box."
French onion soup, house cut steaks, short rib grilled cheese, sea scallops and Delmarva spring rolls, made with local scrapple, Granny Smith apples, brie cheese and spicy pear sauce, are also offered.
Nofi, who has a long history in the industry, enjoyed having a say in the diverse menu.
"Menus are my thing," he said, with a smile. "Steve and Mike have been generous in letting me, sort of, run wild with creativity here."
Nofi moved from New York to the area about eight years ago. Despite earning a degree in teaching, he said, restaurants have been his true calling.
"I wasn't right for the nine-to-five lifestyle," he said. "But I was made for this. It's hard to explain it to someone whose never done it before."
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302-537-1881, ext. 209
Forgotten Mile Ale House
Where: 20859 Coastal Highway, Rehoboth Beach
When: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday through Monday. Closed Tuesday.
Call: 302-212-2151
Visit: fmahde.com