Lionfish Restaurant Opens on the Ave in Delray Beach
Hello Foodie Friends,
I get asked all the time for restaurant recommendations and often I am asked for the name of a good seafood restaurant. Of course this should come easy, being that we are located on the coast. But up until now, I really hadn’t found one that just rolled off my tongue. But today, I am super excited to share with you my new favorite seafood restaurant which recently opened in Delray Beach, FL. It’s called Lionfish.
Lionfish, the beloved San Diego hotspot boasting a fresh-catch menu meshed with seasonal ingredients, has opened the doors to its second location in the heart of downtown Delray Beach, Florida.
Situated along the famed Atlantic Avenue, Lionfish has been twice-recognized as a James Beard Foundation Smart Catch Leader, offering a sea-to-table approach with a mouthwatering menu served in the form of simplistic yet expertly-flavored coastal cuisine. The Delray Beach location is led by esteemed restaurant and entertainment specialists, Clique Hospitality.
Originally slated to open before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, the new timeline has allowed Lionfish to deliver the best possible product to an eagerly-awaiting audience. In addition to a socially-conscious, locally-sourced menu, Lionfish is continuing to contribute to ocean conversation by serving its namesake dish in a variety of delicious appetizers and entrees. The rare, delectable white flaky fish is a species that is ravaging the ocean by devouring fellow sea life and damaging coral reefs.
“We are so thankful to call Delray Beach our new home, having recently established our second corporate headquarters here, and can’t wait to show locals and tourists alike the coastal dining experience that is Lionfish,” says Andy Masi, founder of Clique Hospitality. “Opening this fall has allowed us to launch with our full brand concept versus having to restrict menus and offerings during the pandemic.”
Guests of Lionfish can expect a menu of wild-caught catches from the surrounding Atlantic Ocean coupled with grass-fed meats and fresh ingredients from local farmers, ranchers and regional purveyors inside a high-energy, sophisticated atmosphere. A full beverage menu of cutting-edge cocktails along with time-honored classics is served by a team of master mixologists. In addition, guests can sip from an all-encompassing wine list and a vast array of craft beers.
Executive Chef Jose “JoJo” Ruiz of Lionfish’s San Diego location serves as Corporate Chef with locally-renowned Chef Johnny Demartini overseeing the kitchen as Executive Chef.
About Clique Hospitality
Clique Hospitality, founded by Andy Masi, is a collaboration of talented food and beverage professionals who have helped shape the dining and nightlife landscape along the West Coast for the past two decades. Masi has dedicated his life to making guests feel that a simple night out was more than just a memory, but also an experience. Clique is a boutique hospitality and marketing company with operations in Las Vegas, NV, San Diego, CA and Delray Beach, FL. Clique specializes in approachable dining that sets trends, rather than following them. In its partnerships with many of the country’s most prestigious hospitality corporations, including MGM Resorts International, Cosmopolitan Las Vegas,Hotels, Montage Resorts, and Red Rock Resorts, Clique is transcending hospitality through service, quality, and trendsetting design.
Had to try a dish with the namesake in it. We really enjoyed this ceviche. The secret to the deliciousness of this ceviche we were told is the use of key lime in the curing process which gives it a little more tartness but balances out the sweetness of the coconut agave.
What a lovely combination of flavors. Clever spin on a traditional caprese salad. This Asian inspired version was very tasty.
I like to think of myself as somewhat of a Sushi Pizza Connoisseur. I try this dish wherever I go when I see it on a menu. This one served at Lionfish is definitely one of the best. It’s a close runner up to the one at Pubbelly. I really enjoyed the truffle mustard aioli and the micro shiso added a nice textural component.
Oh my! These mini lobster rolls are heavenly! The petite buns are made especially for Lionfish and are the perfect vessel for this scrumptious lobster salad. Delish! Great for sharing or enjoying as a meal on your own.
This was a fun interactive experience cooking your food over the hot rock. There are two Hot Rock options; the Wagyu Beef and the Giant King Oyster Mushrooms with Smoked Miso.
The aioli coated the hot rock shrimp, rather than being served as a dipping sauce. You could detect its essence but I believe a side of this sauce for dipping would go a long way. I’m sure they would bring one out if asked.
And now on to dessert….soooo many interesting selections…
Oh my gosh. Words just fail to do this dessert justice. A deconstructed key lime pie. We savored every single bite!
Just when you think you had the perfect dessert,, one that can’t be topped, you take a bite out of this one. Wow! We loved the creativity of the presentation of this dessert and the sundae itself with all the little crumble bites was awesome! Our message in the bottle read, “Save A Reef, Eat A Lionfish! #GetHooked”
Well there you have it folks. This new seafood restaurant on the Ave gets two thumbs up and our stamp of approval. If you haven’t been there yet…what are ya waiting for? Enjoy and tell Sean the Manager that your friend Denise from Savor Our City sent ya!
Lionfish is open daily starting at 4pm and serving Brunch on Saturdays & Sundays from 10am – 3pm, with dinner served until 11pm on Sats and 10pm on Suns. They are located at 307 E Atlantic Ave Delray Beach. 561.639.8700
Until we eat again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
“Fall” in Love All Over Again at Harvest Seasonal Grill
Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar Debuts Festive New Fall Menu
New Additions Include Vegan/Vegetarian, Gluten Free Farm-To-Table Dishes
Hello Foodie Friends,
Today’s blog is about my recent dinner at Harvest Seasonal Grill. I was invited to check out their new Fall menu so I could share my experience with all of you. My last two posts on Harvest both featured previous Spring menus. The Fall menu was released the end of September and will run through the holidays at which time the new Winter menu will be launched.
My companion and I were shown to our table and soon greeted by our server Jake, who ran through the menu layout with us. My companion had some questions on the wines. Jake was very knowledgeable about the wines on the menu and exceptionally helpful in his explanations..I always enjoy Harvest’s seasonal sangria flights so that is what I decided to begin with. My companion opted for a Cab Franc blend called Involuntary Commitment from Napa Valley. Harvest has a large number of wine varietals that you don’t see on other restaurant menus.
My Sangria Flight consisted of: White Caramel Apple, Rosé Ginger Pear, and Red Blood Orange Pomegranate. The Rosé sangrias have been my favorite in the past, but this time, the Red Blood Orange Pomegranate got my vote for top pick. Now onto the food tastings. Chef Bill came out to say hello and after a brief discussion, he offered to send out a few dishes for us to try. We started off with the Pear & Bleu flatbread. (Spoiler alert: this was my favorite item of the entire evening). The flatbread was PACKED with flavor and they were very generous with their toppings which were well distributed.
Next out were the Brussels Sprouts, Butternut Squash Dip and Tuna Poke.
Next round were the Diver Scallops, Grilled Filet Mignon, Pumpkin Tortellini and side of roasted seasonal vegetables
There definitely was a butternut squash theme going on with our selections on this evening. So if you’re a butternut squash lover, be sure to head over to Harvest Seasonal Grill right now to get your fill of butternut squash!
For dessert, we were presented with their minis:one was a Spiced Apple, one was Pecan something and one was a Key lime cheesecake. In all honesty, I did not have room to taste any of the desserts, but my companion did and said the Spiced Apple had an abundance of cayenne in it and the Pecan one was a bit hard and the Key Lime tasted mostly like vanilla frosting. I guess the desserts must have been off on this day, because this is quite unusual to have a miss on 3 out of 3. I have always enjoyed their desserts in the past and won’t let this one “off day” ruin my coming in again and giving them a try.
WHO: Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar, Delray Beach’s season-forward, farm-to-table eatery and wine bar owned by the Dave Magrogan Group, announces their new fall menu featuring an assortment of seasonal dishes, refreshing cocktails and over 50 wines available by the glass now available through the fall season.
WHAT: As the season’s change, you can always look forward to a bountiful new menu at Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar. The fall menu features dishes that use local, seasonal ingredients resulting in the freshest, tastiest, most nutritious meals possible in a celebration of autumnal produce.
Enjoy flavorful new flatbreads, salads, entrees and more – with plenty of gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan options available. Fall menu highlights include:
- Pear & Bleu Flatbread pear, aged bleu cheese, fig glaze, micro arugula ($10)
- Butternut Squash Soup toasted pumpkin seed, local honey ($5)
- Grilled Autumn Salmon baby spinach, roasted beet, sheep’s milk feta, dried cranberry, candied pecan, apple schnitz, honeycrisp apple vinaigrette ($19)
- Harvest Moon Chicken all-natural chicken breast, sweet potato latke, brussels sprouts, apple relish, cider rosemary reduction ($24)
- Braised Short Ribs parsnip, turnip, carrot, mushroom, rosemary, black lava salt, pearl onion, roasted garlic mashed potato, natural jus ($26)
- Vegetarian Pumpkin Tortelloni butternut squash purée, sage brown butter, dried cranberry, baby spinach, toasted pumpkin seed, gingerbread dust ($20)
- Vegetarian Impossible “Meatloaf” whipped sweet potato, haricot vert, truffled mushroom, sweet & spicy ketchup glaze, blistered tomato, crispy beet ($24)
- Vegan Eggplant “Parmesan” butternut squash noodle, fire-roasted tomato sauce, herbed breadcrumb, nutritional yeast ($19)
WHERE: Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar: Delray Place, 1841 S. Federal Hwy. #402, Delray Beach, FL 33483.
(561) 266-3239
The Winemakers Table Revisited
Hello Foodie Friends,
It was earlier this year that I first visited The Winemakers Table in Delray Beach to celebrate my birthday. I had a most wonderful evening which you can read about here if you’d like. Fast forward to present day, I received an invite to attend an exclusive media dinner to introduce Jessica Scialletti, the new owner of the Winemakers Table. The evening began with a lovely welcome reception with some delicious sparkling wine and appetizers in the Champagne Lounge. Once all the guests arrived, we made our way to the intimate dining room where we continued with our elegant 5 course International Tasting experience. A tantalizing menu was well thought out, prepared and executed by Jessica and her team. Amongst the newcomers to The Winemakers Table is Executive Chef, Joshua Bradley, who previously worked at Market 17 and Café Maxx in Fort Lauderdale. In addition, The Winemakers Table brought on a new Sous-Chef, Patrick Sauveur from France, who previously worked in Marseille at a Michelin-rated restaurant.
In addition to the new staff, other changes that have been implemented under the new ownership is a new kind of food style they classify as Creative European, allowing their chefs to add their own flare to the European cuisine that is served there nightly. The restaurant keeps a collection of California wines and is bringing more wines from Europe and around the world
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I have to say that each course was absolutely wonderful. Special honourable mention goes to the watermelon salad with dark cherry balsamic, herb pesto, tomato confit and carrot & orange foam. I fell head over heels in love with their cherry balsamic and became so inspired that I attempted to recreate this in my home. I found a recipe online and improvised using gourmet Amareno cherries from my favorite gourmet market and aged balsamic from The Ancient Olive which I reduced and drizzled over watermelon and also used on top of a pan seared duck breast that I made.
We were in for a really special treat when it came time for dessert; Jessica, the owner introduced a few special desserts from her own Swiss Brand: JesS Art Gâteaux made with European products. The new The Winemakers Table is doing a wonderful job at making guests feel welcome, pampered and fully satisfied. The restaurant serves only Prime meats and the freshest of ingredients. Positive responses are pouring in describing the restaurant as a gem with an ambience that is elegant yet relaxed, with delicious food, wine and attentive service. Monthly themed wine dinners are planned. For more information, check out their website and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
I know you are going to fall in love with the warm and friendly staff and the exquisitely prepared food as much as I have. When you do go, be sure to tell Jessica, Fernando and Chef Joshua hello from Denise from Savor Our City!
The Winemakers Table is open Tues – Sat 5pm – 11pm. They are located at 2875 S.Congress Ave “A” Delray Beach, Florida. Reservations: 561-501-4107
Until we eat (and drink) again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
The Winemaker’s Table
Hello Foodie Friends,
My birthday happened to fall on a Friday this year, the weekend of Passover and Easter and to get things kicked off, I decided to accept an invitation to dine at The Winemakers Table in Delray Beach. I had been hearing wonderful things about this place but just hadn’t been able to get there. That is until I met Tom and Michelle Ferraro, the brother and sister team who co-own this little treasure. I met Tom and Michelle purely by coincidence one evening while they happened to be on one of my weekly culinary tours in Royal Palm Place invited by their Merrill Lynch Financial Advisor.
Harvest Seasonal Grill Introduces Their New Spring Menu
Hello Foodie Friends,
It was this time last year that I wrote about Harvest Seasonal Grill and their opening in Delray the previous Fall. Since then, I’ve been back numerous times to enjoy the creative seasonally-inspired dishes of Executive Chef Bill Ring.
I was invited to dine as a guest of The Gab Group, the PR firm representing Harvest. I brought along my long time foodie friend and newcomer to the blogging scene Patrice from @ForkAndACork. We started off with our choice of cocktails. When I saw the rosé sangria was back on the menu, I immediately chose that for my selection. I’m not ordinarily a fan of rosé, but when Reba, Harvest’s Marketing & Events Manager, first introduced this Rosé Strawberry Rhubarb Sangria last year, it was love at first sip. The key is to make sure that the glass has lots of ice and is served super chill too! Patrice enjoyed her Red Mango Apricot Sangria very much as well.
Next, we decided on a couple apps: the Thai sesame beef lettuce wraps and the sweet pea & avocado toast. The Thai beef wraps were the star of the two for me.
For the entrées, we tried the cedar roasted salmon which was seasoned and cooked to perfection! We both really loved this dish and I also really enjoyed how Chef Bill prepared the side of veggies (squash, zucchini & carrots). The second entrée was not necessarily a new dish, but the Super Grain Bowl is now being presented in a new fashion and can be found under the “bowls” section. We chose chicken as our protein but you can select the protein of your choice. The dish, in our opinion, was a little dry and needed some more of the sauce that it came with. Once our server brought us over some more and we were able to incorporate it into each bite, it was quite yummy.
The signature tray of mini desserts was brought our way to tempt us. There were so many wonderful varieties to choose from and we chose the chocolate salted caramel mousse and the walnut fudge brownie. Both were soooooo good!!!!
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Be sure to check out my previous write up on Harvest Seasonal Grill to get a little more info on the restaurant.
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
PDF Foods Gourmet Tasting
Hello Foodie Friends,
I attended an industry event just before Thanksgiving and boy did I have a lot to be thankful for. First of all, I was introduced to several new gourmet products that I had never heard of and now don’t know how I could live without. The first one is the Only Original Alfredo Sauce. I met Russell, the owner of the company (formerly of Alfredo of Rome restaurant in NYC) who was there serving up tastings of his incredible sauce.
Check out this home video and see how easy peezy it was to make a super decadent dinner in no time at all!
For more info on these products, visit www.pdffoods.com
Until we eat again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
localgreens opens in Delray Beach
On Thursday evening I attended localgreen’s grand opening in Delray Beach. This new fast-casual spot was created by the Dave Magrogan Group, who also own the Harvest Seasonal Grill & Wine Bar (which is right next door to localgreens).
The interior design and decoration were simple yet artistic with a color scheme of green, white, and brown. An open concept layout gives customers the choice of indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant offers innovative ordering by customers using the touchscreen kiosk to order their meal. Something that I thought was super fun was the addition of a glass window around the kitchen area, so customers can watch food being prepared.
Immediately after arriving, I headed over to the juices from Juicee ( I am a sucker for cold pressed juices!). The three juices available at localgreens are: Green Lover, Shine, and Watermelon Kiss. My new personal favorite is Shine – a mix of cucumber, ginger, green apple, and pineapple. We all have heard about the health benefits of consuming ginger, but sometimes that spicy taste is hard to take back. This juice makes drinking ginger delicious, which means no more dreadful ginger shots (YAY).
Small portions of different selections from their salad and grain & noodle bowl menu were served, like the cobbocado, hummus tandoori, medicine man, mighty farro and hawaii mang-o ( I love the name choices). Though, I have to say the one that will be having me as a returning customer is the kale,caesar! salad which includes pecorino romano, lemon zest, and zucchini bread croutons. A customer has the option of adding protein options to their salads or grain & noodle bowls like tuna poke, chicken, or even tofu scramble for an additional price.
If you are more in the sweet tooth mood, localgreens offer power bowls with either an açaí or greek yogurt base. Additional power-ups can be added to the bowls to add a health boost like organic spirulina powder or organic matcha powder. I ended my night with a delicious homemade cherry popsicle (which in my opinion, is a great alternative for the Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Garcia). Local and seasonal flavors like coconut and blood orange are also available.
My experience at localgreens was a positive one, and I will be returning soon for my cold pressed Shine juice by Juicee and the kale, caesar! salad.
Story by guest blogger, Nicole Baker, Hospitality student at Lynn University
Boon’s Asian Bistro
Hello Foodie Friends,
Today’s feature is on Boon’s Asian Bistro in West Delray Beach, FL. (W. Atlantic Avenue and just east of the Turnpike) There is another Boon’s (related) in West Boca on 441, however, this one has a completely different menu. Boon’s Asian Bistro features cuisines from all over Asia, including Japan, China, Thailand and the Philippines.
Boon’s embodies Buddha’s philosophy to seek happiness through peaceful harmony with themselves and the environment. In this respect, they strive to provide sustainable, antibiotic & hormone-free food where guests’ complete satisfaction is their mission. They strive to be a place where even the unexpressed wishes or needs of their guests are fulfilled. Their pledge is to provide a dining atmosphere where guests will not only enjoy the highest quality of fresh, locally sourced foods from farms and artisans from around the world but provide a fun, relaxed environment where traditional dining norms are ignored and/or broken.
I was recently invited to dine as a guest of the restaurant during their soft opening. My companion and I had the opportunity to sample a nice cross section of the menu.
Tuna tartare with Casava Chips. This appetizer was very light and fresh and each component of the dish complemented each other. I especially loved using the Casava chips to scoop up each bite.
The Tom Kha Gai soup was outstanding. Full of flavor and mushrooms that have been cooked, as compared to most places that serve this dish with uncooked mushrooms. I believe the cooked mushrooms added another layer of depth and flavor.
Lobster roll. Most lobster rolls I have had contain battered & fried lobster inside the roll; this one utilized Maine lobster that had been poached in its shell and was very light. It was a lovely presentation, and I liked it, but it wasn’t a stand out item for me.
Tofu Tempura with a peanut dipping sauce. Nice and light.
I thought my favorite fish was Chilean Sea Bass until I met this beauty. May I introduce to you North Atlantic Black Cod. Have you ever had this fish? Well, it has now catapulted to first place in the category of my favorite fish dishes, thanks to Boon’s. I especially loved the glaze that coated the fish. Yummo!
The filet mignon was cooked to a perfect medium rare. It was wonderful.
The fried rice was excellent! I especially liked the grilled pineapple pieces that were included.
The Crispy Duck was seasoned and cooked to perfection!
This delicious dessert concoction is called the Buddha’s Candy ice cream sundae. It has all kinds of whimsical things thrown in for fun such as cotton candy, marshmallows and pop rocks.
Boon’s Asian Bistro Delray is located at 7959 W. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33446
Phone: (561) 501-6391 Website (still under construction) www.BoonsAsian.com.
Call for hours of operation. Grand Opening coming in June…
Until we eat again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
DISARONNO Day
Hello Foodie Friends,
DISARONNO turned the literal translation of amaretto ‘a little bitter’ into something sweet for amaretto enthusiasts in Delray in honor of National Amaretto Day, this past Wednesday, April 19th. DISARONNO, the original amaretto since 1525, hosted a self-guided bar tour in Delray for DISARONNO Day, which also happens to be National Amaretto Day. During the bar tour, revelers were able to enjoy cocktails such as the Italian Margarita, Bourbon Sour and DISARONNO Breeze.
Starting off at City Oyster at 5pm, DISARONNO Day participants were also able to visit Tramonti, 32 East, Luigi’s Coal Oven Pizza, and Buddha Sky Bar as part of the official tour. Guests were provided a DISARONNO Sour Jar in which they could enjoy the cocktails and take it home as a keepsake souvenir. In addition, guests were given a DISARONNO t-shirt.
I started off at one of my favorite places on “The Ave”, City Oyster & Sushi Bar where bartender extraordinaire Wayne Pasik poured me the Bourbon Sour to get this party started. Nice pucker to it. Off to a good start!
Next, I headed over to Tramonti where Timothy crafted the DISARRONO Breeze for me. This was made with DISARRONO of course and sour mix, Zonin Prosecco & Bitters. It was delicious!
Next up was 32 East. As I pulled up a seat at the bar, I could no sooner get out the words “DISARRONO” when the lively group of guys hanging out at the bar next to me blurted out “we would like to buy you that drink”. While I was flattered, I explained that I was participating in this tour and before I finished, they repeated their kind offer. Then it dawned on me, they were from DISARRONO. Dave, Ed, Matt and the rest of the gang were so much fun to hang out with.
Following 32 East, I made my way to Luigi’s Coal Fire Pizza. Here, bartender Ryan poured me an Italian Margarita. How fitting in an Italian restaurant. The drink was great and so was Ryan!
The final stop on this amaretto tasting tour was Buddha Sky Bar where Chrissy got real creative and made me an impromptu cocktail featuring DISARRONO. She came up with a Black Cherry Collins – made with DISARRONO, passion fruit puree, agave, a splash of grenadine and muddled blackberries and raspberries. I think this one my favorite creation of the night. Way to go Chrissy!
I want to thank the folks at DISARRONO for inviting me to participate in this cool bar tour. I think I see some synergy here with my culinary tours. Can’t wait to explore the possibilities of collaborating with them again.
Here are a few recipes of the signature DISARONNO cocktails that were featured on the tour. Enjoy and drink responsibly!
DISARONNO SOUR
2 parts DISARONNO
1 part fresh lemon juice
¼ part simple syrup
Fill a Disaronno Sour Jar with ice. Pour in Disaronno and then the fresh lemon juice. Add a teaspoon of sugar. Stir and garnish with lemon slice.
BOURBON SOUR
1 oz. DISARONNO
1 oz. Bourbon
1 oz. Lemon Juice
½ oz. Simple Syrup
Shake all ingredients with ice, and pour over a highball glass with ice and garnish with a lemon or orange slice
Until we eat (and drink) again…
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise
Harvest Seasonal Grill Introduces Seasonal, Locally Sourced Dishes
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