Rehoboth Foodie

Thirty-six years ... and counting! The Back Porch Cafe is the oldest fine-dining establishment in Rehoboth Beach. Thirty-three years ago, award-winning chef and co-owner Leo Medisch attended culinary school in New York City. While there, he lived with none other than Joyce Felton, who was putting together plans to open the Blue Moon with Victor Pisapia who was, at that time, one of the original owners of the Back Porch. Kind of need a program to keep track of it all....

Restaurants like the Back Porch Cafe can make life difficult for a restaurant reviewer. No matter how many times I visit, it's just about impossible to find anything substantial to kvetch about. How can I maintain any credibility if I can't whine about something!?! Thanks, Leo.

Our party of 4 started with the Crab Ravioli. The huge (at least 3" square) pillows of pasta are filled with crabmeat with Sea Beans (naturally salty, succulent little plants that grow in the ocean). All of this floats in a Lemon Vin Blanc (a creamy white wine sauce containing what tasted like fish or crab veloute). The Bocconcini appetizer consisted of cool white mozzarella balls (a combination of cow and water buffalo milk) on a bed of artichoke and arugula with a mild pistachio vinaigrette. The parade of appetizers continued with the Calamari Manicotti. The manicotti "shell" was actually the body of the little squid (minus the scary tentacles), stuffed to a generous plumpness with a mix of guanciale (unsmoked Italian bacon made from pork cheeks), pine nuts and fresh peas. The happy cephalopods were enrobed in a not-at-all imposing basil marinara. In an interesting twist on the old-fashioned cucumber and onions, crispy Bob Russell cucumbers (home farmers Bob & Barbara Russell supply high-quality veggies & herbs to the Back Porch) were sliced into half-moons, sprinkled with fresh mint and drizzled with a nutty tahini vinaigrette. Last and certainly not least, the Grilled Porcini Mushroom was accompanied by chevre-infused gnocchi with sage in a creamy blueberry brown-butter. Every appetizer we've had so far at the Back Porch has been, in a word, delicious.

My most recent main course was the Prosciutto-Wrapped Pork Loin. The gently salty Italian ham is wrapped around slightly pink in-the-center pork. I was able to cut it with the side of a fork, and the prosciutto remained intact so every bite included a taste of both meats. A disc of Polenta, infused with Fontina (a sharp Italian hard cheese), along with a colorful mix of morels, still-crispy leeks and bright cubes of carrot topped it all off. On another visit I had the Domestic Lamb. The roughly Frenched chops were surrounded by an aromatic ragout of shank meat and vegetables. One of the kickers of that dish was a sea of deep-red linguini made with beet root and poppyseed. The Fresh Ricotta, Eggplant and Chanterelle Mushroom Lasagne entree was finished with that light basil Marinara that I suspect also graced the calamari. The crusty, fresh bread at the table (very much like a brick-oven French-style Pain au Levan) was the perfect tool for sopping up any remaining traces of that Marinara. Waste not, want not, I always say....

A Magret Duck Breast ("magret" meaning a lean portion of duck) was grilled with red coconut and curry. Two surprises on this plate: #1, the deliciously crispy and acidic Bok Choy. #2, a baseball-sized portion of (wait for it...) Green Tea Tapioca. How does Chef Leo come up with this stuff? The cool tannic bent of the tea played very nicely with the starchy softness of the tapioca pearls. All this was surrounded by a little lake of Pear Miso Broth. This was a party in your mouth if there ever was one.

I generally comment on service only if it is sub-standard. But I have to mention the team of servers who waited on us on a few of our visits. Plates quietly disappear when they were empty, clean silverware mysteriously appears when needed, and last night our primary server even made a point of not intruding during what she (correctly) assumed was a somewhat intense conversation. There are still some establishments around here that offer this level of care, but they are few and far between. It's so refreshing, and something I was beginning to believe did not exist outside of Manhattan or the 5-star Celebrity Chef eateries in Las Vegas.

If the weather is not too hot, I suggest you sit in the (actual) back porch area...maybe even on the elevated "loft" [pictured] if you're lucky enough to get a table there. The view of the neighboring roofs (and even a church steeple) is engaging and decidedly Parisian. One of my favorite Foodies, former New York Times restaurant critic Ruth Reichl, wrote, "When restaurants hold up their end of the bargain, they give us the illusion of being surrounded by servants intent on ensuring our happiness, and offering extraordinary food." My experience so far suggests that Chef Medisch and his staff at Back Porch Cafe are certainly "holding up their end of the bargain."

Back Porch Cafe is at 59 Rehoboth Avenue, on the north side, in the middle of the ocean block. Reservations are a must (302) 227-3674. They are also one of the few fine-dining joints to be open for lunch. They are closed off-season. (L., D., Bar) Price Range: Expensive +.

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