Rehoboth Foodie

Chef and part-owner Richard Steele used to handle the cooking duties at the Lamp Post, his family's Coastal Highway restaurant (now long-gone and reborn under new ownership as Crabby Dick's Seafood). Cafe Azafran's downtown Rehoboth Beach spot is not only the second location for Richard and his brother Mark, but, when they opened, also became instant employment for his son Ryan, freshly graduated from Culinary School. Nepotism notwithstanding, talent in the kitchen seems to run in the family, because so far the feedback about the Rehoboth location has been positive.

Azafran is Spanish for "safflower," the dried petals of which are used as a flavorless but color-enhancing substitute for saffron. Carole Leonardis, a faithful RF site visitor, insists that the name Azafran is more appropriate to the pungent spice saffron (derived from the crocus plant). The difference notwithstanding, any similarity between the tasteless plant (obviously not the only translation) and its restaurant namesake ends there.

UPDATE: The Cafe Azafran review here at RF was originally written to combine both the Rehoboth and Lewes locations into one article. It has come to my attention that this is not entirely fair, since different locations can vary greatly in their food and service. I have since changed that practice. I returned to my notes, visited there again, and modified this review to reflect the Rehoboth Beach location.

It's no secret that I had several not-so-great experiences at the Lewes location, but it wasn't accurate to provide ratings that combined both. Please note a new ratings box above that just applies to Rehoboth. I plan to return to the Lewes location and write a separate article regarding my experiences there. My thanks and apologies to a number of faithful site visitors who hammered me about this, and my gratitude also goes out to the always charming Holly Lane who strongly suggested (through a third party) that I needed to revisit this article. I guess if I'm gonna dish it out, then I've gotta be able to take it. So I stand corrected.

I now return you to our program already in progress:

My most recent dinner experience started off with the Grilled Veal Sausage tapas with White (Cannellini) Beans. Far from being the typical microscopic "tapas" we've been trained to expect elsewhere, this was full appetizer-size and was delicious. The sausage was spicy and firm, but the star of the show was the sauce in which the white beans lounged comfortably. We had a similar reaction to the Ricotta and Spinach Gnocchi (lubricated with sage butter and topped with pecorino cheese). I have to mention the La Mancha plate, replete with a sandy brown Manchego, spicy chorizo, jamon Serrano (Spanish ham) and Romesco salsa (a Catalonian preparation with tomatoes, peppers, toasted almonds and hazelnuts). The Tapas menu is extensive and I will update after future visits.

Unlike my experiences in Lewes, and at the risk of stirring up the Chronic Complainers, I was pleased to find a friendly staff, big portions and solidly prepared selections in Rehoboth. On several of my visits, however, I or my companions had problems dealing with the hostess. There are times when their front desk people don't seem to notice that you're standing right in front of them, and seem to become thoroughly mired in the weeds when the place is busy and has a long wait. Comments from site visitors seem to indicate similar experiences. But once you run the hostess gauntlet, the food does a good job of getting you back into a good mood.

In the summer there's a popular prix-fixe ($23) on Tuesdays. "Popular," because every table was filled, and, lacking reservations (who wooda thought on a Tuesday?!), we were relegated to the bar. No problem. I like keeping track of what's going on, and the bar's the place to do that. I began the festivities with the Seafood Bruschetta appetizer. The seafood stacked onto the warm crostini (teetering atop a bed of brightly dressed mixed greens) was delightfully unmanageable and generous at just $9. My favorite Foodette had the Spanish Dip Trio (pita-like flatbread triangles surround a marinated olive tapenade, a garlicky hummus and that deep red and nutty Romesco salsa. Another Foodie-in-Waiting enjoyed the sweet 'n' sticky Spanish BBQ Ribs (3 meaty bones) slathered with a vaguely Oriental multi-flavored glaze.

Cafe Azafran's interpretation of Salade Niçoise is a main course all by itself, with haricots verts (green beans), sliced egg, roasted peppers, sliced new potatoes drizzled with olive oil, tangy greens and small green and dark spanish olives (I wish they had been pitted...have some sympathy for our bridgework, guys!). Rather than the traditional tuna/anchovy finish, the salade can be topped with just about any seafood. I ordered shrimp and got 4 huge ones, easily 12/16 in size. The (prix fixe) Fish of the Day was Grouper and was perfectly cooked; firm, flakey and not mushy or fishy tasting. It was accompanied by unusual little zucchini cakes (ya gotta try 'em) and new potatoes sprinkled with a red pepper basil coulis. Favorite Foodie had the Orecchiette Pasta dish, generously speckled with roasted veggies, crispy pancetta and a salty pecorino romano (a hard Sardinian cheese made from ewe's milk. Pecora = "sheep." Tell 'em you heard it here first!).

At breakfast, the Warm Baked Oatmeal is the star of the show, crowned with milk or snow-white Greek yogurt. The Frittatas sport a host of filling choices, including that Serrano and various cheeses. Their homemade granola is crunchy, and delicious topped with milk or yogurt.

The lunch menu is almost as extensive as the dinner menu, with soups, salads, sandwiches, espresso variations, smoothies, teas...it goes on and on. The Mediterranean Platter is reminiscent of the Salade Niçoise I described above and includes a crispy baguette. Another standout is Marco's Chef Salad (crispy greens, egg, peppers, tomatoes and olives topped with poached chicken, ham and pecorino).

Paninis and wraps populate the long list of sandwiches filled with Mediterranean ingredients (most of which appear in the various and sundry salads). My favorite Foodette tells me that they're introducing an off-season Panera Bread-style "You Pick Two"--choice of soup and a "mini-wich." Check out the off-season specials for more info.

Cafe Azafran is at 18 Baltimore Ave. (ocean block, south side). It's a pretty small place and it can get pretty noisy in there when busy. But, y'know, order another drink and join the fun. They open early and they close briefly in the late afternoon (always a little annoying), so give them a call before you trek down there for a late lunch (302-227-8100). I suggest reservations. Click here to see the menu. (B., L., D., Bar) Price range: Moderate +.