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].

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-

Trader Joe’s is Coming to South Florida!

July 1, 2013December 11, 2013 / Casey / Leave a comment

When I lived in Los Angeles a few summers ago, I fell in love with Trader Joes. I, along with many other shoppers, love Trader Joe’s because of the varied food and drinks it carries, and they’re offered at great prices. Trader Joe’s has an incredible bakery and offers more than 3,000 signature items. After moving back to South Florida, I would have friends mail me my beloved Trader Joe’s brand granola, fresh baked cookies and other goodies.

Naturally I was overjoyed to learn that Palm Beach County residents will be getting not one, but two Trader Joe’s stores in the near future.

Last month Trader Joe’s announced it that it would be opening a location in Palm Beach Gardens at the PGA Plaza center, located at the southwest corner of PGA Boulevard and Prosperity Farms Road.

It was also just announced that Trader Joe’s will be opening a store in Boca Raton in 2014, according to a release from the company. The new Boca Raton store will be around 12,500 square feet and will offer beer, wine and “distinctive products.” The store will be located inside East City Center, located at 855 South Federal Highway.

Both stores are scheduled to open in 2014, although an exact opening date has not yet been given.

The iPic Movie Theater in Boca Raton

May 10, 2013 / Casey / 2 Comments

I love the iPic movie theater in Boca Raton. Between the soft, leather, reclining Lazy-Boy chairs, the provided blankets and full food and beverage service that it offers, I never want to see a movie anywhere else.

This luxury movie experience is somewhat affordable- tickets run from about $14 for the premium seating to $24 for the premium plus seating. While you can get in the door for a little as $14, I highly recommend spending the extra $10 on the premium plus seats. These are the ones that recline and have the full food and beverage service throughout the entire movie. It’s a life changer.

At $24 a ticket, I think it’s affordable, but once you factor in the snacks and cocktails, the iPic movie experience can get a little pricey, especially if you’re a movie buff who goes often. If this is the case, I recommend that you become an iPic member to score some discounts. Unlike most of East Boca Raton, the iPic members club is not snooty, limited or expensive- you can simply sign up online for free to receive great benefits such as discounted pricing, advanced on-line purchasing of tickets, access to blockbuster films before the general public and other special member-only offers.

My favorite food and drink-related perk of being a member is “Members Get More Tuesdays.” Every Tuesday, iPic members can enjoy a specially-priced menu that includes discounted food, $2 select beers and $5 house wine.

When we saw Iron Man 3 last Tuesday, I was happy to see that my Hess Select cabernet was the $5 house red wine special.

The iPic’s Tuesday discounts

As you can see in the picture, the discounted food menu includes a little bit of everything- a variety of flatbreads and sliders if you’re in the mood for an appetizer, fish and chips and a smoked turkey, brie and apple butter Panini if you want something bigger, and red velvet pudding for dessert (which is amazing by the way).

The iPic Theater is located at 301 Plaza Real Boca Raton, FL 33432; (561) 299-3000

Park Avenue BBQ & Grille Gives Back to Local Charities

April 24, 2013 / Casey / Leave a comment

Last Friday night Jeremy and I were feeling a little spontaneous about dinner. We weren’t sure where to go, but we knew a few things:

We wanted to go somewhere other than the usual “Ave.”
We didn’t want to go anywhere fancy that involved getting all dressed up
We didn’t want to blow a lot of money

While tossing ideas back and forth, I suggested that we look on Living Social to see what deals were running, thinking that maybe we could save a little money that way. The only restaurant deal in our area was a $15 for $30 deal at Park Avenue BBQ Grille, which we both like and hadn’t eaten at in years. We were sold. I purchased the deal, got the coupon via email and we headed over to the Boca Raton location.

Park Avenue’s rib and chicken combo with collard greens and baked beans

One thing I love about Park Avenue, aside from the quality BBQ grub, is that the service is always friendly and efficient. Our server greeted us immediately and was able to answer all of our questions about the menu with ease. The only disappointments of the meal were that the fried scallops that I loved are no longer on the menu, and they were out of the mac and cheese and homemade buttermilk cake. I ended up ordering the butterfly shrimp with green beans and mashed potatoes and Jeremy had the chicken and ribs combo. Our meal was yummy as always, but I really wish I had that buttermilk cake.

Park Avenue’s butterfly shrimp, mashed potatoes and green beans

The reason that Park Avenue ran out of that buttermilk cake, our server told us, was because they were doing a charity event and donating a part of the proceeds from the popular dessert. So naturally everyone was ordering it that night, and we just got there too late.

When we presented our Living Social coupon, a manager came by and explained that we were not only saving money, but also giving to charity by purchasing it. For every $15 Living Social that was purchased, Park Avenue donated half ($7.50) to one of four local charities– The Lord’s Place, Take Stock in Children, Sublime Soil Inc., or the Literacy Coalition of Palm Beach County. I got to pick which charity I wanted the money to go to. I had no idea about this as I was buying the Living Social, but that, mixed with the great dining experience, made me really happy that we ended up at Park Avenue.

The Park Avenue BBQ and Grille Living Social deal is still available! Buy it here!

Food- B

Drinks- n/a

Service- A+

Overall- B+

Truffle Oil on South Florida Menus

April 11, 2013April 11, 2013 / Casey / Leave a comment

truffle fries

Foodies have called truffles “diamonds of the table” and Jacques van Staden of Chophouse in Miami calls them “the one ingredient that no chef can resist.” This is believable because truffles and truffle oil seem to be popping up on the menus of many south Florida restaurants these days.

Truffle fries are the most common dish with the magical ingredient. You can find then being served at The Office, Atlantic Grille and Cut 432 in Delray Beach; Table 42 Italian Kitchen + Wine Bar in Boca Raton; Rok:Brgr, the W Hotel and Mojo in Fort Lauderdale; Capital Grille in Boca and Fort Lauderdale and at Red, The Steakhouse, db Bistro Moderne and STK in Miami. While a big bite of hot, salty, crispy truffle fries is nothing less than amazing, here are a few other more creative ways that south Florida restaurants are using truffle oil.

Red’s Truffle Lobster Mac

My all-time favorite restaurant dish that involves truffle oil is Red, The Steakhouse’s truffle lobster mac and cheese. I swear that if I could eat anything every day and money and calories were not an option, this would be it. At $52 it’s a pricey“side dish-” I say that sarcastically because it’s enough to fill up a family of four- but it is absolutely incredible. Rich, creamy and filled with almost a pound of fresh sweet lobster meat, Red’s truffle mac is a life changer. A close second is their truffle creamed corn.

Red, The Steakhouse's truffle cream corn

Red, The Steakhouse’s truffle cream corn

In addition to Red, the Steakhouse you can order truffle mac and cheese at Capital Grill, Pistache French Bistro, Prime 112 and Smith & Wollensky.

Another heavy, gratifying pasta dish is the four-cheese pear tortellini with truffle cream sauce at Vic & Angelo’s. They add it to their truffle and wild mushroom pizza as well- so good.

The Office on Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach wins the award for most creative uses of truffle oil. They not only truffle their french fries like so many others, but it is also added to their sea salt popcorn and deviled egg appetizers. Let me tell you something: I have never been a fan of deviled eggs. But when the eggs are topped with paprika, chives, and a drizzle of truffle oil, it’s a whole new world.

The Office’s deviled eggs

If you’ve never had a truffle oil experience before, I urge you to go to one of the south Florida restaurants I mentioned because you, my friend, are missing out. If you’ve already had it, most likely with french fries, I recommend living on the edge and trying truffle oil on pizza, creamed corn or eggs. I promise you won’t regret it.

What’s the best truffle oil dish that you’ve ever tried? Please let us know in a comment!

Ninja Spinning Sushi Bar in Boca Raton

March 26, 2013March 4, 2014 / Casey / 2 Comments

I want to be careful about how I write this review. When I started this restaurant blog, I told myself that I would not use it to tear restaurants apart with negative comments. I’m not here to complain and bash the places that I didn’t have a good experience at. If I have nothing nice to say about a restaurant, I’d rather just not write a review at all and never go back.

In the case of Ninja Spinning Sushi Bar in Boca Raton, I have some good things to say, as well as a few things that I hope they’ll read and take as constructive criticism. It’s a new restaurant with a cool concept, great location and tasty food. The potential is definitely there, and I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt that they just haven’t worked out all the kinks yet. The service is where the Ninja Spinning Sushi Bar needs improvement, but I think they have the potential to get it together and grow.

Me, my boyfriend and another couple showed up to Ninja Sushi around 7 p.m. I tried to make a reservation earlier that day, but they don’t accept reservations which is kind of annoying. I was excited about how it was Boca Raton’s first “kaiten sushi,” or revolving sushi bar like the ones I’ve been to in Japan. But when we walked in the door I noticed that the conveyor belt only went around the bar, rather than extending between the tables.

“So how exactly does this work,” I asked the (very) young hostess. “Since there’s four of us, could we sit at a table but still enjoy the revolving sushi bar?”

The hostess mumbled some kind of response that didn’t answer my question at all, but I let her seat us thinking that we’d just ask our server. Our server also looked like he was in high school and wasn’t much more helpful. He wasn’t able to answer a majority of our questions about the menu, so we just gave up and ordered what sounded good. When our drinks took about 10 minutes to arrive, he explained that they didn’t have a bartender so he had to make the drinks himself. I’m not sure whether the bartender called in sick that day or if they never have a bartender there, but I’ve never been to a restaurant that has a big specialty drink menu and no bartender.

Our food took another 30 minutes, but at least it was good. I really liked the lemongrass shrimp soup and all of the sushi tasted really fresh. In all we tried a tartare appetizer that had tuna, salmon and hamachi and four rolls: the Snow White, Red Ninja, 911 (super spicy) and Crouching Tiger. All of the rolls were good but the Crouching Tiger was my favorite- tuna, salmon, white fish, and asparagus, topped with avocado, tiger shrimp, jalapenos and kimchee sauce.

Would I go back to Ninja Spinning Sushi Bar? Yes, I’d probably give it one more try in hopes that they staff a little better and the service improves. I’d prefer to go there on a Groupon or when someone else is paying though, as it is not a cheap meal. I figure that if I leave disappointed, at least I didn’t also spend a lot of money.

My advice to Ninja Spinning Sushi Bar: hire some more staff and provide better training on the menu. You could have a good thing there so make it work! Good luck!

Food- B

Drinks- B

Service-D

Overall- C-

Rebel House in Boca Raton

February 26, 2013March 4, 2014 / Casey / Leave a comment

A few weeks ago Jeremy and I checked out Rebel House, a gastropub-style restaurant in Boca Raton, and really enjoyed it. The menu is creative and exciting and the environment is upbeat and fun. Located on the north side of Palmetto Park Road just south of Mizner Park, it’s definitely not your grandma’s Boca restaurant. Instead, I felt like I was at a really cool party with yummy food and drinks. The staff of tattooed hipsters played their rock music loudly (think Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Misfits, The Ramones) but it was still possible to have a conversation and hear each other. I’d say it’s a good place to bring a date or get together with a group of friends.

When we arrived around 9:15 p.m., the place was jammed. Luckily we made a reservation for 9:30, so we didn’t have to wait that long. I strongly recommend making a reservation if you wish to go and actually get a table on a weekend.

Before I talk about the food, I must first rave about the cocktails. The bartenders were slammed when we first walked up to the bar, but that was fine because it gave us a few minutes to go over the drink menu. I guess the bartender felt bad about keeping us waiting, because when he did finally greet us he poured us a sample of the Gonzo Berry, a vodka drink with muddled strawberries, lemon and simple syrup. It was tasty, but a little too on the sweet side for me. I ordered the Sweet Revenge, a mix of vodka, fresh watermelon juice, simple syrup and some jalapeno that made it really spicy. It was so delicious that I ended up ordering another one with dinner. Jeremy tried the Rebel House’s take on the Old Fashioned- the Bee Sting, which mixes bourbon with honey, a sprig of rosemary and a hint of jalapeno.

The food is just as creative and great as the drinks with the way the ingredients are cleverly mixed. Something as simple as guacamole had chunks of lump crab added to it and was served with three types of chips. The beet salad, mixed with arugula, candied pecans and grapes, came with these fried little nuggets of hot brie that oozed out of them. Drizzled over the salad, it was delicious.

Our server also started us out with a bowl of their popcorn of the day, which was a nice substitute to the typical bread. That flavor that day was salt and vinegar, and I swear they sprinkled some crack in there because it was addictive.

My personal favorite menu item was the Spinach & 4 Onion Dip. If spinach dip and French onion soup got together and made a baby, this would be it. Mixed with gruyere and parmesan cheeses, topped with a pipperade and served with garlic toast, it was absolutely delicious.

The service was a bit slow, but our server was very friendly and helpful with food recommendations. As I mentioned before, the place was packed so I understand that she was busy. Before leaving, I knew that I’d want to come back for more someday, so I asked her about happy hour. The good news is that they have one on weekdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., and it cuts the price of well drinks to $4. The bad news is that there’s no food included during happy hour.

All in all, I really liked the Rebel House. Happy hour or not, I will definitely be back for more Sweet Revenges and to try more items off the menu.