Mark’s Score 9.0
Blacksmith is one of three restaurants owned and operated by the renowned Chef, Justine Zegna. Zegna also owns Planet X in Rehoboth, and Venus of the Half Shell (no longer open) in Dewey Beach. Blacksmith is a farm-to-table restaurant, their close relationships with local farmers and bakers provides fresh high-quality ingredients for every meal. I would describe the cuisine style as modern American fusion. The restaurant is reportedly housed in an old smithy or at least is located where once there was a blacksmith. I have my doubts that the current building ever housed a blacksmith, but no matter. What matters is that the building now houses one of the best restaurants in the area, and one of my personal favorites.
Whenever friends or family come for a beach stay this restaurant has become my preferred meeting place. Being located between my home and the beaches, it is a convenient place to meet. But it is more than mere convenience that attracts me to this restaurant. In pleasant weather they have a lovely front porch for outdoor dining. When the weather gets too hot or too cold, the cool sophisticated industrial chic design of the dining room appeals to my sense of aesthetics. The pressed metal bar, industrial lighting fixtures and the exposed pipes create a design style fitting a restaurant named Blacksmith. I love the lighting in this restaurant, particularly the warm bar lighting. Too often modern restaurants use harsh bright blue lighting. When you get over 60, you don’t want to be sitting in a brightly lit room, and no food looks appetizing under blue light.
But the real and definitive feature of this restaurant is the menu. I like restaurants that actually put some thought into their menu. I want interesting meal selections and food combinations. I want to find menu items that I would not think of creating myself, or even better, I wouldn’t dare make on my own. Why go to a restaurant when I can find a dozen other restaurants serving the same items? Why go to a restaurant when I can easily cook the dish myself?
I am not going to recount all the interesting menu items on Blacksmith’s menu, you can do that yourself by visiting their website. What I like about this restaurant is the eclectic mix of cuisines with a modern twist. I few of my personal favorites are the short rib empanada, the crispy lump crab deviled eggs, the crispy eggplant sandwich, the eastern shore bahn mi, the French lentil salad, the pork belly bao buns, and the mac and cheese. In just this short listing I cover a half dozen cuisines, but what brings them together is the interesting modern interpretation and the delightfully surprising mixes of style, texture, and flavors. This restaurant turns every meal into a form of art. I can think of no greater compliment for a restaurant.
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