Second only to my husband’s spanikopita, my friend Mary* loves the stuffed dates at the new Cava Restaurant downtown, as do I.

I’m really not sure what it is about these tiny treats. I’m not really a ‘date’ person at all, but the first time I threw them down the shoot at Cava I knew I was hooked. The owner is standing over my shoulder (lucky me) as I stare blankly at the menu and ask, “What’s great on this Lebanese-style tapas selection to try first?”

I recall reacting a bit unhappily as he said, “The dates!” but I took his advice, and my mood relaxed a bit when the plate arrived and I saw the amount of preparation that had gone into the small bites. A superior introduction followed from the waiter and I eagerly bit in. Similar to rice-and-meat stuffed grape leaves, dolmades in the Greek tradition, these tiny dates were filled with a hard Spanish manchego cheese and wrapped to taut perfection with a delicate and juicy thinly sliced ham.

I cannot tell you how elated I was to find them so sweet, moist, quite unbelievably the BEST dates I have ever had. I ever had. EVER. I brought two of my friends to dine on these, as well as my husband, and haven’t stopped talking about them yet. Please, try the dates! Cava is the first restaurant I mention because their dates are so incredibly, mouth-wateringly delicious.

*Mary Roddy Coulson is a friend who I had the pleasure of dining with at her home in Portsmouth one afternoon not too long ago - which quickly led into the evening (caterers and live music will do that sometimes…) She was a gracious host who was eager to provide me more recently with some newly recommended ‘great plates’ of Portsmouth I must try on my own soon. Thanks for sharing my love of Cava’s dates Mary!

Q&A with John Akar, proprietor of Cava Restaurant

Q: What is YOUR favorite food on the menu?
A: The Foie Gras Bocadillo.

Q: The number of wait staff, cooks, & bartenders?
A: Total staff is about 22

Q: What is something you'd like to feature on the menu that is exotic, but would probably never sell
A:  An Arabic delicacy, which is raw lamb

Q: How many can Cava seat? A: Inside: 42. Outside: 28. Total: 70.

Q: Do you offers catering/special parties?
A: Yes!

Q: Has anyone from the new movie “Crooked Lane” with Ann Cusack being shot outside your restaurant visited?
A: The director stops in all the time and usually gets the swordfish and gazpacho shooters

Q: If you had to dine at any other restaurant downtown - where would it be and why? What item(s) is/are your favorite?
A: The Black Trumpet, I love Evan's food and I'm not sure what I would get because I haven't been able to go for a while

Q: Did you do good business during Market Square?
A: Yes - we were very busy for Market Square Day

Q: You would recommend WHICH wine in-house w/your now famous dates?
A: The Pinot Blanc from France Turkheim

Visit Cava
www.cavatapasandwinebar.com
10 Commercial Alley, Portsmouth NH, (603) 319-1575
Recommendation: Roasted medjool dates ~ $8 (They really ARE yummy! Who knew?) 

Reservations strongly recommended.

Eryn EpiCurious has been a Portsmouth resident for 13 years, and eating here long before that. Her love of new foods, passion for good restaurant etiquette, obsession with desserts, and experience in the restaurant business drove her straight to Portsmouthnh.com to search for new places to dine. She would like to have Rachel Ray return to the Seacoast to try ‘another‘ restaurant, Dave Barry or the Dog Whisperer share a lunch with her, and Erma Bombeck instruct her from her grave how to keep ‘funny’ alive when dining out with grouchy guests.

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