Hello Foodie Friends,
It’s been a busy week for this Foodie Girl. Kicking the week off with Temper Grille followed by a wonderful tasting at Harvest Seasonal Grill set up for me by the company’s PR firm. I was super excited to finally make it in there after passing by it a gazillion times on my way from Boca to Delray to conduct my tours and then after meeting Reba, Harvest’s Marketing & Events Manager at the Flavors event last month.
Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, a seasonally changing, farm to table concept serving wood fired steak, poultry, seafood, vegetarian and gluten free dishes offering guests locally-grown options typically under 500 calories.
The upscale-casual restaurant, whose mantra “Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food” is apparent in every detail, has vowed to change its offerings with the seasons (every three months), with menu items reflective of the time of year and produce available. The day of my visit was the first day the Spring Menu was being rolled out. Since opening in the Fall, Harvest has had a slight menu change for winter, but nothing like the overhaul of this new Spring menu I was told, where a good majority of the items have changed. That’s good for most and harder to accept by some who are sorry to see their favorites no longer on the current menu. I have a feeling though that those who are busy mourning the loss of their faves, will soon find new ones to enjoy and before long, their old faves will be back in season. I personally love the idea of keeping menus rotating, keeping them fresh with whatever bounty the current season has to offer, so kudos to Harvest Seasonal Grill for introducing this fresh new concept. Their awesome menu features mostly 500-calorie or fewer dishes, seasonally changing options that are made using the freshest ingredients around, and sourced from the 75 local farmers the eatery works with. Amongst them is Swank Farm and those who follow me know I love Swank Farm and their series of Farm-to-Table SWANK Table events.
Harvest Seasonal Grill accommodates a vast range of dietary needs with allergy-friendly and gluten-free concessions, vegan items and dairy-free offerings. Additionally, they offer an extensive menu of organic wines by the glass, along with craft-brewed draft beers, and a cocktail menu boasting seasonally rotating libations made with fresh fruits and herbs. Reba had suggested we try a flight of their Sangrias. Always open for suggestions, I said sure and before long these two beauties were placed in front of us. I started with the White one and it was not your typical white wine Sangria. Very pleasant. I liked it. Then I made my way over to the Rose one. I have to admit, I never had a Rose Sangria before. White ones and Red ones, but never any Rose…until now. Folks, I can’t express in words how DELICIOUS this one was. You’re just gonna have to trust me on this and go in and try it out for yourself. Period, end of story, lol!
I fell in love with the calamari. Don’t let the word “spicy” in the title deter you from trying this dish if you are sensitive to heat. Just ask them to go light on the spice. That way they can adjust it so that it is very subtle. The white wine and lemon juice broth it comes with is soooooo good!!! The calamari were cooked perfectly and I love the healthier presentation to frying. The tuna poke was good, but not my favorite; I think it was the texture of the sweet & sour cucumber dressing that threw me. I had to dig a little to find the avocado in the Avocado & Artichoke Dip. But the flavors were nice and once I found the avocado, I was happy. I thought the herbed Naan chips were really unique and a nice flavorful accompaniment. The Pesto Caprese Flatbread was so light and packed with fresh herbs. I loved the crispiness of the flatbread and the flavor combination. This one was a winner for sure!
So I ordered the Cedar Plank Salmon and it was delicious. I really enjoyed the Paddi Pan (green squash) too. My dining companion ordered the BBQ Braised Short Rib and when I asked him what he thought, he said that it tasted like meatloaf. Meatloaf?!? So I reached over with my fork to give it a try. Well I’ll be darned, the bbq sauce did resemble the old school sauce that topped many a meatloaf back in the day. Sauce aside, the short rib was slow cooked and very tasty all on its own.
With so many wonderful selections, I chose the Chocolate Salted Caramel Mousse. This did not disappoint!
This popular farm-to-table eatery and wine bar may be new to Florida (we got lucky that they chose Delray Beach the place to open their first one in FL), but they have been wildly successful in other parts of the country with six other locations including four in PA (where the company is based) and one in NJ. For exact locations, click here.
Seasonally-changing menus are conceptualized by Corporate Executive Chef Joshua N. Short, who offers over ten years of culinary experience to the Harvest team, holding prior positions as a Sous Chef with Hershey Entertainment & Resorts and Executive Chef with The JDK Group. Every dish served at Harvest’s Delray Beach location is executed to perfection by their culinary team, headed by Co-Executive Chefs Bill Ring (formerly of 32 East) and Chef Jeremy Hanson (previously at The Seagate), who work alongside local farmers to highlight the best and brightest flavors each season has to offer.
Harvest Seasonal Grill’s use of sustainable, organic and healthy ingredients doesn’t end with the menu. A truly green concept, the eatery not only features recycled glass bar tops and a beautiful exterior living wall, but also uses all organic cleaning products, recycled paper products and eco-friendly ink on their menus.
Harvest Seasonal Grill is located in the Delray Place shopping plaza at 1841 S. Federal Highway, #402, Delray Beach, FL 33483. For more information or to make a reservation, call (561) 266-3239 or visit www.harvestseasonalgrill.com.
Until we eat again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
