Business & Tech

Carmel Café is Here, But How's the Food?

Carmel Café, which serves Mediterranean cuisine and wines, has opened in Wayne.

Carmel Café, which serves Mediterranean cuisine and wines, has opened in Wayne. It's the first location outside of Florida for the chain, which came to the area because of some local partners in the business.

On Tuesday night a number of media representatives and VIPs were invited to the restaurant to sample some of the food and wine that is being served.

Read about the restaurant here.

We were served:

Mezze Platter • edamame hummus, muhammarra, goat cheese-stuffed peppers, crispy fried feta, marinated artichoke hearts, sundriedtomato, grilled pita

Chickpea Fries • tomato jam, curry aioli

Grilled Lemon Chicken & Artichoke Flatbread • fontina, arugula, Lemon parmesan aioli 

Red & Yellow Roasted Beets Salad • goat cheese, arugula, toasted pistachios, vinaigrette

Basque Crab Cake • roasted almonds, avocado salad

Spinach Gnocchi • Parmesan cream sauce

Tunisian Chicken • glazed with a blend of 14-spices, haricot verts

Braised Short Ribs • creamy polenta, olive tapenade

Chocolate Lava Cake

Pound Cake with Strawberries 

I am not a food critic, but I will say that the person I sat with and I had similar opinions on the food.

The appetizers were strong, the desserts delicious, but the entrees left a lot to be desired. Our short ribs were dry; the "gnocchi" is not what most people think of when they think of gnocchi; and the Tunisian chicken was not "Tunisian chicken," said my dining partner, who unlike myself has been to Tunisia.

One of the restaurant's parters Terry Ryan said they really want Carmel Café to be a "neighborhood restaurant." Will you be trying Carmel Café? Tell us by commenting below.


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