One World, Many Tastes
By Debra Cornwell
Come for the hummus and stay for the belly dancing—depending on your perspective, those priorities might be reversed. Nonetheless, the eclectic menu at Mediterranean Cafe is as enticing as it is intriguing. If you just walk by the restaurant, the mouth-watering fragrance from the kitchen will draw you in. Note: best hummus ever.
"The first misconception we need to clear up," states Owner/ Chef Alfredo Amaya, "is that we are an all-curry restaurant. We have none—no curries here whatsoever!" My guess is that people see "kabob" and they also think "curry." Although I love curry, many who don't also don't like "weird" ingredients. Alfredo assures me that while the names of the dishes and the preparations may be regional to the Mediterranean, none are so exotic as to be unpalatable to the local diner.
As the restaurant's name implies, the food is influenced by the countries that border the Mediterranean Sea. Diners will find menu selections with French, Moroccan, Lebanese, Persian, Spanish, and Italian influences. Alfredo, a proud father of three children, ages 13, 10, and 9, is originally from San Pedro Sula, Cortes, Honduras, but grew up with Israeli and Middle Eastern influences in food and culture. "After we moved to Maryland, we joined our friends for Sunday dinners," he remembers. "It was a multi-cultural melting pot of cuisine. I also lived with a family from Iran and worked in their restaurant near Silver Spring, Maryland, for twelve years. I cooked, waited tables—did it all. It was quite an education."
Alfredo came to Charles Town to work at the now-closed Avanti Restaurant. He later opened a little grocery store with international foods. He recalls, "I've always wanted to open a restaurant. One day, another business owner in Charles Town came into the grocery store and asked for hummus. I said I didn't carry it but could make some quickly. Everyone loved it and the restaurant came shortly thereafter." With his investors, Alfredo has created a white tablecloth-yet-casual atmosphere with a menu that can actually satisfy a variety of cravings (a great option when no one can agree on where to go).
"I cook to my own taste—what I make at home and how I like to eat," he says. "I've added a few dishes upon customer request, and I encourage diners to ask questions about the menu. Everything, even the sauces, is freshly prepared and madeto- order. This is what I love doing, and there is no place like Mediterranean Cafe in the area."
The Shrimp Scampi is fabulous because it has just a kick of heat. I prefer it ladled over pasta. The Chicken Alfredo is the classic— creamy sauce with grilled chicken, served over fettuccine. Pollo al Ajillo is a cafe favorite of sautéed chicken breast with a lemon, garlic, and white wine sauce. Served over rice or angel hair pasta, it is delicate perfection.
Also a Cafe favorite "C" sampler platter, with Greek olives, flatbread, feta cheese drizzled with balsamic vinegar, hummus, and Shirazi salad. Think of the Shirazi salad as a chopped, Mediterranean salsa. The hummus is the richest, creamiest hummus I've ever tasted, and makes store-bought taste like sandpaper.
One of my dining companions selected a Greek salad topped with a chicken kabob. He didn't mean to make a healthy choice, but it is. The grilled marinated chicken was tender and juicy, and the Greek salad was as it should be—full of flavor, with romaine lettuce, tomatoes, red onion, cucumber, peppers, olives, and feta cheese, tossed in Alfredo's Greek vinaigrette.
On a different day, with a different dining companion, I went to Mediterranean Cafe for lunch and selected the Mariscada Seafood soup. Imagine a seafood broth with a touch of cream, so it's not heavy and comes with shrimp and scallops—much lighter than a chowder, so less guilt, and it's delicious.
Mediterranean Cafe provides catering, as well. Customers can pre-order platters for pick-up or delivery. Alfredo also provides full-service, off-site catering. Just last month, he catered two weddings, several off-site business meetings, and an event in a private home. Event catering is not limited to menu items—only the client's imagination. I've actually booked Mediterranean Cafe to cater my birthday dinner. On the menu: a hummus, Greek olive, feta, and Shirazi salad platter, with flatbread, Shrimp Seviche with corn chips, and grilled shrimp kabobs with Basmati rice. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm anticipating deliciousness.
Alfredo asserts, "If you give us a try, I guarantee you will come back." There's live music on Thursdays and Saturdays, and even belly dancing on some Fridays. Diners can bring their own wine. For more information visit www.allworldmenu.com.
