3045 N. Federal Hwy, Suite 60B
Fort Lauderdale, 33306
Dinner Tues-Sat 4-11, Sunday brunch 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m.
Lunch Thursday-Saturday
By Jane Feehan
Hot & Soul, open less than a year, may be a sleeper of a
restaurant—but not for long. Out of its kitchen emerges creative fare that
could challenge the best of area chefs.
“We serve what we like to make and eat,” said Christy Samoy
who operates the eatery along with her husband and chef, Mike Hampton. It’s a simple
formula that results in an array of dishes influenced by international flavors
and a New Orleans connection to Emeril Lagasse’s creations at Delmonico’s,
where Hampton once cooked.
Perhaps the tastiest stuffed flounder I’ve dined on, their
“lost and flounder,” two generous fillets wrapped around a fistful of delicious
gently spiced crawfish was a stunner. Meyer lemon artichoke butter and asparagus
subtly accented this jewel of a seafood dish.
Creativity reigns in a low-key setting that belies the
kitchen’s excellence. Other menu features such as “shankappotamus,” pork shank
with red cabbage, black-eyed peas and rice and “suck em gingerly,” oysters with
pickled ginger, rice vinegar and flake salt, reflect the owners’ sense of fun
as well as their knowledge of flavor pairing.
I returned for lunch to sample more and was equally
impressed with “knock knock jokes,” a creamy san marzano tomato soup with a manchego
grilled cheese sandwich. A plate of “sweetie petitie” or sweet potato pound
cake drizzled in maple syrup, was as good as it sounds. Most dinner and lunch
main courses come in small or large dishes, a boon to those with small
appetites. Vegetarians will also be pleased with dishes such as curried chick
peas with Jasmine rice and papadum, coconut polenta with “shroom” gravy, topped
with
olive oil poached silken tofu, and vegan rice pudding.
Hot & Soul, tucked into the shopping center anchored by
Fernanda’s, also serves Sunday brunch. A recent menu included pillowy beignets
with eggnog crème anglaise, shrimp remoulade on bibb lettuce, duck and
andouille gumbo, crawfish étouffée with scallion and rice, and culotte steak with gnocchi. It can’t get any better than
this for both those with adventurous palates and others who lean toward the traditional.
A good selection of wines and beers is available.
Tags: Fort Lauderdale restaurants
