Wild Ginger Shrimp from Wild Ginger

Serves 1

Prep time: 20 minutes



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Ingredients:

12 Shrimp

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. sesame oil

2 tbsp. vegetable oil

1 tbsp. low sodium soy sauce

1 tsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. minced garlic

2 tbsp. cooking wine

1/2 cup broccoli

1/2 cup onions

1/2 cup carrots

1/2 cup mushrooms

1/2 cup zucchini

Directions:


Boil the broccoli, onions, carrots, mushrooms, and zucchini until they are soft. Set them aside on a plate.

In a sauté pan, place 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 5 tbsp. of teriyaki sauce, 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 1/2 tsp. of unsalted butter, 1 tbsp. of cooking wine, and 1 tbsp. of minced garlic and add the vegetables and sauté for about two minutes. Then, set aside this mixture on a plate.

Take another sauté pan, and add 1 tbsp. of vegetable oil, 1 tbsp. of sesame oil, 1/2 tsp. of unsalted butter, 5 tbsp. of teriyaki sauce, 1 tbsp. of sesame seeds, 1 tbsp of low sodium soy sauce, and 1 tbsp. of cooking wine. Add the 12 shrimp and sauté this mixture until the shrimp are thoroughly cooked (for approximately three minutes). Scoop out this mixture and add it onto the plate with the mixed vegetables. Serve with steamed noodles, white rice, or brown rice.

Note: As of Jan. 18, 2011, Wild Ginger is no longer open.

Athenian Shrimp from Taverna Opa

Serves 1

Prep time: 45 minutes



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Ingredients:

5 jumbo shrimp (out of the shell and de-veined)

2 oz. chopped tomatoes

1 oz. feta cheese

1 oz. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 clove of chopped garlic

1 tsp. fresh basil, julienne

juice from 1/2 a lemon

2 oz. white wine

1/8 tsp. salt

1/16 tsp. pepper

4 – 5 oz. saffron rice

4 – 5 oz. fresh green beans

2 spears of asparagus

Directions:


Sauté the fresh green beans in 1 teaspoon of olive oil, a pinch of fresh garlic, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Cook for approximately five minutes over low heat.

Prepare the rice by boiling the mixture for approximately 12 minutes.

Steam two spears of asparagus.

Cover a sauté pan with olive oil, place under medium heat, add the shrimp, and season them with salt and pepper. Move the shrimp around so that they do not stick to the pan. Cook the shrimp on medium heat, and add the fresh garlic when the shrimp are ready to be flipped to the other side. Turn the shrimp over on the other side, add the white wine, and reduce the mixture by half. Then, add the diced tomatoes, basil, lemon juice and the feta cheese, just to warm them up.

Place the cooked rice on one side of the plate, place the green beans on the other side of the plate, and place the shrimp between the two (with the tails up). Pour the remaining sauce over the shrimp and place two asparagus spears over the shrimp.

Taverna Opa

700 S Rosemary Ave # 232

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

(561) 820-0002

Open daily – 11 a.m. – 12 p.m., late night menu until 2 a.m.

Call it CityPlace à la Francaise.

The popular downtown West Palm Beach dining and shopping complex got a major new addition this past week when Carousel Can Can Café (700 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 228; 561-833-6001; carouselfl.com) opened its doors. The 8,000-square-foot eatery, which seats up to 300 indoors and outdoors, is the latest venture from restaurateur Karim El Sherif, who was behind the now-closed French bistro Metronome in Palm Beach Gardens.

With Carousel, Sherif is tapping some of the same casual French menu options he offered at Metronome, but he’s considerably upping the fun factor. As its name implies, the elaborately decorated restaurant, which has private dining areas and bars galore, is built around the themes of carousels and cancan entertainment. Dancers in traditional costume will be on a stage in front of the kitchen every night to show off their mastery of the high-kicking art form.

So, is Carousel the French equivalent of the Greek-themed Taverna Opa, the CityPlace restaurant where belly dancers are as much the stars as the grilled fish and lamb shanks?
“You could say that,” responds Sharif.

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Inoteca mussels from City Cellar

Serves 2

Prep time: 20 minutes



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Ingredients:

1 lb. Prince Edward Island mussels

1 oz. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves**

2 cups chopped diced plum tomatoes

1 oz. white wine

1 oz. lemon juice

2 oz. Pangratta (seasoned breadcrumbs)

1 oz. julienne basil

salt and pepper to taste



Directions:


In a hot pan, sauté mussels, tomato and roasted garlic. Add olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, white wine and cook until all of the mussels have opened (about 3-4 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and garnish with pangratta, parsley and basil.

** To make Roasted Garlic Cloves:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Take a head of garlic and cut off the top. Place it in a pan of olive oil, cover, and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove cover, flip the head of garlic and bake for another 10 minutes. For extra flavor, add 1/4 cup chicken stock to the pan and bake.

City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill

700 S. Rosemary Ave #21

West Palm Beach, FL 33401

(561) 366-0071

Open Sun-Thurs., 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m., late night bar menu until 12

Fri-Sat., 11:30 a.m. – 10:30 p.m., late night bar menu until 12

We had such a great time pouring wines last night at CityPlace Uncorked. Thanks to everyone who helped make the experience memorable. A huge thanks to Republic National Fine Wine Manager, Craig Diamond, for filling our table with some truly excellent wines. It was an honor to pour them!

We loved our wines, and so did the crowd. The 2006 ZD Cabernet Sauvignon from Napa was an early favorite that kept many people coming back for more.
It was also rewarding to introduce some excellent lesser-known wines, like the 2006 Antu Ninquén Syrah/Cabernet (a powerhouse wine, but surprisingly smooth!) and the 2006 King Estate Vin Glacé Pinot Gris (Sweet’s personal favorite).

But the highlight was definitely the 2006 Masi Costasera Amarone Classico. What a smooth and elegant wine!

And to all the wonderful, amazing people who stopped by and talked wine with us, you made our night!

Please, don’t be a stranger! Follow, comment, and find us at future events! We love you all!

Were you at the event? See the photos here

~ Sweet, Dry, Bold & Earthy

Just a reminder to our faithful that the four of us will all be appearing (together for the first time!) at CityPlace’s Uncorked event Thursday evening.

We’ll be pouring eight really good wines that are all over the board, so whatever your palate, please stop by and try what we’ll be featuring.

There will also be a great raffle going at our table that includes a couple of bottles of our favorite wines (different from what we’re pouring), a fab cookbook, and two beautiful books on the Tuscany area and Paris restaurants. We’ll have the drawing at 9 p.m., so be sure to enter.

Swirl fans should have a great night with the wines and yummy food from CityPlace’s best restaurants. Click here to see what we’ll be pouring. And check out details of the event here.

We hope to see you there!

Calling all wine lovers! Dry (Gwen) will be at CityPlace at noon today, July 31, with two VIP tickets to next week’s CityPlace Uncorked. Be the first person to find her, say, “I LOVE UNCORKED!” and win!

The winner receives two VIP tickets (a $200 value) to CityPlace Uncorked on August 6. VIP tickets include early entry at 6 p.m. (general entry is at 7 p.m.), a gift bag, and second level entry to exclusive wines and food. Patrons also receive a complimentary glass of Piper Heidsieck champagne and a pizza at the City Cellar after-party.

Follow the clues to Dry’s whereabouts on Twitter @SwirlGirls or on Facebook starting at noon. Happy hunting!

We are so excited to be pouring wine at CityPlace Uncorked this year on August 6, at the Harriet Himmel Theater. The event, now in its ninth year, features wines and menu samplings from some of CityPlace’s best restaurants. You can bid on all kinds of prizes during a silent auction benefiting The West Palm 100, and listen to music from B.B. King Pure Blues Band.

There will also be a great after-party sponsored by City Cellar, a CityPlace must for any oenophile. “We’re very, very big fans of wine,” says Jeremiah Bennett, manager of City Cellar Wine Bar & Grill, which has a large and varied regular wine list. “We’ve been involved with Uncorked since the beginning.”

The wines for Uncorked will be supplied by Republic National Distributing Company, which is providing a good variety for all sorts of tastes. The Swirl Girls got together with South Florida wine manager, Craig Diamond, last week at City Cellar to taste the wines we’ll be pouring at our table. Boy, did Craig impress us with his selection!

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CityPlace has always been a prime destination for lunch and dinner. But until recently, if you visited the downtown West Palm Beach shopping and dining spot during the morning hours, the most you could rustle up was coffee and a sweet roll from Panera Bread or Starbucks.

Now, that’s starting to change: In the past week, the popular Italian restaurant Il Bellagio (600 S. Rosemary Ave., 561-659-6160,
ilbellagiocityplace.com) has introduced a full breakfast menu, including pancakes, eggs and something called a Nana’s Breakfast
platter.

“The venue that we have is so conducive to sitting outside and having a nice breakfast,” says Il Bellagio partner Ron Del Signore, noting the restaurant’s location right by the CityPlace fountain. (Of course, you can also dine inside in air-conditioned comfort.)
In planning the breakfast menu, Del Signore knew he had to have the classics. That means offerings like two eggs prepared to order ($4.95) and platters of pancakes, French toast or waffles ($5.95).

But Del Signore also wanted to introduce items “with an Italian flair.” That’s taken the form of offerings like the Nana’s Breakfast (Italian toast with an egg cooked in the center, served with roasted peppers and potatoes, $6.95) and ricotta pancakes (traditional pancakes with the Italian cheese whipped into the batter, $6.95). You can also request a side dish of polenta cakes ($2.95).

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After almost tripping over a chair in the dark, crowded Palm Beach Improv, Louis C.K. climbed to the stage, grabbed the microphone, and stared out onto the audience, offering no smile, just an odd jumble of greetings, “Hello. How is everybody? That is here tonight? Doing?”

This would be the beginning of a slightly awkward but knee-slappingly funny night.

Louis C.K.’s show was part of his national theater tour titled “Hilarious” featuring his new material. The show covered various everyday subjects including impatient people, aging, the pains of traveling on airplanes, extreme road rage, and the annoying side of raising children.

“Hilarious” had people constantly red-faced and teary-eyed from laughing. The clapping would go on and on, and the cheers were endless. He knew just what jokes to make by talking about things ordinary people could easily relate to.

One of the main points that seems to make Louis C.K. stand out as a comedian, is his wittiness and his, “I don’t give a f—!” attitude, not to mention his prominent use of the word “f—”. At one point in the night he demonstrated just how witty he could get — though clearly, Louis’ humor isn’t exactly for everyone.

“I think molesting children should be legal … just hear me out!” He laughed and went on to explain that if molesting kids would be OK in our system, kids wouldn’t have to get kidnapped and murdered after being molested. Parents would simply get their children back and maybe the molester could even “drop them off at soccer practice afterwards.”

The joke got different reactions. Some laughed, others were too shocked to speak, and some even booed. At the booers, Louis had one thing to say to them: “Oh shut up! If you don’t like it then leave!”

Without a single doubt, Louis C.K.’s show “Hilarious” was nothing but hilarious. If you have a chance to check it out, definitely do. Only a talented comedian can go from talking about being overweight, to cursing at people while driving, to wanting to strangle his children at times, all as if it were one simple but very funny conversation; and only a talented comedian can make someone laugh at some pretty sick subjects.

Louis C.K. will be performing tonight at 8 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. at the Palm Beach Improv. For tickets, go to the club’s Web site or call (561) 833-1812.

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