Restaurants

DIFFERENT
**Rhythm Cafe – 3800 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach -833-4406.  Converted drugstore with lots of kitsch and an eclectic menu.   Fabulous food including exceptional fish prepared your choice of six ways, homemade desserts and wine only. SEE REVIEW BELOW.

**Melting Pot – 3044 S. Military Trail, Lake Worth -967-1009.  Modern style fondue restaurant where you cook steak, chicken, seafood or veggies in vegetable broth on skewers.  And of course there’s traditional cheese and chocolate (dark is the best) fondues too.  Large portions encourage sharing.

**Café Sapori – 205 Southern Blvd., WPB – 805-7313.  Italian Japanese/Sushi?  A crazy idea that works!  Good fish knows no nationality.  Chef and owner are both from Bice, Palm Beach so you know the pasta is perfect!  Two favorite fresh pasta offerings are a rich lobster ravioli in a bisque-like sauce and perfectly textured gnocchi stuffed with sun-dried tomatoes and sausage in a creamy vodka sauce.

ITALIAN

** Casa Mia - Fisherman's Wharf, 337 East Indiantown Road, Jupiter,- 972-6888.  Dine outdoors or inside in this highly rated Italian restaurant and pizzeria.  Friendly, knowledgeable staff and familiar Italian menu awaits.  SEE REVIEW BELOW.

**Vic and Angelo’s – The Commons East, 4520 PGA Blvd., PBG – 630-9899.  This New York style pizzeria has had mixed reviews.  A few residents have considered it loud, overpriced, understaffed and over-rated.  Other found the food delicious especially the pizza and Sicilian chicken wings and the young swinging crowd exciting.

**Nonna Maria’s – 529 Northlake Blvd., Lake Park  – 863-6584.  “Italian with a French Twist” Owner/Chef Francois has a flair with the traditional and is inventive too. SEE REVIEW BELOW.

**Mamma Leone’s – 7100 Fairway Drive – 694-8184.  Casual Italian fare just around the corner.  Pollo Francese is a winner and comes with soup or salad and a side of pasta.  Early Bird specials too.

**Limoncello – 11603 US Highway 1, North Palm Beach – 622-7200.  Generally good food, friendly service, fairly priced.  Try the chicken parmesan.

**Giavonni’s  - Home Depot Shopping Center on Northlake – 799-7998.
Small, friendly neighborhood Italian eatery with huge portions and excellent food from thin crust pizza to lobster tails.  Try the chicken cacciatore, eggplant parmesan or chicken picatta.  Good value.

**Fiorentina – 707Lake Avenue, Lake Worth – 588-9707.  Italian fare reasonably priced.  Smart Bistro surroundings, chic crowd, open kitchen and great pasta.  SEE REVIEW BELOW.   

**Brio Tuscan Grill – Gardens Mall – 622-0491.  Very good menu and portion size in the medium price range.  Favorites for lunch are the bistecca salad or mushroom ravioli.  For dinner, try the lobster bisque to start and then the gorgonzola crusted steak or chicken under the brick.  Ambiance and service praised.

**Giovanni’s- 3900 Northlake Blvd., PBG – 799-7998.  This restaurant has excellent value for quality Italian food.  Like Mama’s home cooking and large portions.

**Pronti’s – 1440 10th Street, Lake Park – 842-3457.  The New York pounded pizza, for those who like it thin and crispy, is a winner.  The house red wine is an unexpected winner. Add a crisp, cold salad at the bargain price of $3.50 to a superb filet mignon steak for a perfect meal.   

**Nick’s Tomato Pie – 1697 W. Indiantown Rd., Jupiter – 744-8935.  Good salads, yummy hot bread and excellent inexpensive fare.  A long time favorite.

** Dolce De Palma  - 1000 Okeechobee Road, West Palm Beach, 833-6460.  You don't need to get dressed to the nines, you don't have to travel too far, and you don't have to worry about your diet du jour.  But you will be amazed at the quality and beauty of the food. SEE REVIEW BELOW.

** Zuccarelli's - PGA Commons West, 776-9889.  New to Palm beach Gardens but  Zuccarelli's has been around in WPB for a long time.  Welcoming unpretentious atmosphere, great Italian food, still a good value, and good service. SEE REVIEW BELOW.

ASIAN
**Thai Grand Palace – 5500 Military Trail, Jupiter – 493-8031.  Great service and presentation of good Thai food.

**Uncle Joe – 4367 Northlake, PBG – 799-9883.  Excellent Chinese cooked to order.  The roasted chicken and Grand Marnier shrimp are highly recommended.  They also do take out.


AMERICAN BISTRO
**Palm Beach Grill  – 336 Royal Poinciana Way – 835-1077.  Great, friendly service, large drinks, noisy and crowded.  Specialties to try are the Tuna Burger, Kosher Hot Dog, Walt’s Salad and the Sundae for dessert.
**J Alexander – Midtown at the Gardens, 4625 PGA Blvd. – 694-2711.  This newcomer offers a nice variety of American favorites such as burgers and sandwiches, ribs, steak, seafood, and salads.  The prime rib is delicious, cooked to order and served au jus with a mound of smashed potatoes.  The greatest praise for dessert goes to The Very Best Chocolate Cake featuring a warm slab of moist chocolate cake topped with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge.
**Season’s 52 – 11611 Ellison Wilson Rd., PBG – 625-5852.  New on the scene and gorgeous!  Good blending of tastes, moderate to high price and stunning bar.  No dish has more than 450 calories.  Try cedar planked salmon.  A little noisy but fun!


CONTINENTAL
**Kee Grill -14020 US Highway 1, Juno Beach – 776-1167.  Reservations are taken up to a week in advance and will keep your wait down to a minimum.  The accent is on seafood, but a New York strip steak as good as it gets. The creamed spinach "Maria" is habit forming, the crab cakes luscious and the desserts are homemade.

**Gazebo Café – 2151 Alternate A1A, Jupiter – 748-5878.  Probably some of the finest French food in the area.  Try the bouillabaisse or Dover sole.

**The Bistro – US 1 in Driftwood Plaza, Jupiter – 694-0066.  Continental food in pleasant surroundings.  Dover sole is a house specialty.

**The River House Restaurant – 2373 PGA Blvd., PBG – 694-1188.  Well loved favorite now re-opened after major hurricane damage.  Nice outside bar area on the Intracoastal, great salad bar.


MIDDLE EASTERN
**Leila’s -120 South Dixie Highway, WPB – 659-7373.  Favorite dishes are babaganoush appetizer, chicken kabob and the dessert platter.  Belly Dancer on the weekends!


CASUAL
**The Counter – Southern Blvd. 1.5 miles west of Rte. 441 – 792-7577.  A California chain that recently opened its first Florida restaurant in Royal Palm Beach, offers more than 312,000 combinations of burgers.  Choose burgers(veggie, beef, chicken, turkey) umpteen toppings and luscious sides plus milkshakes and desserts.

**Thirsty Turtle – 13981US Highway 1, Juno Beach – 627-8991.  A huge favorite for traditional bar food like chicken wings, fried clams and fresh fish.  High quality food in a casual setting.  Come early or expect to wait almost every night of the week.  

**McCarthy’s Restaurant and Pub – 187 Tequesta Drive, Tequesta – 744-2383.  Wonderful Irish pub with all the usual specialties.  

**Waterway Cafe – 2300 PGA Blvd. – 694-1700.  Dine on the deck overlooking the Intracoastal and the passing yachts.  Fabulous conch chowder and French onion soup.  Lunch and vacation in one.

**Captain Charlie’s Reef Grill – 12846 US 1, Juno Beach – 624-9924.  Casual dining for the freshest seafood concoctions.  Long time favorite with locals, rustic atmosphere and great service too.

**Dune Dog Cafe – 775 Alternate Highway A1A, Jupiter – 744-6667.  Local shack with screened porches serving hamburgers, ribs, hot dogs and fabulous Maine Lobster at very reasonable prices.

**Duffy’s Sports Bar – various locations, one at Oakbrook Square, US Highway1, NPB – 721-2650.
Great burgers and ribs.  Noisy and friendly.

**Lola’s Seafood Eatery – 4595 Northlake Blvd. (just west of Military) – 622-2259.  Cape Cod style seafood flown in fresh and fun, easy presentation.  The lobster roll is to die for!  SEE REVIEW BELOW.


SEAFOOD
**Juno Fish House – 13980 US Highway 1 at Donald Ross Road – 626-2636.  Here the emphasis is on fish, from the New England clam chowder for an appetizer to trout or mahi mahi for the fresh catch of the day, or the Maryland-style crab cakes, grouper piccata and whole Maine lobster for the entrees.  Décor is nice and not too noisy.

**Bonefish Grill – 11650 US Highway1, NPB – 799-9564.  Excellent, fresh fish, wood fire, well priced and great service.  You get to pick sauces and sides with salad included.  Try the Chilean sea bass or the trout. Even the pork chops get high marks.

**Food Shack – 103 So. US Highway1, Jupiter – 741-3606.  Super casul, wear your flip flops.  Specialty fish dishes with Carribbean flavors.  Daily fish bowls are a must or try any fish on salad.

**Captain Charlie’s – 12846 US Highway1, Juno – 624-9924.  Local hangout for the freshest fish, unique recipes and quick and friendly service.

**Jetty’s – 1075 N. Highway A1A, Jupiter - 743-8166.  Overlooking the Jupiter Lighthouse on the Jupiter Inlet.  Great fish and outdoor dining with a grand view.  Moderately priced.  

**Spoto’s – PGA Blvd., - 776-9448.  Ambiance is pleasantly noisy.  Best oysters around and truly special entrées.  Try lobster roll, seared tuna or the tuna nicoise salad and the great desserts.  Efficient, friendly service.  

**Russell’s Blue Water Grill – 2450 PGA Blvd., - 318-6344.  Lovely ambience with large bar and weekend music.  Careful attention to quality and preparation.  Expect fresh fish expertly prepared.  SEE REVIEW BELOW.


FRENCH
**Café L’Europe – So. County Rd., Palm Beach -655-4020.  Ambiance and service are 4 star and stellar.  Elegant food and gorgeous desserts.  Try the Senegalese soup and their lobster dishes.

**Café Chardonnay – PGA Blvd. and Military Trail – 627-2662.  Continental and a little pricey but great for a special night out.  Highly recommended lamb with black peppercorn sauce.  Excellent wines and you can dine at the bar too.  Great for a moderate lunch.

**Le Mistral – US 1, NPB – 622-3009.  Upscale French restaurant with flavors of Provence.  Owner/Chef and lovely atmosphere.  The duck is a favorite.

**Entre Nous – 123 US Highway 1, Lake Park – 863-5883.  Off the beaten track, intimate restaurant serving inventive and consistently good fare.  Excellent service.  Try the pork tenderloin.     SEE REVIEW (when in old Park Avenue location) BELOW.

**Chez Jean-Pierre – No. County Rod., Palm Beach – 833-1171.  Fine French, eclectic décor, superb menu, excellent service.  Try the Beef Bourguigno


REVIEWS by Vicki Slotnick

Dolce De Palma                         Fiorentina
Zuccarelli's                            Rhythm Cafe
Casa Mia                            Entre Nous
Nonna Maria                            Russell’s Blue Water Grill
Lola’s Seafood Eatery                    


Dolce De Palma by Vicki Slotnick
1000 Okeechobee Road, West Palm Beach, 833-6460

You don't need to get dressed to the nines, you don't have to travel too far, and you don't have to worry about your diet du jour.  But you will be amazed at the quality and beauty of the food coming out of this un-pretentious building in a very unpretentious part of West Palm Beach.  Dolce de Palma is owned by a very talented young man who really knows his food.  His menu depends totally on what looks good at the market on any given day that the restaurant is open.  One of our friends started with a chicken escarole soup.  Doesn't sound like anything too exciting, right?  Wrong!  It was amazing, chock full of the requisite chicken and escarole, but then it took off with herbs that I could not identify, but they were the element that made the soup so outstanding.  My husband and I shared two appetizers: a tuna tartare with an avocado puree, mountain vegetables with a ginger/saffron syrup.  It was heavenly...not the usual wasabi spicy treatment, but a more delicate way of treating the very fresh tasting raw tuna.  We also shared a porcini Bolognese using conchiglie pasta,(medium to large sized shells).  It, too, was just wonderful.  Oh, did I mention the just-out-of-the-oven foccaccia, two different varieties?  Okay, on to the entrees.  One of the couples shared an amazing red pepper fettuccini (yes, they make their own pasta!).  It was chock full of langoustines, arugula, oven dried tomatoes, and fresh oregano.  My husband had a porchette a la romana...sliced wheels of roasted suckling pig stuffed with so many wonderful ingredients and herbs, no one can remember.  Trust me, it was a success.  A friend had grilled skirt steak with olive orzo and prosciutto butter...excellent.  Her husband had braised beef short ribs that were over the moon fantastic!  I was feeling in a veggie kind of mood and ordered their vegetable plate of that day.  I was in heaven.  There was a beautiful and delicious assortment of very fresh and tasty vegetables. Suffice it to say, desserts were equally as good as starters and entrees.  You have GOT to try this place!


Fiorentina by Vicki Slotnick
707 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, 588-9707

Walking into Fiorentina, we were struck immediately by the upbeat atmosphere...nice contemporary art on the exposed random brick walls, a large and lively bar, dramatic light fixtures, and an open and very active kitchen.  One of the cooks made a show out of twirling his tongs around his hand over and over whenever he didn’t need to snag some food.  Everyone, of a variety of ages, seemed to be having fun.  A really good waiter with a lot of knowledge of the menu and a great sense of humor (his name is Neil) took our drink orders rapidly.  After delivering them, he promptly returned with plates of crusty Italian bread, marinated olives, and a good peppered olive oil for dunking that bread.  Some of us asked for slight adjustments to the way the dishes we ordered were prepared, but that did not seem to daunt Neil nor, he advised us, would that be any problem for the chef.  As a matter of fact, regarding the pasta, we could have any preparation at all with any pasta.

OK...the starters:  A Fritto Misto of calamari, shrimp, and artichokes was probably the best I have ever had, and I’m not a big fan of calamari.  The ingredients were incredibly light and crispy with a touch of lemon zest and served with two sauces: marinara and lemon aioli.  Pappa al Pomodoro, a Tuscan style tomato and bread soup could have had a bit more seasoning, and the tomato could have been a bit less raw- tasting for me but C thought it was excellent.  Two friends shared a roasted beet and goat cheese salad on perfectly dressed greens with a sprinkle of pistachio.  Who knew that healthful “greenies” could taste so good! 
We waited quite a while for our entrees to come...right before they did, we were approached by Joshua Santangelo, the restaurant’s owner/operator, who assured us that the food would be out very soon.  It was, and some mighty good food at that.  C liked her appetizer of Gamberoni Alla Toscana, grilled jumbo shrimp with white beans, rosemary and mint aioli.  Her husband had Linguini con Vongole with clams, garlic, chili, and pancetta.  He said it was very good but maybe a little too spicy.  R’s pasta Bolognese was wonderful, a perfect blend of pancetta, pork, veal, and beef over his pasta.  My other half had Spaghetti con Arogosta which was quite disappointing: it was with lobster, mint, chili, and cherry tomatoes, but the chili seemed to be missing and the dish was lacking in any flavor.  Another guest had grilled snapper with tomatoes, capers, olives, and sautéed escarole, which I tasted...I felt that it was a bit fishy tasting.  The show stopper was my dish!  I had Rigatoni alla Bucaiola, a wonderful treatment of rigatoni, peas, cream, Italian sausage, and Grana Padano, similar to parmagiano cheese.  The pasta was perfectly al dente, the sausage was sweet, not spicy, just the way I like it, and it was, quite simply, DIVINE!  I went to the market the next day and bought all ingredients...I’m going to recreate this one at home!

We all dipped our spoons into two excellent desserts, my favorite being a crème Brule with an under crust of chopped dark chocolate and nuts.  I wish I could have sampled some of the other offerings of the restaurant: several starters, several grilled pizzas, a nice selection of pastas, as well as a balanced selection of vegetables, fish, veal, poultry, beef, and pork.  Fiorentina has only been open a few months and I am sure there are some kinks to be ironed out.  But I think it will be a keeper. Warning: parking can be a real pain in the butt, especially in season and on a weekend night.  But...would I return? You bet! 

Zuccarelli's by Vicki Slotnick
PGA Commons West, 776-9889

We watched for the opening of the new Zuccarelli's for several weeks with patience and anticipation, and its here, at last!  We were greeted by Olympia, the "hostess with the mostest" from their West Palm location.  The atmosphere was inviting and seemed to be jumping with activity and conviviality.  There is a great bar and dining outside as well as inside.  The decorating reminds me of those comfy old South Philly Italian eateries of my earlier days up north, only with a bit more panache.  They still include a salad with all entrees, but the salads were a bit more updated than the salads at the original place.  They were the tri colore greens garnished with very sweet little grape tomatoes and sliced red onions.  A basket of crusty Italian bread was promptly put on the table as well.  So good for soaking up all the wonderful sauces!  Our busboy was young and inexperienced but he obviously was trying hard to be good at his job.  Our friends had baked lasagna (for him) which he declared as wonderful.  He left not a dab of anything and never offered me a taste.  She had a sole sautéed francese style which looked wonderful.  She, too, never offered me a bite.  But then, when it came to sharing, my husband and I took the prize!  I had chicken marsala which was, as always, amazing, tender and moist with Zuccarelli's chef's usual skill with sauces. Eddy ordered veal saltimbocca, his favorite.  This dish was the best; just the way its name implies, a bit of a salty treat for the mouth.  The entrees also came with a side of pasta, the portion a bit skimpy in size.  Meat sauce on your pasta is $8.00 extra and don't even think about substituting veggies for the pasta side.   That said, we will be back for sure!  Zuccarelli's has been around a long time and is just what our neighborhood needs, a welcoming unpretentious atmosphere, great Italian food, still a good value, and good service. Give them a try!


Casa Mia reviewed by Vicki Slotnick
Fisherman's Wharf
337 East Indiantown Road    
561-972-6888

Ok, this review is going to be briefer than most of my past reviews because I don’t, in all honesty, feel as enthusiastic as I have felt about many previously reviewed restaurants.  Some of you may have read a glowing review in The Palm Beach Post from January, 2011.  I too read it and, as a result, was very anxious to try Casa Mia.  I must say that, in general, I was somewhat disappointed.

The ambience was ok, nothing to write home about, the service was friendly and they all seemed to want to please.  They offered an outdoor dining option, but the weather was too warm to be comfortable outside that night, so...in we went.

Now, on to the food...a caprese classic salad had good fresh Florida tomatoes and basil oil, but the mozzarella was not buffalo.  But if you have never experienced the difference between cow’s milk mozzarella and the soft and sweet “clouds” of buffalo mozzarella, you may not notice the lack of taste and texture in the cow’s version. Their Casa Mia salad, mixed greens with a few other uninspired vegetables and raspberry vinaigrette, was, however, declared fresh and generous in size.  Hubby and I shared penne alla mediterranea.  It was a blend of fresh tomatoes and basil, mozzarella and calamata olives.  The waitperson did not tell us when we ordered that it was an uncooked sauce.  Consequently, it came out room temp to cool.  To me, it did not present with much flavor and I asked them to heat up my portion.  Still not much excitement no matter what I sprinkled on it.  We also split a branzino al forno.  Now that was more like it!  Branzino is a Mediterranean sea bass, delicate and moist, which I absolutely adored here, and I order it whenever I see it on a menu. L. ordered a veal chop with a wild mushroom sauce, not on the menu, but offered that night. I tasted a piece of her veal and found the one little taste a bit tough. The sauce, although it looked wonderful with a beautiful color, was rather tasteless.  That said, it was cooked just the way she liked it.  H.’s vitello al limone was very good according to him.  Again, my opinion of his veal was that it was just ok and the lemon sauce was bland.  R. had to send back his chicken Milanese because, even though ordered without any garlic, sure enough, the crumb coating was loaded with the dreaded flavor.  When are chefs going to “get it”?  There are other flavors in this world.  Anyway, it was replaced by vitello al limone which he declared “ok”. There were a number of wood fired oven pizzas which we did not try nor see so I cannot comment.  There is a lunch menu as well as a take-out menu, but, again, no comment. 

We tried two desserts: a piece of ricotta cheesecake was flavorful, but too cold...oftentimes, when foods are served too cold, flavor and texture will be sacrificed. However, I will concede that ice cream can never be too cold!!!!  R.’s tartufo was very good: a dark and chewy chocolate shell enclosing a pistachio ice cream filling. (That should be cold!) Prices are reasonable, with antipasti, salads, soups, individual sized pizzas in the $6.00 to $10.00 range.  Primi piatti, pastas, ranged from $10.00 through $17.00.  Secondi piatti, (entrees in this country) on the regular menu ranged from about $15.00 through $20.00. 
So, would I go back to Casa Mia?  Frankly, I’m not running...


Rhythm Cafe by Vicki Slotnick
3800 South Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 833-3406

Come on in, the casual dining at Rhythm Café is fine!   But, have an open mind about what the place looks like from the outside, as well as inside.  It was a drug store in the 50's and the chef/owner has very faithfully kept the retro, funky, and very kitschy (much of it for sale) atmosphere throughout the room, including the original counter.

The menu opens with a full page of do's and don'ts for their diners.  The menu is actually quite extensive, and quite eclectic. They offer a great selection of appetizers, correction, tapas-tizers.  Our table of six chose to share two for starters.  First was the cheese on fire, a.k.a. Saganaki, a dish of Greek origin with Kasseri cheese, set on fire with brandy, then extinguished with lemon, and served hot and bubbly with little warm, fresh pita bread wedges.  I almost died and went to heaven with that alone.  Good thing I didn't, because there was much more heaven-sent food to come. What was billed as "The Best Tuna Tartar Ever" really could have been.  Finely chopped meltingly smooth raw tuna was lovingly tossed with a ginger-y lime-y dressing, a perfect foil for the very fresh tuna, and was served with crispy little French bread crostinis.   There were other tapa-tizers that could have been ordered as tapas sized or entrée sized.  That night's fresh fish included hog snapper, swordfish, and steelhead salmon.  L. and I both ordered the hog snapper but with different preparations, six different treatments and all of them sounding very interesting.  I am one of those no-garlic-within-five-miles-please kinds of people, so my hog snapper was prepared with an herb bread crumb crust. It was baked just right for that kind of fish, moist and tender. Each mouthful was soft and sweet on the inside and slightly crispy-crunchy on the outside at the same time. It was accompanied by a lemon beurre blanc sauce, a perfect counterpoint to the fish, and a choice of wonderful vegetable sides, the lightly glazed carrots being my personal favorite. YUM!  H. had the hog snapper also, but treated in a Mediterranean way called "Arti Heart".  The fish of his choice was oven roasted and strewn with a sauté of artichoke hearts, scallions, and sun dried tomatoes. Then it was topped with a lemony butter sauce, and served with his choice of side dishes of the day.  Oh joy! D. and E. had blackened salmon with string beans and spinach, over which the two of them swooned.  R., the meat eater, had the filet mignon, a gorgeous center cut of tenderloin perfectly prepared medium rare with a silky sauce au poivre.  Despite the fact that I am not much of a carnivore, I could not resist his generous offer of a taste. It was amazing.

On to desserts.  We all shared: key lime pie that was a perfect balance of sweet and tart, so incredibly smooth in my mouth, and the crust was as flaky as it could be. There was a warm apple crisp with homemade cinnamon ice cream.  Sorry, my words cannot describe it!  There was a peanut butter pie with chocolate sauce.  Not my thing so I will quote the menu on this one: "a light peanut butter mooseyish filling in a fan-freaking-tastic crust of chopped peanuts and chocolate chips".  The Rhythm Café also makes an interesting array of homemade ice creams and they even have real hot fudge!  Beverages include all manner of good things with the exception of hard liquor.  Soft drinks, several waters, beers, wines for the start, wines for the middle, and for the end, and wines such as ports and dessert wines are offered.  Bob, our waiter and a thirteen year veteran of the restaurant, was very helpful, very patient in response to all our requests, and pleasant throughout the entire meal.  Here is another restaurant to try!


Entre Nous by Vicki Slotnick
Located on the SW corner of US 1 and Northlake, 863-5883.

This is a wonderful little "hole in the wall" restaurant in a part of town one would never expect to find it.  There are only 6 tables in the place.  It's quiet, as in the opposite of frenetic, romantic with candles on the tables, and a great place to go with a few good friends and be able to have a conversation! The food is wonderful, a little bit of everything with a contemporary twist to every dish. Our waitperson was very knowledgeable about the menu and attentive.  I had the best tuna tartare appetizer I have ever had anywhere, raw yellowfin tuna on sushi rice with a sweet soy and wasabi aioli.  As I was not ravenous, I decided to have another appetizer rather than an entre, a contemporary version of stuffed potato skins.  The skins were topped with prosciutto and goat cheese and topped with a white truffle oil, at once crispy and soft, tangy and smooth, and wonderful, not to mention more than enough to be an entrée.  My husband had a marvelous center cut rib veal chop with a red wind reduction and served on a bed of truffled risotto.  That, too, was amazing! Another friend had the yellowfin tuna tataki, sesame crusted and very rare.  She proclaimed it wonderful as well. We did not have desserts as we were more than satiated.  But coffee was made at the table in those charming little French press coffee servers.  I can't wait to return and maybe try the crispy duck and the rest of the menu! 


NONNA MARIA RESTAURANT by VICKI SLOTNICK
529 NORTHLAKE BOULEVARD
561-863-6584

I am very fickle…I have found my NEW favorite restaurant in this area! We used to take our family to Nonna Maria in the mid 90’s.  The food was okay and the portions were more than huge!  More restaurants came into the area and we tired of the old Nonna Maria.  We returned a couple of months ago, after hearing that the restaurant had changed hands in 2003. It was sold to Francois and Judy and was no longer just an Italian restaurant, but much more and much better. They bill themselves as “Italian with a French twist”. We have been there three times in the past couple of months, and each time, just when we think it can’t get any better, it does!  

This most recent visit we are greeted very hospitably by Judy the chef/owner’s wife, and she seats us promptly. The dining room is a cute smallish room, not decorated in any particular fashion, just pleasant in a non obtrusive kind of way.  A waiter promptly and efficiently takes very good care of us.  There is a fairly nice wine list, and our drinks arrive quickly.  Good, crusty country Italian bread comes out quickly as well, and we devour it with butter or a very nice olive oil, as we peruse an extensive menu. We are hard-pressed to choose…everything looks and sounds so good!  R. began with a wonderful creamy wild mushroom soup, L., E., and I started with the arugula, watermelon, and feta salad with citrus vinaigrette.  The arugula was fresh and peppery, just the way arugula should be.  The watermelon cubes were sweet, and the feta was tangy.  The citrus dressing just pulled the different elements of the salad together so well.  Another time we visited, one of our friends had French onion soup which she loved.  The first two times I was at Nonna Maria I had the braised short ribs of beef over risotto with a Chianti reduction.  It was sublime, so tender and sauced perfectly, and I thought that I would have it once again, or someone else would have it and I could snag a bite. But I decided to try something different this time and so chose the yellowtail snapper francese.  E. had that also.  It was served over spinach and sauced with lemon, white wine and butter.  The fish was moist and the sauce was perfectly seasoned and balanced. L. had the veal saltimbocca. I had a taste, and I will probably have that the next visit…it was a perfect combination of the tender veal, prosciutto, in sage and wine reduction served with sautéed broccoli rabe.  R. Had linguini Bolognese.  The very meaty sauce was slightly spicy, in a good way, maybe from sausage. One taste of that and perhaps when I return, I’ll order that!  It seems to me that Chef/Owner Francois really knows his way around the kitchen, in particular, his sauces.

There are many appetizers, pastas, meat, fish, and seafood entrees that will surely fill the bill for even the pickiest eater. Desserts do not disappoint either. If they do everything on the menu as well as the items that I have already tasted, this place is a keeper.

Entree prices run in the $18 to $25 range, but in addition to the ala carte menu, Nonna Maria offers a prix fixe menu of three courses for $24.95: appetizer, entrée and dessert.  The portion sizes are not reduced, (in fact, they are sometimes even too large, no kidding!  Practically every selection that is on the ala carte is also offered on the prix fixe…you can trust me: it’s a great deal.

Hours are 4:30 to 9:00 pm Tuesday through Sunday, private parties and catering are available, and reservations are taken.  


Russell’s Blue Water Grill by Vicki Slotnick
2450 PGA BLVD.  318-6344

Immediately upon entering Russell’s Blue Water Grill, we were greeted by Russell and his cordial hospitality.  The restaurant is quite a large space, but is unobtrusively inviting. It is divided into a large dining area on the right and an equally large area with a bar and booths on the left.  Both offer a view of the trendy open kitchen so you can see and feel that energy.  You should feel comfortable whether you are dressed to the nines or wearing jeans.  

On our most recent visit we again had Alex as our waitperson.  He has a great sense of humor (which one needs once our group starts the ordering process!)  He’s very efficient, asks all the right questions to have the best shot at “getting it right”, and he is prompt!  Blue cheese stuffed olives came out with my husband’s martini and Alex remarked that they were stuffed with love!  In addition to the aforementioned olives, a plate of cocktail accompaniments arrived with the drinks:  a fresh summer salsa, truly fresh ingredients (not preserved), and crispy, crunchy, salty “thingies”.  No one could identify them but they were yummy.  Maybe they were fried pastry????

With our appetizers we were served a nice variety of warm freshly baked rolls.  Laura and I shared a roasted beet salad with watercress, Belgian endive, tomatoes, goat cheese, candied pecans in citrus-honey balsamic vinaigrette.  It was well balanced, not “over the top” with any one particular ingredient.  Eddy had a chopped wedge salad that he loved.  Rodney had Cognac lobster bisque which I tasted.  It was a tad salty, but sublime! Maybe the saltiness was the salinity of the ocean, the lobster’s home.

On to the entrees. Both Eddy and Laura ordered sesame seared tuna, sushi grade, very rare, served on a bed of soba noodles, wasabi aioli and sweet soy on the side.  Of course I tasted that and went to heaven on the spot.  Rodney had pan seared duck breast, served medium-rare with a sour current glaze and asparagus on the side.  He gave it 8 out of 10.  I would have taken the sweet potato hash that was offered with it too!  I had one of the specials that night, grouper francese, but I had it my way, more simply prepared.  It was excellent…very fresh, moist and tender.  I asked for 2 of their green veggies and got haricot vert and asparagus, both again very fresh and cooked al dente.

We shared one dessert for the 4 of us (more than enough, I might add).  It was one of their well-known desserts: chocolate peanut butter pie.  Since I’m not a fan of chocolate and peanut butter in my mouth at the same time, I let Laura be the judge of that one.  She proclaimed it very good, smooth but fluffy, and not cloyingly sweet nor overly dense…just right and an 8.5 out of 10!

Russell’s Blue Water Grill features live music on weekends, special events such as wine tastings, and very hospitable service from beginning to end.  Even the partner/executive chef, Charles Coe, came out and chatted with us for quite a while.  As the business card says at the bottom…”Great food, innovatively prepared, affordably priced, efficiently served”.  It’s all true!  This place is very busy in season, and rightfully so.  Try it soon!
Lola’s Seafood Eatery by Vicki Slotnick
4594 Northlake Blvd., just west of Military, 622-2259

Here’s to another winner recently opened right in our own backyard!  Down at the other end of the small strip (housing Joseph’s Classic market) is a really good place to grab lunch, fast if you want.  You can grab dinner too, but don’t expect fine dining. Just expect great seafood and stuff.  We “grabbed” lunch one Saturday afternoon, vowing that we’d eat lightly since we had reservations for some fine dining that evening.  You may be able to eat lightly, but not me...I had to taste and finish everything (on my plate as well as on my friends’ plates).  OK...you walk in...the place is decorated in the “clean and functional” style.  You get on line.  You read the menu signs overhead just like in the fast food joints, you give someone your order, you sit down at a clean and comfortable table, and then that’s where the similarity to a fast food joint ends.   In no time at all, you’ve been served this really good food!

L. and her daughter shared a couple of plates:  fried belly clams which they declared were wonderful.  If you order the basket, you get wonderful cole slaw, bottleneck fries, or salad and a dipping sauce.  You can have your fish or seafood in a cone if you prefer, with only the dipping sauce.  They also shared a LOLA’S salad with sweet sea scallops, baby mixed greens, Italian tomatoes, corn salsa, dried cranberries, “crispi” noodles, and topped with an orange basil vinaigrette (more about that vinaigrette later).  C. said the scallops were as good as any she’s had anywhere: sautéed beautifully browned on the outside and soft, sweet, and moist on the inside.  J. had the lobster roll sandwich, one of four New England favorite roll sandwiches on the menu.  It was served on the traditional bun, grilled, with the bottleneck fries and coleslaw. It was loaded with large chunks of very fresh lobster meat and a delicately seasoned mayonnaise, so good in very traditional Cape Cod way...the best I’ve tasted in years.  I had the soft shell crab salad on arugula, with walnuts, feta, corn tomato salsa, “crispi” noodles.  Wherever the menu said “corn tomato salsa”, that meant fresh corn kernels and fresh ripe tomatoes.  I asked for my salad with the orange basil vinaigrette.  What a good idea!  After having this delicious slightly sweet, green, slightly viscous dressing on my salad, I then proceeded to dip everyone’s leftover bottleneck fries in said dressing/dipping sauce!  The fries were wonderfully crisp and well seasoned and they were absolutely divine dipped into the dressing.  

Needless to say, it’s hard to get the flavor of the place with one lunch, but there is a nice selection of other stuff to try at another visit...a large selection of fried seafood, several sandwiches including fish tacos, a raw bar selection, the aforementioned rolls, a very nice variety of salads, even a few hot entrée of the sort you might want at dinner time, sweets such as beignets, crème brulee, and brownies.  To top it all off, they have imported and domestic beers, and wines by the glass, the bottle, and even champagne splits.  They even have a few different brands of bottled water for those of you who don’t drink the 2010 Palm Beach brand of filtered tap water.  This one’s a “we’ll be back”!


Laura Cole & Tana Gaskill
Illustrated Properties Real Estate Inc.
(561) 776-4429
www.palmbeachgolfhomes.com