Seafood

J&J’s Seafood Bar & Grill in Delray Beach

/ Casey / Leave a comment

A few weeks ago Jeremy had family in town visiting from London, and we wanted to get together for a nice meal somewhere in Delray Beach.  Since we’re the ones who know the best spots in town (obviously!) we were in charge of picking a restaurant that our guests would love.

For the two years that we’ve been dating, Jeremy and I have been meaning to try out J&J’s Seafood Bar & Grill on Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach.  As a seafood lover, just reading their menu makes my mouth water, and every time I’ve jogged by and looked at the specials written on the chalkboard out front I’d make a mental note to try it out.

I wish I hadn’t waited so long to experience J&J’s because I was definitely missing out all this time. I’ve heard so many great things about J&J’s from friends who have been regulars for years so I don’t know what I was thinking. Located on a block of Atlantic Ave. that doesn’t get nearly as much traffic, I’ve seen multiple businesses fail around there.  A restaurant has to be really good to survive there, and J&J’s has been going strong for about 14 years.  That says a lot.

We called to make a reservation one day in advance and were lucky enough to get a table for 10 people on a Friday night (in season).  Not only was it great to see and catch up with the whole family, but having 10 people meant that I got to taste many dishes off J&J’s menu.

For starters, we ordered truffle seafood mac n’ cheese and calamari for the table.  The mac and cheese was rich, delicious and just the right portion size for an appetizer.  My only recommendation to the chef would be to put a little more seafood (shrimp, scallops and lobster) in it.  The crispy calamari, served with a spicy Asian glaze rather than the traditional marinara, was cooked perfectly and delicious.

Choosing just one entrée to order was a bit of a challenge, but luckily everyone was more than happy to share.  I went with the J&J Tower, which consists of a 5oz juicy filet mignon topped with a crab cake and two grilled shrimp over mashed potatoes and veggies with a veal demi-glaze and lemon buerre blanc.  It was the perfect combination of land and sea, and it was delicious.

I also got to try out the coconut curry shrimp and scallops and nut crusted snapper, which were excellent.  We finished out the meal with a homemade crème brule, a berry tart and a flourless chocolate cake.

Overall, I had a great experience at J&J’s.  Our server was knowledgeable and made great suggestions on what to eat and drink. She was also attentive and took great care of us as a large party.  Now when my friends rave about J&J’s, I understand why.  And like many of them, I could totally see myself becoming a regular.

Food- A

Drinks- A

Service- A

Overall- A

J&J’s Seafood Bar and Grille is located at 634 E Atlantic Ave  Delray Beach, FL 33483; (561) 272-3390

New York City Favorites

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Amy Ruth's in Harlem

Amy Ruth’s in Harlem

I spent last weekend in my second favorite city in the world, good old New York City (#1 is Tokyo).  While I tried out a few new spots to eat, I found myself hitting up some old favorites.  These are the restaurants that I miss and crave when I’m not in the city, mainly because they offer food that I just cannot find in South Florida.

After a long night of partying, we went to Kashkaval in Hell’s Kitchen for a Middle Eastern feast. Located on 9th Avenue between 55th and 56th Street, Kashkaval is a cheese and gourmet foods market in the front, and an intimate, candlelit wine and cheese bar in the back.  Knowing that it would probably be my only trip for a while, I definitely over-ordered. Hummus, guacamole, curried chicken salad, a cheese and charcuterie plate and an omelet with spinach and feta were way too much food than two people needed, but it hit the spot.

Good soul food is another thing I have a hard time finding here in South Florida, so I wasn’t going to skip grubbing in Harlem.  My restaurant of choice- Amy Ruth’s on West 116th Street.  In my opinion, they serve up the best waffles and fried goodness around, and it’s always a treat to have a glass of their “Kool-Aid of the Day.”  On this last trip I indulged in the orange Kool-Aid, the Jennifer Holliday (a waffle and five fried shrimp), and a side order of the baked mac and cheese.

Shrimp & Waffles at Amy Ruth's

Shrimp & Waffles at Amy Ruth’s

No trip to NYC is complete without a “slice.”  In my case, I skipped the slice and went for the whole pizza pie at Grimaldi’s in Brooklyn.  Located right by the Brooklyn Bridge, it is one of seven locations throughout New York and New Jersey.  Don’t let the line out the door scare you- it moves quickly and the dining experience is completely worth it.  If it wasn’t, there wouldn’t be a line, right?  Loved by locals and tourists alike, Grimaldi’s is run by a bunch of Italian men who have been serving up the best food for years. If toppings are your thing, by all means go ahead, but I simply recommend the cheese pizza.  It’s crispy, fresh and delicious enough to keep me coming back every time I’m in NYC.

Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine in Delray Beach

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I’ve seen it many times over the years on the busiest corner of downtown Delray Beach, but until this weekend I had never went to try out Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine.  I once tried a little sample of their signature lobster roll during a Tastemaker’s event and thought it was pretty tasty, but for some reason I always end up somewhere else when dining on the Ave.

Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine is located in a great spot- it’s right on a busy corner that great to people-watch while catching up with friends or a date.  When I spotted a $15 for $30 Groupon for the restaurant a few weeks ago I decided to purchase it and give the restaurant a shot.  It was a beautiful South Florida evening last Thursday- perfect for sitting out on their patio and dining on some fresh lobster.

When the server came to greet us just seconds after sitting down, we informed him that we had the Groupon.  I’ve learned that sometimes it’s best to let your server know about coupons before you even order.  It can help avoid issues and confusion at the end of the meal.

Festive Wreath salad

Festive Wreath salad

He leaned down and whispered that in order to use the Groupon, we were supposed to have made a reservation.  Sure enough, it said that right on the sheet. But since it wasn’t busy, and I’m guessing he wanted to make some money, he told us to sit tight while he went to sneak our names on the reservation sheet.

To eat, we both started out with cups of soup- the New England clam chowder for my boyfriend and the lobster bisque for me.  On the menu the cup of bisque is listed as $5, with an option to add lobster for an extra $6.  Since it’s called “lobster bisque,” I didn’t really think I needed to add anything.  I wish I had though, as my cup of soup was nothing but a creamy broth.  Not one chunk of lobster in it. I realized that lobster bisque is classically based on a strained broth, but I guess I was hoping for it to be a bit more exciting.  While the lobster bisque wasn’t bad, there was absolutely nothing special about it.

For entrees, we opted for salads- the Big Claw Lobster Salad ($22) and the Festive Wreath: Greens & Strawberries (side portion for $6) with lobster added to it for $12.

I thought my Festive Wreath salad was really good.  The greens, strawberries and goat cheese were all fresh and delicious and the amount of lobster was decent for $12.  Topped with balsamic vinaigrette and a sprinkling of almonds, it was a nice, light, refreshing meal that I didn’t feel guilty about afterwards.  I must also mention that the side portion was more than enough, especially with the lobster added to it.

Big Claw Lobster Salad

Big Claw Lobster Salad

Jeremy’s Big Claw Lobster Salad also came with a nice serving of lobster.  That, mixed with bacon, hard boiled eggs, tomatoes and balsamic vinaigrette was a nice little combo.  His only complaint was that the avocado was not the freshest.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine.  The food was tasty and fresh, the service was friendly and very attentive, and I like the fact that I can eat something that’s actually good for me.  I would definitely like to go back and try more of the menu on a day when it’s nice outside.  If you’re going to go, the patio is definitely the spot to be!

Food- B-

Drinks- N/A

Service- A-

Overall- B

Linda Bean’s Perfect Maine is located at 200 E Atlantic Ave  Delray Beach, FL 33444; (561) 276-2502

The Best Things to Eat/Drink in Downtown Delray Beach

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If you’re going to “the Ave,” also known as Atlantic Avenue in downtown Delray Beach, to get some food and drinks, here are some of my suggestions.  I’ve listed my favorite menu items for almost any restaurant you could choose to dine at.  If you have any questions or would like an explanation of a menu item and/or why I chose it, feel free to leave a comment.

Senor Burrito: homemade chicken veggie soup, fish tacos, steak salad and homemade flan.  I also highly recommend the strawberry margaritas 🙂

Buddha Sky Bar/Garden: the Handsome Rob roll, miso cod skewers, wagyu beef skewers, asparagus with lotus root.  For cocktails, try the Shiso Zen Passion.

The Office: lobster tacos, “grown up” tater tots (think bacon, cheddar, chives and sour cream) and the Prime CEO burger.  To drink: the Bloody Elixir, the Creamsicle martini or the Blanche de Bruxelles beer.

Ziree Thai: tom kha soup, pad thai and basil duck

Lemongrass: Sex on the Moon roll, Lobster Monster roll and duck soup.  To drink: the lychee martinis are delicious and their sake selection is decent.  Nigori, or the cloudy, unfiltered stuff, is my favorite.

Tryst: baby spinach salad, Annie’s fish and chips, and the Hudson Valley fois gras. Tryst also has great daily specials!

Mellow Mushroom: The Cosmic Karma, Magic Mystery Tour and the Meatball Ricotta pizzas. Mellow Mushroom also has about 70 tasty craft beers on tap to choose from.

Bamboo Fire Café: tostones with garlic dipping sauce, steamed basa, oxtail, spicy jerk chicken and the strongest rum cake ever.

Tramonti: rimini salad, rigatoni montanaro and linguini vongole

Park Tavern: fish tacos, pork belly, meatball sliders, Shepard’s pie

Racks: the crab cake, oysters, fried belly clams

Linda Bean: besides the amazing lobster rolls, I recommend the lobster grilled cheese

75 Main: the soup of the day is usually good, as well as the chop salad, sautéed pan mussels, and roasted peppers with parmesan

Dada: the fondue, kale Caesar salad, 7 cheese grilled cheese and caramel spiced chicken

Vic & Angelos: the Kobe meatball, four cheese pear tortelloni, and Mulberry Street pizza

City Oyster: fish tacos and the fish bowl with shrimp, scallops, tuna, rice, vegetables and thai red curry coconut broth

Rotelli: eggplant parmesan, the Malibu chicken salad (ask for an extra side of their delicious homemade creamy balsamic dressing) and the pizza

Burger-Fi: B.A.D (breakfast all day) burger, VegeFi burger, fresh cut fries with the salt and vinegar or parmesan cheese and herbs topping and the O.M.C. (oh my chocolate) frozen concrete (totally worth all 1,440 calories).

Luna Rosa: I love their brunch here: cinnamon raisin swirl French toast with organic maple syrup and the pink moon omelet (eggs with fresh spinach, onions and ricotta salata cheese).

Sandbar: peel-n-eat shrimp.  To drink, Sandbar has a great selection of frozen concoctions and fruity mojitos. I also recommend the Corona-rita.

Fish Shack in Pompano Beach

/ Casey / 4 Comments

Fish Shack, a Pompano Beach restaurant, is one of Broward County’s best kept secrets.  It came highly recommended to me by a friend who normally dines at the finer places in town.  I think Fish Shack also came recommended to her, as I’m pretty sure that she wouldn’t have stumbled upon it on her own.  Either way, if she had never checked in and posted a raving review of it on Facebook, I probably would’ve never known the place existed or how great it is.

Fish Shack is not located where you’d expect a restaurant to be.  It’s just a little hole in the wall, tucked away in a residential neighborhood in an old, beat-up plaza next door to a convenience store.  If I hadn’t been forewarned about what it looks like on the outside, I’m not sure I would have gone in.

Fish Shack

Although it’s a little sketchy on the outside, I’m really glad we went in because the food was incredible.  The menu mostly consists of local, fresh seafood dishes at extremely reasonable prices.  The fish is brought in daily and can be prepared however you prefer- blackened, grilled, fried, Cajun-style, or cooked with lemon, butter and garlic.

We ordered the buffalo shrimp, fried Ipswich clams and the “catch of the day,” a red snapper.  At our server’s recommendation, we got it garlic butter-style lightly blackened.  Everything came out great, but my favorite was the buffalo shrimp.  I’m a huge fan of buffalo shrimp, but I guess I’m used to ordering them at places that are more of a bar than a restaurant.  Places where the shrimp is delivered frozen rather than fresh, and it sits in a freezer for a few weeks (or months) before being eaten. In comparison, Fish Shack’s buffalo shrimp are 100 times better.  I could taste the difference and tell that these shrimp were fresh and had not spent any time in a freezer.

After our great meal at Fish Shack, we were thrilled to see that our bill only came to about $46.  That same meal would have easily cost $100 at most other seafood restaurants.  Now that I’ve been, I am a big fan of Fish Shack and I encourage every seafood lover in south Florida to go check it out.  I will warn you that there are only about six tables in the entire restaurant and it gets packed on the weekends, so I recommend going early on a weeknight.  Even if you have to wait for a table, I assure you that it’s worth it.

Food- A

Drinks- n/a

Service-A

Overall- A