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RESTAURANT REVIEW by Arnold Leir
PALM BEACH SOUTH
Pastis
Supremely Delicious and Totally Inexpensive Gourmet French Cuisine
Without the hype and fanfare that accompanies French cuisine, Pastis is a long running favorite of diners who appreciate the lan of chef/proprietor Bernard Leclercq's consummate style. Lodged at the back of an unassuming Delray mall, this landmark restaurant sports a lively joie de vivre and a gracious staff - a combination that assures patron loyalty.
Buffeted by soaring food costs and a price conscious public, the Chef has taken the audacious step of offering an unfailingly scrumptious series of summer specials for $11. Each meal begins with a basket of his crafted ciabatta bread accompanied by a savory tampande prepared from a blend of calamata olives and selected seasonings .Each entre is preceded by a choice of Caesar salad or homemade soup de jour.
The menu provides a broad spectrum of fish, chicken and meat signature dishes partnered with rice or potatoes plus two sides of fresh vegetables. On our most recent visit, the special of the day was Cod Loin with Lemon and Capers featuring cuts of the ocean delicacy sauted to a gentle crispness. A scoop of flavorful rice, seasoned carrots and savory red cabbage were the perfect complements for this standout dish.
Can you imagine dining on gourmet French without a wine pairing? Neither can the Chef. At the bottom of the menu look for the wine special that offers two glasses of wine for only $8. Ask the waiter or the Chef himself to suggest the appropriate vintage for your entre. Of course, you may wish to order from his modestly priced stellar collection of French and California labels supplemented by highlights from around the globe. Our Bohemian Highway's Sauvignon Blanc ($8/glass) bore a crisp and light touch while Corbett Canyon's Pinot Noir ($8/glass) was rich and supple.
Desserts at Pastis are a must and utterly inexpensive. For only $4 you can indulge in Profiteroles featuring ethereal pastry shells packed with vanilla ice cream and drizzled with semisweet sauce. For the same price, call for the flourless Chocolate Cake which has the consistency of a chocolatier's dense truffle.
Other great values can be found on the regular menu available throughout the year. Starting at only $29.99, you can enjoy a feast which includes starters such as the delectable French Onion Soup capped with a thick mantle of provolone and mozzarella or the satiny Escargot bathed by garlic and parsley infused butter sauce. After your opener, you will undoubtedly want to considerate the Roast Duck with Berries and Apricots, a crisp masterpiece brimming with inspired flourishes.
As you can imagine, the response to Pastis' summer offerings has been phenomenal. We arrived at 7:30 on a Sunday evening to find only one unoccupied table. For your comfort and convenience, Chef Leclerq suggests reservations.
Pastis
1745 South Federal Highway
(Tel) 561-265-0061
Dinner: 5 - 9 pm / Closed Monday
PALM BEACH CENTRAL NORTH
Carving Station Buffet
A Delicious Unbeatable Value
Proprietors Dennis Terwilliger and Spiros Lorenyatos keep the flow moving seamlessly. Patrons can start with fragrant bowls of homemade Creamy Celery or Turkey Noodle soup. At the outset, every table receives a basket of warn garlic rolls that works perfectly with the soups de jour. Apart from the bread, beverages and desserts, you can roam at will at each of the multiple counters packed with delicacies prepared daily in house.
If you arrive before the dinner rush, the hostess will allow you to sit practically anywhere in the main or rear dining areas. We prefer to sit in the forward section close to the counters. Strategically located, we can time our trips to the counters when there is a break in the lines. Both sectors have an inviting ambiance, although the front room offers charming views of the well tended landscape and the spacious park across the street.
The industrious staff keeps a watchful eye on the plate accumulation of each table. As soon as they sense you have finished a course, they quickly remove the platter. Our table was never unnecessarily cluttered.
With the current inflated price of vegetables, you may have switched to frozen or canned. At the salad bar you can have all the fresh picked tomatoes, cucumbers and green bell peppers without having to mortgage your future. Add some crisp lettuce, shredded carrots, selected fruits and more. Crafted macaroni, potato and tuna fish salads may have to fit on to a separate plate.
Before you step up to the carved meats you may want to try the golden fried chicken, shredded pork, meatloaf , satiny Chicken Francese or fresh tilapia, not necessarily in that order. The hand sliced specialties include turkey off the frame (served with in-house giblet gravy), succulent roast beef, juicy ham and enticing leg of lamb. Whatever space remains on your plate can be used to load up on flavorsome mashed potatoes, fluffy saffron rice and vegetables of the day.
If you can manage to consume all the mains in one sitting, the $9.59 dinner price is more than a bargain. Be sure to leave some room for the mile high treats and other sweets at the dessert bar. Our gigantic slice of Chocolate Cake ($2.79).piled high with a creamy topping and drizzled with chocolate sauce was totally scrumptious. Coffee, tea and soft drinks (with free refills) are only $1.89. These are values rarely encountered but always available at the Carving Station Buffet.
Carving Station
720 U. S Highway 1, Lake Park, FL
(Tel) 561-842-7791
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
BROWARD
Red Ginger
An Enchanting Asian Bistro with Dazzling Cuisine
For some, dining is all about style; not only of the food, but also of the ambiance and service. There is definitely a "wow" feeling when you enter this main dining room. It's chic and spectacularly inviting with just the right touches of art, subdued lighting and contemporary furnishings The first impulse when the beverage menu arrivers is to celebrate with a few uplifting martinis. The Apple, Pineapple and Pomegranate are just a few delectable choices. (Think Happy Hour: Mon-Fri, 4 to 7 pm).
The cross cultural touches are not always apparent from the menu descriptions. Fortunately one of the Kim's and the wait staff can help point out the nuances. They recommended the Crispy Crab Rangoon ($6), an exciting crackling opener filled with a rich, tantalizing mix of crab, flowing cheese, carrots and touches of pungent scallions.
What you also can't discern from the menu is the brilliant presentation of each course. Tuna Tataki ($8.50) is an eye catcher not simply because of the intense hue of the seafood, but also by virtue of the stellar placement of each segment around a scroll of tuna skillfully highlighted by the interplay between the ponzu sauce and the soft tones of the glass serving dish. There was excitement in every slice.
Unique and novel flavors are the hallmark of Polynesian Fried Rice ($10.50) served in a fresh pineapple barque. The fluffy grains are scented with a light curry and harbor plump shrimp, savory chicken, pine nuts and tidbits of the golden fruit. After one forkful, you will never want to go back to the conventional forms of fried rice.
A formidable appetite is a prerequisite for anyone wishing to finish a single serving of the Red Ginger Special ($28).Tuna of every imaginable stripe, salmon and wahoo make up the main core of sushi and sashimi. Clusters of mildly spicy tuna and salmon shared the remaining spaces with rounds of a crafted California roll. Every morsel of the satiny fish dissolved effortless on the tongue.
The Pine Nuts Shrimp ($15) is another stunning triumph. Rows of vibrant green broccoli form the foundation for a heaping portion of softly battered shrimp. Working down though the seafood, you encounter pine nuts, sweet pineapple and a vibrant honey wasabi mayo. After this prodigious entree, we realized that calling for one of the scrumptious desserts would have to wait for a future visit.
9710 West Sample Road
(Tel) 954-752-1850
Lunch and Dinner
