Sometimes you need a reminder of just how good one of your old hangouts is. When anyone asks me for advice on the best West Palm eateries, Jade Kitchen in Northwood Village is always on my list. But walking in for a mid-week wine tasting last Thursday, I realized just how long it’s been since I’ve actually been there. It wasn’t for any particular reason that I stopped going. The restaurant scene in Palm Beach County can be distracting. There’s always some new place to try, and time has a way of slipping on by.

Entering the tiny storefront on Northwood Boulevard was like getting re-acquainted with an old friend. The same homemade desserts were perched on the front window sill, the same comfy lounge area invited an intimate conversation. Chef/owner Wayne Devers still fills the space with the same infectious enthusiasm for fresh and creative food.

What brought me back was a Portuguese food and wine tasting, co-hosted by Jade Kitchen and Savor Tonight. The event featured four different Portuguese wines, each paired with a tasty bite. I can’t think of a better way to spend $20.

We started with a fresh and fruity non-vintage Vinho Verde by Broadbent, paired perfectly with a Portuguese seafood salad of shrimp and octopus. I’m a big fan of well-made octopus, and this was my favorite dish of the evening. Devers made a wonderfully soft and succulent preparation, mixed with plump shrimp and thick-sliced potato, lightly seasoned with sweet bell peppers and a smoky paprika oil, finished with crisp-fried potato slivers.

The next wine in the tasting was a first for me – a Vinho Verde rosé by Vera. Made from 60 percent vinhão and 40 percent rabo de anho, this wine was a very deeply hued rosé wine that tasted more like a light red, but with a bright kick of acidity. It was exciting to taste something new and so unlike anything I’ve tried before. And it was a tasty little sipper I hope to find again. Devers paired the wine with a fried cod cake with chorizo butter.

Even though the event was promoted as a wine tasting, Devers’ food progressed more like a wine dinner. For the main course, he presented small plates of roasted pork and blood sausage, served with a garbanzo bean puree and topped with fried garbanzo beans. The dish was paired with a classic dry red blend from the Douro region. The 2009 Quinta do Crasto red is a deep and vibrant ruby color in the glass and has a fresh aroma of red cherry, raspberry and currant with hints of leather and spice. On the palate, the wine is lush and ripe with silky, smooth tannins. It was a very enjoyable wine that seemed popular amongst the group of diners.

Over the final course of Port, fried churros and chocolate, my husband and I marveled at how we let Jade Kitchen slip off our radar. It won’t be a mistake we make twice.

JADE KITCHEN: serves dinner Tuesday to Thursday, 5:30 to 9 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. at 422 Northwood Road in West Palm Beach. There’s a Wednesday evening Happy Hour from 5 to 7 p.m. with $5 wine and $3 beer, and offer 10 percent off diner checks for Happy Hour clients. Phone: (561) 366-1185.

Savor Tonight hosts food and wine events around South Florida. Find them online at SavorTonight.com or follow them on Facebook: www.facebook.com/savortonight