lifestyle food
All the Colors of the Rainbow Rick Karlin
Le Dîner en Blanc comes to Fort Lauderdale and other foodie news
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e Dîner en Blanc, the secret dinner global phenomenon, held its first Fort Lauderdale-based event, taking over Esplanade Park as nearly 750 guests, who started guessing of the clandestine location when they met at departure points throughout Miami-Dade and Broward County, boarded buses, which all converged at the beautiful location just before dusk for the sole purpose of sharing a gourmet meal with good friends. Guests were greeted upon arrival by hosts filled park area by the water with some lights strung here Susan Rakita, Ken McCormack, and Richy and there among the trees in nearby groves, a lone DJ, and Miranda-Cortese. Toting stylish picnic a media area, and the next thing I knew there were five baskets filled to the brim with gourmet buses and 660 people all in white who came, constructed, treats, they set up their tables and chairs and conquered. The DJ played everything from Latin to and created unique all-white table-scape classic rock to soul to rap to progressive jazz to hip hop to designs, including elegant chandeliers and the Electric Slide and everything in between. And the crowd miniature lit Eiffel Towers. was dancing up a storm! You had the option of bringing As soon as all the table settings were your own picnic or purchasing the DEB picnic. The food perfected, the beginning of dinner was was diverse, tasty, light, elegant, colorful and beautifully signaled by the traditional waving of white presented, and fit perfectly with the atmosphere. Here’s an linen serviettes. Music by DJ Tony the Tiger example of just one of the five menus: tomato salad and feta filled the air throughout dinner, while cheese, selection of cheeses & green grapes, smoked salmon participants dined and enjoyed dip, shrimp salad on roasted peppers, the company of friends. After pecan pie and crunchy chocolate mousse & dinner, guests twirled glow Lent is almost peanut butter.” sticks that lit up the night sky upon us and that and signaled the opening of the St. Patrick’s Day is coming also means Mardi upon us, and since it falls smack dance floor. Attendees included hosts Gras celebrations. in the middle of a weekend, from other international Le you know there’s going to be Where better to Diner en Blanc events that a lot of wearin’ of the green celebrate than take place in Ecuador, Cuba, (and puking of the green beer). and Trinidad. At the end of the at Las Olas’ The The Grille on the Drive should evening, guests packed up their prove to be classier than that Balcony, a chic belongings as well as all their with its special menu, available two-story New rubbish and left the site as if the Friday and Saturday. Among the Orleans-style night had never happened but traditional dishes being offered with a head full of unforgettable are potato-leek soup, fish and restaurant? moments and new friendships. chips, Irish stew, shepherd’s I was out of town when this pie and, of course, corned beef event took place but asked my friend Robin and cabbage. BTW, the Grille’s Garden room Alexander to cover it for me. is now serving lunch Mondays through Saturdays. Here are her impressions: Toss me those gold, green and purple beads! If the sudden appearance of commercials for “This is the gayest thing you could possibly do without fish sandwiches at fast food restaurants (really, being gay. That being said, I was surprised that I didn’t fish at Arby’s?) weren’t enough of a sign, here’s see more gay people. I had no idea what to expect, other the official news, Lent is almost upon us and than lots of people all in white with white picnic tables, that also means Mardi Gras celebrations. chairs and dishes. Turns out it was a feast of creativity: Where better to celebrate than at Las Olas’ masks, wigs, feathers, fedoras, gloves, lace, tulle, bows The Balcony, a chic two-story New Orleansand beads and headpieces echoing Lady Gaga, flappers, style restaurant? From Tuesday, March 5 hippies, 1940s church ladies, South Asian Hindu dancers through Sunday, March 10, The Balcony - and a boat captain - along with centerpieces of flowers, will feature menu specials ($3 Abita beer, $5 lights, and other modernistic imaginative constructions that Hurricanes with souvenir cup, $5 jambalaya, somehow came out of a picnic basket to be resurrected in gumbo, and beignets and $8 shrimp or oyster the middle of a small table. One minute it was a sparsely po’boys). On Tuesday, March 5; Friday, March
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Le Dîner en Blanc. Photo via Facebook. 8; and Saturday, March 9; it will host Mardi Gras-themed parties, so guests can celebrate in true “N’awlins” style. (Does that mean free beads if you show your titties?) For more information visit thebalconylasolas.com. The folks that run Bokamper’s, near Oakland Park Blvd. and the Intracoastal, are opening another restaurant just a few blocks to the east. Bo’s Beach, which may be open by the time you read this. Former Miami Dolphins Player Kim Bokamper and the PDKN Restaurant Group present a twostory, casual restaurant and bar with a woodfired oven featuring cocktails and oceaninspired classics with direct ocean views. The restaurant features indoor and outdoor seating and is located at 600 Seabreeze Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. Speaking of new places, the long-awaited Gulf Stream Brewing Company is the newest place to open on the 13th Street Corridor. It’s a true brewery, whipping up suds on the premises and while it doesn’t serve food, it often partners up with local food trucks and allows you to order in while sampling their brews. The first and third Tuesday of each month features bingo and every Wednesday is trivia night. Green Kaffe has taken over the space formerly occupied by Maria’s Cantina,
Hungry for more?
with an address of 2401 Wilton Dr., even though the actual restaurant is around the corner on the side street. They’re not great about marketing or presenting themselves (seriously its website is just the menu and its Facebook page isn’t much better), but the food is damn good. There is a large selection of smoothies and four different kinds of veggie burgers. While I don’t think it will win over any converts, it is a great place to stop if you’re looking for a healthy alternative. It’s a local business that can use some support. Finally, if you’ve ever driven south along Federal and wondered what’s inside The Gallery of Incredible Things, here’s your chance to do so, while raising funds for a worthy cause. The 6th Annual “Cheers to B!” fundraiser to aid those affected by neurofibromatosis event takes place at the Gallery of Amazing Things (481 S. Federal Hwy, Dania Beach) on Saturday, March 30. Enjoy a cocktail reception, explore the ins and outs of the museum, bid in a silent auction, enjoy bites and strike a pose in an interactive photo experience. The evening will continue with a seated buffet dinner, and a live auction. General admission tickets are available for $200 per person. Adults 21 – 30 can select a special discounted ticket price of $75/person.
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Rick Karlin is SFGN’s food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at RickKarlinFL@gmail.com.