Lewes Restaurant Review- Agave

I'd been interested in eating at Agave, on Second Street in downtown Lewes for two reasons: First, I'd heard they had excellent food; Second, I was told I'd better get there early because it was always crowded and the place was small. Very small. To be honest, I was almost more concerned about the place being too small than about how good the food was, after all I'm no shrinking violet in any sense of the word- size included- and I hate being cramped when I'm eating. Notice that I said I was almost more concerned about the size of Agave's dining area versus the food itself; as is most often the case with me, my love of food over came my need for space. So off to Agave I went.

It was Friday night, about 7:30 when we got there (my wife and I decided it would be a great place to celebrate our anniversary). True to what I'd been told, the place was full, every table and every seat at the bar. There was a wait too but nothing a few drinks couldn't handle. One of the nice things about being in down town Lewes is that you're almost sure to see a friendly face, this time there were two, George and Karen Tutlane, local "celebrities" about town who, incidently, were also waiting for a table at Agave. A few drinks and a partial conversation later, we were on our way to our table.

Let me address the size thing right here: Agave is small, but in a cozy, inviting and relaxed way. In fact, its proportions are perfectly suited to creating an atmosphere that is energetic, friendly and intimate all at one time and perfect for enjoying your food and your dining company. It's a place that seems purpose built for having good conversation, great food and excellent drinks and as such, should be looked at as a reason to eat at Agave because I certainly found it part of the experience.

So, now with one issue out of the way, it was time to get down to business, the food. Since food is after all, the ruler by which all restaurants are ultimately measured, we wasted no time in opening our menus and sizing up our night's selections. Let me be more specific, we went to our menus immediately after we ordered our drinks; my wife stuck with beer, I went for the Red Sangria and oh, man! what a sangria it is. A combination of Corazon tequila, red wine, Grand Marnier, lime syrup, cinnamon and fresh mulled fruit, Agave's Sangria is unlike any I've had anywhere else. To put this in perspective versus any other I sangria I've tasted, consider this: most sangria is simply red wine, some spices and fruit. Agave's however is more like a potion, a magic elixir even that combines all the best atributes and healing properties of some of my favorite libations that when combined in this special way, can help restore world order, erase the national debt and maybe even regrow hair for the folically challenged and this is all with just the first glass. As good as it was, I would make two improvements to it: I'd serve it slightly more chilled and I'd have it hooked to me intravenously as soon as I sit down. Now, back to the menu.

I'm not going to go crazy telling you what they have, instead I'll only tell you what we had: traditional tomato and onion guacamole, empanadas, Chilies en Nogada, Bleu Cheese and Steak Quesadilla and grilled corn on the cob. If you don't want to read this anymore, that's fine by me, all you really need to know anyway, is that everything was excellent, especially the empanadas and corn. If you want to know why they were so good, keep reading.

Singling out these two dishes is in no way a negative reflection on anything else we had because everything else was equally superb. My b/c and steak quesadilla for example, was ridiculously good, full of tender, juicy filet mignon and carmelized onion (two of my favorites in any dish), every bite was better than the one before. This excludes the last one of course which actually sucked because it left me with no more of it to eat. Still, special attention needs to be called to the empanadas and corn. What made the empanadas such a standout for us was their shell. As delicate as puff pastry but as firm as a good pie crust, each piece we ate was a joy to chew. As for the corn, all I can say is, "DAMN, it was awesome." Grilled, then partly husked, slathered in a chipotle mayo and queso fresco, it was tender-sweet, savory and absolutely one of a kind delicious. It was so good, I'm even thinking about ordering it as my app, main course and dessert next time I go.

Okay, so enough jawing from me right now. What started to be a quick once over about Agave is now on its way to becoming a novella which is strange since all I really wanted to tell you was how good it was and that you should try it sometime. Maybe I'll see you there. You'll know me by the sangria drip in my arm.

-JB

Just so you know, you can find Aagave at 137 Second Street in Lewes, Delaware. Their phone is 302.645.1232