Rehoboth Foodie

Picture the upscale setting of a petite bistro in Manhattan or in a sparkling casino in Las Vegas. But Agave Restaurant isn’t in the Big Apple or Sin City—it’s right on Second Street in downtown Lewes. And the real surprise is that the moderately priced cuisine is creative and unquestionably Mexican.

Most of the drinks involve Agave’s huge selection of tequilas (over 70 varieties). One of the favorite drinks at our table was the "Tequila Sunset," a multicolored blend of juices and spirits. The margaritas come in three sizes. Bring a designated driver (or an ambulance) if you plan to experiment with the "extra large."

The Super Nachos [pictured, left], built around homemade chips and are presented in a colorful metal serving tray with a combination of black beans, creamy white queso fresca, smoky salsa, cool sour cream and warm roasted peppers. The guacamole appetizer is served in a large molcajetes, a traditional Mexican salsa bowl. No food processors here: It was fresh and obviously handmade with chunks of fresh avocado throughout. Several members of our party had the Chicken Tortilla soup, rich with spices and white-meat chicken, particularly appetizing in a striking pottery bowl.

The Cobb Salad Quesadilla entrée is infused with tidbits of corn, beans and crunchy vegetables. If you like Chicken Mole, definitely try it here. A dark, rich and not-too-thick Mole sauce is a hard thing to get right (see some of my other reviews), but Agave nailed it. At this point I have to pay tribute to their jalapeno/cheese cornbread. This is one of my own signature dishes when I entertain at home, so I was poised to criticize. It came very close to the moist and creamy mouth-feel of the real thing (mine, of course).

Lisa was cooking, prepping, expediting—and still managing short visits with her fans at the tables. She sent us out a taste of their Ginger Cilantro Garlic Corn. I'll spare you the gastronomic superlative. Just order it. You'll not be disappointed.

Nothing can ruin a reviewer’s credibility faster than complimenting everything. Nobody’s perfect. In particular, the layout of Agave makes for lots of reflected sound, so the place is much noisier than it needs to be. There are things that can be done about that. Also, when they are busy, servers appear to rapidly find themselves "in the weeds" (a design-induced traffic jam at the register/window end of the bar exacerbates this problem). It's important that you make it clear to your server what you want as an app and what you want as the mains. Otherwise, everything could come out at once.

That being said, owner Chris McKeown has skillfully married a well-stocked tequila bar with a lively Mexican menu. Design touches such as their cleverly shuttered wall murals, the understated flat-screen TV glowing from behind what is apparently a half-silvered mirror, and the streamlined bar all add up to a bright future for this little hideout.

They don’t take reservations, but I promise the wait will be worth it (pass the time with a pomegranate margarita). They are located at 137 Second Street in Lewes and can be reached at 302-645-1232. Agave does not make an online menu available. (L. (limited--call), D., Bar) Price Range: Moderate -.