April 04, 2008 - Eating Out

LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth

EATING Out

Last Friday, I met up with a couple friends for an early dinner at Cloud 9 Restaurant. Well, we thought it would be an early dinner; we met early and ended up lingering and staying late. It was a wonderful evening of laughing and chatting over good food. We sat in a corner booth by the window and tried to signal to passers-by what a great time we were having.

We started by sampling three very different Martinis. Carissa (whom many of you know from her excellent local Karaoke and theatre performances) had the special Passionfruit Martini, which was tropical and made me long for summer. Deb had the Blueberry Martini, which was sweet and beautiful, but not overly syrupy. It had fresh blueberries gracing the bottom of the glass, and I wanted to reach in and eat them first. Deb said they were the best blueberries she's ever had, and when she finished the cocktail, she said, "I'll definitely be having that again!" I had the Grapefruit Martini, which was my favorite. The grapefruit flavor was refreshing and light, with every sip being just as wonderful as the last. I think each of us thought our Martini was the best.

For appetizers, we split the crab dip and I had a cup of the soup of the day. The crab dip was deliciousvelvety smooth and full of crab. It was served with multicolored tortilla chips that added a wonderful salty crunch to go with the silky dip. The soup was a homemade mushroom bisque that had me groaning in delight. Creamy mushroom soups are such a pleasure when prepared wellthe earthiness offset by the cream, wine and hint of pepper is delicious. I can never resist a creamy mushroom soupand this bisque was one of my favorites ever.

For our entrees, Deb had the Filet of the Day, Carissa had the Spicey Strip Steak and I had the Risotto. How can you resist a "filet of the day?" The filet mignon is sometimes served with shrimp or scallops or with whatever strikes the mood of Chef Chris Teal. On this particular evening the filet was topped with an eight ounce lobster tail. Both were delicious and served on asparagus and mashed potatoes. The Spicy Strip Steak was also delicious in a fabulously spicy garlic bourbon sauce, topped with grilled shrimp over fresh spinach and mashed potatoes. Carissa could only eat about half of it, so I had the leftovers for dinner the next dayit was one of those dishes that was even better on day two. The Risotto was cooked with butter, wine, bits of lobster, sundried tomatoes, fresh spinach and herbs. It was topped with a generous portion of seared scallops. They were yummy.

If a "filet of the day" is not enough motivation for you to visit Cloud 9 soon, let me tell you about the desserts. The desserts were absolutely divine. The lemon sorbet was so tart that the muscles in my cheeks contracted; it was perfect. The crme brulee was a piece of art. The rich custard base was wonderfully fresh-tasting with bits of actual vanilla. They slice the strawberries very thinly and spread them out on top of the custard. Then on top of the strawberries is a thin carmelized sugar coating. It was gorgeous and delectable.

Owners Kelley Harp, John Berdini, Bill Raucci, and John Keefer have worked hard to create a pleasant Mediter-ranean atmosphere with a variety of menu items. Currently, they are open Thursday through Sunday evenings starting at 5 p.m.

On Thursdays, Cloud 9 offers a buy-one-get-one free entre special for those paying cash. At the beginning of May, Cloud 9 will start being open during the week and will offer half-price pasta entrees on Monday evenings. These discount evenings are especially popular, so I would recommend calling for reservations.

If you see someone gesturing to you in the window as you stroll by, it's probably just me or one of my friends encouraging you to come enjoy a meal at Cloud 9.

Cloud 9 is located at 234 Rehoboth Ave. They can be reached at 302-226-1999.

LETTERS From CAMP Rehoboth, Vol. 18, No. 03 April 04, 2008