The Best Breakfast Spots in Delray Beach

June 14, 2015June 18, 2015 / Casey / 8 Comments

The Lobster & Brie Omelet from Another Broken Egg Cafe.

I’d like to start this article off by thanking the 56 members of the Delray Raw group on Facebook who really helped me out this week. Thank you for your honest feedback and replies to my question, “What are the best breakfast spots in Delray?”

Although I’ve eaten at all of the places listed below and can vouch that they are each great for what they are, it was interesting to hear what dozens of fellow locals would say. So if you’re looking for a good morning meal in the area, here are some of the best breakfast restaurants in Delray Beach:

The Downtown Spot: Christina’s

Christina’s is a nice, small, low-key spot in Pineapple Grove where the food is fresh and consistent, coffee cups are kept full, and the prices are reasonable. My favorite dish is the California omelet: avocado, mushrooms, green onion, tomato, cheddar jack, and cream cheese (which sounded a little weird my first time but ended up being the best part).

The Authentic “Old Delray” Breakfast Spot: Green Owl

The Green Owl opened it’s doors on Atlantic Avenue in 1981, and not much has changed there since, including the restaurant’s décor, staff, menu and prices. Full of regulars and old Delray charm, a meal at The Green Owl is an experience. The simple food is consistently good, and worth the (sometimes extremely long) wait on weekends. Just do not go if you’re in a rush.

What’s nice is that the staff at least tells you that it’s going to be a 15 minute wait, plus a 30 to 45 minute wait on food, as the kitchen often cannot keep up with the rush of people. But if it’s a Sunday morning and you have nowhere to be, I highly recommend checking it out.

Make sure to visit the ATM before a trip to Green Owl.

The Best Deli: Way Beyond Bagels

Every time I mention Way Beyond Bagels to a friend, I get the same response: “I LOVE that place!” Seriously, what’s not to love?

The name “Way Beyond Bagels” perfectly suits it, as it’s more gourmet deli than it is bagel bakery. I’ll never forget how impressed I was the first time I walked in simply expecting your typical bagel shop. The line was out the door, as I’ve found it always is, but was operated in a way that was smooth and efficient. The staff is friendly, and the selection and quality of food is just incredible. Way Beyond Bagels sells everything from freshly baked breads and cakes to high-quality lunch meats to smoked fish to dozens of different salads, spreads, and appetizers. It’s a bit overwhelming when you’re in the line, and the prices are a little higher than other places, but you will not be disappointed with your food.

The line at Way Beyond Bagels.

The Best Bargain: Bagel Twins

For a decent breakfast at a low price, I’d recommend Bagel Twins. It’s the only place I know of where $3.25 gets you a small shot of orange juice, two eggs any style, a bagel and cream cheese, and potatoes. While this place is nothing to rave about, the food is good and it’s the best bargain in town.

The Best New Spot: Another Broken Egg Cafe

Another Broken Egg is the hottest new spot in Delray Beach for breakfast. It’s the latest opening for the breakfast chain that has locations all over the Midwest and southeastern U.S., and getting a table on the weekends has not been easy. But I assure you that the Lobster and Brie omelet and pancakes are worth the wait. This place reminds me of a fancier IHOP, with a bigger, more exciting menu. The food is a bit tastier, and will give IHOP a run for it’s money.

The shrimp and lobster sliders and buttermilk pancake at Another Broken Egg Cafe.

Best Breakfast Spot By the Beach: Luna Rosa

Although Luna Rosa isn’t on the sand (it’s on the west side of A1A), it’s about as close to the beach you can get for breakfast. The pro’s of Luna Rosa are that they have delicious food and mimosas, it’s casual, and you only have to park once to go to breakfast and then the beach. The cons are that parking isn’t easy (unless you get there really early or valet), it gets really busy and is a bit cramped, and it’s a little pricier than the other spots on this list. I honestly don’t go here very often because it is such a project getting a parking spot and table, but when I do finally sit down and sip my mimosa I enjoy being there. To avoid the crowds, go on the weekdays if you can.

What is your favorite breakfast spot in Delray Beach? Tell us in a comment!

Mucho Gusto Delray

May 3, 2015 / Casey / Leave a comment

Today I have a special treat for you, called Mucho Gusto Delray. Not a restaurant, but rather an experience, although it still involves incredible food (and cocktails that pair perfectly). I’ll admit, I was a bit hesitant to share something this awesome, in fear that I’ll never get a spot at one of these events again, but here goes. You’re welcome in advance!

Consisting of a dream team of restauranteur Justin Himmelbaum and chef Jake Hébert, Mucho Gusto Delray is a series of impromptu dining experiences including pop up dinners, brunches and private parties. I caught wind of these events as a result of their Instagram account (@MuchoGustoDelray– definitely worth following), and have since attended two events: A five-course beer pairing dinner and a four-course brunch with cocktails. Both were an absolute blast.

The biggest thing that makes Mucho Gusto so great is the team behind it. Jake is an incredibly gifted chef who dreams of, and then creates, the most palate-pleasing combinations of food, and he makes them all look like a masterpiece on the plate. Justin runs the show in the front of the house, making everyone feel welcome and happy. He also crafts the ingenious cocktails that accompany each course. Lastly, Camilla helps to serve and clear the dishes and answer any questions that arise about what we’re tasting.

Before I get into the details of each of the meals, let me tell you what they had in common. Both times we signed up and paid via PayPal not knowing the location and menu. An email is sent about two days prior the events with an address. The menu is announced on a dry-erase board that greets you as you walk through the door, and before the events kick off, Justin makes sure that everyone has a welcome champagne-like drink (I’ll explain that more in a minute), and there is a toast. Once everyone has taken their seats and gotten settled, the first course- popcorn!- arrives.

At my first Mucho Gusto experience, a five-course beer dinner at The Hatchery in Boca Raton, we were first served a flute of bubbly ale infused with bits of watermelon. After a toast, the popcorn arrived, mixed with a blend of truffle oil, shaved parmesan, chives, & duck bacon. It was like crack- me and my friend Anika (Miles & Mimosas) couldn’t get enough of it. Seriously, if that was the only thing that was served that night I would’ve happily filled up on it and been satisfied. But luckily we went on to eat much more great food. Here is what followed:

Course #1: Citrus Salmon Crudo

Coconut Broth, radish, apple avocado puree, sour orange granita
Paired with a Cigar City Florida Cracker Ale

Course #2: Seared Alaskan Halibut

Charred tomato-pepper gazpacho, local greens, beurre-blanc, sangria jello
Paired with a lime infused Narragansett Lager

Course #3: Cold Smoked Pork Tenderloin

Yukon gold and gouda mashed potatoes, Hatchery tamarind glaze, quick cucumber pickle
Paired with Ace Apple Hard Cider

Surprise Course!

Fresh watermelon & local burrata cheese, drizzled with olive oil and a balsamic glaze

Course #4: Duck Confit Taco

Avocado tajin crema, queso fresco
Paired with Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

Course #5: Egg Nog Ice Cream

Cranberry compote, shortbread crumble
Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale

My second Mucho Gusto experience, a four-course brunch that took place in the beautiful backyard of a Delray Beach home, began with a mimosa toast and a skillet of popcorn mixed with duck chicharron, scallion, and shaved Parmesan. From there we enjoyed the following dishes:

Course #1: “Fruits & Roots”

Florida citrus, radish, beets, fennel, crema sorbet
Paired with a pomegranite gin fizz

Course #2: Aguachile

Shrimp & tilapia ceviche topped with avocado helado
Paired with a violet mezcal margarita

Course #3: Duck Sausage Pizza

Sundried tomato pesto and a perfectly poached egg
Paired with a l’orange Old Fashioned

Course #4: Pancake Stuffed Waffle

Balsamic maple jelly and banana cream
Paired with coffee with praline cream

Mucho Gusto Delray’s next event is a Mother’s Day brunch taking place on Sunday, May 10th at 1:00 p.m. They also are planning to host regular pop-up events twice a month, offering a Sunday brunch and dinner. Prices will range from $55 to $75 per person and will include a multi-course pairing menu featuring a selection of beer, wine, or cocktails. They are also available for private events.

For more information, like Mucho Gusto Delray on Facebook, follow them on Instagram, and join their mailing list by contacting [email protected].

Delray Beach’s Best Kept Secrets

December 31, 2014January 5, 2015 / Casey / 2 Comments

“Season” in south Florida is here- the weather has cooled off, the local businesses are busier and the license plates have changed color if you know what I mean. The seasonal residents and tourists have arrived!

As the local dining hotspots become crowded with unfamiliar faces and difficult to get a reservation at, I am especially thankful for my “secret spots-” restaurants that are just as delicious, but not as well-known to visitors. They’re all in downtown Delray Beach, just a short walk from the bustle of Atlantic Avenue. These are the Delray Beach restaurants I only tell my best friends about, so enjoy!

Ziree Thai

Ziree Thai is located on Atlantic Avenue, east of I-95 but west of Swinton, which is where the street gets busy. Street parking is usually not an issue, and even if you have to walk a bit, trust me when I say that the food will be worth it. I’ve been eating at Ziree for years, and have tried many different things on the menu. I have never been disappointed. In addition to delicious Thai dishes such as papaya salad, Pad Thai and Panang curry, Ziree has some of the freshest sushi around. My favorite signature rolls are the He-Ma Roll, Rock & Roll, Crunchy Tuna Roll and Ziree Roll. Also worth mentioning is the Ziree Noodle Soup, which is my go-to when I am sick, or just in the mood for a good, healthy soup.

A warm and gracious hostess, Ziree herself is often there to greet you as you walk in, and take you to your table. The service is consistently good, the prices are reasonable, and the décor is cozy and cute. The restaurant is small, so I recommend making a reservation, especially in season (December-May).

Ziree Thai is located at 401 W Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach.

Granger‘s Bar & Grille

Granger’s is one of my favorite little spots for quality comfort food in south Florida. It’s been here in Delray Beach off Federal Highway (just north of Atlantic Ave.) since 1995 and has that charming old-diner feel to it.

A majority of the food on Grangers’ menu is homemade, and it’s always served fresh and in massive portions- I highly recommend sharing! My boyfriend, Jeremy, and I usually start with an order of the buffalo-style shrimp (they’re absolutely addicting) or a bowl of their beef chili, which comes with sour cream and tortilla chips. For entrees, our personal favorites are the Caesar salad with a piece of Key West-style fish (usually mahi or grouper) on top, the B.C.B.T. sandwich (sashimi grade tuna, bacon and bleu cheese), and the smoked BBQ ribs that are available only on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The fried grouper and lobster on Fridays are also pretty delicious- you’re welcome in advance!

Granger’s is located at 215 NE 6th Avenue in Delray Beach.

Bamboo Fire Cafe

This place has awesome authentic, homemade Caribbean food that I have not found anywhere else in the Delray Beach area. There is nothing even comparable. Run by the nicest Guyanese couple, Beverly and Donald, Bamboo Fire Café is a true gem.

Try the seafood mac and cheese, the conch fritters, the curried goat, the oxtail and calilou. For dessert, try the rum cake as long as you can handle liquor, as they certainly don’t skimp on the rum!

Bamboo Fire is small- it only seats about 20 people, and Beverly and Donald’s witty daughter is usually the only server. I don’t recommend trying this place if you’re in a rush. But if you’re in the mood to relax on the patio, sip some Bahamian beer, eat great Caribbean food and joke around with the owners, this is the spot to do it.

Bamboo Fire Cafe is located at 149 NE 4th Avenue in Delray Beach.

Two Fat Cookies

Although this article is mainly about restaurants, I don’t feel right not mentioning Two Fat Cookies, a newer addition to downtown Delray Beach. Tucked away in a strip mall in Pineapple Grove, Two Fat Cookies’ baked goods, especially their cakes, are insanely good. We had a piece of the peanut butter chocolate ganache cake at a friend’s birthday party, and couldn’t stop talking about it for months. Needless to say, Two Fat Cookies is now a regular at our family birthday parties.

In addition to their ridiculously delicious cakes, Two Fat Cookies has tons of baked goodies behind their bakery counter. I highly recommend stopping by for a cookie, cupcake, brownie, tart, or other dessert.

Two Fat Cookies is located at 245 NE 2nd Avenue in Delray Beach.

The Best Taco Tuesdays in Palm Beach County

July 20, 2014December 3, 2014 / Casey / 1 Comment

El Camino in Delray Beach

From Left: El Camino’s shrimp taco, crispy fish taco, and carne asada taco.

El Camino has recently started what is, in my opinion, the best Taco Tuesday around. I checked it out about a month ago and have been back almost every week. The deal is that all tacos on the menu are $2, and you can mix it up as you please. It seemed too good to be true the first time I was there- I expected a lower quality product when the food came out from the kitchen. But they didn’t skimp on size or quality- the tacos were just as delicious as when I had paid full price in the past.

At El Camino, you can take your pick from 11 different types of tacos, ranging from the standard ground beef with colby jack cheese, lettuce, pico and sour cream, to more exotic options such as crispy fish with pineapple salsa, and BBQ pork belly with cactus slaw and a peanut crunch. My personal recommendations are the last two that I just listed, as well as the chorizo taco, which comes with queso oaxaca, rajas, onion and salsa verde.

El Camino takes the unusual step of making everything in house, from the tortillas to the hot sauce. They also have quite the selection of premium tequilas, and ridiculously good margaritas. I never go without enjoying either a watermelon-jalapeno or strawberry-basil margarita, and the chile-guava is also great if you’re looking for something spicy. I don’t mean to get too off-topic here, but since I love El Camino’s margaritas, I will mention that they also have Margarita Monday: $3 classic margaritas, plus one specialty one that they choose to feature that day. Salud!

El Camino Delray is located at 15 NE 2nd Ave, Delray Beach, FL 33444; 561-865-5350

The Backyard in Boynton Beach

The Backyard’s taco selection

This somewhat hidden outdoor spot is one of my favorites when the weather is nice. The service is always friendly, live music is often playing, and the food is simple but delicious. The food is not the cheapest, but luckily there’s a different deal on every week day. Half off appetizers on Mondays, 50 cent wings on Wednesdays, a “clam jam” on Thursdays ($10 for a dozen oysters), and of course Taco Tuesday, which features $2 tacos.

The only catch with the Taco Tuesday deal is that you must order three tacos at a time, and they must all be the same kind. There’s no mixing and matching at The Backyard. The restaurant serves five different types of tacos- chicken, pork, steak, blackened shrimp, and the fresh catch of the day- so I recommend going with a group if you want to taste all of them. My personal favorite is the fish, which has been mahi every time I’ve been.

The Backyard Boynton Beach is located at 511 NE 4th St, Boynton Beach, FL 33435; 561-740-0399

Rocco’s Tacos (West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton)

Rocco’s Tacos with fish and carne asada.

If you can get in, I recommend checking out Rocco’s Tacos for Taco Tuesday. The place gets packed almost every night, no matter what time of year it is, so I wouldn’t go without making a reservation unless you don’t mind waiting.

Show up hungry to Taco Tuesday at Rocco’s Tacos. For $14.99, it’s unlimited tacos, and you can mix and match as you please. At Rocco’s you have a choice from seven different meats (or you can try their vegetarian mushroom) and each taco is served with taco sauce, lettuce, pico de gallo, cilantro, pickled red onions and cotija cheese.

Although the place is always crowded, the service is usually decent, even if it’s a little rushed. Just don’t expect your server to stand and hang out with you. Rocco’s is really loud, between the crowd and the blasting music (there is usually a live DJ). Overall it’s a fun place to hang out with friends, but I wouldn’t recommend it if you want to catch up with a bunch of people you haven’t seen in a long time.

Rocco’s Tacos has three locations in Palm Beach County:
224 Clematis St, West Palm Beach, FL 33401; 561-650-1001
5090 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, FL; 561-623-0127
5250 Town Center Cir, Boca Raton, FL 33486; 561-416-2131

Tryst in Delray Beach

Two fish tacos from Tryst

Another Taco Tuesday deal that I feel most people aren’t aware of is at Tryst. Available only when things slow down in the summertime, Tryst offers $4 tacos that they switch up each week. I’m not talking about your typical tacos either. Most recently, Tryst’s Taco Tuesday specials were the following:

Spicy Chicken Taco: a double decker taco, black bean puree, Boston lettuce, and queso blanco

Crispy Shrimp Taco: cucumber, carrot and scallion slaw, topped with sweet Thai chili sauce

BBQ Pulled Pork Taco: apple and carrot slaw, red bell peppers, Napa cabbage, cider vinegar and mustard seed dressing

I’ve also found that Tryst’s tacos are often huge. I’m full after two.

Tryst Delray is located at 4 East Atlantic Avenue; 561-921-0201

I Hate When Servers Don’t Write Down Orders

May 11, 2014December 3, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

How does it make you feel when a restaurant server doesn’t write down your food order? Do you find this impressive, or does it make you feel a little nervous that your meal isn’t going to come out of the kitchen correctly? If you fall into the nervous category, chances are you remain nervous until the food arrives and you confirm that it is okay.

I don’t know about you, but when I go out to wine and dine, I like to feel as relaxed as possible. So it drives me absolutely nuts when a server takes my order, nodding their head, but not writing a single thing down. Last night it made what should have been an amazing dining experience a really stressful one.

It was the perfect night to sit out on the patio at Taverna Kyma in Boca Raton. The air is still just (barely) cool enough at night to enjoy eating outside. There were four of us, and we ordered many small plates- about 6 items total. Some of the dishes we ordered had special instructions- for example, one of my friends doesn’t like onions. The server listened to us, but did not write any of the order down. When we were finished, he gave us a blank stare and walked off. We instantly started making bets on the odds that our order was going to be screwed up in some way or another. I was sure of it.

The first dish that came out, by itself, was the saganaki, or flaming Greek cheese. It was delicious as usual, but as we were eating, the waiter came back to our table to ask us what we ordered. I went back down the list of what we wanted, suggesting that he wrote it down this time. He did not.

A few minutes later our other appetizer came out, the grilled octopus. Fresh and cooked perfectly, we ate it while wondering where our appetizer that should have been out first was. The cold pikilia, which consists of grape leaves and three spreads for the pita requires no cooking, so where was it? We asked our server when he went by, and it came out about 10 minutes later. Five minutes after we received the cold pikilia, one of the two entrees that we ordered came out.

We continued to eat the food that was in front of us, sharing everything. Luckily nobody sat hungry and waiting. But after about another 20 minutes, we were wondering where our final entree, the Thallasino was. By that point we were pretty full, but I had been looking forward to the Thallasino, which is a seafood platter of lobster, mussels, clams, shrimp and calamari served in a large pan. When we reminded our server that we were still waiting on food, he asked me what was missing. Go figure that he wrote down the order when we only had one thing left.

Despite my complaining right now, we were in no rush and did not really care when each course came out. It was actually nice just sipping and hanging out with good friends. The food was also great so I still left relatively happy, but our overall Kyma experience last night was no bueno. It’s never fun telling your server an order three times, and constantly checking to make sure that he had not forgotten something.

Servers really need to write down orders- I always did when I worked in restaurants. I realize how easy it is to take an order, walk away from the table and get sidetracked by the request of another guest or co-worker. If you write down an order, it doesn’t matter if your mind temporarily forgets.

Will I be back to Taverna Kyma? Yes, because I like the food. But if I end up with the same server again I will probably try to switch, or at least force him to write down our order.

Food- A
Drinks- B
Service- D
Overall Experience- C-

Rocco’s Tacos is Coming to Delray Beach!

April 9, 2014December 3, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

The rumors buzzing around the Delray Beach restaurant scene for the last few months have finally been confirmed to be true: Linda Bean and Prime have shut their doors for good, and Rocco’s Tacos and another Gary Rack concept are taking their places on Atlantic Avenue.

Rocco’s Tacos Delray

Rocco’s Tacos officially announced this week that it is coming to downtown Delray Beach, and is set to open in late 2014. The popular Mexican restaurant and tequila bar has four locations in South Florida (West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens and Fort Lauderdale), one in Orlando and a location scheduled to open in Brooklyn this summer.

The renovations for Rocco’s have already begun at the former Prime space-some 6,500 square feet that will seat approximately 200 indoors and out.

Linda Bean Becomes Another Racks Concept

Gary Rack, who has grown into a major player in the South Florida restaurant scene, also recently announced that he is bringing another concept to Delray. His new restaurant will be taking the place of Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine, which is located right next door to his extremely popular Racks Fish House & Oyster Bar.

There is still a lot unknown about the new restaurant, but I have heard that it is to be an entirely different concept than Racks Fish House. It will not be an expansion of the seafood and oyster bar, which I would have liked due to the fact that it’s near-impossible to get a seat at the bar during their awesome happy hour.

Rack’s new restaurant is expected to open sometime in the summer, and I will update with details about it as I hear them.

Birthday Brunch at Tryst Delray

April 8, 2014December 3, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

Tryst in Delray Beach recently started serving brunch four days a week (Thursday-Sunday), and I’m glad I had the chance to get in before the word gets out. Once everyone catches on, I can see it becoming a new Sunday morning hotspot, and it will lose the laid back, relaxed atmosphere that I love about it.

Tryst’s brunch is similar to Max’s Harvest, minus the crowds and hype. Their food is slightly better, and the $13 bottomless Bloody Mary’s and mimosas are a better deal. What’s even better is that they let you switch back and forth between Bloody’s and mimosas.

Last Saturday I hosted a 25-person brunch to celebrate my birthday. I called just five days in advance, as my previous venue fell through (no names mentioned). The General Manager answered my call and was extremely helpful and accommodating. He hooked me up with a table on the patio and allowed the menu for the party to remain a la carte, unlike my other venue, which was trying to force a fixed-price family-style menu on me. I wanted my guests to have options on what they could order, so this was important.

The weather that morning was absolutely perfect for sitting out on Tryst’s patio. We had two long tables toward the back, which allowed everyone to move around without being in the way of the staff. My guests and I had a great time eating, drinking our bottomless drinks and catching up with each other.

I heard nothing but great things about the food. Most of my friends ordered breakfast entrees (omelets, huevos rancheros, and classic eggs benedict, to name a few), but I went with the mahi tacos. They were delicious as usual, but it could be nice if they came with a side of something- maybe some rice, beans or a little salad. Either way, the two large tacos were filling.

If the service was better, my experience would have been perfect. I’m not sure if our server, a blond woman, was just having a rough day, but she did not seem happy to be there at all. She seemed really unhappy to be doing separate checks, which we told her from the beginning, even though we were the only ones there. She loosened up a bit during the meal, but once we paid our tabs around 1:30, it was like we didn’t exist. Bottomless does not end until 3 p.m., so we were in no rush to leave. I can understand that the restaurant would not want to waste any more liquor on us than they have to, but we had to practically beg to get served another round. After being practically the only people who came that day to support Tryst’s brunch, it left a bit of a bad taste in my mouth.

All in all, I still had a great birthday at Tryst and would recommend their brunch. It doesn’t seem like they’re doing much to market it, but I would get in there before the crowds figure it out.

Tryst is located at 4 East Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach; (561) 921-0201

Taverna Opa in Delray Beach

March 17, 2014April 13, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

I’m going to write this article as an open letter to the new Taverna Opa in Delray Beach, because I really want it to survive. It’s in a great location, the atmosphere is fun and the happy hour is one of the best on Atlantic Ave. Every day from 3-7 p.m. Opa offers half priced drinks and one of the biggest selections of discounted appetizers, but this is where the problem starts.

Taverna Opa, if you’re reading this, your food needs improvement. I’ve went twice in the last two weeks, tried a variety of menu items, and was disappointed with just about everything. The meat was tough and didn’t taste fresh, the fried items were overly breaded and greasy and portions were not great. It’s a quality issue, and places with crappy food rarely survive on the Ave.

There are too many amazing Greek restaurants in the area in the same price range that offer much better food (Zorba’s Taverna, Greek Islands and Taverna Kyma to name a few). I might stop at Taverna Opa for a cocktail here and there, but when I’m in the mood for Greek food this is not where I will be going.

Max’s Harvest in Delray Beach

March 11, 2014March 11, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

Last Friday evening was one of those beautiful South Florida winter nights- 60 degrees, clear sky, a light breeze and no humidity. Perfect for a stroll down Atlantic Avenue and dinner on the patio of one of Delray’s most loved restaurants. Jeremy and I were lucky enough to score a reservation at Max’s Harvest, which we had not dined at since it opened its doors about two and half years ago.

Although the place looks packed every time I walk by, I had almost forgotten about Max’s Harvest as a dinner destination, I’m guessing because my first experience was not very memorable. I remember the food, service and atmosphere as being okay, but nothing to rave about. I was hoping for a better experience this time around, and Max’s Harvest did not disappoint.

Located in hip and trendy Pineapple Grove, just a five-minute walk from Atlantic Avenue, Max’s Harvest has become Delray’s go-to for a distinct, farm-fresh taste experience. One of the more recent culinary concepts from restaurateur Dennis Max (of Max’s Grille, Café Max, and Burt & Max’s to name a few), Max’s Harvest features a “farm-to-fork” philosophy that celebrates fresh, sustainable ingredients produced by local farmers and fishermen (who the menu lists as “partners”). The menu changes daily, based on whatever is fresh, available and in-season at the moment.

We lucked out with a cozy table under a heater in the front garden area, away from the noise of the bustling front dining room. Within 30 seconds we were greeted by our server, Dwayne, who took his time making wine recommendations and offering to let us sample the cabernet we were eying since we had never tried it before. There’s nothing worse than being stuck with a $16 glass of wine that you’re not thrilled about, so I was thankful for this. Dwayne’s patience and menu knowledge were consistent throughout the entire meal. At no point did we feel rushed or pressured, and his recommendations were on point.

Max’s Harvest’s menu features two types of appetizers: the small plates, which includes salads and the usual sized apps, and “little big tastes;” a group of even smaller bite-sized starters that are full of flavor. Jeremy started with the heritage meatballs and I with the goat cheese croquettes, served over a red chili-guava jelly. The dish was delicious- a bit spicy from the red chili, but nicely balanced by the sweetness of the guava in the jelly. The almond-crusted goat cheese balls are extremely creamy and rich- they’re definitely meant to be shared. When I ordered them I forgot that Jeremy isn’t a big fan of goat cheese, so the next time I order them I will make sure to be dining with someone who I can share with.

Goat Cheese Croquettes served over a red chili-guava jelly

Heritage Meatballs

Course two, at Dwayne’s recommendation, was the grilled Jamaican jerk octopus- two tentacles served over a crispy polenta cake and topped with a pineapple-fennel salsa. This was hands-down the best octopus dish I have ever tasted- seasoned and cooked perfectly.

Grilled Jamaican jerk octopus

Jeremy had the steak and potatoes as his main course- a grass-fed filet mignon with a hash brown-like potato wedge, creamed swiss chard and caramelized organic carrots. The steak, cooked a perfect medium-rare, was the softest grass-fed beef I have ever tasted. I probably could have sliced it with a plastic knife. The creamed swiss chard was also a nice change from the usual spinach.

Grass-fed filet mignon with potato, creamed swiss chard, caramelized carrots and a beet sauce

For my entree, I ordered a special that was not listed on the menu. Called moqueca, it was explained to me as a Brazilian fish stew made with coconut milk, tomatoes, onions, and garlic, simmered with swordfish, scallops and shrimp. Topped with cilantro and served with a side of jasmine rice, the moqueca was an amazing blend of flavors, and almost a comfort food on the slightly chilly night. There was something so relaxing about sitting outside in the cool air and eating spoonfuls of fresh seafood in a warm, creamy broth.

Swordfish, scallop and shrimp moqueca

Although we were absolutely stuffed by the end of our meal, we decided to try the flourless chocolate cake for dessert. If you’re full, but still want to finish with something sweet, this is perfect. The cake was fudgey and intensely rich, but light. It’s great for sharing, as you only need a few bites to balance the meal out nicely.

Flourless chocolate cake

All in all I left Max’s Harvest extremely satisfied. The only downside was that it’s pricey (our meal was about $250 including tip), so this will not be a regular dining experience for us. But if you’re looking for a great restaurant to celebrate a birthday or anniversary, or to impress a client, I highly recommend it.

Max’s Harvest is located at 169 NE 2^nd Avenue in Delray Beach, Florida. It is open for dinner seven days a week and for brunch on Sundays (with an unlimited interactive Bloody Mary and champagne bar– it’s incredible but I’ll leave that for a future post).

Food- A

Drinks- A

Service- A

Overall- A

Sunfest Lineup 2014

March 7, 2014March 7, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

Sunfest 2014 is right around the corner! From April 30 to May 4, South Florida will get to enjoy live performances from over 50 bands on three stages.

The line-up was released last week, and it includes musicians such as Robin Thicke, Ellie Goulding, Sublime with Rome, The Goo Goo Dolls, Alice in Chains, Pretty Lights, The Doobie Brothers, Daughtry, Kid Rock, J. Cole and more! To find out which day each musician is playing, check out the Sunfest music schedule. I will definitely be there Thursday and Sunday, and possibly more days.

Waffles + Wanderlust

My adventures at the best restaurants in South Florida (& occasionally beyond)!

Palm Beach County