Ouzo Blue Greek Taverna
707 Lake Ave, Lake Worth, FL
Reviewed by Wayne Filowitz & Victoria Mason
When I was a kid I found a dollar bill in the street and I remember thinking, “Oh, it’s my lucky day!” I felt that way again a few nights ago when I was walking along Lake Avenue in Lake Worth FL, lost in thought not really paying attention to my surroundings, when I looked up and found myself outside newly opened Ouzo Blue.
I remember this building being another restaurant and to say the least, one that had good food. As I walked in I noticed a full house, including a belly dancer dancing on the bar. It looked like everyone was having a great time. I slipped through the crowed to find myself a little spot by the bar. Looking around I couldn’t help but notice people eating and drinking just having a darn good time; what a cool place! I thought it would be interesting to sit down and enjoy a dinner here but as it was 11:00 PM I promised myself I’ll come back another night for that.
About a week later I decided to mosey in to have that dinner I’d promised myself. It was about 5:30 when we arrived and the avenue was fairly quiet. We entered the restaurant and were promptly seated. It took mere seconds for Alex our waitress to arrive at our table to take our drink order. From the time she took that order till the time she came back, approx 2 minutes, we were asked by two other servers if we would like something to drink. It didn’t take much for me to realize that service was a priority at this establishment. This attention to patrons (all patrons) was prevalent throughout the entire evening.
Along with our drinks, some tasty, toasted pitas and Hummus was placed before us. Those of you who have read our reviews in past will know of the culinary challenges chefs are faced with due to V’s allergies. Because the Hummus served at Ouzo Blue contains lemon juice, Jim Mircel one of the owners of Ouzo Blue brought a serving of Tzatziki to our table; I suspect gremlins or leprechauns or perhaps faeries lurk in the shadows of this restaurant because that oh-so-delicious Tzatziki seemed to evaporate…I’m quite certain we didn’t ingest it that rapidly.
Again, those of you who are faithful readers/listeners know that Wayne is not at all a veggie lover…so imagine the look on his face when we are presented with ‘Fried Zucchini’ served with a side of ‘Skordalia’ (velvety mixture of garlic, potatoes and olive oil). Being the intrepid trooper that he is, Wayne tentatively speared a lightly battered zucchini disk, in preparation to taste. As he samples this dish a look of utter amazement creeps across his face, up to this moment in time he hadn’t realized that cooked vegetables other than corn and potatoes could be made palatable…oh a whole new world has just opened up to him! And that was just the zucchini itself, top it with the skordalia for flavor and texture combos that set your taste buds dancing.
We were next presented with my (Victoria) favorite dish, Spanakopita or Spinach Pie. I love…love…love Spanakopeta so when I see it on a menu I am sorely tempted to order it; not being very strong willed as far as food is concerned, I generally give in to that temptation. I have consumed this dish in several locations around Palm Beach County and this is, hands down, the best Spanakopeta I have had in the area thus far.
Keftedes are basically Greek meat balls. These large meat balls are char-broiled ground beef flavored in part with mint, parsley and garlic. These are generally served with either a lemon sauce or a tomato sauce which they left off in deference to V’s allergies. Wayne had some of the tomato sauce on the side and noted that mint is a common ingredient in both the meat balls and the sauce. These pieces of meat are delicious and in my opinion, do not need to be hidden beneath any sauce. (Although that statement could just be me being a little bitter because I can’t have the sauce that smelled so darn good; I still stand by the aforementioned statement though, the keftedes are good enough to stand on their own.)
We sampled the ‘Baby Back Ribs Ladoregano’, as well as a couple Kebabs - lamb and chicken. The kebabs are cooked to perfection, (lamb on the rare side of medium, chicken cooked through yet still moist), and served over rice with a tantalizing smoky flavor running throughout the dish. The ribs are super tender, virtually falling off the bone with a very distinct flavor. These ribs are unlike other ribs in that they wear something akin to a glaze with the flavors going all the way through rather than a heavy BBQ sauce sitting on top.
From speaking with Jim I have determined that Greek cuisine differs from what we know of as American, Italian, Chinese even French cuisine because rather than relying on heavy sauces AFTER the meat has been cooked, this style relies on marinating the raw meat to infuse flavors through the entire piece. Then when cooking, often the same flavor mixture that is used in the marinade is used to baste the meat. Everything we have sampled here tonight would support that theory.
We have now ingested a great deal of food; Alex has come to tempt us with dessert which sadly, we must refuse. I know technically we should taste at least one dessert to finish this review but we would really be doing Ouzo Blue and you a disservice if we did, for nothing tastes good on a full stomach. So we will save the dessert review for another day.
With a fun, friendly atmosphere, attention to service, entertainment, good food and tempting liquid libations such as: Grey Goose Zeus Juice, Spartan’s Last Stand, Chariots of the Gods, Hit the Deck – Bombs, Bloody Hercules to name a few, Ouzo Blue is definitely a destination location. My only concern is that evaporating Tzatziki…they need to look into that.
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Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar
224 Clematis St.
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
Reviewed by Victoria Mason
WRPBradio.com/RadioPalmBeach
Upon entering Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar I am struck (not literally thank goodness) by lighting fixtures running the length of the restaurant. These fixtures abstractly resemble star cluster formations…I suppose they would come to life if one were to indulge in copious quantities of the many quality Tequilas and other libations this establishment has to offer. I mention this because the lighting sets a playful, whimsical mood for the evening.
Have I ever mentioned that I like guacamole? Well let me just say this, I only thought I liked guacamole until I sampled it here; now I am a huge guacamole fan. Lets face it, any fruit (avocado) that has a high fat content can’t be all bad can it?
The folks are Rocco’s Tacos actually make guacamole, from scratch, to suit your tastes, right at your table! For me they left out the lime juice and the tomatoes. Some of you may be thinking ‘it’s not guacamole without those two ingredients’, but for me this was the best guacamole I had ever eaten AND I didn’t have hives or a trip to Emerg as a souvenir of this meal! Along with this lovely table-side prepared guacamole came the requisite tortilla chips. These are not your typical, run of the mill tortilla chips; they are of course made onsite and jazzed up with a zesty house spice blend.
While I am a guacamole fan, Wayne is more of a shrimp guy. For an appetizer he selected the ‘Camarones Patron’ - sautéed shrimp in tequila, chipotle butter sauce, scallions, tomatoes and nopales. We all know presentation is very important; this dish is presented in a diminutive pan accompanied by soft flour tortillas. Judging by the way these little crustaceans disappeared I have to say they were a big hit.
While we were gobbling our appetizers Rocco came out to tell us a little about himself and his restaurant. Rocco started life in the restaurant business bussing tables; that job was the first step on the path he now treads as the owner of Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar.
Now y’all might be thinking I’m a bit nuts for going to a restaurant with a high Mexican influence since I can’t enjoy tomatoes or any form of citrus without suffering mild to not so mild allergic reactions but I can’t help myself, I just love Mexican food. To keep me out of trouble as far as entrée options were concerned, Rocco sent out Robert Moody who happens to be the sous chef at this establishment. Robert went over the menu with me, point out all the dishes I could eat as they are, those that could be easily modified for me, and we both lamented those dishes that were off limits.
With the assistance of Robert, I chose ‘Pollo Al Carbon’ for my entrée. This consists of grilled chicken breast, garlic, cilantro, lime, red rice, black beans, plantains and handmade tortillas. They left out the lime and I couldn’t have the red rice, but that aside this entire dish was very tasty. The plantains were exceptional; caramelized to perfection allowing them to maintain their structural integrity but release the natural sugars…yum! Wayne opted for the ‘Durango’ which boasts a BBQ pork tostada, skirt steak taco and quesadilla con queso. Wayne also couldn’t resist a side order of ‘Cochinitas Achiote’ – a slow roasted pork filled taco.
Although the upbeat and pleasant staff tried to talk us into trying one of their tempting desserts, neither Wayne nor I could eat another mouthful. We also could not partake of their fully stocked bar.
Rocco’s Tacos and Tequila Bar officially opened just a few months ago, December 17, 2007 to be exact. Go ahead, treat yourself to a bowl of made-right-before-your-eyes guacamole, you can’t beat it! Rocco’s Tacos also boasts a fully stocked bar so if you are inclined to heat up your guacamole with extra hot peppers, you can indulge in your choice of liquid ‘fire extinguishers’.
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Ruth Chris Steakhouse
Cityplace, West Palm Beach, FL
Reviewed by Victoria Mason
WRPBradio/RadioPalmBeach
The evening was drippy and dreary but the sunny reception we received when walking into Ruth Chris Steakhouse quickly dispelled the vestiges of ickiness the inclement weather wrought. Since we were smart enough to make reservations we were promptly led to our table which was located on the third floor overlooking both levels of this lovely restaurant. That’s not the only view our table enjoyed though, we also had a birds-eye-view of the beautiful Kravis Center.
While we were perusing the menu, nibbling on warm bread and trying to pare down the options to something we may actually come close to being able to eat in one sitting (we didn’t succeed, but what a wonderful dilemma) Ryan Fuda, the manager on duty came over to welcome us and tell us a little about Ruth Chris Steak Houses. We learned that this particular Ruth Chris restaurant opened its doors a just over a month ago on December 17, 2007. We also learned that each Ruth Chris is unique in design, not a boring cookie cutter design restaurant. Soon Jessica our server arrived to take our appetizer order. We informed her of my allergies which she assured us the kitchen would accommodate (and since I am able to write this review in a timely manner, I can say with certainty that they did).
Remember I told you we were trying to pare down appetizers? Well here’s what this ‘pared down’ order entailed. Lobster Bisque, Sizzlin’ Blue Crab Cakes, Sizzlin’ Jumbo Scallops AND Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. Now I know that looks like a lot, and in reality it is a lot, but in our defense we are doing a review so we wanted to taste a lot of different flavors. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it! I don’t eat bisque as it often contains some sort of tomato product but Wayne found the Lobster Bisque to be tasty, and unlike many bisques I’ve seen, this one was redolent with actual chunks of lobster! Imagine that actual lobster in lobster bisque, what will they think of next? Sizzlin’ Jumbo Scallops, now this dish came extremely attractively plated. The tender scallops recline in a mouth-warming, slightly smokey pool of flavor, which is topped with a ‘hat’ of julienned vegetables.
Sizzlin’ Blue Crab Cakes are accompanied by lemon butter, but they did it without the lemon butter to accommodate my allergy, and again we were pleased to see large chunks of crab among the spicy ingredients of this delectable dish. Last but not least Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. These large mushrooms are filled with crab (no, really?) and Romano cheese, among other ingredients, to make this simple sounding appetizer rate head and shoulders above other similar sounding starters.
Guess what? We’re not done eating yet. For his entrée Wayne choose Ruth Chris’ Petit Filet with Lobster Tail, while I chose their Ribeye Steak with the optional Blue Cheese Crust. Sides are served ‘family style’; Jessica our happy, perky server suggested the Lyonese Potatoes as one, and since I happen to love broccoli and Wayne eats very few veggies anyhow, it was the Broccoli Au Gratin that caught my attention. The broccoli was everything I hoped it would be and more. The butter for Wayne’s lobster tail arrives at the table well ahead of the entrée. When it arrives at the table it is in solid form in a tiny chaffing type dish, which is heated from below by a tea light candle, melting the butter. The lemon is wrapped in muslin and tied with a ribbon to allow juicing without seeds. These folks think of everything to ensure freshness and make a dining experience pleasurable. As for my Blue Cheese Crusted Ribeye steak, lovely, soft, creamy blue cheese is melting slightly on an impressive piece of beef. It is obvious from the first bite that quality is always uppermost in the minds of those working with this food.
And again, we’re not finished yet! We just have to have dessert don’t we? What’s a review without dessert? Wayne chose Crème Brulee; this is usually topped with fresh berries but Wayne’s not much of a berry guy, so they did it without for him. If rolling eyes in delight means anything, the Crème Brulee was delicious. I opted for Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce. My first impression…WOW!!! This is oh-my-gosh good! This round mound of bread pudding teeming with raisins sits as an island surrounded by a sea of whiskey sauce. There was even a mint ‘tree’ garnish to complete the island look. Of course we had coffee with dessert; I chose regular coffee which was very tasty while Wayne opted for Ruth’s Coffee. Ruth’s coffee includes a little actual coffee blended with Frangelico, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Brandy, whipped cream and chocolate.
Having tasted much too much food tonight, it is my considered opinion that whatever the magicians in the kitchen touch turns to amazing cuisine. The food at Ruth Chris Steak House in Cityplace, West Palm Beach, FL will definitely please even the most discerning palate, the pleasant and friendly service makes the meal even more enjoyable.
Oh one more thing. I would like to issue a heartfelt thank you the gentleman who came to my aid with his umbrella when I left the restaurant. Chivalry is alive and well and apparently chooses to dine at Ruth Chris Steak Houses!
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Gol!
411 East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach Florida
Reviewed by Wayne Filowitz & Victoria Mason
Even before we walked through the door of this establishment we were welcomed by smiling staff. We were then given a choice to sit inside or dine on the patio. We chose to experience the interior ambiance and were escorted to a table in this upscale setting.
The restaurant is strategically set up in a circle with the salad bar roughly in the center which makes it convenient for every guest to venture up to sample the delicacies that the salad bar has to offer. Some of the salad bar offerings are: Vegetable Soup, Chicken Salad, creamy Potato Salad, Chicken Stroganoff, fresh bread…I could go on and on describing the delicious foods offered on the salad bar, and truth be told, an entire satisfying meal could be had right there, but that is far from the end of our meal, so I’ll move on.
After filling our plates at the salad bar we returned to our table to find a plate of homemade potato chips had been delivered. In addition to the chips a basket containing some of Gol’s specialty rolls which is Parmesan cheese baked inside petite rolls, had also appeared on our table, what a tasty surprise!
When we finished our salad the Gol dining experience really began. If you have never experienced this style of dining, let me give you some insight. Each diner has a coaster sized disk beside their plate. One side of this disk is red, the other side is green. The object is to turn the disk to green when your plate is empty and you wish food to appear on it. Gaucho waiters walk the restaurant with skewers of meat…beef, chicken, lamb, salmon, shrimp and more, the variety seems endless. When the waiters see the green side up, they stop at the table; explain what item is on the skewer they are carrying and if you wish some, they slice it off the skewer at your table for you. When your plate is full you can roll the disk to display the red side and the servers will leave you uninterrupted to enjoy your meal. At any time you can flip the disk to green, the severs will once again show up with food to temp your taste buds.
I must say the high quality of food is equally matched by the high quality of service for which this fine restaurant should take pride.
During our meal we were entertained by a talented musician who played and sang a variety of music styles to please the guests who ranged in age from 8 to 80.
A meal like this can only be matched by the unbelievable taste of our dessert choice, Crème Brule.
Over après dinner coffee we are reflecting about how delightful this dinning experience has been, from the entertainer at the entrance to the last spoonful of Crème Brule. Word to the wise though, do as we did and park at least a block away from the restaurant. For even if you take only the smallest portions of only what you desire most, you will be stuffed when you leave this place and will welcome a bit of exercise. As a matter of fact, for a brief moment I even contemplated walking all the way home to West Palm!
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Black Canyon Grill
12041 Southern Blvd. Royal Palm Beach, FL 33470
(561) 296-1147
Reviewed by Victoria Mason and Wayne Filowitz
A few days ago we were invited to a birthday celebration for our friend and host of The Power of You Show, Dean K. Piper. The celebration was being held at Black Canyon Grill. We were scheduled to see Makeover at the Cuillo Center that Saturday evening so of course we arrived late to the birthday party.
Stepping through the door at just a little past 11:00 pm our ears were met first by the musical stylings of Chad and Heather. Chad and Heather are a talented and versatile musical duo who have been performing around town together for several years; you may have even heard them right here on WRPBradio.com.
At any rate, we hadn’t eaten before going to the theater and lunch was just a distant memory so we decided since we were in a new-to-us restaurant, to peruse the menu and try a couple dishes. To make a long story short, we were told that they only had prime rib left (gee…ONLY prime rib left…what a disappointment…not!) so we settled on that. Although the meat itself was not overly hot (we learned a little while later that the kitchen actually closed at 10 that day) it was fork- tender and mouth wateringly delicious. The prime rib was accompanied by piping hot sweet potato fries whose sweet flavor was enhanced by a hint of cinnamon. We decided right then that if this establishment could come up with something this satisfying when the kitchen was essentially closed and the chef had gone home, we just had to come back to review when they were actually serving. And so we did.
Tuesday rolled around and we were once again off to Black Canyon Grill, located a scant 20 minute drive from the WRPRradio studio. We begin this epicurean adventure with Jumbo Buffalo Shrimp. Lightly coated, jumbo shrimp drizzled with homemade zangy buffalo sauce and accompanied by garlic dressing. As expected the shrimp are a little spicy but the chipotle garlic dressing has a sweetness that is a perfect foil to the heat.
Our attentive server Nathan noted our preferences and made suggestions. We also have an opportunity to speak with Andy Fox, the General Manager, who reveals the secret to the success of some of their signature dishes. For example, all of the steaks served at Black Canyon Grill are marinated for 2 days; that goes a long way with respect to explaining the tenderness and flavor throughout the meat. In addition all dressings, marinades, and desserts are made in-house so they know every quality ingredient involved.
In quick succession we are presented with Chimichurri Steak Salad, Kona Ribeye Steak, Kobe Beef Ribs and Rattle Snake Jambalaya. Our table was so loaded other diners were looking at us funny!
The Chimichurri Steak Salad is a beautiful thing to behold. Unlike any other steak salad I have ever seen, in this unique dish the skirt steak in essence becomes the bowl, with the vinaigrette tossed fresh greens inside, hidden beneath a crown of French fried onions. You really have to see this one to get the picture; one taste and you’ll be glad you ordered it.
Next I tried the Kona Ribeye Steak and I almost melted. This steak is marinated in pineapple juice, ginger, garlic and soy sauce. Remember these steaks are marinated for 2 days? Well, I must tell you with my first bite of this steak I thought, to heck with allergies I have my Benedryl, so enjoy, and I did! From the sweet, grill-mark-bearing round of pineapple perched atop to the glistening surface of the steak, it virtually shouted ‘eat me’, and who am I to argue? Even the pineapple had an amazing wood-smoky flavor.
Now while I was enjoying the Kona Ribeye Steak, Wayne was having his own little lovefest with the Kobe Beef Ribs. This was his initial contact with Kobe Beef anything so he had no preconceived notions or biases. As he was ripping through the ribs, he managed to take a break long enough to say that the meat on these beef ribs was comparable in tenderness to baby back ribs, now that’s unusual for beef ribs! The barbecue sauce is caramelized beautifully on the ribs to make them appear tempting and the meat is indeed falling-off-the-bone tender. By the look on Wayne’s face, I have to believe that these Kobe Beef Ribs taste at least every bit as good as they look.
I know it appears as though I should be full already, but I tried to control myself and not eat the entire Kona Steak. And although I was quite certain I would not find anything quite as satisfying as the steak, there was another dish on the table that required tasting. There was a steaming bowl full of Rattle Snake Jambalaya just waiting for me to dip my fork. Imagine my surprise when I put the first mouthful of this dish into my mouth only to have my taste buds virtually sing the hallelujah chorus! A mound of white rice sits in the middle of the bowl completely surrounded by blackened shrimp, andouille sausage, and pulled chicken; all laying in the most amazing spicy ‘gravy’ type sauce. These components combine to make one outstanding dish. Much to my shock and surprise I have been won over by the Rattle Snake Jambalaya; among the feast put before us this evening, the Jambalaya is my favorite entrée.
I am certain I have neglected to mention something…now what was it? Oh, I remember now; I forgot to mention the extremely generous portion size. I can’t imagine anyone walking away from a meal at Black Canyon Grill still hungry, it would be virtually impossible unless they had a bottomless pit for a stomach.
Black Canyon Grill has a whole host of side dishes from which to choose including roasted garlic mashed potatoes, blue cheese cole slaw, creamed spinach, loaded baked potato, smokehouse baked beans, baked macaroni and cheese and more. They also offer draft and bottle beers, wine and mixed drinks too…and don’t forget dessert.
By now we have tasted everything that was brought to our table, and we have a bunch of to-go boxes filled with that which we could not finish and now we linger over coffee. General Manager Andy Fox comes up to our table with a plate on which rests a HUGE portion of Carrot Cake, one of my all time favorite desserts. We did not order this, but he said it was made in-house and he just couldn’t let us leave without trying it. I have eaten Carrot Cake throughout many states in this country and in Canada also, but this house-made cake was by far superior in every way! This Carrot Cake is laden with nuts, raisins and fruit and is topped with the traditional cream cheese icing, which also is made in-house. I have to confess, if I were crazy and nothing else I had eaten would bring me back, which is not the case (everything was marvelous), this cake alone will have me coming back.
Note: 10.18.08 Guess what. We were at the Cuillo Theatre again tonight, this time to see Amy Steinberg’s show. After the show we were a bit hungry. We were with another couple and unlike our very first visit to Black Canyon Grill, we had indeed had a pre-show dinner this time, but that didn’t negate the urge for an after theatre sweet. From down town West Palm Beach we heard the Carrot Cake calling! Yes, we did drive out to Royal Palm, to Black Canyon to get our just desserts! (And it was delicious!)
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Skorpio’s II
6685-B Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL 33467
Reviewed by Victoria Mason
WRPBradio
Hungry? Looking for something ready to eat quickly that doesn’t come in a bun? Well have I got a solution for you!
Skorpio’s II, located in the Shoppes of Lake Worth, 6685-B Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, FL offer extraordinary Greek food at affordable prices. Skorpios II has an intimate informal dining area but does do a brisk take-out business as well.
The restaurant was crowded but luck was on our side this evening and a table was available so we chose to dine in. We started the meal with a glass of Greek white wine and an order of Tsatsiki Sauce with pita bread. The pita bread itself is delicious; lightly spiced and served warm. Now top that with delectable Tsatsiki Sauce and it was love at first bite.
When thinking where to go for dinner this evening the deciding question was, “How about Gyro’s?” This question of course was promptly answered with, “Perfect!” Now that I was perusing the menu, and having noshed on the Tsatsiki/Pita combo, everything was looking mighty tempting and the Gyro that I had initially had in mind turned into the Chicken Athenian Dinner and Wayne opted for the Chicken Shish ke-bab
Dinner.
Both of these dinners come with a salad and soup. The choice of soup is Lemon Chicken Soup or Lentil Soup. Due to allergies I could have neither, but Wayne had the Lentil Soup and I must say it smelled absolutely fantastic. These soups are made in-house daily. I did enjoy my salad which was topped with black olives and Feta cheese.
Back to the entrees. Chicken Shish Ke-Bab Dinner consists of chunks of white chicken breast, onion and peppers which are charcoal grilled and served on skewers over rice. This dish is as pleasant to look at as it is to eat. The Athenian Dinner is a spinach and feta stuffed chicken breast which is then baked and served with a creamy spinach sauce. Both of these dishes are served with rice pilaf and a vegetable. They left the vegetable off my plate as it contained tomatoes thanks to Bobby, our attentive, friendly and observant server. I must take a moment to say that the rice pilaf is fabulous. Truth be told, I am not a rice fanatic. For some unknown reason rice in many forms causes me pain, thus I avoid it most of the time, but this rice caused me no pain whatsoever, entirely the opposite as a matter of fact, this rice is a delicious treat that I now know I can enjoy on a more frequent basis.
At this point I am forced to resort to a take-away box for approximately half of my dinner. I behaved and did not stuff myself to the point of discomfort, really, I was good. So what happened? Well… Bobby came around asking if we would like Rice Pudding or Koudimbedies for desert…“It comes with the meal, you know”. Ok, those are two magic words for me. I know I said above rice causes me pain in many forms; Rice Pudding in not one of those forms, I absolutely love Rice Pudding, and this version was yummy and hit the spot. Wayne opted for the Koudimbedies. Oh, you don’t know what Koudimbedies are? Koudimbedies are almond cookies with white sugar, they are light and delicious.
If you haven’t been to Skorpios II you’re missing a great meal at a reasonable price. Give Skorpios II a try, you won’t regret it.
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Norman’s
The Ritz Carlton Orlando,Grand Lakes
4012 Central Florida Parkway
Orlando, FL 32837
Reviewed by Victoria Mason
Chef Norman Van Aken spent a couple decades bouncing between Florida and Illinois (with an Hawaiian detour thrown in for good measure), collecting local flavors and honing his culinary skills. And hone them he did, for Norman introduces to us what he calls “New World Cuisine” which melds the essences of Latin, Caribbean, Asian, African and American flavors on one menu, sometimes seemingly in one dish, to create a truly unique gastronomic delight. In 1995 Mr. Van Aken was struck by a new vision; he relocated to Coral Gabels, Florida and opened the doors to Normans, a 160-seat restaurant that in a few short years needed to expand to encompass the space next door. In August 2004 this chef opened a second Norman’s located at the Ritz-Carlton in Orlando; it is the Orlando Norman’s of which this review speaks.
Upon being seated we are approached by Pietro Giardini. Pietro introduces himself and informs us he is Norman’s sommelier. He then tells us a little about the wines offered by this restaurant; that he handpicks them, that if we are interested he will choose a wine for us that goes with each course etc. But alas, after the initial glass of sparkling wine we absolutely must refuse this service for I will remember nothing of this meal for this review if I indulge too greedily in the nectar of the grape.
Undaunted Pietro gives us the choice of ordering from the menu or having the kitchen prepare a tasting selection. Here’s where we have to inform Pietro that I have some food allergies that make tasting ‘off the menu’ dished hazardous to my health and what happens? He says, “That’s no problem, we can accommodate you”. He then proceeds to point out the dishes on the menu that are not adaptable at all, like the Ceviche dishes, as citrus is an integral part of those recipes, and steers me toward those dishes I can enjoy with impunity.
From the Tapas Plates portion of the menu I opted for the Chilled Charred Beef. Acute attention to detail is evident everywhere in this attractively presented dish. The bite sized pieces of beef are topped by a blossom of pickled radish and tosaka seaweed which add a sweet and salty mix to the smoky beef flavor. Wayne chose the Tofu De La Casa Ceviche which includes red miso, edamame and Japanese citrus. The tofu is soft and creamy and infused with the citrus flavor, the edamame maintained its own flavor while not overpowering the other flavors in the dish. Both of these dishes are certain to perk up even the most sluggish palate in preparedness for the delights to come.
On to First Plates! Wayne’s pick was the Tortilla Soup. This soup includes molasses chicken, masa crisp and adobo crema. The presentation was perfect and the meld of flavors gives this dish its spicy, yet not too hot, taste. I was adventurous and chose the “Fire & Ice” New York State Foie Gras. This dish is served two ways. The ‘fire’ portion is served hot, ‘caramel poached’, the ‘ice’ part is served cold, ‘pickled and sliced’ and topped with crispy capers. This is generally served with Kumquat Jam which they left off the plate in deference to my allergies, and Warm Ginger Bread. What can I say about this…hmmm let me see. All aspects of this dish are delicious; it was first the aroma of the Ginger Bread that piqued my senses drawing my full attention to my plate, but I was totally bowled over by the pickled foie gras. This complex dish is a fascinating expedition into sensory overload and well worth the trip. Oh, I almost forgot, as difficult as this may be to believe, I waited until after I had sampled both foie gras to try that warm slice of Ginger Bread that was sitting so decorously on my plate. I am forced to give this the highest compliment I can give any baked good, and that is that it is better than any I have ever made…I guess I’m going to have to work on my gingerbread making skills now. As we are enjoying our First Plates, Clay Miller the Chef de Cuisine arrives at our table. We discuss the dishes we had tried, the restaurant in general, the meticulous staff, the ambiance, the pickled foie gras (I was enthralled), Norman Van Aken and what, in his opinion, we should still try.
I must take a moment to note that all personnel in this establishment display perfect manners. Not only did the sommelier Pietro, and our server Gary, go to the trouble to learn our names but they also remembered them and actually addressed us by name throughout the meal, how refreshing!
By this time we have been wined and dined and dined and dined. We are no longer even in the least little bit hungry but we are reviewing so we must get a firm grip on our napkins and continue. In all honesty it is exactly this type of cuisine that makes this job worthwhile, even if I have to diet for a month because of just one meal. We did however make a pact with the kitchen to deliver to us ‘tasting’ plates rather than full meals, and we begged them to make one tasting plate which we would share between us for each dish yet to try…well…we tried! Valiantly we stagger on to the Main Plates section of the menu.
The main ingredient diversity makes choice extremely difficult but with assistance from the knowledgeable staff we finally narrow down the entrée selections. First up, North Atlantic Skate with Brussels Sprout and Pork Cheek Hash, ‘Ham Jam” and Red Wine Bacon Jus. Alas, the kitchen had run out of Skate but being the creative geniuses they are they said they could substitute Pompano for the Skate. Okay, here I’m going to show my fish ignorance, I thought skate was a thing worn on a foot and Pompano was a town in south Florida, but what do I know. I’ll tell you what I know; I know this dish was fabulous! Footwear and towns aside, anyone who can make brussel sprouts eatable is a magician to me and these folks did. With a bacon crown this entrée sparks every sense without any one flavor dominating or overpowering any of the others.
Next we had Buttered Roasted Chicken with Savory Corn Pudding, White Beans and Black Olives. Now that description is deceptive to say the least, it doesn’t come close to doing this dish justice. This chicken is extremely moist and tender, the corn pudding adds texture as well as flavor of course, but also an interesting eye appeal due to its shape. If you wish to know more regarding this, go to Norman’s and order the Buttered Roasted Chicken, you won’t be sorry. The white beans are served as a flawlessly spiced puree and the black olives referred to above actually come in the form of a tapenade which adds an enjoyable salty element to this dish.
Are we done yet? No, one last irresistible entrée was placed before us. Grilled Rib Eye of Beef served with Trumpet Royales, Cheddar Fingerling Potatoes and Malbec Essence. This plate is truly a feast for the eyes. From the cheesy, garlicky cheddar fingerling potatoes in one corner to the tawny onion marmalade in another this dish is a work of art. The center cut rib eye, which has virtually no fat, is fork tender, seasoned superbly and cooked to perfection. And yet it is not this delectable beef that is the highlight of this dish for me, although it is marvelous. The star of the Grilled Rib Eye of Beef sits alone in one corner of the plate. It is the Onion marmalade. This savory concoction is made with Spanish Onions, that’s all I know about it, other than that its flavor is out of this world good! Many years ago I was in the preserving business and the occasional customer would ask us if we’d ever heard of Onion Marmalade, perhaps they had run across this creation in a different setting. I hadn’t encountered it then and didn’t give much thought to it as far as working up a recipe to add to our already abundant line. Pity! Have I forgotten anything? Oh yes, the Malbec Essence, what is that? Well if I have to take a guess, and that is exactly what I must do, I would say it is wine used in the making of this dish since Malbec is a black, thin skinned wine grape.
We’re almost done. I am thinking a cup of coffee would be a nice end to this epicurean repast when Gary appears tableside behind a cheese ladened cart. Upon said cart are at least 3 types of Blue Cheese alone, as well as Camembert, Gaparone and others I can’t remember or spell. I have an admission to make, I love cheese! I had spied the cart earlier in the evening when it appeared at a table near us, so I kept that in mind when tasting the earlier plates. I tried to say no to Gary and the cheese, really I did, but it wasn’t meant to be and I ended up with 3 samplings of these dairy delights on my plate. Camembert has always been one of my favorites, so that was one choice, I tried the Gaparone as Gary said it was wonderful, and he was right. For my third choice I just let Gary surprise me, it too was tasty but I didn’t get the name, so I guess I’ll have to go back to Normans again to try the cheese…all in the name of research of course.
Since I had the cheese I skipped coffee. Wayne on the other hand not only opted for coffee, he had cappuccino AND Orange Scented Crème Brulee for dessert. The orange flavor in the Crème Brulee is quite strong which I suppose is only fitting here in Florida. The cappuccino and Crème Brulee both came with chocolate biscotti. Now I am not a biscotti fan, but there were 2 chocolaty, nutty cookies just sitting on the plate looking at me, daring me to taste them…so I did, and much to my surprise the biscotti was delicious! Can you guess why? They’re made in house that’s why! Gary told us that everything is made in house…imagine, not cutting corners to save a few bucks but providing top notch, quality food and quality service delivered by a knowledgeable staff…sounds like a winning combo to me.
Ok so Wayne ate an entire Crème Brulee and cappuccino and I was good and didn’t have dessert…well…until two little truffle type chocolates confections appeared as if by magic on the table. One of them found its way into my hand and soon disappeared and it was worth every calorie too. Now I know this looks like a great deal of food, and it is, but in our defense we were enjoying the ambiance of this restaurant for approximately 3 hours.
If the proof is in the pudding and the truth is in the details believe this, for awesome attentive service, a fantastic food feast and decadent deserts, Normans is a must experience for the discerning diner.
You can find more info about Normans at www.normans.com
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Editors Note: Reluctant reviewer Victoria Mason occasionally has something to share.
Editors Note: Mr. Filowitz is neither a,cook or even a restaurant owner and with an axe to grind; he has no agenda other than to bring to you, our dear readers, his honest and clearly written opinion of the experience he had.
