Foodie Friday: The Pines
REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. – This classic spot in a beloved resort city has a new chef.
A Chef With a Philosophy
On this edition of Foodie Friday, Chef Kyle Berman showed off his chops for Foodie Host Hannah Cechini and Photog Mike at The Pines in Rehoboth Beach.
Chef Berman has a philosophy when it comes to food. “We’re trying to be thoughtful, even about the small plates; trying to do it in a way where you have a composed dish, even if it’s something simple like chicken wings,” he explains, as he prepares to whip up a serving of them.
Regional Riff
The wings brine in a bath of buttermilk and salt for four hours, before being rinsed and submerged in a confit.
“That basically means we cook them are really low temperatures, so they start to get brown on the outside, but is super tender all the way through,” said Chef Berman. “It makes a really crispy wing.”
After a dip in the deep fryer, the wings are rubbed down with a Texas dry mix, and also pair up with a special companion: The Pines’ version of an Alabama white sauce.
“It’s got to have mayo, it’s got to have vinegar, and it’s got to have hot sauce,” said Chef Berman. “Ours has a lot more stuff in it, but it’s the same general principal. It’s a fun, regional riff, and we’re doing a Texas dry rub with it.”
“Every single flavor note in a single bite”
But all the while, a truly unique dish is quietly cooking away.
This oven roasted beef bone marrow is nothing to shake a bone at. It’s topped with harissa vinaigrette, peaches, chives, Jimmy Nardello peppers, and parsley – paired with grilled bread.
“Not too many restaurants are doing this here in the U.S. It sort is something that is a staple of bistro food,” Chef Bermain explained.
“There are so many flavors in one bite. You have kind of a rich undercurrent from the marrow, which lays the foundation for the acid and the sweetness,” Foodie Photog Mike said after his first bite of the bone marrow. “I think that hits every single flavor note in a single bite. That’s impressive.”
Sides Are Also Stars
Another simple staple that Chef Berman really lets shine, is crispy potatoes.
“Every one loves a crispy potato. Almost every culture out there,” Chef Berman mused. “We just take them, we bake them off, cut them, and steam them to try and get all that water content out organically, then we deep fry them.”
Hay roasted carrots are also on the menu. They’re served over carrot puree, and paired with smoked local honey, farmers cheese, and chili garlic oil.
Mike was also impressed by the subtle yet delicious flavors of the carrots.
“The core of the carrot has a very nice crunch to it. It’s a little bit soft on the outside, but that’s kind of where all the roast-y flavors show up,” he said. “You get a little bit of sweetness, just the tiniest bit of smokiness, and the textures keep revealing themselves.”
Tender Wings, Crunchy Potatoes
For Hannah, it was hard not to instantly fall in love with the chicken wings. “These chicken wings are excellent, texturally, as far as the flavor goes. Just all around, really, really good,” they said with a smile. “I really love the dry rub. It’s got just like the perfect amount of kick to it. It’s not overwhelmingly spicy, but it’s a welcome heat.”
And as for those potatoes, “I don’t think I’ve ever met a crunchier fried potato, if I’m being quite honest,” Hannah said. “You could give me a whole bowl of just these potatoes and I’d be perfectly happy.”
The Pines
The Pines is located at 56 Baltimore Avenue, Rehoboth Beach, Del. You can call them at (302) 567-2726. If you go to check it out, tell the team that you saw them on Foodie Friday.
