Karen & Rei's
1882 Route 9
Clermont, Cape May County
(609) 967-4488
Restaurant Closed
Housed in a converted summer bungalow on Avalon's main drag, Karen & Rei's casts its own unique magical spell. The digs may be a bit on the funky side, but the food is sophisticated and decidedly diverse, a wondrous "melting pot" of culinary traditions. Karen Nelson holds forth in the kitchen and her husband, Rei Prabhakar, a CIA graduate, does just about everything else -- and that includes being a most gracious host and turning out a mouth-watering assortment of freshly baked breads.
The interior is a cracker box affair, accommodating a scant thirty diners. Cramped the quarters may be, but the crisp white napery, cushy rattan chairs, and provocative array of contemporary photographs add a festive yet homey note to your meal. As you have undoubtedly surmised, due to the spatial limitations, the noise level can be formidable. So if you are dining a deux, go for the little alcove that domiciles but three deuces, it is a (comparatively) calm port in what is often a blusterous and bustling sea of humanity.
Starters run the gastronomic gamut... Whatever your inclinations may be on a given evening, you are certain to find a variety of delicious items to placate your palate. The mahogany clam chowder ($7.25), for example, is a sumptuous spin on the New England classic. Tender Maine littleneck clams are steamed with smoked bacon, toasted garlic, mushrooms & potatoes, and finished with fresh spinach and cream. Of course, if you'd prefer a more exotic twist, the samosas ($5.95) -- delicate Indian pastries stuffed with lightly curried potatoes and scallions -- are embellished with a spicy wasabi cream and tamarind chutney.
The paper-thin slices of salmon gravlax ($7.50) -- cured with Sapphire gin, served over baby greens and spiked with a Sapphire sour cream -- were a bit over-cured for my taste. Infinitely more edifying were the pan-steamed New Zealand cockles in a delightful chardonnay butter broth ($9.95). Ditto the sesame-seared ahi tuna reclining on a pineapple/mango slaw and drizzled with a ginger infused balsamic vinegar glaze ($10.75).
But the appetizer that would prompt an immediate return visit on my part is most assuredly the special black trumpet risotto ($10.75). Seldom have I sampled so flavorful a representative of this particular genre. Delicately sautéed black trumpet mushrooms are set over a lusciously creamy wild mushroom, basil & fontina risotto, then drizzled with a hazelnut/Champagne vinaigrette. Truly transporting.
The first thing you will notice about the entrées -- even before they put in an appearance -- is that, ingredient-wise, there seems to be a lot going on. The herb-crusted halibut, for instance: "Over roasted garlic mashed Yukon gold potatoes, served with a toasted garlic, red onion, shiitake & portabella mushrooms and sun-dried tomato beurre blanc, drizzled with a balsamic vinegar reduction" ($24.95). In other words, when this fish swims to table, it has plenty of company. In point of fact, most presentations here will strike you as quite "busy." To some diners, of course, this may be a bit disconcerting. What counts, however, is how various and sundry components coalesce. And at Karen & Rei's, for the most part, they do so admirably. You don't have a group of riled up strangers tugging at your palate for its undivided attention, but rather, a series of complementary and, in some cases, contrasting elements that are ultimately joined together in a marvelously flavorful syncretic harmony.
And the fish itself doesn't get lost in the sauce. Karen has a penchant for halibut, and it is always prepared to the peak of perfection. During a previous visit, this lovely denizen of the deep was poached with toasted garlic, saffron, sweet peppers, wild mushrooms, basil & tomatoes, spruced up with just a touch of cream, garnished with a generous portion of baby shrimp, and laid upon a seabed of fresh spinach and angel hair pasta ($24.75). A delightful blending of tastes and textures.
For those with a compelling craving for crustaceans, shrimp dishes always make excellent choices. On one occasion, we sampled the seared shrimp dressed up with ginger, jalapeños & fresh orange zest, deglazed with Grand Marnier & honey, and bivouacked over angel hair pasta with basil. Just the right amount of heat and most edifying. More recently, the grilled shrimp de Provence took center stage. In this case, the crustaceans reclined on a velvety cushion of saffron risotto folded with fresh spinach, wild mushrooms and fontina cheese; a delicate drizzle of basil and walnut pesto cream provided a stellar consummating touch (both $19.75).
Several other entrées are also standouts. The classic filet au poivre is embellished with a lightly peppered creamy brandy demi-glace and accompanied by Yukon gold whipped potatoes ($19.50). Equally up to the mark is the five-spice and yogurt marinated pan-seared ostrich decked out in an utterly beguiling ruby port glaze ($19.95). And those with a preference for pasta are certain to be seduced by the Fettucine Di Amore, fettuccine rolled in toasted garlic, red onions, cracked black pepper, fresh spinach, feta cheese & tomatoes, and topped with freshly grated Locatelli ($14.75).
At the conclusion of your meal, you find yourself going mano a mano with an "Encyclopedia of Desserts." And if you considered the entrées to be generous, you will find the desserts positively gargantuan. Unless you have the consumptive capacity of a ravening hyena, you'll be digging into this doggy bag for days. There are a plethora of possibilities here, all worthy of consideration, including a dense and delectable hazelnut crusted cheesecake ($5.75).
On the other hand... if you believe that peanut butter and chocolate is a marriage made in heaven, you have just been transported to your own private nirvana. So have a go at either the chocolate peanut butter buzz ($6.25) -- luscious layers of milk & dark chocolate and creamy peanut butter -- or the outrageously decadent chocolate peanut butter pie ($5.25)... and give serious consideration to postponing your next cholesterol test.
If you've been experiencing an overwhelming urge to get back to culinary basics and are currently seeking solace in an unembellished grilled filet or broiled bit of finny fare, you've come to the wrong address. Hardly anything is simple at Karen & Rei's... but nearly everything is simply delicious. If we lived closer, and I were not otherwise engaged as a hired belly, my wife and I would be chowing down here at least once a week. Even when the kitchen is slightly off the mark, which is rare, there is always some new and exciting vista to spark the imagination and the palate.
If there is one drawback to this fine establishment, it is the same curse that haunts every diminutive eatery... When a large and lusty party invades (usually with an entire case of beer in tow), innocent diners tend to suffer the consequences of the riotous and rambunctious goings-on. Fortunately, when Karen and Rei close for their annual hiatus after Columbus Day, they will be moving to a new location on Route 9 in nearby Dennis Township and will have a facility to separate larger parties from the general dining population.
We wish these kind folks the very best in their new home... Hope they don't forget to save us a table!
Cuisine: Global
Hours: Memorial Day through Labor Day: Weds - Mon, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; CLOSED TUESDAY; Labor Day through Columbus Day, December to Memorial Day: Weds - Sun, 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.; CLOSED MONDAY & TUESDAY
Credit Cards: No credit cards or person checks; CASH ONLY
Attire: Casual
Smoking: Smoking is not permitted in the restaurant.
Reservations: Essential, especially during the summer months
Parking: Free parking in the lot behind the restaurant; street parking
Alcohol: BYOB
Price: Moderate/Expensive
Handicapped Accessible: Wheelchair access difficult
Website: www.karenandrei.com
