As summertime dawns upon us, families take to the beach for relaxation and good eats, but restaurants along the shoreline aren’t the only ones making a splash with returning vacationers. In fact, locals and out-of-towners alike have been known to go out of their way to grab a bite at one of Delaware’s best-kept secrets: Millsboro’s own Bluewater Grill.
Coastal Point • RYAN SAXTON:
Bluewater Grill has a kind of rustic look to it, while still being contemporary. The menu has a solid fish and seafood base with dishes like pasta, steaks and chicken to round out the choices.
Proprietor John Rishko opened the restaurant with a partnership only three years ago, and already, it’s stirring up the scene.
Since he purchased the property this past January, he has focused on making it a desirable stop for anyone who walks through the door just once. Fish and seafood makes up a good part of Bluewater’s fare, though an ensemble of pastas, steaks and chicken are sure to whet anyone’s appetite.
Rishko has had his hand in the restaurant biz for decades now, working every imaginable position, from busboy, cook and waiter to manager and owner. Even though he studied at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa., it’s been the hands-on schooling of the restaurants that’s taught him the most.
He and his wife, Nelia Dolan, opened their first restaurant together, Stoney Lonen, in Rehoboth Beach in 2000. The Irish pub-style eatery lasted seven years before they sold it earlier this spring.
With the opening of Bluewater in 2004, and handling their three kids, Rishko admitted that also running Stoney Lonen sometimes became a bit of a chore. Rishko also helped start Rehoboth’s breakfast and lunch eatery, Sugarplum, and the poplar Dogfish Head brewpub.
“One restaurant can be stressful enough at times,” Rishko said. “The opportunity came up for the space and we really liked the place.”
As any business owner can testify, the main things to look for when opening up a new business are location, location and location.
“When we were starting [Bluewater Grill], I noticed that the beach areas were saturated,” Rishko said. “There are a lot of different places for people to eat — breakfast, lunch and diner. Here, there are only a handful of places you can go, sit down and have a meal.”
One of the more appealing aspects, other than the building’s location away from the bustle of the beach, was its history.
“They don’t build them like this anymore,” Rishko said of the Bluewater Grill location. Brick walls, a tin ceiling and wood floors help to indicate the interior’s history. The building had previously served as the home of locals’ bar Susie’s Tavern, the long-running five-and-dime Godfrey’s Store and the town’s popular Georgia House restaurant.
“We really liked the rustic look of it and the history behind it,” he added. “I also wanted to give it a classic look, but have it still be contemporary. When you walk into a place with this much of a past, it can either be dingy or it can be presented well when it’s set up right. That’s what we tried to do.”
Historical photos line the wall of Bluewater Grill, depicting the neighboring beaches and the building’s basement being plowed out by a team of mules when it was first being constructed. And the bold blue color scheme, accented by the white and wood grain through the dining room, help to combine the level of comfort with the strong feeling of the building’s past.
Since its start, Rishko knew the locale on Main Street in Millsboro was a far step from the Rehoboth area to which he was accustomed.
“It’s a little different when you’re 15 miles inland,” he said. “You can’t really be offering strictly seafood, when people might expect steak or chicken. We try to serve a little bit of everything.”
And Rishko has done precisely that Gorgonzola Florida grouper, shrimp and crab penne pasta, and sesame Ahi tuna are enough to tempt a seafarer’s palate, while grilled porterhouse pork chops or homemade meatloaf could be the simplistic finish to an enjoyable evening. Sides even range from sophisticated risotto cakes to popular southern Delaware-style succotash.
When the restaurant first opened, it served as a more occasional spot to eat.
“People would come in here for New Year’s, Valentine’s Day or an anniversary,” said Rishko. “I didn’t want to be restricted to that, so we’ve changed things around a little. We try to make our prices more reasonable, to expand to a larger clientele. We want this to be a place for everyone, no matter what day it is.
“There are sophisticated diners and families that come in here. People are now comfortable coming here once or twice a week, and we get a dinner crowd here from all over — Georgetown, Long Neck, Ocean View,” he said.
Rishko added that his staff helps the restaurant run smoothly, as well. “We’ve got a great group of people working here,” he said. “Our wait staff and cooks are all very professional, and it really helps draw the customers in.”
Richard Eastburn, for one, has been employed at Bluewater almost since it first began. “We get a lot of really nice customers,” he said. “That’s a really good feeling. Our cooks do a wonderful job here. If it weren’t for them, these people wouldn’t keep stopping in.”
This past week, Bluewater began running summer specials, both for lunch and for dinner. Diners can now enjoy discounted soups and sandwiches Monday through Thursday or half-price fish-and-chips on Fridays and Saturdays during lunch hours.
New to Tuesday and Wednesday dinners is their “buy one entrée, get one half off” deal, as well as half-price bottles of wine. Prime-rib Mondays and crab cake Thursdays are also some returning favorites of the week.
“There’s no reason not to come,” said Rishko. “If you’re a wine lover, a crab-cake lover, whatever, there’s something you’ll enjoy. This way, we make it a nice friendly place with good food, which keeps people coming back.”
Keeping his customers happy is among Rishko’s top priorities at the restaurant.
“We’re not trying to fool anyone here,” he said. “People are looking for more value for their dollar, and we try to give them that.”
Bluewater Grill is located at 226 Main Street in Millsboro and is open from 11:30 a.m. until 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday. For more information and reservations, call (302) 934-5160.