The demolition of the old Camel’s Hump building produced an outpouring of memories. The hummus! The baba ghanoush! The harem pants! For 23 years, the Baltimore Avenue restaurant was Delaware’s primary destination for Middle Eastern cuisine.
Today, several coastal restaurants feature Mediterranean food, which includes Middle Eastern fare. It’s a broad swath; more than 20 countries hug the Mediterranean coast, including Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, and parts of North Africa.
Many of these countries’ cuisines share similarities. Credit the empires that brought spices and cooking techniques to the lands they conquered. The Ottoman Empire, which lasted more than 600 years, once stretched from Budapest into the Middle East and back west to Algiers in Africa. Multiple regions have their own versions of well-known dishes, such as baklava and stuffed grape leaves.
Coastal Delaware might be a long way from the Med, but several businesses specialize in the cuisine. Spanish and Middle Eastern influences are the stars of Café Azafran, which opened in Lewes in 2002. The Rehoboth Beach site followed in 2010, and the Lewes location later closed. However, Olive & Oats in downtown Lewes is a younger sibling.
Spanish-style tapas dishes include potatoes with saffron and harissa sauce, roasted garlic hummus, and jumbo shrimp with smoked paprika and olive oil. Large plates are also available.
In France, Nice sits on the Mediterranean coast. Thierry Langer, from Nice, features a French delights menu section at Kaisy’s Delights. Items include ratatouille – a blend of roasted vegetables and herbs – and quiche. The restaurant originated in Rehoboth Beach but now resides in the landmark bank building in downtown Millsboro. Austrian dishes are also featured.
The newer Sirocco Food & Drink in Rehoboth focuses on the European side of the Med, especially Greece and Italy. Consider lamb smash burger sliders, charred octopus, caprese salad, and flaming saganaki, which is pan-fried kefalograviera cheese flambéed at the table.
Meanwhile, Turkish cuisine is well represented in Rehoboth Beach. Semra’s Mediterranean Grill, the reigning OG of Middle Eastern cuisine on the coast, features recipes from Semra Tekmen’s family. Her husband and co-owner, John, is proud of the gyro meat turned on a vertical spit. Some places buy pre-cut meat, he notes.
Nearby, Aroma Mediterranean Cuisine is owned by Murat Tan, who left Turkey for the United States in 1989. The extensive menu includes a flight of salads – the Aroma with arugula and feta, piyaz with cannellini beans and sumac, and Shepherd’s with tomato, cucumber, onion, and feta. There are also dip platters and hummus flights.
For quick-casual and takeout options, try Kabab Falafel Addiction on Route 1, located between Lewes and Rehoboth. Falafels come as a 10-piece appetizer, a salad topping, or a sandwich.
RB Kabob & Grill in downtown Rehoboth offers the expected kabobs, as well as fattoush (a salad of tomatoes, cucumber, and romaine with pomegranate dressing), Greek salad, stuffed grape leaves, and falafels.
For fusion, opt for the Greek quesadilla – a mix of feta, mozzarella, spinach, and Kalamata olives. The creative take is not unusual. Today, you’ll find hummus in breweries and gyros in delis and diners.
Joining Sussex County’s “Club Med” has never been easier.
