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Ignoring a high failure rate in south Florida, new restaurants keep opening with dazzling arrays of cuisine.
In Pembroke Pines, for example, start-ups range from the unpretentious Eric's Bar-B-Q Co., opened by an airline pilot, to the Cuba-evocative La Carreta, a seven-unit mini-chain run so successfully by the Felipe Valls family.
Miami is getting the upscale Morton's, while Coral Gables is soon to enjoy a Ruth's Chris steakhouse. Rumors are that both chains plan to open in top-ticket Boca Raton. While on a less pricey level there are already two new lower-end steakhouses in Boca: Major's Grill House out of Long Island and Durango Steakhouse, a Clearwater-based newcomer that boasts eight other family steakhouses from Largo and St. Petersburg to Cocoa Beach and Melbourne. Both Durango and Major's also plan restaurants in Fort Lauderdale.
South Beach continues to do what it does best with its two-month-old All Star Cafe, joining Hard Rock Cafe and Planet Hollywood. But there's no bigger star in south Florida's restaurant whirl than actor Michael Caine. He is partners with Ray Schnitzer (of SoBe's 11th Street Diner) in the South Beach Brasserie on Lincoln Road. It's Caine's first venture in the U.S., sixth worldwide, and he's competing with these other easy-to-recommend newcomers:
Black Orchid Cafe
2985 N. Ocean Blvd. (A1A)
954/561-9398 Fort Lauderdale
George Telles is the terrific top toque and owner of this sumptuous sensation, bringing with him all kinds of exciting game recipes from his Plum Room career. Have a wild night around the campfire with elk or ostrich, African pheasant or buffalo, or order perfectly prepared rack of lamb, grilled slabs of salmon or something featuring beef. Lunch, Monday through Friday; and dinner, entrees $12.95 to $39.95 (for the buffalo), Monday through Saturday.
Brasserie Les Halles
2415 Ponce de Leon Blvd.
305/461-1099 Coral Gables
Inspired by the memory of the famous Paris market, this aptly named link in a minuscule chain strives for authenticity with resident butcher, vintage Parisian posters, straightforward service and a menu bristling with such Gallic stunners as blood and lamb sausages, celeri remoulade, housemade terrines and p?t?s and, of course, onion soup. But don't sell the American beef short. This is actually a first-rate, fairly priced steakhouse. Lunch and dinner, entrees $12.50 to $22.50, daily.
Claudius
2626 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 305/448-2626
Coral Gables
Newest of the newcomers, opened recently by Naples native Claudio Giordano, who for more than 14 years built the Gables' La Bussola, still being run by his ex-wife Elizabeth, into one of the most reliable and felicitous escapes in town. For his new venture, he hired a top talent, Benito del Cueto, Le Festival's former executive chef, whose menu is Italian Continental with a touch of Mediterranean. It's a dynamic, winning twosome. Lunch, Monday through Saturday; dinner, entrees $12 to $25, nightly.
Galaxy Grille
350 S. County Road 561/833-9909
Palm Beach
Opening a new restaurant next door to one of the most popular places in town is standard real estate advice, but this newcomer went one better. It was opened by the owner of the prize property next door, Amici, and has a huge blahs-breaking menu. Start with crispy tuna roll enlivened with wasabi aiol• and flying fish eggs, then try the pad Thai noodles, or rely on the grill for lamb chops with carrot puree and lentils, sirloins with smashed potatoes and chicken paillard with arugula. Lunch, Monday through Saturday; dinner, entrees $16.95 to $26.95, nightly.
Giorgio's Grill
606 N. Ocean Drive (A1A) 954/929-7030
Hollywood
This 400-seat surprise alongside a magnificent expanse of the Intracoastal is the southernmost of the 26 restaurants nationwide owned by partners Giorgio Bakatsias and Peter Tsialiamanis, and it is already a sure-fire success. The staff is as friendly as it gets in these parts; the chefs are obviously skilled, bustling around their display kitchen while detracting not one whit from the great waterway viewing. My favorite meals begin with gravlax or mussels pan-stewed in a basil tomato broth, or portobellos grilled with red onion and fresh tomatoes and Manouri cheese drizzled with aged balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. For the mains, what else but fresh Alaskan halibut or Atlantic salmon, peppered ahi tuna, oven-baked grouper, bouillabaisse or truly jumbo shrimp grilled with red pepper ratatouille and served with soft polenta. Lunch and dinner, entrees $8.50 to $28.95, daily.
Max's Beach Place
17 S. Atlantic Blvd. (A1A) 954/525-5022
Fort Lauderdale
The ubiquitous Burt Rappoport-Dennis Max team has carved out a nifty little niche on the bustling reborn oceanfront, where I usually start my lunch with blue cheese rippled romaine and bacon or tomatoes stacked with Stilton. When the sun sinks, I rely on one of the fresh catches, usually the oak-grilled swordfish, a generous-size filet of tuna tortured with jerk seasoning or an uncomplicated breast of chicken tickled with thyme and grilled. Lunch and dinner, entrees $13 to $25, daily.
Revolution 2029
2029 Harrison Street 954/920-4748
Hollywood
Executive chef David Sloane, with credentials criss-crossing such south Florida high flyers as the Breakers in Palm Beach, Mark's Place, Janjo's, Starfish and Embers in Miami, is working wonders in suddenly come-to-life downtown Hollywood, changing his menu regularly and featuring the freshest of the fresh treated to a variety of light sauces as prelude to desserts worthy of the name decadent. My favorite things include the chili-coated roast chicken, grilled pork chops and the nightly jazz. Lunch and dinner, entrees $12 to $20, Tuesday through Sunday.
Restaurants
Around The State
Southeast
Boca Raton
La Petite Maison
366 E. Palmetto Park Rd.
561/750-7483
Charming cottage with specialties such as escargot on spinach, lobster tail broiled with aiol•, sweetbreads and filet mignons. (Closed Sept. 20-Oct. 15.) Lunch & dinner, entrees $17-$23.
Southwest/Tampa Bay
St. Petersburg
Saffron's
1700 Park St. N. 813/522-1234
Start with Jamaican chicken wings, curried goat with rice or shrimp ceviche; move on to grilled fish and jerk chicken. Try the shrimp with ginger, onions, peppers, thyme and tomatoes. Lunch & dinner, entrees $5-$20.
Central
Cocoa Beach
Mango Tree
118 N. Atlantic Ave. 407/799-0513
New World creations served amid orchids up front and a garden alongside. Anything with pasta will be memorable, as will the desserts. Dinner, entrees $13-$30.
Northeast
St. Augustine
Le Pavillon
45 San Marco Ave. 904/824-6202
A broad menu of crepes and omelets, trout almondine, cherry-glazed duck and schnitzels. Lunch, dinner, entrees $13-$19.
Business Beat - Week of May 3rd
