Reader mail: UPDATE

Happy (early) Turkey Day.

My R&R is continuing - though I'm about to make pies, cranberry-apple chutney and do some other Thanksgiving-y cooking tasks - so I'm giving you Reader Mail two days earlier.

I'm just bought a case of white Meritage made by Murietta's Well Winery in California. It's a Bordeaux- style blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. I first tried the crispy, yet creamy wine that has a hint of spice at Harry's Seafood Grill and it went perfectly with a pumpkin gnocchi. (Thanks for the recommendation Anne Hood!) I got the good folks at Kreston Wine & Spirits to order it for me. I can't wait to serve it tomorrow and see what the gang thinks.

I'm taking a few more days off so probably no new posts until Monday. But, this Friday, my Taste column in 55 Hours is about the new Orillas Tapas Bar & Restaurant. I'll add a link as soon as the column goes online. UPDATE: HERE'S THE LINK.

Send your reader mail questions to me at ptalorico@delawareonline.com. You ask. We answer. Every Friday. (Or earlier due to a holiday.)

Here's the mailbag:

QUESTION: Hello Patricia,

After seeing you mention the new tapas restaurant on Market Street, we decided to
give it a try.

The food was OK Not great. One standout was the Arepas a la Orillas -- corn meal
lollipops with chorizo and manchego. They served a really good lemony aoli with the
olives we ordered. We ordered a couple of cocas -- topped flat breads that our
server referred to as pizza. They would have been better if the toppings were
served in a bowl with flatbreads on the side.

Our server was less than hospitable and took sarcasm a bit too far. When asked for
recommendations without bell peppers by one of our party who is allergic, he made a
recommendation that was served with peppers. When we pointed this out to him, his
answer was that he didn't actually tell the chef no peppers or anything. As if that
were a strange thought.

Another observation -- the tables are WAY too small for tapas. We were crowded and
had to juggle plates and ditch the candle.

So...that's my take. May have been an off night for them. Our wine selections were
squashed twice because the previous night had been busy and they were wiped out.
The room itself is really beautiful and warm. I wish them well -- it usually takes
awhile to get the kinks out. I look forward to hearing your thoughts once you've
had a chance to visit.

T. Miller

ANSWER: Hi T. Thanks for your take on the restaurant. Orillas is the topic of my column on Friday. It's only been open, maybe, 2 weeks?, which is used to be much too earlier for a review to appear, but in this day and age of instant news, I decided to give readers the scoop early. Don't want to give away too much until the review goes online. I'll post a link when it does.

UPDATE: Washington, D.C., chef Jose Andres has been wowing crowds at his tapas temple Jaleo for at least 15 years and Philadelphia chef Jose Garces's three tapas-style eateries (Amada, Tinto, Distrito) are insanely popular in that city. Delaware actually has had a popular Spanish tapas restaurant before - anyone remember Annie's Tapas on Union Street inWilmington? Now, we have Cafe Azafran in Lewes, Ole Tapas Lounge near Newark and the new Orillas. There were a few missteps and wobbles, but I think it will only get better with experience. HERE'S THE LINK.

QUESTION: Please go to Riviera pizza in Fox Run Shopping Center off of Route 40.
The pizza there is damn delicious.

ANSWER: Since I'm doing a lot of cooking tonight, I'm tempted to go out and pick up a pizza. But instead, I think I'm going to pass along the suggestion to my favorite pizza man, Buddy Hurlock, our Regular Guy Grub writer.