Chops Lobster Bar: Fine Dining in a World with COVID

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DINING OUT Chops Lobster Bar: Fine Dining in a World with COVID

BY: TERRY JAILLET

Fine dining in a world with COVID-19 poses a number of challenges: is it possible to meet high culinary expectations and still feel safe? With a focus on preventing infectious disease, will service suffer? Is it possible to produce the same levels of food quality when restaurant capacity is limited to 50%? Will enough diners even show up to reopened restaurants? Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton has met those challenges and serves up a fine dining experience even the most finicky will enjoy.

We ate dinner at Chops Lobster Bar on a Tuesday evening, not too long after Palm Beach County had entered Phase I of Florida’s coronavirus reopening plan. We arrived at Royal Palm Place to find the valet stand manned by a gloved and masked team. We would later learn that all employees at the restaurant, including the valets, have their temperature taken each day and are tested for coronavirus every two weeks.

The Ambiance

Dark wood, coffered ceilings, and leather seating warmly welcome guests as they enter the restaurant. At first glance, the only difference from past visits is expanded space between tables and the masks and gloves worn by staff members. We were delighted to see a good number of other diners, who, like us, respected social distancing guidelines. We were presented with single-use paper menus and offered alcohol wipes to clean our hands prior to eating.

The Food

My wife and I began our meal with martinis, which were, as martinis go, great: strong, cold, and refreshing. We accompanied our drinks with a pair of starters: The Mediterranean Chargrilled Octopus and Chops’ signature Morsels of Lobster Tail appetizer.

The octopus was delightful. It was completely devoid of the chewiness that frequently undermines the dish and was paired with a combination of tangy olives and capers along with sweet pickled red onion. It’s a great choice for someone looking for an exotic taste that you won’t be able to find at many other places in South Florida. The lobster, however, was out-of-this-world. Slightly larger than bite-sized pieces of Maine lobster tail lightly battered with an almost-tempura like batter and fried. It is served with drawn butter and honey-mustard aioli. I could eat them all night.

We followed our appetizers with Chops’ chopped salad and a glass of red wine.

For our entrée, Executive Chef Sean Thompson suggested a steak & lobster combo, featuring a special cut of meat called the ribeye spinalis. The spinalis is known among foodies as the most flavorful cut of steak available, and ours lived up to that billing. The steak was seared to perfection while maintaining a medium-rare temperature. Every bite was mouthwatering. Our steaks were accompanied by broiled, stuffed-lobsters and we shared a rather unique side of mashed potatoes with king crab. Chef Thompson’s attention to detail was evident in each successive course we enjoyed.

For dessert, our waiter, Joe, suggested we try the restaurant’s signature Banana Creme Pie and a limited time special Blueberry Cheesecake. The cheesecake was fantastic. It was dense and sweet with the taste of blueberry, but not overwhelmingly so. The Banana Creme Pie was light and fluffy, a perfect ending to a rich meal.

The Verdict

Dining at Chops Lobster Bar leaves you feeling special. They have gone out of their way to give guests a true fine-dining experience, even in a world dominated by infectious disease protocols. No one in South Florida offers better lobster dishes. It is a perfect place to celebrate an important life event or milestone with those closest to you.