Renato’s Barbara Walters
The crowd: Iconic Palm Beachers, locals, media magnates, hotel guests and dignitaries alike. Among the regulars: Barbara Walters, Iris and Carl Apfel, Steve and Christine Schwarzman, David and Kathy Obolensky and Rose Sachs, who previously owned the Via [Mizner] for 50 years— years she’s 102 years old and was one of Renato’s first clients.
RESTAURANT: MICHAEL PRICE
The scene: A hidden gem located a stone’s throw away from Worth Avenue, nestled along the Via Mizner. It has an Italian country feel to it, with beautiful Pecky Cypress leading up to a Bougainvillea-lined terrace. “Renato’s is kind of a magical place; as you walk in, you don’t really see what you’re going to find until you step through the doors and peek around the corner and see the outside terrace,” says maître d’ Brad Stapleton. Pick of the menu: Start with the Granchio Soffice Fritto (crispy soft shell crab); next order any of the housemade pastas, like the Pappardelle con Vitello e Funghi, featuring a veal and wild mushroom ragu, or the Risotto all'Aragosta (lobster and crab risotto). Finish with the Crème Brulee.
And to drink? A classic martini or Cosmopolitan. For wine, Tuscan reds, in between Chiantis, Vanillas and the super Tuscans, and California Chardonnay. If this dish were removed, there would be an uproar: The Costoletta di Vitello (the veal chop).
man at this point in my life!” So when a flash cloudburst hits and the tropical showers roll in, it takes him around three minutes to completely redesign the terrace—[the staff] picks up tables and moves them into the exterior rooms, leaving their loyal clientele’s mouths agape.
Key ingredient: “Extra virgin olive oil. Everybody needs extra virgin olive oil!” adds Stapleton. Rat pack moment: The restaurant hosted an after-performance party, dinner and cocktails for Frank Sinatra the last time he played at Raymond F. Kravis Center of The Performing Arts in the 1990s. Renato’s “Rain Shuffle”: Due to the high demand of outdoor seating, Stapleton, who's been the frontman for 26 years, says, “If I wasn’t a maître d’, I’d probably be a weather-
Iris Apfel
Stephen and Christine Schwarzman
87 Via Mizner 561.655.9752 renatospalmbeach.com
JANUARY 2014 • AVENUE MAGAZINE | 61