taste review
PASS THE CHOPSTICKS: (Clockwise from above) Spider Roll; garden; dining room; Cantonese Black Cod; (Below) Char Sui Pork Ramen
PALM BEACH PERFECTION
The Breakers’ Echo Wows With Asian Fare And Winning Presentation BY JULIE KAY
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t may be several blocks away from The Breakers Palm Beach, but Echo is owned by the world-famous resort – and it shows. One of the more popular restaurants on the island, Echo offers up uniquely flavored Asian dishes in a lush, stylish ambience. Enjoyed by hotel guests and locals alike, the eatery is so popular that, even on a weeknight off-season, it was hopping, with diners
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packing the outdoor area. Those who prefer to dine indoors can lounge in the comfort of pillow-strewn banquettes, surrounded by red lacquer walls, hanging paper lanterns and bamboo shoots in vases. The Dragonfly bar extends across one end of the restaurant, offering up fun cocktails such as the Mango Margarita, featuring 140-year-old Herradura tequila, fresh mango puree
T H E B O C A R AT O N O B S E R V E R
and fresh lime juice, infused with a touch of simple syrup. The dishes are divided into categories like wind (“small plates to start your journey”), water (“fruits of the sea”), earth (“goodness from the land”) and sushi and sashimi. For starters, we enjoyed Echo’s sushi rolls, served with elegant silver chopsticks. You can try one of the traditional rolls, like the California or Tuna, or be more adventurous and dive into one of the specialty rolls, like the Palm Beach – a California roll topped with baked spicy conch or shrimp. Another exceptional starter is the Dim Sum Sampler
For Two, featuring lobster rangoon, chicken shumai, pan-fried pork pot stickers and shrimp dumplings. Like everything else here, the presentation wowed, including a little bowl with two sauces in the center in a yin-yang design. Moving onto the main course, the Miso Sea Bass, with stir-fried vegetables and bonito flakes, was so tender you could eat it with
where Echo Palm Beach is located at 230 Sunrise Ave., Palm Beach. For more information, call 561-802-4222 or visit echopalmbeach.com.
a spoon. The Kalbi Wagyu Flatiron Steak was perfectly juicy, served with kimchee fried rice and flavored with Korean-style bulgogi marinade, comprising soy, sugar, garlic and sesame oil. A big bowl of Echo Fried Rice came peppered with diced barbecue pork, shrimp and egg and made the perfect side dish. For dessert, don’t pass up the towering Chocolate Chip Mousse. The aweinspiring dish resembles a meringue volcano studded with chocolate chips. But the best part is the spoonful of heavenly Bailey’s-infused whipped cream on the side, which could be a decadent dish unto itself. O