Thursday, August 21, 2008
Planet X is out of this world
Larry Bly
Larry Bly runs an ad agency and does freelance writing in the Roanoke area.
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Planet X Cafe is a strange name for a restaurant -- and it sure is a little bit out there. Located in an old house (as are many of Rehoboth Beach's finer restaurants), it's brimming with a Buddha here and a Buddha there ... and lots of Indian art and statuary. The bathrooms smell of burning incense. There's casual fun about the place, with an outdoor bar for those who wish to take their spirits on the front porch where you can dine as well. As with most Rehoboth eateries, half the fun is watching the passing throngs.
Through the years, Rehoboth has gotten to be a real food town. Its restaurants would rate favorably most places -- some a bit odd and unusual -- but many boast chefs on the cutting edge.
It just could be that this place, Planet X, tries a bit too hard, but you gotta give them an "A" for effort. Drink service was fast and the service was excellent and friendly. Come to think of it, so were the other guests. We found ourselves chatting it up with several tables around us.
On one recent summer night we began with a starter of crispy shrimp and goat cheese wontons with a plum dipping sauce. Interesting. It's an acquired taste. Another fellow diner had the stacked eggplant with herb cheese, puttanesca sauce and shaved Parmesan. Nice presentation. Both starters were in the $10 range. One may choose other interesting items for appetizers, such as salmon quesadilla with chili crème fraiche and salsa fresco or pulled pork with corn cake, spicy chili slaw and corn salsa. You must try their spicy peanut sauce. Planet X seems to really enjoy pairing up a multitude of sauces -- many of which are completely foreign to me -- in its appetizers and entrees galore.
This particular evening I found myself opting for the traditional jumbo lump crab cakes rather than the beef dish (beef tips, organic baby greens, grilled veggies and herb vinaigrette) or the cumin-rubbed grilled ahi tuna steak with corn cake, grilled summer peppers, tamarind glaze and salsa fresca. Entrees averaged around $25-30 and were all beautifully presented.
Other entrees tried included the Vietnamese-style, caramel-braised free-range chicken with Jasmine rice and a crispy summer vegetable-ponzu salad. It was the second time around for this entree with my friend, so he obviously likes it. Another among us enjoyed the organic filet of beef with shallot demi-glce, stacked potatoes Anna and grilled veggies.
I was not able to convince a friend to try the duck, which is always a good measure of a kitchen's efforts, because he had just had a near-raw duck experience in Roanoke the week before. As it happened, a nearby diner had chosen the duck breast with fresh morel and pea risotto, roasted summer vegetables and truffle oil.
Planet X Cafe is a vegetarian's delight, featuring all of those wonderful herby sauces, great salads and creative dishes. The grilled tofu sate with peanut sauce and crispy Vietnamese salad would have easily satisfied my taste. And a moderately priced salad of locally picked organic greens, grilled asparagus, Gorgonzola, toasted walnuts and raspberry vinaigrette with local strawberries is a winner as well.
Sadly not one of us made it to dessert. I can only imagine. Everything's fresh, fresh, fresh. The kitchen works at keeping the menu interesting for the regulars. I'd probably be a regular if I lived there ... though I'm sure there would be those evenings when my hankerin' for traditional fare would win out.
PLANET X CAFE
35 Wilmington Ave.
Rehoboth Beach, Del.
302-226-1928
