LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
Eating Out: Amor! Could It Be Love? |
by Barry Becker |
Amor, A Creative Italian Eatery, (57 Wilmington Avenue) opened less than 2 months ago, and already we had been hearing about its great food. That's all we needed to know, so off we went to check it out. Chef Mark Jacobson comes to Rehoboth via two restaurants in the Russian River region of northern California in the heart of Sonoma County wine country. The chef decided on our menu for the night, and all I can say is he must have heard how much food Konrad and I can put away, because the wonderful food just kept coming. A basket of perfect, warm, crunchy Italian peasant bread was brought out just before our first remarkable appetizer, which was Shrimp Amor. The huge grilled shrimp was wrapped with pancetta and stuffed with pesto, served on a plate with tomato wedges and basil leaves, drizzled with fabulous olive oil. The shrimp was divine, the textures and flavors perfectly complementing each other. We were barely done ooohing and aaahing over the shrimp when the Jumbo Crimini Mushrooms arrived. These were stuffed with a homemade pork sausage and capped with a light layer of melted mozzarella. The sausage was spicy with large fennel seeds, fabulous, rich and moist, filling a most delectable mushroom. This is definitely an appetizer to share. Next up, soup. The special of the day was cold cantaloupe and strawberry, the large bowl decorated with bits of these two fruits and an orchid. The soup, which was extremely light and fluffy and evaporated in your mouth, was great for a hot summer night. The second soup was clam chowder, which I think was one of the best I have ever had, a light tomato sauce rich and dense with herbs, potatoes and of course, many clams. But before the entrees, I had a great Caesar salad, and Konrad had the baby greens with a tarragon vinaigrette dressing which was delightful. Of course, as you can imagine, by now we were getting a little full, but we had the entrees ahead of us. I've seen oversized bowls before, but nothing the size of the ones that came out of the kitchen with our main course in them. I had a seafood Alfredo which was unbelievably over the top, with huge scallops, shrimp, and lobster in a rich cheesy sauce with a hint of nutmeg, served over fettuccine. The scallops were perfectly done, very tender and fresh, and the shrimp and lobster were exquisite. Konrad had Zupa de Mare, which we could have eaten many bowls of if we hadn't been little piggies all night. It's a garlicky light tomato broth base with delicate angel hair pasta, packed with tender scallops and shrimp, and lots of mussels and clams. We were in seafood heaven, and would order this again any time we eat here. Despite that "oops, we ate too much again" feeling, of course, we had to have dessert. Konrad had the homemade tiramisu like I have never seen it before, light and airy with whipped creme, espresso, zabaglione, strawberries and more. Wonderful! I had the white chocolate cheese cake, a light delicacy, the plate drizzled with chocolate. Amor is a great addition to the dining scene in Rehoboth, serving pastas, chicken, veal, and lots of seafood, including live Maine lobsters. With terrific food, reasonable prices, and attentive service, Amor should be on your list of restaurants to check out this summer. Amor is located at 57 Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach, serving dinner daily from 4:30 p.m. For dinner reservations, call 302-226-4727. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 10, No. 10, July 28, 2000. |