Kindle
In a decorative wall hanging on its restaurant wall, Kindle promotes an example of use of the verb, ‘kindle’: “a love of food was kindled in me.” That may be true for the owners, but “a love of cooking” is not always kindled by the proprietors running the kitchen, because Kindle has such uneven fare and service that a yearn not to return has been kindled in many who have patronized Kindle. The downtown Lewes restaurant has a cozy look-and-feel, attractive but limited menu, and is open only for dinner. That’s a good start, but other than a well-earned reputation for the star “Kindle Burger” featured at Kindle’s ubiquitous ‘Burger Night,” and attractive salads, Kindle does not stand out with the rest of its menu items. We so want to like Kindle, as its indoor-outdoor dining by candle light and restrained menu appeals to the ‘less-is-more’ approach to simplistic dining – cook well what you know, and do not try to be everything to everybody, because, especially in a resort town, you end-up being nothing special to everyone. The expanded menu model has a short boutique restaurant shelf life, however, contributing to the national average of 80% of all restaurants failing within two years – wow, what a tough business. Kindle has been around for years and is not without its supporters, many of whom boast of its vegetarian friendly menu and craft specialty drinks, and even carnivores are presented with a few steak options – sandwich or with frites – but that is not enough to carry a restaurant past its detractors, many of whom complain about meh food and service. Our experience, unfortunately, has not differed, though Kindle does kindle our fancy for wine, because it has an extensive by-the-glass list, one of the best in Lewes, and a curiously fancy group of house cocktails, which kindles at least a bar visit with appetizers. Maybe it’s time to install a new sign on the wall . . .
