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BEST NEW RESTAURANT (INDEPENDENT)
7100 Fairway Drive (in LA Fitness Plaza), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 691-5662; talayonpga.com
You know how most Thai restaurants seem to follow the same culinary formula, offering the familiar mix of curries and noodles dishes? Not Talay Thai. Chef Charlie Soo’s restaurant takes this popular Asian cuisine to a whole new gourmet level, giving standard dishes a tantalizing makeover — as in Panang curry with short ribs or lobster pad Thai. There’s also a respectable wine list, first-class service and a must-have dessert item — namely, mango with Thai sticky rice.
HONORABLE MENTION:
311 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter; (561) 746-6283
BEST NEW RESTAURANT (CHAIN)
201 Plaza Real (in Mizner Park), Boca Raton; (561) 393-3451; zed451.com
A stunner of a concept (see Best Concept), a stunner in design (see Best Design) and a stunner of a meal, all rolled into one. This restaurant gets just about everything right, from its inventive cocktail menu to spot-on service to all-you-can-eat servings of some of the tastiest and most eclectic food in town. ZED is a small chain — its other locations are in Chicago and Boston (opening soon) — but we’re ever so grateful it’s found its way to Boca Raton.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Figs by Todd English
3107 PGA Blvd. (at Macy’s in The Gardens mall), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 775-2384; toddenglish.com
BEST ESTABLISHED RESTAURANT
Café L’Europe
331 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-4020; cafeleurope.com
Several restaurants in Palm Beach serve great food. But few do it with the same sense of sophistication and style as Café L’Europe, the 29-year-old mainstay courtesy of the husband-and-wife team of Norbert and Lidia Goldner. With a menu that mixes Continental classics (try the Wiener schnitzel) with contemporary and exotic fare (say, pork belly confit with a honey and raspberry vinegar sauce), it offers something to appeal to Palm Beachers (or aspiring Palm Beachers) of all ages. And while many come for the food, others come for the tunes — courtesy of the area’s best cabaret-style pianist, David Crohan.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Marcello’s La Sirena
6316 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; (561) 585-3128; lasirenaonline.com
BEST RESTAURATEUR
Big Time Restaurant Group, bigtimerestaurants.com
This longtime local restaurateur introduced two smart mid-priced eateries on Clematis Street — Grease Burger Bar, Reef Rd. Rum Bar — in the past year. At the same time, it continued going strong with an established restaurant — Rocco’s Tacos — on the same block. In the process, Big Time brought new life to a downtown strip that many had written off. Combine that with Big Time’s successful eateries elsewhere, including a new Rocco’s Tacos in Boca Raton, and you have a restaurant group that’s hit the “big time” indeed.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Lirim Jacobi (Taverna Opa, City Pizza, Wild Ginger, Wild Olives Café, Taco Vica in West Palm Beach’s CityPlace and Wild Olives in Boca Raton)
BEST SERVICE
Café L’Europe
331 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-4020; cafeleurope.com
You expect the white-glove treatment in Palm Beach. But Café L’Europe delivers on other levels as well. Its staff knows its way around the menu (and the wine list). And don’t be surprised if chef Norbert Goldner pays a visit to your table at the end of the meal.
HONORABLE MENTION:
ZED451
201 Plaza Real (in Mizner Park), Boca Raton; (561) 393-3451; zed451.com
Kobe flatiron steak from ZED451. (J. Gwendolynne Berry / The Post)
BEST CONCEPT
ZED451
201 Plaza Real (in Mizner Park), Boca Raton; (561) 393-3451; zed451.com
Just when we thought we had our fill — literally — of churrascarias, ZED451 comes along and redefines the all-you-can-eat Brazilian meatfest. That’s because ZED doesn’t serve the usual Brazilian-style meat dishes — rather, its strolling chefs offer everything from tempura mahi mahi to Moroccan chicken. Call it a contemporary American churrascaria. Or simply call it delicious.
HONORABLE MENTION:
213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; (561) 651-1071 ; bigtimerestaurants.com
BEST DESIGN
ZED451
201 Plaza Real (in Mizner Park), Boca Raton; (561) 393-3451; zed451.com
Yup, more kudos for ZED451. But when you see how the proprietors — the Florida-based Tavistock Group — have taken a large and potentially unwieldy space (formerly home to the International Museum of Cartoon Art) and turned into a series of intimate, stylish rooms, you’ll know why we can’t stop raving about the place.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Grease Burger Bar
213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; (561) 651-1071 ; bigtimerestaurants.com
BEST CASUAL DINING
10901 N. Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 627-3979; mrgyrosflorida.com
Just what we’ve long needed in northern Palm Beach County — a counter-service Greek place that offers simply prepared meals, highlighted by outstanding gyros.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Phat Sandwiches
106 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach; (561) 650-8111; phatsandwiches.com
BEST VALUE
10 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth; (561) 585-9860; johngs.com
There’s a reason why patrons often wait an hour or more for the privilege of dining here. That’s because John G’s offers terrific food — think a gourmet diner — in an oceanfront setting with prices that can’t be beat. Even the most expensive menu items — say, a fried fish platter — are good values because of the large-enough-to-feed-two portions.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Old Buenos Aires
6266 S. Congress Ave., Lantana; (561) 439-8100
BEST DINING EVENT
Monthly wine dinners
Secrets Piano Bar & Grill at the Windsor Gardens Hotel
11360 U.S. 1, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 844-8448
To call these wine dinners might be something of a misnomer. They’re really an excuse for Secrets chef Joseph Angelucci to challenge himself creatively with menus that happen to pair with a first-rate slate of wines. He tries just about anything and everything: short ribs done Korean-style, a Kobe burger served on a glazed doughnut. Even more remarkable is the price — the dinners usually run $55 ($45 if purchased in advance) and the hotel offers discounted room rates in case you want to enjoy every last drop of wine and spend the night.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Thursday Greek nights
191 Bradley Place, Palm Beach; (561) 671-4333; thepalmbeachsteakhouse.com
MOST IMPROVED RESTAURANT
Pistache
101 N. Clematis St. #100, West Palm Beach; (561) 833-5090; pistachewpb.com
In little more than a year, this downtown West Palm Beach waterfront bistro has gone from so-so to c’est magnifique. Credit new chef Julien Gremaud with the remarkable turnaround.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2650 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 624-RIBS; www.shortysbbqpga.com
BEST ATMOSPHERE
290 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 278-9570; vicandangelos.com
It’s always a party here, whether you choose to dine indoors or outside — or just sit at the bar and soak up the scene.
HONORABLE MENTION:
313 Worth Ave., Palm Beach; (561) 835-1600
BEST APPETIZER
Fried pickles
Shorty’s Bar-B-Q
2650 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 624-RIBS; www.shortysbbqpga.com
There are few things better in life than a crisp dill pickle spear — except maybe a fried crisp dill pickle spear. Call this perfection in pickles.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Steak tartare
Pistache
101 N. Clematis St. #100, West Palm Beach; (561) 833-5090; pistachewpb.com
BEST SALAD
Roasted beet salad
Figs by Todd English
3107 PGA Blvd. (at Macy’s in The Gardens Mall), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 775-2384; toddenglish.com
This is what a salad should be — a lively mix of veggies (in this case, beets, red onions and arugula) with a few well-chosen extras (oranges, goat cheese), all tossed in a tasty dressing (pomegranate vinaigrette). Need we say more?
HONORABLE MENTION:
Salad with bibb lettuce, pineapple spears and feta cheese
32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 276-7868; 32east.com
BEST SOUP
Sweet corn and basil soup
32 East
32 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 276-7868; 32east.com
An autumnal bowl of goodness — sweet and savory, with a nice accent of smoky bacon.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Quartet of chilled soups
Café L’Europe
331 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-4020; cafeleurope.com
BEST PASTA DISH
Fettucini in Bolognese sauce
Marcello’s La Sirena
6316 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; (561) 585-3128; lasirenaonline.com
A great Bolognese is more than a mere sauce — it’s like a rich stew that also pairs well with pasta. At Marcello’s La Sirena, chef Marcello Fiorentino prepares a rustic veal Bolognese that puts all other versions to shame.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Lobster tortelloni
4533 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 627-2662; cafechardonnay.com
Jupiter Island Grill co-owner Louis Di Martini, head chef Michael Rolchigo, and main owner Tim Bach. (Richard Graulich / The Post)
BEST ENTRÉE
Center-cut Berkshire pork chop
Jupiter Island Grill
311 E. Indiantown Road, Jupiter; (561) 746-6283; jupiterislandgrill.com
This is the kind of satisfying and brilliantly executed dish that speaks to what the smartest chefs are doing today — namely, giving diners an affordable alternative to pricey steaks and seafood items (the gargantuan chop runs a relatively modest $23) but not stinting on the flavor or presentation (the pork is accompanied by bacon-braised Napa cabbage and a white-cheddar potato cake). Credit Jupiter Island Grill chef Michael Rolchigo with creating this winner.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Short ribs in Panang curry
Talay Thai
7100 Fairway Drive (in LA Fitness Plaza), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 691-5662; talayonpga.com
BEST DESSERT
Caramelized grapefruit with fresh berries
Café L’Europe
331 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-4020; cafeleurope.com
Too many restaurants turn dessert into an exercise in sweet excess. Not Café L’Europe. Its signature meal-ender is a study in simplicity — slices of grapefruit that have been carefully caramelized, so they have just a bit of crunch to go along with that tart juiciness. The result: a dessert that actually leaves you refreshed.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Pineapple-upside down cake
612 U.S. 1, Lake Park; (561) 842-7272; thepelicancafe.com
BEST FREEBIE
Irish-style scones
10971 N. Military Trail, West Palm Beach; (561) 691-4366; paddymacspub.com
Why offer some ho-hum rolls when you can serve your customers a divinely crumbly scone? That’s always been the thought at this great Irish pub. Little wonder that Paddy Mac’s still packs them in after more than a decade in business.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Make-it-yourself hummus
Taverna Opa
700 S. Rosemary Ave. (in CityPlace), West Palm Beach; (561) 820-0002; opapalmbeach.com
BEST SANDWICH
Big Bird sandwich
Phat Sandwiches
106 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach; (561) 650-8111; phatsandwiches.com
This is not just a sandwich — it’s an entire Thanksgiving feast, replete with house-roasted turkey and homemade cranberry sauce, stuffed between two slices of bread. And it’s just one of many outstanding sandwiches at this downtown West Palm Beach hotspot.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Beef and lamb gyro
Mr. Gyros
10901 N . Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 627-3979; mrgyrosflorida.com
BEST BURGER
Any burger on the menu
Grease Burger Bar
213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; (561) 651-1071 ; bigtimerestaurants.com
And we mean any burger. That’s because at Grease, it’s all about the meat — a 10-ounce juicy blend of chuck and sirloin. But rest assured, the high-quality toppings, from thickly cut bacon to hearty chili, won’t disappoint, either.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Detroit-style sliders
John G’s
10 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth; (561) 585-9860; johngs.com
BEST PIZZA
Fig and prosciutto pizza
Figs by Todd English
3107 PGA Blvd. (at Macy’s in The Gardens Mall), Palm Beach Gardens; (561) 775-2384; toddenglish.com
There’s a reason this restaurant takes its name from its signature pizza: It’s a pie to savor, with the sweet, earthy figs and the salty, smoky prosciutto pairing as if nature intended them to go together.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Mott Street pizza
Vic & Angelo’s
290 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach; (561) 278-9570; vicandangelos.com
BEST BREAKFAST
The Pelican Café
612 U.S. 1, Lake Park; (561) 842-7272; thepelicancafe.com
Come for the doughnuts — they make them fresh here every day. But stay for the terrific breakfast entrees, from eggs Benedict to banana nut French toast.
HONORABLE MENTION:
2400 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach; (561) 478-3117
BEST WINE LIST
Café L’Europe
331 S. County Road, Palm Beach; (561) 655-4020; cafeleurope.com
There’s something inevitably impressive about a wine list that’s the size of an encyclopedia volume. And that’s what you’ll find at this Palm Beach mainstay. But just as important: You’ll also find is a staff that will guide you to the right bottle within your budget.
HONORABLE MENTION:
700 S. Rosemary Ave. (at CityPlace), (561) 366-0071; bigtimerestaurants.com
BEST COCKTAIL
A Bronx Tale
The Palm Beach Steakhouse
191 Bradley Place, Palm Beach; (561) 671-4333; thepalmbeachsteakhouse.com
We tasted a lot of interesting drinks in the past year, especially since we launched our new TGIF “Cocktail Culture” column in 2009. But more often than not, the cocktails tended to be on the sweet and complicated side — like an elaborate dessert in liquid form. That’s why we appreciated this artful, slightly bitter offering from the always classy Palm Beach Steakhouse — made with gin, dry and sweet vermouth and blood orange juice.
HONORABLE MENTION:
Go-Go Shake
Grease Burger Bar
213 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; (561) 651-1075; bigtimerestaurants.com
There is a definite north-county bias in your selections. There are plenty of good places to eat south of West Palm other than Boca.
Ian’s in Jensen Beach can give Cafe L’Europe a run for it’s money and then some. Beside the wonderful food, there are beautiful views and Martin county is beautiful, classy, and more laid back.
Big Time Restaurant Group ??? are you kidding Charles Passey ?? your talking about the group that keeps closing one restaurant after another, if it wasn’t for Rocco there would be no BIG TIME restaurant Group – i don’t know who is greasing your palm but lirim Jacobi owns and operates 7 restaurants in palm beach county and has teamed with celebrity chef Todd English and lirim doesn’t walk around boasting the name of his company – he us just focused on good food and entertainment – in the latest Jupiter magazine article i didn’t see one person mentioned from BIG TIME restaurant group but i did see Lirim Jacobi – one thing i do know is The palm Beach Culinary Scene and i didn’t see one mention of Michelle Bernstein – are you kidding me ? i think its time for a new critic —–
Charles – best burger grease burger bar ?? are you kidding – i am really disturbed that you are a critic with the post and have no understanding of the restaurant business, grease burger bar doesn’t even make their burgers – they come from sysco or some other purveyor
FYI- Grease hand chops and makes their own patties. They do not come pkg’d from another purveyor. So delicious!!!
Good round-up. I think Michelle Bernstein at Omphoy should have also been mentioned, but Charles is right on with his assessments even tho clematis has more than just the Big Time guys. No question they brought good quality and the right formula to the street though, at a time when other string concepts took root because of faith in what the waterfront will bring, and all the effort being made in the area. Is Bellagio too old to have made this cut? It’s still really delicious and a special experience.
I think that voting Vic & Angelo’s best anything is a stretch. The atmosphere was snooty, at best. We were pretty much ignored because we aren’t “regulars” and the “regulars” are not someone I’d want to be associated with, as they were quite rude, bumping into my chair to get to the table behind us to stand behind me and talk. But I can’t blame the restaurant for the rude guests. I can, however, blame them for overpriced food that is just barely good. And I doubt they make everything fresh because when my husband asked to have something left out of his pasta he was told it wasn’t possible. Premade sauce anyone?
There are too many high end places represented here. The average joe diner doesn’t eat at these places except on a rare occasion. How about the mid priced places? Best meal for under $20?
Grease Bar as best burger and honorable mention for best concept? The concept is pure bar with bar food and nothing more. Big Time gets WAY too much credit here. Shorty’s as most improved? Come on.
There are too many chain and corporate places on this list and not enough privately owned representation.
Where are your ethnic hungries? You don’t even offer any categories for them, thus leaving out an entire selection of restos. We want best mexican, chinese, thai, vietnamese, cuban, bbq, italian, mediterranean, etc.
Next year please take note on what you have missed with this list.
DeVine Bistro and Bar in wellington is really good. They opened up this past year, plus its an open kitchen. Its the former chef from Café Chardonnay and off the vine.
Funny how most restaurants cited here are within waddling distance of Passy’s house.
Yes, his home in Delray, his home in PBG, his home in West Palm, his home in…well you get the picture…jealous are we?
What in the world happened this year??…. OK Charlie Soo’s Taley Thai does deserve some great recognition and his food is wonderful, but who in the hell even goes to Palm Beach to eat anymore… Cafe L’Europe…come on! This years review just goes to show the belly up for food in our county…WOW what a disappointment, But Congrats to Marcello’s La Sirena !!!
Well, technically speaking, three restaurants are close to where I live — specifically, Talay Thai, Paddy Mac’s and Mr. Gyros. I wouldn’t say I’m biased toward restaurants in my immediate vicinity, but I do tend to be more aware of them from driving past them now and then. I try to stay up on the dining scene county-wide, but I also depend greatly on suggestions from readers about what’s new and/or what’s good (or bad) — otherwise, I learn about openings from reading other Web sites or from the restaurants themselves (you’d be surprised how few contact me). For example, I barely knew anything about DeVine in Wellington and it definitely seems like a place worth checking out.
I should make clear that the restaurants spotlighted for the Hungries are just the places I visited in 2009 for TGIF or the Food section — that qualifier was in the print edition of the story, but not online (see below). In other words, this is not the best in dining overall, but the best for 2009.
That said, Michelle Bernstein’s was not included for a very good reason — it failed to impress. (As I said in my review a few weeks ago, service was beyond disastrous on one of my visits.)
Freakerdude (my favorite all-time commenter on the dining pages): I might disagree with you about Grease — it’s more than a mere bar, but a Palm Beach County incarnation of NYC-style meatpacking district burger bar. But your other remarks are well taken — hopefully, we can do more with ethnic dining, though as you know, the pickings can get pretty slim in these parts.
Anyhow, thanks all for reading. Look forward to continuing to hear your thoughts and suggestions — you may always contact me directly at cpassy@pbpost.com.
And here’s the missing intro, too:
“And the Hungry goes to…”
OK, so maybe we don’t have a formal ceremony for our year-end dining awards – aka The Hungries. But we do take these honors very seriously. After all, when you spend an entire year eating your way through South Florida, you want to celebrate the best.
As always, a key rule applies to The Hungries: The restaurants under consideration are limited to those I have visited in the past year for reviews and stories in TGIF and the Wednesday food section. While that’s still a very large list – at least 75 places – it’s by no means representative of the local dining scene in its entirety.
But the good news is that I’m already lining up places to visit in 2010. And I’m as hungry as ever.
NO DOUBT about Talay Thai! A MAZ ING!!!!!!
I don’t get around all that much, but that having been said, the best meal that I had in 2009 was at Dolce di Parma on the wrong side of the tracks in West Palm Beach. Not cheap but worth every penny!
You’ve got good taste, Jerry. That was our Best New Restaurant for 2008.
SO far so good with reviews, Figs was a hit,great pizza, great atmoshpere. We tried the Fig and proscuitto pizza, the sicillian, and the chicken sausage. All tasty!! I dnt want to forget mentioning how good the greek salad is, fresh, fresh oh and fresh! Will return.
Way to go Charles.. Talay deserves the praise, Soo’s consistency and quality has been there from the start. While I appreciate that Bernstein did not impress you at first blush, she is serving some of the most creative food in the county and probably deserves another few looks. I go down to her places in Miami as often as I can, and it is a treat to have her food up here.
I have to disagree with the other poster on Vic and Angelos.. the food is reliable and it is a good place to bring people from out of town to show off a cool environment and food that you can count on.
I’m interested in hearing your opinion on where the best Huevos Rancheros is in our hometown? Any places stand out?
Hmmm… My pick for Best Breakfast, The Pelican Cafe, does a good job with huevos rancheros, though I wouldn’t say that’s their specialty.
I’d be curious, though, if any of the local taquerias are open for breakfast and serving it…
As promissed I returned to Figs for the irresistable Fig and Prosciutto pizza. However, this time when I went to place my order I asked for a diet coke and they said they were out, in fact , they said they miss ordered and ran out. What the Fig? How does this happen at a Todd English rest.? Anyhow no offer to get it or to offer cans, but the food was great. I would not order the calamari again as it was just ok. The wedge salad, was tasty and fresh. Still a place to go once or twice. This week we will try the Secrets Piano Bar.
go to the hog snapper in tequesta..sooooo good
(owners former carmines ocean grill employees!(chef & bartender)
I liked the dining reviews way better back in the GoPBI days. You could choose by price, location, type of food, cruise. These reviews seem way biased and way high priced!
Just found a new hidden gem in Delray, Jimmy’s Bistro off of Swinton. Small, intimate (6 tables) restaurant that will rock your taste buds. Stumbled upon it Friday night and I predict that you will not be able get a reservation in 30 days.
Michelle Bernstein deserved a mention. The wine list at Omphoy is brilliantly selected and the pricing is outstanding. It opened to late to make this list, but the best newcomer is Vagabondi at the corner of Belvedere and Dixie. Outstanding.
Please tell me that whoever charlie is, he doesn’t get paid!! This list of restaurants is definitely the worst I have ever seen in Palm Beach County. Let’s just take it for what it really is advertising dollars spent on this joke of a paper!
We just ate aat the above mentioned Zagabondi. We ate there last year too. We think it is just amazing. Everything delicious. The fish was outstanding…salads great…pasta super home made…and even a son who is allergic to flour had a great meal…
only thing is don’t go for the 6:00 setting, as you do feel a bit rushed.