Second Block Hospitality Group opening Bodhi Kitchen

For the second straight year, Second Block Hospitality Group is opening a new restaurant in an old building in downtown Rehoboth Beach.

Last year, it was Drift in a 130-year-old beach cottage on Baltimore Avenue. This year, it’s going to be Bodhi Kitchen on North First Street, in the space that has been a number of restaurants over the years, but was most recently Square One. Second Block Hospitality Group comprises The Pines owners Bob Suppies, Tyler Townsend, David Gonce and Chef Lion Gardner.

Plans for the new restaurant were discussed as part of a permit of compliance hearing during a city commissioner meeting Jan. 20. Suppies said the plan is to restore the building with a facelift and interior changes. The plan is to be open by April 1, he said.

According to the menu provided as part of the hearing, Bodhi Kitchen will feature a collection of Asian-themed food, including, but not limited to, wonton soup, grilled chicken satay, spicy thai salad, ginger-lime flank steak, passionfruit sorbet and more.

Commissioners didn’t have much to say on the restaurant other than to praise the group for taking the remodeling approach to new businesses.

There seems to be a pattern – take an old building and make it good, said Commissioner Patrick Gossett.

The preservation is commendable, said Commissioner Edward Chrzanowski.

Bhodi Kitchen isn’t the only new development for Second Block Hospitality Group, as they’ve also taken over the former Philip Morton Gallery space on the first floor of Cape Suites Motel on Baltimore Avenue. 

Prior to the hearing, while standing on the sidewalk in front of the old gallery space, Suppies said it’s not going to be another restaurant. Instead, he said, the company needs office space to run the business.