Wine & Dine

South Florida’s most star-studded food fête returns to the Magic City

Written by CHRISTIE GALEANO-DEMOTT

The Food Network South Beach with pickled okra, ricotta dumplings, the burger with gouda, the grilled octopus and pastrami’d chicken breast with roasted cabbage. • Brunch Sun. Dinner Tues.-Sun. 561/733-4782. $$

Wine & Food Festival Presented by Capital One (SOBEWFF®) returns to Miami’s sandy shores this month from Thursday, February 23 through Sunday, February 26. The legendary Goya Foods’ Grand Tasting Village is back alongside fan favorites like Tacos and Tequila hosted by Danny Trejo, Guy Fieri’s Diners, DriveIns and Dives LIVE, Wine Spectator’s Best of the Best and Chicken Coupe hosted by Michelle Bernstein. The annual Tribute Dinner will be hosted by Bobby Flay this year and honors chef and Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli and Alexandre Ricard of wine and spirits conglomerate Pernod Ricard. Further north, the Hallandale Beach Event Series welcomes Food & Groove back to the Village at Gulfstream Park on Sunday for a compilation of local bites and live music.

For loyal SOBEWFF patrons who have already savored the staple events, there are a few new happenings to anticipate. Those include Saturday’s Smorgasburg After Dark at the food market that’s hosted by Rev Run and Marcus Samuelsson’s Overtown EatUp! Samuelsson’s Sunday event, which is the sister festival to Harlem EatUp!, the African American-focused festival that celebrates the community’s culture, comes to Overtown to spotlight local talented chefs.

Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits is opening the doors to its new Wynwood headquarters to host a series of pop-up events and dinners including the Michelin Guide Dinner Series, which will feature celebrated chefs like Jeremy Ford, Gabriel Kreuther and Boia De’s Luciana Giangrandi and Alex Meyer. It will also host a daiquiri-making master class with influencer Gio Gutierrez and Julio Cabrera, who oversees Café La Trova’s bar program, which recently made the World’s 50 Best Bars list. This year, the festival’s finale brunch, usually hosted by Trisha Yearwood, will welcome two-time James Beard Award winner Mashama Bailey and a roster of chefs to the Loews Miami Beach.

Josie’s Italian Ristorante—1602 S. Federal Highway. Italian. Famed chef and South Florida culinary godfather Mark Militello is back at Josie’s after a brief stint at Boca’s Prezzo, and his magic in the kitchen of this cozy, old-school Italian restaurant is duly noted. His influence is evident in the daily specials, but old favorites like beefy short rib meatballs, an upmarket version of the classic San Francisco cioppino, and Josie’s signature veal Bersaglieri (veal medallions with artichokes, olives and roasted peppers in lemon-white wine sauce) don’t fail to satisfy either. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. 561/364-9601. $$

Prime Catch —700 E. Woolbright Road. Seafood Waterfront restaurants are few and far between in our neck of the woods, and those with good food are even more rare. Prime Catch, at the foot of the Woolbright bridge on the Intracoastal, is a best-kept secret. The simple pleasures here soar—a perfectly grilled piece of mahi or bouillabaisse overflowing with tender fish. Don’t miss one of the best Key lime pies around. • Lunch and dinner daily, Sunday brunch. 561/737-8822. $$

Sushi Simon 1628 S. Federal Highway. Japanese It’s been called “Nobu North” by some aficionados, and for good reason. Local sushi-philes jam the narrow dining room for such impeccable nigirizushi as hamachi and uni (Thursdays), as well as more elaborate dishes like snapper Morimoto and tuna tartare. Creative, elaborate rolls are a specialty. • Lunch and dinner daily. 561/731-1819. $$

Delray Beach

3rd and 3rd —301 N.E. Third Ave. Gastropub. This quirky, individualistic, obscurely located little place is one of the most important restaurants in Delray. The menu changes frequently, but hope the evening’s fare includes plump scallops with caramelized mango sauce, stunning delicious roasted cauliflower with Parmesan mousse and bacon, and wicked-good espresso panna cotta on it at your visit. • Dinner Mon.-Sat. 561/303-1939. $$

50 Ocean—50 S. Ocean Blvd. Seafood. The former Upper Deck at Boston’s on the Beach is now the more upscale, seafood-oriented spot. The menu ranges from familiar to slightly more inventive, from a classic lobster bisque and crisp-tender fried clam bellies to rock shrimp pot pie and baked grouper topped with blue crab. The cinnamon-dusted beignets are puffs of amazingly delicate deep-fried air and should not under any circumstances be missed. • Lunch Mon.-Sat. Dinner nightly. Brunch Sun. 561/278-3364. $$

800 Palm Trail Grill—800 Palm Trail. American. This contemporary space is serving up American fare and classic cocktails. The menu has a steak-and-seafood-house feel to it but without any stuffiness. Instead, you’ll find dishes that entice the palate, like the loaded baked potato eggrolls and Wagyu boneless short rib. • Lunch and dinner daily, with patio dining. 561/865-5235. $$

Akira Back, 233 NE 2nd Ave., Delray Beach. Japanese Chef Akira Back’s Seoul restaurant earned a Michelin star a few years ago and now he’s showcasing his talented take on Japanese cuisine at his namesake restaurant inside The Ray hotel. Born in Korea and raised in Colorado, Back blends his heritage with Japanese flavors and techniques he has mastered to deliver dishes that are unique to him. With plates made to be shared, the menu is divided into cold and hot starters followed by rolls, nigiri/sashimi, robata grill, mains and fried rice. Dinner. 561/739-1708. $$$$

Amar Mediterranean Bistro —522 E. Atlantic Ave. Lebanese. From the moment you step inside, there’s a familial feeling, a hidden gem that everyone is drawn to. Amar is a quaint bistro amidst the buzzy Atlantic Avenue that serves Lebanese food. But this isn’t your typical hummus and pita joint. Here, the proprietor’s family recipes take center stage alongside Mediterranean favorites that have been elevated with slight tweaks. • Dinner nightly. 561/865-5653. $$

Angelo Elia Pizza • Bar • Tapas — 16950 Jog Road. Italian. Nothing on the menu of Angelo Elia’s modern, small plates-oriented osteria disappoints, but particularly notable are the meaty fried baby artichokes stuffed with breadcrumbs and speck, delicate chicken-turkey meatballs in Parmesan-enhanced broth, and Cremona pizza with a sweet-salty-earthy-pungent mélange of pears, pancetta, Gorgonzola, sun-dried figs and mozzarella.

• Lunch Tues.-Sun. Dinner nightly. 561/381-0037. $

Atlantic Grille—1000 E. Atlantic Ave. Seafood/Contemporary American. This posh restaurant in the luxurious Seagate Hotel & Spa is home to a 450-gallon aquarium of tranquil moon jellyfish and a 2,500-gallon shark tank. Savor inventive cuisine that takes the contemporary to the extraordinary. Bold flavors, inspired techniques and the freshest ingredients make every meal a culinary adventure.

• Lunch and dinner daily. Brunch Sat.–Sun. 561/665-4900. $$

We sell clothing from Paris, as well accessories, hats, purses and gifts for every occasion.

Voyage Boutique might be off the Ave, but we are on top of fashion! From casual to elegant, cocktail or dinner party…you are sure to find your next favorite outfit in our large specialty shop.

If you are the mother or grandmother of a bride, you will find something very special too…if it doesn’t fit perfectly, our in-house seamstress will make sure it does. Weekly shipments arriving from Paris and Italy. Have some fun – come shop with us - and be sure to mention you saw us in Delray magazine!

400 Gulfstream Blvd, Delray Beach FL 33444

Open 10:00AM to 4:30PM Mon-Sat 561-279-2984