The 20 best dishes and drinks of 2018, according to Patricia Talorico

To look forward, you need to look back.

You can eat very, very well in Delaware judging by notes, previous stories and iPhone photos from dishes and drinks I consumed in 2018. 

And not always for a lot of money.

Here are the 20 best dishes and drinks I had over the year:

Jumbo cheesesteak at Kid Shelleen's

1801 W. 14th St., Wilmington

Sometimes, you need to feed a need. And sometimes nothing but a cheesesteak will do.

After the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl, we wanted to watch the televised parade at a neighborhood bar accompanied by a cold beer and the City of Brotherly Love's favorite sandwich.

One of the best in Delaware can be found at Kid Shelleen's. The food at Kid Shelleen's greatly improved when Harry's Savoy Grill owner Xavier Teixido took over operations in 2010.

The "jumbo cheesesteak" ($15.95) is a whopper of a sandwich. You could easily split it — well, unless, you have a Jason Kelce-size appetite. It's loaded with lettuce, tomatoes, mushrooms, fried onions and, of course, Cheez Whiz, or you can build your own.  

Shellfish cobb at Columbus Inn

2216 Pennsylvania Ave, Wilmington

Salads can be boring. Really boring.

This one is not, especially if you're a shellfish lover.

The shellfish cobb ($26)  is a healthy and filling meal. A bed of mixed greens is tossed with a light, but zippy horseradish-spiked thousand Island dressing.

Fanned out on top are pieces of cold shrimp, a half of lobster, including tail and claw meat, as well as lumps of crab. The rest of the salad, in true Cobb fashion, has egg, bacon, avocado, cucumber, tomato, radish, red onions and green beans. Enjoy.

Banana pudding at Limestone BBQ and Bourbon

2062 Limestone Road, Limestone Shopping Center, Milltown

Limestone BBQ and Bourbon, which opened this past summer, is a new concept for High 5 Hospitality, the restaurant group that runs the state's Buffalo Wild Wings franchises and the Stone Balloon Ale House in Newark. 

Culinary director Robbie Jester has recreated a slightly altered version of his grandmother's famed banana pudding that he calls "Grahammie's" banana pudding ($5).

Jester makes it with love, and he does his "grammy" proud.

Impossible burger at Grain Craft Bar & Kitchen

Locations in Bear, Newark, and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania

There's no way a vegan burger can look, smell and taste like meat, right? Impossible, don't you think?

Well, think again. Last January, Grain Craft Bar & Kitchen restaurants in Newark, Bear, and Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, added the "Impossible Burger" to their menus and we gave it a try.

Impossible Burgers are not gluten- or soy-free. They're made with wheat and potato proteins and coconut oil, which is the fat in the burger.

The meat-like texture, aroma and flavor comes from heme, a molecule found in plants and red meat that makes blood red and gives beef its distinctive taste.

The patty has a similar mouth-feel to beef. We found the flavor pleasingly meaty with no initial off-putting after-taste, though it probably won't fool devoted carnivores. (If you want a beef burger, get a beef burger.)

Curry chicken at Mayne Dish

2202 Kirkwood Highway, Elsmere

I needed sunshine on a dreary May day, so I checked out Mayne Dish, a Jamaican-American restaurant in Elsmere.

You order at the counter. There are tables downstairs and upstairs. But I took my curry chicken and D&G Jamaican Ginger Beer to go. While waiting for my $8 lunch and $2 drink, I was serenaded by Bob Marley tunes.

A small order of chicken curry included a huge helping of chicken, potatoes and carrots with rice and beans and cabbage. I hit the wall after a few bites and still had more than half of it left.

A few minor quibbles: You really had to watch out for the bones, especially a few small pieces of bone. Maybe they chopped the chicken pieces with a cleaver that might need to be sharpened? The flavor was very good. Next time, I'll check out the jerk chicken.

Dinner at Heirloom

212 Savannah Road, Lewes

Owner Meghan Lee's endearing 3-year-old Lewes restaurant in a renovated Victorian home doesn't just rank as one of the best restaurants in Sussex County, it's easily one of the best in the state. She and executive chef Matthew Kern collaborate to create the exciting and ambitious menus that change with the seasons.

This past spring, we loved the house-stretched burrata with its soft, creamy white cheese, swirls of green from torn basil and dots of red from Calabrian chili. 

Plump spring peas popped when you bit into them and crumbles of sourdough breadcrumbs and sprinkles of sea salt added toasty crispness.

But, really, I don't think you can go wrong with any dish here. Looking forward to more in 2019.

Braised short rib pizza at Crust & Craft

Midway Galleria, 18701 Coastal Highway (Del. 1), Rehoboth Beach 

When Crust & Craft chef/owner Brenton Wallace posted a photo of the short rib beef pizza ($18) made with caramelized onions, chanterelle mushrooms and creamy Robiola cheese on Instagram this summer, I made a beeline for his Rehoboth Beach gourmet pizzeria.

The eatery specializes in 12-inch Neapolitan-style pizzas baked in a red-tiled Marana Forni wood-fired oven that can reach 900 degrees. Definitely worth a visit.

New York strip and wedge salad at Houston-White Co.

315 Rehoboth Ave., Rehoboth Beach

The new restaurant across from Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats, is aimed directly at beef eaters. This destination for steak lovers is owned by Megan Kee who also runs La Fable, a lovely, traditional French bistro on Baltimore Avenue. 

The $45 New York strip (14-ounces) came beautifully seared just a notch above medium-rare, as requested, and was simply a beautiful, juicy, beefy, tender yet still slightly chewy, cut. 

The wedge salad ($12) on a chilled plate with drizzles of blue cheese dressing, a generous amount of Stilton blue cheese, cherry tomatoes, a confetti of red onion and hearty chunks of bacon can be shared.

Crab cakes at Courtyard by Marriott– Newark

University of Delaware, 400 David Hollowell Drive, Newark

Back in June, we began a hunt for the best places in Delaware to get a crab cake. We saved the best for last because the crab cakes made by Chef Mark Chopko easily deserve the numerous awards they have received.

The $26 crab cake dinner (two cakes and two sides) is available at the hotel's bistro at the hotel off Del. 896. The bistro serves breakfast and dinner, no lunch. These gluten-free cakes, bigger than your palm, are made with all lump crab meat and a secret all natural binding ingredient.

My second favorite spot for crab cakes in Delaware is Woody's Dewey Beach Bar & Grill. The crab cakes served at Racing Legends restaurant at Delaware Park in Stanton are a close third.

Pappardelle with lamb bolognese at Bardea

Corner of Seventh and North Market streets, Wilmington

Scott Stein and Antimo DiMeo's Bardea (pronounce it bar-DAY-ah) restaurant has been one of the buzziest, busiest new eateries to hit downtown Wilmington in some time. The 5,000 square-foot space, formerly Kennedy Fried Chicken, has been completely refurbished and tables fill up fast.

DiMeo's housemade pappardelle with lamb bolognese ($17), featuring a plop of soft mint goat cheese, has become a favorite. 

You don't get a whopping, supersize plate and you probably won't be taking home leftovers, but it is closer to the size of what you would find in restaurants in Italy.

Pork tacos at MezCali Taqueria

1205 Coastal Highway (Del. 1), Dewey Beach

MezCali, a California-inspired taquería and mezcal bar serving tacos, small plates, entrees and cocktails in a casual setting, took over the former Dewey Beach Club.

The tacos, wrapped with fresh, made-in-house corn tortillas, are so delectable, don't be surprised if you start planning what to order next while still working on your first plate. 

The pork carnitas might be my favorite, though the sweet potato tacos (two for $8), made with twice-fried 'taters, jicama slaw, pico de gallo and Sriracha aioli, are a very close second.   

The moist, slow-roasted pork in the tacos al pastor (two for $8), pairs perfectly with chunks of pineapple and onions and a confetti of cilantro. Other choices include baja fish, coconut shrimp and carne asada.

Poke bowls at Poke Bros. 

Mill Creek Shopping Center at Kirkwood Highway and Limestone Road

I jumped started my healthy eating for 2018 with trips to Poke Bros., and haven't stopped all year. The fast-casual chain specializes in Hawaiian-style raw fish rice bowls. Three franchises have opened in Delaware. 

Poke, pronounced POH-KAY, originated in Hawaii and features cubed-cut raw fish mixed in a bowl with rice, vegetables and other toppings. It's sometimes called “sushi in a bowl.” 

Meals can be customized with various sauces and garnishes. Most bowls will cost under $13.

I'm also a fan of the PoBu sushi burrito at PoBu Restaurant at 215 E. Main St. in Newark. 

To make the burrito, the staff top a sheet of nori with sushi rice and then layer in ahi tuna, Scottish salmon, avocado and edamame.

For a bit of crunch, they add tempura. The roll gets some gentle heat from squeezes of wasabi basil and sriracha aioli. 

Tropical acai bowl at Playa Bowls

134 E. Main St., Newark

It might not be easy to pronounce, but acai was a hot food trend in Delaware in 2018.

 Açaí (ah-sah-EE)  a tropical, South American purple berry found in rainforests, is often touted as a superfruit. 

At Playa Bowls, I got hooked on the Tropical Bowl ($9), pure açaí topped with granola, bananas, pineapple, coconut flakes and honey.

Another favorite is Nutella ($11) which includes açaí , banana, strawberry, coconut flakes and Nutella drizzle.

Coffee at Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co.

16 Haines St., Newark

Inside an adorable Sears Roebuck kit house, dating back to the early 1940s, that once was the original home of the Newark Natural Foods Co-op and, later, a hairdresser and skate/snowboard shop, you'll find one of the best cups of coffee in the state.

At Little Goat Coffee Roasting Co., customers can watch the roasting process in action, snuggle on a floral couch near a (non-working) fireplace, or grab a seat in one of two plush red seats that once faced the stage at Wilmington's Grand Opera House.

Little Goat was founded by business partners Joe Lins and Olivia Brinton, who wanted to bring their own freshly roasted, organically grown and fairly traded coffee to Delaware.

Crab and lobster tower at Eden

23 Baltimore Ave., Rehoboth Beach

While Labor Day weekend always, sadly, spells the unofficial end of the season, one of my favorite dishes of the past summer, and in fact year, was the crab and Maine lobster tower at Eden.

It features layers of large chunks of cold lobster meat over creamy crab meat. The base of the molded tower is a fruity mango salsa and the plate is finished with a swipe of cool, avocado crema.

Eden, a romantic, fine-dining, dinner-only eatery has long offered this $19 appetizer, but it was a new-to-me experience.

Focaccia robiola di Ciro at Touch of Italy

530 Concord Pike, Brandywine Hundred

When Touch of Italy owner Bob Ciprietti took over the former Bella Coast Italian Kitchen & Market on Concord Pike, the Sussex County restaurateur came with some secret weapons.

He brought in culinary consultant Ciro Verdi, a longtime New York City chef/restaurateur whose pizza has been praised by celebrity chef Bobby Flay and featured often on the Food Network.

Verdi is overseeing all dishes on the menu. On a recent visit, Touch of Italy seemed to still be working out kinks, but I'd go back for focaccia robiola di Ciro, a signature dish that Verdi first introduced in 1989. 

The thin, baked focaccia ($17) is smeared with creamy, robiola cheese and drizzled with white truffle oil. Verdi's focaccia robiola di Ciro deluxe ($21) is the same style pie, but it also includes prosciutto, arugula and oven-dried tomatoes.

The Hydrator at Raw Essential Juice Bar

Shops of Limestone Hills, 5335 Limestone Road, Pike Creek

A family member turned me on to this delicious, cold, $8.50 green drink and now I can't get enough. 

The Hydrator is a 20-ounce, 170-calorie smoothie featuring a blend of cucumber, spinach, pineapple, mango and cucumber water. It's refreshing, but not overly sweet. Give it a try.

Pastries at The Station on Kings

720 Kings Highway, Lewes

This snazzy cafe and market that opened last year comes from Leisa Berlin, who runs the town's super cute and classic candy store, Edie Bees Confection Shop on Second Street. 

The delectable pastries are not to be missed. I like the croissants, especially the chocolate-banana and the savory ham and cheese. 

You can order lunch at the counter and eat it in a separate greenhouse-like dining area. The menu goes well beyond run-of-the-mill sandwiches and salads.

Cream of crab soup at Meding's Seafood

3697 Bay Road, Milford

Recently, we stopped into this Kent County seafood market/restaurant off Del. 1 to get the low-down on the giant gold 47,000-pound, 20-foot ship's propeller that's in the parking lot.

The propeller, purchased as an eye-catching landmark for the eatery, was one of four that once helped thrust the USS Shangri-La. That aircraft carrier commissioned in 1944 earned two battle stars in World War II, and three stars in the Vietnam War. Famed astronauts Jim Lovell and the late Gene Cernan were once deployed on the Shangri-La. 

During our visit on a cold November morning, we tried Meding's signature homemade cream of crab soup. It's a winner. The cream of crab soup, a family recipe, is made with fresh crabmeat and a dash of seasoning on top. You can eat in or get it to go in 12- or 32-ounce containers.

Avocado-blood orange salad at Prime 225

 225 Bohemia Ave., Chesapeake City, Maryland 

Prime 225 restaurant in Chesapeake City, Maryland, is worth a drive and for so much more than this salad. But I've included it because it's was so hard to stop eating it.

A dining companion, who has visited Prime 225 several times in the past, didn't even have to look at the menu. He knew he wanted this salad. Again.

Chef Brandon Gentry tosses baby arugula leaves with small bites of blood oranges, sweet onion, grape tomatoes and toasted pine nuts in a tart-sweet white balsamic-tarragon vinaigrette. He then fans buttery slices of ripe avocado on top for some crunchy and followed by little creaminess.

The menu now has a different version of the salad which includes roasted baby beets, oven dried tomatoes, avocado, sweet onion, candied pine nuts, red wine poppy seed vinaigrette and local honey.

It's still a very good beginning to a meal, especially if you get a bone-in ribeye or the Maryland rockfish.

MORE DELAWARE FOOD:

20 (and more) classic Delaware eateries you shouldn't miss

10 great Delaware places to satisfy a sweet tooth

Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 or ptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter @pattytalorico