Cafe Seville: A touch of Spain in Fort Lauderdale

Café Seville

2768 E. Oakland Park Blvd.

Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33305

954-565-1148

www.cafeseville.com

Dinner: Monday-Saturday, 5 p.m. to close

Lunch:  Tuesday-Friday, 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Seafood is ubiquitous in Spain and it’s among Chef/Owner Joe Esposito’s specialties at his Café Seville in Fort Lauderdale.

On a recent visit, I dined on Merluza Francaise ($27) topped with crab meat in a creamy sauce touched with garlic. Merluza, or hake, a fish commonly served in Spain, is white, flaky and mild tasting. The dish was delicious. Though the sauce was generous, the flavor of the merluza wasn’t masked. Companion sampled Unicorn Olé, unicorn fish from Hawaii, gently covered in mushrooms, artichokes, leeks and garlic ($28), another winner. Flavorful Spanish saffron rice and green beans rounded out the meals.

Café Seville, open for about 25 years - a feat in this perpetually shaky restaurant market - also dishes up a variety of meats with the same finesse as seafood. The house specialty is paella, with chicken, pork and fish.  A list of fresh, daily specials on a white board greets diners at the entrance. Tapas, or appetizers, include traditional Spanish favorites such as Pollo al Ajillo, chunks of chicken in olive oil and sherry, and Butifarra a la Parilla, grilled slices of pork.

Terrific food with a Spanish flair served with good wines in a cozy atmosphere places Café Seville high on the list of restaurants to dine at - lunch or dinner - in Fort Lauderdale. Casual, no bar, good service.

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Tags: Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Fort Lauderdale seafood, Spanish food in Fort Lauderdale, lunch in Fort Lauderdale.