Broward County’s Best Kept Secret: Le Bistro
Called the “best kept secret in Broward County” by Zagat in 2009, Le Bistro is a charming restaurant located in an unassuming strip mall in Lighthouse point. Chef/co-owner Andy Trousdale, who built his culinary background by working in top restaurants everywhere from Germany and France to the Caribbean and now Florida, has whipped up a fresh, seasonal menu with truly global influences. Interesting starters like pan-roasted white tail quail and bee pollen goat cheese with lavendar, almonds, honey, endive, and white truffle oil pepper the menu, and entrees consist of delicately prepared fish and seafood, and heartier portions of pork, slow braised beef ribs, and duck casserole. Paying careful attention to today’s varied eaters, many of the dishes served at Le Bistro are gluten free, and organic, healthy options are abundantly available. If you’re in the mood for a more hands-on dining experience, Le Bistro features themed cooking classes where you can learn to cook a festive meal with Chef Trousdale, himself.
Le Bistro
4626 North Federal Highway
Lighthouse Point, FL 33064
(954) 946-9240
www.lebistrorestaurant.com
Brew Urban Café: Grab a Cup
Located in the Himmarshee District, Brew Urban Café is the place to go for excellent brewed coffee, cappuccino, espresso, or specialty teas. Relax in the cozy lounge or sit at the bar and start your day with a relaxing brew and a muffin or bowl of oatmeal and fruit. Not sure of what to get? The friendly and knowledgeable baristas, who can turn a cup of coffee and frothy milk into a work of art, will be glad to help. Need to take a break during the day? What better place to do so than to stop at the Brew Urban Café. And in the evening, come back to try one of the outstanding micro brew beers. Brew Urban Café is open every day of the week.
Brew Urban Café
209 SW 2nd Avenue
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 523-7191
http://www.yelp.com/biz/brew-urban-cafe-fort-lauderdale
Naked Grape Wine Bar: Vintage Destination
Located in Wilton Manors, the Naked Grape Wine Bar offers excellent and hard to find wines, great artisan cheeses, tapas, finger food, and neat events. Come in with some friends, sip some wine, and catch up on your day. Or meet a special someone for some wine, food, and conversation. There’s also some great specials and events. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, all on-premise bottles are half off. Meet some new people at Thursday’s Social Hour, All Night. Get to happy hour early – it starts at 4 p.m. – and try the Barcelona Bites for only $1 each but be careful, they go pretty quick. The Naked Grape Wine Bar is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 4 p.m. to midnight and weekends from 2 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Naked Grape Wine Bar
2163 Wilton Drive
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33305
(954) 563-5631
http://www.yelp.com/biz/naked-grape-wine-bar-fort-lauderdale
Galuppi’s: Relax After a Round of Golf in Pompano Beach
A sports-inspired restaurant on the Pompano Beach Golf Course, Galuppi’s offers an extensive menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner with brunch served every Sunday from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. The bar at Galuppi’s features eleven 50 inch plasma high definition TV’s and a 17 foot high definition projector—making it one of the greatest places to watch a game in town. The restaurant has outdoor patio seating when weather permits (and it usually does) as well as banquet facilities for parties seeking a larger area to host their events. No sports bar would be complete without Buffalo wings and Galuppi’s is no exception. Try them in any one of their featured flavors: Mild, Medium, Hot, Lemon/Garlic, Teriyaki, and Country BBQ. Galuppi’s also offers a wide variety of entrée salads, sandwiches, burgers, and hip variations on classic bar foods like baby back ribs basted in Galuppi’s secret barbecue sauce, veal osso bucco, snapper francaise, or mahi oscar. For a great deal (if you don’t mind eating early) catch the Early Bird Dinner for $9.95, which includes a soup or house salad and an entrée,
Galuppi’s
1103 North Federal Highway
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
(954) 785-0226
www.galuppis.com
Bonefish Grill: A Seafood Staple You Can Visit Anywhere, Anytime
A fairly new powerhouse in the dining world, Bonefish Grill (which opened its first doors in 2000) features locations all over the country. Boasting a casual yet refined setting, Bonefish doesn’t feel like a chain—just cozy place to enjoy a range of seafood specialties—and FYI Bonefish Grill supports responsible fishing practices and work closely with fisherman to assure environmentally sound fishing and aquaculture (click here to find out more). Dinner at Bonefish offers a truly customizable experience, as all market fresh fish is prepared to order, either sautéed or on the grill and is served with a variety of sauces and sides. Offerings also include salads, starters to share, and “hand helds” or sandwiches, as well as creative dishes prepared specially by the chef. There is also an extensive wine and cocktail list offered at the welcoming, lively bar and as a complement to your meal—with $5 bar fresh cocktail specials available daily. Whether you’re close to home or on a trio across the country, click here to find a Bonefish Grill nearby and find out the specials of the day.
Bonefish Grill
www.bonefishgrill.com
Zed 451: Stylish Meat Eating in Boca Raton
If you’ve never eaten at a Brazilian steakhouse, you’re in for a treat—the largest country in South America has become famous for their carnivorous feasts, and Boca Raton’s Zed 451 keeps the tradition going in style. The restaurant's design is sleek and sophisticated, with several intimate dining spaces to enjoy your meal. Dining here is a little different than most classy restaurants; after ordering drinks and helping yourself to salads and sides from an excellent buffet, servers come tableside with a variety of grilled cuts of meat to choose from. The results are spectacular, with something for pretty much everyone (except vegetarians). Cuts that get the most love are the amazing buttermilk sirloin, which is a tender cut of steak that practically melts in your mouth, as well as the Moroccan chicken. Fish also gets a turn on the grill, with excellent salmon and scallops a standout. Make sure to take a look at Zed 451's drink menu—their "Liquid Market" cocktails are artfully prepared, downright delicious . . . and dangerous!
Zed 451
201 Plaza Real
Boca Raton, FL 33432
(561) 393-3451
www.zed451.com
Hi-Life Cafe: A Charming French-Inspired Bistro
Hi-Life Café is a charming French-inspired bistro that has won accolades from critics and diners alike since opening. The sheer quality of the food at this Fort Lauderdale bistro will wow even the most jaded taste buds. Chef Carlos Ramirez was a finalist on Top Chef, so you know he has chops. When you get to the table, you’ll be greeted with great, freshly-baked bread and butter as well as a basket of amazing sweet potato chips. Let that whet your appetite for some of their great appetizers, which include a very popular endive salad and a delicious baked scallop dish that pairs seafood with pecans and corn to great effect. Goat cheese and hazelnut purse pasta also receives raves. As for entrees, the menu has plenty of choices, including spectacular steaks and creatively prepared seafood dishes. Prices are really reasonable, with the option to order half portions of many entrees is a popular choice.
Hi-Life Café
3000 North Federal Highway
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
(954) 563-1395
www.hilifecafe.com
Cap’s Place: True Waterfront Dining in Lighthouse Point
Cap’s Place is Broward County’s oldest restaurant that dates back to the 1920s when the eatery was used as a casino and rum-running speakeasy. Today Cap’s Place is a bit of a tourist trap, offering casual waterfront dining that’s a short ferryboat ride away (provided by the restaurant). Food at Cap’s showcases locally caught fish and seafood including a raw bar with fresh, shucked clams and oysters and selections like stone crab claws, Florida lobster, classic shrimp scampi, crab cakes, and grilled salmon. The broiled or sautéed seafood platter is by far the most popular meal on the menu featuring an assortment of shellfish and chunks of the fresh caught that morning. And if there’s room for dessert, Cap’s offers their “famous tangy homemade lime pie.”
Cap’s Place Island Restaurant
2765 NE 28th Court
Lighthouse Point, FL. 33064
(954) 941-0418
www.capsplace.com
Christina’s Cafe: A Hidden Gem in Pompano Beach
A cute little place on Atlantic Boulevard, Christina’s is a somewhat hidden gem that churns out authentic Mediterranean and Greek dishes to eat in or take out. Online ordering is also available for quick and easy take out without a phone call. Popular appetizers like hummus or tzatziki with warm pita bread constantly receive stellar reviews, and the tabouli salad is another favorite starter. Gyros platters and sandwiches are another popular Greek staple at Christina’s, and dinner specials like chicken or beef kabobs and Christina’s shrimp sautéed in champagne sauce and served over rice and vegetables leave patrons wanting more. At affordable prices, and with the owner, Christina, there to greet you at the door —another sparkling aspect of this restaurant—Christina’s is a spot you shouldn’t pass by.
Christina’s Café
2201 E. Atlantic Boulevard
Pompano Beach, FL 33062
(954) 782-2160
www.christinas-cafe.com
Dine and Sip the “Best Martinis” at Himmarshee Bar & Grill in Ft. Lauderdale
Opened in 1997 in an up-and-coming area of Ft. Lauderdale, Himmarshee Bar & Grill has carved out a lasting legacy, dish by carefully constructed dish. Since the restaurant’s opening, the area has become a bustling cultural node with popular entertainment venues, destination dining, and ultra hip nightspots. Himmarshee has consistently won awards for its food and cocktails bringing home the “best martini” award in reader’s polls every year since the restaurant's opening. Upscale dining in a casual atmosphere, dinner at this restaurant boasts a new American style menu, rich in updated comfort foods with global influences, and made with fresh, local ingredients. Starters include a variety of salads (try the Arugula Salad), hot appetizers like grilled chicken wings and pan seared diver scallops, and flatbreads. Entrées include plenty of fish and seafood options like chargrilled mahi and pan seared salmon, as well as a tangy molasses brined pork chop and grilled skirt steak, among other meat dishes. Rather drink your dessert? The last course on the menu showcases signature cocktails like the truffletini, a blend of vanilla vodka with white and dark chocolate liqueurs. However, you still may want to try Himmarshee’s flourless chocolate torte—a chocoholic’s dream served with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
Himmarshee Bar & Grill
210 SW 2nd St.
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 524-1818
www.himmarshee.com
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