Rehoboth's Cameron to open grandpa(MAC)

Chef Hari Cameron, known for his originality and love for new flavors, says that for his new venture, he's going to go back to basics.

In April, Cameron plans to open grandpa(MAC) in Rehoboth Beach, which will focus on noodles, pastas, salads and that old staple, macaroni and cheese. Cameron will be working with his brother, Orion, and the restaurant was named after their great-grandfather Cameron MacCurdy or, Grandpa Mac as they knew him.

“We really wanted to try to grow smart. We were looking at ways to grow but not take away from some of the great things we do here,” Cameron said, referring to a(MUSE), which is nearing its fourth anniversary. “We cook very modern food here. We wanted to cook a food that appealed to a larger demographic. Fast-casual restaurants are what America is looking for.”

It was Orion who brought up the idea of mac and cheese, having seen a successful mac-and-cheese restaurant in San Francisco. Cameron decided to take the concept one step further to make it more universal, with made-from-scratch pasta and a large variety of sauce options, along with soups, breads and salads.

“At the start we’ll have three regular, plain pastas, and then we’ll introduce a featured pasta every month. And we’ll have a gluten-free pasta,” Cameron said. “We really want to make as many people happy as possible with it."

For those who don't want carbs, grandpa(MAC) will also have salads using lettuce grown by local farmers, and Cameron said customers can build their own salads and pick the dressing. Soup options will include a chicken noodle soup and a vegan tomato soup, he said. Cameron said is also planning to make Mexican-style soda in-house.

While grandpa(MAC) will be small – 500 square feet – it will have enough room to seat 10 to 15 people at tables and 10 people at a small bar where they can wait for orders

“This space is a blank canvas right now,” Cameron said. “I like the idea of walking into a restaurant which isn’t going to break the bank and is something you can get pretty quickly.”

Cameron said he plans to have a website up for online purchases, and his ultimate goal is to have several grandpa(MAC) locations throughout the area.

“This concept can be easily replicated,” he said.

Cameron said he views grandpa(MAC) as a place for locals, particularly local professionals, to come and get a healthy lunch. In the summer, he said, grandpa(MAC) can serve tourists at their beach houses. Cameron said he is looking to add catering and wholesaling to other restaurants once the store is up and running. He expects to open in April.

Cameron said grandpa(MAC), located at 33 Baltimore Ave., will be open at 11 a.m. each day, seven days a week and will stay open until 11 p.m. or later.