Ancient Love Potion from Buddha Sky Bar in Delray; Adult milkshakes from Burger Bar in Palm Beach Gardens.

Mixologists across the county will be shaking, stirring and pouring the romance for Valentine’s Day devotees. Here are some of the flirty drinks they’ll be offering:

III FORKS steak house is serving a a Black Raspberry Passion cocktail. What’s in a a Black Raspberry Passion cocktail, you ask? That would be Ketel One vodka, black raspberry liqueur, passion fruit syrup and apricot nectar. Shake with ice until chilled, then strain into a martini glass, and you’ve got a passionate sip.
III Forks: 4645 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 630-3660. | Directions, invite a friend

BURGER BAR BY CHEF ALLEN is whipping up decadent milkshakes for grown-ups, shakes like the Nutella Bourbon Adult Shake (Wild Turkey Bourbon, Nutella and Vanilla Ice Cream). For the pairing, the Palm Beach Gardens eatery is offering a $14 Truffle Burger, topped with a red wine demi-glace.
Burger Bar: 4650 Donald Ross Rd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 630-4545. | Directions, invite a friend

BUDDHA SKY BAR is concocting an “Ancient Love Potion.” The spell comes from one part chocolate vodka, one part white chocolate Godiva liqueur and three whole crushed strawberries, all shaken with ice and sieved into a martini glass.
Buddha Sky: 217 East Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 450-7557. | Directions, invite a friend

BENIHANA STUART is pouring a drink called the Red Flower Punch Bowl that, quite lavishly, is served in a punch bowl with two straws. The shareable punch bowl swims with strawberry liqueur, triple sec, raspberry puree, lemonade, cranberry juice and two kinds of vodka.

The hibachi house is also offering a Cherry Pomegranate Mojito, an amorous take on the classic, infused with Bacardi Torched Cherry rum, pomegranate liqueur and juice, grenadine syrup, mint leaves and lime wedges.
Benihana: 3602 S.E. Ocean Blvd., Stuart; (772) 286-0740. | Directions, invite a friend

Philippe Chow Boca has given its homemade red velvet cake a heart shape for sweet noshing on Valentine’s Day.
Philippe Chow: 200 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; (561) 393-4666 | Directions, invite a friend

The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach offers oceanfront cabana dining for Valentines, a sumptuous four-course dinner that’s capped with a decadent chocolate trio (chocolate souffle, chocolate crème brulee and chocolate molten cake). There’s a fire pit for after-dinner sipping as well.  The cabana dinner, served from 6 to 10 p.m., is $600 per couple, plus tax and tip. Reservations are required.
Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach: 100 South Ocean Blvd., Manalapan; (561) 540-4924 | Directions, invite a friend

Chef Dean James Max at Swank Farm in Loxahatchee. (J. Gwendolynne Berry / Palm Beach Post)

LOXAHATCHEE — Here is Dean James Max, the acclaimed South Florida chef, in his most fitting context: at a farm, amid the newly sprouting crops.

Beside him sprouts a row of green-tinged cauliflower, almost ready for harvest. And just down the way are Swank Farm’s hydroponic beds of emergent baby greens, cress, peppers, radishes, broccoli rabe, bush beans, you name it, blooming with possibilities.

Max, born and raised a farm boy, knows these vegetables well. They fuel his inspiration at his five restaurants, including 3030 Ocean restaurant in Fort Lauderdale (and until recently at 3800 Ocean in Singer Island, which Max opened last year but departed weeks ago).

Like many of South Florida chef disciples of farm-to-table cookery, Max is quite familiar with this beloved boutique farm.

Photos: Chef Dean James Max’ luncheon at Swank Farm

"Chefs love coming here. We just walk around, picking and tasting," says Max, 44, on this recent Sunday, addressing a casual gathering at Jodi and Darrin Swank’s family farm. The lunch guests, mostly city-dwelling foodies in farm-chic attire, nibble on cornmeal scones with sweet tomato jam and sip spicy Bloody Marys garnished with a sprig of Swank parsley.

Max has come to Swank Farm, along with pastry chef Jennifer Reed, to create an al fresco lunch using farm-fresh ingredients, such as lamb from Deep Creek Ranch, just north of Deland, pork from Palmetto Creek Farms, near Sebring, and, of course, glorious baby greens from Swank.

But perhaps the most important ingredient in his culinary arsenal is restraint. He is careful not to mask the natural flavors of meats and produce with heavy marinades, dressings or sauces.

To enhance the flavor of the lamb shoulder, which would be barbecued, minced and served in butter lettuce cups, Max roasted the meat on a Cayman Islands-style caboose grill, the same kind he uses at his Brasserie restaurant in Grand Cayman. With Max’s specifications, Darrin Swank built a replica of the old-style sand-bottom grill, which gave the lamb, as well as the pork, a lovely smokiness.

Max served the tender, scaloppini-thin pork with a vibrant kumquat chutney for what arguably was the best bite of the day.

Nicole Jackson and Paula DaSilva have some fun during the luncheon. (J. Gwendolynne Berry / Palm Beach Post)

For Max, who moved to Stuart from a Chesapeake Bay-area farm in Virginia when he was 12, the best dishes are those made of fresh, well curated ingredients. The success of something as basic as a salad dressing depends on the strength of its components, says the chef who was a semifinalist last year for a James Beard "best chef" award.

"We use high-quality oils and vinegars. We’ll use a really clean grape- seed oil and add very little extra virgin olive oil. We’ll use all different types of vinegars – honey vinegar, Champagne vinegar, apple cider vinegar – that are good, high-quality products," says Max, who lives in Boca Raton and travels regularly to Ohio (Cleveland and Columbus), Dallas and Grand Cayman to spend several days at a time at his restaurants.

The chef, who grew up feeding chickens and pigs, driving a tractor, lugging irrigation pipes and maneuvering a seeder, skipping Saturday morning cartoons and other city kid activities, seemed invigorated by his day at Swank.

"To be out in the farm environment takes me back to my childhood, when we used to run through the tomato fields," he says. "You miss it."

COOKING COUNTRY-STYLE WITH DEAN JAMES MAX

The nationally acclaimed chef shares tips and tidbits on ingredients, method and gadgets

ON MARINADES: For the Swank lunch, Max used an understated marinade of fresh rosemary and thyme with a little olive oil on the meats he grilled.

"We kept it very simple. I don’t want to take away the natural flavors from the meat," he says.

If, for instance, he were to use a sour orange marinade on pork, he’d grill the meat, separately bringing the leftover marinade to a boil. Once seared, the meat would be returned to the boiled marinade and cooked at low or indirect heat.

ON DRESSING GREENS: Max favors a light oil, such as grapeseed oil, for dressing farm-fresh greens. "A lot of people will add a ton of olive oil to a dressing, but it really overpowers the salad. It’s better to use a cleaner-tasting oil and add just a little olive oil for flavor – to 3/4 cup grape seed, you’d use 1/4 cup olive oil," he says.

If you’re going to add citrus, like orange juice, to your dressing, Max suggests cooking it down first.

For a flavorful citrus dressing, he whisks together:

1/4 cup of reduced (simmered down) orange juice

1/2 tablespoon of Dijon-style mustard

1/8 cup of Champagne vinegar

And ‘just under’ 1/2 cup grapeseed oil

ON GRILLING: When grilling delicate meats like lamb and pork, Max keeps the meats tender by keeping them thin. "You don’t want this super-thick chunk. The grill can be very drying. So you grill them thin to sear them, then move them to indirect heat or to an earthenware container, with the lid down, to finish them off," he says.

For the Swank lunch, Max grilled thin-cut pork directly over the flames so it would cook quickly and remain beautifully tender.

THE MENU

Starter

A Swanky Bloody Mary

Cornmeal and raisin scone with tomato jam

Appetizer

Fish dip with radishes,

broccoli florets and carrots

Chilled curry cauliflower soup

Spicy royal red shrimp

Crispy shallot atop a

deviled egg with salad greens

Pole bean salad with radish, pecorino, baby greens with a bacon brown butter vinaigrette

Salad with Winter Park blue cheese, rainbow beets, almonds, kale greens with a Florida citrus vinaigrette

Main

Turnip puree with roasted turnips and wilted tops

Grilled pork loin with kumquat chutney and mache greens

Braised lamb shoulder barbecue with butter lettuce cups

Desserts

Fromage blanc mousse with Florida strawberries and basil

Mini house-made moonpies and carrot cupcakes

SWANK TABLE

The next chefs’ lunch at Swank Farm is scheduled for March 4, from noon to 4 p.m. The featured chefs are Lindsay Autry (former Omphoy executive chef and Top Chef Texas chef’testant), Mark Militello (Shaka, Coconut Creek) and Simon Stojanovic (Altamare, Miami Beach).

The lunch, which costs $144 per person, benefits the Red Cross and features an appearance by cookbook author Judith Olney.

For information and reservations, visit SwankSpecialtyProduce.com or call (561) 202-5648.

The lobster roll ($25) is one of Kabuki's signature dishes (Thomas Cordy / Palm Beach Post)

The Japanese art form of kabuki tells vivid stories through dance and theatrical performance. On Clematis Street in downtown West Palm, the new sushi and Thai tapas spot named Kabuki expresses its theatrical storylines on the plate.

Fresh, decadent sushi rolls — with names like Sugar Mama, Lava Drops and The Chick — are vibrantly presented. Soul-satisfying Thai noodles and curry dishes arrive in abundant portions. The bar pours some sexy cocktails, in addition to a selection of sakes, wines and beers.

Opened just two months ago, Kabuki is enjoying a well-deserved amount of Clematis Street heat, with its weeknights bustling and weekends remarkably busy. On my first visit to the stylishly set eatery, I found the place hopping. It was one of those very chilly nights during a recent cold snap, a Tuesday at that. Yet the place was alive with diners chattering against up-tempo tunes.

Directions, invite a friend

On that night, it was love at first bite for me — first bite, that is, of a 561 Ocean roll ($8, half roll), fresh diced tuna, cucumber, avocado and Japanese omelet in a light soy paper wrap. When dipped in the accompanying spicy ponzu sauce, the super-fresh, clean flavors just popped.

That roll shared space on our table with a couple of dynamite tapas. A pan-seared mini crab cake ($9), filled with lots of delicious crab and served with a kaffir lime leaf-scented panang curry sauce, offered an out-of-this-world bite. Ditto for a dish of beautifully pan-seared scallops ($9) arrived nestled in an orange reduction, with crisp bacon, edamame, sweet corn and baby carrots.

We sampled a couple of the eatery’s Thai dishes that night and came away with the feeling that there must be a Thai chef in the kitchen because the dishes were surprisingly delectable. (As it turns out, there are two Thai chefs in Kabuki’s kitchen, working alongside a Japanese chef, a manager told me this week.)

The shrimp pad Thai ($16) offered large, tender shrimp in a tangle of rice noodles tossed in sweet peanut goodness with scallions and bean sprouts. Though teetering on the sweet side, the pad Thai sang in lovely harmony.

At the recommendation of our friendly server, we also ordered a chicken in a coconut-rich, red curry sauce ($14) fragrant with Thai basil. It, too, was quite delicious, although it was overly laden with bamboo shoots.

Kabuki was hopping when I returned on a recent Friday night. Diners filled the eatery’s sidewalk tables as well as the tables, booths and sushi bar inside. On a Friday night, it feels as if Clematis’ own brand of kabuki theater is happening outside, as diners and club-goers shuffle through an invigorated scene. Just across the street, a new wine bar (the Wine Dive) is well populated. All promising signs that, despite the recent closings of Luigi’s and Bahama Mama’s, Clematis Street remains the liveliest street hub on downtown’s dining scene.

To reflect the street’s party mood, we ordered a Passion Berry Caipirinha ($10). Reflecting a backlog in orders, and service that is still a bit disjointed on weekend nights, the cocktail took a while in reaching us. When it did, it was delightful, a zingy drink infused with fresh raspberries and Brazilian cachaça.

The cocktail lent a fresh contrast to our Tempura Tapa ($9) starter dish of battered and fried shrimp, onion, sweet potato, broccoli and zucchini – all tender inside, crispy outside.

Next came a couple of appetizing rolls: a small, seaweed-wrapped salmon maki roll ($5) with buttery salmon bits and scallion, and a daimyo roll ($7, half roll), filled with chunks of yellowtail, tuna, salmon, avocado, scallion, smelt roe and a dab of wasabi mayo.

Like most of the dishes at Kabuki, the rolls go to the heart of the eatery’s quickly garnered popularity. They’re fresh, mainstream fare, accessible to a broad range of palates. Yes, this is a place with a good many tempura-meets-cream-cheese rolls. But it does what it does well.

Well, most of the time. Kabuki’s signature pineapple fried rice ($20), a curry-tinged rice with chicken, shrimp, vegetables, cashews and raisins, artfully served in a scooped-out pineapple shell, was not nearly as fluffy as the simple house fried rice ($2 with an entree). For all its dramatic staging, the rice was unevenly cooked.

However, the very mainstream (and demurely presented) salmon teriyaki ($20), a delectably moist Scottish salmon fillet lacquered sweetly and pungently, was one of our best bites of the night.

R E V I E W

Kabuki

FOOD: A-

SERVICE: B

ADDRESS: 308 Clematis St., West Palm Beach

TELEPHONE: (561) 833-6349

WEBSITE: kabukiwpb.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

HOURS: Open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., Friday and Saturday to midnight.

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Accepted; walk-ins welcome

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A

Rocco Mangel may do his trademark 'Tequila' dance on the bar at the opening of Rocco's Tacos in Palm Beach Gardens. (Post file photo)

The long-awaited grand opening of the Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar on PGA Boulevard happens Wednesday, Feb. 1, in full frenzied Rocco’s style.

There’s an open bar from 7 to 10 p.m., pouring Patron and Milagro tequilas, Stoli, Grand Marnier and Dos Equis. And there’s live music by DJ Jeffrey Michaels and Mariachi Pancho Villa.

Word has it owner Rocco Mangel will be doing his trademark "Tequila!" dance on the bar and pouring free shots of Patron into revelers’ mouths.

It’s the fourth Rocco’s location for the string of popular Mexican eateries owned by Mangel and Big Time Restaurant Group.

Rocco’s PGA, with indoor and outdoor seating, will open for dinner only this Thursday through Sunday nights. On Monday, Feb. 6, the restaurant and bar will open for its regular business hours, serving lunch and dinner.

Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar: 5090 PGA Blvd. (PGA Commons), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 623-0127; RoccosTacos.com. | Directions, invite a friend

CHEFS, FOODIES TURN OUT FOR BREEZY LUNCH AT THE FARM

Organic farmers Jodi and Darrin Swank of Loxahatchee’s Swank Farm brought the table to their family farm Sunday, Jan. 29, for their second farm-to-table lunch of the season.

Guest chef Dean James Max, a Stuart-raised farm boy whose modern American cuisine has earned him national acclaim, worked his magic with Swank baby greens, pole beans, peppers, radishes, cauliflower and a range of other freshly harvested gems.

Pastry chef Jennifer Reed of the Sugar Monkey created and served a fromage blanc mousse with Florida strawberries and basil, along with mini homemade moonpies and carrot cupcakes. Her sous chef for the day: a four-time James Beard Award finalist for Best Chef South. That would be husband Zach Bell, the former chef de cuisine at Café Boulud, who is now head chef at the Addison Reserve Country Club in Boca Raton.

A host of chefs and foodies made the dirt-road trek to attend the sold-out farm lunch, which benefited the Slow Foods Glades to Coast advocate and educational movement. Among them: Top Chef Texas chef’testant and former Omphoy executive chef Lindsay Autry, Ritz Carlton Palm Beach executive chef Ryan Artim, acclaimed New York Times food columnist and author Florence Fabricant, Slow Foods Glades to Coast leader Diane Campion, local sommelier extraordinaire Jenny Benzie, and local chef/restaurateur Chrissy Benoit.

We’ll have more on the lunch in next week’s Accent Food & Dining section, when stop for a chat with chef Dean Max at Swank.
SUPER BOWL PARTY FOR THE TROOPS

American Super Bowl spirit will arrive in the form of deep-dish, Chicago-style pizza for thousands of U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan.

The hearty taste of home will be delivered by DHL Express, which has teamed up with the non-profit group Pizza 4 Patriots and UNO pizza eateries.

Some 10,000 of UNO’s Original Deep Dish pizzas are en route to various bases and camps, where they will feed more than 30,000 American troops on Super Bowl Sunday.

For more information on the Pizzas 4 Patriots mission, visit: www.Pizzas4Patriots.com.

Chef Aaron Sanchez calls pozole, a hearty Mexican soup, 'table-slapping good'. (Photo by Michael Harlan Turnbull/Courtesy of Atria)

Aarón Sánchez, chef, restaurateur, author, Food Network star and human heat-seeking missile, knows his pozole.

He can go on about the qualities of the long-simmering stew, how it finds its richness in pork and hominy, chiles and Mexican oregano, the kind that grew wild in his family’s ranch in northern Mexico. Pozole is soul food.

“It’s our Vietnamese pho. It’s coddled and taken care of. If there’s one word to describe it, it’s ‘nourishment,’” Sánchez, co-star of the Food Network’s Heat Seekers and Chopped, says by phone.

But it’s also party food, best served community-style, alongside small dishes filled with cool, crunchy and vibrant toppings. The steaming hot soup, swimming with pork chunks and hominy puffs, is topped with contrasting garnishes like crisp radish slices, raw, diced onion, fried corn tortilla strips, a pinch of dried oregano and a squeeze of lime.

“I have a lot of fun with it. I put pickled red onions in mine,” says Sánchez, 36, who comes to South Florida later this month for several appearances during the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. “I love the briny-ness of the onions with the richness of the pozole.”

It makes one satisfying dish that’s perfect Super Bowl half-time feasting.

Not only does it save you the work of creating a multi-dish buffet, it pairs terrifically with cold beer.
As for Sánchez, he’ll do his Super Bowl cooking in Indianapolis — at the Super Bowl. As a spokes-chef for Bud Light, he’ll be grilling Mexican-style carne asada at a tailgate bash.

Who does he like to win? The Giants, of course. The El Paso-born chef, who owns Céntrico restaurant in Manhattan, has called New York home since he was about 8.

POZOLE ROJO
“I think my nose is outfitted with pozole GPS,” writes Aarón Sánchez in his book, Simple Food, Big Flavor. “Anytime I’m in Mexico and hunger strikes, I can sniff out a great bowl whether I know the neighborhood or not. Compulsively slurpable, this hearty soup starts out delicious — an aromatic chile-spiked broth floating with hominy — and after you’re done topping it with chopped onions, herbs, and crunchy fried tortilla strips, it’s table-slapping good.”

Serves: 8
One 6-pound boneless pork butt
1 quart chicken stock (low-sodium
store-bought is fine)
1 head garlic, separated
into cloves and peeled
Salt
1 teaspoon dried whole oregano
(preferably Mexican), crumbled
2 1/2 cups Chile Colorado Sauce
(see recipe at right)
Three 15-ounce cans white
hominy, drained

FOR THE GARNISH:
Vegetable oil, for frying
8 corn tortillas, cut into thin strips
Finely chopped white onion
Thinly sliced radishes
Lime wedges
Dried whole oregano (preferably Mexican), crumbled

Put the pork in a large heavy stockpot or Dutch oven. Add 3 quarts water, the stock, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil.
Skim off and discard any foam that rises to the surface. Stir in the oregano, reduce the heat, and simmer gently, uncovered, until the pork is tender, about 3 hours.
Lift the pork out of the broth onto a cutting board. Shred the pork with two forks and return it to the broth along with the Chile Colorado Sauce and hominy and another teaspoon of salt.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
While the pozole cooks, line a baking sheet with paper towels. Pour 1 / 2 inch of vegetable oil into a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the surface shimmers but the oil is not smoking (if it is, reduce the heat!), fry the tortilla strips in batches — so you don’t crowd the skillet — just until they’re golden brown, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer them to the paper towels to drain and sprinkle them very lightly with salt while they’re still hot.
Serve bowls of pozole with the tortilla strips and bowls of onion, radish slices, lime wedges, and oregano and let your guests garnish their own servings.

EASY PARTY POZOLE
My friend Karen Branch-Brioso, who adapted this recipe from a cookbook set published decades ago by Mexico’s Social Security Institute, serves this stew alongside an array of cool, crunchy toppings — and lots of lime.

1 onion, chopped
1 head of garlic, cloves separated, peeled and chopped
6 cups of white hominy (canned)
A rack of pork spareribs (SEE NOTE)
2 dried guajillo chiles
2 bay leaves

In a large stock pot, bring to a boil 20 cups of water, onion and garlic, meat and hominy. Reduce heat and simmer until the spareribs are fall-off-the-bone tender, about 1 hour.
While the stew is simmering, prepare the chiles:
Remove veins from the chiles. Soak them in warm water to reconstitute them. Then grind them (in a blender or food processor).
Remove meat and shred or slice.
Return meat to pot. Add the blended chiles and bay leaves and continue to cook the stew on low heat until all the flavors have melded.

FOR THE GARNISHES
While the pozole is cooking, you can prepare the following complements and place them in serving dishes:
Shredded lettuce (iceberg is fine)
Radishes, thinly sliced
White onion, diced
6 limes (cut into fourths or eighths)
Dried oregano
Ground chili pepper

NOTE: If you’d like a heartier, meaty stew, you can use more meat than listed in this recipe. And if you’re adventurous, says Branch-Brioso, you can use the meats called for in the original Mexican recipe: 6 pieces of hog’s head, 6 pieces of pig knuckles and 3 pigs’ feet, cut into pieces. She prefers to use spareribs because the bones and fatty meat provides a lot of flavor for the pozole broth.

CHILE COLORADO SAUCE
“It’s a beautiful thing,” writes Sánchez about this base sauce, “A little tangy from the tomatillos, a touch sweet from the tomatoes and onions, and packed with flavor (not heat) from the ancho and guajillo chiles. And making it fills your kitchen with the same awesome smells I was blessed to experience growing up.”

Makes: 2 quarts
3 medium Spanish or white
onions, quartered
8 medium fresh tomatillos,
husked and washed
4 plum tomatoes, cored
and quartered
8 whole garlic cloves, peeled
Olive oil, for drizzling
1 ancho chile (1/2 ounce), stemmed, seeded, and
deveined
1 quart chicken stock (low-sodium store-bought is fine)
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper

Preheat the broiler.
Put the onions, tomatillos, tomatoes and garlic on a baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil. Put the baking sheet under the broiler and cook without turning until the vegetables start to get charred, about 7 minutes. Remove, set aside, and let cool to room temperature.
In a large dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast the guajillos, turning them over halfway through, just until they smell great, about 1 minute. Transfer them to a bowl, cover them with hot water, and let them soak until they’re soft, about 30 minutes. Drain the chiles and discard the soaking water.
Combine the vegetables and chiles in a blender with the chicken stock (you’ll have to work in batches) and puree until the mixture is very smooth. Transfer each batch to a bowl and it’s done, and stir the batches together well. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month.

CHEF SÁNCHEZ’S TIPS
Simple ways to use this sauce:
“Let pork, chicken, or beef hang out in it for a few hours, throw the meat on the grill and you’re a happy camper,” writes Sánchez in his book.
“Thin it with some chicken stock and you have a killer base for soup or the liquid for some truly amazing braising — think pork butt, belly, ribs, tongue.”

A TIP ON DRIED CHILES
“Look for the freshest dried chiles you can get your hands on — just because they’re dried doesn’t mean they last forever,” writes Sánchez. “They should have temps and be soft enough that you can bend them in half without breaking them. When you find good ones, buy a lot and store them in an airtight jar or bag in a cool, dark place. They’ll keep for months.”

Recipes and tips from “Simple Food, Big Flavor,” by Aarón Sánchez (Atria Books)

• VIEWING BASH AT DECK 84
If you view Sunday’s big game at Deck 84, the popular waterfront eatery in Delray Beach, you can get copious amounts of football-friendly grub, live entertainment and the chance to meet a few current and former NFL ballers.

Hosted by Prep and Sports, a Delray-based nonprofit that provides academic guidance and athletic training to underserved youth, this second annual viewing party will raise funds for the organization’s youth programs.

Dine on deck or join the floating VIP party aboard two yachts docked at the restaurant.

Find a Super Bowl event near you

General tickets, which include a buffet, are $60 in advance and $75 at the door. VIP tickets for the party aboard the Lady Atlantic cost $150 in advance or $175 at the door, and buy you access to a buffet, unlimited drinks and a chance to mingle with players.

Here’s the game plan: Deck 84’s Super Bowl viewing party kicks off at 4 p.m. Sunday at 840 East Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Buy tickets online at prepandsports.org or in person at Delray Yacht Cruises, 801 E. Atlantic Ave. Contact the restaurant at deck84.com, or (561) 665-8484. | Directions, invite a friend

• PARTY AT GREASE BURGER BAR
How do Super Bowl sliders and 50-cent wings sound as party munchies for the big game? Grease Burger Bar’s got you covered. The downtown West Palm burger joint will whoop it up with burgers, wings, $12 domestic beer buckets and jello shots every time one of the Super Bowl teams score. To make sure you don’t miss a single touchdown, Grease will have 14 flat screen TVs tuned in. Party starts at 6 p.m. Sunday.

Grease Burger Bar: 213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Phone: (561) 651-1075. Website: greasewpb.com | Directions, invite a friend

• ITALIAN TAILGATE
All locations of Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza are cooking up a tailgate catering special on game day, offering a $13 menu inspired by Hall of Famer Dan Marino’s #13 jersey. (Marino is an Anthony’s CFP partner.)

The ItalianTailgate take-out special includes traditional and specialty pizzas, Anthony’s classic salad, hand-rolled meatballs, coal oven roasted chicken wings and pork spare ribs with vinegar peppers. (There’s a minimum 10-person order).

To find a location near you or order online or for more menu options, visit anthonyscoalfiredpizza.com | Find a location near you

Z DUFFY’S ON GAME DAY
With more than 50 plasma TVs, $11 domestic beer buckets ($15 premium) and 2-for-1 happy hour prices, all Duffy’s Sports Grills’ locations will be Super Bowl watch zones. Find the closest location at duffysmvp.com | Find a nearby Duffy’s

Some guests are seated around 'The Tree' at Beef Wellington Steakhouse. (Brandon Kruse / Palm Beach Post)

Beef Wellington Steakhouse and Social Club inhabits a space that once served as a movie theater. The old Silver Screen Cinema closed nearly two years ago, but the cinematic essence of the space has not been lost.

It soars in the form of a lifelike oak tree – which is lifelike because it was living not so very long ago. The steak house’s owners "rescued" the tree from a construction site on Forest Hill Boulevard.

"They cut it apart and banded it together again," general manager Cheryl McNamee told me days after I dined at the restaurant. "And they attached 80,000 little silk ficus leaves to it."

Directions, invite a friend

A meticulous undertaking to be sure, but one conducted in the name of ambiance. In the main dining room, customers can now dine beneath the twinkle of lights that spread across the tree’s branches. Or they can choose a spot in the "social club" area near the bar, a table in the loft area where the cinema’s projection booth once beamed 35mm film images, or a spot outside on the patio near the eatery’s fire pit.

There are lots of options here and, as I found on a recent visit, the management does its best to let diners know that, although the same menu is served in all areas, they can tailor their dining experience by choosing where they sit. We chose a spot near The Tree and within moments our server, Frantz, appeared to welcome us. Efficient and knowledgeable on the menu, he charmed us with his recollections of the old cinema and gave us a sense that this was not simply a cavernous restaurant with big, ranch-style décor and oldies spinning in the background – it was a place with a cool previous life.

I dwell a bit here on Frantz because, frankly, the good service was the best part of our dining experience at Beef Wellington. As for the food: It’s a pretty average steakhouse.

The Beef Wellington Steakhouse's namesake dish. (Brandon Kruse / Palm Beach Post)

We did, however, sample some noteworthy dishes. We began our early-side dinner with one of the restaurant’s most popular appetizers, the artichoke, onion and cheese gratin ($5), a baked cheese fondue chunky with artichoke and slivered onions, the onions both raw and cooked for a range of spicy-sweet flavor notes. This is not the traditional, overly thick artichoke dip – it’s a thinner, more velvety dip, served with flat crackers and thin, toasted garlic bread. While the toast could have been warmer, the dip itself proved to be light, yet nicely oniony.

It was midweek and happy hour (5 to 7 p.m.), and this meant we could select from the restaurant’s midweek $25 three-course menu (available Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) and enjoy half-priced house wine.

We chose a petite New York strip from the three-course menu (although the steak is not listed on the special menu, our server offered us the option). The steak, just the right size for a multi-course meal, was not extraordinary, but it was a serviceable cut of meat presented with an ample bouquet of vegetables.

But first, we ordered the house’s wedge salad ($10), an abundant salad that crackled, popped and pleased with fresh, cool iceberg, bacon and creamy blue cheese.

I also sampled the house’s namesake dish, the Beef Wellington ($29), an interesting take on the classic, pté-coated and puff pastry-wrapped steak. This beef arrives with a lace bonnet of puff pastry. The filet mignon is topped with homemade duck pté, mustard, wild mushroom duxelles and roast shallot jus, a flavor combo that can read a little too sweet on a palate unaccustomed or not fond of beef Wellington.

I have to say that while I’m not a fan of pté-smeared steak, the filet itself was delicious, cooked to the juicy, medium-rare doneness I had requested. I would order it again – without the Wellington bonnet and accoutrements.

The steak was served with quite nice mashed potatoes, crisp, thin-sliced ovals of steamed carrots, green beans and extra-large asparagus spears.

We wrapped up our meal with a tangy Key lime pie ($6). Like our other dishes, this pie, served with fresh strawberries, had its twist as well. Its filling was blended, almost frothy. Like the pastry bonnet, it was an unnecessary twist on a classic, but it was fresh and just fine.

Like the movies that once streamed in here, Beef Wellington is a place with interesting twists. With its good service, ongoing service and decent food, it does well by this former movie house in Wellington.

R E V I E W

Beef Wellington Steakhouse and Social Club

FOOD: B

SERVICE: A –

ADDRESS: 12795 West Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington

TELEPHONE: (561) 629-7987

WEBSITE: BeefWellingtonSteakhouse.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive

HOURS: Open for dinner at 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday. Closed Monday.

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Walk-ins welcome

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A

Chefs in new places: Giordano Tonelli is chef/owner of La Scaletta in North Palm Beach, while Julian Gremaud is executive chef at PB Catch on Palm Beach.

What’s cooking at the county’s new batch of eateries? Here’s the dish…

In Palm Beach:
PB CATCH, a seafood restaurant and raw bar opened last month by the team behind Pistache in downtown West Palm, is off to a buzz-worthy start on The Island. The menu is as sexy and polished as the place itself (think seared Florida yellowfin tuna with a pineapple-cucumber-jicama slaw and a sesame emulsion).
PB Catch: 251 Sunrise Ave. (next to Publix), Palm Beach. Phone: (561) 655-5558. Website: pbcatch.com

In Wellington:
BANNASTROW’S CREPES AND COFFEE, a creperie serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition to build-your-own crepes, the menu includes smoothies and specialty coffees. This is the first Palm Beach County location for the Miami-based franchise.
BannaStrow’s: 9108 Forest Hill Blvd. Wellington. Phone: (561) 318-8256. Website: bannastrows.com

In North Palm:
LA SCALETTA RISTORANTE & PIZZERIA, a northern Italian-inspired restaurant, has opened at the newly re-energized Crystal Tree Plaza, in the former Kubo space. Chef/owner is Giordano “Giordy” Tonelli, formerly of Mr. Milano’s on PGA Boulevard. The menu includes homemade pastas, pizzas, a three-course Sunset Menu (served from 4 to 6 p.m., for $16.95, not including tax and tip), and the chef’s signature dishes.
La Scaletta Ristorante & Pizzeria: 1201 US Highway 1 (in the Crystal Tree Plaza, south of PGA Boulevard) in North Palm Beach. Phone: (561) 630-8500. Website: lascalettagardens.com

In Delray Beach:
BREATHE, a stylish Mediterranean-fusion restaurant and lounge, is now open on Atlantic Avenue. The menu includes starters like grilled shrimp over minty tabbouleh and main courses such as rosemary-scented grilled lamb chops.
Breathe: 401 W. Atlantic Ave. (just west of Swinton), Delray Beach. Phone: (561) 330-4526. Website: breatheindelray.com

UNION, an Asian-inspired, small-plates “gastro-lounge,” has opened in the spot formerly occupied by Caliente Kitchen. Commanding the kitchen is South Florida fusion chef Rich Achaia. Union: 8 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach. Phone: (561) 330-4236.

DESTINATION DINING
Fort Lauderdale

STONE CRAB AND SEAFOOD FESTIVAL

Fort Lauderdale’s Riverwalk Trust celebrates the fresh, local catch this Saturday at the Stone Crab and Seafood Festival, a free event that’s open to the public.
Local restaurants will take part in the festival, serving stone crabs for purchase, as well as their specialty seafood dishes.
FEST INFO: The festival, which runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., takes place on the lawn of the Riverside Hotel, at 620 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale. For more information, call (954) 468-1541, ext. 201 or visit goriverwalk.com.

Chef Christopher Slawson juices carrots at his restaurant, Christopher's Kitchen, in Palm Beach Gardens. (Brandon Kruse / Palm Beach Post)

Although we’re just three and a half weeks into the year, the most avid juicers among us are working their way through their fourth bunch of kale, third bag of carrots, second sack of apples and an untold amount of organic herbs, ginger and berries.

If you’re not a juicer yourself, surely you know one – that health-seeking friend who’s on a cleanse, or on an energy-boosting mission, or an antioxidant spree, or all the above. Their green juice photos on Facebook may not make you drool the way, say, dulce de leche-filled crepes make you drool. But, admit it, you’re a tad intrigued by that green juice and its professed superpowers.

I was intrigued enough to pay a visit to Christopher Slawson, chef and juice magician, at Christopher’s Kitchen, the stylish Palm Beach Gardens café where he serves organic, plant-based foods. His juices and power smoothies are wildly popular.

Perhaps that’s because Slawson knows making a good juice requires more than tossing a bunch of greens in the blender. It requires an artful pairing of flavor notes – like the zing of lemon with the sweetness of beets, the warmth of ginger with the refreshing qualities of cucumbers.

It also requires technique, as some ingredients should be extracted in a juicer and others should be whirred in a blender. Some of the best juices he makes are a combination of extracted and blended ingredients.

His Sweet Green smoothie, for instance, is a milkshake-thick drink made with the extracted juices of kale, cilantro, parsley, ginger and cucumber all blended with pineapple, mango and a drizzle of raw honey. The vibrant smoothie is topped with a scattering of tart, chewy goji berries. It’s a sublime combo – sweet, tart and grassy all at once – that sells (quite well) for a hefty $13.95.

Slawson uses the same juice-and-blend technique on his Antioxidant Rush smoothie, blending mango and blueberries with the juice of carrots, beets and lemon.

His best-selling juice, a detox combo known as the Maui, skips the blender. He simply extracts the juice of cucumbers, celery, parsley, kale, lemon, apple and ginger. It pours like a vibrant iced green tea, but it hums with multiple flavor notes. It’s the chef’s go-to breakfast.

“I start my day off with a fresh juice, like the Maui, or a protein shake,” says Slawson. “The great thing about doing this kind of liquid breakfast is that it gives your digestive system a rest while providing a punch of nutrients.”

Dr. Ken Grey, a holistic physician and acupuncturist on the staff of Jupiter Medical, echoes Slawson’s appreciation for juicing beyond January.

“The premise of juicing is that you’re helping nutrients go to the bloodstream without activating too much of the stomach or the digestive system – you’re giving the body a break somewhat,” says Grey, who routinely prescribes juice combos for his patients.

He advises, however, to add a “warming” ingredient such as ginger to maximize the absorption of nutrients.

“I always add ginger for the warming benefits. It helps your body assimilate the nutrients and transport them to where they need to go,” says Grey, who explains that purely cold ingredients could tax and weaken the spleen.

Grey’s favorite juice base is a blend of carrots, beets and ginger. “That’s my triumvirate. I build from there, adding kale or apple, or cucumbers,” he says.

He adds cucumbers to help leech toxins and hydrate skin. For energy, he adds a nutritional green powder (he likes “Super Sprouts” by Harmonic Innerprizes).

Grey cautions against more traditional, dairy-based smoothies.

“They become a sugar and dairy fest,” he says. “Your digestion gets taxed. You feel sluggish and bloated.”

A word about the kitchen gadgets one may or may not need for these healthy liquefying endeavors: juicers and blenders perform two very different functions.

Ideally, says Slawson, you should have both a juicer and a blender, so you can extract the juice from high-nutrient greens but also have the ability to create thicker drinks.

If he had to choose one or the other, Grey says he’d opt for a good juicer any day of the week. Nutritionally speaking, he says, it yields more powerful benefits.

CHRISTOPHER’S KITCHEN’S ‘ANTIOXIDANT RUSH’ SMOOTHIE

Makes: 1 large smoothie

4 to 5 carrots

1 beet

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 cup mango

1 cup blueberries

In a juicer, juice the carrots and beet. To that juice, stir in lemon juice.

In a blender, add the veggie-lemon juices, mango and blueberries. Blend until the smoothie is the consistency of a thick shake. Pour and enjoy.

CHRISTOPHER’S KITCHEN’S ‘MAUI’ JUICE

Makes: 1 large juice

2 stalks celery

1 cucumber

1/2 lemon

1 small Gala apple

1 small piece ginger, or to taste

1 handful parsley

2 leaves kale

In a juicer, juice all ingredients.

Stir and enjoy.

CHRISTOPHER’S KITCHEN’S ‘SWEET GREEN’ SMOOTHIE

Makes: 1 large smoothie

2 cucumbers

2 leaves kale

1 handful cilantro

1 handful parsley

Pinch fresh ginger

Juice of 1/2 lime

1/2 cup pineapple

1/2 cup mango

Raw honey, to taste

Goji berries, for topping

In a juicer, juice the cucumbers, kale, cilantro, parsley and ginger. To that juice, stir in lime juice.

In a blender, add the veggie-lime juices, pineapple, mango and honey. Blend until the smoothie is the consistency of a thick shake.

Top with goji berries. Enjoy!

All recipes by Christopher Slawson of Christopher’s Kitchen, 4783 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 318-6191; christopherskitchenfl.com | Directions, invite a friend

The local dining scene sizzles just a little less today, with the departure of four distinguished chefs:

At the Omphoy

Chef Michelle Bernstein, the James Beard Award-winning chef, restaurateur and TV food star, will no longer be involved with the Omphoy resort in south Palm Beach as of Feb. 1, according to a statement released by her publicist Monday. “She and husband/partner, David Martinez, continue to own/operate Sra. Martinez, Michy’s and Crumb on Parchment in Miami,” according to the statement.

Bernstein’s executive chef, Lindsay Autry, one of the six surviving chef’testants on Bravo’s Top Chef: Texas series, left the Omphoy earlier this month. No word yet on where Autry’s headed – or whether her early departure hints at a Top Chef win. (The competition continues on Bravo TV today at 10 p.m.)

At 3800 Ocean

Chef Dean James Max, the Stuart-raised chef whose modern American seafood cuisine has earned him national acclaim, has parted ways with 3800 Ocean, the Singer Island Marriott eatery he opened last spring.
The restaurant’s seasonally inspired concept continues, as Max devotes his time to his 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale, and other restaurant properties in Cleveland, Dallas and Grand Cayman.

“I loved that place and the people of Singer Island really supported it. But the (building logistics) made it difficult. The hotel had only one kitchen,” says Max, a semifinalist last year for a prestigious James Beard “Best Chef South” Award.

Max says he was reluctant to take on the resort’s breakfast and lunch operations. “It’s hard to blend the two (earlier meals and dinner service).”
The Boca Raton-based chef says he doesn’t rule out future Palm Beach County endeavors. “It’s so close to home for me. But you have to be in the right spot. I want to grow in that area, for the long term, in the right way.”

At SpoonFed

Chef Glen Manfra is no longer at SpoonFed, the 3-month-old Delray Beach restaurant born from a five-month, temporary “pop-up” eatery Manfra called – what else? – the Pop Up. SpoonFed remains open for business on busy Atlantic Avenue. AMG Restaurants, which owns SpoonFed, expressed gratitude to Manfra for his ” culinary expertise as well as his vast knowledge as a restauranteur” in a prepared statement.

Natasha Daniels handles all things citrus for the Ritz-Carlton in Manalapan. (Photo by Jason Nuttle)

All the luxe Palm Beach spots have sommeliers, those wine wizards who can riff on things like “terroir” and “mouthfeel.” The Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach has those, of course — and now they also have a Citrus Sommelier.

Natasha Daniels is the “sommelier” entrusted with all things (fresh-squeezed) citrus, from fresh juice to smoothies to juice cocktails at the resort’s Temple Orange restaurant during Sunday brunch.

The restaurant’s namesake fruit, a sweet orange and tangerine hybrid, inspired one of the sommelier’s signature cocktails.

Here’s a sip:

Temple Orange Screw Driver
• 1 1/2 ounces 4 Orange brand vodka
• Juice of 1/2 a fresh-squeezed Florida orange
• San Pellegrino Aranciata Grand Marnier marinated orange wedges
In high ball glass, add shaved ice, 4 Orange vodka then fresh-squeezed orange juice. Top with Pellegrino and garnish with marinated orange wedge.

The Ritz’s Sunday brunch is served from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For reservations, call (561) 540-4924.
Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach: 100 S. Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. Website: ritzcarlton.com/resorts/palm_beach. | Directions, invite a friend

The music kicks off at Mainstreet, at the plaza fountain. For the pairing, there’s beer, wine, burgers and fries (all $10 and under) from nearby Chuck Burger Joint. The folks at Chuck will deliver your dinner at the plaza if you call them ahead of time at (561) 629-5191. Of course, the plaza’s other restaurants will be open for business as well.

Lawn chairs are allowed and parking is free – and, if it’s cold, outdoor heaters will be up and running.

The concerts, which go from 6 to 8 p.m., run through April 26.

Midtown: 4801 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens (just west of Military Trail). Website: midtownpga.com. | See Fresh Catch on Thursday

Want one? There’s a minor stunt involved: You have to go to a Pollo Tropical and greet the cashier with, ‘Happy Soup Day!’

Do that and you’ll get your choice of a Caribbean Chicken Soup or split pea soup for $1 a cup. Your good cheer will carry you just so far — it’ll buy you a limit of two cup at a buck each. And the offer is only good for today.

To find the closest Pollo Tropical location, visit pollotropical.com.

This season’s guest reviewers – among them a South Beach model, a Palm Beach financial advisor, a Hollywood golf caddy and a female impersonator named Miss Finesse – visit 15 eateries across South Florida, including 32 East in Delray Beach and Snapper’s Seafood & Wine Bar in Boynton Beach on Jan. 30, and Bistro Chez Jean-Pierre in Palm Beach and Darbster in West Palm Beach on Feb. 13.

After Monday’s launch of Season 7, episodes repeat on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 5:30 p.m.

Bakers of all skill levels are invited to enter their favorite cake or pie and share their recipes. The entry fee is $5 per entry.

The event, which is hosted by the Boynton Beach Recreation & Parks Department, takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 128 E. Ocean Ave. For more information, call (561) 742-6243 or email phillipsj@bbfl.us.

Skinny cocktails at RA Sushi are all under 200 calories and cost $8 each.

If your best skinny intentions of the new year inevitably detour through happy hour, here’s a lineup of cocktails that won’t derail your resolution: RA Sushi’s Skinny Cocktails, all under 200 calories each.

The Palm Beach Gardens sushi bar is running the skinny campaign through Feb. 29. Till then, they’re pouring Lychee-teenies (Asian lychee fruit, vodka and agave nectar), Skinny Ninjas (light vodka with yuzu, pink grapefruit, agave nectar and shiso, a minty Japanese herb), and Thin Gingers (fresh strawberry and ginger muddled with lemon vodka, fresh citrus and agave).

RA Sushi: 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 340-2112; rasushi.com | Directions, invite a friend

DeVine Bistro's owner/executive chef David Palmateer says the openings of Whole Foods Market and Fresh Market were a sign that Wellington's culinary scene was expanding. (Gary Coronado / Palm Beach Post)

Once upon a time, Amer Marukic rarely gave Wellington a second thought. He lived in Palm Beach Gardens and worked at a happening Palm Beach restaurant. Why even glance westward to Wellington? What could possibly be out there in the blur of the ‘burbs for a discerning foodie like him? Chain restaurant chicken wings? So not his scene.

But, oh, how things have changed in the past couple of years for Marukic – and for Wellington. Marukic is now general manager of a hip, new – and independently owned – spot called TheGrille Fashion Cuisine, serving dishes like filet mignon with a bourbon butter sauce and catering to a crowd that on some nights lingers till 3 a.m.

"It’s a little wave that hit Wellington. It’s been amazing," says Marukic, part of the team that opened TheGrille’s sister restaurant, Oli’s Fashion Cuisine, in Wellington in late 2010.

Places to eat in Wellington

Along with owners Juan Gando and Dustin Parfitt, he worked at Cucina Dell’Arte on Palm Beach. But Gando and Parfitt, both Wellington residents, wanted to open a place closer to home.

In doing so, they’ve joined a growing stream of indie restaurants working to establish a niche in a sprawling suburban landscape dominated by chain restaurants and strip malls. Not even five years ago, going out for a sumptuous dinner in these suburbs meant reserving a table at one of the few traditional spots like the Players Club, a fine choice in a dining scene that didn’t begin to compete with those in north county, Delray or Boca. Now, there are options.

A discerning diner can choose from the global nibbles at Pangea Bistro, the rustic Italian fare just across the parking lot at Franco Italian Bistro, the artistically presented dishes at Oli’s Fashion Cuisine, the hearty favorites at DeVine Bistro, the three-course special at Beef Wellington Steakhouse and Social Club, the freshly intriguing salsas at Solo Mexican Cantina, and, yes, the polished dishes at the newly expanded Players Club.

There are options

This is great news for Susan Davidson, a food and wine lover who often entertains fellow foodies at her Wellington home and remains vigilant for new restaurants as they spring up across the county.

Ryan Vargas is chef at Pangea Bistro, where the owners are from Venezuela, the top chef is from Hawaii and the food from some funky island in between. (Taylor Jones / Palm Beach Post)

"We’ve finally got some good restaurants right here," says Davidson, a Wellington resident for 23 years.

On a recent night, she and her physician husband, Dr. Edmund Davidson, dined sumptuously at Pangea Bistro, where the trio of chefs are Four Seasons alums. It’s a worldly spot where the owners hail from Venezuela, the top chef from Hawaii, the food from a funky island somewhere in between.

It was the Davidsons’ second visit to the restaurant in a week. While they are adventurous about exploring new places, they do have their favorites.

"The one we keep going back to is Players Club," says Davidson, who works as an office manager for her husband’s internal medicine practice. "The food is always excellent. And they allow us to bring our wine."

She says this last part in a loud whisper, but the very statement speaks volumes about Wellington’s small town intangibles. A big city fine dining establishment would charge a hefty corkage fee. But you don’t charge family a corkage fee.

"We have so many loyal customers that we see our customers as an extension of family," says Matt Barger, general manager at Players Club, which last summer added a more casual bistro where part of the bar once stood. "I bring in my homemade lemoncello for them. I want them to feel at home."

The customers-as-family concept is something chef David Palmateer knows quite well. The regulars at his DeVine Bistro, just outside the Mall at Wellington Green, call in off-the-menu requests all the time.

"Being that I’m only 5 to 6 feet from the bar where they are sitting, I know if they want extra garlic, or if they’re on a no-carb diet, or if they have gluten allergies, or ‘Can I have it extra spicy?’ They can talk right to me. Sometimes they just walk up and say, ‘Can you make me a stir-fry?’ " says Palmateer, who owned a bistro and market on PGA Boulevard in Palm Beach Gardens before he, wife Sara and their three school-age children moved to Wellington in 2007. He wanted to be closer to the equine-assisted therapy treatments for his autistic daughter.

Against the advice of his financial advisers, who cautioned against opening a restaurant in a slumping market – much less in chain-dominated Wellington – Palmateer opened DeVine in January 2008. And while he admits it has been a struggle, he says he has seen a steady growth in his business.

"We have regulars and we have new regulars," says Palmateer, who notes a difference between this clientele and the one he came to know in Palm Beach Gardens. "The Gardens customers are not always year-round. Here, although you have the equestrians that are only seasonal, you also have the working families that support local businesses."

Culinary scene expands

He points to the addition of Whole Foods Market and Fresh Market in recent years as a sign that the culinary scene has expanded in Wellington.

"I go to Whole Foods regularly – it’s loaded with foodies," says Palmateer, whose comfort food menu includes dishes like three-hour Guinness-Dijon braised boneless short ribs with mushroom bacon risotto and crispy onions.

On the other side of the mall, not far from DeVine, sits Oli’s Fashion Cuisine (named after Wellington pioneer, Charles Oliver Wellington), one of the several fusion bistros that have cropped up in the city.

It makes perfect sense that fusion restaurants, such as Pangea and Oli’s, have set up shop in Wellington. After all, the city harbors a great deal of fusion, from the equestrian scene to the well-heeled Latin Americans, upper middle-class families, young families, working families, avid pilots and golfers.

While a community this diverse could prove challenging for a restaurant trying to find its niche, it also offers opportunities to expand the customer base.

This is something the restaurateurs behind Oli’s Fashion Cuisine realized early on in their business.

"When we first opened in Wellington, we thought, ‘let’s open up and do what we know,’ " says Marukic . "The word just spread and we had an amazing summer."

With that came a gut feeling that there were new markets to reach in Wellington. So they opened TheGrille in the space formerly occupied by Nicole’s, on a winding residential street. Tucked into a quiet plaza, the suburban gastro bar is drawing a young, night crowd.

"To people outside Wellington, this is hidden. But here, it’s a known location. Everyone here talks about where the new places are – it’s a big place, but a small community," he says. "Wellington is almost like a hidden place, undiscovered by the outside world. But that’s changing."

WELLINGTON DINING HOT SPOTS:

Pangea

10140 Forest Hill Blvd. (at Pointe at Wellington Green);

(561) 793-9394; pangeabistro.net

Franco Italian Bistro

10160 Forest Hill Blvd.;

(561) 615-1551; francoitalianbistro.com

DeVine Bistro

2465 U.S. 441, Suite 300;

(561) 204-5432; devinebistro.com

Oli’s Fashion Cuisine

10610 Forest Hill Blvd. (at Wellington Green Square);

(561) 792-2220; olisrestaurant.com

Beef Wellington Steakhouse and Social Club

12795 Forest Hill Blvd. (at Wellington Country Plaza);

(561) 629-7987; beefwellingtonsteakhouse.com

Agliolio Fresh Pasta and Wine Bar

12793 Forest Hill Blvd.;

(561) 798-7770; agliolio.com

TheGrille Fashion Cuisine

12300 South Shore Blvd.;

(561) 793-2110; thegrille fashioncuisine.com

Players Club Restaurant, Bistro

13410 South Shore Blvd.;

(561)795-0080; players clubrestaurant.com

AT THE MALL AT WELLINGTON GREEN:

Solo Mexican Cantina

10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.;

(561) 791-8886; solocantina.com

Joe’s American Bar & Grill

10300 W. Forest Hill Blvd.;

(561) 798-7433; joesamerican.com

OPENING SOON:

Carnevor Steakhouse Moderne

13421 South Shore Blvd., (561) 333-3400; carnevor.com

Chef Allen Susser has a slew of burger choices at Palm Beach Gardens' new BurgerBar. (Taylor Jones / Palm Beach Post)

As upscale burger joints go, BurgerBar by Chef Allen is a looker. The sexy modern color scheme mixes blacks and deep charcoals with great pops of red. The wood floors and reclaimed-wood table tops add warmth to a chic-casual spot where the chairs are garbage-can metal (nifty, recycled, but not so comfy).

Printed boldly on one chalkboard-black wall, the menu is a sight to behold as well, teasing a newcomer with tempting offerings from braised pork belly sliders to anisette-glazed chicken wings, Nutella bourbon shakes and a spicy, oozy burger that goes by the name The (Hot, Delicious) Mess.

Add to these hipster foodie trappings the culinary weight of a James Beard Award-winning chef like Allen Susser, one of the original Mango Gang members, and you’ve got quite the promising package. You’ve also got tremendous expectations going into a place like this. I know I did.

Directions, invite a friend

So maybe it was the expectation that I’d be wowed by BurgerBar that left me feeling underwhelmed by my recent visit to the Palm Beach Gardens eatery that opened barely two months ago with a red-carpet, VIP bash complete with girls in gold glitter body paint.

The first taste of disappointment arrived with our house-made onion dip appetizer ($5) – a mound of homemade potato chips. While appropriately thin and crispy, the chips arrived tepid and decidedly under-seasoned (if at all). The dip itself lacked any intensity of flavor. It was simply a nice, sweetly mild dip.

On the other hand, our Vidalia Onion Tower ($6) proved to be statuesque, a stack of three crispy-breaded onion rings (more than an inch thick apiece) served with a delicious, intriguingly spicy homemade ranch dipping sauce. That sauce was one of the highlights of our meal.

Then came a mixed lot of burgers:

• A delightful Kobe beef slider ($6.50), dressed in melted Gruyere, homemade ketchup and tangy picked onion. It was a perfect slider, a wallop of flavor packed into a few bites.
• A disappointing prime steak burger ($17), served with grilled mushrooms, smothered onions, homemade steak sauce and Gruyere cheese. This was a thick and deeply flavorful burger, but it arrived with a fatal flaw: the patty was broken. Somewhere along the way, be it the cooking or serving process, the hand-patted burger came apart. But it was served anyway, and half of it tumbled out of the bun when lifted. Not so prime. A 17-buck burger should not fall apart.
• A spicy tuna burger ($15), served with diced avocado, arugula, pickled onions and sesame seeds. I ordered this burger rare, a good call. The sushi-grade tuna steak, buttery soft, picked up the peppery notes of the arugula, the pickled goodness of the onions and the sparkle of chef Allen’s citrus-ginger sauce. It is in such a mix of flavor notes that Susser’s inspiration is best detected.

In theory, the chef’s fusion influences are all over the menu, its language and intent. In practice, there’s not enough of chef Allen when it comes to consistency and quality control. Case in point: The kitchen ran out of fries. (This was a Sunday night, about 8 p.m.) Our server informed us of this as our burgers were brought to the table. We could either wait 10 more minutes for the hand-cut fries or we could opt for a wedge of iceberg with a house vinaigrette. We decided on one order of fries and one iceberg salad. The fries arrived a bit sooner than expected, but they had been rushed – they were cooked through, but soft.

The fry shortage was not the server’s fault, of course, but someone could have let us know before our burgers were served.

And on the topic of service: We should have been offered small plates for appetizer sharing. Instead, our starters were placed in the middle of the table, making them unwieldy and difficult to eat. We had to ask for the plates. A minor thing, yes, but not an unreasonable gesture to ask of a place that offers a Gold Burger topped with 23-carat edible gold leaf ($25) and a "high roller" bottle of Dom Perignon with a couple of burgers for $195.

Granted, the joint is lively and popular. Diners chatter against a backdrop of up-tempo tunes that filter past an enormous floor-to-ceiling photograph of a couple racing away on a vintage motorcycle and a decorative divider wall showcasing a repetition of meat grinders.

It’s a whimsical place with adult shakes, old-fashioned floats and yummy, retro desserts, like a big red velvet cupcake served a la mode ($7) and a burnt marshmallow s’mores ($7) parfait that’s ridiculously good and gooey.

BurgerBar’s concept is terrific and it has the makings of a successful dining spot – the menu, the décor, the chef inspiration. Perhaps it will evolve into a truly great burger joint. But right now it’s a little like that prime burger – promising, flavorful, but not quite hanging together. Not yet.

BurgerBar by Chef Allen

FOOD: B

SERVICE: B

ADDRESS: 4650 Donald Ross Road, Palm Beach Gardens (in Donald Ross Village)

TELEPHONE: (561) 630-4545

WEBSITE: burgerbar.com

PRICE RANGE: Moderate

HOURS: Open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: yes

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A – Excellent

B – Good

C – Average

D – Poor

F – Don’t bother

One of new eatery Kabuki's specialties -- the Mango Tango roll. (J. Gwendolynne Berry / Palm Beach Post)

KABUKI, a hip Asian fusion eatery and bar, has opened on Clematis Street in downtown West Palm, serving a range of inventive hot and cold tapas (including a lip-smacking mini crab cake on a puddle of panang curry sauce), as well as fresh sushi, Japanese grill selections, and Thai-inspired noodle dishes and curry.

Kabuki: 308 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Hours: Open daily at 11:30 a.m., to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, to 2 a.m. Thursday through Saturday. Phone: (561) 833-6349. Website: kabukiwpb.com | Directions, invite a friend

FUSIONARIE, a Japanese fusion restaurant, is now open in Boca Raton’s Royal Palm Place, offering artistically presented and Japanese fare.
Fusionarie: 500 Via de Palmas, Boca Raton. Hours: Open Monday through Saturday for lunch and dinner. Phone: (561) 367-3283. Website: facebook.com/fusionarie | Directions, invite a friend

CALLARO’S PRIME STEAK & SEAFOOD, a popular steak house formerly located in Manalapan, has re-opened in Lake Worth. The space, newly renovated to include an expansive bar, once housed L’Anjou restaurant. The menu offers old favorites in addition to new dishes.
Callaro’s: 717 Lake Ave., Lake Worth. Hours: Open daily for lunch and dinner, as well as Sunday brunch. Valet parking is available after 5 p.m. Phone: (561) 588-9730. Website: callarosprime.com | Directions, invite a friend

Veal medallions with prosciutto-wrapped shrimp and sweet pea risotto. (Taylor Jones / Palm Beach Post)

There’s a great little surprise of an eatery tucked between a Staples and a multiplex cinema in a busy Jupiter strip plaza. Samantha’s American Cuisine sits unassumingly, but certainly not unnoticed.

The 7-year-old restaurant is bustling on weekends with regulars who can’t get enough of Samantha’s signature dishes, all generously portioned. On a recent visit, I came to realize what keeps bringing them back to this cozy spot.

The allure isn’t just one dish or one nightly special, but a seamless experience of fresh, well prepared, beautifully presented food and attentive service. Whether you’re seated at the al fresco patio or inside at the bar or in either of Samantha’s two small dining rooms, your experience begins with a soul-warming touch: a basket of warm and crusty baguette-style bread and a dipping dish of garlic-scented, Parmesan sprinkled olive oil.

If this is your first visit, your next dish absolutely should be the house’s signature crusted calamari with roasted crispy portobello, basil, lemon, sweet cherry peppers and chef/owner Edward Bonsignore Jr.’s famous “twisted tomato scampi” ($11). As calamari apps go, this is one deliciously blinged-out rendition: the calamari, tender inside its crisp-fried crust, is tossed lightly with a garlicky, lemony sauce that’s deepened by a few crushed tomatoes and the pop of pickled mild cherry peppers.

Chef Ed Bonsignore

The light, yet luscious weight of the sauce in this dish quickly revealed the sauce philosophy of Bonsignore and fellow chef Anthony Muolo. The sauce serves to accent, not obscure or hide the dish. I found this to be true in the dishes I sampled that quite busy Friday night. Even on our shared salad of baby greens, diced pear, toasted-spiced walnuts, gorgonzola and endive ($8), the raspberry vinaigrette barely kissed the lovely composition, allowing the walnuts to remain toasty fresh and the greens to remain crisp.

Later, a grilled center cut veal rib chop arrived (on the bone) with a judicious side of porcini mushroom sauce, creamy mushroom risotto and garlic braised spinach ($38). Thick, juicy and grilled to a perfect medium-rare-ish finish, the hefty chop stood proudly as the dish’s star ingredient.

Also stellar was the Maine lobster tail over linguini with a trio of clams, shrimp and black mussels, in an ultra-light seafood-tomato sauce ($34). Here, the shellfish stood out in plump, fresh, tender glory in a pasta fragrant with roasted garlic and sweet basil.

And we sampled Samantha’s crab crusted grouper ($30) served in a sauce of fresh tomato, garlic, lemon and white wine. This was a dish that struck the perfect balance – not too rich, not too saucy – because the lemon-wine sauce played contrast to the (super-fresh) grouper’s crab crust.

A meal this delicious needs a moment or two of grateful reflection. Our efficient and affable server did his best to make us feel unrushed. However, just after dessert, he did warn us that several other tables were wrapping up their meals and our check might take a while if we didn’t request it soon. His best intentions were set back by the blur of departing and incoming diners, and we did have to wait a good 15 minutes or so to wrap things up.

In the meantime, we did have dessert, namely the house’s homemade bread pudding, to linger over. Served warm with fresh sliced bananas and berries, this is the chef’s grandmother’s recipe, a pudding of rustic bread that soaks in custard for two days before baking. So simple and delicious, as was everything we sampled that night.

Samantha’s

FOOD: A

SERVICE: A minus

ADDRESS: 201 N U.S. 1, No. 9, (at Indiantown Road), Jupiter | Directions, invite a friend

TELEPHONE: (561) 743-0801

PRICE RANGE: Moderate to expensive

HOURS: Monday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.

CREDIT CARDS: All major

RESERVATIONS: Strongly recommended, but walk-ins welcome

WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Yes, including restrooms

WHAT THE GRADES

MEAN:

A – Excellent

B – Good

C – Average

D – Poor

F – Don’t bother

Some of our winners include (clockwise from top left) Buccan in Palm Beach, Pangea chef Ryan Vargas and El Sabor Latino of Palm Beach Gardens.

I know I will generate little sympathy when I say that 2011 has been a year of feasting, of new flavor adventures marked in a succession of courses, from amuse-bouche to dessert, all nibbled in the name of food journalism.

There have been sublime, unforgettable bites, like those in chef Roy Villacrusis’ progressive study of temari-style sushi, a dish he created for a north county event called “The Ultimate Chefs’ Dinner” in May. It was a story told in crescendo, with one flavor element hinting of the next.

And there was chef James King’s “fennel to the third power” diver scallops a la plancha at Verdea in Palm Beach Gardens. King, who recently moved on to the Four Seasons in Miami, presented just-seared scallops atop a saffron, caramelized onion and fennel chutney, veiled them thinly in fennel, then dusted them with fennel pollen.

So many bites came to mind as I deliberated on which chefs, restaurants and dishes to include in this, my first critic’s choice roundup, which we’ll call the Splendid Fork Awards. My picks are limited in scope, as I’m a relatively new reviewer with many restaurants left to explore.

Still, looking back at the year reveals some exciting food and dining happenings. We can remember 2011 as the year when:

West Palm’s Clematis Street saw a flurry of new business with the opening of Luigi’s, Grimaldi’s, World of Beer, Duffy’s, LongBoards, Kabuki and a few other eateries.

Downtown at the Gardens, in Palm Beach Gardens, experienced a revival with the addition of Dirty Martini, 51 Supper Club, Grimaldi’s and Paris in Town Le Bistro.

The burger wave continued its crest with the openings of Chef Allen’s Burger Bar and Chuck Burger Joint in Palm Beach Gardens and BurgerFi in Delray.

The farm-to-table concepts bloomed in Delray with Max’s Harvest and DIG (Doing It Green), in Wellington with Pangea Bistro, in Palm Beach Gardens with Verdea, as well as on Singer Island with Dean James Max’s 3800 Ocean.

And food truck convoys made their foray into the county en masse for several rallies, as new “561”-based gastro vessels made their debut, among them the Curbside Gourmet, Stocked N’Loaded, the Fire Within, Press’d Street Food and PS561.

These trends, as well as our Splendid Fork winners listed below, have made for an exciting year locally in food and dining — not to mention one heightened in carbs and calories for a hard-working food journalist. (Yes, I know: I’ll take a little cheese with that whine.)

BEST NEW RESTAURANT

BUCCAN: 350 South County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 833-3450; buccanpalmbeach.com | Directions, invite a friend

Chef/co-owner Clay Conley’s progressive American bistro is a temple of inspired small plates served in a lively space that instantly disarms you (yes, even you in the blue blazer).

Partners Piper Quinn, Sam Slattery and Conley have created an eatery where service is smart and efficient, the food outstanding (from the tartare and poke starters to the delectable short rib empanadas to the wood-fire grilled fare), the vibe forever young. The inspiration is infectious – Buccan truly has revved up the dining scene on The Island. It’s no wonder it’s the toughest table to get on a Saturday night. We can’t get enough of it.

BEST REVISITED RESTAURANT

TALAY THAI: 7100 Fairway Drive, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 691-5662; talayonpga.net | Directions, invite a friend

This bustling Thai restaurant is the domain of chef/owner Charlie Soo and family (Papa Soo helps in the kitchen; Momma Soo greets and manages the flurry of reservations and diners, golf royalty and local celebs among them).

What makes this a restaurant to visit again and again is its consistently stellar dishes. Like a well-edited greatest hits list, the menu is short and to the point.

Order an entrée of jumbo scallops in lush panang curry and it will be as delicious the fifth time as it was the first.

BEST ESTABLISHED RESTAURANT

MARCELLO’S LA SIRENA: 6316 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; (561) 585-3128; lasirenaonline.com | Directions, invite a friend

Marcello and Diane Fiorentino serve impeccably prepared Italian classics in an understated elegance that transports you to the Italian countryside.

And despite the fact they enjoy a loyal clientele, the Fiorentinos keep the business fresh and updated with wine dinners and seasonal specials.

BEST VIEW

THE BREAKERS’ TOP OF THE POINT and SEAFOOD BAR: Top of The Point: 777 S. Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach; (561) 832-2424 | Directions, invite a friend

Seafood Bar: 1 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-6611 | Directions, invite a friend

Be it on Palm Beach island or across the bridge in downtown West Palm, The Breakers has cornered the market on some of the county’s best settings. The Top of the Point offers a sweeping panorama of city, waterway and island, the Seafood Bar’s windows open onto ocean. Two very different views and experiences, yet parallel in splendor.

BEST BAR

GRATIFY PUB: 125 Datura St., West Palm Beach; (561) 833-5300; gratifypub.com | Directions, invite a friend

Tucked behind E.R. Bradley’s on Datura, Gratify has the feel of an old neighborhood favorite. It’s only a feeling, as the gastro pub has been open for less than two years. But owner Gene Playter has created a great gathering spot that seems to have everything locals could want in a bar: a good view of the downtown scene and an ample selection of wines, beers and craft brews. What makes it all that much better is chef Fritz Cassel, who keeps the yummy bites steaming out of the kitchen, bites like house-made potato chips, crispy, cheese-stuffed risotto balls, juicy burgers, and caramelized brussels sprouts with homemade bacon – yes, Chef makes his own bacon. And it rocks.

BEST SERVICE

CAFE BOULUD: 301 Australian Ave. in Palm Beach; (561) 655-6060; cafeboulud.com | Directions, invite a friend

The café’s undertow of excellence extends throughout the ranks of its servers, who are knowledgeable, efficient and gracious.

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD BISTRO

MAISON CARLOS: 3010 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; (561) 659-6524; maisoncarlos.com | Directions, invite a friend

This lovely little spot has all the things you want in a favorite, go-to eatery: wonderful food, genial ambiance and hospitable service. Carlos and Lanie Farias have achieved an ideal balance of fresh and familiar, serving seasonal specials as well as old favorites – and always a complimentary dish of crisp zucchini chips to say "welcome."

BEST VEGETARIAN

CHRISTOPHER’S KITCHEN: 4783 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 318-6191; christopherskitchenfl.com | Directions, invite a friend

Raw foods chef Christopher Slawson has created a vegan eatery that stylishly removed from the old school crunchy-vegan set. His salads are as clean and beautifully composed as his café. And, yes, they are bursting with nutrients – but they’re also flavorful and delicious.

BEST VALUE

EL SABOR LATINO: 4391 Northlake Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 202-6948; elsaborlatinorestaurant.com | Directions, invite a friend

This is my happy meal: a hearty, steaming bowl of meaty soup, fragrant with cilantro, thick with root veggies, served with a side of fresh salad, white rice and plantains. All for under 10 bucks. Guatemalan-born owner Edgar Perez runs a sunny, friendly café that pays homage to soul-warming Latin specialities. El Sabor Latino deserves my special "Triple B" seal of approval for its commitment to frugal gastronomy. Triple B as in bueno, bonito y barato – good, lovely and a great bargain.

BEST DINING MAKEOVER

PGA NATIONAL RESORT & SPA: 400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 627-2000; pgaresort.com | Directions, invite a friend

In the little more than a year since chef Gordon Maybury took over the kitchen at PGA as the resort’s executive chef, the food service has been transformed in dramatic ways. The Dublin-born Maybury, having commanded the kitchens of New York’s Peninsula Hotel and South Beach’s Loews resort, has brought finesse and fresh local ingredients to the menu. And now as the resort prepares to further refurbish and re-brands its eateries, Maybury and the management team have unveiled the new and greatly improved Ironwood Steak & Seafood.

BEST CHEF

RYAN VARGAS, corporate chef

Pangea Bistro: 10140 Forest Hill Blvd., No. 170, Wellington; (561) 793-9394; pangeabistro.net | Directions, invite a friend

Hawaiian native Ryan Vargas, a classically trained chef who honed his craft at Four Seasons resorts in Hawaii and Palm Beach, has redefined the concept of "chef’s inspiration" with his inventive, yet soulful cuisine at this year-old eatery in Wellington.

Give him a secret ingredient – say, salmon – and he’ll deliver to you a salmon tiradito with ají limo, hearts of palm, avocado and mango; an olive oil-poached salmon with split peas and bacon; a salmon Wellington with wild mushrooms, organic micro greens and two-mustard beurre blanc; and perhaps a spicy salmon sushi roll.

The 40-year-old Vargas, who trained at the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y., is part artist, part scientist, part poet. And part athlete – he’s managed to lose 95 pounds by training in judo and jiujitsu with wife Rhonda, sons Rocco and Lakea, ages 7 and 13, and daughter Lilinoe, all martial arts champs. Mahalo!

BEST RISING-STAR CHEF

Max’s Harvest: 169 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 381-9970; maxsharvest.com | Directions, invite a friend

Ask Chris Miracolo what’s cooking at Max’s Harvest, the Dennis Max-owned, farm-to-table bistro in Delray’s Pineapple Grove dining district, and he’ll go on a riff about his purveyors, the local farmers who gather about three dozen perfect eggs for him each week, the cheese maker in Pompano Beach who hand-crafts the cream-rich burrata that goes in his most popular salad, the local grandmother who makes fresh yogurt and delivers it with specific instructions not to uncover the containers for another 24 or so hours because "it’s not yogurt yet."

He eagerly awaits the arrival of locally grown heirloom tomatoes the way a Heat fan awaited the start of NBA season. At 38, Miracolo demonstrates tremendous dedication to his ingredients – in the way he selects them and uses them. Where will his menu go next? Where ever the ingredients take it. He’s the breakout chef to watch.

BEST SALAD

BROWARD COUNTY BURRATA

Max’s Harvest: 169 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 381-9970; maxsharvest.com | Directions, invite a friend

The majestic simplicity of this salad is something to behold: a plump oval of locally hand-made burrata (cream-filled mozzarella) cheese served with a rustic heirloom tomato and bread salad, organic arugula and parsley and a drizzle of aged balsamic.

BEST APPETIZER

CARAMELIZED BAY SCALLOPS

Pistache: 101 N. Clematis St., No. 100, West Palm Beach; (561) 833-5090; pistachewpb.com | Directions, invite a friend

This is a starter to savor, a dish of contrasts and complex flavors. Bay scallops are served caramelized over a foie gras and truffle-scented potato mousseline with green apple and a citrus jus. C’est magnifique!

BEST SOUP

DEAN JAMES MAX’S CREAMY CHESTNUT SOUP

3800 Ocean: 3800 N. Ocean Drive (at the Marriott resort) on Singer Island; (561) 340-1795 | Directions, invite a friend

Max served this savory Cognac and cinnamon-scented cream at the Beard Down South dinner at Buccan recently during the Palm Beach Food & Wine fest and gained all kinds of new fans as a result. The most sinful flavorful and textural element of this soup: small, toasty cubes of smoked guanciale, pig cheeks.

Max, a Stuart native who was a finalist this year for a prestigious James Beard Award, offers this soup seasonally at his 3800 Ocean restaurant.

BEST DESSERT

LEMON CURD TART

Belle & Maxwell’s: 3700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; (561) 832-4449; belleandmaxwells.net | Directions, invite a friend

This homemade lemon curd tart embodies a delicate balance of sweet and tart. It’s buttery shortbread crust holds a creamy, sweet-tart filling. It’s brilliant in its simplicity – and, oh, so delicious!

BEST HOME GROWN

SWANK FARM, Loxahatchee: (561) 202-5648; swankspecialtyproduce.com

The Swank family of farmers has made Loxahatchee proud with its all-natural, hydroponic greens, micro greens, sprouts and veggies. Swank’s verdant harvests – from its peppery cress to its sweet micro basil – turn up on the menus of South Florida’s best farm-to-table eateries. And they also turn up in the weekly baskets of local CSA (community supported agriculture) members and at the Swanks’ kiosk at the West Palm green market. Jodi and Darrin Swank grow with heart.

BEST FOOD TRUCK

STOCKED N’ LOADED: stockednloaded.com

Chef Dave Rashty and his crew turn out edified street food from this jazzed-up gastro vessel, from Vietnamese pork banh mi sandwiches to gator chili (that would be gator cooked in the French sous vide method, under vacuum in a gentle water bath). The former Café Boulud chef de tournant hopes to build up a fleet of such vessels. To which we say, "keep on truckin’!"

BEST FOODIE EVENT

PALM BEACH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL: pbfwf.com

Just last year, this fest was a three-hour event. This year, it morphed into a five-night shindig starring all kinds of culinary royalty. For an extra-long weekend, Palm Beach buzzed with chefs and foodies and beautifully appointed venues, from The Breakers to the Four Seasons.

From kids to adults THE RITZ-CARLTON PALM BEACH has it all

For the kids:
A kids carnival runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dec. 31. With a buffet-style dinner and more. $90 per child ages five to 12.
Temple Orange features a kids’ buffet, and “Flames of the Fire” desserts – holiday cupcakes Tic-Tac-Toe and S’mores at the fire pit.
December 31; 5 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Kids’ buffet $25 per child ages six to 12; no charge for children five and under.
For the adults: New Year’s Eve at Angle, with a la carte cuisine, great atmosphere and live music. There is a $155 four-course dinner with wine pairing. | Directions, invite a friend
Saturday, December 31; 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Party like it’s 2012
in LAKE WORTH

South Shores Tavern: No cover charge or minimum. Party hats, favors, champagne toast. The Tramps Jam Band for entertainment. For $50 per person, a three-course Prix Fix Dinner and Open Bar from 9 p.m-midnight.
Information: southshorestavern.com or call 561-547-7656 | Directions, invite a friend

A formal New Year’s Eve
at PGA NATIONAL

Formal atture required for the New Year’s Eve gala from 8:30 p.m.- 12:30 a.m. Dinner, dancing, champagne. The 5th Avenue band is the entertainment. A $110-per-person New Year’s Eve dinner.
Reservations required. Information: (561) 273-2907 | Directions, invite a friend

A variety of options
at DOWNTOWN AT THE GARDENS

51 Supper Club: Special menu, champagne toast, balloon drop, live music. From 4 p.m. until early morning.
Cabo Flats: A new light show, free tequila pours, a DJ, champagne toast, and you can watch the ball drop on giant flat-screen TV.
Dirty Martini: For $30, there is a buffet and one free martini from 7-9 p.m., free champagne toast at midnight. Music, DJ.

Try New Year’s Eve
in NORTHWOOD

Jade Kitchen offers up variety of its New American menu delights. Dinner starts at 5 p.m. Reservations recommended. Jade Kitchen, 422 Northwood Road, West Palm Beach, Florida, 33407. Information: (561) 366-1185 | Directions, nearby dining

Roy Villacrusis celebrates his win in the Grand Tasting with Charlie Soo as Peter Ziegelmeier looks on. (Meg Roussos / Palm Beach Post)

The Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival wrapped up with two packed foodie events: a sublime dinner at Buccan, starring James Beard Award-winning and -nominated chefs from the South, and the grand tasting, featuring a hotly contested chefs’ throwdown.

If the festival’s tribute dinner at The Breakers was a well-tuned chamber concert, the "Beard Down South" dinner at Buccan two nights later was a rollicking, free-wheeling jam session – in the key of pork.

From Dean James Max’s (3800 Ocean, Singer Island) creamy chestnut soup to Clay Conley’s (Buccan) short rib empanada to Julie Petrakis’ (The Ravenous Pig, Winter Park) creme caramel with an Earl Grey Tuile, the dishes represented the rarefied essence of Southern comfort. The great crescendo moment came with Stephen Stryjewski’s (Cochon, New Orleans) pork shoulder with rice and gravy, so decadently porcine and perfect.

On the final night, at the festival’s Grand Tasting, three local chefs competed in a chefs’ throwdown a la Food Network Chopped (in fact, Chopped judge and chef Scott Conant joined food blogger extraordinaire and former Post food editor Jan Norris and I on the judges’ panel). The secret ingredient: Creekstone Farms’ beef tenderloin.

Last year’s defending champ, chef Roy Villacrusis (Kapow, Boca Raton), took home the $5,000 check for a second year, narrowly beating chef Charlie Soo (Talay Thai, Palm Beach Gardens) and personal chef Peter Ziegelmeier. Villacrusis says the prize will help pay for his dream wedding.

The Omphoy on Palm Beach will feature a Christmas day brunch and a tasting menu for dinner.

Here’s what’s cooking this weekend:

CASA MIA:
The popular trattoria and pizzeria is open Christmas Eve Saturday night, and serving up holiday offerings, like Baccala Livornese (cod in tomato sauce with olives and capers), grilled octopus salad, Dover sole with a Champagne sauce and a half Maine lobster over spaghetti with a brandy-infused sauce. Open 4 to 11 p.m. Saturday; closed Christmas Day. Reservations are suggested at (561) 972-6888.

Casa Mia Trattoria & Pizzeria: 337 E. Indiantown Rd. (Fisherman’s Wharf Plaza), Jupiter. Website: CasaMiaJupiter.com. | Directions, invite a friend

PGA NATIONAL:
Breakfast with Santa — The resort and spa hosts Christmas morning breakfast with the big guy at its Citrus Tree eatery, from 8 to 10 a.m. Children under 12 eat free with the purchase of an adult breakfast. For reservations call (561) 627-2000.

Family holiday brunch — The brunch, $55 per person, is served in the British Ballroom from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Christmas Day. Reserve at (561) 627-4852.

Holiday dinner — A festive family dinner is served in the resort’s newly re-branded Ironwood Steak & Seafood from 5 to 10 p.m. on Christmas for $60 per person. The menu includes crab cakes and pork belly starters, lobster ravioli, smoked turkey gumbo, Angus prime rib of beef and herbed roasted leg of lamb. To reserve, call (561) 627-4852.

PGA NATIONAL RESORT & SPA: 400 Avenue of the Champions, Palm Beach Gardens. Website: PGAResort.com | Directions, invite a friend.

THE OMPHOY:
Michelle Bernstein Terrace serves an a la carte brunch on Christmas Eve featuring holiday-themed specials. There’s also a $45 prix fixe available, including a mimosa or bloody mary.

On Christmas, the terrace serves a breakfast buffet from 8 to 11:30 a.m. for $35 per person. That’s followed by a brunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. for $45 per person (including a mimosa or bloody mary).

Michelle Bernstein Restaurant serves an a la carte menu and its $75, 5-course tasting menu, featuring holiday dishes (like roast ribeye), on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The Omphoy: 2842 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach. Phone: (561) 586-6542. Website: Omphoy.com. | Directions, invite a friend

THE RITZ-CARLTON, PALM BEACH:
Temple Orange Holiday Seafood Buffet – The buffet, which includes the traditional Italian Feast of the Seven Fishes, is served Friday from 5 to 10 p.m., for $65 per adult and $32 per child ages 6 to 12 (no charge for kids 5 and younger).

Christmas Eve Buffet at Temple Orange – Served in the resort’s oceanfront dining room, this buffet is enjoyed by candlelight from 5 to 10 p.m. for $48 per adult and $24 per child ages 6 to 12 (no charge for kids 5 and younger).

Christmas Eve Dinner in Angle – The American supper club serves dinner from 5:30 to 11 p.m.

Christmas Day Feast – The resort serves a holiday buffet in its ballroom from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with seatings every 30 minutes, while a chamber ensemble plays holiday music. (And Santa is expected to visit.) The feast costs $110 per adult, $40 per child ages 6 to 12 (kids 5 and under eat free).

Christmas Dinner at Temple Orange and Angle – Dinner is served from 5:30 to 10 p.m.
Ritz-Carlton, Palm Beach: 100 South Ocean Blvd., Manalapan. For reservations, call: (561) 533-6000. | Invite a friend, directions