Moro closes; owner says he's 'out of cooking'
One of the most frequently asked questions I’ve received from readers, via email and voicemails, in recent weeks is: What is going on with Moro restaurant?
Judging by reader comments, the critically acclaimed Wilmington eatery at 1307 N. Scott St. has apparently had some rocky moments the past few months and longtime fans weren’t sure if the 14-year-old restaurant was still in operation.
I’m sorry to say it is not.
I contacted chef/owner Michael DiBianca on Wednesday about the status of Moro. He had told us in June the two-story restaurant that emphasized Mediterranean flavors was still open and operating, despite some earlier service issues.
That status, however, has since changed. This week, DiBianca told The News Journal he has closed the restaurant and sold the business. He did not disclose the new owners.
“I’m completely out of cooking,” DiBianca wrote in a message.
DiBianca, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, has been a part of the Wilmington dining scene for more than 15 years. The New Jersey native came to the former Restaurant 821 in Wilmington to work as then-owner Tobias Lawry’s sous chef and then chef de cuisine. Earlier, he had worked with Lawry at Ajax Tavern in Aspen, Colorado. Lawry sold the snazzy 821 in 2004 and now works in real estate in California.
DiBianca opened Moro in 2002 and quickly made his mark as one of the region’s most talented chefs. He has been a semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Best Mid-Atlantic regional chef award.
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Moro was highly rated by several publications, including the Zagat Restaurant Guide and The Philadelphia Inquirer. In a review, Inquirer restaurant critic Craig LaBan wrote Moro was a “gem” and “one of the best restaurants to open in our region.” Former News Journal restaurant critic Eric Ruth wrote Moro had “a menu that’s one of the brightest in the state.”
In 2013, DiBianca opened his second eatery, Satsuma Asian Kitchen & Bar in Trolley Square. The 1707 Delaware Ave. had been the 51-year-old home of the former Del Rose Cafe & Restaurant. It didn’t last long. The Big Fish Restaurant Group took over the location, and, this past March, they revamped it as Trolley Square Oyster House.
When asked what was next for him, DiBianca did not divulge his future plans.
“I’m taking a break,” he wrote.
Another restaurant closing
To add to your sad Aug. 4 list of restaurants closing, my husband and I discovered that the Friendly’s on Kirkwood Highway also is closed. We were headed there the same day that we tried to get lunch at Bugaboo Creek [near Christiana Hospital], which you also reported had closed.
Keep up the good work!
Barbara Mikolajczyk
New Castle
You’re right, Barbara. The Friendly’s at 2670 Kirkwood Highway near Newark has closed. The phone number has been disconnected and a “for lease" sign is posted out front of the building.
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More Chinese food love
Where to find good Chinese food is always a popular column topic and we explored it again on June 23. One reader recently called to say she really enjoyed the [relatively] new Tree Garden restaurant at 1317 McKennans Church Road near Milltown. Visit www.treegardenwilmington.com or call (302) 999-8878.
Reader Randy Barton says he’s always on the hunt for Chinese dishes in Delaware. Barton says he recently ran into former Culinaria chef/owners Ezio Reynaud and Pam Grabowski, who also enjoy Chinese food. He asked Ezio if had any favorite restaurants and Barton says this was his answer:
He told me about Sang Kee in Philadelphia’s Chinatown, so we all went up there two weeks ago and liked it a lot. Their specialty is Peking duck. Spicy Szechuan-style is not their thing, but it’s a very extensive menu, and there were six of us and we could order quite a few things. Again, not convenient, but certainly enjoyable.
Thanks for sharing, Randy. Sang Kee Peking Duck House offers dining on three floors at 238 N. Ninth St. in Philadelphia. Call (215) 925-7532 or visit www.sangkeechinatown.com
Roll is the backbone of a burger
Can you recommend a Delaware bakery that makes brioche rolls for burgers and sandwiches ? I am tired of grocery store rolls falling apart on a good grilled burger.
Thanks,
Kevin O’Rourke
Hockessin
Kevin, I’m going to toss this question out to our readers. Where do you go to find brioche rolls?
Contact Patricia Talorico at (302) 324-2861 orptalorico@delawareonline.com and on Twitter@pattytalorico