BOCA’S OWN POP SUPERSTAR ON HER METEORIC RISE
Everyone’s talking about Akoya Boca West! Siemens Group is pleased to announce the Grand Opening of the Akoya Sales Gallery located within the Sports Complex at Boca West – the Nation’s #1 Private Residential Country Club. Construction is slated to begin in the fall of 2014, and with only 120 luxury residences available Akoya has become the talk of the town. Undeniably pampered, buyers can immediately take advantage of the club membership and start enjoying the fortuitous lifestyle reserved for a privileged few. Visit the Akoya Sales Gallery today and find out first hand what all the buzz is about. Price starting at $1,150,000. The Most Highly Anticipated Real Estate Offering To Hit Boca Raton in Two Decades!
Four Championship GolF Courses • award-winninG Clubhouse • sports and aquatiCs Center world-Class spa and tennis • Fitness and aerobiCs • six dininG Venues
OR ARCHITECT, OR AS MAY BE REQUIRED BY LAW.
26 Mail
Readers comment on articles in recent issues of Boca Raton.
28 Editor’s
As evidenced by our signature feature in the July/August issue, our city has plenty to celebrate when Boca is at its best. by kevin kaminski
31 HoMEtown
Celebrate the people, places and events that give our community its identity— including a physician treating children with arthritis, the dean of nursing at FAU, the family behind a local gelato institution and our county’s comic book king. by kevin kaminski, marie speed and john thomason
41 sHop talk
Accessorizing gets technical with the arrival of more and more wearable gadgetry, we pay lip service to a category of pampering products, and a Boca native dishes on the latest trends in activewear. by stefanie cainto
July/August 2014 vol. 34, no. 4 96
Make a splash when it comes to summer fitness with a variety of exercises perfect for a day at the beach—and, while you’re at it, don’t forget to stay hydrated. by lisette hilton
Don’t let drab decor put a damper on your shower spaces. by brad mee
62
Meet a local businesswoman who keeps her clients on Cloud 10, a longtime lecturer and “edutainer” who brings her discussions to life, and a former heavyweight boxing contender who pulls no punches regarding his past and future. by kevin kaminski and john thomason
One year after her first album debuted atop the Billboard charts, Boca’s Ariana Grande is poised to take her place among the biggest acts in pop music. In this exclusive interview with Boca Raton, the superstar dishes on life in the spotlight and her upcoming second album. by kevin kaminski
Our A&E editor breaks down the hottest summer events—and talks dance with two local champions of the discipline. by john thomason
Don’t leave home without it—our comprehensive guide to the best restaurants in South Florida, including new reviews of Twenty Twenty in Boca and El Camino in Delray Beach. reviews by bill citara
165
You might just see some familiar faces in our snapshots from talked-about social events in and around Boca Raton. by stefanie cainto
70
The author struggles with the loss of a four-wheeled friend that provided miles and miles of wonderful memories. by marie speed
It’s the kind of medical procedure that no one wants to have—but it’s also a preventive measure that can save your life. by john shuff
119
Check out these bonus items unique to bocamag.com, related to stories in the July/August issue of Boca Raton or pertaining to events in our area:
CITY WATCH: Boca Raton is proud to be the only South Florida magazine covering major local and county issues on a weekly basis—thanks to the addition of Randy Schultz and his “City Watch” blog. The longtime editor of the editorial pages at the Palm Beach Post—and a resident of Boca—brings four decades of journalism experience to his new role as our community watchdog. Catch his blogs every Tuesday and Thursday.
SUMMER GETAWAYS: In addition to the statewide deals featured in this issue’s travel story (page 108), check out bocamag. com for more destinations offering discounted summer specials
BOCA AFTER DARK: Our local queen of the night, Shaina Wizov, is giving readers the lowdown on watering holes throughout Boca and Delray—from trendy cocktail spots and dive bars to hidden neighborhood gems. Catch her latest review every other Wednesday under the “Dining” link.
PUTTING THE GLOVES DOWN: We have more on the fascinating journey of Jameel McCline (page 62), the former heavyweight boxing contender who is embarking on the next chapter of his life right here in our own backyard.
ULTIMATE DINING RESOURCE: The online version of Boca Raton’s award-winning dining guide—the only one in South Florida compiled using original reviews—breaks down the restaurant scene from Palm Beach Gardens to Miami.
Boca Raton’s awardwinning video team covers the hottest South Florida events, catches up with celebrities that make local appearances and gives you behind-the-scenes glimpses into stories that appear in our magazine. Click on our “Videos” link for all the action.
Don’t miss Boca Raton on everything from Facebook (facebook. com/bocamag) to Google+ (google.com/+bocamag.com) and Pinterest (pinterest.com/bocamag) for community news, insider tips, beauty trends, fashion inspiration—and even chances to win prizes. Follow us on Twitter (@bocamag) for restaurant and retail updates, as well as fashion events.
Seven Bridges in Boca/Delray Beach offers the ultimate in luxury living with gorgeous estate homes, incredible amenities, a lavish clubhouse and worldclass tennis facilities by Florida’s top homebuilder, GL Homes. Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to get in on the ground floor and be the first to take advantage of pre-construction pricing at GL Homes’ next great luxury community. Seven Bridges is located on Lyons Rd. between Clint Moore Rd. and Atlantic Ave. in Delray Beach. (561) 509-5400
6PM,
Alina, I battled with weight gain when I came home for the summer from college last year—my sweet tooth went into overdrive at my parents’ house. Any advice for this frustrated sophomore in Boca?
I’m the first to admit that cutting out sugar and sweet foods isn’t fun. Even when I learned how damaging processed sugars are, I was still resentful about giving them up.
Fast-forward four years, and here I am— enjoying all the desserts that I love.
How is that possible? The key to having your cake and eating it too is in the ingredients, or as I like to call them—foods that love you back. Just like you don’t want to have a relationship with a person who abuses you, why would you want to have a relationship with food that makes you feel bad afterward?
To find out if the dessert is good for you, ask yourself the following questions:
[1] Can I read and understand every ingredient on the label? It’s crucial to read labels. Even if a product is labeled “all natural,” you may discover otherwise once you read the ingredients. Not all sweets are created equal, and conventional ones often can be full of ingredients that aren’t even considered “food.”
As a rule of thumb, if you can’t pronounce the ingredient, think twice about putting it in your body. Your health is too important; don’t give in to your sweet tooth. Choose food that loves you back.
[2] Are there any other benefits to this food besides sweetness? Choose food that gives you the biggest bang for your nutritional buck. Get sweets that have antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and enzymes that are naturally found in unprocessed and unheated foods. Keep in mind that when food is heated over 115 degrees, enzymes and vitamins can die. Anything that is considered “raw vegan” still has those nutrients intact and is a better choice than processed.
1 1/2 cups gluten-free oats
1 1/2 cups organic puffed rice cereal
3 tablespoons Coconut Secrets syrup
3 to 4 Medjool dates
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
1/4 cup dry sour cherries
PrePArAtion: Place oats and puffed rice in blender and grind to make flour. Transfer flour into food processor and blend well with coconut syrup, dates, coconut oil, vanilla and salt. When well combined, put in bowl and mix with rest of ingredients by hand. Make into cookie dough shape and enjoy.
/bocamag
abouT THE gREEN goDDEss Alina Z., aka “The Green Goddess,” is a certified holistic health coach, detox specialist and raw-food chef (she conducts occasional classes at Whole Foods in Boca). Visit Alina’s website at alinaz.com, or follow her on Facebook (facebook.com/ CoutureFood) or Twitter (@CoutureFood). The Green Goddess blog runs every other Wednesday at bocamag.com
STAy ConneCTed To The CommuniTy WiTh our TeAm oF BloGGerS:
A&E: John Thomason takes readers inside the arts with concert, exhibition and movie reviews, cultural news and special profiles every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Shop: Discover upcoming trunk shows, store openings, money-saving tips and fashion trends Tuesday through Thursday with Stefanie Cainto
hEAlth & BEAuty: Lisette Hilton delivers local news from the worlds of exercise and medicine every Wednesday in her “Fit Life” blog.
Community: Randy Schultz brings a reporter’s eye to Boca and beyond every Tuesday and Thursday with his “City Watch” blog; and our in-house team keeps you on top of local events and happenings.
Dining: Bill Citara breaks down the tri-county restaurant scene—from new reviews and dining news to kitchen gossip and restaurant closings—every Monday, Tuesday and Friday. Also, on alternating Wednesdays, our “Boca After Dark” blogger, Shaina Wizov, checks out the local nightlife scene, and “The Green Goddess” dishes on healthy eating.
From our Fresh oFF-the-boat seaFood to our wide array oF hand-craFted cocktails, everything about boca landing is Fresh, Fun and totally boca. enjoy the area’s only on-the-water dining experience at boca landing – contemporary dining with a decidedly local twist. The Waterstone Resort & Marina – a Doubletree by Hilton – is a brand new boutique hotel offering chic, modern décor and luxurious appointments. Featuring two new restaurants, stunning event space and easy beach access, Waterstone Resort & Marina is the all-new way to experience all the fun Boca has to offer. For more information, visit waterstoneboca.com.
Rick Owens Li LL ies
Raque L aLL eg R a He L mut Lang
ORtO m a R se LL
Ped RO g a R cia
deborahjames_brm0714.indd
“Before you and your staff from Boca Nursing Services started taking care of Helen and I, we existed; now we are living again! Thank you, Rose.”
ROYAL PALM PLACe BOca RatOn 561-367-9600
LAS OLAS Ft. LaudeRdaLe 954-524-2585
www.DeborahJames.com
Rose Glamoclija, R.N. Owner and Administrator
342 E. Palmetto Park Rd., Suites 1 & 2 Boca Raton, FL 33432 (561) 347-7566 Fax (561) 347-7567
Royal Poinciana Way, Suite 322-B Palm Beach, FL 33480 (561) 833-3430 Fax (561) 833-3460
group editor-in-chief marie speed editor kevin kaminski
assistant editor john thomason web editor stefanie cainto
senior art director lori pierino
assistant art director nancy kumpulainen
photographers aaron bristol eduardo schneider
production manager adrienne mayer
production assistant jordyn brenner
contributing writers lisette hilton
john shuff
contributing photographers cristina morgado, scot zimmerman
editorial/video interns gabrielle doraisamy, michelle ferrand kelsey howard, taryn tacher
video production david shuff
food editor bill citara home editor brad mee
group advertising director tim schwab
senior advertising consultants georgette evans rebecca valenza
advertising consultants rachel almeida, karen jacaruso bruce klein, camille vandendriessche
1000 Clint Moore Road, #103
Boca Raton, FL 33487
561/997-8683 (phone), 561/997-8909 (fax) www.bocamag.com magazine@bocamag.com (general queries) kevin@bocamag.com (editorial)
Boca Raton magazine is published seven times a year by JES Publishing. The contents of Boca Raton magazine are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the expressed written consent of the publisher. Boca Raton magazine accepts no responsibility for the return of unsolicited manuscripts and/or photographs and assumes no liability for products or services advertised herein. Boca Raton magazine reserves the right to edit, rewrite or refuse material and is not responsible for products. Please refer to corporate masthead. the [only] boca raton magazine
president/publisher margaret mary shuff
group editor-in-chief marie speed controller jeanne greenberg circulation director david brooks subscription services david shuff
JES Publishing produces the following magazines: Boca Raton • Delray Beach • Mizner’s Dream • Worth Avenue • Boca Raton Chamber Annual • Salt Lake • Utah Bride and Groom • Utah Style & Design • The Canyons • Salt Lake Visitors’ Guide
Florida Magazine association
2013 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best overall online presence (Boca Raton) best department (Boca Raton) silver award
best overall magazine (Boca Raton) best column (Boca Raton)
bronze award
best online video (Boca Raton)
2012 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best overall magazine (Boca Raton)
best feature (Delray Beach)
best photographic essay (Boca Raton)
silver award
best overall online presence (Boca Raton) best use of photography (Boca Raton)
bronze award
best in-depth reporting (Boca Raton)
2011 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best new magazine (Delray Beach) best custom publication (Worth Avenue) bronze award
best overall magazine (Boca Raton)
2010 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best overall magazine (Boca Raton) best overall design (Boca Raton)
2009 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best overall magazine (Boca Raton)
best overall design (Boca Raton)
best feature (Boca Raton)
2008 charlie awards
charlie award (first place)
best overall magazine (Boca Raton)
best feature (Boca Raton)
best single, original B&W photo (Boca Raton)
[ directory ]
Boca Raton magazine is published seven times a year, with February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, November and December/January issues. If you have any questions or comments regarding our magazine, call us at 561/997-8683. We’d love to hear from you.
[ subscription, copy purchasing and distribution ]
For any changes or questions regarding your subscription or to purchase back issues, call subscription services at 855/276-4395. To inquire about distribution points, ask for circulation director David Brooks at 877/553-5363.
[ advertising resources ]
Take advantage of Boca Raton magazine’s prime advertising space—put your ad dollars to work in the premier publication of South Florida. For more information, contact group advertising director Tim Schwab (tim@ bocamag.com).
[ custom publishing ]
Create a magazine tailored to fit the needs and character of your business/organization. Ideal for promotions, special events, introduction of new services, etc. Contact Marie Speed (editor@bocamag.com).
[ story queries ]
Boca Raton magazine values the concerns and interests of our readers. Please submit story queries by e-mail to Kevin Kaminski (kevin@bocamag.com). Due to the large volume of pitches, the editor may not respond to all queries.
[ web queries ]
Submit information regarding our website and online calendar to Stefanie Cainto (stefanie@bocamag.com).
[ letters ]
Your thoughts and comments are important to us. All letters to the editor may be edited for style, grammar and length. Send letters to the address listed below, or to Kevin Kaminski (kevin@bocamag.com).
Letter to the Editor
Boca Raton magazine
1000 Clint Moore Road, #103 Boca Raton, FL 33487
[ arts & entertainment ]
Where to go, what to do and see throughout South Florida. Please submit information regarding galas, art openings, plays, readings, concerts, dance or other performances to A&E editor John Thomason (john.thomason@bocamag. com). Deadline for entries in an upcoming A&E section is three months before publication.
[ dining guide ]
Our independent reviews of restaurants in Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade counties. A fine, reliable resource for residents and tourists. For more information, contact Marie Speed or Kevin Kaminski.
[ people ]
A photo collage of social gatherings and events in Boca Raton and South Florida. All photos submitted should be identified and accompanied by a brief description of the event (who, what, where, when). E-mail images to people@bocamag.com.
[ directory ]
We appreciate your business, and we want you to get the most from your subscription. This customer guide will help you contact us for all your subscription needs.
[ first issue ]
Your first issue will be mailed four-to-six weeks after receipt of your order. Subsequent issues will arrive every other month and monthly in November and February.
[ missing or late issues ]
Once in a while, production, transportation or the postal service may delay delivery. If you don’t get an issue, or if your magazine is repeatedly late, please call and report your problem to our subscription department at 855/276-4395, or send an e-mail to: subscriptions@ bocamag.com.
[ if you have questions about your invoice ... ]
If you have already paid your bill and then receive a new bill, here’s what you should do:
1. If you have paid your bill within the past four weeks, ignore the new invoice. (The computer simply has not given your account credit quickly enough.)
2. It’s most likely that your payment and our notice just crossed in the mail; check the date on the notice to see when we mailed it.
3. If you get another bill or renewal notice, call our subscription department at 855/276-4395, or send an e-mail to subscriptions@bocamag.com, and we will straighten out the problem.
[ change of address ]
permanent: If you are changing your address, send us your complete old address, complete new address, including ZIP code, and the effective date of the change. You can also leave us a message with your old and new address by calling 855/276-4395. You can also change your address online at bocamag.com.
temporary or seasonal: Please send us your complete permanent address, your complete temporary address and the dates that you want your issues forwarded.
[ back issues ]
If you are interested in purchasing any back issues, please call 877/553-5363, ext. 222, indicating the issue date you would like. The cost of each issue including shipping and handling is $9.95.
[ gift subscriptions ]
You’ll find a subscription to Boca Raton magazine makes a thoughtful and useful gift that lasts throughout the year. If you’d like more information about giving a gift subscription, please call our subscription department at 855/276-4395.
[ online subscriptions ]
Receive additional savings by subscribing online. Visit bocamag.com for more information.
[ for any of the above services, please contact our subscriptions services department ] Call TOLL FREE: 855/276-4395
E-mail: subscriptions@bocamag.com
Write: Boca Raton magazine
Subscription Department
1000 Clint Moore Road, #103
Boca Raton, FL 33487
As Boca Raton was producing the July/August issue, our community was stunned by the news that Steve Brown had died at age 58. In addition to being the driving force behind one of Boca’s bedrock businesses, Brown’s Interior Design, Brown had been a true ambassador for the city, as well as a longtime supporter of our publication. After attending his memorial service, “My Turn” columnist John Shuff posted the following blog at bocamag.com.
[April 9] was a sad day for Boca Raton as we said goodbye to one of its outstanding residents, Steve Brown. The 58-year-old was hit by a motorist while riding his bike and died instantly. Loss can never be measured—but love and admiration can.
Steve built a very successful furniture and design operation, Brown’s Interior Design, which has been in Boca for the last 30 years. He was committed to organizations that were part of the backbone of this community, like The Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County and
Florence Fuller Child Development Centers.
The 90-minute service at Temple Beth El commemorating his life was full of grieving family and friends who recounted the memories of a man who meant so much to them and to Boca Raton. Steve always had time for everyone, and his sense of humor was magnetic. He was one of those people who was fully engaged; you could see it in the way he treated people or held a conversation with you. He was the kind of man who made you feel that you were the most important person in the room.
The Temple’s senior rabbi, Dan Levin, summed it up when he quoted a passage from E. E. Cummings: “I carry your heart with me. I carry it in my heart.” Steve’s last act was before a standing-room-only audience. His life’s story was told by loving family and friends to people who sat in silence and disbelief at this tragedy. I don’t fully understand how God works, why vital people who are so important to their families, businesses and community are suddenly taken away from us. I know he asks us to know him, love him and serve him—and then move
on. The bar that Steve set for all of us by his actions was very high, but in his death, we all are invigorated by the life that preceded it.
The closing of Red the Steakhouse in Boca—and the subsequent blog post (March 21) by food editor Bill Citara—prompted readers to take sides on bocamag.com regarding whether or not the exit was deserved.
Red cannot compare to New York Prime, which is in a location 100 times more obscure with [onetenth of] the traffic count. The bottom line is that the Red folks thought that just because they were successful in [South Beach] they would magically [do the same] in Boca. You cannot succeed in Boca without top management, marketing and quality control. This tells me the Red [South Beach] location was an accident driven by density and overflow. … The fact of the matter is that if you want to ensure a concept works in [South Beach] make it work first in Boca.
Glenn Gromann
I disagree, Glenn. … I ate there six or seven times and found the quality, food and service exemplary. There was a great deal of hands-on guidance and management from their very successful ownership team out of Cleveland, so I don’t think that contribution to a successful restaurant opening here in Boca was the cause of their downfall. I think the location was very much an issue, especially the mismatch with the adjacent hotel. … They are a very high-end operation, and that makes for a tough go in Boca—where millionaires line up at the door only if they have their discount Groupon certificates in hand.
Panjjj
First of all, I’d like to thank [John Thomason] for coming to see “Chess” and supporting Slow Burn Theatre! Thank you also for taking the time to write about it. I can hear the genuine anguish in your voice having to review it in an unfavorable light [March 26, A&E blog]. It is apparent to anyone who reads your reviews that
you are full of insight and sensitivity. As a cast member of “Chess,” I can say you hit the proverbial nail on the head in recognizing the shedding of blood, sweat and tears in this production. I can vouch for many members of the creative team in saying that we are well aware that “Chess” isn’t everyone’s cup of tea! Its rock-style, lack of book, “cold” tone, and potentially outdated feel are likely not favorable factors for the more traditional theater-goer. I have always respected any review or casual feedback that I’ve received along my journey. Opinions are what make humans think and what make artists discover anew. So, again, thank you.
I do, however, know how voraciously South Floridians read reviews and therefore feel compelled to speak a bit from behind the scenes of this particular production. This has been my first time working with Slow Burn Theatre, and I can honestly say that I have never, in 20 years, experienced the raw passion and attention to detail that this company invests. Our creative team spent hours blending
sound … and even purchased new equipment to make “Chess” as special as possible. The feedback (pun intended) that all of us have received thus far is how incredible the sound has been. So, I feel compelled to apologize that this wasn’t your experience! … As a performer, I’ve never heard a better onstage blend, so perhaps we were all just so excited!
Additionally, I want to reply to your comment regarding “Brennan running out of energy towards the end of opening night.” Well, you were spot on—although, it’s a scriptural indication for the character of Florence, as well as several choices I made as an actress. I thank you for pointing it out; perhaps I will explore other ways of creating Florence’s exhaustion by the insane whirlwind of defeat and betrayal she has just experienced. You were dead on though!
I write with respect and gratitude that, although your opinions may not have [favored] our work, you still took the time to write them down. I think that is incredibly valid and vital. Amy bocamag.com
by kevin kaminski ]
Lizzie Sider had just performed for more than 800 elementary school students at an assembly in California, part of a three-state, 250-plus-date tour that the Boca-based country singer started late last year. Afterward, a young girl, inspired by the anti-bullying message on Sider’s hit single “Butterfly,” insisted on presenting her with a beautiful rhinestone bracelet.
Though deeply touched, Sider wasn’t certain that she should accept such a generous gift, so she spoke to the school principal about the girl. The bracelet, it turned out, had special meaning to the student, who had been abandoned as a child. One of her favorite foster parents had given it to her—and now she wanted Sider to have it.
The principal asked the young girl why. “Because Lizzie taught me to be myself again,” she said.
“I can’t even put into words what it means to be able to touch someone like that,” Sider says.
If you haven’t heard of Lizzie Sider yet, give it time. She just turned 16, and if the heartwarming feedback from elementary- and middleschool students on her website is any indication, she is striking a major chord with her music and her message.
Four years ago, another Boca teen, fresh off her Broadway debut in the musical “13,” also was starting to connect with youngsters all over the country—via the small screen. As Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon TV show “Victorious,” then 17-year-old Ariana Grande played a supporting role as the sweet but somewhat naïve student at Hollywood Arts High School.
It just goes to show that life doesn’t always imitate art. Grande may be as sweet as ever, but there’s nothing naïve about the course she is charting. At 21 (as of June 26), Grande is in complete control of a soaring career that, over the past year, has positioned her star in the same stratosphere as some of the biggest names in pop music.
In May, the first single (“Problem”) from her second album— slated for release in late August or early September—blew up the Billboard Hot 100, snagging 438,000 downloads in one week and making Grande the youngest female performer to ever debut a song with more than 400,000 downloads.
It remains to be seen whether Lizzie Sider becomes the country version of Ariana Grande, but, regardless, both remain shining examples of Boca at its best.
It’s with that sentiment in mind that Boca Raton decided to re-introduce one of the most popular features in its own storied history—The Best of Boca. Over the course of 22 pages (starting on page 74), we celebrate the community for everything from its culinary prowess to its artistic and philanthropic excellence. Along the way, we’ll introduce you to people like Sider, homegrown talent making headlines in and around Boca for all the right reasons.
Of course, when it comes to making headlines, Ariana Grande is in a league of her own these days. For that reason alone, it wasn’t easy landing an interview with the young woman who earned a standing ovation from Lady Gaga at last November’s American Music Awards. We’re thrilled and honored that Grande ultimately made time for her hometown magazine; turn to page 70 for our exclusive interview.
Have a great summer—and enjoy this blockbuster issue.
Breast
Breast Augmentation
Breast Lift
Breast Liposuction
Breast Reconstruction
Breast Reduction
Breast Asymmetry
Body Contouring
Abdominoplasty
Arm Contouring
Buttock Lift
Cellulaze
Exilis Therapy
Liposuction
Medial Thigh Lift
Smartlipo
Thigh Contouring
Total Lower Body Lift
FaCe & n eCk Botox
Exilis Therapy
Eyelid Lift Facelift
Fraxel Re:pair Laser Resurfacing
Juvéderm
NEW! Juvéderm Voluma™ XC
Laser Lift w/ Precision Tx
Neck Contouring Sculptra Ulthera
s kin Care & Laser Center
Elite MPX Laser
Exilis Therapy
IPL Photofacials
Laser Hair Removal
Laser Vein Removal
Sapphire Three Photofacial Sclerotherapy
SkinMedica Peels
SkinMedica Products Ulthera
Children with arthritis find a local champion in Steven Goodman.
Steven Goodman has a soft spot for what happens to be only a small part of his medical practice—kids with rheumatic diseases, like arthritis. He’s been a partner at Arthritis Associates of South Florida in Delray Beach for the past 19 years, a practice that largely serves adults. But roughly 20 percent of his patients are children.
“About one in 1,000 children will develop arthritis,” he says. “Rheumatic diseases are one of the most common diseases of childhood—much more common than diabetes or cystic fibrosis.” He says arthritis, which most people do not associate with children, is an autoimmune disease “where your own body is attacking you.”
“Kids deserve good care, and I love that I can offer them help,” he says, acknowledging that this specialty, most often relegated to teaching hospitals, is rarely offered in the private practice sector of the community.
His goodwill includes an annual weeklong summer stay at Camp Boggy
Creek in Eustis, Fla., where “Dr. Steve” treats children with debilitating conditions who are enjoying a precious week of “being normal kids.”
“To see 150 kids, all with chronic diseases, in a room together just having fun is the most amazing experience,” Goodman says. “This summer will be my 19th. I think I’m the longest physician volunteer that they’ve had. And I’m going to keep going back. It’s my favorite week of the year.”
Goodman says the camp experience has made him a better physician. (“Being able to observe my patients and other kids in an active environment outside of the exam room is every insightful.”) And he says the work makes him feel good. Most of all, Goodman says, the work has made him a better parent; he says he treats all his patients like they were his own kids.
If he had one wish for them, it would be simple.
“I wish we had a cure,” he says. “Then I could find another job.”
—MARIE SPEED
What’s the buzz around town? These numbers tell part of the story for July and August.
311
$55
Gentlemen, start your grills! The annual Boca Burger Battle at Sanborn Square (July 12) promises heated competition in more ways than one. Top chefs representing local restaurants—including Morton’s The Steakhouse, the reigning “People’s Choice” for Best Boca Burger—will look to impress the judges with beef, turkey, fish and veggie patties. For the price of a general admission ticket, attendees can sample the fare, sip craft brews and enjoy live entertainment. Visit bocaburgerbattle.com for more information.
No it’s not the number to a call center related to government services. It’s the alt-rock band making a summer tour stop at sunset cove amphitheater (12551 Glades Road) on July 26—one of two noteworthy shows coming to the west Boca venue over the next few months, along with Slightly Stoopid on Aug. 16. Visit ticketmaster.com
Eight community leaders— four men, four women—have been training all summer in the hopes of putting their best feet forward at Boca’s Ballroom Battle (Aug. 16). The “Dancing With The Stars”-like competition at the Boca Raton Resort & Club, benefiting the George Snow Scholarship Fund, has emerged as one of the city’s most popular charity events. Visit ballroombattle.com or call 561/347-6799.
$149
For a birthday experience unlike any other, pay the sick puppies this amount and let the Boca-based improv comedy troupe create a show tailored to the man (or woman) of the hour. The talented cast collects preliminary information about the person and then incorporates a 15-minute segment of improvised material about him or her into one of its regular shows. Catch the Puppies at Showtime Theatre at Royal Palm Place on July 19. Visit sickpuppiescomedy.com for more info.
3
In addition to offering a $7 all-you-can-bowl deal from 9 p.m. to closing, StrikeS@ Boca keeps it classy (and affordable) on Thursday nights with $3.50 drinks featuring three olives, the “London vodka.” (21046 Commercial Trail). Call 561/368-2177 for details.
30+
Expect at least this many unique fundraising events in August as the local business community pairs with area nonprofits for Boca chamBer Festival Days, the brainchild of the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce. Go to bocachamber.com for details.
Marlaine Smith was a nurse even before she could collect a paycheck. From age 14 through high school, the Pittsburgh native volunteered as a candy striper at her local hospital, delivering patients drinks and snacks from room to room, assisting nurses on basic tasks and reading to children in the pediatric ward. “I was able to see what nurses did, and I fell in love with it,” she says.
Smith later became a first-generation college graduate, eventually earning a Ph.D. in nursing from New York University. A nurse educator since 1976, Smith spent 18 years at the University of Colorado at Denver’s School of Nursing, during which time she learned about a pioneering college in Boca.
“I came to visit in the late ’80s as an evaluator on a research study here,” she says, referring to Florida Atlantic University’s award-winning College of Nursing. “I thought, to have a program that is so dedicated to this concept of caring is really unique.”
In 2006, Smith started at FAU’s Christine E. Lynn College of Nursing as an associate dean. She rose to dean in 2011, joining what is in many ways the envy of the nursing-education world. (One of its central offshoots, the Louis and Anne Green Memory and Wellness Center, is looking to be emulated in Toronto.) From her third-floor office at FAU’s $20 million, feng shui-styled nursing college—the first South Florida building to receive LEED Gold certification for its “green” design—Smith discusses the principles that continue to make FAU’s nursing college unique.
John ThomaSon
■ [our college is] unique in that we really focus on the inside of the nurse—who that person is. If caring is important in nursing, you can’t just say, ‘Care!’ You have to help them develop that within themselves, and you have to help give them the knowledge of what that is. For us, caring is a science. We learn about how to care.
■ as far as other hallmarks of nursing, I think intelligence, a thirst for knowledge, a curiosity, and a dedication to the profession and the discipline—continuously learning as you’re engaged in your practice of nursing. You have to want to make a difference in people’s lives, whatever they’re experiencing.
■ most people think about nurses as working in hospitals. But we’re seeing this movement now of nurses in the community, in a variety of roles. Nurse practitioners work in clinics and school settings. [They] can be involved in transitional care—from hospital to nursing home, or from hospital to home. There are people called nurse coaches who are working to help people stay well or manage a chronic condition like diabetes.
■ hospice nurses are very special people. If you’re a hospice nurse, you have to be able to bring that compassion and understanding about death and dying to the patient and also to the family. I think nurses choose their setting based on where their heart is and what resonates with them. You can work in so many different areas that could fit with your personality.
After having used Biolase laser technology since she opened her office in Boca Raton, Dr. Saadia has invested in the latest technology for her patients. The iPlus laser allows her to treat most of her little patients who have cavities with no shots. The laser also allows her to help gently “wiggle” teeth out rather than the old fashioned pulling.
What are the benefits of iPlus laser dentistry?
• Since, in most cases, there are no needles or any numbness, kids will not chew their lips or tongue upon leaving the office and can eat right away.
• The laser’s pinpoint accuracy allows the dentist to leave as much healthy tooth as possible, when removing tooth decay.
• The laser performs numerous soft tissue (gum) procedures with little or no bleeding and no need for sutures.
• Soft tissue healing after laser surgery is faster than surgery done with traditional scalpel blades or elector surgery. iPlus laser uses only light and water to cut, so surgical sites heal very quickly and with minimal or no bleeding.
What can be done in the dental office with iPlus laser?
• iPlus Laser results in the very conservative removal of decay resulting minimally invasive cavity preparations.
• iPlus Laser is very efficient at gum re-contouring (gingivectomy) procedures, especially during and after orthodontics (braces).
• iPlus Laser is ideal for relieving a child who is tongue-tied. Where the tongue cannot move normally because it is held by too short of a fibrous cord of a tissue in the floor of the mouth.
• iPlus Laser can relieve painful canker sores with guaranteed accelerated healing.
First female Board Certified Pediatric Dentist in Boca Raton
Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
Member of the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry
Member of College of Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry
9250 Glades Rd., Suite 212 Boca Raton
561-477-3535 • pbpdcares.com
As if the three-dozen gelato flavors alone weren’t enough to tempt customers, Sonny’S Gelato Café (2151 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/3620447) never misses an opportunity to add a little eye candy. Ladyfinger cookies jut out from the divine “Tiramisu.” Marshmallows stud the “S’Mores Mix.” And circles of lime dot the top of its “Key Lime Pie.”
The Ben & Jerry’s-like inspiration of its various dessert toppings isn’t the only similarity to ice cream that regular diners at this burnt sienna building will appreciate. The gelati even tastes like your favorite Häagen-Dazs, accomplished through healthier means: skim milk, all-natural ingredients and no more than 7 percent butterfat.
Sonny’s has been dishing this frozen Italian delicacy and much more since 2002, but a lot has changed since then. This past January, original owner Sonny Lombardo sold the business to Jake Posternak, former manager of the Roundabout Diner and Lounge in Portsmouth, N.H., and his grandfather, Noel.
“My grandfather lives down here nine months out of the year,” Jake says. “I came from Maine, and we were looking to open a frozen yogurt franchise together. We saw that Sonny’s was for sale, tried it and loved it. It had such a great customer base, and we thought we could take the food to the next level.”
To that end, the Posternaks eschewed Sonny’s roster of subs and some of its appetizers, and brought in American comfort food—burgers, chicken fingers, irresistible beer-battered pickles—to join its selections of Italian panini, pasta and pastries. They also spruced up the decor (inside and out) and began opening for breakfast.
Otherwise, the peerless quality of Sonny’s gelato remains the same. And the Old World ambience still lingers, especially on Wednesday nights, when troves of Italians flood the tiki torch-lit patio, conversing in their native tongue, while an accordion player and a 98-year-old singer belt out romantic classics from 8:30 to 10:30. Now that’s amore.
—John Thomason
Mark Gallo’s got issues. Lots of them. Here are a few of his musings and recommendations on comic books then and now.
Most valuable titles he’s sold:
“We’ve sold comics for over $100,000. We’ve had copies of Detective Comics No. 27, which is the first Batman appearance, and Action Comics No. 1, which is the first Superman appearance.”
Best-selling titles at the store: From Marvel, Superior SpiderMan. From DC, Batman. From an independent, The Walking Dead
Best adult graphic novel: Watchmen. “That book was considered revolutionary.”
Best illustrator: Jim Lee (Batman, X-Men, Superman Unchained, Justice League)
Best movie based on a comic book: The original Batman (1989)
Most underrated series: East of West, from Image Comics
Most overrated series: X-Men
owner, PasT PresenT FuTure
For more than 30 years, Past Present Future has anchored a West Palm Beach strip mall near the airport with a one-word storefront: COMICS, emblazoned in bold yellow. For much of its history, the shop—a former country-western clothier whose rustic atmosphere can still be detected among all the color—sold just that, specializing in rare Golden Age and Silver Age issues and all the new releases.
These days, comic books constitute about 40 percent of sales, with the rest taken up by action figures, Tshirts, posters and especially tabletop strategy games with such grandiose names as Utopia, Talisman and Phoenicia—the modern carriers of the D&D torch. The store even sells imported Asian energy drinks and candy to satisfy the Japanophiles who flock to the store for their mangas and Yu-Gi-Oh! trading cards.
Original owner Jerry Woods opened the store in 1982. Teenager Mark Gallo became an early customer, visiting Past Present Future in hopes of completing his favorite series, Superman’s Pal Jimmy Olsen. (He did.) Gallo joined the store’s staff as a high schooler; in 1991 he purchased the franchise, which has opened offshoots in Davie and Lauderhill. Past Present Future once had locations in Boca Raton and Boynton Beach—Gallo estimates there were as many as 12 to 15 different comic book stores in the county during the mid-1990s—but they went the way of dinosaurs and Borders.
These days, the shop still offers some 50 to 75 new comic books each week and is a trove of vintage curiosities. But beyond their functions as places of business, the Past Present Future stores offer a commune for like-minded people—mostly in the 18-to-40-year-old demographic—who gather for epic gaming tournaments or to listen to special guests, including, most famously, Dave Prowse, the original Darth Vader, who entertained hundreds at the West Palm Beach store back in the early 1990s.
Gallo discusses the past and present of Past Present Future with Boca Raton
■ When [Jerry Woods] first opened the store, there was a very small role-playing portion of his business, but it was 90 percent comics. As the owner of the store, you’re trying to gauge whether something has legs.
We even sold Beanie Babies in the 1990s. Purists would say, “You guys are … selling out because you’re carrying Beanie Babies.” And I’m like, “I’m running a business!”
■ The business ebbs and flows. When the Batman movies came out in the late ’80s, the business exploded. Then it calmed down, and then there was the speculation market in the ’90s, where people thought they would retire buying comic books. So people were buying comics for the [wrong] reasons. Then those people got burnt out. The stores that could make money during the good times couldn’t make money during the poor times, because they just couldn’t adapt.
■ For me, not having a steady paycheck, [it] was one of those things where I just had to make this work, because it’s important to me.
■ We’ve had subscribers for 20 or 30 years. We have people in their 50s and 60s who have been coming here since their 20s and 30s.
■ When I was buying comics, they cost a quarter. The price point went up [Marvel comics today cost as much as $3.99] … [but] now, the circulation numbers are historically low. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, the print runs were in excess of 7 million. Now there’s no book over 100,000.
■ I drive to all three stores almost every day, moving product, keeping my eye on things and trying to figure out which store has potential. This store [in West Palm Beach] has been a staple. … It’s an ever-evolving business. It’s so specialized, which I guess in a weird way saves it from the bookstore market.
■ I believe it is a community clubhouse, so to speak, for people [who don’t have] mainstream likes. This store has [led to people] getting married, meeting each other, a lot of friendships … sometimes 50 of us will go to see a new Marvel movie. You’re not running a typical store. It’s a non-judging type of place where people can feel comfortable doing what they do.
John Thomason
Workout clothes are wardrobe staples thanks to the increasing popularity of specialty fitness classes like CrossFit and hot yoga. Learn to look good while you sweat with advice (page 46) from the local resident who brought the European brand Body Action (pictured) to the U.S. last year.
visit bocamag.com.
Early this year, the Council of Fashion Designers of America announced a partnership with Intel, connecting more than 400 fashion designers to the tech industry. Since then, word on the street is that the fashion world is taking wearable technology seriously. Stay on top of the tech trend with the following pieces.
Crafted from aircraft-quality aluminum, shine is a waterproof physical activity tracker that attaches with a clip or in combination with a sport band or necklace. Set physical activity goals, and watch as a halo of lights around the device indicates how close you are to reaching them. ($119.95 for tracker, sport band and clasp; store.misfitwearables.com)
2. Dress for DisTress
A call for help is as simple as a push of a button, thanks to cuffLinc, a small, wireless device that can be tucked into any of the Cuff wearable jewelry pieces. Squeeze the Cuff piece, and an alert is sent to the people on your selected network, along with your location. (Pictured: The Mia, $150, http://shop.cuff.io)
3. seeing is BeLieving
Ask google glass for directions, to translate a phrase, or to take a photo and/or video of what you’re looking at, and it will—all without you lifting a finger. Given the company’s partnership with Ray-Ban and Oakley designer Luxottica, expect the device to become even
4. keeP The rays aT Bay
Just because the sun is hiding behind the clouds doesn’t mean you’re safe from UV rays. Protect yourself from skin aging and sunburn with JUne. The device, which can be worn as a bracelet or brooch, syncs with your phone to track real-time UV ray intensity and tell you when it’s time to reapply sunscreen. ($99, netatmo.com)
5. sPinaL TaP
Every time Lumo Lift detects a curvature in your spine, it sends a little buzz, reminding you to stop slouching. Worn on the chest, the device also tracks the number of steps you’ve taken, calories you’ve burned and amount of time spent with good posture. Attach it to the inside of your shirt with one of 10 clasp designs. ($99, lumobodytech.com)
6. ring iT aLL UP
Lose the remote. Soon, you may be controlling all your smart devices with a swipe or tap of a finger. Though the Bluetoothenabled fin is still in the developmental stage, creators are working on giving this magic thumb ring the ability to control everything from smart phones and gaming consoles to the air-conditioning and music systems in your car. (Visit wearfin.com for more info.)
When summer rolls around, we’re all about protecting and moisturizing our skin. But what about our lips, which have a thin layer of outer protection and also lack the hydration capabilities that our skin possesses? Keep your lips pampered with the following products—all tested by the staff of Boca Raton
For a light layer of moisture, try Lalicious’ nourishing lip butter, made with a 100-percent organic vegetable base and a blend of shea butter and soy. Flavor recommendation for the summer: sugar coconut. ($18, Cosmo & Company Salon and Spa, West Palm Beach)
Repair and protect your skin with Baume de Rose by Terry, a rose-wax balm created with floral oils, antiaging ingredients and protective UV filters. The fragrant scent will tempt you into applying it throughout the day, but a little goes a long way. ($59, Four Seasons Beauty Bar, Boca Raton)
For color with a hint of glimmer, look no further than Tom Ford’s Ultra Shine Lip Gloss. The applicator is made with a soft thin brush that’s gentle on the lips during application and precise, so the gloss stays only within your lip lines. ($45, Neiman Marcus, Town Center at Boca Raton)
When it comes to Tory Burch’s lip color collection, don’t judge this book entirely by its cover. The bold orange and gold encasement may be a sight to behold, but this light, creamy lipstick—which locks in moisture—does come in 12 different shades.
($32, Tory Burch, Worth Avenue)
Say goodbye to chapped lips with the fabulips “pout”-omatic lip exfoliator
This battery-powered Bliss product has a textured rubber head that spins to gently buff away dead skin with help from the fabulips sugar lip scrub. ($48, Bliss Spa, Fort Lauderdale)
Good news for lovers of Les Bijoux: The Mizner Park fine jeweler is opening up a second location in Town Center at Boca Raton. Now, mall shoppers have the opportunity to purchase jewelry and watches from brands like Officine Panerai, F.P. Journe, Van Cleef & Arpels, Hublot and Jaeger-LeCoultre.
Put your gently worn shoes and clothes to good use. Women in Distress is hosting its fourth annual Clothes Off Our Back event on Aug. 29 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. The event will be at Oceans 234 (234 N. Ocean Blvd., Deerfield Beach, 954/428-2539), where attendees can expect a delicious buffet.
Boca native Christina Lagoudes admits that she practically lives in active wear—when you have a 2-year-old daughter, as she does, everyday activities can be a workout. Still, it took an entrepreneurial leap for the Florida Atlantic University grad to bring European brand Body Action to the U.S. last year in the form of an online retail business (bodyactionusa.com). Lagoudes shares her expertise on workout clothes.
HIGHLIGHTS: Workout clothes that fit well; comfortable-but-cute loungewear
When it comes to activewear, what are the key factors to look at?
Comfort and performance materials. Material is so important in activewear. You want to be comfortable. You want [the material] to feel good, or else you’re not going to feel good working out or even doing your day-to-day activities.
What materials are best for working out?
A blend of cotton, Lycra, spandex and polyester that forms to your body more, allows movement and is more durable. [Also, there is] Supplex, which is nylon but feels like cotton; it’s water-resistant and maintains its shape after washing. Anything 100-percent cotton isn’t good for high-intense workouts.
What workout pieces should women invest in?
A sports bra that’s comfortable and fits well; and pants [with] an adjustable waistband. That way, it’s more comfortable and more of a customized fit.
“
“It’s become more of a fashion trend. People are ditching their jeans and wearing track pants or sweat suits.”
–Christina Lagoudes
“
“For more than two decades, I have taken great pleasure in helping my patients look their best and enter their mature years with joy and confidence. And today, my practice is all about the face.”
– Dr. Vivian Hernandez, MD, FACS
Actual patient of Dr. Hernandez
• Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
• Dedicated solely to facial procedures for the past decade
• Specialist in face, neck, brow and eyelid surgery
• Expert injector: facial fillers, volumizers and Botox®
• Accredited surgical facility with overnight suite
• Trained at Cornell: North Shore University Hospital
• Advanced specialized facelift training, two fellowships with renowned surgeons at: -Manhattan Eye, Ear & Throat Hospital -Baker and Gordon in Miami
561-750-8600 4799 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton
Dr. Leone has helped thousands of people by using a gentle, minimally invasive approach to deliver an exceptional patient experience, faster recovery times and excellent results.
Specializing in Hip and Knee Problems
• Total and revision hip replacement
• Revision hip surgery for metal toxicity
• Minimally invasive computer navigated total knee replacement
• Robotic assisted partial knee replacement
• Revision knee replacement
• Knee arthroscopy
Dr. Leone’s practice combines specialized surgical interventions while emphasizing personalized care.
The Leone Center for Orthopedic Care
We combine leading-edge technology with good old-fashioned care where the doctor-patient relationship is as important as the treatment.
To learn more, call 954-489-4575 or visit HolyCrossLeoneCenter.com.
Medicare patients welcome
• Excellent cardio benefits
• Paddling to catch a wave works the arms and upper torso.
• The balancing involved in surfing strengthens your core and legs.
• Burns from 200 to 400 calories per hour, depending on your weight and the intensity of your workout Why surfing Works
The Atlantic serves as more than just a heat-busting backdrop for summer fitness fanatics in and around Boca. Aquatic exercise—from surfing to stand-up paddleboarding—has more than its share of health benefits.
Combine outdoor exercise and the life aquatic with four ocean-based activities that do all that and much more.
[ 1 ] Stand-up paddleboarding
The benefits: “The paddle stroke engages the arms, shoulders, chest and torso,” says Bob Humphreys, co-owner of Boca Surf and Sail, “while the [need to] balance and drive [forward] works out your core and legs. Many people paddling for the first time are shocked at how sore their legs are the next day. If you really want to work on your balance, practice yoga while on the paddleboard.”
Numbers crunch: Sources vary, but most experts estimate that paddleboarding burns from 500 to 1,000 calories in an hour. Insider’s view: Humphreys says it’s not unusual to see giant sea turtles or schools of porpoise while paddleboarding. “Entry-level paddlers can mosey along and enjoy our amazing scenery and wildlife while barely breaking a sweat, alongside performance paddlers stroking as if their very life depended on it,” he says.
[ 2 ] KayaKing
The benefits: According to Rian Klenke, an ocean rescue lifeguard in Boca who knows the sport well, kayaking in the Atlantic is more technical than a leisurely ride on the
Intracoastal. It’s a two-paddle activity; kayakers must coordinate their paddling with the current or in the direction of the waves, providing a more demanding, albeit low-impact workout (one that doesn’t jar the body). The core, shoulders and lats all feel the burn. Numbers crunch: “If you keep a constant [paddle], you’ll be in the 130s for heart rate, which is considered a fat-burning target,” Klenke says.
Insider’s view: While cycling is low-impact, Klenke says, you’re on the road with potentially dangerous traffic. On the ocean, in a kayak, you’re safe and enjoying the beauty of South Florida. “It doesn’t feel like you’re working out,” he says.
[ 3 ] Surf SKiing
The benefits: Surf skis are the hardcore versions of kayaks—and the fastest humanpowered crafts on the water. Bruce Gipson, who set a world record in 1984 for crossing the Gulfstream (Bahamas to U.S.), says the sport takes more skill than traditional kayaking because the crafts are narrower and built for wave-riding, thus requiring more balance. “Surf skis will take off on any wave or formation of a wave,” says the owner of Venture Sport in Boca. “It can be six inches high to over seven feet. That’s what makes them so fast.”
In addition to cardio, arms and upper-body benefits, Gipson says the sport requires strength and agility where many least expect it. “You do use your legs,” he says. “You’re transforming the energy that goes from your paddle to your torso, to your feet—and then to your legs.”
Numbers crunch: Gipson’s record-setting run through the Gulfstream took 11 hours and 46 minutes in a 19-foot sea kayak. Insider’s view: Surf skiing offers a feeling of freedom, Gipson says. Surf skis can do things that other types of watercrafts can’t. One example: It’s difficult navigating the Boca Inlet. Surf skis slice right through the rough waters.
[ 4 ] Surfing (from previous page)
Insider’s view: “Seeing a wave crest and break in front of you is great incentive to paddle hard,” says Humphreys of Boca Surf and Sail. “Once you are out, you want to paddle harder to catch the wave and ride it back in. … Once you feel the ocean pick you up and hurl you to the shore, you will be hooked. You will surf until your whole body is exhausted and never realize how hard you worked out.”
• Boca Surf and Sail: 3191 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/394-8818; bocasurfandsail.com (surfing and paddleboards)
• Spanish River Kayak Company of Boca Raton: Call 561/705-2716, or visit bocapaddle.com (paddleboard and kayaks)
• Venture Sport: Call 561/395-1376 for private kayak and surf ski lessons from Bruce Gipson; venturesport.com
Michael Whitehurst, professor of exercise science and health promotion at Florida Atlantic University, explains how to stay properly hydrated as the temperature soars.
[ 1 ] Beat the clock: Exercising in hot, humid conditions can dehydrate a person in 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the activity and the individual. “If you’re an athlete, you’re going to sweat more profusely—and the timeline for dehydration [will] be shorter,” Whitehurst says.
[ 2 ] anticipation: Thirst is the first clue that you’re dehydrated—but that’s typically too late, Whitehurst says. Hydrate before you feel thirst. Another way to tell that you need more water is if your urine looks darker than usual. The darker your urine, the more dehydrated you are.
[ 3 ] the rule of salt: A salty snack can help you rehydrate during a long or highly intense workout. Emphasis on long or intense. Whitehurst says you have to lose a substantial amount of body weight—probably 2 to 5 percent—during a workout to worry
about salt replacement. “If you’re exercising moderately, under an hour, salt replacement outside the regular dietary intake would not be necessary,” he says.
[ 4 ] Drink responsiBly: It’s possible to over-drink during a workout. Too much water can cause symptoms from nausea to, believe it or not, coma. The International Marathon Medical Directors Association recommends that athletes drink no more than 31 ounces of water an hour when exercising. Whitehurst suggests rehydrating about every 20 minutes.
[ 5 ] feel the heat: Not accustomed to exercising under the sweltering Florida sun? Try acclimating slowly over the course of two weeks; get your body used to sweating, then cooling down. Practice hydrating, as well, so you can understand what your body needs and when, Whitehurst says.
by the numbers
16 Drink this many ounces (2 cups) of fluid before working out. It’ll help you feel better during the workout and avoid dehydration, Whitehurst says.
10 We lose this many cups of water each day—just existing—through evaporation and excretion.
Radiesse
Xeomin
Dysport
Juvederm 1ml
Belotero
$750
$249
$249 $149*
$550 $299*
$750
Showers are cleaning up as favorites inside—and outside—of today’s high-style bathrooms. The following six variations top today’s most-wanted list and promise dramatic options for residences in and around Boca.
An outdoor shower in Highland Beach provides an invigorating rinse—not to mention stunning views of the ocean.
Replacing little-used tubs, chic showers are cited among 2014’s hottest home design trends in Florida and nationwide. Here are four examples why.
space in this clean-lined, contemporary bathroom.
What’s the buzz: No one’s knocking shower curtains (well, maybe a little), but glass is clearly a superior solution to splash-proofing a shower with style. Make it frameless, and you’ve got a leading shower trend showing no signs of slowing down. Used as single panes or in elaborate enclosures, frameless glass virtually disappears, which helps to foster bright, open and seamless bathroom design.
What’s the buzz: No longer just for resorts and beach homes, outdoor showers (see page 57) are popping up everywhere, refreshing anyone who relishes an invigorating, open-air experience. To be clear, we’re not talking about temporary, freestanding contraptions fueled by garden hoses—but rather fixed features uniquely integrated into the architecture and landscape of the home. Plumbing, site selection, drainage, privacy and material selection all play a part in creating the perfect alfresco shower.
What’s the buzz: This highly accessible design removes the curb at the base of the shower enclosure, allowing flooring to run unobstructed from the bathroom into the shower space. The lessis-more approach appeals to modern aesthetes as well as those best served by roll-in showers devoid of physical obstacles on the floor. To perform successfully, proper drainage and floor slope is a must.
Stone-covered curved walls enclose a spa-like shower space. The feature’s design and placement of its showerhead eliminates the need for a door or curb.
What’s the buzz: Prefer a little more privacy than provided by a glass-enclosed or open shower? Basically a room-within-a-room, walk-ins are enclosed by tiled walls—often shapely and curved— that create water- and visual-barriers from the rest of the bathroom. When inspired by universal design, they boast curb-free, doorless entries and spacious interiors equipped with seats and grab bars to serve the disabled and aged.
Here are two more reasons that the shower is making such an interior statement.
What’s the buzz: Unless you insist on rinse-and-run ablutions, a steam shower may be the most pleasure-inducing feature you can add to a home. This element requires professional design and installation; it must be completely enclosed to operate properly—and it needs to be entirely waterproofed to thwart steam from escaping into the bathroom. Movable transoms often perform as glass vents to regulate moisture and heat.
This spacious steam shower, clad in marble, performs as an integral part of the elegant master bathroom.
■ Ultimate Kitchen & Bath
Address: 1000 Clint Moore Road, Suite 105, Boca Raton
About: As evidenced by his twoplus decades in the market—and consistent word-of-mouth buzz— owner Jeff Grossman knows how to deliver on a promise. In the case of revamped bathrooms, Ultimate creates nothing short of spa-like sanctuaries—including steam showers, walk-in designs and much more. Contact: 561/998-7711, ultimatekitchenandbath.com
What’s the buzz: Feeling boxed in? Break free with a barrier-free shower. Devoid of enclosures or obstructions, these ultra-hip features foster a spacious, airy feel inside your bathroom. Be warned: If you suffer splash-phobia, this open design is not for you. Whether part of a large bathroom or a compact wet room, barrier-free showers guarantee water spatter. Expert design and installation is a must for waterproofing and prevention of puddles and excessive splashing.
Designed by Dornbracht, the Elemental Spa bathroom suite boasts a wide-open space courtesy of its barrier-free shower.
Check out the following local businesses for your bathroom remodeling needs.
■ Kitchen & Home Interiors
Address: 1100 S. Powerline Road, Deerfield Beach
About: In addition to its 35,000-square-foot headquarters/ showroom, featuring a vast network of vendors and state-of-the-art options, KHI offers one-stop shopping when it comes to bath and shower remodeling needs. Contact: 954/725-6480, khinteriors.com
■ Bath & Kitchen Creations
Address: 3850 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd., Suites 19-21, Boca Raton
About: More than 30 years after opening its first showroom in town, Bath & Kitchen Creations continues to serve clients in and around Boca with custom bathroom design and remodeling services that include cutting-edge shower makeovers. Contact: 561/392-8281, bathandkitchen.com
■ Wyman Builders
Address: 932 Clint Moore Road, Boca Raton
About: Wyman touts itself as the premier bathroom remodeling contractor in the market, including complete take-a-wrecking-ball-to-it custom renovations; service areas range from West Palm Beach to Coral Springs.
Contact: 561/731-4573, wymanbuilders.com
Progressive
Complete
Standing 6 feet 6 inches, and tipping the scales at 260 pounds, Jameel McCline looks every bit as imposing and in fight-night shape at age 44 as he did during the prime of his 17-year roller-coaster ride as a professional boxer. And yet, the Delray Beach resident can quickly put a complete stranger at ease with his affable charm and disarming candor.
That McCline can be such a walking contradiction will come as little surprise to anyone familiar with a story that’s larger than life in more ways than one.
After all, this is the same man who started boxing at age 25—with no amateur experi-
top defensive line standouts.
As part of Big Time Holdings, McCline, who talks openly about his battles with substance abuse, also is connected to New Foundations Living, a sober living center based in Lake Worth. If that’s not enough, the man who retired from boxing for good in 2012 is stepping into the political ring. McCline, running in the Democratic primary this August, is looking to unseat longtime incumbent Alcee Hastings in Florida’s 20th congressional district—part of which includes areas in Pahokee and Belle Glade that McCline describes as having “deplorable living conditions.”
Big Time pulls no punches when it comes to discussing his life on the paradox trail:
“It haunts me to this day that I didn’t win a world championship.”
ence—yet who went on to fight for the heavyweight championship of the world four different times (he lost all four bouts, two of them by controversial decisions). The same man who barely made it out of Harlem, serving five years in prison for selling stolen guns after aging out of the foster system, yet who ended up traveling the world—including more than a dozen trips to Russia. Who, after his first retirement from boxing in 2009, was sweeping the floors of an automotive center in Boca.
Now, he’s driving a Mercedes and launching projects that fit neatly under the banner of his nickname in the ring—Big Time.
In addition to a Boca-based gym that was slated to open in June (the concept is half boxing, with international fighters training at the complex, and half cardio/strength-conditioning fitness center), McCline is advising some of the NFL’s elite players on advanced training methods that promote recovery time and prevent injuries. His clients include two of the league’s
■ I grew up in an orphanage, then a foster home and a group home. The only requirement was to get passing grades and not get into trouble. I was taught mediocrity. The bar was so low. Fourteen months after I aged out of the foster program, I was in prison.
■ I did 14 months of solitary because they singled me out as a “violent inmate.” You know why I was violent? The prison population didn’t accept me. I didn’t speak like the other brothers; I wasn’t a punk. And they thought that was grounds for a beating. I may not have talked like it, but I was as bad as they were. You want to get it on? We’ll get it on. … The second someone came at me, I crushed them.
■ How did I survive solitary? Rush Limbaugh on the radio. I listened every day. Years later, I realized how messed up that was. (McCline laughs)
■ When I got out of prison, someone talked to me about boxing. I tried it, even though I had no experience. People would say, “You’re too old to start now, it’s just not going to work
out.” But, honestly, I had no other options.
■ I became a sparring partner for Larry Holmes, Evander Holyfield, Tim Witherspoon. When I was 14-2, I trained with Lennox Lewis, who was then the undisputed heavyweight champion of the world. I handled myself in the ring with him. I knew then I could make a career of this.
■ I have a love-hate relationship with boxing. It destroyed my first marriage, it destroyed my relationship with two of my children, who live in West Palm Beach (his other daughter, Brianna, lives with McCline and is attending Rutgers this fall). The flip side is, it gave me a life.
■ After the first time I retired, in 2009, I wasn’t in a great position. I had a big house and a nice car, but I had to find work. And it became very difficult. Here I am, an ex-con, an ex-drug addict with no formal education. Who is going to hire me? And for what?
■ I did sweep floors at an auto body shop in Boca for a bit. I remember being interviewed by the owner’s wife. She says, “You don’t really look like you need a job, let alone sweeping floors.” I’m sitting there dressed in my $1,200 shoes. … I told them that I had to show income because I was going through a home modification, but that was a lie. … I just needed a place to start. It was humbling.
■ My last fight was in Moscow (Aug. 9, 2012) against Magomed Abdusalamov. I knocked him down in the first round. Then, he knocked me down in the second round. I remember feeling very unsettled that night. I couldn’t catch my breath, I wasn’t focused; I just wasn’t there. When he knocked me down, I’m listening to the ref—“two, three, four …”—and I’m thinking to myself, “You don’t want to do this shit anymore.”
■ In my consulting work, especially with black athletes, I talk a lot about character. I tell them that they must be well-spoken, well-dressed, well-mannered, well-educated and well-read. Don’t play into the stereotypes about black players. Be exceptional.
Despite launching his career at a time when most boxers are in their prime, McCline went on to score impressive victories over top heavyweights from Shannon Briggs to Michael Grant. In two of his heavyweight title fights, he knocked the champion to the canvas— Chris Byrd (once) and Samuel Peter (three times)—only to lose controversial decisions. Though the title losses gnaw at him, McCline, who finished with a career mark of 41-13-3, acknowledges that, compared to many boxers, he left the ring relatively unscathed.
“There’s a very small percentage of us that make it out of boxing OK,” he says. “You’re world champ one decade; the next decade you’re living in a onebedroom apartment.”
The audience of pupils inside the auditorium at FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society building was sparse and scattered on a Thursday afternoon in April, with many of our snowbirds having already migrated north. At peak season, upwards of 400 students—predominantly inquisitive Boomers—fill the theater to listen to the roughly 90-minute presentations from instructor Myrna Goldberger.
But on this day, the dwindling turnout didn’t stop the teacher from bringing passion, insight, humor and a bottomless wealth of knowledge to another one of her compelling lectures. It was the last in her weekly series on infamous con men that she titled “Swindler’s List.” Dressed entirely in popping purple, from her pants to her necklace, Goldberger spoke off the cuff about P.T. Barnum, his entrée into the world of swindling, the attractions in his lurid American Museum and his collusion with New York tobacconist George Hull in the notorious “Cardiff giant” hoax. She closed by addressing Ferdinand Demara, an imposter who impersonated everything from monks to surgeons over his 61 years.
Goldberger does write most of her information down—in pencil, in cursive, on yellow legal paper—but she doesn’t use notes in her presentations. Skilled monologist that she is, she’s memorized all of them, usually while walking around her Boynton Beach neighborhood. And she’s been doing this locally, sometimes in multiple presentations per day, for 22 years.
“People e-mail me suggestions, and whatever they give me, if it’s in any way pertinent, I will use it,” she says. “I like the participatory aspect.”
The “Swindler’s” series was emblematic of what Goldberger calls “edutainment”—engaging topics to which her audiences will relate, but that they don’t know enough about. Previous courses have studied subjects such as “They Also Ran: Losers in Elections” and “From Flappers to Fast Food.”
Often, she’ll perform her lectures as oneact plays, dressed as Marie Curie or Eleanor Roosevelt or a Secret Service agent—even a
Jewish pirate. Much of her material is inspired by politics and news, though she tries to keep it nonpartisan.
“One day, somebody told me, ‘It’s obvious you’re a Democrat,’” Goldberger recalls. “And at the end of class, another person told me, ‘I’m certain you’re a Republican.’ That was one of the best things that happened.”
Goldberger derives great pleasure from educating adults, because, unlike in the public school system, all of them are there because they want to learn. And with 18 years experience teaching everything from kindergarten to community college in the Baltimore area, Goldberger would know. In fact, she would probably still be living in Maryland were it not for her husband, Arnold, contracting terminal prostate cancer in 1992. He wanted to spend his last days in Florida, so they moved.
He insisted she continue working, and after a brief stint at Palm Beach Community College, FAU’s Lifelong Learning Society accepted her initial course proposal on first ladies. At the time, 50 students in a class, then hosted in the Live Oak Pavilion, was considered overcrowded. In the two decades sense, the LLS has twice moved into larger facilities to accommodate its 19,000 members. (Arnold also benefited from the Florida move; he lived another eight years, after receiving a two-year prognosis, and Goldberger says “he played golf until the very end.”) Through her presentations, she has encountered living history, and has accrued enough stories to fill the memoir she wants to write. For instance, while discussing the liberation of the concentration camps in World War II, “a guy puts his hand up and says, ‘I was in the concentration camp that was liberated first.’ And then another hand goes up: ‘I was in the group that liberated the first concentration camp.’ It can only happen in a learning situation.”
Once, during a course on famous court cases, the prosecutor in the Kitty Genovese murder trial in Queens—which perpetuated many potent myths about bystander apathy—was in the audience. Another time, after discussing the case of Jonathan Pollard—an American currently imprisoned for providing classified information to Israel—she received an informative phone call from Pollard’s father. It turns out Pollard’s uncle was in her class. Goldberger marvels at the connections she continues to make.
“[When I speak at] independent living facilities, [people will come up] and say, ‘Myrna, I’ve been inside all day, but I come out for you.’
That’s the purpose.”
FounDer anD Ceo, ClouD 10
It doesn’t take an advanced degree in cosmetology to understand that Jodi Dery’s spin on the blow-dry trend is more than just a lot of hot air.
As evidenced by a stack of effusive comment cards at the front desk of her downtown Boca-based Cloud 10 operation, which opened last December—the first, at Worthing Place in Delray Beach, debuted in May 2013—customers are finding beauty in the details.
At Cloud 10, in addition to the array of $40 blowout styles, that means shampoo chairs that recline and massage, complementary drinks (did someone say Champagne?), a
across the country—Dery didn’t want to rush into Cloud 10 without doing her homework.
The native of Missoula, Montana—her single mom, a legal assistant, moved the family to Coral Springs after Dery’s freshmen year of high school—had spent six years honing her customer-service skills as a massage therapist at Boca Raton Resort & Club’s Spa Palazzo. More than just perfecting techniques she initially learned at Florida College of Natural Health in Pompano Beach, Dery saw how the spa masterfully built a database of information on each client.
After leaving the Resort—and after turning a passion for Apple technology into a book
“I like to take something and make it better with everything in my life.”
roster of customized makeover services for the face and eyes, the use of iPads for customers to check e-mails or scan the Cloud 10 app—which includes a built-in photo booth (pictures print out right at the front desk) and select digital magazines—and even free umbrellas for clients on rainy days.
“We go above and beyond for our customers,” says Dery, 30, who most recently added hair cut and color services to her Cloud 10 menu. “There is nothing we can’t offer them at this point. … We make sure that no client leaves unhappy.”
To see Dery in her element and in command of her vision—so important to her is the shop’s clean, ultrachic aesthetic that she installed retractable reels for the curling irons to keep cords from showing—it’s hard to believe that this is her first brick-and-mortar business venture.
But even though the entrepreneurial vibe resonates with her family—three of her four siblings run their own businesses, including a sister who launched Armageddon Ambush, an outfit that stages extreme 5K mud runs
(see sidebar)—Dery would bring a similar diligence to the three-week road trip that led to Cloud 10.
“When I started my initial research, I saw there was a gap for [blow-dry bars] in South Florida,” she says. “I thought I could take the concept and improve it. So I went to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Vegas, Denver, Atlanta and then New York and [visited other blowdry businesses]. I created a research form with all the [information] I compiled—what I liked, what I didn’t like, what worked the best.”
Inspired by the Drybar concept created several years ago in California by Alli Webb— the franchise now has some 36 locations and generates an estimated $25 million in business—Dery cultivated her own brand, much to the immediate delight of customers in Delray and, most recently, Boca. Already, Dery is looking to extend the Cloud 10 brand throughout South Florida.
“I like to take something and make it better with everything in my life,” Dery says. “That’s what I did with this concept.”
When Apple introduced Siri on its iPhones, Dery became so intrigued by the technology that she researched the possible questions that you could ask the all-knowing personal assistant. When she couldn’t find a database of questions and answers, Dery decided to create one.
What started as a hobby soon became a website and, in 2011, an eBook titled Life With Siri. The two volumes and two offshoots— including The 50 Funniest Siri Answers—have sold, according to Dery, nearly 100,000 copies.
Among the most interesting Siri responses is its answer to the question, “What is the meaning of life?” According to Siri: “All evidence to date suggests it’s chocolate.”
Name:
Senada Adžem
Age: 36
Home Town: Podgora, Croatia
Occupation:
Director of Luxury Sales, Douglas Elliman Real Estate
Claim to Fame:
Setting the record in 2011 for the highest price per square foot sold in Boca Raton, at $1,500 psf, for the penthouse at One Thousand Ocean
Hobbies:
Muay Thai, fast cars and writing a memoir based on my experiences in the war in Croatia and Bosnia
Why she reads Boca magazine:
It’s the ultimate guide to Boca Raton lifestyle and its cultural offerings. The content is superb, as it covers important issues in the community such as urban planning, environmental and economic progress.
Though her meTeoric rise has Turned her inTo a supersTar on par wiTh The biggesT names in music, AriAnA GrAnde remains a boca girl aT hearT.
Granted, it took 37 minutes for the first single—“Problem”—off her soonto-be-released second album to reach No. 1 on iTunes after its late April release. And sure, with 438,000 downloads in its first week, the song that also features Iggy Azalea became the fourth-largest digital debut of all time for a female artist. And yes, those numbers may soon pale in comparison if, as expected, the song that she and Justin Bieber have recorded turns up on her new album, set to drop in late August or early September.
But just because Ariana Grande is blowing up so fast and so furiously that Perez Hilton can barely keep up with the blog-worthy buzz doesn’t mean that our hometown pop/R&B superstar has gone Hollywood (even if she does live in Los Angeles).
Asked during a recent phone interview what she misses about the community in which she was raised—and where her grandparents still live—the diminutive singersongwriter waxed nostalgic about Boca.
“I miss the beach, I miss Town Center, I miss Cinemark—which will always be Muvico in my heart,” says Grande, who turned 21 in late June. “I miss Boomers, I miss the Kabbalah Centre in Boca, I miss the Boca Beach Club, I miss my grandparents … I miss my home.”
For the better part of three years, starting in 2010, home for the former student at North Broward Preparatory School was on the small screen, where she developed a following as Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious” and, later, its spinoff “Sam & Cat.”
But in the life-altering span of a few months last summer, Grande went from teen sitcom darling to worldwide pop phenom. Her debut album for Republic Records, “Yours Truly,” topped the iTunes Store charts in 30-plus countries and hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 in its first week; Grande became the first female artist since Kesha in 2010 to reach No. 1 with her inaugural effort. The video for the album’s hit single, “The Way,” is approaching 150 million views on YouTube.
Over the past year, Grande’s dynamic, four-octave soprano voice has drawn comparisons to Mariah Carey—and earned kudos from contemporaries like Lady Gaga and Rihanna. She’s also played the White House already—twice.
In this exclusive with Boca Raton, Grande dishes on her soaring career, her style sense, how her mom keeps everyone on their toes—and why there’s no place like home.
At whAt point during your television run on nickelodeon did you And your teAm mAke the decision to pursue A solo cAreer, or wAs thAt the plAn All Along?
That was always the plan. I was in the studio and working on music [while still on television]. I took my time; nobody was rushing me. I was able to wait and create separation between my character and my solo career—I was able to introduce myself as Ariana, and not as Cat, in such a natural way.
Nothing was forced; everything happened at the right moment. And I’m very grateful for that. My team really pushed my patience and made me wait—but that [turned out to be] a great idea because everything happened organically from there on out.
you hAve such A powerful voice And such incredible rAnge. wAs there ever discussion About doing A different type of music thAn you’re doing now?
Thank you … No, I’ve always wanted to do what I wanted to do [when it comes to music]; I’m very pig-headed that way. … There was a moment where [my team] wanted me to do a slightly younger type of music. I tried one song and it didn’t go over well. I was like, “See, it didn’t work. Now I get to do what I want.”
it’s one thing to hope for instAnt success in music but quite Another to Achieve it.
Born: June 26, 1993
2008: Plays Charlotte in the Broadway musical “13”
2010: Plays Cat Valentine on the Nickelodeon show “Victorious”
2012: Stars with Charlene Tilton and Neil Patrick Harris in a Pasadena Playhouse production of “A Snow White Christmas”
2013: Nickelodeon debuts
“Sam & Cat,” a spinoff of “Victorious”; “Yours Truly,” Grande’s debut album, reaches No. 1 in its first week with sales of 138,000;
Grande wins “New Artist of the Year” at the American Music Awards; tours with performers including Miley Cyrus during the “Jingle Ball” run of shows
2014: Performs at the White House in March at the “Women of Soul” event and in April at the Easter Egg Roll; the single “Problem” from her upcoming album sells 438,000 downloads in its first week; Grande Tweets her love for ex-boyfriend Jai Brooks, prompting buzz that the couple is back together; confirms that she and Justin Bieber recorded a duet
Were you surprised at all by the reaction to your first single and album?
Yes, for sure. I never thought it would be that quick. But I have to thank my fans for that. My fans brought my first single to number one on iTunes, and then everybody started paying attention. It was like, “Who the hell is this girl?” Then, later, they were like, “Oh my god, that’s the same girl my kids watched on TV?”
It was such a cool thing for me to have people come up and say, “I love your music,” as opposed to “I love your show.” … It was very cosmic. I think the universe was more responsible for that than I was.
“I think [the new album] shows my progression as an artist ... It’s a little more grown-up.”
Why do you think that your music has connected With people the Way that it has?
I think there was a little throwback [vibe] to the first album, which everybody likes. It’s [music that has] worked in the past, and it’s familiar; it reminds people of their childhood. The second album is something new. … I think it shows my progression as an artist and as a person. It’s a little more grown-up, while still remaining authentic to me. I’m very excited for people to hear it.
your star is rising at Warp speed—and it’s only going to get crazier after the neW album drops. What do you do to stay grounded?
I spend a lot of time with my family. With everything that’s going on, they’re the most important people. … My new single was exploding [in May]; it had sold nearly 440,000 copies in a week, and I had this really amazing Billboard debut. I remember my friend asking me how I was doing. And I told her, “I’m terrible … my grandfather is sick.”
I’m grateful for everything that’s happening, but at the same time I [understand] what [is important] in my life. Family is my first priority. That’s what keeps me grounded and sane. It’s the difference between myself as an artist and as a person. My family reminds me
Think our fair community didn’t make its share of headlines over the past 12 months? Think again. A-list (and B-list) celebs entertained us. Our chefs, retailers, cultural institutions and business owners created buzz. A host of benevolent locals made a difference with their generosity. And a few folks found the kind of trouble that has to be read to be believed. Join Boca Raton magazine in celebrating a year in the life of Boca and beyond.
13 American Table: Proprietor Alberto Aletto and chef Anthony Fiorini have made this modest little space one of the most exciting restaurants in the county, focusing on dishes cooked in the high-tech Josper oven.
HMF: Posh decor by celeb designer Adam Tihany, a roster of expertly crafted small plates and an encyclopedic wine list are enough to earn this restaurant at the tony Breakers resort a spot on anyone’s Best Of list.
Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar: This handsome upscale seafood house from Gary Rack, one of our savviest restaurateurs, fills a real need for anyone who appreciates pristinely fresh fish and
shellfish served in all manner of tasty guises.
Twenty Twenty Grille: and Farmer’s Table: See the spotlight profiles on Ron Weisheit and Joey Giannuzzi for more on these two hot spots.
Boca Bacchanal has become a much-anticipated weekend of fine wine and nationally renowned chefs, but the annual vintner dinners held in private homes raise the bar of culinary excellence and elegant ambience. These dinners are worth the hefty price—and never disappoint. This year’s vintners included Cakebread Cellars, Benziger Winery and Champagne Piper-Heidsieck, and the star chefs included Matthias Merges of Yusho in
Chicago; Chris Jakubiec of Plume at The Jefferson in Washington, D.C.; Joanne Weir and Gonzalo Rivera of Copita in Sausalito, Calif.; and Daniel Zeal of The Cloister in Sea Island., Ga.
The former VFW Post in Delray Beach is transformed into Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar, which is a big upgrade. We love the raw bar, the signature steam kettles, and the simple fact that you can get retro goodies, like oysters Rockefeller.
Joey Giannuzzi wants you to eat healthier. He wants you to eat organic and natural. But he doesn’t want you to suffer. He wants you to eat healthy, organic and natural food that tastes really, really good. He has, in fact, staked his reputation as a chef on it. As chef-partner (with hotelier Mitchell Robbins) of Farmer’s Table in Boca, a stylish outpost of healthy, organic and delicious fare, Giannuzzi is continuing the journey he began almost 10 years ago at Henry’s, proving food that’s good and good for you are not mutually exclusive notions.
you’ve become an evangelist for healthy, organic, “clean” eating. How did you get to that point?
It started at Henry’s with the chef’s toy box from the produce company. One day it was eggplant, zucchini, squash and red bell pepper. I called my purveyor and said, "What is this?" And he said, “It’s organic.” He explained how it impacts the environment, its health properties. So I sliced them up and grilled them. They tasted great, and I started experimenting with vegetables, coming up with fun side dishes. Then I found out there was organic salmon and beef and chicken, and I started making organic specials. I found a new passion for creating food that was healthy.
a lot of people still have the idea that healthy food is bland and tasteless. as a chef, how do you combat that?
That’s the biggest obstacle to overcome. Everyone thinks it’s rice cakes and bean sprouts and everything tastes like cardboard. It starts with using quality ingredients. Most of our sauces are simple reductions of juices, and vinaigrettes and purées. A lot of times the food only needs a drizzle. The flavor is already in the food. It’s not what you put into it; it’s what’s already there.
your customers are pretty sophisticated when it comes to food. How do you reach people who eat mostly processed and fast foods?
I’ve got to get them in the door. [Then] it’s about generating excitement. Once you get someone excited about [eating healthier], they’re at least going to give it a try. Then it’s our responsibility to execute it at the highest levels, so they won’t miss the butter and salt and cream.
Fried chicken & waffle: Two great bluecollar foods come together in a dish whose whole greatly exceeds the sum of its parts. Crisp-tender, steaming hot chicken and supple, golden waffle are joined in holy gastronomy by sticky-n-sweet maple syrup and salty-spicy Sriracha. Let no man put them asunder.
When mizner is paCKed
Jazziz is bold and cool and has talent like David Sanborn, Molly Ringwald, Jon Secada and Nicole Henry—but it also has great food. We hate to blow our own little secret dining find, but you can slip into Jazziz even if you are not going to one of its fabu shows, and get anything from Champagne and caviar to fried chicken, Scottish salmon, diver scallops and burgers. And it’s all first-rate.
Sigh. Now we’ll never get a table.
5 reliaBle loCal standouts
1 Max’s Grille: If you and your friends can’t agree on where to go out for dinner, Dennis Max’s iconic Mizner Park restaurant is the default choice, dishing every-
Five local residents dish on their favorite feel-good bites.
■ “The BLTE—bacon and lettuce and tomato sandwich with a fried egg at Brulé in Delray Beach.” Dorothy MacDiarmid, partner, Cloud 9 Group
■ “Casimir, the little French bistro in Royal Palm Place—their GriLLED NEw York STrip STEak, with crispy french fries. If we were in Paris, it would be called Steak Frites. There is a choice of sauces—peppercorn or blue cheese—both excellent.”—Jay Van Vechten, founder, Boating & Beach Bash
■ “The ChiCkEN MiLaNESE at Couco Pazzo in Lake Worth—lightly breaded, topped with arugula, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and a side of linguine marinara. Everything comes out piping hot—huge portions of flavorful Italian food made with fresh natural ingredients at a great value.”—Joyce DeVita, president, Boca raton historical Society
thing from meatloaf to seared rare tuna.
2 Brio Tuscan Grille: A huge menu of accessible Italian and Italian-esque dishes—all better than one might expect from a national chain (with an outpost at The Shops at Boca Center)—means even picky eaters will find something of interest.
3 J. Alexander’s: Upscale American food served in a bustling, bistro-like setting never loses its appeal, nor does a convenient Boca location just off I-95 or plenty of parking in the University Commons shopping center.
4 Matteo’s: Getting a table at this old-school Italian ristorante in Boca can be as difficult as finding a parking space in Rome. Giant portions of well-made classic fare, served family style, are the reason.
5 Trattoria Romana: This popular downtown Boca spot has been dishing up five-star Italian cuisine for more than 20 years. In addition to the best homemade gnocchi in town, the menu dazzles with a variety of expertly prepared dishes—from pasta to veal to sea bass.
The kids are coming back to downtown. Want proof? Look no further than the nighttime scenes at Biergarten in Royal Palm Place, and Rebel House on Palmetto Park Road.
Taco Bell’s new breakfast waffle taco is cultural proof that despite its efforts to combat obesity, diabetes and heart disease, America still loves a waffle more.
■ “My office is right above the Yard House in Mizner Park. Whenever I’m feeling the need for good comfort food I slip downstairs and order the small JaMBaLaYa ENTréE with spicy rice and a side of truffle fries. The dish has just the right combination of spice and richness.”—Tim Snow, president, George Snow Scholarship Fund
■ “For pure comfort food, I’ll always go back to the BurGEr aND FriES at Tryst in Delray. They serve it for lunch and dinner; it’s made with prime beef, topped with gouda, and the fries are perfection.”—Bill Bathurst, CEo/founder, The reef.biz; broker, pristine properties international
Farm-to-table dining: OK, so this isn’t exactly new, but a 10-year-old Rolls-Royce is still a Rolls-Royce; the fact that it’s still trending means we’ll continue to eat fresher and better.
01
Small plates: Our interconnected, want-itall society offers us multiple choices for just about everything—so why shouldn’t restaurants give us the chance to sample multiple tastes in one meal? No reason at all.
02
Gastropubs: Blue-collar fare prepared with white-collar technique and care proves what most food-centric cultures have known forever: that good food doesn’t have to be expensive and pretentious.
03
Independent chef and ingredient-driven restaurants: The heart of any city’s claim to being a dining destination is in its modest, unfussy restaurants driven by high-quality ingredients and a chef’s unique vision and passion.
04
Craft beers get equal billing with wine: Artisan brewers have shown that beer can have all the flavor and nuance of wine, and restaurants are recognizing that by giving their beer lists equal care and consideration.
05
Ron and Rhonda Weisheit have been a culinary team for almost two decades. The couple met cooking at a Maine restaurant, and after years of snowbirding back and forth between New England and South Florida, they finally chose sunshine and moved to Boca in 2011. Ron, a native of Jupiter and medal winner in the international “Culinary Olympics,” took over the kitchen at nearby Biergarten, where he cooked for three years until opening Twenty Twenty Grille in January.
What was the impetus behind twenty twenty Grille?
We always wanted to do something hands-on. We didn’t want to open a restaurant that was too big, where we couldn’t focus on what we wanted to do. The food at Twenty Twenty is about getting the freshest ingredients we can find and letting the food speak for itself, not covering it up with crazy sauces. We don’t go too far out of the box, but we want to be a little different than everybody else.
how different is it getting those ingredients here vs. new england? New England is a little more seasonal. Here, the ingredients change but the weather doesn’t. We had a Concord grapevine growing alongside our driveway in Massachusetts, and in the morning in the fall you could smell the grapes in the air, which was really nice. You sort of miss that here, but then again you don’t have to scrape the sunshine off the windows.
What is it you want your customers to get from twenty twenty?
To appreciate the enthusiasm we bring here, that all the food is prepared by the chef and owner. That we go out and personally greet each table; [at least one of us] is here every day. So far the response has been very positive.
the Review is in
Turn to page 136 for food editor Bill Citara’s take on Twenty Twenty.
• Red the Steakhouse, Boca Raton: Excellent Prime steaks, smoothly professional service and decor that deftly melded traditional and contemporary weren’t enough to overcome this impressive meatery’s difficult location off of Glades Road.
• Spice & Tea Exchange, Boca Raton: So this really
isn’t a restaurant, but for anyone of the foodie persuasion its huge selection of herbs and spices was reason alone to make the trek to Mizner Park.
• Ovenella, Boca Raton: This modestly upscale Italian restaurant served some very good food, plus crisp-crusted pizzas and inventive cocktails, but it seemed overshadowed by its tonier competition.
• Rosso, Boca Raton: The next-door neighbor of Red the Steakhouse (and part of the same chain) was probably better known for its wicked-stylish modern decor than its food. But it was a looker.
• The Mexican, Boca Raton: Dennis Max’s attempt to deliver something more than all the usual Mexican culinary suspects didn’t last long in a star-crossed location.
• Legal Sea Foods, Boca Raton: Reliable, comforting and convenient if not particularly exciting, Legal was an easy choice for seafood sustenance after a hard day’s shopping at Town Center.
Royal Palm Place, with its 20-some restaurants, has emerged as a dining mecca in Boca—from casual (The Breakfast Club) to upscale (Chops Lobster Bar). Plus, it has that whole international thing going on; you can snag Asian fare (Lemongrass), Greek (Estia Greek Taverna), French (Casimir), Indian (Sapphire) and Italian (Piattini)—and that’s just for starters. Dining at Royal Palm Place may be a way to travel the world—without leaving home.
Just when you thought Boca was lost in a middleaged sea of Tommy Bahama, here comes the Funky Buddha with its hookahs and home-brew lessons and bands and comedy shows and kava shells and 110 kinds of beer. A few of our favorites: Dragon Stout, Moo-Hoo, Hellhound on my Ale, Delerium Tremens and Monk in the Trunk. Cheers.
Four local residents give us the lowdown on their top spots.
■ “The Boca Raton ResoRt & cluB Palm couRt BaR The hotel has tables inside and outside on the Intracoastal so weather-permitting, we usually sit outside along the Intracoastal. If you like The Macallan, this is the only place I have found other than my bar at home that has The Macallan Ice Ball Maker.”—s. chris Palermo, president and ceo, Global communication networks Inc.
■ “My favorite happy hour spot is oceans 234, on the beach in Deerfield Beach. I meet friends here all the time to drink a nice house Cabernet and look out at the ocean; a favorite cocktail and snack is the combination of Ocean’s Bloody Mary (Grey Goose vodka, Ocean’s signature Bloody Mary mix and a hint of wasabi) paired with a spicy tuna roll. Delicious!”—sharon R. Ramsey, executive director, sunrise chamber of commerce (former sales director, Greater Boca Raton chamber of commerce)
■ “cIty oysteR in downtown Delray Beach. Not only do they offer half price on all drinks and wine (bringing that $26 glass of Louis Latour Puligny-Montrachet to $13); they are also the first bar in town to offer wines on tap, including the popular Nobilo Sauvignon Blanc and Simi Cabernet Sauvignon. Happy hour also includes one dollar off oysters and clams.”—stephanie miskew, proprietor and certified sommelier, the Glamorous Gourmet & the Wine atelier
■ “yakItoRI sake House on Mizner in Boca Raton. Happy hour is 3 to 7 p.m. and 9:30 to closing every day. Who does that? I love the signature twofor-one lychee martinis and the spicy tuna rolls. Nice way to end the day.”—anthony n. Dardano, D.o., Facs
The Blue, the tower restaurant at the Boca Raton Resort & Club; Renato’s off Worth Avenue in Palm Beach; Delray’s 50 Ocean, when the moon is rising.
Arturo’s is old-school romantic and never better than on evenings near the piano, which puts everyone in the mood for love.
Kale: This ridiculously trendy green is just a weed with a PR agent; there’s nothing magical about it. Go eat your spinach.
Even if the nutritional Legion of Doom now admits that eggs won’t kill you doesn’t mean they belong on a pizza.
01
ellis Cooley, 3rd & 3rd: Wielding prodigious technique honed as a protegé of local culinary icon Dean James Max and at cutting-edge restaurants in Barcelona, this self-taught chef is cooking some of the most exciting food in South Florida.
anthony Fiorini, 13 american Table: A long-term association with Nick Morfogen at 32 East, along with cooking stints in Italy and New York, have given the exec chef of this stellar New American restaurant all the chops he needs to tantalize diners’ palates.
Pork belly: A slab of lard masquerading as food. Porky’s revenge for all those barbecued spareribs and bad Saturday morning cartoons.
Sliders: Has anyone ever had one of these that wasn’t dry, tasteless, overcooked and priced per ounce on par with gold bullion?
02
Michael haycook, The Grove: A veteran of some of Miami’s best restaurants, the chef-partner of this intimate downtown Delray spot brings rigorous craftsmanship and boundless creativity to carefully sourced, impeccably fresh ingredients.
03
Quinoa: It’s impossible to take seriously any ingredient that can’t be pronounced phonetically. You say, Keen-wah. We say, Prime rib.
Bacon on everything: Sure, bacon is great stuff. But as Groucho Marx told the woman with 19 children, “I like my cigar. But I take it out once in awhile.” Fried egg on everything:
Wacky-maki sushi rolls: If God wanted us to eat cream cheese with our raw fish, She wouldn’t have invented the bagel. Microgreens: These fuzzy little things look like the lint underneath your refrigerator. What’s wrong with a simple sprig of parsley?
5 GreaT ITalIan dIshes
1 Veal meatballs with marsala sauce, Terra Fiamma: The uptown cousins to the more proletarian beef meatball, these small, delicate, almost creamy-textured orbs come lovingly bathed in a lush Marsala-enhanced sauce strewn with sautéed mushrooms at this Delray restaurant.
2 Stuffed baby artichokes, D’Angelo Pizza,
daniel naumko, sybarite Pig: The everything-from-scratch ethos and passion for craft beers from this home cook-turned-chef/ restaurateur have made his hip eatery in a west Boca strip mall an underground sensation.
04
Wilson Wieggel, Farmer’s Table: Mastering the art of cooking healthy and delicious, without the crutches of excess fat, salt and animal products, the top toque of this environmentally conscious Boca spot is a big reason for its roaring success.
05
Wine Bar & Tapas: Fried artichokes, one of the delights of Roman cuisine, are made even more delightful at this popular Delray spot when infantile thistles are stuffed with mozzarella and speck and dragged through chili-fired aioli.
3 Sautéed escarole with cannellini beans and sausage, Tucci’s: A peasant dish that’s fit for a king, this lusty creation from Boca’s Fire-n-Coal pizza specialists combines plump, tender beans with fennelscented sausage, whole cloves of roasted garlic, red onion, fruity olive oil and a dusting of Romano cheese.
4 Wood-roasted mushroom pizza, Burt & Max’s: One slice of this exuberantly flavorful pie from the west Delray restaurant, and you’ll be hooked. A cracker-thin crust faintly smoky from the oak-fired oven comes gilded with assorted fungi, melted leeks, molten cheeses and an aromatic halo of truffle oil.
5 V&S Italian sub, V&S Deli: The classic Italian sub resonates with South Florida and its New York/ New Jersey transplants. Nowhere is it executed with such flair as at this longtime Boca standout. A perennial winner is the V&S Special with soppressata, mortadella and Provolone on a homemade roll.
5 TasT y Dishes
ThaT Won’ T Break
T he Die T
1 Spicy chipotle shrimp flatbread, Seasons 52, Boca: With grilled pineapple, Feta cheese and roasted poblano peppers
2 Sushi grade sesame seared rare tuna, Max’s Grill, Boca: With Asian slaw, ginger, wasabi and yuzu ponzu; appetizer portion
3 Rock shrimp and scallop ceviche wraps, Max’s Harvest, Delray Beach:
With grapefruit, green papaya, tempura avocado, jalapeño and coconut lemongrass vinaigrette
4 Pad Woon Sen, Fah Asian Bistro, Boca: Glass noodles (made from mung beans) with chicken, vegetables and egg
5 Warm rice salad, J& J Seafood Bar & Grill, Delray: Tomato, onion and goat cheese in herb vinaigrette over mixed greens.
Kimberly WicK, WicK TheaTre
Boca Raton’s cultural candle shone considerably brighter this year thanks to the Wick Theatre, which opened its inaugural season with an elegant, Carbonell-nominated “Sound of Music” and continued with a show-stopping “42nd Street” and an amusing “Full Monty” from its home in the former Caldwell Theatre. The Broadway-level ambience of its lobby and adjacent Costume Museum— the only of its kind in the world, according to the organization’s vice president, Kimberly Wick—continued to create an indelible cachet for Palm Beach County theatergoers.
When you were planning the lobby’s lovely design, did the end result meet your expectations?
It is exactly what I expected. And all of the furniture is on heavy castor wheels, because our plan was to acknowledge that we’re women that like to change things. For example, for “Ain’t Misbehavin’,” the whole space was set up like the Cotton Club. The structure is a nice clean palette that we change to fit the show and make it a little more interesting for the patrons.
having spent your career in costumes, did you find there was a learning curve when it came to producing live theater for the first time?
I don’t think serious producers that have been producing shows for 20 years would think that they know everything there is to know. We’re going to be learning for the rest of our lives. But I think that our passion and our desire to learn is one of the reasons why it’s being so well received. We make mistakes, but we’re going to learn and do better next time.
When they programmed for the caldwell, michael hall and clive cholerton each had specific—and different—visions. What is the Wick vision, going forward?
There’s a place in our community for everything. And if you’re looking for a deep drama that brings out the thinker in all of us, then nobody does it better than Palm Beach Dramaworks. We may have done the only drama that we might do for a while [in “Steel Magnolias”], because our clients are telling us they want to tap-dance right out of the lobby. That’s what they’re looking for in this venue, and musicals are certainly where we are most well suited. It is the genre we have been working in for 40 years on the costume side of it. I think in our third season, we will have more latitude to do some newer pieces that the audience will still embrace.
At Jazziz Nightlife—the hottest entertainment addition to Mizner Park since iPic Theaters— there is no bad seat in the house. It’s elegant and intimate, to the point that each of its concerts feels like a private gathering of musically sophisticated friends, a gourmet speakeasy for the modern jazz niche. The sound and lighting are impeccable, and owner Michael Fagien has attracted the jazz stars of yesterday, today and tomorrow to grace his stage, from locally bred chanteuse Nicole Henry to jazz fusion group Spyro Gyra to actress-singer Molly Ringwald. Ticketed acts are not cheap—but most nights of the week, there’s no cover.
For its penultimate night, Festival organizers took a chance on a largely untested model: Cirque de
la Symphonie, a hybrid of theatrical circus and orchestral concert that will hopefully become a recurring tradition. A sold-out audience watched highflying aerial acts, witty jugglers, dazzling hoopspinners and gravity-defying contortionists perform in front of the diverse and indefatigable Festival Symphony, which set the ambience with an array of orchestral standards and peppy film scores. These two cultural forms—circus and symphony—never clashed; instead, they seemed to thrive and inspire each other, creating an evening of magic.
The Festival put many of this year’s financial eggs into Itzhak Perlman’s basket, and if some attendees’ reactions were
01 Forte at Mizner Park Amphitheater
02 Death in June at Respectable Street
03 Brian Wilson & JeFF Beck at Hard Rock Live
04 Fun. at Mizner Park Amphitheater
05 Billy Joel at BB&T Center
any indication, it was not money well spent. Perlman’s name dominated the opening-night program, but it bordered on false advertising: The violin virtuoso didn’t appear until after the intermission, performing only a portion of Mendelssohn’s “Violin Concerto in E minor”; his lack of audience engagement left some feeling cold, even ripped off. His concert a few nights later drew some kudos, but the damage had been done. The Festival has gone to the Perlman well enough during its eight years; it’s time to bench him.
It’s not often you see, in the course of one lecture season, Mia Farrow discussing her humanitarian advocacy in Darfur, her Hollywood upbringing and the scandalous allegations against her ex-husband; a debate about congressional gridlock with opposing Massachusetts politicos Barney Frank and Scott Brown; and star chef Daniel Boulud discussing his mouthwatering life in French cuisine. But all took the stage at Society of the Four Arts’ most impressive lecture schedule in recent memory. We caught two of the speakers, and both were highlights of the cultural year:
A hilarious, extemporaneous ramble from radio pioneer Garrison Keillor, and an interactive study in thievery from theatrical pickpocket Apollo Robbins.
Chrissy Biagiotti , community relations manager for the City of Boca Raton, shares a few of her A&E highlights from the past year.
■ “Sometimes the best experiences can have as much to do with the weather, the company, the reminiscing or the enrichment of the present moment as they do with the artist. As opposed to last year, at this year’s Sunshine Music & Blues Festival [at Mizner Park Amphitheater] we had the most perfect, glorious weather, and the bands were amazing. The crowd was happy and friendly, and it was a crisp and cool day. The artists were having fun, and the crowd could tell. It was a great little festival atmosphere right in the heart of our downtown.”
In February, Steven Maklansky resigned from his directorial post at the Boca Museum of Art, a move shrouded in unanswered questions, speculative motivations
and surprisingly minimal news coverage. He left in his wake a few good decisions (such as its “Glass Act” and “Create” exhibitions) and at least one conspicuous eyesore (“Big Art/Miniature Golf”) while overseeing
a general drift toward family-friendly programming that pleased some and rankled others. Irvin Lippman, at the helm of Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale from 2003 to 2012, promptly stepped in as interim director.
■ “Other events I loved included the Tuba Christmas that was put on by FAU’s band director, Sean Murray, in the amphitheater. Tuba players of all ages came from near and far for a spontaneous concert. They registered, rehearsed and put on a free concert to a crowd that seemed to swell as they played. It was kind of magical.”
■ “My favorite lecture at the Festival of the Arts this year was ‘Your Brain on Music’ by Daniel Levitin , who had a conversation with Festival conductor Constantine Kitsopoulos ... Kitsopoulos used members of the orchestra to demonstrate ideas and theories about how we think about, love and learn music. It was a fascinating [evening].”
BesT OPerA NOT WriTTeN By
A DeAD iTALiAN
Opera productions by composers who are still alive are about as common as UFO sightings: Most of us have heard of them but relatively few have lived to see them. Bucking its tradition of presenting canonized masterpieces by long-dead Italians, Florida Grand Opera opened its 2013-2014 season by reviving “Mourning Becomes Electra,” a transcendent adaptation of a Eugene O’Neill play cycle that has almost never been performed. Its composer, Marvin David Levy, 82, is a Fort Lauderdale resident who helped rework his 1967 opera for its Broward premiere.
Palm Beach County didn’t have its own slice of hipster heaven—its correlative to Bonnaroo or Lollapalooza—until last November, when the Coastline Festival made its inaugural bow at Cruzan Amphitheatre. At just one day and 11 bands, it was far smaller than its big-city brethren, but it captured a similar spirit, with a lineup of bands that hummed with the pulse of indie rock today: Capital Cities, Two Door Cinema Club, The Joy Formidable, Passion Pit, a balloon-laden showstopping hour from Matt & Kim, and more. The festival’s Craft Beer Cove and “Food Trucktopia” area sated appetites, while the
“Love of Technology,” Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami: An ambitious, multifaceted survey of New Media artists connected by the overarching theme about man’s relationship with an overly automated world, “Love of Technology” encapsulated our uneasy relationship with the devices that run our lives while we run them.
eclectic crowd enjoyed the positive vibes.
Dada, the Delray Beach hipster enclave, isn’t just for angry poets and earnest buskers anymore. On Sunday nights, its open-air patio transforms into an art-house movie theater showcasing creatively curated double features for an agreeable cross-section of cinematic proclivities. Whether you’re into the impenetrable Russian provocations of Andrei Tarkovsky or the cultish humor of the “Evil Dead” series, Dada had you covered in reel time. With two movie theaters closing in Delray Beach this past year, we need more of this.
“Pop Culture,” Boca Museum of Art: This comprehensive and personally curated survey of Pop Art from its American genesis through to the present day was the rollicking highlight of the Boca Museum’s season, a show that captured nearly every facet of human experience in its three-room sprawl.
Phyllida Barlow, “Hoard,” Norton Museum of Art: The third artist in the Norton’s RAW (Recognition of Art by Women) series stunned museumgoers with her floor-toceiling abstract sculptures and other massive installations, masterpieces constructed of such unglamorous material as cardboard, plywood, fabric, wire netting, cement and polystyrene.
■ Movoto Blog named Boca Raton the secondbest-dressed small city in America. Researchers also found that our city has the most tailors per capita, with one for every 2,928 residents.
■ The 10Best travel website nominated Worth Avenue in Palm Beach as Most Iconic Street in America After public voting, it ended up third, beating two other South Florida streets: Miami’s Ocean Drive and Calle Ocho.
Kicking off the fall fashion season, Town Center at Boca Raton is hosting Simon Look Book Live on Sept. 19 and 20, featuring a full production fashion show at its center court and individual retailer events throughout the weekend.
The February opening of Palm Beach Outlets in West Palm Beach drew more than 1 mil-
lion shoppers in the first month alone, evidence that our county was hungry for its own version of Sawgrass Mills. The space is expected to expand 200,000 square feet by this fall.
Lord & Taylor returned to Boca last October after a nearly 11-year hiatus, bringing 120 jobs with it. The store was met with much fanfare, and provided a much-needed anchor to Mizner Park.
She wasn’t supposed to walk, and she wasn’t supposed to talk. At least that’s what doctors in Lima, Peru told her mother after Cayetana Uranga de la Borda was diagnosed at birth with cerebral palsy. But Uranga has spent much of her young life defying expectations. Despite physical challenges inherent to the movement disorder, Uranga has earned her bachelor’s degree in business from Lynn University and is now pursuing her entrepreneurial dream—selling her own line of chic, sexy swimwear. The Palm Beach resident, 29, discusses her online business, Lolita’s Beachwear (lolitasbeachwear.com), which also features bikinis from Peruvian designers.
What made you decide to start a swimsuit line?
The idea for Lolita’s Beachwear began back in high school. It began to take shape slowly, when I went on vacation to Lima. I would bring back bikinis and sell them to all my friends. I loved picking them out and shopping for them.
What are your current plans for lolita?
Not only do I want to see every woman hitting the beach [wearing] a sexy and stylish Lolita [swimsuit], but I also want to create awareness about cerebral palsy as well as inspire the CP community. … The idea that a person with CP can still dream and achieve is the idea I want to spread. Growing up with CP is not easy. Raising a child with CP is not easy, nor is it cheap. That’s why for each bikini that Lolita’s Beachwear sells, we donate a portion of the proceeds to United Cerebral Palsy of South Florida.
do you have advice for budding entrepreneurs?
Never give up. Have confidence, be realistic, optimistic and pursue your goals. Make a plan, whether it’s a five-year or a 10-year plan. Accept consultancy. Be a genuine social butterfly, and pay attention to business courses. Read the details. Don’t cut corners. But most of all be brave; your goals and dreams are often easier to achieve than you think.
The container store, celebrating its first year in Boca, is a certified hit; the storage and organization store features everything from dish racks and closet organizers to luggage and totes.
More food options are on the way: cups Frozen Yogurt and Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar are slated to open this fall.
01
saks Fifth avenue completed renovations on its new men’s store late last year, adding a few dedicated designer sections and a jaw-dropping array of men’s shoes.
02
03
04
Boca-based Polaroid Fotobar has finally opened up a shop at home. Here, you can instantly print and mount photos in fun, creative ways—from Polaroid prints on cardstock to a high-definition aluminum piece of art.
05
■ Keep an eye out—or maybe a foot—for Ilene Greenberg. The Boca resident launched her online business, Design Comfort Shoes, back in 2011, but this spring she debuted specially engineered heels— three years in the making—that manage to blend eye-catching style with incomparable comfort.
■ Jessica Garcia is taking her made-to-order concept to the beach, much to the delight of clients at Ola Feroz, off Palmetto Park Road. Garcia meets with customers to help find the perfect bikini; she then tailors each piece to the individual, using minimal fabric for the perfect tan.
■ Slipping into a Lisa Todd sweater is easy. The hard part is mustering the willpower to take it off. That’s just part of the allure of the collection started by local business owner Lisa Shapiro, whose flagship Lisa Todd store on Glades Road in Boca Raton is celebrating 25 years.
Two one-time giants of the music industry took the stage this past April in Boca—Diana Ross brought the house down at Boca West during a special appearance that benefited the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boca Raton; and Barry Gibb stole the show at Eau Palm Beach during a fundraiser for Agape International Missions with a rendition of “Islands in the Stream” that he did with Kelly Lang.
“RememBeR the ’60s” moment
“Good Vibrations” resonated throughout the 52nd annual Boca Raton Regional Hospital Ball, which featured a rollicking 30-plus-song performance by the Mike Love-led version of the
Beach Boys. Adding to the “Fun, Fun, Fun” of the evening—a cougarstirring appearance by “Full House” and “ER” heartthrob John Stamos on drums. Proceeds benefited the Marcus Neuroscience Institute.
It’s amazing what 320 women can do in a single afternoon when they pool their resources. The second edition of Impact 100 Palm Beach County, held in April at Lynn University’s Wold Performing Arts Center, awarded $320,000 (a $1,000 donation from each woman) to deserving nonprofits— including $100,000 grants to Florence Fuller Child Development Centers, Achievement Centers for Children and Families, and the Arts Garage in Delray Beach.
The first time Lizzie Sider sang the national anthem was in front of some 2,000 people at a rodeo in Jackson Hole, Wyo., where her parents have a summer home. After her performance, Sider, then 8, remembers turning to her father and saying, “This is great, but I can play a bigger venue.” Now 16, the Boca resident and rising country music star is well on her way thanks, in large part, to “Butterfly,” an inspirational track based on her childhood struggles with bullying. The song and accompanying video, which has snagged more than 1 million YouTube views, not only led to an appearance on Queen Latifah’s show, it prompted a recent bully-prevention tour that took Sider to 250-plus elementary and middle schools in California, Florida and Texas.
When did you know that this was the path you wanted to follow?
When I was 4, I’d put on shows for my stuffed animals. Or I’d put on a poodle skirt, play the movie “Grease,” stand on our coffee table and start singing along. … I’ve always had this dream to be a legendary artist, the kind of artist who inspires people.
can you describe the experience that led to “Butterfly?”
I was teased during elementary school in Boca. There was a lot of exclusion and ridicule. I’ll never know why. Maybe because I was different, musical; on the playground, I’d walk around and sing to myself. … One day, some kids asked me to sing for them. I thought, “Hey, they’re actually being nice.” When I started to sing, they all laughed and ran away and called me names. … Every morning when I walked out the door, my parents would say, “Remember: No one has the power to ruin your day.” It didn’t stick right away, but I finally realized that they were right; I had the power to overcome the teasing and the bullying.
When did it hit you that this song was connecting in such a special way?
People have sent messages about how it inspired them, and kids have gotten butterfly tattoos because of it. On the tour, I sing “Butterfly” as my last song. Most of the time, the students all sing along. The first time that happened, I [started to] tear up. It was so beautiful. Here’s a song—my song—and it’s bringing people together. It’s amazing what music can do.
ess de Hoernle donated $250,000 in December to the Wick Theatre and Costume Museum.
Best gUArdiAn oF
tHe written word
Congratulations to William Miller, dean of libraries at Florida Atlantic University for 25-plus years, for earning the highest honor bestowed by the American Library Association’s Reference and User Services Division—the Isadore Gilbert Mudge Award. Miller has overseen the addition of countless special print collections at FAU, as well as the school’s impressive Recorded Sound Archives—including the world’s largest online collection of Jewish music.
New president John Kelly brings impressive credentials as former VP at Clemson, a school that elevated its academics during his tenure.
The College of Medicine’s new physician residency program provides doctors-in-training at community hospitals including Delray Medical Center, Boca Regional and Bethesda West.
College of Nursing professor John Lowe receives a $2.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health for research involving an after-school substance abuse prevention program that connects sixth-grade Native Americans in three tribal communities.
New head football coach Charlie Partridge snags some impressive in-state talent during his first recruiting class— including All-Dade County running back Greg Howell, who rushed for 1,567 yards last year for Coral Gables.
Ex-president Mary Jane Saunders leaves behind a trail of mismanaged affairs and public relations disasters that damages FAU’s reputation.
Proposed development—part of the Innovation Village dorm/parking project—on 40 acres of the FAU natural preserve prompts outrage from environmental activists.
A Lake Worth man who worked in FAU’s libraries is arrested in December for secretly recording 13 videos in a campus men’s room—and posting several of them to porn sites.
Former head football coach Carl Pelini is fired last fall amid allegations of drug use. Pelini denies using drugs in a March interview with Sports Illustrated and says that former defensive line coach Matt Edwards made the allegations after Pelini confronted him about an extramarital affair he suspected him of having. Cue soap opera music.
One year after helping to lead Boca Raton High School’s boys program to its first-ever state swimming title, Gage Kohner capped a standout prep career with two individual gold medals at the Class 4A state championship—capturing both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle events. The Bobcats finished third at state. Kohner is slated to attend Northwestern this fall.
■ Jerry and Terry Fedele: The CEO of Boca Raton Regional Hospital has not only elevated a oncestruggling institution to new heights, but he and his wife have emerged as thoughtful and caring champions for the community.
■ Connie Siskowski: Her American Association of Caregiving Youth continues to be a beacon for children caring for ill and disabled family members.
■ Tim Snow: Nearly lost in the buzz generated by community events he’s created, like the Boca Ballroom Battle, is the fact that the George Snow Scholarship Fund (of which Tim is president) has been awarding more than $500,000 in educa-
tional grants to deserving students.
■ Michelle Rubin: The longtime advocate for local families dealing with children with autism is opening doors for young adults on the spectrum through Autism After 21.
■ Barbara Schmidt: The local philanthropist offers tools for relieving stress and finding life-affirming happiness in her new book, The Practice.
The iconic Boca Raton Resort & Club loosened its tie and added a little fun to the formalities this year with the introduction of a surf school at its Beach Club—as well as a holiday-season skating rink designed with pink ice.
Metro Taxi, the familyrun Palm Beach County service launched by Brock and JoAnne Rosayn three decades ago, was named the 2013 Small Fleet Operator of the Year by the Taxicab, Limousine & Paratransit Association.
■ Hell’s KitcHen: A west Boca man was arrested on domestic battery charges in March after flinging a toaster at his wife. The reason? She wouldn’t have sex with him. Ironically, the couple live on Tranquil Lane.
■ trasH talK: Police arrested a 60-year-old Boca man in January after observing him toss two plastic coffee cups on another man’s lawn. The trash tosser’s daughter later told police that her father had been dumping coffee cups on the man’s lawn for seven months because the homeowner once was rude to him while he walked his dog.
■ Miss irresistible: Delray police responded in April to an afternoon 911 call involving a domestic dispute. When they arrived at the home, officers spoke to a visibly intoxicated 38-year-old woman who couldn’t offer details and wouldn’t cooperate. The woman called 911 again less than 30 minutes later. When the officers returned, the woman claimed she never called 911. Asked why police would return to her house if she didn’t call, the woman replied, “Because you think I’m cute?” Officers arrested the woman for misusing the 911 system.
Cancer Treatment Centers of America announces plans to move its corporate headquarters from Chicago to Boca
After merging with OfficeMax, Office Depot ends speculation about its future in our area by announcing that it will continue to base its corporate headquarters in Boca.
Trader Joe’s is coming!
Newsmax Media expands its operations by adding a 50,000-square-foot space at 750@Park in Boca.
When a man 23 years his junior began inexplicably patting him down in search of a cigarette this past January, a 54-yearold Boca resident pushed the touchy-feely intruder away. The 31-year-old cigarette seeker responded by putting the man in a bear hug—and nearly biting off a section of his ear.
By day: Houston’s, around 1:30 p.m., after some serious power shopping at Town Center. By night: Blue Martini, where cougars come to play right in the lion’s den. Distinctive markings include bee-stung lips, pronounced cleavage and, of course, Jimmy Choos.
In earning Class 5A Player of the Year honors, Boca Raton High School soccer standout Tomer Bitton impressed with more than just his gaudy statistics. Coming off a five-goal season, Bitton pushed himself like never before, training overseas and returning home to score 29 goals with 18 assists as Boca reached the state final.
The renovation and recasting of the tired Bridge Hotel as the chic new Waterstone Resort & Marina, which opened this spring, has Boca buzzing. Expect the Waterstone Bar & Grill to become one of the area’s premier outdoor happy hour hot spots.
No female golfer has ever announced her arrival on the LPGA Tour quite like Jaye Marie Green. The Boca resident earned her Tour card in December— at age 19—with a recordshattering performance at the final stage of Qualifying School, winning the five-round event in Daytona Beach by 10 strokes. Her 29-under-par total smashed the previous 90hole Q-school mark by 11 shots. Green went on to cash her first LPGA check in March ($17,402) after tying for 19th at the JTBC Founders Cup.
3rd & 3rd: 301 N.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach, 561/303-1939
13 American Table: 301 N.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach, 561/409-2061
Arturo’s: 6750 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/997-7373
BB&T Center: 1 Panther Parkway, Sunrise, 954/835-7000, thebbtcenter.com
Biergarten: 309 Via De Palmas, #90, Boca Raton, 561/395-7462
The Blue: Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 561/447-3222
Boca Museum of Art: 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/392-2500
Boca Raton Resort & Club Palm Court Bar: Boca Raton Resort & Club, 501 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton, 561/447-3000
The Breakfast Club: 171 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/3620018
Brio Tuscan Grille: 5050 Town Center Circle, #239, Boca Raton, 561/392-3777
Brulé: 200 N.E. Second Ave., #108, Delray Beach, 561/274-2046
Burt & Max’s: 9089 W. Atlantic Ave., #100, Delray Beach, 561/6386380
Casimir: 416 Via De Palmas, Boca Raton, 561/955-6001
Chops Lobster Bar: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/395-2675
City Oyster: 213 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/272-0220
Couco Pazzo: 915 Lake Ave., Lake Worth, 561/585-0320
Dada: 52 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, 561/330-3232
D’Angelo Pizza, Wine Bar & Tapas: 16950 Jog Road, Delray Beach, 561/381-0037
Estia Greek Taverna: 507 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/417-5800
Fah Asian Bistro: 7461 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/241-0400
Farmer’s Table: 1901 N. Military Trail, Boca Raton, 561/417-5836
Florida Grand Opera: 8390 N.W. 25th St., Miami, 305/854-1643
Funky Buddha: 2621 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/368-4643
The Grove: 187 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561/266-3750
Hard Rock Live: 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood, 954/797-5531
HMF: The Breakers: 1 S. County Road, Palm Beach, 561/290-0104
J& J Seafood Bar & Grill: 634 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/2723390
J. Alexander’s: 1400 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561/347-9875
Jazziz Nightlife: 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/300-0730
Lemongrass: Royal Palm Place, 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/544-8181
Lisa Todd: 2200 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561/395-1930
Lolita’s Beachwear: 2175 Ibis Isle Road, #1, 561/374-4183
Lord & Taylor: 200 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/394-5656
Matteo’s: 233 S. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/392-0773
Max’s Grille: 404 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/368-0080
Max’s Harvest: 169 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561/381-9970
Mizner Park: 327 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/362-0606
Mizner Park Amphitheater: 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton, 561/393-7700
Museum of Contemporary Art: 770 N.E. 125th St., North Miami, 305/893-6211
Norton Museum of Art: 1451 S. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, 561/832-5196
Oceans 234: 234 N. Ocean Blvd., Deerfield Beach, 954/428-2539
Ola Feroz: 805 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 561/331-1805
Palm Beach Outlets: 1751 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561/515-4400
Piattini: 187 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/367-8851
Racks Fish House + Oyster Bar: 5 S.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561/450-6718
Rebel House: 297 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, 561/353-5888
Respectable Street: 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, 561/832-9999
Royal Palm Place: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/362-2984
Sapphire: 500 Via de Palmas, Boca Raton, 561/632-2299
Seasons 52: 2300 N.W. Executive Center Drive, Boca Raton, 561/9989952
Society of the Four Arts: 2 Four Arts Plaza, Palm Beach, 561/655-7227
Sybarite Pig: 20642 S.R. 7, Boca Raton, 561/883-3200
Terra Fiamma: 9169 W. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/495-5570
Town Center at Boca Raton: 6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561/368-6001
Tryst: 4 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/921-0201
Tucci’s: 50 N.E. First Ave., Boca Raton, 561/620-2930
Twenty Twenty Grille: 141 Via Naranjas, #45, Boca Raton, 561/9907969
V&S Deli: 2621 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/395-5206
The Wick Theatre and Costume Museum: 7901 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/995-2333
Worth Avenue: 256 Worth Ave., Palm Beach, 561/659-6909
Yakitori Sake House: 271 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, 561/544-0087
Yard House: 201 Plaza Real, #1201, Boca Raton, 561/417-6124
Meet four authors who find south florida—including Boca— an irresistiBly weird and wild Backdrop for their popular works of page-turning criMe fiction.
by john thomason • PhotograPhy by eduardo schneider
In a 2013 piece for The New Yorker, Adam Gopnik observed that Florida crime fiction “may have supplanted the L.A.-noir tradition as a paperback mirror of American manners”—a mirror driven by, as author Dave Barry put it, a bunch of “South Florida wackos.”
Our lower peninsula, stretching all the way down to the freewheeling Keys, has proved fascinating to readers across the country and beyond ever since John D. MacDonald began writing series thrillers here in 1964. Here’s a look at four of the best writers currently carrying the South Florida crime-mystery torch.
Her prologue: Sharp spent nearly two decades as a Florida-based news reporter for USA Today, covering the police beat, environmental issues, and the occasional interview with a zombie (back when director George Romero shot “Day of the Dead” on Sanibel Island). It all changed shortly after 9-11.
“I turned 50 and just realized that almost everything I was doing was sad news,” recalls Sharp, who lives in Fort Lauderdale. “I found that I was doing profiles of the wounded and the casualties in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and a lot of stuff related to terrorism. It was kind of unrelentingly depressing. … I always loved to read mysteries and particularly liked humorous mysteries, so I thought, why not give it a shot?”
Her series: In 2008, Sharp published Mama Does Time, the first in her Mace Bauer mystery series, about an amateur sleuth solving crimes in the fictional town of Himmarshee, near Lake Okeechobee. “I don’t write an urban series set on the mean streets of Miami or [in] sexy South Beach,” Sharp says. “I wanted to expose readers to the fact that there still is this wild part of Florida that’s all rodeos and ranches and sweet tea and barbecue. It isn’t just all beaches and Disney.”
An animal rehabilitator in a nature park by day, Mace Bauer is regularly swept into criminal investigations by her mother who, in the first book, is sent to the slammer after a corpse inexplicably materializes in the trunk of her turquoise convertible. Sharp keeps the action witty and lighthearted, often describing herself as “Carl Hiaasen on estrogen.”
Her words: “Kicking aside some crab shells and rotten shrimp, I lifted the bike tire. Up came a stained sheet tangled in some snapped-off spokes. Underneath was the body of a scantily clad woman, with one hand flung out. Against the deathly pallor of her wrist, a diamond bracelet glittered.” (Mama Gets Trashed, 2013).
His prologue: Grippando spent 12 years as a trial lawyer, practicing commercial litigation for Steel, Hector & Davis, based in Miami. In his favorite case, he defended a group of mistreated chicken farmers against the international conglomerate Cargill.
“There was intentional misweighing of the poultry growers’ chickens, and that’s how they get paid, by the pound,” Grippando says. “We ended up settling that case and getting some justice for them. It was a real David and Goliath type of class action.”
During much of his time as a trial lawyer, he moonlighted as a fiction writer, working 12 hours a day at his real job and writing from 10 p.m. to midnight. He published two books while practicing law, after which he dropped his lucrative legal career for the uncertain waters of full-time writing.
His series: His decision paid off. Many of Grippando’s 21 books have been New York Times best-sellers; they’ve also been translated into 26 languages. He’s written 11 novels about Jack Swyteck, a Miami defense attorney introduced all the way back in his 1994 debut, The Pardon. “Jack’s not the superhero who can smoke cigarettes and drink beer and then run a mile in four and a half minutes,” he says. “He’s a regular guy who you’d want to root for.”
Grippando laces his stories with themes that are as topical as they are regional; he likes to say they are “ripped from tomorrow’s headlines.” In 1998’s The Abduction, he posited a world in which an African-American man and a Caucasian woman vied for president, which reviewers said strained credulity. His latest novel, Black Horizon, anticipates an oil rig explosion in Cuban waters, 50 miles from the Florida Keys, that rivals the Deepwater Horizon spill of 2010.
His words: “Bianca closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself. She felt the pointed tip of the blade on her upper lip. It felt like a needle puncturing her lip, more terrifying than painful. A trickle of blood entered her mouth, warm and salty.” (Black Horizon, 2014)
His prologue: Unlike many crime writers, who transitioned into fiction from the legal, law-enforcement or journalistic worlds, Hall had spent some 16 years as poet. Carnegie-Mellon University Press published three of his four poetry collections, and his works appeared in numerous scholarly journals. But the lyrical beauty of poetry is a far cry from the straightforward, staccato punch of series mysteries; as a result, his first four novels couldn’t find a publisher.
“I was cocky, being a poet, and I thought that to write a mystery novel, I was kind of slumming, in a way, because I would write these beautiful lines, and every line had a musical quality to it,” says the Miami resident. “It never occurred to me that I had to tell an interesting story with characters that readers would care about. I learned it through hard knocks and lots of rejection.”
His series: At its best, Hall’s writing reflects the lyricism of his poetry without overriding the drama. He introduced his series pro-
tagonist, a “hardcore loner” named Thorn, in 1987’s Under Cover of Darkness. He makes a meager living selling custom bonefish flies to fishermen in Key Largo, where, like many people who journey to the absolute bottom of the country, he just wants to be left alone.
“There’s a big strain of that pioneer value in the Keys, and that was part of what I endowed Thorn with,” Hall says. “I thought of him originally as Henry David Thoreau, but sitting beside his Walden pond with a .357 Magnum in his pocket. He has a windmill for his power, and he heats his water with kind of a primitive solar system. That started in 1987, and now it seems sort of hip.” Try as Thorn might to avoid it, trouble continues to find him, starting in book one with the murder of his foster mother.
His words: “In the murky light of the hospital room, gravity drew her deep into the mattress. Lungs laboring, heart trudging on. She felt again his body in her arms. The frail weight, his bones as delicate as the stems of wineglasses, an expression on his face, his last look into this world, first glimpse of the next.” (Magic City, 2007).
Her prologue: Though she would go on to invent murders and mayhem under a different name, Miriam Potocky’s family has experienced far too much real-life horror. Her Jewish father lived in Czechoslovakia before and after World War II, during which time he changed his surname from the GermanJewish Auerbach to its Czech equivalent, Potocky. Most of his family perished in the Holocaust. Decades later, as a novelist, “I use the Auerbach name as a way to give the finger to the Nazis,” Potocky says. “They tried to exterminate the Auerbach family and the Jewish people, but we are still here 70 years later—and will be for 7,000 more.”
At age 6, Potocky and her family faced another geopolitical terror: the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia. Her family fled to the United States, where she studied to be a particle physicist. Potocky became disenchanted with the prospect of building nuclear weapons and, after spending a decade as a Harley biker girl, eventually earned a Ph.D in social work and settled into the world of academia as a professor at Florida International University.
Her series: Inspired by “the beauty and bizarreness that is Boca,” Potocky’s “Dirty Harriet” series debuted in spring 2013, unveiling the title character, a former “Boca Babe,” which Potocky defines as “a highly enhanced, high-maintenance woman married to a highincome man.” In the first book, after 10 years of abuse by her husband, Harriet eliminates him with a .44 magnum, which is ruled a justifiable homicide. She relocates to a desolate cabin in the Everglades, where she opens a scam-busting business.
But she inevitably winds up back in the city that Mizner built, solving murders while surrounded by quirky supporting characters; her third and latest release is called Dead in Boca “All you have to do is read the paper daily and something weird has gone down here,” says the West Palm Beach resident. “It’s almost to the point where you can’t write satire because in Boca, truth is stranger than fiction.”
Her words: “She sighed and ordered a large house salad with no dressing and some bottled water. Boca Babes are in a constant state of starvation. Being on coke makes that easier.” (Dirty Harriet Rides Again, 2013)
Christian Louboutin Lady Peep sling spike, $1,545, Nicholas Kirkwood Mexican pointy pump, $595, and Sophia Webster ankle-tie pump, $620, all from Saks Fifth Avenue, Town Center at Boca Raton; striped Kate Spade heel, $358, from Lord & Taylor, Mizner Park in Boca; round boxes, $10.99 each, and rectangular boxes, $14.99 each, from The Container Store, Town Center
Stay in step with the latest trends by trying these stylish footwear selections on for size.
PhotograPhy by AArOn BriStOl
Michael Kors pink suede heel, $395, from Lord & Taylor; Jimmo Choo
Tamera suede mirror leather heel, $1,250, from Footcandy, Delray Beach; Azzedine Alaia feather heel, $1,710, and Giuseppe Zanotti Acquario circle cutout heel, $1,395, from Saks Fifth Avenue; black metal container, $16.99, and white metal container, $49, from The Container Store
women’s: Dries Van Noten floral loafer, $690, from Saks Fifth Avenue; Emmie natural cork wedge, $79.99, from Stepping Out, Plaza Del Mar, Manalapan; André Assous Deborah Mid shoe, $278, from Lord & Taylor; men’s: Donald Pliner cork slip-on, $295, and Torino Leather Co. camel-woven cork belt, $95, from Guy La Ferrera, The Shops at Boca Center, Boca Raton. Frames, $11.99 to $16.99, from The Container Store
women’s: Jimmy Choo Venus sandal, $950, from Footcandy; Jimmy Choo shimmer suede crystal sandal, $1,595, from Saks Fifth Avenue; Sam Edelman Claire heel, $130, from Lord & Taylor; men’s: Mezlan Claudio II, $395, from Guy La Ferrera. Frames, $11.99 to $16.99, from The Container Store
Plan your weekend getaways around the sweet summer specials being offered by resorts only a few hours away—as well as in our own backyard.
By Kevin Kaminski
Acqualina Resort & Spa
Where: 17875 Collins Ave., Sunny Isles
What’s the deal? From Aug. 18 through Sept. 30, this beachfront paradise—winner of the AAA Five Diamond Award for five years running—is offering 50 percent off Wednesday or Sunday nights, when staying a minimum of three nights (room rates start at $525 during August and $425 in September), as well as complimentary valet parking, free access to the AcquaMarine children’s program—and a $40 credit per day for body or facial treatments at the world-class, 20,000-square-foot Acqualina Spa by ESPA. While you’re there: In addition to the food and beverage service available at the resort’s four pools—including the casual Costa Grill, which overlooks the Atlantic—Acqualina’s dining options include the recently opened AQ by Acqualina, an ode to the farm-totable movement with inventive dishes from renowned chef Dewey LoSasso. Contact: acqualinaresort.com, 305/918-8000
Where: 4525 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
What’s the deal? February isn’t the only month for lovers as evidenced by Eden Roc’s couples getaway, featuring an overnight stay, $50 credit for treatments or salon services at the inaugural ELLE Spa (started by the national magazine of the same name), and breakfast buffet for two at 15 Steps, the resort’s buzzworthy farm-to-table restaurant. Oh yes, don’t forget about the fresh strawberries and bottle of Champagne. Weekend rates in July start at $503 per night.
While you’re there: Accommodations at the sprawling 631-room resort overlook the ocean or Biscayne Bay, but for those who like to be a little closer to the aquatic action, check out one of the 14 bi-level bungalow suites—complete with floating staircases.
Contact: edenrocmiami.com, 305/531-0000
Where: 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach
What’s the deal? A Mega Suite at the W is a vacation unto itself—up to nearly 1,000 square feet, private glass balconies, ocean views and a spiral staircase in the living room that leads to a rooftop deck with a plunge pool and a private barbecue grill. As part of the two-night “Mega Flavors, Mega Suites” package, priced at $2,100, the art of grilling is elevated with menu options devised by James Beard Award-nominated chef Andrew Carmellini—think dry-aged prime burgers, 40-ounce rib-eyes and king crab legs—that guests can prepare themselves or, for an ad-
ditional $200 per hour, leave in the capable hands of an en-suite cook. Guests also receive a signed copy of Carmellini’s cookbook.
While you’re there: For more traditional access to Carmellini’s cooking, check out The Dutch, the resort’s 170-seat restaurant and oyster room with classic American fare. Contact: wsouthbeach.com, 305/938-3000
Where: 500 Brickell Key Drive, Miami
What’s the deal? This world-class resort by the bay is serving up a “Fantastic Florida Escape” that includes one of its deluxe rooms or suites, daily breakfast for two, complimentary valet and 20-percent off select menu offerings at the heavenly Spa at Mandarin Oriental. Call for room rates.
While you’re there: The Mandarin is raising the culinary stakes with the addition of its new restaurant, La Mar, featuring Peruvian creations from celebrity chef Gaston Acurio. Meanwhile, the new MO Bar + Lounge is drawing raves for its ultra-chic vibe, nightly jazz and Latin performers, and roster of inspired
cocktails—like a spin on the standard gin and tonic that includes lemongrass essence.
Contact: mandarinoriental.com/miami, 305/913-8288
Where: 1 Duval St., Key West
What’s the deal? Perched on a private whitesand beach, just footsteps away from the bustle of Duval Street, the venerable Pier House is a classic slice of Florida history and the perfect post for a weekend in Key West. But why just stay the weekend? This summer, the resort is enticing guests to keep the party going by offering 50-percent off a fourth night— or, stay five nights and get the final night free. Call for room rates.
While you’re there: Don’t miss a chance to knock a few back, old-school style, at the legendary Chart Room, a no-blender-drinksallowed spot that serves free popcorn, peanuts and hot dogs. Its whatever-sticks-to-the-wall decor is just one reason locals describe it as the “weird little bar trapped inside a luxury resort.”
Contact: pierhouse.com, 305/296-4600
Eau Palm Beach
Where: 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan
What’s the deal? The Eau team is rolling out the red carpet these days—with everything from Champagne and herb-infused cold towels at check-in to beach bags with flip-flops for its guests. Florida residents can see what the fuss is about this summer with a special that includes rates from $189, complimentary valet parking and treatments at the resort’s pampering palace—Eau Spa—starting at $99. For those not staying on the property, the spa also is offering time-specific summer deals Monday through Thursday—$99 at 9 a.m., and $110 at 10 a.m.—on its Self-Centered Massage or Essence Facial (both normally run $160 for 60 minutes).
While you’re there: Eau is setting the bar higher than ever when it comes to the guest experience. Check out the nightly lobby turndown service, when the lights go dim and more than 100 candles are lit; the monthly Friday night pool party with a DJ and cocktail specials; and evening stargazing events at the Stir Fire Pit.
Contact: eaupalmbeach.com, 888/306-4894
Where: 301 Australian Ave., Palm Beach
What’s the deal? See how the other half lives by taking advantage of the off-season special
for Florida residents at the boutique property that earned “Gold List” status from Condé Nast Traveler and a “500 World’s Best Hotels” nod from Travel + Leisure. Rates start at $229 per night—in December that same room can go for more than $600—and guests enjoy complimentary parking.
While you’re there: No visit to the Court would be complete without sampling the masterful French fare at Café Boulud or the array of beauty and bliss offered at Frédéric Fekkai Salon & Spa.
Contact: thebraziliancourt.com, 561/655-7740
Where: 5800 Universal Blvd., Orlando
What’s the deal? Of the three on-site hotels connected to Universal—Portofino Bay and Royal Pacific are the others—only the Hard Rock is cool enough to pipe underwater music into its 12,000-square-foot pool. But that and the ability to rent Fender guitars or professional DJ equipment aren’t the only reasons to stay at the Sunshine State’s version of Hotel California. The real deal, for Islands of Adventure or Universal Studio goers, is the free Universal Express pass (regularly $30 per person), which allows guests to skip those brutally long summer lines. A stay also guarantees early park admission (one hour before the regular doors open) and shuttle bus or water taxi service.
While you’re there: Try and time your trip around the monthly rock-n-roll cocktail parties thrown at the resort’s see-and-be-seen Velvet Bar.
Contact: hardrockhotelorlando.com, 407/503-2000
Where: 14200 Bonnet Creek Resort Lane, Orlando
What’s the deal? The luxury property lets its hair down through Aug. 31 with a summerlong slate of adult and family activities—from a “Weird Science” ice cream social (expect some liquid nitrogen) and family s’mores nights to horse-and-carriage rides around the property and complimentary Champagne and chocolate following a spa treatment. Deluxe room rates in mid-July start at $189 per night.
While you’re there: Dining and cocktail options abound, including the award-winning Bull & Bear (with steak-house specialties like
a 28-day dry-aged tomahawk rib-eye), and La Luce, an Italian country kitchen concept from Napa Valley chef Donna Scala.
Contact: waldorfastoriaorlando.com, 407/597-5500
Where: 8629 International Drive, Orlando
What’s the deal? It turns out Cinderella’s isn’t the only castle in town. This stylish and artful entry to the International Drive scene lends an air of sophistication to the street—and at affordable rates for families already facing mega-ticket prices at Disney. As part of the Sunset Celebration Stay, guests receive rooms starting at $129, as well as a $10 dining credit at the Garden Bistro & Bar.
While you’re there: The Poseidon Spa features an assortment of skin-care, massage, waxing and combo packages, including the $290 Royal Treatment—a deep-muscle massage, botanical facial and foot polish over the course of 150 minutes.
Contact: castlehotelorlando.com, 407/248-8181
Where: 200 Ocean Crest Drive, Palm Coast
What’s the deal? Part of the Grand Golf Resorts of Florida collection—which includes Innisbrook outside of Tampa and Reunion Resort in Orlando—this oceanfront gem south of Jacksonville is offering a two-night Ultimate Sportsman’s deal that lives up to the billing. In addition to one round of golf per adult per night at one of the resort’s two
courses—the signature Ocean Course has six holes bordering the Atlantic—the package includes one ticket to the Richard Petty Driving Experience at nearby Daytona International Speedway.
While you’re there: Hammock Beach features some 320 suites and villas, including threeand four-bedroom units with full kitchens and washer/dryers. Fresh seafood and stunning views are on the menu at Atlantic Grille, the only oceanfront restaurant in the Palm Coast area.
Contact: hammockbeach.com, 866/841-0287
Where: 400 S. Collier Blvd., Marco Island
What’s the deal? Prepare for a love-hate relationship with sand at this beachfront retreat just south of Naples. On the one hand, the fine white powder fronting the Gulf of Mexico is a sight to behold. As for the devilish bunkers on the picturesque Hammock Bay golf course, not so much—especially when you’re in one. But that’s a risk guests will endure in order to take advantage of the Golf Getaway package, which includes 18 holes for up to two people, breakfast daily, 10 percent off pro shop purchases and rates that start at $349 per night (minimum two-night stay). While you’re there: The resort features seven dining locations, including the signature Kurrents with its cutting-edge Florida cuisine and Pan-Asian specialties.
Contact: marcoislandmarriott.com, 239/394-2511
A LITTLE TIME IN MIAMI. TO FEEL YOUNG AGAIN.
FLORIDA RESIDENTS, THIS ONE’S FOR YOU. GET A $25 DAILY RESORT CREDIT WITH YOUR SUMMER STAY AT LOEWS MIAMI BEACH HOTEL. VISIT LOEWSHOTELS.COM/MIAMI-BEACH-HOTEL FOR MORE INFORMATION.
starting from$143*
Experience the easy, casual luxury of our close-to-home seaside resort at a special rate. Poised at the water’s edge in Jupiter, voted “One of the Top 15 Happiest Seaside Towns” by Coastal Living Magazine.
Backyard Bliss Includes:
• 35% off our Best Available Rates
• Luxury Accommodation
• Tour of the historic Jupiter Lighthouse
*Valid thru September 30, 2014. Subject to availability. Promo Code: BLISS
Kickoff to Boca Chamber Festival Days
Presented and Co-chaired by Bonnie and Jon Kaye, Kaye Communications
Thursday, July 31, 2014 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
The New Waterstone Resort & Marina The Atlantic Ballroom 999 E. Camino Real, Boca Raton
To attend this prestigious event, a gift to the Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University is required:
$100 White Coat
$250 White Coat Ceremony Sponsor
$500 Medical Student Scholarship (based on need)
$750 Family/Corporate Medical Student Scholarship Award (based on need)
$1,000 Named Seat in the Medical Education Auditoriums (a personalized donor recognition or tribute plate will be placed on the back of each seat)
$5,000 “Named” medical student scholarship fund
Please Contact: Gisele Galoustian, Director of Public Affairs, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine
Office: 561-297-2676 Email: ggaloust@fau.edu med.fau.edu
Hosted By: Media Sponsor:
Valet Parking Compliments of Dr. Ronald Rubin
[ by john thomason ]
When: July 18–Aug. 31
Wher e : Adrienne Arsht Center, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
About: Attending the world-premiere production of “H2Ombre” will be like experiencing the immersive wetness of a trip to SeaWorld without the gas mileage and animal-rights guilt. Subtitled “Braving the Elements,” this wordless theatrical production features its performers doing just that, especially water, which rains down on them, shoots up at them and flows from them, magically emanating from their bodies in gravity-defying flumes, all in an effort to explore the “origins of creativity, imagination and inspiration.” If about 60 percent of the adult male body is water, it’s hard to imagine the performers will have any of it left after the show. A promised 6,000 gallons of H20 will be expended in each performance, which, like the Arsht Center’s previous summer extravaganza, “The Donkey Show,” will break barriers between the audience and the actors. Even the Arsht’s loading dock, main entrance, lobby and box office will be redesigned in an industrial theme, while its Lynn Wolfson Stage will be transformed into a techno playground of mythical beasts.
Cost: $50–$85
ContAC t: 305/949-6722, arshtcenter.org
When: Aug. 15
Where: Broward Center, 201 S.W. Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale
About: In 1968, Johnny Winter released his debut album. It was called The Progressive Blues Experiment, a fitting name for his own oeuvre and those of the other bands slated at this one-day festival—all of whom are so uniquely weird that they could only be paired with each other, and whose sound rippled through the rock underground over the next decade. The migration from the acoustic howl of traditional blues to the electric shredding of today’s blues rockers owes much to the muscular sound of Winter, who will be joined on this bill by his younger brother Edgar Winter, famous for his molten instrumental rocker “Frankenstein”; Vanilla Fudge, the enduring psychedelic act known for its unparalleled renditions of ’60s pop and soul tunes; Peter Rivera of Rare Earth, the first all-white act to score a hit on a major Motown record label; and Kim Simmonds, of British blues rockers Savoy Brown.
Cost: $25–$65
ContAC t: 954/462-0222, browardcenter.org
When: July 13
Where: Hard Rock Live, 1 Seminole Way, Hollywood About: Radio talker Dennis Miller is considered one of our most prominent “9-11 conservatives”—a comedian who was once liberal (and still is on some social issues) but who turned to the right after the events of Sept. 11, 2001. As a result, the loquacious former “Weekend Update” host and author of I Rant, Therefore I Am may have found a home each week on “The O’Reilly Factor,” but in many ways he’s still the same Miller—a bottomless trove of esoteric political and pop-culture references that will have some comedy-goers laughing in the aisles and others scratching their heads. He’ll be joined on this co-headlining tour by the decidedly non-partisan Dana Carvey, whose ability to impersonate political leaders on both sides of the aisle—including a withering, dead-on Barack Obama—has not waned a bit since his careermaking stint satirizing Bush the elder on “SNL.”
Cost: $54–$79
ContAC t: 800/745-3000, hardrocklivehollywoodfl.com
When: Aug. 2
Where: Borland Center for the Arts, 4485 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens
About: Swede Fest Palm Beach, one of the funniest film festivals you’ll ever encounter, has absolutely nothing to do with Scandinavian cinema and everything to do with satirizing Hollywood gravitas. Owing its origins to the underrated 2008 comedy
“Be Kind Rewind”—in which Jack Black and Mos Def re-create blockbusters using low budgets and cheap video—the term “swede” refers to any such parody. The swedes selected for this increasingly popular festival run a few minutes in length, during which time the director may condense an entire feature or spoof an isolated scene. Some 40 videos screened last year, with the Audience Favorite Award winners, for their “Back to the Future” swede, walking away with the coveted Best Buy gift card. This year’s entrants will take on the likes of “Casablanca,” “Rocky III” and “Twilight.” The festival’s tagline says it all: “bad movies by good people.”
Cost: $8
ContAC t: 561/282-4623, swedefestpalmbeach.com
When: Aug. 10–25
When: Aug. 10
Where: Cruzan Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansburys Way, West Palm Beach
About: For years, mostly in the 1990s, Trent Reznor’s largely solo project Nine Inch Nails became shorthand for the sort of angry, profane, establishment-upending music that caused parents to fret when it pulsated from their offspring’s stereos. It’s a stigma that Reznor has helped to shed as NIN entered the new millennium—along with such reductive genre descriptors as “heavy metal.” NIN’s ominous, electronically driven music is its own genre, closer to art rock than pop music—The New Yorker called it “vehement, brainy, obstinate, and modernist” in a 2012 profile of Reznor, who has accrued two Grammys. Years after inching toward mainstream acceptance with his fragile, Oscar-winning score for “The Social Network,” Reznor is touring behind the terrific “Hesitation Marks,” his first NIN album since 2009. Joining NIN will be Soundgarden—the Chris Cornell-led grunge band that also broke in the ’90s and maintains a fervent fan base—and Death Grips, an innovative trio that combines hip-hop and industrial music.
Cost: $38.50–$117.30
ContAC t: 561/795-8883, livenation.com
Where: Boca Museum of Art, 501 Plaza Real, Boca Raton About: Now in its 63rd year, the annual All Florida Juried Competition and Exhibition is often a highlight of summer in Boca, making our city Grand Central for a state-of-the-arts survey of Florida’s brightest talent. The exhibition typically encompasses everything from traditional painting and photography to sculptures, videos, site-specific installations and a few large-scale provocations. The overall success or failure of All Florida, however, has as
much to do with the juror’s individual tastes than with the artists’ submissions, and this year we’re at the mercy of Trong G. Nguyen, an edgy independent curator and artist based in Brooklyn. In his own work, Nguyen is a creative recycler of nontraditional materials, from one-person pingpong tables and toy light-saber installations to spaghetti dinners arranged on turntables and grocery bags refashioned into Catholic “confessionals.” Here’s hoping some of that anarchic irreverence bleeds into his selection process.
Cost: $6–$12
ContAC t: 561/392-2500, bocamuseum.org
For local children and adults who want to learn to dance, the options are manifold; a quick Web search yields 14 studios in Boca Raton alone. But how about local places to pursue dance professionally, once you graduate from these institutions? not so much. Opportunities to even see dance in palm Beach county are exceedingly rare, sans the occasional touring company that visits the Duncan Theatre or the Kravis center—leaving a cultural vacancy that maria Konrad and Jerry Opdenaker have been filling since 2005 and 2009, respectively.
Konrad’s company, Reach Dance, specializes in jazz dance, and Opdenaker’s O Dance is a ballet organization—though in every other way, they’re kindred spirits. Dancers turned choreographers, Konrad and Opdenaker perform shows together as much as separately, mounting programs that combine their disparate genres. They employ local talent and invite nationally recognized choreographers to premiere works on their stage—usually the eissey campus Theatre in palm Beach Gardens—for such evocative works as “Dracula,” O Dance’s annual halloween-staged gothic ballet, and “The Golden age of hollywood,” Reach Dance’s dynamic tribute to silver screen legends.
For these two torch carriers, it’s a gratifying job to be the only game in town, though in a perfect world, they’d be staging a lot more dance than their nonprofit largesse allows.
“We’re very lucky, on our beer budget with our champagne dreams, that we do have a mini-season,” Konrad says. “and we’re very lucky with the dancers that we have, or the dancers we bring in from out of state, that they’re excited to do the work.
“They’re doing it either for free or for an immensely discounted price, because they’re committed to us.”
Q1
Maria, you seem to be the only game in town for jazz dance north of Miami. Why do you think that is?
Konrad: I say that jazz is sometimes perceived as the stepchild of the art forms, that it’s not as high art [as ballet]. But it is, because it’s really an expression of who people are inside. It’s got the pulse on what’s happening in our community, what’s happening in our culture. I think when push comes to shove, it all comes down to funding. Because when you go to Chicago, you’ve got Hubbard Street, River North, Giordano—there’s seven or eight large jazz companies, let alone the smaller ones. It just comes down to community support.
Q2
Did you form these companies partly to have a venue to showcase your own choreography?
Opdenaker: Yes and no … yes, because, we’re both choreographers, but no, it’s not exclusive to us, because it was about providing a forum for all these artists that we saw, that didn’t have other [opportunities].
One thing about Florida is that we’re waterlogged. It’s hard just to get out of this state to get to the next state, where you may actually have more possibilities.
Q3
Jerry, in what ways has O Dance followed up on its slogan to “expect the unexpected?”
Opdenaker: Each show is quite dif-
ferent. The main focus of O Dance is really about collaborating. You’re never going to see something that is traditional, in the sense that you’re never going to see a backdrop of a castle and a court dance. At one point, we had an artist create an encapsulated environment out of zip ties. You’ll always see something new, and it’s going to be challenging.
Q4 Is it important for your dances to have narratives, or to have an emotional connection beyond showcasing impressive technique?
Opdenaker: I tend to always create an environment with each piece that I do, and with each piece I like my company to do. Even though I may be producing an abstract dance, there is somewhat of a journey, an arcing journey that the audience can follow, and that the dancers can follow, so that they get emotionally attached to it.
Q5
How would you convince someone who’s never been to one of your productions to attend the next one?
Konrad: I feel what’s so great about the Reach audience and shows and dancers is that there’s something for everyone—someone can identify with the music, [or] they can identify with the dancers they see onstage. You’ll never walk away feeling depressed. Yes, we address issues that are going on in our world, but most of the time it’s about the joy we experience around us.
“A lot of people seem to think that … buying a ticket is going to cover the cost of us producing a weekend in a theater—when, actually, it barely covers anything. Ticket sales may be one-fourth of the cost. So you’re always banking on just not losing too much every time you go out there.”
—Jerry Opdenaker
and Jerry Opdenaker
For their next joint performance, reach and o dance will showcase the fruits of their annual summer dance intensive (July 28–aug. 8) with an Aug. 9 public performance at the eissey campus Theatre, 11051 campus drive, Palm Beach Gardens. it will feature premieres choreographed by Konrad, opdenaker and Tony award nominee Margo sappington. Tickets are TBa. Visit palmbeachstate.edu/ theatre/eissey-campus-theatre.
A fabulous night of food, wine, cocktails and entertainment, featuring Mizner Park’s extraordinary collection of TASTEMAKERS— a progressive food and cocktail tasting event you won’t want to miss!
Wed Sept17 6 to 9:30 P.M.
Available August 1 for purchase at participating Tastemaker restaurants or online at miznerpark.com. Each VIP Booklet also includes three months of exclusive dining offers at participating Tastemaker restaurants from August 1 to October 31.
to the Shindig Band at the Gazebo & Amp’d at the Amphitheater
to each Tastemaker restaurant for great food & drink pairings
to the Amphitheater for beer samplings by SweetWater Brewery, New Belgium Brewery, Harpoon Brewery & Florida Beer Company from Gold Coast Beverage Distributors.
561-620-2540 • dublinerboca.com
561-300-0730 • jazziznightlife.com
Shepherd’s Pie & Guinness Mac & Cheese with Irish Soda Bread & Butter
Beef Carpaccio with Horseradish Aioli, Black Truffle, Homemade Potato Chips
561-347-7322 • kapownoodlebar.com
Bánh mì Vietnamese Baguette: Slow-cooked Pulled Pork, Buttery Spicy Aioli, Cilantro, Pickled Carrots, Daikon & Jalapeño
Special Black Velvet: Guinness & Cider
Blood Orange Cilantro Margarita
Spicy Lover: Partida Reposado Tequila, Cucumber, Lime Juice, Tabasco Green Sauce, Cilantro, Organic Agave Nectar
15% off entire check with purchase of an entrée*
561-368-0080 • maxsgrille.com
561-395-1662 • racksboca.com
561-620-2192 • ruthschris.com
Crispy Duck Spring Rolls: Spicy Vegetables, Soba Noodles, Pickled Cucumbers, Asian Dipping Sauce
The A + A Roll: Hamachi, Jalapeño, Spicy Tuna, Crispy Shallot, Cilantro, Avocado
Strawberry Saketini: Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Tyku Sake & Fresh Strawberries
Boca Lemonade: Stoli Vodka, Tyku Lemonade
Mini Seared Ahi-Tuna: Ahi-Tuna Perfectly Complemented by Aspirated Sauce with hints of Mustard & Beer
Raspberry Rosemary Cosmo: Absolut Raspberri, Cointreau, Lime & Cranberry Juices, Muddled Raspberries, Rosemary
10% off entire check with purchase of an entrée*
with purchase of a lunch entrée*
appetizer with purchase of an entrée*
561-300-3530 • unclejulios.com
Cedar Plank Salmon: Salmon Roasted on Cedar Plank, Red Pepper Lima Beans, Israeli Couscous, Cucumber Fennel Salad
Fresh Seasonal Crab Claws
Pineapple Bacon Guacamole: Pineapple, Hickory-smoked Bacon & Crumbled Queso Fresco
Prickly Pear-Sour Sop Margarita: Cactus Fruit, Florida Guanabana, Hand-squeezed Lime, El Jimador Tequila Reposado 100%
Lagaria Pinot Grigio
Julio’s Gold: Uncle Julio’s Special Handshaken Margarita
Eggplant Rollatini:
Brazed Eggplant stuffed with Seasoned Ricotta Cheese with Marinara, Parmesan & Melted Mozzarella
Ahi Poke Bowl: Marinated Raw Ahi & Avocado with Carrots, Daikon Radish, Macadamia Nuts & Wontons
During the event, look for the Official Tastemakers Stop Sign at each restaurant. Snap a creative selfie at the stop sign and share it with us on Instagram or Facebook.
Açai Thini: Açai Vodka with Cointreau, Sour Mix & a touch of Blue Curaçao
Lost Coast Tangerine Wheat Beer
Elizabeth Kelley Grace Chris Holcomb
Paula Pianta Victoria M. Rixon
Robert A. Sweetapple Denise Zimmerman
Jean-Marc Casanave Pam Casanave Dr. Albert Dabbah
Saturday, August 16 th at
16950 Jog Road, Delray Beach, 561/270-3569
PrIce ranGe: Sushi bar small plates, sushi rolls, wok dishes $7 to $24; entrées $16 to $28
HOUrS: Mon.–Thurs. 11:30 a.m.–10 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11:30 a.m.–10:30 p.m., Sun. 5–10 p.m. webSIte: theseaasianbistro.com
Lemongrass is a tropical grass that grows quickly and in clumps, an essential ingredient in many Southeast Asian dishes. It’s an apt metaphor for the Lemongrass family of restaurants, which has grown quickly itself from the Delray Beach original to Lemongrass bistros in Boca Raton, Boynton Beach and Fort Lauderdale, not to mention Fah and Sushi Thai in Boca.
Now there’s a new member of the family: The Sea Southeast Asian Kitchen, which has taken over the old Lola space in The Shoppes at Addison Place in west Delray, an area whose dining scene is rapidly picking up momentum. The family ties are strong. Like its siblings, The Sea boasts a sleek, contemporary look. Done mainly in earth tones, it boasts
a stone-faced sushi bar, hardwood floors, tall ceiling crisscrossed with exposed ductwork, long rows of booths and banquettes, and a fetching covered outdoor patio.
The menu also recalls its siblings, with many of Lemongrass’s most popular dishes and selections from countries all over Southeast Asia— including crisp, savory cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls) and an extensive roster of sushi and sashimi, as well as an array of Thai-style stir-fries, entrées and noodle dishes (like the comforting blend of cellophane noodles, veggies and chicken in a mild brown sauce called pad woonsen).
Like lemongrass, The Sea will grow on you.
—Bill Citara
15 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561/865-5350
Of all the crimes committed against the world’s great cuisines, none has been so often and egregiously brutalized as the cuisine of Mexico. At its most basic level, Mexican cookery is marked by a handful of ingredients—mostly fresh, local and seasonal—prepared simply and with great ingenuity, and served with an utter lack of artifice and pretension.
If this doesn’t sound like the Mexican cuisine you know, join the club. Generations of restaurateurs have conditioned Americans to see the fare from south of the border as little more than cheap filler by way of food-service trucks and can openers.
Which is one reason why El Camino—the latest restaurant from the savvy young trio behind Cut 432 and Park Tavern—is so important. It’s serving Mexican food that respects its culinary heritage and relies on high-quality raw materials, all with a fun, modern twist. That seems just fine to the raucous scrum of happy diners jamming the place one recent weekend evening. They were sucking down some terrific margaritas—like the smoky, exotic 50/50 (half tequila, half mescal) and sweet-tart blood orange—and digging into baskets of crisp, greaseless chips dragged through creamy guacamole or spicy-dusky red chili and tangy tomatillo salsas. We joined the fun, vacuuming up taco trios ranging from chili-massaged skirt steak with tomatillo relish to world-class fish tacos, the relevant protein
PrIce ranGe: Entrées $10–$24
HOUrS: Daily 11–2 a.m. (kitchen closes at midnight)
WeBSITe: elcaminodelray.com
tender as a baby’s kiss beneath a thin, delicate fried crust, set off by tart pineapple salsa and squiggles of chili crema.
Of course, there’s more to El Camino than tacos and tequila. Like hearty smoked brisket enchiladas smothered in cheese and red chili sauce, and accompanied by red rice and refried beans that taste nothing like the grayish mucilage spooned out of a can. Or like quesadillas of squash blossoms with mushrooms and Oaxaca cheese stuffed into house-made blue corn tortillas. And don’t forget, for dessert, the long rope of cinnamon and sugar-dusted churros with a luscious (but stingy) cup of bittersweet chocolate dipping sauce.
The only crime here would be passing on El Camino.
—Bill Citara
review twenty twenty grille
141 Via Naranjas, Boca Raton, 561/990-7969
Twenty Twenty Grille’s neighbors in Boca’s Royal Palm Place are a sushi bar, a design center, a spa and a jewelry shop. These landmarks are important because the restaurant is so obscurely located that even Lewis and Clark might need a GPS to find it.
What’s even more important, however, is that Ron and Rhonda Weisheit’s modest but ambitious restaurant embodies the best elements of all of its neighbors. Ingredients— “product,” in chef’s parlance—are as impeccably fresh and carefully prepared as at a sushi bar. Its modern yet comfortable design is a triumph of small budget and artistic sensibility, and its ambience is as soothing and inviting as inside a tony spa. The tiny spot, without question, is a jewel.
Actually, “tiny” understates it by a factor of several. You’ve probably licked postage stamps larger than this space, which gets its name from the 20 seats indoors and the other 20 under a fixed blue-and-white-striped awning out front. Even so, the Grille is big on charming details, from the classy woven furniture and landscape mural on the patio to the dining room dominated by a wall of horizontally racked wine bottles and the signature wall sculpture—a large, whimsical installation made of old cutting boards and a refrigerator door by local artist Ruben Ubiera.
PrIce ranGe: Entrées $23–$33
HOUrs: Daily 5–10 p.m.
websIte: twentytwentygrille.com
The food—chef Ron Weisheit’s domain— shows similar attention to detail, from housemade breads and pasta to clever pre- and post-dinner amuse. On the night I was there, Weisheit prepared a spoonful of Asian-inflected soba noodles and veggies along with a small square of almond praline so wickedly luscious I could have ordered a square mile of it as an entrée.
I’d settle, though, for the neat little square of the chef’s almost erotically voluptuous pork belly—the blue-collar foie gras—given the Jamaican jerk treatment. Unabashedly fatty beneath a spicy, lacquered, brittle-as-glass crust, it delivered a full megaton of rich, succulent, soulfully piggy flavor, accented by sweettart mango-plantain chutney and opalescent threads of spiced rum gastrique.
Tuna tartare may be as common as, well, tuna tartare in today’s modern American restaurant, but Weisheit found a way to tweak it to new life, mounding fatter than typical chunks of plushtextured, mahogany-colored tuna on a crunchy hominy cake, then pairing it with dabs of suave avocado relish and dots of fiery Sriracha.
Veal also benefited from the chef’s imagination. Rather than the ubiquitous grilled chop or sautéed paillard, a plump, meaty strip loin was seared medium-rare on the grill, then partnered with a diminutive bacon-stuffed baked potato, a thick slice of caramelized red onion and red wine sauce just kissed with the beguiling breath of truffles.
Look in the dictionary under “mugging,” and you may see a photo of a South Florida wine list; bottles plucked off a mega wine distributor’s list and priced higher than the space shuttle are often the norm. It’s not the norm at Twenty Twenty. More than half of the almost three-dozen listed bottles are under $40; only eight break the $50 barrier. Among the gems: Acrobat Pinot Gris and Treana White Blend, Steele “Shooting Star” Pinot Noir and Silver Oak Cabernet Sauvignon. The good stuff also is offered by the glass, virtually all priced at $10 or less.
Tagliatelle with duck and chicken confit was a study in plush textures and subtle flavors. Gracing the long strands of house-made pasta and posh nuggets of poultry were sweet-smoky caramelized pearl onions and roasted tomatoes; a generous dollop of creamy goat cheese added an earthy tang that kept subtle from devolving to bland.
Desserts offer the same level of refinement and elegance, especially the restaurant’s take on the classic French profiteroles. Here they’re golden, airy pastry puffs filled with dulce de leche ice cream and drizzled with bracing dark chocolate sauce, one more reason to play Lewis and Clark and find Ron and Rhonda Weisheit’s sparkling little jewel of a restaurant.
—Bill Citara
best ItalIan readers’ choice award 2009, 2012, 2013
best wIne lIst boca raton magazine 2008, 2012
best brunch boca raton magazine 2006, 2012
best oceanfront dInIng readers’ choice award 2005, 2010
wine spectator award of excellence 2003-2013
stars next to restaurants in the guide: Boca raton Hall of famer
boca raton
lucky 13 Facebook, e-mail and mobile VIPs of 13 American table receive a 13-percent discount off their checks when dining there on the 13th of the month.
13 american table —451 E. Palmetto Park Road. contemporary american. This cozy, artfully rustic and modern restaurant is one of the few restaurants in the U.S. that has a Josper oven, a pricy, charcoal-fired grill-oven hybrid that cooks foods quickly at high heat to retain maximum flavor and texture. It works like a charm on chicken, resulting in remarkably crisp skin and tender meat, as well as on fistsized shrimp you can customize with one of several sauces. Don’t miss house-made potato chips with cheddar fondue and feather-light profiteroles filled with caramel and pumpkin mousse. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/409-2061. $$
abe & louie’s —2200 W. Glades Road. Steaks. This outpost of the Boston steak house cooks up slabs of well-aged, USDA Prime beef like nobody’s business. Two of the best are the bone-in ribeye and New York sirloin. Start with a crab cocktail, but don’t neglect side dishes like steamed spinach and hash browns. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/447-0024. $$$
arturo’s ristorante —6750 N. Federal Highway. Italian. Arturo’s quiet, comfortable dining room; slightly formal, rigorously professional service; and carefully crafted Italian dishes never go out of style. You’ll be tempted to make a meal of the array of delectable antipasti from the antipasti cart, but try to leave room for main courses like giant shrimp with tomatoes, cannellini beans, rosemary and an exceptionally well-done risotto. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/997-7373. $$$
biergarten—309 Via De Palmas. German/ pub. Part vaguely German beer garden, part all-American sports bar, this rustic eatery offers menus that channel both, as well as an excellent
$ Inexpensive: Under $17
$$ Moderate: $18–$35
$$$ Expensive: $36–$50
$$$$ Very Expensive: $50 +
selection of two-dozen beers on tap and the same number by the bottle. The food is basic and designed to go well with suds, like the giant pretzel with a trio of dipping sauces and an upscale burger featuring Florida Wagyu beef, knockwurst, cheddar cheese and more. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/395-7462. $
bistro provence —2399 N. Federal Highway. French. With the convivial ambience and hearty good food of an authentic Parisian bistro, this inviting, unpretentious restaurant deserves its local popularity. Mussels are a specialty, and roasted duck is excellent too. • Dinner nightly. 561/368-2340. $$
bonefish grill—21069 Powerline Road. Seafood. Market-fresh seafood is the cornerstone—like Chilean sea bass prepared over a wood-burning grill and served with sweet Rhea’s topping (crabmeat, sautéed spinach and a signature lime, tomato and garlic sauce.) • Dinner nightly. 561/483-4949. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/732-9142; 9897 Lake Worth Road, Lake Worth, 561/965-2663; 11658 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/799-2965) $$
brio tuscan grille —5050 Town Center Circle. Italian. The Boca outpost of this national chain of 100-plus restaurants does what it set out to do—dish up big portions of well-made, easily accessible Italian-esque fare at a reasonable price. If you’re looking for bruschetta piled with fresh cheeses and vegetables, house-made fettuccine with tender shrimp and lobster in a spicy lobster butter sauce, and a creditable version of the classic tiramisu, you’ll be one happy diner. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/392-3777. (Other Palm Beach County locations: The Gardens Mall, 3101 PGA Blvd., 561/622-0491; CityPlace, 550 S. Rosemary Ave., 561/835-1511) $$
butcher block grill —7000 W. Camino Real. Steak house/contemporary american This casual steak house with a Mediterranean twist and a local, seasonal, sustainable ethos gives the stuffy old-fashioned meatery a swift kick in the sirloin. Beef here is all-natural and grass-fed, delivering big, rich, earthy flavor;
the New York strip is 12 ounces of carnivorous pleasure. Seafood, whether raw (tuna crudo) or simply grilled (wild-caught salmon), is palate-pleasing as well. Don’t miss the fresh mozzarella, made and assembled into a salad at your table. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/409-3035. $$$
the capital grille —6000 Glades Road. Steaks. This is one of more than three dozen restaurants in a national chain, but the Boca Grille treats you like a regular at your neighborhood restaurant. Steaks, dry-aged if not Prime, are flavorful and cooked with precision, while starters from Wagyu beef carpaccio to a lighter version of the hardy chopped salad are nicely done too. Parmesan truffle fries are crispy sticks of potato heaven; chocolate-espresso cake a study in shameless, and luscious, decadence. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/368-1077. $$$
casa d’angelo —171 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. Angelo Elia’s impeccable Italian restaurant is a delight, from the stylish room to the suave service to the expansive wine list, not to mention food that’s by turn elegant, hearty, bold, subtle and always delicious. Dishes off the regular menu make excellent choices, like fat prawns wrapped in pancetta and grilled. But pay attention to specials like pan-seared snapper and scallops in a spicy, garlicky cherry tomato sauce. • Dinner nightly. 561/338-1703. $$$
the cheesecake factory—5530 Glades Road. american. Oh, the choices! The chain even has a Sunday brunch menu in addition to its main menu, which includes Chinese chicken salad and Cajun jambalaya. Don’t forget about the cheesecakes—from white chocolate and raspberry truffle offerings. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/393-0344. (Other Palm Beach County locations: CityPlace, West Palm Beach, 561/8023838; Downtown at the Gardens, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/776-3711) $$
chops lobster bar—101 Plaza Real S., Royal Palm Place. Steak, seafood. Steaks are aged USDA Prime—tender, flavorful and perfectly cooked under a 1,700-degree broiler.
Citara
Bill breaks down the tri-county restaurant scene—from new reviews and dining news to kitchen gossip—every Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
As the City Watch blogger, Randy keeps tabs on issues important to residents of Boca and beyond.
John takes readers inside the arts with concert, exhibition and movie reviews, cultural news and special profiles every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Follow Shaina as she explores the nightlife scene at lounges and restaurants throughout Boca and Delray.
There’s all manner of fish and shellfish, but you’re here for the lobster, whether giant Australian tails flash-fried and served with drawn butter or sizable Maine specimens stuffed with crab. • Dinner nightly. 561/395-2675. $$$$
cuban café —3350 N.W. Boca Raton Blvd. Cuban. Diners pack this traditional Cuban restaurant for lunch specials that start at $7.95, including slow-roasted pork served with white rice and black beans. Other highlights include the Cuban sandwich and (on the dinner menu only) lechón asado. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/750-8860. $
inventive punch to the taste buds. Among the hardest hitters are green tea-cured salmon with micro and fried basil and longan berries stuffed with yuzu kosho gelee, and cheesecake springrolls with a banana caramel dipping sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/3477322. $
The Vegas Connection
Did you know that Grand Lux was born out of The Venetian resort’s interest in an upscale casual restaurant? The Vegas-based hotel called on the Cheesecake Factory’s founder to create it—and the rest is history.
grand lux cafe—Town Center at Boca Raton. American. The Cheesecake Factory’s sister brand is an upscale take on the original formula, with an atmosphere inspired by the great cafes of Europe. The menu offers a range of international flavors, and the specialty baked-to-order desserts are always a big hit. • Lunch and dinner daily; breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. 561/392-2141. $$
the grille on congress —5101 Congress Ave. American. Dishes at this longtime favorite range from tasty chicken dishes and main-plate salads to seafood options like pistachio-crusted snapper or simply grilled yellowfin tuna. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/9129800. $$
houston’s —1900 N.W. Executive Center Circle. American. With rustic features like butcher-block tables and comfy padded leather booths, Houston’s has created a “nonchain” feel, although there are more than 40 nationwide. It’s one of the hottest lunch spots in town, hosting business types and power shoppers. The menu is straightforward—big burgers on sweet egg buns, Caesar salad, roasted chicken, filet mignon—but it’s not lacking in ingenuity. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/998-0550. $$
josef’s table —5030 Champion Blvd. Continental . Josef’s touts itself as offering “the slightest dash of nostalgia,” and that’s a good thing. Though the kitchen does have a timid hand with sauces and seasonings, there’s no quibbling about the execution, whether a light, refreshing “tower” of lump crabmeat with mango, cucumber and tomato; rosy-rare double-cut lamb chops with port wine-mint sauce; pan-seared hogfish with orange beurre blanc; or the richly decadent half-moon chocolate tart. • Dinner daily. 561/353-2700. $$$
josephine’s —5751 N. Federal Highway. Italian. Tradition trumps trendy, and comfort outweighs chic at this Boca favorite. The ambience is quiet and stately but not stuffy, and the menu is full of hearty dishes to soothe the savage appetite, like three-cheese eggplant rollatini and chicken scarpariello. • Dinner nightly. 561/988-0668. $$
kapow noodle bar —431 Plaza Real. Pan-Asian. This wickedly stylish Asianinspired gastropub delivers a delicious and
kathy’s gazebo café —4199 N. Federal Highway. Continental. This local stalwart smoothly rolls along with its signature blend of French and Continental dishes. The ornate, formal dining room and equally formal service are anomalies these days but are comforting nonetheless. Classic dishes like creamy lobster bisque, house-made duck paté, broiled salmon with sauce béarnaise and dreamy chocolate mousse are as satisfying as ever. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/395-6033. $$$
kee grill —17940 N. Military Trail. American. The attraction here is carefully prepared food that is satisfying, flavorful and reasonably priced. The fist-sized crab cake is a good place to start, followed by sea bass with a soy-ginger-sesame glaze. • Dinner nightly. 561/995-5044. $$$
la rosa nautica —515 N.E. 20th St. Peruvian. Expect no ambience, no pretensions, low prices and food that satisfies on a very high level. Good starters include antichuchos, chunks of grilled beef heart, and causa, a terrine-like layering of mashed potatoes and chicken salad. Ceviche and the lomo saltado are among the best in South Florida. • Lunch daily. Dinner Tues.– Sun. 561/296-1413. $$
la tre —249 E. Palmetto Park Road. Vietnamese. For almost two decades, this elegant little spot has been celebrating the delicate, sophisticated flavors and textures of traditional and contemporary Vietnamese cuisine. A house signature, shrimp tossed with coriander curry pesto, is an inspired riff on Vietnamese classics. Service and wines match the refinement of the cuisine. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-4568. $$
la villetta —4351 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This is a well-edited version of a traditional Italian menu, complete with homemade pastas and other classic dishes. Try the signature whole yellowtail snapper encrusted in sea salt; it’s de-boned right at tableside. Shrimp diavolo is perfectly scrumptious. • Dinner nightly. (closed Mon. during summer). 561/362-8403. $$
le rivage —450 N.E. 20th St. French. Don’t overlook this small, unassuming bastion of traditional French cookery. That would be a mistake, because the dishes that virtually scream “creativity” can’t compare to the quiet pleasures served here—like cool, soothing vichyssoise, delicate fillet of sole with nutty brown butter sauce or perfectly executed crème brûlee. Good food presented without artifice at a fair price never goes out of fashion. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/620-0033. $$
Flagler gets a Face-liFt: High design meets designer beef at the revamped Flagler Steakhouse (1 S. County Road, Palm Beach, 561/659-8488), where famed New York designer Adam Tihany directed a major renovation of the posh meatery connected to The Breakers
Tihany, who also oversaw renovations of the former L’Escalier space when it morphed into the popular HMF tapas bar, softened Flagler’s manly-man steak-house look with a preppy red, white and blue color scheme, earth-toned striped wallpaper and colorful artworks depicting life on the ranch. He added traditional touches as well, like extensive walnut and cherrywood trim, and brass and frosted-glass chandeliers. The meat-centric menu also has been freshened up, courtesy of the hotel’s top toque Anthony Sicignano. Steaks from New York strip to T-bone to filet mignon come from Linz Heritage Angus Prime, an exclusive Midwest purveyor of top-shelf beef that hand-cuts steaks to the restaurant’s specifications. Less beefy options include blue crab-stuffed jumbo shrimp, grilled salmon with vegetable risotto and veal Milanese. If you’re in the mood for a little gastronomic slumming, there’s also a kosher Chicago-style hot dog for $19, making it one very haute dog indeed.
maggiano’s —21090 St. Andrews Blvd. Italian. Do as the Italians do and order family-style, sit back and watch the endless amounts of gorgeous foods grace your table. In this manner, you receive two appetizers, two salads, two pastas, two entrées, two vegetables and two desserts. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/3618244. $$
mario’s osteria—1400 Glades Road. Italian. This popular spot is swanky in its reincarnation, but the rustic Italian and Italian-American fare keeps with an osteria’s humbler pretensions. Signature dishes like the garlic rolls, lasagna and eggplant “pancakes” are on the new menu, as are posh veal osso buco ravioli in truffle cream sauce and thick, juicy rib-eye served “arrabiata” style. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/239-7000. $$
matteo’s—233 S. Federal Highway. Italian. Hearty Italian and Italian-American food, served in giant “family style” portions, needs no reinventing. Though there is no shortage of local restaurants cooking in that genre, it’s the details of preparation and service that make Matteo’s stand out. Baked clams are a good place to start, as is the reliable chopped salad. Linguini frutti di mare is one of the best in town. • Dinner daily. 561/392-0773. $$
max’s grille—404 Plaza Real, Mizner Park. Contemporary American. Though its signature Californiainfluenced cookery and “American bistro” ambience are no longer furiously trendy, this stylish restaurant is as popular as ever due to consistently tasty and well-prepared food. Dishes run haute to homey, from seared-raw tuna to meatloaf wrapped with bacon. And don’t miss the luscious crème brûlée pie for dessert. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/368-0080. $$
morton’s the steakhouse —5050 Town Center Circle. Steak house. There’s seemingly no end to diners’ love of huge slabs of high-quality aged beef, nor to the carnivores who pack the clubby-swanky dining room of this meatery. The star of the beef show is the giant bone-in filet mignon, which trumps with unusually deep and meaty flavor. The side of Grand Marnier soufflé is a cloud of luscious, citrus-y beauty that says while beef may be what’s for dinner, I am what’s for dessert. • Dinner daily. 561/392-7724. $$$
new york prime —2350 N.W. Executive Center Drive. Steak house. This wildly popular Boca meatery packs them in with swift, professional service, classy supper club ambience and an extensive wine list. And, of course, the beef—all USDA Prime, cooked to tender and juicy lusciousness over ferocious heat. The bone-in rib-eye is especially succulent, but don’t neglect the New York strip or steak-house classics like oysters Rockefeller, garlicky spinach and crusty hash browns. • Dinner daily. 561/998-3881. $$$$
nick’s new haven-style pizzeria—2240 N.W. 19th St. Italian. Cross Naples (thin, blistered crust, judicious toppings) with Connecticut (fresh clams and no tomato sauce), and you’ve got a pretty good idea of the pies coming out Nick Laudano’s custom-made ovens. The “white clam” pizza with garlic and bacon is killer-good; Caesar salad and tiramisu are much better than the usual pizzeria fare. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/368-2900. $
ninja spinning sushi bar—41 E. Palmetto Park Road. Japanese/sushi. “Whatever floats your boat” isn’t just a saying at this hipster sushi bar. Your sushi really does float on a boat, one of many bouncing along a channel cut into the top of the restaurant’s large, square sushi bar. High notes are the Mexican roll with tempura shrimp and avocado, and the sneakily fiery jalapeñolaced tuna tartare. If sushi doesn’t float your boat, gingery gyoza and crispy fried shrimp with a drizzle of spicy mayo probably will. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/361-8688. $$
pellegrino’s —3360 N. Federal Highway. Italian. The bold, brash flavors of New York-style Italian-American cuisine are as in your face as a Manhattan cabbie at this low-key favorite of chef-owner Bobby Pellegrino, nephew to the clan that owns the legendary Rao’s in East Harlem. Pungent smells of garlic, anchovies, tomatoes and peppers fill the air; dishes like the rarely seen spiedini alla Romana, chicken Scarpariello and seafood spaghetti in Fra Diavolo sauce fill your belly. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/368-5520. $$$
• DINNER
You crave it. We serve
it.
Strawberry Citrus Salad
Mandarin oranges, fresh strawberries, red grapes, and mixed greens tossed with Gorgonzola and toasted almonds served with a tangy raspberry vinaigrette on the side. Exclusively at TooJay’s Gourmet Deli
Since 1981, TooJay’s Gourmet Deli has been delighting diners with an exciting and eclectic menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. When the craving strikes indulge in authentic NY–Style deli sandwiches or settle in with slow roasted turkey, old fashioned pot roast and other time–honored comfort food favorites. Friendly, professional service is a part of every meal, so make plans today to join us for “a little taste of home”
Legendary desserts: carrot cake, black & whites, chocolate
Boca Raton Polo Shops (561) 241-5903
Regency Court Plaza (561) 997-9911
Glades Plaza (561) 392-4181
Locations also in Coral Springs, Plantation, Boynton Beach and West Palm Beach • www.toojays.com
The dog is man’s best friend. It’s loyal, protective, a fine companion. It’s always happy to see you. It likes its belly rubbed and its neck scratched.
The hot dog is friendly too. And while it offers no loyalty and has no tail to wag happily at your arrival, it will protect you from hunger and is a decent companion at lunch or dinner. It clearly has more bite than bark, and it’s been known to mess up a carpet or two, but we won’t hold that against it when it comes to this edition of the Challenge.
We have, however, made things more interesting by adding the element of Chicago. As in the Chicago-style hot dog, a righteous all-beef wiener on a poppy-seed bun “dragged through the garden”—as in topped (carpets beware!) with sweet-tangy neon-
green relish, diced onion, sliced tomato, a pickle spear, sport peppers and a smear of yellow mustard. Try getting a (four-legged) dog to sit still for that.
Our Chicago dogs were judged for the quality and preparation of the dog itself, the quality and quantity of toppings, overall flavor of the finished product and value. Scores were averaged to come up with a total.
Though the hot dog may not be man’s best friend, it’s certainly a good buddy to anyone with a big appetite and a small budget. Sorry, Fido.
—BILL cITARA
HOTDOGOpOLIS
SHAkE SHAck
STEAk-NSHAkE
Good pop when biting into the Vienna beef dog, though I prefer grilled dogs to steamed. But all the proper Chicago garnishes give it the right balance of meaty, sweet, sour and tangy flavors. Good doggy! $3.49
First-rate dog—all-natural, no nitrates or nitrites, split and griddled with a nice char and slight smokiness. The balance of flavors of the garnishes was off, though, with the end result tending towards bland. $4.
This all-beef dog was said to be grilled but didn’t taste like it. Still, the casing popped nicely with each bite, and there were plenty of the appropriate garnishes in just the right proportion. Junk food done right. $3.99
Hotdogopolis: 6020 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561/988-5959
p.f. chang’s—1400 Glades Road. Chinese. There may have been no revolution if Mao had simply eaten at P.F. Chang’s—the portions are large enough to feed the masses—and the exquisite tastes in each dish could soothe any tyrant. We particularly like the steamed fish of the day, as well as the Szechuan-style asparagus. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/393-3722. (Other Palm Beach County location: 3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/691-1610) $$
piñon grill —6000 Glades Road. Contemporary American. The menu seemingly lists every recent trendy dish to come out of modern American restaurant kitchens, but Piñon succeeds with spot-on execution, mammoth portions and reasonable prices. Try the grilled artichokes with a zippy Southwestern-style rémoulade, a pair of giant crab cakes with more of that good rémoulade or a chocolate-peanut butter pie that is the irresistible definition of lusciousness. • Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/391-7770. $$
racks downtown eatery + tavern —402 Plaza Real. Contemporary American. Though the menu generally falls under the heading of modern American comfort food, that can mean anything from elegant presentations like the jaw-dropping lobster cobb salad to homier offerings like burgers and pizza, fiery Buffalo-style calamari, succulent chicken roasted in the wood-fired oven and an uptown version of everyone’s campfire favorite, s’mores. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/395-1662. $$
renzo’s of boca—5999 N. Federal Highway. Italian The buzzword is fresh at Renzo’s. Fish is prepared daily oreganata or Livornese style, sautéed in white wine with lemon and capers or grilled. Homemade pasta is artfully seasoned, and Renzo’s tomato sauce is ethereal. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/994-3495. $$
ristorante sapori—301 Via de Palmas, Royal Palm Place. Italian. Sapori features fresh fish, veal and chicken dishes imbued with subtle flavors. The grilled Italian branzino, the veal chop Milan and the zuppa di pesce served over linguine are especially tasty, and the pasta (all 17 kinds!) is available in full and half orders, with your choice of 15 zesty sauces. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/367-9779. $$
ristorante saporissimo —366 E. Palmetto Park Road. Tuscan. This little restaurant is making culinary magic. Here, a taste of Italy is brought to life with rabbit cacciatorá (Tuscany style), veal ossobuco, homemade pasta with wild boar sausage, and a tasty rack of venison. Homemade desserts, including tiramisu, panna cotta and zuppa ingles, will take your breath away. Service is out of this world. • Dinner nightly. Outdoor dining. 561/7502333. $$$
ruth’s chris steak house —225 N.E. Mizner Blvd. Steaks. This is a refreshing departure from the ambience common to many steak houses; the room is comfortable, and conversation is possible. Naturally, we come here for the steak (they are sublime), but the lobster and fish are great. All your favorite sides are here, too. • Dinner nightly. 561/392-6746. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 661 U.S. Highway 1, North Palm Beach, 561/863-0660; CityPlace, West Palm Beach, 561/514-3544) $$$
seasons 52 —2300 Executive Center Drive. Contemporary American. The food—seasonal ingredients, simply and healthfully prepared, accompanied by interesting wines—is first-rate, from salmon roasted on a cedar plank to desserts served in oversized shot glasses. • Lunch and
New summer prix fi xe menu: Three-Course
Summer Live Entertainment
Tuesday: 8 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. Doo-wop
Wednesday: 8 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Orson Whitfield
Thursday: 8:30 p.m. – 11:30 p.m. Atlantic Blues Band
Friday: 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Orson Whitfield
Saturday: 8:30 p.m. – 12:30 a.m. Orson Whitfield and Emelee Sunday: 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. Acoustic Guitarist
Open Daily (Dinner) Delray’s Best Brunch Sat & Sun 9 a m – 2:30 p m For information or reservations, visit theatlanticgrille.com or call 561-665-4900 At The Seagate Hotel:
Ocean-themed cocktails • Jellyfish aquarium & shark tank Sen sational seasonal menu *The prix fixe menu changes monthly. Does not include gratuity. Join us “4” Happy Hour
$4 house wine, draft beers , well cocktails and $4 select appetizers Daily from 4 – 7 p.m.
dinner daily. 561/998-9952. (Other Palm Beach County location: 11611 Ellison Wilson Road, Palm Beach Gardens, 561/625-5852) $$
sushi ray—5250 Town Center Circle. Japanese/Sushi. Impeccably fresh and exactingly prepared sushi and other Japanese specialties are on display. The Nobu-esque miso sea bass gives a taste of this modern classic at a fraction of the price of the original, while the chef’s sushi assortment offers a generous arrangement of nigiri and maki for a reasonable $20. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/394-9506. $$
table 42 —399 S.E. Mizner Blvd. Italian
A contemporary Amer-Italian osteria with pizza describes Gary Rack’s reborn Coal Mine Pizza. The menu is compact but offers mixand-match opportunities done with great attention to detail—like irresistible honey balsamic chicken wings with grilled onions and blue cheese; and linguine in deliriously rich and creamy pesto. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/826-2625. $$
The wine list at Tanzy is something to behold, with more than 100 selections overall—including several dozen offerings available by the glass.
tanzy—301 Plaza Real. Italian. Part of the swanky iPic Theater complex (though it does not service the theater), this handsome spot relies on quality ingredients and careful preparation instead of culinary special effects and car chases. The Parma Bar, a sort of sushi bar for meat and cheese fanatics, also does terrific ricotta-stuffed fried squash blossoms. Panseared branzino and massive bone-in veal chop are excellent, and the ethereal rosemary beignets with rosemary-olive oil gelato are luscious and cutting edge. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/922-6699. $$$
taverna kyma —6298 N. Federal Highway. Greek/Mediterranean. Few present Greek cuisine better. Expertly prepared dishes cover the spectrum of Mediterranean cuisine, from cold appetizers (dolmades; grape leaves stuffed with rice and herbs) to hot starters (spanakopita, baked phyllo with spinach and feta cheese) to mouthwatering entrées like lamb shank (slow-cooked in a tomato sauce and served on a bed of orzo), massive stuffed peppers or kebobs. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/994-2828. $$
trattoria romana—499 E. Palmetto Park Road. Italian. This local mainstay does Italian classics and its own lengthy list of ambitious specials with unusual skill and aplomb. The cozy dining room is a welcome respite from the outside world, and service is at a level not always seen in local eateries. Pay attention to the daily specials, especially if it includes impeccably done langostini oreganata and the restaurant’s signature jumbo shrimp saltimbocca. • Dinner daily. 561/393-6715. $$$
truluck’s—351 Plaza Real. Seafood. This 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, with great and consistent 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. $$$
uncle julio’s —449 Plaza Real, Mizner Park. Mexican. Taking Tex-Mex cuisine gently upscale with better-quality ingredients and more skillful preparation, this colorful eatery offers more than the usual suspects. You can get frog’s legs and quail, as well as beef and chicken fajitas, and one of the only palatable tamales around. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/300-3530. $
uncle tai’s —5250 Town Center Circle. Chinese. In an area with more cookie-cutter Chinese restaurants than cookies, Uncle Tai’s stands out for the elegance of its decor, the professionalism of its service and its careful preparation of familiar and less-familiar dishes. The “specialties” section of the menu has exciting dishes, like the Hunan vegetable pie, finely minced veggies sandwiched between sheets of crispy bean curd skin, and Hunanstyle lamb, whose seared and succulent meat shows off the kitchen’s skill in the use of wok qi. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/368-8806. $$$
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. $$
vino —114 N.E. Second St. Wine Bar/Italian An impressive wine list of some 300 bottles (all available by the glass) offers a multitude of choices, especially among Italian and California reds. The menu of “Italian tapas” includes breaded and fried artichoke hearts, and ravishing ricotta and fig-stuffed ravioli with prosciutto, balsamic syrup and brown butter. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/869-0030. $
city fish market —7940 Glades Road. Seafood. A multimillion-dollar remodel of the old Pete’s has turned it into an elegant seafood house with a lengthy seafood-friendly wine list, impeccably fresh fish and shellfish cooked with care and little artifice. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/487-1600. $$
sybarite pig—20642 State Road 7. Contemporary american. A labor of love, pork and beer, everything at the Pig but the coarse-grain mustard is made in-house, from the bread for sandwiches to the eclectic sauces to the variety of terrific sausages. Creamy cotechino, savory duck and subtly spicy “Hellswine” are among the standouts. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. Brunch Sun. 561/883-3200. $
tempura house —9858 Clint Moore Road, #C-112. Japanese/asian. Dark wood, rice paper and tiles fill the space. An appetizer portion
of Age Natsu, fried eggplant, is a consummate Japanese delicacy. Don’t miss the ITET roll with shrimp tempura and avocado, topped with spicy mayo, tempura flakes and eel sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/883-6088. $$
villa rosano —9858 Clint Moore Road. Italian. You can be forgiven for imagining yourself in some rustic Italian hill town as the smells of garlic and tomato sauce waft through the air. Start by sopping up the house olive oil with slices of crusty bread, then move on to a stellar version of clams Guazzetto and delicate fillets of sole done a la Francese. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/470-0112. $$
B oynton B eaC h
bar louie —1500 Gateway Blvd. eclectic
Attempting to split the difference between happening bar and American café, Bar Louie mostly succeeds, offering burgers, pizzas, fish tacos and a variety of salads, all at moderate prices and in truly daunting portions. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/853-0090. $
china dumpling —1899-5 N. Congress Ave. Chinese. The dim sum basket is an absolute must-try. A choice of signature steamed dumplings are likewise spot on. The steak kew is delicious, and the clay pot casseroles are enticing. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/737-2782. $
lucertola ristoranti & birreria—1417 S. Federal Highway. Italian. What used to be known as Bad Ragaz—the chic Bavarian restaurant/beer hall in the Las Ventanas apartments at Federal and Woolbright—has changed its format, according to chef/owner Alessandro Silvestri. Silvestri is no doubt turning to the kind of menu that has received kudos at Delray’s Tramonti, where he is also executive chef. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/336-3297. $$
prime catch —700 E. Woolbright Road. Seafood. Simple pleasures soar—full-belly clams, fried sweet and crispy, or a perfectly grilled piece of mahi or bouillabaisse overflowing with tender fish. Don’t miss one of the best Key lime pies around. • Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch. 561/737-8822. $$
sushi simon—1614 S. Federal Highway. Japanese. Local sushi-philes jam the narrow dining room for such impeccable nigirizushi as hamachi and uni (Thursdays), as well as more elaborate dishes like snapper Morimoto and tuna tartare. Creative, elaborate rolls are a specialty. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/731-1819. $$
delray B eaC h
3rd & 3rd—301 N.E. Third Ave. Gastropub. John Paul Kline’s quirky, individualistic, obscurely located little place is one of the most important restaurants in Delray. The menu changes frequently, but hope the evening’s fare includes plump scallops with caramelized mango sauce, stunning delicious roasted cauliflower with Parmesan mousse and bacon, and wicked-good espresso panna cotta on it at your visit. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/303-1939. $$
32 east —32 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. At a time when chefs and restaurants seem to be constantly shouting their own praises, Nick Morfogen and 32 East go quietly about their way of serving thoughtfully conceived, finely crafted dishes with a minimum of fuss and artifice. The menu changes daily, but recent examples of Morfogen’s culinary expertise include plump scallops given an elegant bouillabaisse treatment and fork-tender venison with a terrific Asiago-fig risotto. When the food is this good, you don’t need to shout. • Dinner daily. 561/276-7868. $$$
50 ocean —50 S. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. The former Upper Deck at Boston’s on the Beach is now the more upscale, seafood-oriented spot. The menu ranges from familiar to slightly more inventive, from a classic lobster bisque and crisp-tender fried clam bellies to duck confit egg rolls and well-executed potato-crusted grouper. The cinnamon-dusted beignets are puffs of amazingly delicate deep-fried air and should not under any circumstances be missed. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$
atlantic grille —1000 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood/Contemporary American. This posh restaurant in the luxurious Seagate Hotel & Spa is home to a 450-gallon aquarium of tranquil moon jellyfish and a 2,500-gallon shark tank. Savor inventive cuisine that takes the contemporary to the extraordinary. Bold flavors, inspired techniques and the freshest ingredients make every meal a culinary adventure. • Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/665-4900. $$
buddha sky bar—217 E. Atlantic Ave. Pan Asian Don’t miss a meal at this stylish Asia-meets-industrial chic spot with a view of the Delray skyline. Chineseinfluenced dim sum is inspired, while rock shrimp tempura and Wagyu tenderloin skewers with twin chimichurri sauces touch the heart and the taste buds. Veggie fried rice is exemplary thanks to the kitchen’s application of wok chi. • Dinner daily. 561/450-7557. $$
burt & max’s —9089 W. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Burt Rapoport and Dennis Max have struck gold with their first collaboration in years, bringing an accessible and affordable brand of contemporary comfort food to west Delray. A few dishes from Max’s other eatery, Max’s Grille, have made the trek, like the hearty chopped salad and bacon-wrapped meatloaf. Other dishes are variations on the comfort food theme, from crispy potato and taro chips with ranch dipping sauce to a stellar truffle-scented wild mushroom pizza. • Dinner daily. Sunday brunch. 561/638-6380. $$$
cabana el rey—105 E. Atlantic Ave. Cuban tropical. Little Havana is alive and well in Delray Beach. The menu is a palette-pleasing travelogue. Mariquitas (fried banana chips) are a tasty way to start your meal. For dinner, seafood paella is a winner, with mussels, shrimp, conch, octopus, scallops and clams. And the churrasco is terrific. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-9090. $$
cabo flats—Delray Marketplace, 14851 Lyons Road. Mexican. Mexican cuisine often has more personas than Madonna. This highly stylized cantina adds another—that of California’s Chicano culture. All your favorite Mexican dishes are there, as well as enormous margaritas, but also niftier items like the terrific tuna ceviche in “tomatillo broth.” • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/499-0378. (Other Palm Beach County location: Downtown at the Gardens, 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., 561/624-0024) $
AN AMERICAN BAKERY WITH EUROPEAN INFLUENCE
Graduations
caffé luna rosa—34 S. Ocean Blvd. Italian
This favorite is always lively, and alfresco dining is the preferred mode. Entrée choices are enticing, but we went with the penne alla vodka with pancetta, tomato and basil. Also delicious was the costoletta di vitello, a center-cut 14-ounce veal chop lightly breaded and served either Milanese or parmigiana. For dessert, you can’t go wrong with the cheesecake imported from the Carnegie Deli. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/274-9404. $$
casa di pepe —189 N.E. Second Ave. Italian. A welcoming staff, familiar Italian dishes done right and moderate prices define this cozy spot with a spacious outdoor patio. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/279-7371. $$
ceviche tapas bar & restaurant —116 N.E. Sixth Ave. Spanish/tapas. With more than 100 different tapas, plus paellas and entrées, this cozy, bustling eatery in the old Falcon House location has all the small platesgrazing bases covered. There’s also an equally expansive wine list. Among the best dishes to pique your palate are the well-made house ceviche and cooling gazpacho. The towering tres leches cake is merely divine. • Dinner daily. 561/894-8599. $$
city oyster—213 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood
This stylish mainstay of Big Time Restaurant Group serves up reasonably priced seafood that never disappoints, such as crab-stuffed shrimp with jalapeño cheddar grits, bacon, shiitake mushrooms and warm vinaigrette. • Lunch Mon.–Sun. Dinner nightly. Outdoor dining. 561/272-0220. $$
The $5 tapas menu at La Cigale—weekdays at the bar from 5 to 6:30 p.m.—includes everything from flatbread and mini-sliders to fried calamari and cumin-spiced meatballs.
cut 432 —432 E. Atlantic Ave. Steak house Hipper decor, a more casual vibe and an inventive take on steak-house favorites make this sleek restaurant just different enough to be interesting. Starters such as ceviche (prepared Peruvian style) and ultrarich oysters Rockefeller are first-rate, while the wet-aged beef is appropriately tender and tasty. • Dinner daily. 561/272-9898. $$$
d’angelo pizza, wine bar and tapas—16950 Jog Road. Italian. Nothing on the menu of Angelo Elia’s modern, small plates-oriented osteria disappoints, but particularly notable are the meaty fried baby artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs and speck, delicate chicken-turkey meatballs in Parmesan-enhanced broth, and Cremona pizza with a sweet-salty-earthy-pungent mélange of pears, pancetta, gorgonzola, sun-dried figs and mozzarella. • Lunch Tues.–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/381-0037. $
d’angelo trattoria—9 S.E. Seventh Ave. Italian. Don’t go expecting the tired old “Italian” culinary clichés at this wickedly stylish spot. Open your palate to more authentic and exciting Roman-style cuisine, like roasted veal bone marrow with brisk caper-parsley pesto, creamy-dreamy burrata with roasted fava beans and watercress salad, the classic tonnarelli cacio e pepe (“cheese and pepper”) and the best gelato this side of a real Roman trattoria. • Dinner daily. 561/330-1237. $$
deck 84 —840 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Burt Rapoport’s ode to laid-back tropical dining is like a day at the beach without getting sand between your toes. Though the restaurant is casual, the kitchen takes its food seriously, whether the steallar flatbreads, the thick and juicy 10-ounce special blend burger or homey apple cobbler. And the waterfront location just seems to make everything taste better. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Brunch Sat.–Sun. Dinner daily. 561/665-8484. $
dig—777 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. This organic-healthy-sustainable eatery is all about “Doing It Green” with dishes like plump pan-seared diver scallops with pineapplemango salsa. The different greens mixes at the salad bar are crisp and pristinely fresh. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/279-1002. $$
fifth avenue grill—821 S. Federal Highway. American. Since 1989, this upscale tavern has been a Delray favorite. The straightforward menu focuses on entrées, especially the famed Allen Brothers beef; choose from numerous cuts and preparations—and add a lobster tail for good measure. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/265-0122. $$
greek bistro —1832 S. Federal Highway. Greek. Flaky, overstuffed spanikopita and light and delicate beef meatballs should be at the top of your appetizer list, and though entrées don’t always reach those heights, both a long-braised lamb shank and grilled whole snapper are certainly satisfying. And the baklava is great. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/266-8976. $
the grove —187 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. Chef-partner Michael Haycook and chef Meghan O’Neal change their menu biweekly, turning out dishes exhilarating in their freshness, creativity and elegant simplicity. An appetizer of octopus with sundried tomato tapenade is merely terrific, as are rosy slices of gum-tender duck with cauliflower gratin and nickel-sized coins of crisp-chewy shiitake mushroom. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/266-3750. $$
henry’s —16850 Jog Road. American. This casual, unpretentious restaurant from Burt Rapoport in the west part of town never fails to delight diners. Expect attentive service and crisp execution of everything—from meat loaf, burgers and fried chicken to flatbreads and hefty composed salads. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/638-1949. $$
house of siam —25 N.E. Second Ave. Thai. The normally riotous flavors of Thai cuisine are muted at this family-friendly downtown spot, but that seems to suit diners just fine. Dishes, well-prepared and generously portioned, include steamed chicken and shrimp dumplings with sweet soy dipping sauce and crisp-fried duck breast in a very mild red curry sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/330-9191. $$
il girasole —1911 S. Federal Highway. Northern Italian. This South Florida classic is
not trendy, but it offers a level of comfort and consistency that has been bringing people back for 30 years. The food is fine hearty Italian, with excellent service. Try the veal Kristy or the frogs legs. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/2723566. $$
j&j seafood bar & grill —634 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood. This local favorite on Atlantic Avenue—owned by John Hutchinson (who is also the chef) and wife Tina—serves up everything from burgers and wraps to a menu brimming with seafood options. Don’t forget to inquire about the stunning array of 10 specials—every night. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-3390. $$
jimmy’s bistro —9 S. Swinton Ave. Eclectic Best bets are a lovely salad of ripe tomatoes and fresh, milky house-made mozzarella; a rich, elegant version of lusty Cajun etouffee; and caramelized bananas in puff pastry with silken vanilla ice cream and chocolate sauce. • Dinner daily. 561/865-5774. $$
la cigale —253 S.E. Fifth Ave. Mediterranean. True culinary professionals turn out gently updated and classically oriented dishes notable for the quality of their ingredients and careful preparation. Sweetbreads in chanterelle cream sauce are glorious; a barely grilled artichoke with mustardy remoulade is gloriously simple. Watching your server skillfully debone an impeccably fresh Dover sole is almost as satisfying as eating it. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/265-0600. $$
lemongrass bistro —420 E. Atlantic Ave. Pan-Asian. Casually hip ambience, friendly service, moderate prices and a blend of sushi and nouveau pan-Asian fare make this a popular destination. The quality of its seafood and care in its preparation are what gives Lemongrass its edge. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/2785050. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 101 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton, 561/544-8181; 1880 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561/7331344). $
max’s harvest —169 N.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. Dennis Max, instrumental in bringing the chef and ingredientdriven ethos of California cuisine to South Florida in the 1980s, is again at the forefront of the fresh, local, seasonal culinary movement. Max’s Harvest soars with dishes like plump Cedar Key clams with house-made tasso, savory bourbon-maple glazed pork belly, and crispyskinned wild sockeye salmon with yuzu-truffle vinaigrette. • Dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/381-9970. $$
the office —201 E. Atlantic Ave. Contemporary American. Your office is nothing like this eclectic gastropub, unless your office sports more than two dozen craft beers on tap and a menu that flits from burgers and fries to mussels. Don’t miss the restaurant’s winning take on the thick, juicy Prime beef burger and simply wicked maple-frosted donuts with bacon bits and two dipping sauces. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/276-3600. $$
BOATER’S DREAM RESIDENCE IN GOLDEN HARBOUR 591 Silver Lane | Golden Harbour | $4,295,000 Mediterranean inspired estate situated on a cul-de-sac in Golden Harbour. Well-known builder’s personal residence features over 6,700 sf of living space. Tracy Roddy 954.383.7555 | Jennifer Dardano 561.352.7479
FIELDBROOK ESTATES
17837 Fieldbrook Circle W | Boca Raton | $2,950,000
Built in 2001, this sprawling 11,500 total sf, 6 bedroom, 7 full and 2 half bathroom estate is sited on a prime lakefront, 1 acre lot within a private guard-gated community. Steve Solomon 561.289.3609
A GOLFER’S DREAM AT MIZNER COUNTRY CLUB
8375 Del Prado Drive | Delray Beach | $1,695,000
’’Brand’’ new Tuscan Harvey estate in Mizner Country Club. Call for new renderings, plans & dimensions by builder and architect. Golf Equity Membership included with purchase. Tracy Roddy 954.383.7555
MANSION IN THE SKY
2494 S Ocean Boulevard, A-8 | Boca Raton
$3,295,000 | Over 5,000 sf, this exquisite award winning oceanfront condominium at the Aragon features outstanding one-of-a-kind interiors and design. Available furnished or unfurnished. Leo Goodman 561.310.1243
OLD WORLD ELEGANCE
1210 Southways Street | Delray Beach | $2,800,000
Custom built, this Tuscan inspired beach area dream home is built to the absolute highest standard. A must see, the level of detail and handcrafted luxury cannot be matched. Melissa Johnson 561.325.0012
BOCA RATON - DIRECT INTRACOASTAL
5550 Coastal Drive | Boca Raton | $3,295,000 | This Tuscan inspired residence is richly appointed emphasizing custom craftsmanship throughout. Outstanding features include elevator, 6 bedrooms, 6.5 bathrooms and gourmet kitchen. Anthony Mannarino 561.289.7690 Robin Perotti 561.860.5869
WESTON HILLS COUNTRY CLUB
MERIDIAN - LUXURIOUS PENTHOUSE
1 N Ocean Boulevard | Boca Raton | $1,699,000 | This gorgeous 3 bedroom + media room, 3,755 sf penthouse has the feeling of a luxurious home in the sky offering expansive city and ocean views. Custom designed and offered completely furnished, this home is the finest available in Boca Raton. Arlene Rampulla 561.716.8888
2674 Riviera Court | Weston | $2,950,000 | Sited on nearly an acre, cul-de-sac lot with fairway views, 6 ensuite bedrooms, over 10,000 sf of total living space, billiard room, wet bar, oversized pool and summer kitchen. Steve Solomon 561.289.3609 RECENTLY REDUCED 919 Jasmine Drive | Delray Beach | $1,899,900 This beautiful estate is situated in one of Delray’s finest waterfront and boating communities. This residence has a place for everyone to relax and enjoy the South Florida Lifestyle. Anthony Mannarino 561.289.7690 Robin Perotti 561.860.5869
patrick broadhead, executive chef, the max Group
The “cronut”—a decadent fusing of croissant and donut—is the hottest thing to hit the pastry world since the invention of flour. But long before anyone ever heard of the cronut, Max’s Grille was melding equally sweet delectables into one supremely delicious dessert.
I refer, of course, to the crème brûlée pie, which borrows the shape, crust and fruit filling of the pie and marries it to the rich, creamy, vanillainfused custard and brittle caramelized sugar hat of crème brûlée. It’s been served at Max’s Grille (404 Plaza Real, Boca, 561/368-0080) since the restaurant opened in 1991 and has become the most popular dessert on the menu, outselling all others by a margin of four to one, says Max Group exec chef Patrick Broadhead.
It may not be the quickest or easiest dish to reproduce, but it is so wickedly, decadently luscious that this is one marriage that will never wind up in divorce court.
—Bill Citara
1 You can use vanilla extract instead of a vanilla bean, about 1/2 teaspoon for this recipe (available under “Web Extras” at bocamag.com). Be sure to add the extract after cooking the custard, otherwise much of its flavor will be cooked out.
2 Don’t throw out the scraped bean pieces. Dry them out and stick them in a small jar of sugar to infuse it with vanilla flavor.
3 Unless you’re a professional chef like Broadhead, be sure to “temper” your egg-sugar mixture with hot cream. Tempering means to add small amounts of hot liquid (1/2 cup in
Get the recipe
Go to bocamaG.com for step-by-step instructions to Broadhead’s crème brûlée pie—or go straight to the source. Max’s Grille sells whole crème brûlée pies for $72. Not exactly cheap, but if you cost it out per delicious bite, it’s worth it.
this case) to raw eggs to slowly bring up their temperature. Add too much liquid too fast, the chef says, and “you’ll wind up with scrambled eggs.”
4 Don’t cover the custard mixture when baking. You’ll steam it rather than bake it and wind up with a watery mess.
5 The dough recipe makes enough for two pies. Luckily, you can keep it wrapped in the refrigerator for up to one week or in the freezer for up to two months.
6 Add the dry beans to the crust when baking. It keeps the dough from rising and/or bubbling. You can reuse the beans for that purpose almost indefinitely.
7 Fresh berries are best, frozen berries are OK, canned berries are a no-no. And don’t include strawberries; they’ll weep too much moisture and make your custard runny.
8 Don’t even think about trying to caramelize the
sugar without using a blowtorch, even a miniature torch sold at gourmet food stores. A broiler just won’t work.
9 If you want to go gluten-free or make the recipe a little less timeconsuming, ditch the dough and simply layer the custard and fruit into a parfait glass.
park tavern—9 S.E. Second Ave. Contemporary American. The guys from Cut 432 have done it again with this hip, casual modern American tavern. The menu is tightly focused and tightly executed, whether Maryland crab cake featuring fat chunks of succulent crab or crisply sautéed pork belly with apricot mostarda. Don’t miss the behemoth slab of tender, juicy prime rib for a near-saintly $29—or the decadent soft pretzel bites, perfect for the cocktail hour munchies. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/265-5093. $$
Wing It
Vic & Angelo’s even puts an Italian spin on its classic bar food—like Sicilian chicken wings, prepared with rosemary, crushed red pepper and Parmesan cheese.
prime —29 S.E Second Ave. Steak/Seafood. Prime is aptly named for its heart of the action location, classy neo-supper club decor, extensive wine list and roster of designer steaks. Starters and desserts fare better than entrées, especially plump, crabby Maryland-style crab cakes and indecently luscious chocolate bread pudding. Service is a strong suit too, so with a bit of work this good-looking restaurant will fully live up to its name. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/865-5845. $$$
racks fish house & oyster bar—5 S.E. Second Ave. Seafood. Gary Rack, who also has scored with his spot in Mizner Park, certainly seems to have the restaurant Midas touch, as evidenced by this updated throwback to classic fish houses. Design, ambience and service hit all the right notes. Oysters are terrific any way you get them; grilled fish and daily specials are excellent. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/450-6718. $$$
sundy house —106 S. Swinton Ave. Contemporary American. It’s fine dining served in arguably the most beautiful restaurant and gardens in Delray. Menus are seasonal and imaginative. Try the crispy whole branzini, the roasted bone marrow or any of the fresh local fish dishes. • Lunch Tues.–Sat. Brunch Sun. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/272-5678. $$
terra fiamma —9169 W. Atlantic Ave. Italian. The pleasures of simple, hearty, wellprepared Italian-American cuisine are front and center at Wendy Rosano’s latest venture. Among the pleasures you should enjoy are delicate, pillow-y veal meatballs in Marsala sauce; lusty chicken Allessandro with mushrooms, spinach and artichoke hearts; and a finely crafted tiramisu that’s as satisfying as it is familiar. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/4955570. $$
tramonti —119 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. With its roots in New York’s Angelo’s of Mulberry Street, this venue is always packed. Homemade stuffed manicotti is aromatic and glorious. Tramonti’s platter for two, containing fillet marsala, veal cutlet with prosciutto, fried zucchini and potato croquettes, is terrific. • Dinner daily. 561/272-1944. $$
tryst —4 E. Atlantic Ave. Eclectic. It’s tough to beat this hotspot with the lovely outdoor patio, well-chosen selection of artisan beers and not-the-usual-suspect wines, and an eclectic “gastropub” menu of small and large plates. Try the crisp-fried rock shrimp with chipotlemayonnaise sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/921-0201. $$
union—8 E. Atlantic Ave. Pan-Asian. This purveyor of “Asian comfort food” has brought in wacky-maki expert Candyfish Gourmet Sushi as a restaurant-within-a-restaurant. Salt-and-pepper calamari, pot stickers with panang curry sauce and “volcano” chicken wings are well-prepared. Candyfish’s sushi rolls blend all manner of fish and shellfish with cream cheese, fruits and veggies. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 561/330-4236. $$
vic & angelo’s—290 E. Atlantic Ave. Italian. God is in the details at this upscale trattoria, and he doesn’t miss much. Ingredients like Buffalo mozzarella, house-made pastas and San Marzano tomatoes are first-rate, and execution is spot on. Try the “Old School” meatball to start, the wholewheat tagliatelle with garlic and chili-infused olive oil and the perfectly cooked veal chop. Portions are substantial, so expect leftovers. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/278-9570. (Other Palm Beach County location: 4520 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 844/842-2632) $$$
L AkE worth
couco pazzo —915-917 Lake Ave. Italian. Despite the name, there’s nothing crazy about the cooking at this homey eatery. It’s the hearty, soul-satisfying Italian cuisine we’ve all come to know and love. Spaghetti Bolognese is a fine version of a Northern Italian classic; house-smoked mozzarella—breaded, fried and presented with a tangy tomato-basil fondue— is equally tasty. • Dinner nightly. (Tues.–Sun. during summer). 561/585-0320. $$
paradiso ristorante —625 Lucerne Ave. Italian. A Tomasz Rut mural dominates the main dining room, and there is also a pasticceria and bar for gelato and espresso. Chef Angelo Romano offers a modern Italian menu. The Mediterranean sea bass branzino is definitely a must-try. Plus, the wine list is a veritable tome. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/547-2500. $$$
safire asian fusion —817 Lake Ave. PanAsian. This stylish little restaurant offers food that gently marries East and West, plus a roster of more traditional Thai dishes and inventive sushi rolls. Menu standouts include tempurafried rock shrimp or calamari cloaked with a lush-fiery “spicy cream sauce.” Expect neighborly service and reasonable prices. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/588-7768. $
the station house—233 Lantana Road. Seafood. If you’re hungry for Maine lobster, plucked live out of giant tanks and cooked to order, this modest replica of a 1920s train station is the place to go. Lobsters come in all sizes (up to 8 pounds) and are so reasonably priced that getting a taste of one without reservations is highly unlikely. • Dinner nightly. 561/547-9487. $$$
bice —313 Worth Ave. Italian. Bice continues to hold the title of favorite spot on the island. The venerable restaurant offers a marvelous array of risottos and fresh pastas and classic dishes like
Blue With a VieW:
Big changes for the sky-high restaurant on the 27th floor of the Tower at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. The adventurous panMediterranean eatery Cielo is gone, as is chef Nader Jaouhar, replaced by The Blue (501 E. Camino Real, 561/447-3222), a modern American restaurant headed by chef Christie Tenaud, formerly of Primo in Arizona and the Essex House in New York City.
Tenaud’s menu of “elevated American cuisine” offers mostly familiar fare with playful and inventive twists, as evidenced by such dishes as a trio of deviled eggs (classic, chimichurri and Peppadew relish), grilled lamb chop with cornrosemary bread pudding, three-way lobster (roll, chowder, mac-ncheese), and house-made donuts with chocolate sauce and a shot of espresso. There’s also a “Claw Bar,” a crustacean-centric outlet for giant shrimp, king crab legs, Maine lobster, oysters, stone crab claws and more.
One thing that hasn’t changed are the spectacular ocean and city vistas as viewed from a dining room featuring an expanded bar area, skyblue walls, bird’s-eye maple tables and whimsical paisley carpeting.
veal chop Milanese, sautéed chicken breast and stuffed rack of lamb. The wine list features great vintages. • Lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 561/835-1600. $$$
buccan—350 S. County Road. Contemporary American. Casual elegance of Palm Beach meets modern culinary sensibilities of Miami at the first independent restaurant by chef Clay Conley. The design offers both intimate and energetic dining areas, while the menu is by turn familiar (woodgrilled burgers) and more adventurous (truffled steak tartare with crispy egg yolk, squid ink orrechiette). Dinner daily. 561/833-3450. $$
café boulud—The Brazilian Court, 301 Australian Ave. French with American flair. This hotel restaurant gives Palm Beach a taste of Daniel Boulud’s world-class cuisine inspired by his four muses. The chef oversees a menu encompassing classics, simple fare, seasonal offerings and dishes from around the world. Dining is in the courtyard (not available during summer), the elegant lounge or the sophisticated dining room. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 561/655-6060. $$$
café l’europe —331 S. County Road. Current international. A Palm Beach standard, the café has long been known for its peerless beauty, the piano player, the chilled martinis and the delicious Champagne and caviar bar. Try one of its sophisticated classics like Wiener schnitzel with herbed spaetzle, grilled veal chop and flavorful pastas. • Lunch Tues.–Fri. Dinner nightly (closed Mon. during summer). 561/655-4020. $$$
chez jean-pierre—132 N. County Road. French. Sumptuous cuisine, attentive servers and a see-and-be-seen crowd are hallmarks of one of the island’s premier restaurants. Indulgences include scrambled eggs with caviar and the Dover sole meunière filleted tableside. When your waiter suggests profiterolles au chocolat or hazelnut soufflé, say, mais oui! • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 561/833-1171. $$$
cucina dell’ arte—257 Royal Poinciana Way. Italian. The wide range of items on the menu and the great quality of Cucina’s cuisine, combined with its fine service, ensures a fun place for a casual yet delectable meal—not to mention being a vantage point for spotting local celebs. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 561/655-0770. $$
echo —230A Sunrise Ave. Asian. The cuisine reverberates with the tastes of China, Thailand, Japan and Vietnam. Crispy jumbo shrimp with soybean plum sauce is delectable, the Chinese hot and sour soup is unlike any other, and the Mongolian beef tenderloin is perfection. Sake list is also tops. This offsite property of The Breakers is managed with the same flawlessness as the resort. • Dinner nightly (during season). 561/802-4222. $$$
Check out the chef’s corner link at cafechardonnay. com for a step-by-step recipe related to a signature dish at the award-winning restaurant.
hmf —1 S. County Road. Contemporary American. Beneath the staid, elegant setting of The Breakers, HMF is the Clark Kent of restaurants, dishing an extensive array of exciting, inventive, oh-so-contemporary small plates. Don’t depart without sampling the dreamy warm onion-Parmesan dip with house-made fingerling potato chips, the sexy wild boar empanaditas, chicken albondigas tacos, Korean-style short ribs and terrific butterscotch panna cotta. The wine list is encyclopedic. Dinner daily. 561/290-0104. $$
imoto —350 S. County Road. Asian Fusion/ Tapas. Clay Conley’s “little sister” (the translation of Imoto from Japanese) is next to his alwaysbustling Buccan. Imoto turns out Japanese-inspired small plates with big-city sophistication, like witty Peking duck tacos and decadent tuna and foie gras sliders. Sushi selection is limited but immaculately fresh. The mille-crêpe cake is 20 layers of lacy, mango-sauced goodness. • Dinner daily. 561/833-5522. $$
leopard lounge and restaurant
The Chesterfield Palm Beach, 363 Cocoanut Row. American. The restaurant offers excellent food in a glamorous and intimate club-like atmosphere. In fact, it’s advisable to make early reservations if a quiet dinner is the objective; the place becomes a late-night cocktail
spot after 9. The menu is equally decadent. • Breakfast, lunch, tea and dinner daily. 561/6595800. $$
nick & johnnie’s —207 Royal Poinciana Way. Contemporary American. Expect flavorful, moderately priced California-esque cuisine in a casual setting with affordable wines and young, energetic servers. Try the short-rib or jerk chicken quesadillas as appetizers, and don’t miss the four-cheese tortellini as a main course. • Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat. Breakfast Sun. 561/655-3319. $$
renato’s —87 Via Mizner. Italian with continental flair. This most romantic hideaway is buzzing in season and quietly charming all year long with Italian classics and a Floridian twist—like the sautéed black grouper in a fresh tomato and pernod broth with fennel and black olives and the wildflower-honey-glazed salmon fillet with crab and corn flan. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/655-9752. $$$
ta-boó —2221 Worth Ave. American. This self-described “American bistro” is less typical “American” restaurant or classical French “bistro” than it is posh-casual refuge for the see-and-be-seen crowd in and around Palm Beach. The eclectic menu offers everything from roasted duck with orange blossom honey-ginger sauce to dry-aged steaks and an assortment of pizzas. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/835-3500. $$
trevini ristorante —290 Sunset Ave. Italian. Maitre d’ Carla Minervini is your entrée to a warm experience, complemented by a stately but comfortable room and excellent food. We love the crispy fillet of herb-crusted sole in a rich, buttery sauce and the veal scallopini in a lemon caper Chardonnay sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/8333883. $$$
pA lm be AC h g A rdens
café chardonnay—4533 PGA Blvd. Contemporary American. This longtime stalwart never rests on its laurels. Instead, it continues to dish finely crafted American/Continental fare with enough inventiveness to keep things interesting. The popular herb-and-Dijonmustard rack of lamb, regular menu items like duck with Grand Marnier sauce, and always superlative specials reveal a kitchen with solid grounding in culinary fundamentals. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 561/627-2662. $$
wes T pA lm be AC h
b.b. king’s blues club —550 S. Rosemary Ave. American. The restaurant at this club-dining spot won’t leave you singing the blues, but it will leave you wishing for more than a spoonful of the lusty flavors of its Southern/New Orleans cuisine. Punch up the flavors of pan-fried catfish and shrimp with jambalaya sauce and chicken-fried chicken on a bed of mac ’n’ cheese, and you could let the good times roll. Buffalo wings, fried pickle chips and luscious banana bread pudding are good bets.
You scream, I scream, we all scream for … gelato. Well, that and fresh-baked pastries and simple, hearty Italian fare like you’ll find at Girasole Gelato Café (895 E. Palmetto Park Road, 561/245-8093), a cute little place a block off Boca’s South Beach Park. Offering family-style sandwiches, salads, desserts and, of course, gelato inspired by the regional Italian cuisines of Puglia and Sicily, Girasole presents a clean, contemporary face, with lots of white tile, a long black-and-white-tiled counter, sleek glass tables and a few spots of color from dangling pendant lamps. The menu is a short list of affordable, everyday fare, with salads ranging from a veggie-laden Mediterranean to classic Caesar, panini and subs from the Genovese (grilled chicken, roasted peppers, artichoke hearts, mozzarella and basil) to everyone’s favorite, meatball Parm. Girasole also offers a host of desserts, among them tiramisu, ricotta cheesecake, profiteroles and biscotti. There’s also an espresso bar, just in case you need a little pick-me-up.
• Lunch and dinner daily. 561/420-8600. $
cabana las palmas —533 Clematis St. nuevo latino. With its bold, vibrant decor and flavors, this colorful restaurant is a treat for the palette and palate. Must-orders include mariquitas, thin, crispy plantain slices that are the irresistible Cuban answer to potato chips; cookbook-perfect ceviche of shrimp, octopus and calamari that shows how chili heat can be both fiery and subtle; and the signature “Coco Cabana,” a habanero and coconut milkinfused curry with a wealth of veggies, tubers and fat, succulent shrimp. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/833-4773. $$
café centro —2409 N. Dixie Highway. Italian. There are many things to like about this modest little osteria—the unpretentious ambience, piano nightly after 7 p.m., the fine service, the robust portions and relatively modest prices. And, of course, the simple, satisfying Italian cuisine. The kitchen breathes new life into hoary old fried calamari, gives fettucine con pollo a surprisingly delicate herbed cream sauce, gilds snowy fillets of grouper with a soulful Livornese. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner daily. 561/514-4070. $$
Summer is here, and now is a great time to get your child’s dental appointment scheduled. Dr. Saadia is currently scheduling summer months and wants you to get the appointment time that works best for your schedule. Please call our office to schedule your ideal appointment time. See you soon!
9250 Glades Road, suite 212, Boca Raton 561-477-3535 • pbpdcares.com
The new model is Porsche's fifth model line and first entry in the compact SUV segment. Macan makes a striking impression from the very beginning: dramatic acceleration and braking figures, impressive engine power, extreme agility and optimum steering precision. What's more, all of these features are combined with a high level of comfort and everyday drivability.
Champion Porsche
500 W. Copans Road, Pompano Beach 954/946-4020 • champion-porsche.com
Everyone’s talking about Akoya Boca West–the most highly anticipated real estate offering to hit Boca Raton in two decades! Siemens Group is pleased to announce the grand opening of the Akoya Sales Gallery, located within the Sports Complex at Boca West—the nation’s No. 1 private residential country club. Construction is slated to begin in September, and with only 120 luxury residences available, Akoya has become the talk of the town. Undeniably pampered, buyers can immediately take advantage of the club membership and start enjoying the fortuitous lifestyle reserved for a privileged few. Visit the Akoya Sales Gallery today, and find out for yourself what all the buzz is about.
20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton 561/362-2719 • akoyabocawest.com
leila —120 S. Dixie Highway. Mediterranean. Flowing drapes and industrial lighting complete the exotic decor in this Middle Eastern hit. Sensational hummus is a must-try. Lamb kebab with parsley, onion and spices makes up the delicious Lebanese lamb kefta. Take your Turkish coffee to the patio for an arguileh (water pipe) experience. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sun. 561/659-7373. $$
marcello’s la sirena—6316 S. Dixie Highway. Italian. You’re in for a treat if the pasta of the day is prepared with what might be the best Bolognese sauce ever. Another top choice is the chicken breast, pounded thin and filled with fontina and prosciutto. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. (closed Memorial Day–Labor Day). 561/585-3128. $$
pistache —101 N. Clematis St. French. Pistache doesn’t just look like a French bistro, it cooks like one. The menu includes such bistro specialties as mussels mariniere, coq au vin and steak tartare. • Brunch Sat.–Sun. Lunch and dinner daily. 561/833-5090. $$
Each Sip
Rocco’s tacos boasts upward of 225 tequila offerings— including premium brands Milagro unico and Patron Gran Burdeos, both of which run $85 a glass.
rhythm café —3800 S. Dixie Highway. Casual American. Once a diner, the interior is eclectic with plenty of kitsch. The crab cakes are famous here, and the tapas are equally delightful. Homemade ice cream and the chocolate chip cookies defy comparison. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 561/833-3406. $$
rocco’s tacos —224 Clematis St. Mexican. Big Time Restaurant Group has crafted a handsome spot that dishes Mexican favorites, as well as upscale variations on the theme and more than 200 tequilas. Tacos feature house-made tortillas and a variety of proteins. Made-to-order guacamole is a good place to start, perhaps followed by a grilled yellowtail (an occasional special) with mango-pineapple salsa. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 561/650-1001. (Other Palm Beach County locations: 5250 Town Center Circle, Boca Raton, 561/416-2133; 5090 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561/623-0127) $
table 26°—1700 S. Dixie Highway. Contemporary American. Take a quarter-cup of Palm Beach, a tablespoon of Nantucket, a pinch of modern American cookery and a couple gallons of the owners’ savoir faire, and you have Eddie Schmidt’s and Ozzie Medeiros’s spot. The menu roams the culinary globe for modest contemporary tweaks on classically oriented dishes. Try the fried calamari “Pad Thai” or the fist-sized pair of Maryland crab cakes with irresistibly crispy sweet potato fries. • Dinner daily. 561/855-2660. $$$
rant swings for the fences—and connects—with monstrous portions, chic decor and decadent desserts. The signature steaks, dry-aged for 21 days, are a meat lover’s dream; seafood specialties include sautéed sea bass, Maine lobster and Alaskan king crab. Don’t miss the NYY Steak 151 volcano for dessert. • Dinner daily. Brunch Sun. 954/977-6700. $$$$
tamarind asian grill & sushi bar —949 S. Federal Highway. Asian. Quiet and soothing, this multicultural venue serves sushi, sashimi, yakitori and wide-ranging Japanese appetizers, but Tamarind also presents a full menu of Thai classics and a sake lounge. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/428-8009. $$
15th street fisheries—1900 S.E. 15th St. Seafood. Surrounded by views of the Intracoastal, this Old Florida-style restaurant features seafood and selections for land lovers. Entrées come with soup, salad, a sorbet course and fresh breads. We love the prime rib. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/763-2777. $$
3030 ocean—Harbor Beach Marriott Resort, 3030 Holiday Drive. American. The menu is heavy on seafood and changes several times a week. We recommend the sautéed Florida red snapper or the indulgent butter-roasted Maine lobster. For dessert, try the popular roasted banana crème brûlée. • Dinner nightly. 954/765-3030. $$$
bistro 17—Renaissance Fort Lauderdale Hotel, 1617 S.E. 17th St. Contemporary American. This small, sophisticated restaurant continues to impress with competently presented food. The menu is surprisingly diverse, with everything from seafood chowder, burgers and pizza to cherry-glazed breast of duck. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/626-1701. $$
bistro mezzaluna—1821 S.E. 10th St. Italian. The bistro is all Euro-chic decor—mod lighting, abstract paintings. It also has good food, from pastas to steaks and chops and a wide range of fresh seasonal fish and seafood. Don’t forget the phenomenal wine list. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/522-6620. $$
bongusto ristorante—5640 N. Federal Highway. Italian. This is a well-kept secret, featuring dishes that will meet the standards of those who savor authentic Italian. Involtini capricciosi—tender-rolled veal stuffed with spinach, prosciutto and fontina cheese—is satiating, while the yellowtail snapper oreganatta melts in your mouth. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 954/771-9635. $$
café martorano —3343 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Italian. Standouts include crispy calamari in marinara sauce and flavorful veal osso buco. Our conclusion: explosive flavor, attention to all the details and fresh, high-quality ingredients. Waiters whisper the night’s specials as if they’re family secrets. • Dinner daily. 954/561-2554. $$
canyon—1818 E. Sunrise Blvd. Southwestern.
The craft beer bandwagon keeps on rolling, this time through west Delray with the debut of TAP Global Beer Collection (14813 Lyons Road, 561/270-3839), a temple to artisan ales, IPAs, lagers and more in the sprawling Delray Marketplace. TAP pours more than 60 beers from taps—including those from such esteemed local producers as Due South, Funky Buddha and Salt Water Brewery, plus an even larger selection of bottled beers and a small-but-interesting assortment of wines. There’s food to sop up all that booze, bar munchies on the order of soft pretzels, chili, Buffalo chicken poppers, burger sliders, nachos and hot dogs. As for the space itself, it boasts a rustic-stylish look, with chunky wood tables and chairs, stone-faced columns, industrial-style light fixtures, hardwood floors and a gleaming wood-finished bar backed by 72 taps and a bank of flat-screen TVs. There’s an outdoor patio too, complete with a fire pit for toasty imbibing on one of South Florida’s rare chilly nights.
Billed as a Southwestern café, this twist on regional American cuisine offers great meat, poultry and fish dishes with distinctive mixes of lime, cactus and chili peppers in a subtle blend of spices. The adobe ambience is warm and welcoming, with a candlelit glow. • Dinner nightly. 954/765-1950. $$
casablanca café—3049 Alhambra St. American, Mediterranean. The restaurant has an “Arabian Nights” feel, with strong Mediterranean influences. Try the peppercorn-dusted filet mignon with potato croquette, Gorgonzola sauce and roasted pepper and Granny Smith relish. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/764-3500. $$
casa d’angelo —1201 N. Federal Highway. Italian. Many dishes are specials—gnocchi, risotto and scaloppine. The veal chop is grilled and blanketed in a thick layer of Gorgonzola. A delightful pasta entrée is the pappardelle con porcini: thick strips of fresh pasta coated in a light red sauce and bursting with slices of porcini mushrooms. • Dinner nightly. 954/5641234. $$
chima—2400 E. Las Olas Blvd. Steaks. The Latin American rodizio-churrascaria concept—all the meat you can eat, brought to your table—is done with high style, fine wines and excellent service. The prime rib, sausages, filet mignon,
pork ribs and lamb chops are very good. • Dinner daily. 954/712-0581. $$$
eduardo de san angel—2822 E. Commercial Blvd. Mexican. Try master chef Eduardo Pria’s pan-sautéed Florida blue crab and yellow corn cakes. As far as soups go, there’s the pasillachile-flavored chicken broth with fresh “epazote” (fried corn tortilla strips, sliced avocado, sour cream and homemade cheese). The pan-seared beef tenderloin filet mignon is sublime. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 954/772-4731. $$$
emunah café —3558 N. Ocean Blvd. Kosher, organic. Don’t let the New Age “spirituality” throw you off. Focus on the fresh, organic ingredients that are incorporated into inventive sushi, soups and salads and (mostly) Asian-influenced entrées. • Lunch and dinner Sun.–Thurs. Sat. late evening hours. Closed Fri. 954/561-6411. $
il mulino —1800 E. Sunrise Blvd. Italian. This modest, unpretentious Italian restaurant doesn’t attempt to reinvent the culinary wheel. Instead, it dishes up big portions of simple, hearty, flavorful food at extremely reasonable prices. Zuppa de pesce is a wealth of perfectly cooked seafood over linguini in a light tomato-based sauce. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/524-1800. $
indigo —Riverside Hotel, 620 E. Las Olas Blvd. Seafood. Enjoy delightful alfresco dining while sampling fresh seafood and exotic specialties. Dependable choices like ahi tuna is joined by more intriguing dishes like sea bass and salmon, and landlubbers will enjoy a selection of steaks and chops. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/467-0045. $$
johnny v—625 E. Las Olas Blvd. American. Johnny Vinczencz made his mark at Boca’s Maxaluna and Max’s Grille and (the former) De La Tierra at Delray’s Sundy House. Now in his own restaurant on Las Olas Boulevard, Vinczencz has evolved. As for the impressive wine list, Johnny V has more than 600 selections. • Lunch and dinner daily. Outdoor dining. 954/761-7920. $$
sea watch—6002 N. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. For a right-on-the-beach, welcome-to-Florida dining experience, there’s Sea Watch. Decked out in a pervasive nautical theme, this is definitely tourist country, but it’s pretty and on the beach. The perfect entrée for the indecisive: Sea Watch medley, with lobster tail, jumbo shrimp and scallops broiled in butter, garlic and white wine. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/781-2200. $$
shula’s on the beach —Sheraton Yankee Trader, 321 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. Steaks. This steak house on the beach provides
what could be the best ocean view in two counties. Meat is the focus, with a compact menu of all your faves, as well as your new favorite steak, Mary Anne: two mouthwatering 5-ounce filets in a creamy cognac and shallot sauce. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 954/355-4000. $$
sublime —1431 N. Federal Highway. Vegetarian. Not only does the menu offer an alternative to animal agriculture, the company’s profits support animal welfare. The haute vegetarian cuisine delivers with dishes like mushroom ravioli and the Tuscan quiche. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/539-9000. $
sunfish grill—2775 E. Oakland Park Blvd. Seafood. Think inventive, sophisticated food, the kind that made the original Pompano Beach restaurant a major destination. Its take on tuna tartare is still the gold standard, and you can’t go wrong with entrées like onion-crusted salmon or the grilled Atlantic swordfish. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 954/561-2004. $$
timpano italian chophouse —450 E. Las Olas Blvd., #110. Italian. Sink yourself into oversized booths with elegant white tablecloths and prepare to dive into excellent signature bone-in steaks. The menu includes chops and a diverse array of fresh fish and pasta dishes. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner daily. 954/462-9119. $$
lola’s on harrison —2032 Harrison St. New American. Chef-owner Michael Wagner reinvigorates quintessentially American dishes with exacting technique and inventive flavor combos. Short ribs braised in CocaCola come with thick-cut onion rings and indecently rich, tarragon-laced creamed corn. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/927-9851. $$
taverna opa —410 N. Ocean Drive. Greek. Bring all your friends here and order a million mezes (Greek appetizers). Try the keftedes, Greek meatballs, and the lamb chops or snapper, which is filleted at the table. Don’t be surprised when your waiter pulls you up on the table to dance. • Dinner nightly. 954/9294010. (Other location: 270 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561/303-3602). $$
lAUdERdAlE-By-THE-SEA
blue moon fish company—4405 W. Tradewinds Ave. Seafood. This is one of the best spots in Broward County for waterside dining; and the two-for-one lunch special makes it one of the most affordable. Choose from a raw bar and fish nearly every which way, as well as daily, seasonal fish specials. • Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sun. 954/267-9888. $$$
Brunch is Served
check out the Sunday brunch at Seafood World, with menu highlights from eggs Benedict (with lump crab meat) to the ultimate omelet (stuffed with lobster).
lIGHTHOUSE POINT
le bistro —4626 N. Federal Highway. Global. This eclectic menu has French, Moroccan and Indian influences. Michelin-trained chef/owner Andy Trousdale prepares everything to order. We love beef Wellington (for two) and the yummy napoleon. • Dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/946-9240. $$$
seafood world —4602 N. Federal Highway. Seafood. This seafood market and restaurant, more suited to a pier, offers some of the freshest seafood in the county. Its unpretentious atmosphere is the perfect setting for the superb king crab, Maine lobster, Florida lobster tails and much more. Tangy Key lime pie is a classic finish. • Lunch and dinner Tues.–Sun. 954/942-0740. $$$
calypso restaurant —460 S. Cypress Road. caribbean. This bright little dining room and bar (beer and wine only) has a Caribbean menu that is flavorful, imaginative—and much more. Calypso offers a spin on island food that includes sumptuous conch dishes, Stamp & Go Jamaican fish cakes and tasty rotis stuffed with curried chicken, lamb or seafood. • Lunch and dinner Mon.–Fri. 954/942-1633. $
darrel & oliver’s café maxx—2601 E. Atlantic Blvd. American. The longstanding institution from chef Oliver Saucy is as good now as when it opened in the mid-1980s. The peppered sea scallops appetizer is a must, as is Café Maxx’s cheese plate. Main courses offer complex flavor profiles, such as the sweet-onion-crusted yellowtail snapper on Madeira sauce over
mashed potatoes. Parts of the menu change daily. • Dinner nightly. 954/782-0606. $$$ romantico ristorante —1903 E. Atlantic Blvd. Italian. This is the perfect setting for good conversation, a glass of wine and delicious food. Fettuccine alla Romantico is hot homemade fettuccine poured into a wheel of Parmigiano-Reggiano. • Lunch and dinner Mon.–Sat. 954/946-9100. $$
cheese course—1679 Market St. Bistro. Locals love the made-to-order bistro sandwiches on fresh baguettes, daily quiche selections and cheese plates. Favorites include the applewoodsmoked bacon with goat cheese brie sandwich and the Spanish salad with manchego, orange slices and black olives. • Lunch and dinner daily. 954/384-8183. (Other location: Mizner Park, 305 Plaza Real, #1305, Boca Raton, 561/395-4354.) $
bourbon steak —19999 W. Country Club Drive. Steaks. Michael Mina’s elegant steak house in tony Turnberry Isle features impeccable service, an encyclopedic wine list and a roster of USDA Prime Angus, Wagyu and Kobe steaks. Try the feather-light beignets accompanied by cookbook-perfect crème brûlée and chocolate pot du crème. • Dinner Mon.–Sun. 786/279-6600. $$$$
la goulue —Bal Harbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave. French. La Goulue means “the glutton,” and this stylish brasserie offers many excuses for gluttony. Luscious foie gras presented in a green apple for one, opulent lobster risotto under shaved black truffles for a third. • Lunch and dinner daily. 305/865-2181. $$$
the palm — 9650 E. Bay Harbor Drive. Steaks. The portions are giant, but you’ll surely clear your plate of 3- to 7-pound jumbo Nova Scotia lobster or a tender filet mignon. S&S cheesecake shipped from the Bronx is pure heaven. • Dinner nightly. 305/868-7256. $$$
bizcaya grill—Ritz-Carlton, 3300 S.W. 27th Ave. European-American. The versatile menu features “simply grilled” items. The boldly flavored menu also offers “house specialties,” contemporary takes on bistro fare. • Breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. 305/644-4670. $$
caffe abbracci —318 Aragon Ave. Italian. The dining room is handsome and under-
stated, a fitting ambience for Miami’s movers and shakers. That’s just part of the draw of Abbracci, though the regional Italian fare has achieved its own status as some of the best in the Gables. You can’t go wrong with the porcini risotto or the pounded veal chop “tricolore.” • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. 305/441-0700. $$
la palme d’or—The Biltmore, 1200 Anastasia Ave. French. Chef Philippe Ruiz emphasizes modern French fare from the southern regions of France, doing so with classic technique and light-handed manner. The portions are relatively small, encouraging five courses, and guests may design their own custom tastings, with a wide variation in price. • Dinner Tues.–Sat. 305/445-1926, ext. 2400. $$$$
ortanique on the mile —278 Miracle Mile. caribbean. Menu highlights include tropical mango salad, spicy fried calamari salad, Caribbean ahi tuna with wasabi potatoes and jerk-spiced Cornish game hen. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner nightly. 305/446-7710. $$$
pascal’s on ponce —2611 Ponce de Leon Blvd. French. When Pascal Oudin ran the kitchen at the Grand Bay Grand Café, his tropical take on French cuisine earned him national acclaim. Now, he offers a more streamlined, but still contemporary, French menu. We definitely suggest the sea scallops, which are topped with short ribs and served with truffle sauce. • Lunch Mon.–Fri. Dinner Mon.–Sat. 305/444-2024. $$$$
mIAmI
azul—500 Brickell Key Drive. Contemporary American. The kitcheon tricks out its luxurious Asian-European-Contemporary American menu with flashes of “molecular gastronomy.” Look for dishes like brioche-crusted yellowtail snapper with cuttlefish, chorizo brandade and squid ink “charcoal.” While looking out over the stunning expanse of Biscayne Bay from the chic, elegant dining room, look over the equally stunning wine list, which reads like an encyclopedia of the world’s great vintners. • Dinner Mon.–Sat. 305/913-8288. $$$$
michael’s genuine food & drink—130 N.E. 40th St. American. At James Beard award-winning chef Michael Schwartz’s unpretentious restaurant, you’ll get plenty of genuine satisfaction from genuinely delicious food, exactingly prepared and simply presented. Wood-roasted double yolk farm egg and crispy pork belly are divine. Surprisingly, all the desserts from rock star pastry chef Hedy Goldsmith aren’t rock-star quality, but dining here is such a genuine pleasure it almost doesn’t matter. • Lunch Mon.–Sat. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 305/573-5550. $$
check out our complete tri-county dining guide only at bocamag.com.
It's the ultimate Florida resident vacation with luxury accommodations, resort credit, free nights and endless memories. Relax and rejuvenate at Exhale South Beach, bask in the sun at SOAK Cabana Deck, and enjoy an exclusive Florida Resident VIP Passport with Loews Miami Beach Hotel offers at restaurants and retail outlets. 1601 collins ave., Miami Beach 800/235-6397 • loewsmiami.com
Dr. Hernandez is a board-certified plastic surgeon specializing in plastic surgery of the face. She remains on the cutting edge of advances in surgical and non-surgical rejuvenation techniques, from injectables and volumizers to fat grafting. The well-respected and distinguished physician has served the Palm Beaches for two-plus decades combining her artistic eye with skilled surgical precision. 4799 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton 561/750-8600 • drhernandez.com
The Wine Wave—the latest boutique wine shop on Atlantic Avenue, located between the ocean and the Intracoastal—is the place to stock your wine cellar and discover new favorites. All summer, you'll find locals sipping some of the coolest chilled wines at this hidden gem. With new selections daily, tastings weekly and the largest selection of craft beer on the Ave ... This. Is. It.
900 e . atlantic ave., Delray Beach 561/276-2076 • thewinewave.com
TooJay’s is constantly seeking surprise and delight. This time we’ve added a fresh twist to a time-honored sandwich classic. We’ve combined our slow-roasted turkey breast with fresh avocado, arugula, tomato and lemon garlic aioli. Enjoy it stacked on whole wheat bread or wrapped in a soft tortilla. Either way it is sure to become a favorite.
Regency Court Plaza • 561/997-9911 Glades Plaza • 561/392-4181 Polo Shops • 561/241-5903 toojays.com
– Sept. 30, 2014) of dining deals before and after the event.
Purchase your passport at any Tastemakers restaurant, including: (cash only)
What you need to know:
Q: How do I take part In tHI s event?
a: Buy a passport
Purchase a passport for $30 cash at any of the participating restaurants (while supplies last). $1 from each passport sold will be donated to the Delray Beach Beautification Project.
Q: wHat do I rece Ive?
a: great delray tastes + 3 montHs of dInIng promotIons
Your passport entitles you to complimentary tastings and wine, beer or cocktails during the Tastemakers of Delray event, Thursday, August 7 and Friday, August 8. In addition, you’ll receive fabulous foodie promotions at participating restaurants starting July 1 and running through Sept. 30.
Q: How do I get around?
a: sHuttle servIce or walk
Downtown Delray Beach is a walkable town, and all the restaurants are within 14 blocks. There is also free shuttle service on Atlantic Avenue from First Avenue to the beach with seven convenient stops from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
Q: wHere can I park? a: parkIng garages
The city’s biggest parking garage is in Pineapple Grove, at the corner of Northeast Second Avenue and Northeast First Street. Parking will be $5. There are many other free parking lots and valet spots throughout downtown. Check out downtowndelraybeach.com/events for details and maps.
Q: How do I fInd out more & sHare tHI s event wItH a frIend?
a: vIa onlIne or socIal medIa
Log onto bocamag.com or downtown delraybeach.com/events to get a complete list of participating restaurants and share the link with your friends and family. You also can check Boca Raton and Delray Beach magazine’s Facebook pages for updates. Remind your friends that passports are limited, so they need to stop by the participating restaurants to purchase them!
Contact the Downtown Development Authority for more information at 561/243-1077.
During the two-night event, look for the Official Tastemakers Stop Sign at each restaurant. Snap a creative selfie at the stop sign and share it with us on Instagram or Facebook.
/delray B eac H magaz I
Floor-to-ceiling windows offering Delray’s most breathtaking ocean views, coupled with chef Blake Malatesta’s delightful seafood-inspired menu await you at 50 Ocean. Indulge your culinary senses, or just enjoy a classic cocktail sitting at the most beautiful bar on the beach!
Local black grouper, “to the minute salsa,” bacon puffs, cucumber tortilla, chili lime dressing
Bombay gin, ginger cognac, fresh pressed lime and orange juice, cilantro, soda buy 1 lunch, get 1 free free lunch must be of equal or lesser value) not valid with any other offers, including board member benefits*
Trip Advisor Certificate of Excellence 2013
ZAGAT 2013: For Miami flavors “without the drive,” Latin lovers in Delray and West Palm head to these “festive,” “fun spots” for “perfectly spiced” Nuevo fare, “real mojitos” and “top-notch sangria,” all at “reasonable” prices.
Marinated skirt-steak skewers topped with rocoto and red onion salsa
The Caipirinha, the national drink of Brazil, is made here with Leblon cachaca and muddled strawberries, lime wedge & simple syrup
Caffé Luna Rosa is the oldest Italian restaurant in Delray Beach. Luna Rosa offers an oceanview dining experience where great food and a great environment come together.
Homemade bisque with fresh lump crab and Florida lobster tail meat finished with cream and sherry
Light and sweet with the aromas of papaya nectar, crisp apple and night blooming jasmine free bottle of wine
10% off any food purchase alcohol
house choice with 2 entrÉes or 2 free bottles with 4 entrÉes; not valid on holidays or with any other discounts or offers*
Deck 84 was voted Boca Raton magazine’s Best Waterfront Dining and Best Bar Food for 2013. Deck 84 is Delray Beach’s favorite waterfront dining destination.
With coconut-citrus marinade, mango, avocado, chili pepper and crispy root
Dark n’ Stormy
Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, ginger beer and fresh lime
We here at DIG (doing it green) strive to provide amazing flavorful food by utilizing fresh seasonal organic fruits and vegetables, plus naturally fed and ethically tended products. We actively strive to be environmentally friendly and efficient. We have a large selection of vegetarian options and quite a few that can be vegan too!
Black bean chipotle, sundried tomato basil and eggplant pumpkin
La Playa Sauvignon Blanc
Aromas of lemon, fresh pineapple with hints of lavender
At El Camino, we are committed to offering the freshest organic and local ingredients, and we value local, artisan, indigenous and reclaimed offerings. We make our own tortillas, sauces and anything else possible from scratch. Our craft cocktails include house-made sangrias and agave spirits.
Barbacoa Taco
Cilantro, queso fresco, onions & salsa borracha
Classic Margarita
Blanco tequila, agave nectar, fresh lime & house lime bitters
Lemongrass Delray Beach has been the place to go for Thai, Japanese sushi and Vietnamese since opening. All rolls and dishes are made to order. The notable wine and sake list provides the perfect pairing to any entrée.
Hawaiian Fried Rice
Asian wok stir fried Hawaiian style with pineapples and shrimp
Lychee Martini
Lychee infused martini made with our premium sake
SoLita Italian restaurant offers delectable Italian specialties, exotic culinary cocktails, and a sizzling latenight atmosphere. From happy hour to after dark, it’s the perfect place for an intimate date, dining with friends or hosting a fabulous dinner party.
SoLita Signature Housemade Meatball
Served with San Marzano tomato sauce, fresh basil and ricotta cheese
Housemade Italian Sangria
A delicious variety of red wines, fresh strawberries, oranges, pineapple and blueberries mixed with a variety of flavorful fruit liqueurs
Ziree Thai & Sushi is the place to experience the art of eating well. Quality food and service in an elegant Zen atmosphere creates the finest dining experience.
Fried Wonton
Wonton skin stuff with chicken served sweet chili sauce and Ziree salad with assorted raw fish mixed with fruit in special dressing
Ziree Vacation
Saketini
off entire check
for takeout or gift certificate purchase; can’t be combined with any other offers*
1st place
Table Decor Contest Winner
Special thanks to these sponsors who made this event possible: Congratulations!
savor the avenue
Where: Downtown Delray Beach aBout the event: An estimated 1,000 food and wine enthusiasts gathered at Florida’s longest dining table—one that ran for five blocks down the middle of Atlantic Avenue—for Savor the Avenue 2014. The annual event, sponsored in part by Boca Raton magazine, featured 16 local restaurants that provided delicious dishes and competed in a table-setting competition. Congratulations to Salt7 for taking home first place.