Michael R. McCarty’s 50 Coconut Row, Palm Beach This quietly ever-so-stylish eatery evokes the feel of an elite eating and drinking club, yet it is open to the public. Tables are arranged around a central “gaming room” for backgammon and card players whose limits are staked out by faux bamboo trees in orange crate box planters unequivocally announce tradition’s leading role. Wait staff in pale blue button-down shirts and long white aprons second the announcement, which the clientele is happy to reinforce with their own unspoken code of conduct. The menu has clear echoes of New York’s legendary 21 Club. The lunchtime Jumbo Lump Crab Cake with Petite Fennel Slaw and remoulade sauce is as impeccable and classic as the venue. There is hot, freshly baked French bread and a perfect lunchtime indulgence − a Clam Digger of half vodka and half Clamato juice with a slice of lime. Never mind if the fennel slaw turns up as mixed field greens on summer days; here it’s “all in the family.” At dinner, twin crab cakes arrive on a bed of sautéed spinach. The wine list is well-studied. Three wines by the glass that go well with the crab are a crisp Sancerre from Chateau de Sancerre, a full-bodied White Burgundy courtesy of Macon Lugny and a simple California Chardonnay from Chateau St. Jean. City Cellar, Wine Bar and Grill 700 South Rosemary, City Place, West Palm Beach The floor-to-ceiling wine “cellar” behind a glass wall at the extensive bar is one of the wonders of West Palm Beach. Witty pop arty murals by local artist/dealer/editor Bruce Helander and Matisse-inspired, multicolored Plexiglas cut-outs ornamenting the ceiling anchor the luxuriously spacious and handsome interior. The Pan Seared Lump Crabcake is a burger-sized but nuanced delight with its hints of basil, dill and lime presented on a notoverdressed bed of mixed greens. Although listed as a starter, it makes a meal for lunch. This is, after all, a wine cellar
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