Sirocco
The noun, sirocco describes a hot, dusty wind blowing from North Africa’s Sahara region across the Mediterranean to Southern Europe. The proper noun, Sirocco is a Rehoboth Beach restaurant which, unlike a sicocco, is a breath of fresh air, showcasing Mediterranean cuisine, including Spanish, Greek, Italian, and French dishes, all in a hotel lobby environment with friendly but sometimes uneven service. Because Sirocco is a hotel restaurant, it serves breakfast and lunch, but is making its reputation on dinner, featuring classic Greek and American salads and soups, coastal and Mediterranean-inspired small plates, and mix of main dishes spanning the coastal and European globe. The kitchen is intuitive and curious, and has matured since the restaurant’s mid-2023 opening, remaining responsive and observant to customer demands, remembering what moves local Delmarva patrons willing to pay significantly for a meal – good food and professional service. For a restaurant so keen on providing a vast Mediterranean dining experience, only a few staple dishes present from the various regions, but each are prepared with care and fresh ingredients, including a great presentation. Scallops and crab cakes are coastal favorites and well received, as is steak au poivre and frutti de mare over fettuccine. Sirocco trends expensive, especially considering its expansive wine list and cocktail selection, and service can sometimes be slow and spotty, the same for most high-end Delmarva restaurants where seasonal staff is required to meet seasonal demand. With outdoor seating new for 2024 and a growing reputation, Sirocco no doubt will reach critical reservation mass during the busy summer season, all the more to test a new kitchen and, no doubt, to equally test the placidity of sometimes impatient vacationing diners. Still, Sirocco is a welcome addition to the Rehoboth Beach food scene, even if it is camped in a Hilton family hotel lobby.