Delia’s is Delightful!
Delia’s Mediterranean Grill & Brick Oven Pizza was born in 2009, the ‘child’ of Delia’s in Springfield and Sterling. Read about their delicious offerings!
Alexandria, VA – 209 Swamp Fox Rd. in Hoffman Center isn’t very far for anyone nowadays. And, even if it is, it’s well worth the trip. Delia’s Mediterranean Grill & Brick Oven Pizza was born in 2009, the ‘child’ of Delia’s in Springfield and Sterling. George Theodorou and his sister took his parents, Ted and Soula Theodorou, restaurant concept and moved into Alexandria. He updated the family style diner concept into a more upscale casual restaurant to fit this location. And it has been growing up through the ups and downs of the Hoffman/Eisenhower area.
George’s vision has been rewarded with a lovely oasis in a row of restaurants. The menu echoes the original Delia’s in Springfield with a variety of Italian dishes that are surrounded by a coterie of Mediterranean flavors.
Despite the changes as a result of the pandemic and restricted dining rules, George plied me with an a wonderful array of dishes to enjoy. The current menu is a streamlined version of their regular menu but it still features many of the all-stars. One could make a meal out of the small plates and starters. You must order the Herbed Grilled Wings, served in a chipotle honey sauce with both a Greek Vinaigrette and a sweet parsley cucumber ranch dipping sauce. These wings will set your world, and your mouth, on fire. These are lovingly cooked wings, fat with cooking sauces, and not a dry bone among them. I love them. They could make any top 10 list anywhere! Lick your fingers. There are several other don’t miss offerings like the Calamari Fritti, made with tender American squid served with lemon wedges, a lemon aioli, and marinara sauce. Or the Pizza Knuckles. These are brick oven pizza rolls with cheese and pepperoni. You may get into a fight over the last one. Something I haven’t seen in years is the Saganki. Greek Kefalograviera cheese that is lightly sautéed and then given a squeeze of lemon, and flamed with brandy tableside. It’s as good as I remember it being.
If you haven’t had enough starters, move on to the spreads. The Mediterranean trio gives you a taste of any of three spreads they offer. My favorite is roasted eggplant made with preserved lemon, roasted red pepper, garlic sumac, and herbs then drizzled with EVOO. I love this stuff. Ask for some sliced cucumbers for dipping. Another good choice is spicy hummus made with the usual chickpeas, tahini, citrus, garlic, and EVOO then kicked up to the next level with harissa.
Main courses are divided into several categories. The lineup of pastas ranges from Bolognese to wild mushroom agnolotti to lasagna. Unless you’re committed to red sauce, order the Seafood Asparagi with penne, shrimp, scallops, jumbo lump crabmeat, and asparagus in a killer rose sauce. I will allow you one taste. I will not share any more than one bite. The seafood is cooked perfectly, and the rose sauce, oh the rose sauce. You will be happy to be eating in the privacy of your own home because you will want to lick the plate. The rest of the pasta reflect years of recipe perfection passed on from Mom and Dad.
Choose from an entrée or a brick oven pizza. The crust is crisp and chewy and holds up to a variety of topping choices. Try the Classico. It is everything you could want in a pizza with a fantastic tomato sauce, pepperoni, crumbled Italian sausage, marinated portobello mushrooms, dollops of fresh mozzarella, and topped with grated Parmesan, oregano, and red pepper flakes. A glass of red wine or a cold beer is all you need to make it the perfect bite. The Medi is a vegetarian delight with red onion, green pepper, sliced tomatoes, kalamata olives, feta cheese, parsley, and a Greek vinaigrette drizzle. Perfection. BTW, they should bottle the vinaigrette.
If you still can’t decide on a main course, look at the entrees. There is so much to pick from. I tried the Chicken Souvlaki entrée. The plate is filled with two large skewers of marinated chicken that retains its juiciness and is accompanied by lemon, lettuce, tomato, and onion salad with that fabulous Greek vinaigrette, Greek potatoes, and two slices of toasted seasoned pita bread. A piece of chicken topped with a smattering of salad, and some pita is a perfect bite. Fish? Try the Salmon Tricolre made with a piece of grilled herb crusted salmon served with tricolore orzo, sautéed spinach, and ricotta with a lemon caper sauce. All of the servings are more than generous, perfect for sharing but you won’t want to.
Delia’s provides meals to go via carryout and delivery, and patio dining. With a full range of cocktails from his bar and well -curated selection of beers and wine. Check out their website for the full menu available right now. There are kids’ meals, and dinners for four and two available. I can promise you an enjoyable lunch or dinner.
Delia’s is closed on Mondays but open Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday from noon to 8 pm and Friday and Saturday from noon to 8:30 pm. The website is: https://www.deliasbrickovenpizza.com/
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