September 18th, 2013
The evening was balmy to say the least, and humid, and rainy….South Florida!! I kept hearing that they had quite a summer regarding the weather. Hey, welcome to the club. It seems everyone has.
Delray Beach is a vacation and dining destination. Up and down Atlantic Ave., and its side streets, you will find restaurants catering to discriminating palates.
Our choice on Wednesday evening was 32 East, located at 32 E. Atlantic Ave., Tel. 561-276-7868. Website? http://www.32east.com.
32 East has been part of the restaurant scene in Delray Beach since 1996. It is very popular, so if you are vacationing in Delray this winter, make sure you call for reservations.
She and I had never met but have connected here or there on Facebook. Face to face meeting tonight; I will have to say I am glad we did finally meet and it was way overdue. Along came Prince Pierre, with Danika.
 
Danika writes about Delray Beach. So, check her out at http://www.i-love-delray-beach.com, because there is a lot to learn about this Village by the Sea.
Part of the fun of eating in Delray Beach is that you can dine outdoors most of the time. We did so tonight since our dining 4-legged companion, Prince Pierre, could not, certainly, eat inside.
After much chatting, and Michael, our server, refilling our glasses, we decided to make our choices.
A Bibb Lettuce Salad with cucumber, celery, cilantro, scallions, sesame, pine nuts, and gala apple (my favorite apple), in Thai Chile Vinaigrette. Good, refreshing on such a steamy night in Delray.
Michael told us that the swordfish was so fresh, it would have been his choice. I was not sure…swordfish… not my favorite. But, following his direction I was totally impressed.
Saute of Atlantic Swordfish on wood roasted root veggies, fingerling potatoes, and red endive with butternut squash puree and Madeira wine, veal jus. The swordfish was moist and the veggies were a great addition; full of flavor.
The Oven Roasted B & E Chicken Breast, came out looking beautiful and full of color, accompanied with Vidalia onions and organic carrots on broccoli rabe, saute with huckleberry vinegar pan sauce. I believe the B & E stands for Bell & Evans. Their chickens are raised without antibiotics or growth hormones throughout their entire life.
A side order of Potato Puree….so good. But, to me it seemed more like a strata. I think, a winner!
No dessert was necessary, even though Michael tried….tempting, that’s for sure.
Talk to you later..a toast to new friends!!
September 10th, 2013
Heads Up!! Migrating to South Florida this winter? You might want to keep The Burger Bar in mind. It is located at 4650 Donald Ross Rd. in Palm Beach Gardens. Tel. 561-630-4545. Website? http://www.burgerbar.com.
I love a good grilled hamburger. The smell of its cooking provokes memories of cook-outs the get together with family and friends.
It is comfort food. No forks are needed, and they are easy to assemble.
Cindi and Ross took me to The Burger Bar. First time for all of us. This restaurant is making a statement in South Florida when the subject of burgers come to mind. They have creative toppings and sides.
The restaurants is pretty open. There is outside seating and they offer a full bar.
The Burger Bar has salads, soups, and other great dishes, besides traditional and non traditional burgers.
The beer battered fried pickles are a must!!
Our samplings were: The Greek, a lamb burger, the Blue Sky Buffalo with applewood smoked bacon and “smothered” onions, and the Prime Steak Burger….not in that order…yum! I forgot which is which, haha. Love the hand cut fries…crispy and served on a tiny deep fryer.
Too much food, no dessert was necessary. We were more than satisfied.
The Burger Bar is casual and it is worth trying!!
June 20th, 2013
When visiting Delray Beach, Florida, usually a highlight of the trip is revisiting the restaurants that have become favorites and checking out the new ones, as well. Delray Beach is a dining, shopping and vacation destination. So, easy to get to, with 2 airports within half hour from the town.
If I were to tell you that it is the “off season” in Delray maybe there might be some truth to it. It is summer in Florida and many have headed north. But, don’t get me wrong, you might find it easier to find parking and maybe might be able to get into the restaurants without waiting too long, but all you have to do is hit Atlantic Avenue, Pineapple Grove, A1A in the early evening and you will see residents and visitors enjoying the warm weather, dining al fresco, and sipping their favorite drinks.
Some of the restaurants are offering summer menus, and The Office in Delray Beach is offering an Inventive Summer Comfort Menu with 2 and 3-course prix fixe options for lunch and dinner, Sunday through Thursday, until the end of September, 2013.
The Office opened in Delray, I believe, almost 5 years ago, by restauranteur and entrepeneur, John Rosatti. It has the perfect location, a corner on trendy and busy Atlantic Avenue…201 East Atlantic Avenue. Tel. 561-276-3600. Website? http://www.theofficedelray.com.
Executive Chef Joseph “Joe” Coletto is providing diners with the option of choosing 2 courses for $25 (either an appetizer and an entree, or an entree and a dessert), or 3 courses for $35 (one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert). This menu is available every week from Sunday through Thursday until the end of September, 2013. Tax and gratuity are not included.
Outdoor dining, al fresco, at sidewalk…with these tables you will not miss any of the happenings on the Avenue.
The setting is reminiscent of a luxurious home office, for lunch and dinner, daily.
For both Summer Comfort Prix Fixe Menus, the appetizer choices are: Quesadilla, Deviled Eggs which are the best, Fried Pickles, Grown-Up Tater Tots, House-Smoked Fish Nachos, Warm Baked Pretzel Bread, Side Salad – House or Caesar, BBQ Chinese Chicken Wings, Chicken Shu-Mai Duplings, and Sweet Potato Chips.
 
Entree choices are: Veggie Burger, Office Burger, BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich, Buffalo Chicken Sandwich, Grilled Marinated Hanger Steak, Baby Back Ribs, Pan-Roasted Free Bird Chicken, Simply Grilled Salmon, Coconut Curry PEI Mussels, Dark English Ale-Battered Fish, and Boneless Country Fried Chicken.
   
Dessert choices are: Apple Crumble, Mini Ice Cream Sandwiches, Maple-and Bacon Glazed Donuts, Golden Raisin and Chocolate Bread Pudding, and Blueberry Creme Brulee.
Specialty cocktails like The Red Stapler made with Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Prickly Pear, Agave Nectar, and lemon juice are among the many drinks found at The Office. The Office also serves 39 craft beers on draft, including Bell’s Two Hearted, IPA, the number one ranked IPA in the U.S., along with offerings from Cigar City, Oskar Blues, and our very own Dogfish from Delaware!!
The designed wine list, with 25 wines by the glass and 90 wines by the bottle, from California, Italy, New Zealand, Argentina and Australia.
Happy Hour is from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. and it features 50% off of all drinks, wines by the glass, bottle and draft beer, and cocktails, at both the indoor and outdoor bars. The Happy Hour offers a pre-selected Happy Hour bar menu, as well.
The Late Night Happy Hour is from 10 p.m. until closing, featuring 50% off of all drinks at both bars, indoor and outdoor.
Hope you have a great time in Delray!! Talk to you later.
June 10th, 2013
It might be a little quieter in the Village by the Sea, at this time of the year, but by no means is Delray Beach, Florida, and other towns in Palm Beach County rolling up their sidewalks!! This is the time of the year to enjoy these unique towns.
Delray Beach, Florida, is a dining and vacation destination all year round. It has been voted the Most Fun Small Town in America and just recently #1 on the list of best beaches in Florida, out of 10 beaches awarded this designation. The idea of eating outdoors is so enticing; it sets the mood for the evening. And, in Delray Beach, most restaurants have outdoor dining available. With that in mind, my post begins.
Vic & Angelo’s is a restaurant known in South Florida for serving delicious, rustic Italian cuisine. Two locations:
Palm Beach Gardens at 4520 PGA Blvd. in PGA Commons. Tel. 561-630-9899.
Delray Beach at 290 East Atlantic Avenue. Tel. 561-278-9570.
Both Vic & Angelo’s restaurants serve lunch and dinner daily. They also offer Happy Hour every day, as well, at the indoor and outdoor bars. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday. Please visit http://www.vicandangelos.com.
 Delray Beach Vic & Angelo’s is all about enticing culinary options this summer. These “sister” restaurants are owned by talented restauranteur and entrepeneur John Rosatti. The Summer Tasting Menus allow diners to customize their choices.
These restaurants in South Florida are doing exactly what restaurants do at the Delaware Beaches in the “off-season”. They offer great values, delicious food, and amazing atmosphere at a time of the year when you can kick back and relax.
Through September 30, 2013, Sunday through Thursday, for lunch and dinner, both eateries are offering diners two, three-course Summer Tasting Menus, for $25 and $35, per person, excluding tax and gratuity.
These terrific menus allow diners to choose one appetizer, one entree, and one dessert, from either menu, which include salads, pizza, pasta, seafood, chicken, and veal dishes. Diners who opt for either prix fixe menu, may also add a bottle of Coastal Vines Pinot Grigio, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, or Pinot Noir, for $15, per bottle.
The $25, Three-Course Prix Fixe Menu: Diners can choose one appetizer (Angelo’s Salad, V & A Caesar, Fried Calamari); one entree (Pizza Orginale, Cappellini al Telefono, with fresh mozzarella and San Marzano tomatoes, Fusilli with crumbled sausage and broccoli rabe, Chicken Milanese; or Grilled Shrimp or Tuna Cobb Salad); and one dessert (gelato or sorbet).
The $35, Three-Course Prix Fixe Menu: Diners can choose one appetizer (PEI Mussels al Forno, Grilled Calamari, or Spinach Salad); one entree (Shrimp Penne alla Vodka, Chicken Piccata with artichoke hearts, Chicken Marsala with wild mushrooms and sweet pea risotto, Veal Milanese, Wild Salmon with mixed veggies, or Four-Cheese Pear Tortelloni with truffle cream sauce); and one dessert (house-made tiramisu or cannoli).
The restaurants will also be offering their traditional a la carte menus, for lunch and dinner, daily, along with their brunch menu on Saturday and Sunday.
So, what are you waiting for? Whichever menu you choose this season…..you will be feasting on refreshing salads, soul-satisfying house-made pastas, crispy thin-crust pizzas, fresh fish and seafood, and enticing veal and chicken dishes.
Vic & Angelo’s has a full bar, with indoor and outdoor seating, offering over 100 wines from all over the globe, as well as fifteen vintages by the glass, and nifty signature cocktails.
Bon Appetit!! Talk to you later.l
April 30th, 2013
The headquarters for Barrett-Jackson are in Scottsdale, Arizona. “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions” has a trade mark. In addition to their auctions in Scottsdale, they have annual auctions in Las Vegas, Reno, and Palm Beach, Florida. And that’s the one that I attended. Believe me, I only know how to drive a car, so I was really following my friends who had flown from Denver, Colorado, not only to visit me, but to attend the 11th Annual Palm Beach Auction. Even though they had plenty of snow in Colorado, they, actually, did not care they were in somewhat sunny South Florida…palm trees? Pleeease, sun, sand, sea? Maybe later…
If you are a bidder for this auction there are several procedures to follow, including letters from your bank acknowledging the fact that you do have available cash to purchase an automobile.
A Gala on Wednesday evening. The auction started in earnest on a Thursday and ended on Saturday…that’s where the high end cars could be found.
 Waiting for Saturday! The numbers are in for the Palm Beach auction: $21 million in gross sales, which were over the 2012 sales. Almost 55,000 car fans attended the event even though the weather was not cooperating. People did fly from all over. And, more than $1.8 million raised for charity.
I had to laugh, when I arrived on Friday, the parking was jammed packed. On that day I qualified as a senior citizen…what? Yes, at the Barrett-Auction in Palm Beach, if you were 55 you were a senior and admission was $8.
The South Florida Fairgrounds are located off Southern Boulevard in West Palm Beach. The area is mostly agricultural; the Fairgrounds promote trade, entertainment, and historical heritage.
There are 10 acres designated as a historic park. It is called Yesteryear Village. This park transport visitors to a time when schools were located in one small building and houses did not have running water. People had goats, chickens and sheep in their backyards and life was, definitely, simple. There are tours available and you can call 561-790-5232 to get more info. Or, visit the website http://www.southfloridafair.com.
So, I followed the fans into the massive building.
The entrance had new cars and a store atmosphere.
Bidding goes all day long. Cars are brought into the main room with plenty of auctioneers on hand.
Visitors can go on the grounds and visit the individual tents. And, also visit other buildings housing gorgeous automobiles.
I told you already that on that Friday it was a little rainy, so it was a bit trying for those that had to handle the cars and get them in the line up.
Following are some of the cars that caught my eyes:
The BMW Isetta was built by BMW in 1955. It was an Italian designed micro car. In 1955, it was the world’s first mass produced car, with about 161,728 sold. It was one of the most successful and influential city cars in the world. It was also called the Bubble Car because of its shape.
The 1967 Lincoln Continental Convertible Light Blue. Only 2 cars with that color combination.
The 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air, 4 Door Custom Sedan.
The Morgan. Manufactured by the Morgan Motor Company. It is British. All cars are assembled by hand. Approximately a 2-year wait, with at times being a 10-year wait.
I, then, went into one of their showrooms. Climate controled and not wet. The 1969 Jaguar XKE Convertible was beautiful.
The DeSoto. This was a U.S. manufactured car. The DeSoto was a division of Chrysler from 1928 – 1961.
The interior of some of these cars also caught my attention, as well. Some had the same color inside and out.
The Dodge
The Town and Country Chrysler
The 1958 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible will bring memories of the t.v. series Route 66! It had a black convertible top and the optional hardtop.
Another car that captured me completely because its features was the 1955 Nash Stateman Super. It had the original hide a bed seats and window air conditioner.
The 1963 Rambler American Custom, 2 Door Hardtop was a blend of Southern California and surf culture. The car came from the estate of Mike Marshall, who owned the car, and was a well known and respected local surfer, surfboard shaper and surf historian in Southern California. It came by way of the Surfing Heritage Foundation.
You could have spent hours looking and testing and eating….then it was back into the auction.
The crowd got excited as the bidding for the 2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible got competitive.
All for charity…the winner was Rick Hendrick, the NASCAR team owner….$1,000,000.
The proceeds of this particular sale benefitted the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. It is one of 41 National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Centers in the United States. The only hospital in Michigan dedicated exclusively to fighting cancer. It is among the nation’s best cancer centers, with more than 100 cancer treatments that no other hospital has. It is the only major cancer center in the U.S. named for a woman. More info? Please visit http://www.karmanos.org.
Besides the Corvette, 5 other vehicles were sold during the auction for charity, including a 2009 Ford F-150 King Ranch Super Crew Pickup onced owned by former President George W. Bush. It sold for $350,000, with proceeds benefitting the National Guard Youth Foundation.
Around the same time next year, Barrett-Jackson will be back in Palm Beach. Check their website http://www.barrett-jackson.com for more info. Talk to you later.
Note: Some info. for my post was taken from the Barrett-Jackson’s press release.
April 9th, 2013
When you think of it, pizza is a complete meal. Bread, veggies, and protein. And, for those with a gluten allergy; what’s out there is not the same, but it is getting better, definitely.
My guests were hungry in Delray, so a call to Pizza Rustica was in order. It is located at 1155 E. Atlantic Avenue, one block from A1A and Delray’s famous beach. Tel. 561-279-8766. Website? http://www.pizzarusticaldelray.com.
Pizza Rustica does deliver, even if it is a few slices (square slices)…a minimum of 3.
Arriving to pick up our well done pizza, we waited for about 5 or 10 minutes. It was a busy place.
Pizza Rustica has about 27 choices of pizza. They sell by the slice, medium with a thin crust, extra large with a thin crust and a very large pan pizzaa, as well. Salads are also big at Pizza Rustica.
Our choices were:
A traditional American Pizza – They were hungry. No waiting allowed for a little photo.
The Marguerita was traditional with plum tomato sauce, fresh mozzarella, herbs and garlic pesto with garden grown basil.
And, the Provencal had a combination of roasted peppers and garlic, over plum tomato sauce and mozzarella with fresh basil, Roma tomatoes and French goat cheese.
Gone in no time…all thought they were very good, and a larger pizza pie than usual!
April 8th, 2013
This past week-end was the 51st Delray Affair, in the Village by the Sea, also called, Delray Beach!! After the rainy Friday, Saturday and Sunday proved to be that Delray Beach was at total capacity.
The beach in Delray looks fantastic. A lot of work has been done to the beach and it shows. It is so wide; the sand so soft; the water is still so clear.
But, during the Delray Affair visitors and residents alike were in Downtown Delray Beach. The streets were opened to pedestrians.
The Delray Affair is the largest arts and crafts festival in the Southeastern U.S. It showed with multitude of people walking shoulder to shoulder.
Festivals bring food. At the Delray Affair there was plenty to taste.
The cheesecake and berries on a stick caught my attention.
This vendor really captured our group’s attention….The Man Apron!! Plenty of raunchy comments!!
After The Man Apron…some wine tasting was needed.
Jason Colannino was attracting a big crowd. He plays at the Sundy House in Delray Beach. He was really good. For more information, please visit http://www.jasoncolannino.com
At the end of the day….taking a break on the beach was all we needed, and pizza from Pizza Rustica to follow.
Talk to you later.
April 3rd, 2013
This should be interesting. My first time at this type of auction. An impressive line-up. The cars look amazing.
Tonight, a Gala event for the Auction Opening night. The culinary fare? BB King’s Barbecue, Di Salvo’s Trattoria, Havana Cafe, Monroe’s of Palm Beach, and PCI.
The evening’s entertainment? Soul Survivors.
Bidders receive exclusive access during their event. Among other amenities; drink passes.
Through Saturday, 4/6….”some things just get better with age”.
Location? South Florida Fairgrounds on Southern Blvd., West Palm Beach. More info? Call 480-421-6694 or visit http://www.barrett-jackson.com. In the website, you will find the list of cars available for each day.
Have a Good One!!
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