November 7th, 2009
Just like in the Delaware beaches and Ocean City, Maryland, Delray Beach, Florida is another of those popular beach towns where businesses are popping everywhere. Two of the newest ones are:
Unique Boutique
This small but very sophisticated jewelry shop opened last February on 204 East Atlantic Ave., in Delray Beach. Telephone is 561-272-6654. The e-mail adress is uniqueboutique2@comcast.net and the website is www.uniqueboutiquejewelry.net.
Besides jewelry, it also has accessories, but the jewelry is what attracted me to the store. The owner of the store is Karen Beaton and she buys from 9 designers. The jewelry is distinctive, with great combination of stones and metals. Very affordable as well. Sometimes when you are on vacation, it is good to splurge a little so check out this store and you might be wearing something new for that special evening ahead.
Unique Boutique is not the only jewelry store that Karen Beaton has. There are 2 more and their locations are:
Mashpee Commons, Cape Cod, MA 02649 and the telephone is 508-477-3900.
1185 Third Street South, Naples, FL 34102 and the telephone is 239-643-8900.
The other business that opened on Atlantic Ave., and is actually next to Unique Boutique, is Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine.
Yesterday, Thursday, Anita and I decided to have lunch at Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine. I wanted to experience it so that I could write a post. It was a beautiful day to have lunch outside.
The address of the restaurant is 200 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, FL 33483 and the telephone is 561-276-2502.
Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine is owned by Linda Bean and if the name sounds familiar is because she is the granddaughter of L.L. Bean. She is 69 years old and sits on the board of L.L. Bean.
This is the first restaurant, and I believe, the idea is to sell the franchise. We spoke to one of the employees that told us that it opened 1 month ago and it has been crowded and exceeded expectations. We wondered why Delray was picked and he said that it was because it is a hot bed for franchises.
Anita had the lobster roll and I had the Fancy Green Salad with lobster and chili lime salsa. This was a large salad with a lot of lobster and it was $12.95.
Anita’s Lobster Roll, which was a quarter of a pound was $15.50 and she really thought is was very good.
Even though we had iced tea with our lunch, this restaurant serves wine and beer. They even have Dogfish 60 Minute IPA, which is from the Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware, near the Delaware beaches.
It is a very casual restaurant; ordering at a window and food brought to the table by a server. Actually, very relaxing.
They have a very good menu with live and steamed shellfish, seafood roll baskets, panini sandwiches, a simpler fare like the “Pause for Claws”, which is a quarter pound Maine lobster claw meat, with melted butter, and, of course, Maine Clam Chowder and Linda Bean’s Lobster Stew.
For the salad lovers there are plenty of them. I told you that the one I had, the Fancy Green with the Lobster, was delicious.
If you would like to have more information on Linda Bean’s Perfect Main, please visit the website www.lindabeansperfectmaine.com.
I think they are going to do very well. Check it out and let me know what you think.
Note: In a perfect world there would be a gluten free roll for the lobster and seafood rolls.
There are other business about to open for the new season, so be on the look-out because they will be here before you know it.
Sooooo…once again, writing from Delray Beach, Florida….I remain…
November 4th, 2009
Knowing that there are many reviews available on-line, I chose not to read any for this particular restaurant. I just wanted to feel the experience of just going in with a blank slate and then put it into words.
Last night was one of those beautiful full moon evenings in Delray Beach; a light wind and the ever present palm trees swaying in their own unique way. One thing that separates this town from others is the availability to eat outdoors. And, last night was the perfect night for such a thing and in my household, the mood was beef.
I have not been to Cut 432, even though this restaurant has been in Delray for about a year and a half. The address is 432 E. Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33483. The tel. is 561-272-9898 and the fax is 561-272-9797. The website is www.cut432.com.
Brian Albe, Brandon Belluscio and Chef Anthony Pizzo are the owners of Cut 432. Even though these owners are fairly young, between them are many years of experience in the restaurant business.
My husband, son and I arrived with no reservations and they sat us right away on one of their outdoor tables. For a Tuesday evening, it was comfortably crowded.
The restaurant and the bar inside have modern lines, but the chandeliers give it sophistication.
Johnny was our waiter and I cannot tell you enough how professional he was. I had so many questions for him regarding the menu and he was able to explain the ingredients and make suggestions. Definitely, he is an asset to the restaurant.
If you have read my blog in the past, you will know that my husband has to eat gluten free. It was so refreshing to see the eagerness of Johnny to put us at ease and go back to the kitchen and ask the chef if the creamed spinach could be made without the breading or make sure a particular sauce was gluten free. And even nicer was the fact that the restaurant wanted to accommodate us, as well.
So, in that respect I want to say Gracias a Johnny por habernos atendido tan bien, and thanks to Cut 432.
The menu is very well presented and easy to read. You should visit their website above mentioned because you can read their menu, check when the catering menu will be posted, read the bios, look at the pictures and see what this company is all about. You can even download their award winning wine list.
A couple of cocktails that attracted my attention were the Pumpkin Pie, which is a pumpkin infused vokda, cream and candied pumpkin. The other was the Jalapeno & Pineapple Margarita, which contains Gold Tequila, slice of jalapeno and pienapple juice.
The menu is divided into Raw Bar, Cheese Bar, Soup and Salads, Appetizers, Cuts, Fish, Potatoes, Sauces, Vegetables and Entrees. Desserts? Don’t worry, they will be discussed at the end of the meal.
Okay, I was looking at the menu and when I saw that for an appetizer I could have a grilled cheese; I knew what my choice would be. It was so delicious, but this was no ordinary grilled cheese. It had truffled gouda, short ribs and heirloom tomato soup. The actual sandwich was cut in two and the tomato soup could be use for dipping or just eaten with the spoon. Can you imagine? Of course, I dipped and double dipped.
My husband had the Local Ceviche, Peruvian Style with Aji Amarillo. Served in a Martini glass with the fish being grouper, it was very tasty; sweet with the right amount of heat.
Since my appetizer was quite a portion, I decided to go with the Sea Bass, which is one of my favorite fish. It had a Miso sauce that complemented the lightness of this fish so well. My husband had the 8 ounce filet and my son had the 12 ounce one. Both raved about their choices; cooked to perfection.
All side dishes are family style so the portions are big. They are served on cast iron cassouletes. Our choices were the Pancetta Brussel Sprouts, Creamed Spinach and Potato Gratin. All went perfectly well with our dishes. I was tempted to order the Buttered Edamame, since I never see it as a side dish, but to tell you the truth, we had a lot of food already.
Cut 432 is one of the restaurants that I have found have the key ingredients to make a successful restaurant:
Quality of Ingredients – If the restaurant has the money, they should buy the best.
Culinary Competence – This is the chef responsibility; to make the best with the ingredients he has available.
Service – Prompt; anticipating what you need.
Ambiance – Tranquil and relaxing.
Price – Cut 432 is pricey, but after the service and the food we experienced, it was worth it and, really, a cut above the rest.
With all that said I hope that visitors to this beautiful Village by The Sea will take the opportunity to pay Cut 432 a visit and experience it for themselves.
Until next time and writing from Delray Beach….talk to you later….
October 30th, 2009
Word of mouth. It is the best advertisement. That is how I found out about the Kee Grill. My friend’s mother, Marilyn, once suggested I stayed in the town of Delray Beach. We liked it so much that we have had a place here for years. Then Marilyn’s friend, Flo, who lives in Boca, took Scott, Marilyn’s grandson, to the Kee Grill. Scott, then proceeded to take his mother, Shelley, and I to the restaurant. I liked it so much that my husband and I pay them a visit every time we find ourselves in the area. That’s how word of mouth works.
The Kee Grill is located on 17940 North Military Trail, Suite 700, Boca Raton, FL 33496. Tel. 561-995-5044 and Fax 561-995-5024. If you know Military Trail, it is very close to Lynn University; in a strip mall.
It does not matter what season it is, it will be crowded. I have gone there plenty of times without a reservation, but to be on the safe side, a reservation should be made. If you get there without one, then by the bar, there will be tables availabe and you might be able to just slide through.
The outside of the restaurant looks best in the evening, once the palm trees are all lit up. Inside it is appealing with an open kitchen. 
I can tell you that the wait staff is so professional and helpful. Last night, our waitress went to talk to the chef several times to make sure that my husband’s dish was going to be gluten free. And it was. He had the pan seared yellowtail snapper and they changed it a bit by caramelizing onions on top.
The Kee Grill has a full bar with plenty of seating. I was glancing through their martini list and a few caught my eye. Being in South Florida how could they not have the following martinis?
Key Lime – VanGogh Citroen Vodka, VanGogh Vanilla Vodka, Licor 43, Rose’s Lime Juice and cream
Key West Sunset – VanGogh Orange Vodka, VanGogh Mango Vodka, VanGoh Coconut Vodka, organge juice and Rose’s Grenadine
This restaurant specializes in fresh seafood. I was debating if to order the Oriental Chilean Seabass that had a sesame soy glaze or the Oriental Glazed BBQ Salmon. I had the Seabass and believe me, it was a great choice. For one of my sides I chose their Spinach Maria, which is like creamed spinach and it was served in a crock with broiled crumbs on top. It is, actually, a local favorite.
In the past, we have had Tristan Lobster Tails and they are incredible. These lobsters have an amazing sweet succulent taste and a texture like no other. They are from the deep, cold waters of Tristan Da Cunha in the South Atlantic, the most remote inhabited island in the world.
Some of the other items on the menu are:
The Palm Beach Snapper, which has a Provencale sauce, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, and hearts of palm. Provencale means that it is a thick sauce of tomatoes, garlic and seasonings cooked in olive oil and dry white wine.
The Sweet Potato Encrusted Grouper with a mango-remoulade drizzle.
The Kee Grill Cioppino. This dish has shrimp, scallops, fresh fish, clams, mussels, lobster, pearl pasta in a spicy seafood broth.
Besides the many seaffod entrees, they also have veal rib chop, certified Angus Beef – Strip Steak and Rib-Eye, crab cakes and a lot of other things, including a variety of side dishes, appetizers and salads and of course, the sweet ending desserts.
Soooo, now is my word of mouth to you…if you are around South Florida, near Delray Beach, pay them a visit; you will enjoy it.
Note: Information on Tristan Lobster Tails was taken from http://www.livelob.com
Writing from Delraly Beach, I will talk to you later….
October 3rd, 2009
Spinach Balls (Thanks to Louise)
2 10 ounce packages chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1 cup firmly packed freshly grated Parmesan cheese (5 oz. wedge)
1/2 cup butter, melted
4 small green onions, finely chopped
3 eggs
dash of nutmeg
mustard sauce – see below
Combine all ingredients, except sauce, in a large bowl and mix well. Shape into 1″ balls. Cover, refrigerate or freeze until ready to bake.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set balls on ungreased baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 to 15 minutes. Serve with the following mustard sauce.
Mustard Sauce
1/2 cup dry mustard
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
Combine mustard and vinegar in a small bowl. Cover and let stand 4 hours at room temperature.
Note: I would make the sauce ahead of time and then proceed to make the spinach balls if you are planning on serving them on the same day.
Chicken Tortilla Soup (Thanks to Cindi)
2 14.5 cans diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth (I use the low sodium for dietary reasons)
1 1/2 diced cooked chicken
2 tsp. chili powder
1 box of Zatarain Red Beans and Rice (prepared-takes 30 minutes)
Monterey Jack cheese, chopped jalapenos and tortilla chips for garnish
Combine the cans of diced tomatoes with the chicken broth in a large saucepan and boil.
Sprinkle the diced cooked chicken with the chili powder and mix well. Add into saucepan, along with the prepared rice mix. Heat through.
Scoop into bowls and top with the garnishes.
Note: I like foods with a little heat. For the garnish, put in the tortillas first, then the shredded cheese and then the jalapenos. Or, put the garnishes on the side and everyone can just add their own. This recipe can be doubled easily for a big crowd. All you need to add is a colorful salad. Very easy!!
Can you believe that I did not have any Key Lime Pie in Florida? Well, with the above soup, you can have a sweet ending with the following recipe.
Key Lime Pie
Crust:
1 package Keebler, cinnamon graham crackers
3/4 stick butter, melted
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Crush graham crackers. Combine with melted butter. Press into a 9 inch pie pan. Bake 5 minutes to set. Cool.
Filling:
5 egg yolks
2 cans Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
2/3 cups Key lime juice
Beat egg yolks. Combine with condensed milk. Add lime juice. Beat all ingredients together. Pour into the 9 inch pan. Bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes. Cool. It will serve 8.
Note: To serve you can use Cool Whip. They have it even sugar free. Or, you can make your own, which is best. Just use whipping cream (I use Lewes cream in Delaware) and whip it until peaks form. You may grate some of the lime in it while whipping and even add a little sugar, but you won’t need it.
Regarding the key lime juice. The best is the fresh one; no question. Usually at the grocery store you can get a bag filled with the small key lines. I would imagine that in Florida, you might even have a tree. If you don’t have anything fresh, then use the juice in a bottle.
I hope you like these recipes. See you later.
September 29th, 2009
 Last year I saw this restaurant open up in Delray, right in the middle of Atlantic Ave.; where the action is. At first I was not sure what was going to happen in that corner. I don’t know, it seemed that the previous establishments did not last long.
Well, this restaurant is always crowded. During the summer they have had great dinner specials and if you want to start your week right, then this might be the place to go. You may be able to get 50% off selected bottles of wines.
Believe me, they really have wines. They have an Enoteca. And, what is that? It is simply a wine cellar. You will be able to see their selections, menus, galleries, among other things in their website which is www.vicandangelos.com. This restaurant is located on 290 East Atlantic Ave., in Delray Beach. Their telephone is 561-278-9570.
You cannot miss the location of the restaurant. The colors are very attractive. I think the picture above shows a little of the look but in order to appreciate it, you should eat there sometime.
Outside dining is great because you feel you are in a living room with comfortable chairs. The inside dining is air conditioned even though their bar is open to the outside. It is very attractive and you can see the Enoteca from a lot of the tables. It gives it quite an ambiance.
We had just arrived from up north, so we sat inside since it was a little humid. Excuse me, that was an understatement. It was hot. But when they presented us the bread at the table, forget the heat; this bread was amazing. They do not make it in-house but they really improve it. Garlic cloves, olive oil, crusty parmesan cheese and warm bread. Priceless!!
We ordered their chicken wings because people talk about them. They are grilled but the meat falls off the bones. Very good. Then, of course, we ordered a calamari appetizer; it is not real Italian unless you order some calamari. They were grilled with a bit of sauce. Molto bene!! I have a friend, whose father, every time they go to an Italian restaurant asks: “who wants some calamari?”. So I am mentioning this on his behalf.
My husband had the Gorgonzola wedge and I must say that they were very attentive to his gluten allergy, so their awareness was refreshing. We had salads, because it was what the weather called for. My Ceasar salad had the white anchovies and that brought this salad up a notch.
As happy hour approaches the restaurant gets hopping. I think Vic & Angelo’s has those 5 ingredients that I have mentioned before make a restaurant. These are: Quality of the ingredients – if the restaurant has money then it should buy the best, culinary competence – it is the chef’s responsibility, service – prompt, anticipating what is needed, ambiance – tranquil and relaxing and the last one is price – reasonable for the food you get.
What really ended this lunch on the right note, was that when I presented my license, since I always put on my credit card “see I.D.”, the waiter said that he had a soft spot in his heart for Delaware because he had lived in Bethany Beach for several years. And, I knew he was not making this up because he knew Rt. 26 very well. It was nice.
We left the restaurant with smiles on our faces.
September 13th, 2009
Monday Night Football originally aired on ABC and it ran from 1970 until 2005. After 60 Minutes on CBS, it was the second running prime time show in the U.S.
It was one of the highest rated; mostly male viewers. Then Monday Night Football moved to ESPN in 2006. It can be seen in Canada, in most of Europe, in the UK and in most of Australia. There is even a Spanish language version on ESPN Deportes and on ESPN International in Latin America.
It is a big night for all viewers interested in American football and many gather to cheer their teams. It is a weekly get together with different houses hosting parties on Monday nights.
I am including some recipes that will make your Monday nights easier to enjoy when all those foodies arrive at your door.
The following is a recipe from Carolyn Roehm, who writes books on the proper way to entertain. It is almost like a fondue because you dip crusty bread in it. Not as deep, though.
Pecorino Cheese Baked with Honey and Walnuts
1 lb. Pecorino Toscano (if not found, just buy the Pecorino)
1/2 cup Honey
15 Walnut Halves
Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees. Put honey and walnuts in a small bowl. Slice the pecorino 1/2″ thick and placed in a baking dish, slightly overlapping. Bake for about 5 minutes but check it because it should be slightly runny. Pour honey and walnut mix over the cheese. Serve with crusty bread.
For a large crowd double it and adjust baking time.
The following 2 recipes came from a Florida book called Recipes to Remember.
Meatballs With Burgundy Sauce and with Sweet/Sour Sauce
2 lbs. ground beef
1 cup soft bread crumbs
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup Burgundy wine
2 tbsps. sliced green onion
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
Mix all ingredients with fork. Shape into 1 inch balls. Brown and cook in large skillet. Drain. Refrigerate meatballs until time to serve. Heat and split them in two chafing dishes and pour Burgundy Sauce and Sweet/Sour Sauce over them.
Servings: 4 dozen meatballs
Burgundy Sauce
4 tbsps. sliced green onions, 1 cup margarine and 1/2 cup of Burgundy wine.
Cook green onions in margarine until tender. Add burgundy wine and simmer 5 minutes. Pour over hot meatballs.
Sweet/Sour Sauce
Combine 1 jar (10 ounce) chili sauce with 1 jar (8 ounce) grape jelly.
Heat in saucepan. Pour over hot meatballs.
At this time of the year, recipes with pumpkin will start to show up. This recipe came from Joan and it is a very good dessert.
Pumpkin Bars
Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
1/2 cup melted butter
4 eggs
1 (16-ounce) can pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 tsps. pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 – 1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup soft margarine
Remove 1 cup from cake mix; set a side. Mix together remaining cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg. Pat into a 13″ x 9″ pan; set aside.
Mix pumpkin, remaining eggs, evaporated milk, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar; pour over first layer in pan.
Stir together reserved cake mix, sugar, cinnamon and soft margarine; sprinkle over pumpkin layer.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 – 50 minutes. Cool, cut into bars and serve.
Note: Information on Monday Night Football was taken from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monday_Night_Football#Overview
July 31st, 2009
1/4 lb. bacon, diced
1 lb. peeled shrimp (large) cut into bite size pieces
2 oz. tequila
3/4 lb. grated cheese – jack, cheddar, mix, anything that melts
1 fresh lime, squeezed
2 tsps. fresh cilantro, chopped (You may substitute with flat leaf parsley or fresh oregano, if you don’t like cilantro.)
Cook bacon in a large skillet until lightly browned. Remove all but 2 tbsps. of the bacon fat. Add the shrimp to the bacon and cook until done, about 3-4 minutes. Flambe with the tequila. When the flame subsides, sprinkle the lime juice over the shrimp. Add the cheese and stir until melted and bubbly. Top with the chopped cilantro or the herb of your choice. Serve over rice or with warm flour tortillas, fresh salsa — and a beer or two or perhaps a Margarita (recipe follows). Add a salad and you are ready to entertain. This recipe makes 4 servings.
Tip: This recipe can also be used as a fondue. I think fondues are coming back. Put it in a fondue pot and serve as a dip with tortilla chips. Just cut the shrimp into smaller pieces.
Perfect Margarita
This recipe was given to me by Arturo Pellerano, who happened to have lime trees in his yard.
Very simple: 3 parts Tequila, 2 parts lime juice and 1 part Cointrau or Triple Sec
Fresh lime juice is the secret. Mix it all and pour it into a bottle and serve it very cold.
Warning: Be prudent when driking the Perfect Margarita, otherwise you will be either under the table or over the table for that matter
I can’t wait to hear you have to say about it.
July 27th, 2009
I told you that I have a recipe, donated by McCabe’s Gourmet Market located on Coastal Highway (Rt. 1), York Beach Mall, South Bethany, Delaware, 19930 Tel. 302-539-8550
Queso
1 1/2 lbs. American cheese, cubed, preferable “Land of Lakes”
1 (7 3/4 ounce) can jalapeno tomato relish
1 white onion, diced
10 slices of jalapenos, cut up
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
In a double boiler, mix all ingredients until thoroughly melted. Serve it with your favorite crackers, bagget or crudites.
That was easy, wasn’t it?
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