Our picks for top locally owned, chef-driven food spots

Q: I liked your Fort Lauderdale restaurant recommendations. Are you able to do the identical for foodies in and close to Boca Raton? That might embrace Deerfield Seaside and Pompano Seaside, because the solely public restaurant with a water view in Boca is the Waterstone Resort & Marina. We’re large followers of Oceans 234 on the oceanfront in Deerfield Seaside. — M.S., Boca Raton

A: You’re proper, the choices for consuming with a view of the ocean in Boca Raton are nearly nil as condominium buildings take up many of the prime house. It’s a must to head north to Delray Seaside or south to Deerfield Seaside for oceanfront eating.

The questioner final week requested me for Fort Lauderdale eating places serving meals that doesn’t taste mass-produced and shows lots of love from the chef. In Boca Raton, there’s loads of this assembly-line sort meals; the town and close by unincorporated space are residence to an abundance of chain eating places or eateries which have a number of South Florida outposts.

So in the event you’re in search of modern meals in Boca Raton at a restaurant owned by locals, listed below are some choices, together with locations in Deerfield Seaside and Pompano Seaside. Make certain to name forward as our native eating places are getting into their busiest season.

[ Ask Lois: Who are the great Fort Lauderdale chefs and what are the best ‘hidden gem’ restaurants? ]

DVASH, 8208 Glades Highway, Boca Raton; 561-826-7784; dvashboca.com

That is the place I deliver visitors who’re visiting from out of city. In the event you like Mediterranean meals, you can feast on their to-die-for selfmade hummus, lamb chops, hen on a skewer, shawarma or majadara (risotto with mushrooms, onions and lentils). Dvash means “honey” in Hebrew.

La Nouvelle Maison, 455 E. Palmetto Park Highway, Boca Raton; 561-338-3003; lnmbocaraton.com

La Nouvelle Maison was amongst 4 South Florida eating places that made it on to Open Table’s list of “Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2019.” It’s old-school French, with dishes together with escargots, duck liver pâté, steak tartare and dover sole. For dessert, take pleasure in genuine crepes or my favourite, profiteroles, that are cream puffs with ice cream inside and chocolate sauce on prime.

Luff’s Fish Home, 390 E. Palmetto Park Highway, Boca Raton; 561-609-2660; luffsfishhouse.com

Luff’s doesn’t take reservations, so you might have to attend, however you possibly can take a stroll round downtown Boca as you fantasize in regards to the restaurant’s contemporary seafood, which is ready merely and creatively. I like the coconut curry grouper on jasmine rice with stir-fried greens. That is one other spot the place I deliver visitors. Make certain to order the Key lime pie for dessert.

Corvina Seafood Grill, 110 Plaza Actual S., Boca Raton; 561-206-0066; corvinabocaraton.com

Corvina introduced chef Jeff Tunks, a culinary star on the Washington, D.C., meals scene, to Boca Raton a yr in the past. The meals is regionally sourced; the chef has established relationships with native fishers and farmers, equivalent to Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market in Delray Seaside and Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee.

Right here’s what former South Florida Solar Sentinel restaurant critic Michael Mayo wrote earlier this yr about Corvina on Let’s Eat, South Florida, the Solar Sentinel’s foodie Fb group: “Dinner service begins with a basket of heat, gluten-free Brazilian popovers (produced from tapioca flour). Gentle, ethereal and scrumptious. The charbroiled oysters with chipotle lemon garlic butter and parmesan have been crispy and composed, with the oyster meat nonetheless succulent. A grasp of the shape. There are two varieties of ceviche on the menu and we went with basic Peruvian with fish, leche de tigre, candy potatoes and huge corn. Clear flavors and delish.”

Twenty Twenty Grille, 141 By way of Naranjas, Boca Raton; 561-990-7969; twentytwentygrille.com

This little spot falls within the “hidden gem” class. There are many inventive gadgets on the menu, together with Duck Duck Taco, Thai Marinated Charred Octopus, Mole Spiced Grilled Prawns and Portuguese Bistro Steak and Eggs. This eatery will get constantly good critiques on Let’s Eat, South Florida. One reviewer praised the playful chef: “Previous to the primary course, the chef personally delivered a 4-item sorbet and challenges you to guess the elements. It seems the sorbet is exclusive from desk to desk.” Desserts are luscious; strive the molten chocolate cake or Tiramisu Creme Brulee.

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Because you stated Deerfield Seaside and Pompano Seaside have been OK too, listed below are a number of choices farther south.

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La Vie, 281 S. Pompano Parkway, Pompano Seaside; 954-210-9818; lavieflorida.com

La Vie provides a basic Mediterranean menu with an attractive array of cold and hot mezza, grilled chops, kebobs and shawarma. There are a number of tagine choices, that are slow-cooked in a shallow dish with a conical lid that creates steam from the cooking liquid, together with hen, lamb, grouper and vegetable. Vegetarians gained’t have any drawback discovering luxurious dishes right here. The cooks hail from Lebanon and Morocco. Be ready for stomach dancers who full the cultural expertise.

Gianni’s Italian Restaurant, 1601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Seaside; 954-942-1733; giannisitalianrestaurant.com

Gianni’s has served Italian favorites to South Floridians for greater than three many years. The family-owned trattoria provides conventional Italian fare, with hen cacciatore, linguini with clam sauce, pork bracciola, shrimp scampi and snapper francese. Right here’s what one newbie foodie stated about Gianni’s lately on Let’s Eat, South Florida:

“We began with a Minestrone soup and Baked Clams. Dinner comes with salads and a home French dressing that was superior. For dinner we had Eggplant Parmigiana and a Rooster Parmigiana, each with facet pastas. Oh, and the Garlic Rolls and bread sticks have been excessive. Completed up with selfmade Cheesecake and Tiramisu with Espresso and Sambuca. Good wine listing additionally. We’ll be again and can deliver others.”

Delray Seaside’s energetic and artistic restaurant scene just isn’t removed from you, however there are such a lot of good locations to eat there that they might take up a complete different column. Within the meantime, take a look at the Solar Sentinel’s in depth restaurant listings at SunSentinel.com/entertainment/restaurants-and-bars, in addition to the Solar Sentinel’s foodie Fb group, Let’s Eat, South Florida.

Obtained a query about life in South Florida? Write to Lois at AskLois @sunsentinel.com.