FENWICK ISLAND – Richard Keith opened Simmer Time in July to offer the area a one-of-a-kind restaurant featuring fondue and chef specialties in an intimate atmosphere.
Simmer Time can seat over 100 people with private booths. Each table has table top cooking with an induction stove top installed to place fondue pots and cook everything from an appetizer to a dessert right there.
“Our food is amazing,” Keith said. “We call it ‘fun-do’ because it is more of a fun way of eating. It’s a mix of American and Asian flare … once people come in and try it they are hooked.”
Simmer Time’s menu starts off with its “Fun-do” options that are a variety of Cheese Melt Pots, such as the Queso Fiesta Melt made of a white cheese blended with pico de gallo, jalapeno peppers, and a house simmer stock, or the Three Cheese Melt made of gruyere, goat cheese, bleu cheese, and a house simmer stock and white wine. All Cheese Melt Pots come with broccoli, apples, homemade breads and fiesta chips to dip.
“Kids get in here and they are blown away by this,” Keith added. “We have had parents come in with their kids that usually have an iPad or a smart phone and within five minutes they are so involved with the meal. I think kids love it more than the adults do.”
There is a variety of Simmer Pot Entrees that includes a House Simmer made of beef and vegetable stock with
herbs and spices in a wine reduction, and an Eastern Shore Simmer made of lobster and shrimp broth with lager and local crab seasoning. There is a wide range of entrée selections to accompany the Simmer Styles such as steak, seafood, chicken and pork that are also served with Japanese-style rice and a vegetable medley.
“This has never been done before,” Keith said. “We use reduced broths so they are flavorful broths topped with the sauces you would dip them in, so it gives a whole different flare to the fondue entrees.”
The Full Monty is a four-course option that includes a salad bar, a Cheese Melt Pot, a Simmer Style with two entrée selections, and a Chocolate Melt Down, which is a combination of chocolates served with dipping treats of strawberries, bananas, soft pretzel nuggets, marshmallows, crisped rice treats and pineapple chunks.
Other options are Chef Specialty Rice Bowls, such as the Honey Peanut Chicken, Chicken Chow Mein, Sweet and Spicy Lobster, Pepper Steak, Eastern Shore Scallops and Sausage and Peppers, or build your own rice bowl.
Simmer Time’s menu doesn’t stop with the fondue selections but offers much more for the traditional type, such as the Cooked Pot Lovers that are a Braised Short Rib, Chicken and Dumplings, Beef and Dumplings, a Soup Pot and a Scorpion Pot that is three large sea scallops, seared well in a sweet browned butter sauce over steamed crab legs; drizzled lightly with cucumber wasabi and sriracha hot sauce, served with rice noodles or rice and chef’s veggie du jour.
There is a list of Chef Michael Gable’s Specialty Entrees that includes Blackened Salmon, a Lobster Special, Shrimp Alfredo, Black & Bleu Steak, Grilled Chicken & Shrimp, Fried Seafood Combo, and a Land & Sea that is lobster claw meat and jumbo lump crabmeat baked in an old bay better cream casserole with skewered grilled steak served medium well with white rice and broccoli.
Simmer Time offers daily specials and a breakfast buffet and a la carte menu on Sundays starting at 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. featuring home-made donuts, a fresh assorted fruit basket, scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, ham, creamed chip beef, home fries and more.
The restaurant is equipped with a full bar, arcade games, a pool table and a stage overlooking the dining room to take on the night life. A “Real Happy Hour” is 9:30 to 10:30 p.m. with $1 beers, $1 rails and $3 shots.
Simmer Time is located about 2 miles west on Route 54 from Coastal Hwy. next to Mio Fratello. It’s open daily from 4:30 p.m.-1 a.m., except closed on Wednesdays. To make reservations call 302-436-2266 or visit their Facebook page to view the entertainment lineup.