Valentine's Day dining in Fort Lauderdale 2026

 

By Jane Feehan

With Valentine's Day falling on Saturday this year, it's bound to be tough to make reservations. Not all eateries will have special menus that evening. If they do, reservations will be necessary (most take them online). Some restaurants have a dress code.

Below is a list of restaurants that may score high on romantic ambiance. More will be added as they announce special menus, so visit this post frequently.

Pier Sixy-Six has provided a Valentine's Day weekend itinerary. See below.

15th Street Fisheries - 1900 S.E. 15th Street - 954-763-2777. On the Intracoastal

Aruba Beach Cafe - Lauderdale by-the-Sea beach.  954-776-0001. No reservations.

Blue Moon Fish Co. - Lauderdale by-the-Sea, 954-267-9888 - on the Intracoastal at Tradewinds Ave.

Cafe Vico -  1125 N. Federal Hwy., near Sunrise Blvd. 954-565-9681

Casa D'Angelo -  1201 N. Federal Hwy ( inshopping plaza) 954-564-1234 - fine Italian dining.

Catch and Cut  -  1309 E. Las Olas Boulevard -954-533-1838 - roof top lounge with dining downstairs 

Daniel's, The Florida Steakhouse - 620 So. Federal Hwy,- 

954-451-1200  (recently tapped as Florida's best steakhouse)

Mai-Kai - 3599 N. Federal- 563-3272. Limited valet only for $8. They advise ride share or taxi.

Pier Sixty-Six - 17th Street Causeway - provided an itinerary for Valentine's Day weekend. 

· February 11

o Celebrate Galentine's Day with our Bubbles & Bloom experience at Garni

· February 13-14 

o Enjoy Valentine's Day with a special dinner menu at our signature restaurant Calusso

· February 14

o Breakfast at Tiffany's themed brunch at Garni

o Valentine's Day Dinner at Sotogrande

OpenTable for direct reservations  for each restaurant provided below:

 · Garni

· Calusso

· Sotogrande

The Pier Top lounge -954-565-9681 will also be open and and available for a walk through visit if there is no seating. Dress code.

                                              ************

Takato at the Conrad - 551-N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. - 954-414-5160. Japanese -Korean Fusion

Tags: Valentine's Day dinner in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale restaurants.

Fort Lauderdale Happy Hours with small bites menus

Restaurant and bar "happy hours" command attention in Fort Lauderdale but they don't always come with food specials. Why not small plates or appetizers as a satisfying alternative to a heavy meal?

Below is a list of Fort Lauderdale dining venues with Happy Hour drinks and appetizers or small bites. Most special pricing applies only to bar seating. Please call restaurants to confirm pricing and availability, which can change with seasons and business operations. Additional establishments will be added. 

Aruba Beach Cafe - Lauderdale-by-the-Sea - 954-776-0001. Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4-7 pm. Special pricing for drinks and appetizers.

Blue Moon Fish Co.- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea - 954-267-9888. Happy Hour Monday-Saturday, 4-7 pm. Specially-priced food items may include oysters on the half shell, braised mussels and salmon sliders. 

Boat Yard Fort Lauderdale -SE 17th Street, - 954-525-7400 - Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 3-7 pm., see a great bites menu online. 

15th Street Fisheries, SE. 15th Street, off Cordova Road. 954-763-2777. Happy Hour drinks Monday-Friday, 4-6 pm. Full service menu, including appetizers, available at bar, but not at discount. 

Bullock Coast at the Ritz Carlton - Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard (near Las Olas), 954-302-6460  Happy Hour drinks and food pairings for $25 Monday-Friday 5-7 pm. 

Caffe Europa - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-763-6600, Happy Hour drinks and small bites Monday-Friday 4-6 pm. 

Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-233-3327, "Social Hour,"  Thursday - Sunday 4-6 pm. Drinks and shareable bites as well as a more robust bar menu.

Lobster Bar - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-772-2675, Happy Hour, Monday-Friday,4:30-7:30 pm. Drink discounts and interesting bar menu online.

Louie Bossi - Las Olas - 954-356-6699- Happy Hour (Aperativo Hour) daily 4-7 pm. Special drink prices and half-off pizzas and other discounted items. 

Mai-Kai, Federal Highway - 954-563-3272. Happy Hour, 4 -7  pm daily. Drinks 50% off. Appetizers. Limited valet parking, rideshare suggested

S3 - Beach House at Hilton Resort - N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard - 954-523-7873. Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4-7 pm at the bar and fire pit. Snack menu featuring Asian bites and sushi.

Seasons 52 - Galleria - 954-537-1052 -  Monday-Friday 3-6 pm Happy Hour drinks and discounted food items such as flatbreads.

Shooter's Waterfront - Oakland Park Boulevard at the Intracoastal - 954-566-2855 - Monday-Friday 4-6 pm with discounted drinks and small plates or bites. I've seen small plates of lamb chops among their offerings.

Truluck's - Central Beach - at Paramount condo - 954-980-2255 - Happy Hour nightly 4-6:30 pm. Specially-priced bites and dips available.

Cafe Vico - Federal Highway, near Sunrise - 954-565-9681 - 4 -7 pm; "Italian bits" at the bar and piano music.

YOLO - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-523-1000, Happy Hour, Monday-Friday, 3-7 pm. Robust drink and bar bites menu. 

Tags: Fort Lauderdale Happy Hours with small bites, Fort Lauderdale dining, Fort Lauderdale Happy Hour

Lotus Chinese Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, small eatery with a big following

At Federal near Oakland Park Boulevard
(Kenann building in background)

Lotus Chinese Kitchen
3020 North Federal Hwy, Ste 1, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
954-566-5565
954-566-5605
LotusChineseKitchen.com

Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday -Friday – 12 pm-9 pm
Saturday and Sunday 3 pm-9 pm

By Jane Feehan

Open for more than four decades, Lotus Chinese Kitchen seems to be outliving its competition. They operated in Wilton Manors for most of their history but moved to Federal Highway near Oakland Park Boulevard about two or three years ago. The new location, with a prominent neon sign facing Federal Highway, has helped grow its reputation and customer base.

The restaurant seats about 45 patrons, far fewer than at the old location; at times there is a wait. It’s worth it.

Their menu features standard Chinese fare such as egg rolls, fried spring rolls, dumplings (steamed or fried) egg drop soup (and other soups), and favorites such as Kung Pao Chicken or Orange Chicken. Their robust menu also includes seafood or beef dishes, noodles and rice choices and a lineup of vegetarian plates. It’s all here and quite good. Quality and quantity have not changed over the years. Their fried rice choices—beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetable—could also serve as a main course. Wine and beer are available.

Yu Shang Shrimp

Service is good. Parking is easy and free. Lotus does not take reservations. They were open for Christmas 2024 and told me they were extremely busy. They expect the same for New Year’s Eve and day. . They operate year-round, closing only for Thanksgiving. If Christmas or New Year’s Eve or day fall on a Monday, they close.

Lotus also offers takeout.

Tags: Chinese restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants open Christmas, restaurants open New Year's Eve, restaurants open New Year's day, Fort Lauderdale dining

ALDI prices ring up inflation relief

Fort Lauderdale

By Jane Feehan

I’ll admit it. I came late to ALDI world.  With grocery store prices going up monthly, if not weekly, at other markets, I decided to see what all the bargain buzz is about.

For those unfamiliar with these no-frills stores, a short list provided below of items for comparison to some other supermarkets may prove interesting; the lower prices may even send some running there. I hesitate listing prices because they change as does inventory but estimates of how a product stacks up to those of other stores is provided. Savings are substantial at ALDI--no question.

With US headquarters in Illinois, the chain claims “2,000 stores across 36 states.”  More are on the way if there is not one in your area yet.

My purchases December 2024

Aluminum foil – a dollar+ less than at other stores

Avocados – the weeks I went, they were about 65 cents each – at least half the price of those at other stores.

Lacura Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes – less than $2.00 per package of 25 at my purchase; at other stores they generally run $5.99-8.99

Honey – organic – about a third less than at other stores

Maple Syrup –organic 100% pure – nearly half the price of other places for 12.5 ounces when I made the purchase.

Kitty litter 14 pounds in easy pour container with handle, about $4-5 less than other stores.

Cat food – small cans – about 20 cents less.

Facial tissue – slightly smaller box but about a dollar less than other stores.

Orange juice – 52 Fl. Ounces, about half the price of that at other markets

Paper plates – a dollar+ less than same quantities at other stores

Raisin bread – about half the price of popular stores. Slightly smaller size and with a small window of expiration but freezes well and tastes great. Wide assortment of other breads

Sponges – a package of three, about half the price at other stores

Waffles – frozen – about $2 less than other stores in a box with more servings.

Wet mopping cloths, small size - about $1.40 less than other comparable store brands (and same quality).

Wines generally run about $8-9.99 with a couple at $14.99. Reds are quality blends.

Bring a quarter to insert for a grocery cart; when the cart is returned the quarter will be available.

By the way, checkout lines go very fast; cashiers don’t bag groceries. Bring a bag and stop at a counter provided on the way out where customers can bag or box.

Visit www.aldi.us  to sign up for weekly deals via email.

Tags: ALDI, Grocers in Fort Lauderdale, SOFLA grocers

Doc B's in Fort Lauderdale worth a visit

 

Doc B's

https://www.docbsrestaurant.com/locations/fort-lauderdale

452 N. Federal Highway (near Fresh Market)
Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
754-900-2401
M-Thurs: 11 am-10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am -11 pm
Sun: 10:30 am-9 pm
Happy Hour, M-F, 5-7

By Jane Feehan

Part of a small chain of nine or 10 stores*, Doc B’s in Fort Lauderdale attracts a steady stream of customers for brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks and food at the bar.

Their menu presents a casual line up of salads, chicken variations or beef dishes such as ribs, burgers, and steaks. Seafood is limited but shrimp and blackened white fish for sandwiches are available. Bar food includes wings, tasty meatballs, guacamole with house- made sweet potato chips and a variety of other items. For those with a sweet tooth, “Homemade Oreo ice cream,” headlines the list (it's delish).

Burgers and salads will make most customers smile. I tried their turkey burger, an exceptional version with avocado, tortilla strips and an excellent vinaigrette. The dressed up blackened fish sandwich also elicited accolades. On another visit, I chose the California salad with an add-on of grilled chicken. The waiter asked if I wanted the chicken cold or hot. The menu description—grilled—implied (to me) that it would be hot. The salad arrived with warmed up strips of tough chicken. However, the dish didn’t need anything else with its kale, avocado, dried cranberries, roasted sweet potatoes, wasabi peas, pistachio and tortilla and that tasty vinaigrette. Wow, a knockout!

If you’re looking for fancier chicken dishes, such as chicken paillard, this may not be the place. I was disappointed on a subsequent visit with that choice. Typically, paillard is chicken pounded so thin it covers a plate. Doc B’s version was a tough chicken breast barely exposed to the meat pounder.  It was blanketed with a generous portion of arugula drizzled with that excellent vinaigrette, which redeemed it … sort of.

The atmosphere is trendy and appeals to all ages. Seating is available both inside and on a covered patio or adjacent tables with umbrellas A bar greets customers at the entrance with tables arranged around it. Service is excellent. Reservations suggested, especially for brunch. Free parking is available in an adjoining garage.

 *Other locations: Coral Gables, and Tampa in Florida, several in Texas, including an excellent one in Austin at the Domain, Chicago, Indiana and a new one soon in North Carolina.

 

 

Tags: Fort Lauderdale dining, casual dining in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale brunch, Happy Hour in Fort Lauderdale

Restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano 2024

For Christmas dining some establishments take reservations via Open Table (check there first); others take phone reservations. Call to confirm they are open. Some places change plans depending on reservations, which most require for that day. 

This is not an inclusive dining list. Restaurants may be added below.

Anthony’s Clam House (Commercial Boulevard) – 954-467-9720

Aruba Beach Café (Lauderdale-by-the Sea) – 954-776-0001

Batch New Southern Kitchen and Tap (Flagler Village) -754-757-0000

Benihana (Lauderdale-by-the-Sea) – 954-776-0111

Blue Moon Fish Co. (Lauderdale-By-the-Sea) 954-267-9888

Burlock Coast (Ritz Carlton on FTL beach) – 954-302-6460

Café Max (Pompano) – 954-782-0606

Cafe Sensei  (Pan Asian, E. Las Olas Boulevard) 954-530-4176

Chima Steak House (Las Olas Boulevard) – 954-712-0580

Dal Contadina Trattoria  (FTL off Oakland Park Blvd) – 954-900-2714

Del Frisco’s Grille (FTL downtown) – 754-312-3235

Dune (FTL Auberge Beach Residences A1A) - 754-900-4059 

EaTapas (Oakland Park) -754-779-7554

Evelyn’s Four Seasons (FTL beach) – 754-336-3100

Flanigan's (several around town) Oakland Park  954-493-5329

Fogo de Chao (FTL downtown) – 754-900-3111

Lasso Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse (FTL Sunrise Blvd) – 754-223-4660

Lotus Chinese - (Federal near Oakland) 954-566-5565 first come, first served

Morton’s Steak House (FTL downtown) – 954-467-9722

The Terrace at The Dalmar (FTL Marriott on U.S. 1) 954-945-9500

Timpano (Las Olas) – 954-462-9119

Vitolo – Conrad Hotel (FTL central beach) – 954-414-5100

Wild Sea Las Olas (FTL Las Olas Boulevard)  -954-467-2555

Zuckarello's - (FTL E. Commercial Blvd. 776-4282

Tags: 

Restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach,

restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants open Christmas Day in Pompano 

Chowder Heads dominates New England style seafood in Jupiter

 

Lobster roll

Chowder Heads
Driftwood Plaza
2123 South US 1, Jupiter, FL 33477
561-203-2903

https://chowderheadsusa.com

info@chowderheadsusa.com

Open 11:30 am – 9 pm Monday through Sunday

By Jane Feehan

If Chowder Heads were in a place with more foot traffic, there would be a line waiting for a table. This is the place to go for New England style seafood in the Jupiter area. They’ve earned “The Best of Jupiter” award four years.

The award is well deserved.

Lobster, lobster rolls, clams, clam strips head the lineup of typical New England fare, but the menu includes much more such as haddock, shrimp and scallops, and of course New England (or Manhattan) chowder and lobster bisque. Their rolls, the buttery, soft, lightly toasted rolls one would expect “up North” for seafood sandwiches hold sweet pieces of lobster, shrimp or scallops. All delicious and fresh. Onion strings (or rings) are among the best anywhere.   

Haddock McLaughlin

We lunched on the lobster roll and scallop roll. These were so good we returned for the Chowder Heads signature dish, Haddock McLaughlin. Lightly cracker crusted, the super fresh fish serving was generous as were two lemon wedges --something not served with regularity at other seafood restaurants. An encore order of onion strings and a hefty salad completed the meal.  A subtlety-spiced creamy sauce and a catsup-based sauce accompanied all meals. The creamy version earns a big nod. It’s a terrific complement to any dish. Burgers, chicken and pasta dishes and an array of tasty salads and soups also available.

Chowder Heads, a small eatery, is casual, with seating inside and a few tables outdoors. Reservations available but not necessary unless for a large party. A small bar serves beer and wine and a TV is available for sports enthusiasts. Parking is easy. They do a brisk takeout business and orders can be submitted online.

Customers come from other towns. One said he stops by at least every two weeks from Palm Beach Gardens. It’s worth the eight-mile drive from Palm Beach Gardens; traffic on US 1 in this area is light. Get to Chowder Heads for your "lobsta" and plenty more.

 

Tags: Jupiter seafood, Juno seafood, Palm Beach County seafood, New England seafood in South Florida, Lobster restaurant

Cafe Sole scores a home run by touching all the bases in Juno

 

Café Sole

Grouper Livornese

4300 U.S. Highway 1, Space 202 (near Publix) Jupiter 33477 (Jupiter-Juno)
https://www.cafe-sole.com/
561-612-0575
Breakfast – 7-10:30 am
Lunch – 10:30 am-3:30 pm
Dinner – 4-10 pm
Takeout available

By Jane Feehan

It’s hard to miss Café Sole with its bright yellow umbrellas atop a small patio in front of the eatery. Its proximity to Publix, a door or two away, attracts customers; great food builds its reputation.

The patio seats a handful of patrons during the day. Inside a modest décor with tables covered with crisp, white linens and a square bar provides a cozy neighborhood ambiance.  A small criticism: a horizontal mirror behind the two-seat tables would accommodate the polite diners who opt for or had no choice about the wall-facing seat.

Few restaurants serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and do it well. Café Sole does. Menu offerings are extensive. Their house-made focaccia bread serves as delicious envelopes for sandwiches and the foundation for their popular pizza. The Rosemary Chicken Sandwich and Blackened Red Snapper – both on focaccia—with dressing and a crunchy topping of slaw and onion ranked as my blue-ribbon winners. Few finish Café Sole portions.

A return trip to sample dinner proved to be just as satisfying. Grouper Livornese—capers, tomatoes and olives—served with perfectly sauteed spinach and a large dollop of mashed potatoes was commendable for freshness and taste. A small house salad was marred by thick dressing that didn’t pour from a small take-out type plastic container, a small complaint for an otherwise outstanding meal.

 “We have one of the best happy hours,” claimed the waiter. Good wines at $6 verified the claim. A collection of wines and an array of cocktails draws a collection of friendly neighbors served by cheerful staff. In addition to the food, people gather here for fun.  

Takeout business is brisk at the café. Customers walking out with takeout orders is a common sight – even on Easter Sunday. I can taste why and highly recommend this Jupiter/Juno jewel.  

Lots of menu choices for every meal (see their online menus, you’ll be enticed), great taste and service…will prompt my next visit, which will be for breakfast. Parking is easy to find near the Café Sole entrance; the restaurant sits in a shopping center. The location is listed as Jupiter-Juno. The mailing address may be Jupiter but the location is Juno Beach.

Rosemary Chicken on focaccia

Tags: Jupiter restaurants, Juno restaurants, Jupiter seafood restaurants, Juno seafood restaurants, Jupiter breakfast, Juno breakfast, Jupiter patio dining, Juno patio restaurants 

Little Moir's Leftovers Cafe - among Jupiter's best, Florida's best

 

Little Moir’s Leftovers Café

451 University Blvd., Jupiter, FL 33458, 561-627-6030
Pet friendly; call to confirm appropriate seating is available.
No reservations. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.; 

Friday and Saturday, 11 am until 9:30 pm.
Check their calendar on website for bands.
https://www.littlemoirsjupiter.com/leftovers-cafe

 By Jane Feehan

Making Yelp’s list (2023) of top 100 restaurants in Florida, Leftovers Café in Jupiter should be on everyone’s roster of must-dine at establishments when visiting Palm Beach County. It’s one of Little Moir’s collection of great seafood eateries in the area.

 A small, but elongated dining room in an unassuming corner of a shopping plaza welcomes patrons to a very casual atmosphere some might describe as funky. Walls painted in a Florida motif of oranges on green leaves and a wood (faux?) floor complete the theme. If visiting at the right time, a live band and singer will greet you with easy rock sounds. A small bar serves beer and wine and daily cocktail concoctions that staff eagerly participate in creating.

Menus are also daily creations offering the freshest fish around. I supped on an oversized filet of potato-crusted Pompano—a SOFLA fish getting harder to find each year and a bargain meal at $24. Served with a huge mound of sauteed vegetables (broccoli, pepper, onion, squash, cauliflower and more), the dish was destined to come home with me as leftovers…and so this reason for the name, right? 

Wrong.

Owner Mike “Little Moir” coined the name when he picked out the space for his new restaurant in 2008. It was filled with an assortment of things left there. It proved to be prescient choice.  

Back to my meal: it came plated with a tiny cup (a bit larger than dipping sauce size) of a tropical spiced fruit salad and another metal cup with a taste of fried plantains. Dessert was an oversized piece of oatmeal bread pudding. It was a very distant cousin of the bread pudding people are familiar with along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana, but still a taste bud tantalizer. 

Leftovers menu includes sushi, pasta, chicken and beef in an array of preparations. This café thought of everyone and cooks it in an open kitchen every which way. 

Check menu variations online. Great staff. Parking is free and it's fairly easy to get a spot. Busy weekday lunch hour traffic may present a few brief issues.

Tags: Little Moir's Leftovers Cafe, Leftovers Cafe, Jupiter restaurants, Jupiter seafood restaurants

Another restaurant win for Jupiter, FL - 1000 North

1000 North 

Jupiter, FL 33477

https://www.1000north.com
561-570-1000 - 

Reservations suggested. Call for hours

By Jane Feehan

I love Jupiter. Beautiful beaches, plenty of New Jersey accents and some outstanding restaurants. Retired hooper Michael Jordan and partners added to its list of must-try eateries when he opened 1000 North in 2018.

Name and address the same, 1000 North sits off US 1 along the Intracoastal. Most seating—inside and out on the patio—provides a terrific view of the waterway and a peak at the historic Jupiter Lighthouse. A private club on the second floor draws a young crowd at night during the winter season.

I recently stopped by for a Saturday brunch. COVID-careful, the place was busy with ample room between tables and wait staff with gloves and masks. The menu offered enough choices to please most palates.

We ordered Lobster Benedict, Chicken Street Corn Chicken and Crispy Brussel Sprouts. The lobster dish came with two medium-poached eggs astride an English muffin in Hollandaise sauce, a generous serving of watercress with a simple but tangy light dressing and, of course, a lobster tail. Street Corn Caesar, a variation of that traditional salad, is touted as one of their more popular dishes. With thick pieces of sliced chicken and crunchy seasoned corn atop crispy Romaine lettuce, it earned its place on the list of “populars.” Both plates pleased but the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, a side dish, took the taste prize. Caramelized in an air fryer along with huge fresh mushrooms, onions and with a drizzle of lemon aioli, this large side served as a conversation piece; it provided the perfect counterpoint to the other dishes we sampled.

Perhaps most of the conversation will center on the clientele, many who probably don’t know who Michael Jordan is nor his place in basketball history. This youngish well-heeled crowd, mostly under 40, dressed in haute couture casual, some with Jimmy Choo shoes, many in long resort-style dresses. This is not a place for cutoffs, jeans and flipflop shoes. Some men wore stylish shorts but I didn’t see any women in them. The beautiful people gather at this exceptional restaurant. I’ll be back but after I try Tiger Woods’ place—Woods Jupiter—a couple of miles away.

Reservations suggested. Call for hours of operation; COVID concerns prevail at this writing. Valet parking.

Tags: Jupiter, FL restaurants

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

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Fort Lauderdale Beach quarantine days

Spell mouthwatering: Tarpon River Cafe Absolute Catering

Tarpon River Café Absolute Catering

14 SW 11 Street

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

954-767-8306

Lunch, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Friday

Lunch first Saturday of each month

Catering for organizations, weddings and other special occasions

For my history posts, please see index here AND visit: JanesHistoryNook.blogspot.com

By Jane Feehan

Just out of the shadows of downtown Fort Lauderdale sits an unpretentious, terrazzo-floored tiny café shrouded in trees and other flora. It would be easy to miss except for a small sign indicating its business or if someone invites you as I was.  

Catering is chef/owner Chris Stachowski’s primary occupation here, but what a find for lunch. He whips up a new menu of five entrees and a soup each day; all entrees are priced at $11. With 24-hour-notice, he’ll fill a special meal request as well as requests for the next month’s Saturday lunch.

A large group of us—about 15—ordered across the menu. I sampled a delicious, slightly spiced clam

Turkey, brie and cranberry ciabatta

chowder and off-the-frame turkey, brie and cranberry creation on a ciabatta roll. It was served with a choice of a green salad or pasta salad; the large-portioned pasta salad of perfectly-cooked macaroni ranks as one of the best I’ve had. One of us ordered a ham plate, a few others ordered pork loin—all with eye-popping thick cuts of meat. Turkey slices in my sandwich were nearly a half-inch thick as well as they were for a large off-the- menu salad entrée one diner requested. Extremely accommodating, Chef Chris also served an off-the-menu burger with several slices of bacon draped over the meat. Desserts are house made by Chris’s sister, Beth, who serves as baker extraordinaire of an array of mouthwatering pies and cakes.

With deep, life-long roots in Fort Lauderdale, Chris comes with an impressive resume and thick portfolio of wedding, special occasion and business clients as well as repeat catering customers, including Saint Anthony Church Women’s Guild. Also, for about a decade, he served as a yacht chef—one of the most demanding roles in the culinary field. He’s also been an award-winning participant in local seafood festivals…and in fishing tournaments. Chris’s interests extend to horticulture, evidenced by his collection on 11th Street of fruit-bearing trees, a cinnamon tree, three varieties of pineapple, and herbs and vegetables and a project dear to his heart: an orchid farm, which is under development.

Stop by with a big appetite or to preview a catering menu. Easy parking at Tarpon River Café, which lies across the street from historic Trinity Lutheran Church. The café is an inexpensive and peaceful alternative to the hub bub of downtown. Patio or indoor dining.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale caterers, Fort Lauderdale catering, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, downtown Fort Lauderdale lunch

Mastro's Ocean Club Fort Lauderdale - Skip it

Mastro's Ocean Club

3000 NE 32 Ave.         

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

954-561-4800

Though open nearly three months, Mastro’s Ocean Club has nothing together. Formerly the Chart House (and at one time the very good Harrison’s on the Water), this Landry’s-owned eatery should be an embarrassment to its executives. Tilman Fertitta, where are you?

We stopped in on a Thursday in early October to find the interior layout to be the same as before except new, darker colors. At 6:30 p.m. its large dining room with a view of the Intracoastal Waterway was empty. Only the bar area with a few of its high-top tables stood occupied.

Yet, we had to wait 20 minutes for two glasses of wine. It was downhill from there. I usually can anticipate a fairly good meal if it’s launched with good bread and a decent salad. If that were a cue, we should have left immediately. The bread was dry, stale and tasteless. The $15 salads— Caesars and a chopped salad—were just as bad. The Caesars was drenched in what tasted like bottled dressing. 

Next up: Alaskan Halibut and Chilean Sea Bass, about $48 each served with huge carving knives fit for a cow’s slaughter. Overly thick filets did not make up for the bland unimaginative preparation. Not a lemon wedge nor other garnish.  A la carte servings of gummy, tasteless creamed spinach and watery (instant?) garlic, void of garlic, mashed potatoes were just as uninspired. 

We left a little after 8 p.m. and still no one in the dining room. The bar was busy with drinkers and appetizer enthusiasts—not enough to keep this place open. Mastro’s boasts a very strict dress code on their website but it seems casual prevails, including shorts and sandals. Some business types came in business suits but that was the exception.

Disappointing can't describe the experience and we told the manager, who was very apologetic.  They need a major overhaul to remain open. There’s a reason no one was in the dining room. Too bad because it offers a fine view and waterside tables. 

Fort Lauderdale waterside restaurants, seafood, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Landry's, Tilman Fertitta, Fort Lauderdale dining

Watermark Hotel: Baton Rouge Boost

Entrance

Watermark Hotel

150 3^rd Avenue

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

225-408-3200

www.watermarkbr.com

By Jane Feehan

The Watermark Hotel joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection of boutique hotels in early 2017, a few months after historic flooding hit South Louisiana. Located in downtown Baton Rouge at the site of the old Louisiana Trust and Savings Bank (1927) the Watermark’s distinction lies in its stunning décor.  The touch of a master decorator can be seen everywhere, down to the table settings in The Gregory, its dining room named for New Orleans artist Angela Gregory. The magnificent entranceway or foyer pays homage to the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 with face-to-face murals of Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte, parties to that historic land transaction.

Elevator decor 

In its short history, the Watermark has attracted a loyal following that fills up the lobby bar (most uncomfortable bar stools, the only flawed decorative appointment) and its more comfortable sofa and chair seating areas. A choice of appetizers, small plates and burgers top visitor choices for casual get togethers. Special occasions and holidays draw local visitors to the more formal Gregory—an open room that flows into the bar. The chef works hard to please customers and will take suggestions. Staff will change up dishes at request. For a coffee shop setting with counter service, visit Milford’s on Third off the lobby. Over-sized sandwiches for about $10 command ooohs and ahhhs.

The rooms, as everything else, are beautiful, if not disparate in size and comfort, depending on the floor and location. I stayed in three different ones, different floors. A caveat: depending on festivities at a nearby park and the time of the year for mirth at the bars on Third Street, noise can be a problem into the wee hours. Get a room above the fourth floor (at least). Unfortunately, the best views of the Mississippi River are from rooms facing Third. Also, rooms vary widely in size. A corner room is ideal of course … and grand. My last room was a small one, which I have no problem with, but the window was covered to block sight of adjacent roofs, which I would have gladly taken over the block out pane.

Room with a pane (!) instead of a view

Parking runs about $20 a day but oftentimes street or lot parking is available for much less—something to keep in mind if planning a wedding or other occasion in one of the meeting rooms or for a long stay. There are plenty of places to walk to, including the river with its pleasant seating, the old Louisiana capitol building and one of the best restaurants in town, Strube’s. The Watermark Hotel does much for historic downtown Baton Rouge; it also gives the entire city some much-needed flair.

View of the Mississippi River from a room

Old Louisiana Capitol, now a museum

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