LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth |
EATING Out |
by Barry Becker |
A Taste of the Mediterranean
The menu at Espuma (28 Wilmington Ave., at First Street., Rehoboth Beach) says it is "artfully presented Mediterranean cuisine in a sophisticated atmosphere." It is that and so much more. The restaurant itself is full of color, with light jazz in the background and the lights playing off the vibrant colors of the walls and artwork. The booths lend themselves beautifully to create an intimate space, so you can really enjoy your company as well as the wonderful food and very attentive service. After we ordered, our waiter, Jim, brought fresh wonderful bread, along with a head of roasted garlic and a most superb black olive tapenade. It would have been easy to make a meal of this, but one quick look at the menu and we knew not to overdo it here. For starters we tried the white asparagus cream soup with white truffle oil and sea salt, which had a tempura soft shell crab swimming among the sea of green. Just writing this sentence makes me want to go back and have another huge serving of this fabulous creation. To call it soup is an injustice. My culinary partner of the evening said it was the best soup she's ever had, and I have to tell you honestly, it was difficult even getting a few spoonfuls away from her! Another Beginning we tried was described on the menu as a lobster and fennel flan with a citrus deconstructed vinaigrette, tobikko caviar and crispy leeks, but this description did not begin to hint at what a perfect blend of flavors and textures this dish would be. The fabulous flan sat in the middle of the plate amidst beet paint, white truffle oil and chive oil, with the crispiest of leeks on top of the flan. A lobster tail was cut in half, with the meat from half on top the flan, the other half of the tail wrapped around it. Next we had one of the most wonderful salads I've had in a long time. It sounded simple enough, mixed greens with pineapple, hearts of palm, sundried fruits and roasted pecans with cabrales blue cheese, but it was the lightest and tastiest of dressings, a passion fruit vinaigrette, that made it so light and perfect for a spring evening. The fruits and nuts gave it some great texture, and the lightness of the dressing was divine. Entrees. Tough call, but did we ever make incredible choices. This being a Mediterranean inspired restaurant, we had to try their specialty, seafood paella, and it was clear why this is their signature dish. It was packed with lobster, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams and calamari, along with spicy chorizo and chicken, on a bed of saffron rice. For our second choice, domestic rack of lamb with a pomegranate glaze, potato Barigold, and a mango rosemary demi glace. After each bite we were moved to words like outrageous, awesome, unbelievable, until we were just speechless. The lamb was so tender it was cut with a fork, perfectly done and fabulous in its glaze. The potato was waving a flag of rosemary, and since this is my favorite spice, that made me very happy. Kevin Reading, chef and owner, came out to tell us about desserts, and to let us know that he and pastry chef Andrew Hooven will be opening a bakery on Highway One in the next few weeks called Sweet Dreams. There will be pastries and Danish, as well as specialty desserts, wedding cakes and much more. It will be at the site of the former It's a Wonderful Loaf. For more information call 302-226-2037. For dessert, well, we tried three things. Loving chocolate like I do, I had to try the black and white cheesecake enrobed in chocolate ganache. After all, this won 1st Place at the 2001 Rehoboth Beach Chocolate Festival, and deservedly so. Sitting atop a grid of drizzled chocolate, the cake was light and incredible, and as a little prize on top of the cake was a Grand Marnier truffle. Talk about decadent. Save room for this when you dine here! We also had a frozen strawberry flan with mint and sliced strawberries, a slightly less filling but equally wonderful way to end a meal, and tempura bananas foster, one of the specials of the day, served, of course, atop a bowl of vanilla ice cream. Espuma is more than just fabulous food, and it's more than a sum of its equally wonderful parts. Dining at Espuma is what eating out should be aboutit's an event, with artful presentations of amazing and creative food, pleasant and knowledgeable service, and a great ambiance that adds up to make Espuma one of Rehoboth's finest culinary destinations. Espuma, 28 First Street, Rehoboth Beach, is open for dinner daily. For reservations, call 302-227-4199. |
LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 11, No. 7, June 15, 2001. |