dining
guide
review
xxxxxxxxx
Nyy steak
OGara Bissell PhOtOGraPhy
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, 5550 N.W. 40th St., Coconut Creek, 954/977-6700
specials with unusual skill and aplomb. The cozy dining room is a welcome respite from the outside world, and service is at a level not always seen in local eateries. Pay attention to the daily specials, especially if it includes impeccably done langostini oreganata and the restaurant’s signature jumbo shrimp saltimbocca. • Dinner daily. 561/393-6715. $$$
truluck’s—351 Plaza Real. Seafood. This
A
n oversized black-and-white tioned colossal options (shrimp cocktail photograph of Babe Ruth greets and stuffed barbecue shrimp) hint at the diners entering the main room at mega-side dishes (from baby beets and NYY Steak, the upscale New York Yankeescreamed spinach to lobster mac-n-cheese themed restaurant inside Seminole Casiand garlic mashed potatoes) and feature no Coconut Creek. As gatekeepers go, the presentations to come. Bambino, in all his larger-than-life splenThe signature USDA Prime steaks, dor, is a most appropriate selection—and dry-aged for 21 days, range from 12- and for reasons beyond the obvious. 20-ounce New York strips to a 26-ounce After all, one glimpse at a menu that long-bone cowboy rib-eye that looks like can’t even describe appetizers without it should be hanging off the side of Fred trotting out the word “colossal,” and it’s Flintstone’s car. On a recent visit, the clear that NYY Steak can satisfy even the smaller rib-eye was cooked to perfecmost Ruthian appetite. tion—tasty, juicy, properly This is the second peppered and with miniIF YOU GO such outpost; the mal char. original is at Yankee Seafood specialties inPrIce ranGe: Stadium. But don’t let clude South African cold Entreés $30–$69 the baseball connecwater lobster tails, whole credIt cards: tion mislead you. Yes, Maine lobster, grilled ahi Visa, MasterCard, there are touches that tuna with jumbo lump American Express speak to the Yanks and crab meat salsa, and sautheir 27 World Series téed sea bass with wild HOUrs: Sun., Mon., titles—framed photos, mushroom risotto. Don’t Thurs. 5–10 p.m.; Fri.– a backlit wall of player miss the Alaskan king crab, Sat. 5–11 p.m. (Legends autographs, plates a sweet and succulent enLounge open until 2 a.m.) shaped like infield diatrée on its own or as a $25 monds. However, this surf-to-turf complement. isn’t a gussied-up sports bar pretending to If humanly possible, save room for be something that it’s not. dessert—more over-the-top creations fit It’s a comfortable, smartly designed for the Sultan of Swing (and four of his space with an open kitchen that’s friends). Not one couple that we observed wrapped in a lighter steak-house chic, as could finish their sweet treat. But it’s opposed to the traditional heavy, dimly lit worth the try, especially the NYY Steak 151 ambience. Better still, neither the sounds Volcano—vanilla bean ice cream covered nor the smoke emanating from the casino with crumbled Heath Bar and torched filter into the restaurant. tableside with a shot of rum. The menu may not be for the faint of It’s yet another hit for a restaurant wallet, however it does swing for the fencthat lights up the scoreboard as it chales from the minute diners step into the lenges for the title of top steak house in batter’s box. Seared sea scallops the size of the region. —KevIn KaMInSKI on-deck circles, along with the aforemen-
146
[ bocamag.com ]
stylish and sophisticated Mizner Park restaurant applies the steak house formula of classy, clubby ambience, formal service and an extensive wine list to seafood from across the nation, generally with success. Crab is the specialty here and there are myriad versions—stone, Dungeness, Alaskan, soft-shell and more. Crispy soft-shells stuffed with crab and andouille are very good, if served without a drizzle of ketchup-y sauce on top. • Dinner nightly. 561/391-0755. $$$
uncle julio’s—449 Plaza Real, Mizner Park. Mexican. Taking Tex-Mex cuisine gently upscale with better-quality ingredients and more skillful preparation, this colorful eatery offers more than the usual suspects. You can get frog’s legs and quail, as well as beef and chicken fajitas, and one of the only palatable tamales around. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/300-3530. $ uncle tai’s—5250 Town Center Circle. Chinese. In an area with more cookie-cutter Chinese restaurants than cookies, Uncle Tai’s stands out for the elegance of its decor, the professionalism of its service and its careful preparation of familiar and less-familiar dishes. The “specialties” section of the menu has exciting dishes, like the Hunan vegetable pie, finely minced veggies sandwiched between sheets of crispy bean curd skin, and Hunan-style lamb, whose seared and succulent meat shows off the kitchen’s skill in the use of wok qi. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/368-8806. $$$ villagio italian eatery—344 Plaza Real. Italian. The classic Italian comfort food at this Mizner Park establishment is served with flair and great attention to detail. The reasonably priced menu—with generous portions—includes all your favorites (veal Parmesan, Caesar salad) and some outstanding seafood dishes (Maine lobster with shrimp, mussels and clams on linguine). There is a full wine list and ample people-watching given the prime outdoor seating. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561-447-2257. $$
vino—114 N.E. Second St. Wine Bar/Italian. An impressive wine list of some 250 bottles may/june 2013