Atlantic Current: The Food Issue - March/April 2023

MARCH

2-5 OKEECHOBEE MUSIC AND ARTS FESTIVAL (www.okeechobeefest.com for lineup!)

3

THELMA & THE SLEAZE @ Respectables – WPB

BOYNTON BEACH FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES @ Boynton Beach Amphitheater

LOG JAM SURF CONTEST PRE PARTY FEAT. BRETT STASKA & THE SOUVENIRS + PERRY STRAIT BAND @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

MAXIMUM FRICTION @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

INDIGO DREAMERS @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS BOCA: FANTASIA LIVE W/ ORCHESTRA @ Mizner Park Amp – Boca

4

ONE REBELLION @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

HAPPY LANDING @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

MUSTARD PLUG W/ STOP THE PRESSES @ Respectables – WPB

PERRY STRAIGHT BAND @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

PAM & DAVE (LUNCH) + INDIGO DREAMERS (DINNER) @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

PICKLEBALL COURTS GRAND OPENING EVENT @ Boynton Beach Tennis Center (10am-noon)

CRAFTED ON THE AVE OPEN @ Libby Wesley Plaza – Delray

ART WALK @ The Peach – WPB

5

BRYAN SMITH (GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL) @ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth (every Sunday through April)

BRYCE ALLYN DUO @ Guanabanas – Jupiter (4pm)

8

SIERRA LANE JAM INVITATIONAL @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – Boca

BRYCE ALLYN DUO @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

10

JM & THE SWEETS @ Brick and Barrel Pub – Jupiter

THE SHAKERS @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

THE LOT KIDS @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

11-12

JUPITER IRISH FEST @ Abacoa Amp

11

BLARNEY BASH W/ FOOD AND DRINKS, LIVE MUSIC, COSTUME CONTEST, FAMILY FUN

@ 120 East Ocean Ave – Boynton

SUPERNAUT @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – Boca

NIRVANNA & FOO FIGHTERS TRIBUTE

@ Mathews Brewing Co. – Lake Worth

THE NOUVEAUX HONKIES + GUAVATRON

@ Guanabanas – Jupiter

JOE CRUCITI (LUNCH) + CHRIS PIQUETTE (DINNER) @ Leftover’s Jupiter

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Irish Brigade – Lake Worth

12

VICTORIA LEIGH @ Guanabanas – Jupiter (4pm)

MATT BROWN @ THE AMP @ Hullabaloo – WPB

16

SUBLIME WITH ROME

@ The Stage At Coco Outdoors – Coconut Creek

17

SEAMUS EGAN PROJECT (IRISH FOLK MUSIC) @ Old School Square – Delray Beach

ST. PATRICK’S DAY PARTY FEAT. THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

JOHN SILLS @ Leftover’s Jupiter

CLAN OF XYMOX, THE BELLWEATHER SYNDICATE, ASTARI NITE @ Respectables – WPB

JUTT HUFFMAN BAND @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

18

LITE BLUES FESTIVAL @ Northwood Art and Music Warehouse – WPB

DEADPHISH ORCHESTRA @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

PEPPER @ Culture Room – Ft Lauderdale

56 ACE BAND @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

JOJO’S FARMER’S MARKET @ Carlin Park – Jupiter

22

DRY REEF @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

23

FRANK BANG & BEN RICE @ Crazy Uncle Mikes – Boca

24

GUAVATRON DUO @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

ANTARES @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

25

MATT BROWN @ Hopportunities – Delray

FUNKIN GRATEFUL @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

NEWS FROM BREE @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

EVENTS MARCH/APRIL 2023

WEEPING WOUND, DOWNSWING, ENOX, SEVER THE MEMORIES @ Respectables – WPB

SPRED THE DUB @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

HOT SAUCE MOON

@ Northwood Art and Music Warehouse – WPB

THE KINECTED @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

29-1

BISCUIT FEST 10 @ Funky Biscuit – Boca

30

RENAN NERONE @ Leftover’s – Jupiter

31

VICTORIA CARDONA + MAD THAI @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

ELTON JOHN AND BILLY JOEL TRIBUTE CONCERT @ Mizner Park Amp – Boca

APRIL

1

561 MUSIC FESTIVAL @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

GIRLFRIEND MATERIAL @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

JUPITER BEER WINE & SPIRITS FEST @ Abacoa Amp

UPROOT HOOTENANNY @ Irish Brigade – Lake Worth

2

UNTIL I WAKE-A TOUR INSIDE MY HEAD @ Respectables – WPB

6

THE LEAFY GREENS (TRIO) @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

7

THE HELMSMEN REUNION SHOW @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

CITY OF BOYNTON BEACH FIRST FRIDAY CONCERT SERIES @ Boynton Beach Amphitheater

MICAH SCOTT + ORBIT DIVIDER @ Guanabanas Jupiter

INDIGO DREAMERS @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

8

SMOKIN RENEGADE (STYX/BOSTON TRIBUTE) @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

9

JEFF LLOYD @ Guanabanas – Jupiter (4pm)

12

AUSTIN MEADE @ Respectables – WPB

14-15

POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE FEAT. FRANKIE ROSE, SCOTT YODER, + 16 MORE BANDS! @ Propaganda and Rudy’s Pub – Lake Worth

14-16

TORTUGA MUSIC FESTIVAL – Ft Lauderdale Beach

14

EAST HARBOR @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

JAY STOLLMAN & FRIENDS @ Maxi’s Lineup Jupiter

15

AFRO ROOTS FEST 2023 W/ LOCOS POR JUANA @ Guanabanas – Jupiter (starts at noon)

DARK SIDE OF SOL (PINK FLOYD TRIBUTE) @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

16

THE TOASTERS, SPRED THE DUB, FUAKATA! @ Respectables – WPB

21

NEVER STOP BELIEVIN’ JOURNEY TRIBUTE BAND @ Old School Square – Delray

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS @ Culture Room – Ft Lauderdale

CLICK MONEY + SOULJAM AND SLEEPIN’ DOGZ @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

THE FLYERS @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

22

SOUTHERN BLOOD @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

MATT BROWN @ Hopportunities – Delray

23

CASEY LUDEN’S DOUBLE TROUBLE @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

26

INDIGO DREAMERS @ DAS Beer Garden – Jupiter

28

MIKE GARULLI + JOHNNY DREAD @ Guanabanas – Jupiter

HURRICANE HAWK & THE INVADERS @ Northwood Art and Music Warehouse – WPB

ANTARES @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

29

LOTOS MUSIC FESTIVAL @ Delray Beach Tennis Center

STEVEN HUNT 1 MAN 5 PC BAND @ Stormhouse Brewing – NPB

JAMBUSH @ Maxi’s Lineup – Jupiter

PRODUCTS OF RAGE @ Mathews Brewing – Lake Worth

30

FOX MAPLE @ Guanabanas – Jupiter (4pm)

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Check venue websites for exact times. Schedules subject to change/cancellations.

PUBLISHER

Dustin Wright

EDITOR

Darien Davies

MANAGING EDITOR

Ava Bourbeau

DESIGN

Richard Vergez

WRITERS

Ava Bourbeau

Darien Davies

David Rolland

Jessica Tzikas

Rachel Levy

EVENTS

Danny Wright

PHOTOGRAPHY

Ben Hicks

Rachel Levy

Dustin Wright

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Robert Exelbierd

ADVERTISING 561-449-2263

info@theatlanticcurrent.com

THE COVER

Location: Tropical Smokehouse

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Copyright 2023 by the Atlantic Current LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. The Atlantic Current is a registered trademark of The Atlantic Current LLC.

All photos are taken by Atlantic Current unless stated otherwise.

Photo: Dustin Wright

BBQ in PBC

THEY ONLY SMOKE THE GOOD STUFF

BY DAVID ROLLAND

Barbecue is often considered the most American of cuisines. Slow-cooking meat over sticks and saplings was a common practice for Native Americans and Caribbeans. It has continued hundreds of years later with Texas, Kansas City and Memphis being known as true barbecue hot beds. But Palm Beach County has its own wide selection of spicy, tangy and sweet barbecue spots. So if you like barbecue and acronyms here’s a look at where you can get BBQ in PBC.

Tropical Smokehouse

Open Tuesdays through Sundays from 11:30 a. m. to 9 p. m., Tropical Smokehouse leans hard into Florida’s barbecue identity, saying the Sunshine State has more than 500 years of barbecue history to draw upon before Tennessee and Kansas were in the picture. Their website reminds people, “Our indigenous tribes pioneered the art of slow smoking. Hernando de Soto landed in what is St. Augustine, bringing with him the first pigs in the New World.”

Their menu includes prime brisket, Cajun gator sausage made from Everglades alligators, and smoked fish. The sides also have a Florida feel with sweet plantain and crispy yuca offered along with the more traditional collard greens and potato salad.

Pig Beach

Open every day but Monday for lunch and dinner, Pig Beach began when owners Rob Shawger, Shane McBride and Matt Abdoo met on the traveling barbecue circuit. They opened two Pig Beaches in New York and this one in West Palm where they fuse Italian, French, Middle Eastern and Asian techniques and ingredients with American BBQ. You can expect to thoroughly enjoy their smoked cheddar and jalapeño sausage, smoked chicken wings, Chef Jeff’s brisket, smoked fish dip, BBQ jackfruit sandwich and more.

2400 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach @pigbeachpalmbeach

3815 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach @tropical_smokehouse

Tropical Smokehouse

Troy’s Barbeque

Off Tha Bone

Open since 2014, this restaurant’s website boasts, “Our BBQ is slow smoked in the way our owner/chef learned from his uncles and father. It’s named Off Tha Bone for a reason.” They offer breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week. They are closed Mondays, but every other day are open bright and early at 7a.m. to serve their smoked turkey legs, rib sandwiches and plenty of corn bread. They offer a variety of barbecue sauces including a mild tomato-based sauce and a tangy mustard-based sauce. Thrill seekers can ask for spicy sauce if they dare.

Troy’s Barbeque

Troy’s has two locations: Boynton Beach and West Palm, and has been serving the community since 1996. It began as a lone endeavor with Troy Davis serving up seafood and barbecue. The restaurants are now run by Troy’s son, Anthony, with their mission being to, “Serve the best food, provide the best experience, and never let the fire go out.” They have a wide menu offering everything from brisket, ribs, pulled pork and conch fritters as main courses. They also advise to save room for their homemade pies and cakes for dessert.

1920

3950 Georgia Ave., West Palm Beach

S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach

@troysbbq

1516 N. Tamarind Ave., West Palm Beach @offthabone

Tropical Smokehouse

NEVS Barbecue

Named after chef and owner Tommy Nevill, NEVS Barbecue is open every day, except Sunday, from 11 a.m. until they run out of meat. Their menu is pretty simple. First, you choose whether you want your barbecue served as a sandwich, platter or salad. Next you choose a meat: brisket, pork, sausage or chicken. Finally, you pick your sides, with options including coleslaw, potato salad, fries, corn bread, mac-n-cheese and baked beans. And then, after grabbing lots of extra napkins, you eat.

9910 FL A1A Alternate Unit 709, Palm Beach Gardens

@nevs_barbecue

Aussie Tomahawk at Cucina Palm Beach

Sourced from Sunshine Provisions

Where to Wagyu

WHAT IS IT, WHY DOES IT COME WITH SO

BY JESSICA TZIKAS

If you’ve ever seen wagyu on a menu and wondered what, exactly, you are ordering, you’re not alone. It’s a delicacy that can be traced back to Japan and has now been exported and adopted in other parts of the world. Wagyu cattle are raised and fed in order to maintain a heavy distribution of fat throughout their bodies. This creates the marbling in the meat – and the buttery flavor of course.

If you are looking for wagyu here in South Florida, you’re in luck. There are quite a few local spots that are recipients of the delicacy. Here’s where to go and what to order.

MANY DOLLAR SIGNS, AND, MOST IMPORTANTLY, WHERE CAN YOU GET SOME?

1000 North

Located right on the waterfront in Jupiter, 1000 North is a coveted spot to dine any night of the week. Not only is this restaurant gorgeous – you can even arrive by boat – it is backed by celebrities, including founder Tucker Frederickson, a former New York Giants player. Meat lovers will fawn over the prime steak tartare with black truffle, the Dijon crusted prime rib (only offered Friday through Sunday) and of course, their offerings of wagyu steaks.

How to Wagyu: If you’ve never tried wagyu before or are hoping to get your fix, the domestic wagyu skirt steak is the move at 1000 North. Diners can also choose between an Aussie NY strip and a filet, both of which can be spiced up with butters and sauces like blue cheese and fig or béarnaise butter.

1000 US-1, Jupiter @1000.north

Cucina Palm Beach

Craving a luxe night out? Look no further than the posh Palm Beach spot, Cucina. Serving Southern Italian food, Cucina Palm Beach is known for their crafted cocktails, handmade pastas, and overall vibe. It’s also big on nightlife.

How to Wagyu: The wagyu cuts at Cucina include the Aussie Tomahawk and boneless short ribs. The Aussie Tomahawk is grilled to perfection and served with house cut fries, black truffle potatoes, sliced heirloom tomato with red onion and gorgonzola. Sauces to choose from include morel mushroom velouté and barrel aged soy demi.

257 Royal Poinciana Way, Palm Beach @cucinapalmbeach

Aussie Tomahawk at Cucina Palm Beach

Sourced from Sunshine Provisions

Japanese A5 at The Grove

Sourced from Sunshine Provisions

The Grove

The atmosphere at The Grove is enough to keep you coming back, but if you need a spot to return to that you’ll never get sick of, this is the place to go. The menu changes nightly, all based on the chef’s inspiration and the current in-season ingredients. But one thing that doesn’t change is the quality of the food.

How to Wagyu: If you get lucky enough to dine at The Grove on a night they have Japanese A5 wagyu strip, order it. Locals flock to the restaurant on the nights this cut of meat is served, so get there early and order it before your cocktails – you can thank us later.

187 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach

@thegrovedelrayfl

800 Palm Trail

With a menu led by born-and-raised Floridian, Amy Lee, you can’t go wrong with any of the offerings at 800 Palm Trail in Delray Beach. Their specialties include the Palm Salad, a robust salad filled with hearts of palm, feta, falafel croutons and tzatziki, and their Maryland crab cakes. But it’s the meat that keeps diners coming back for more.

How to Wagyu: The wagyu boneless short rib is considered one of their specialties, and for good reason. While the cut of meat is delectable on its own, Chef Lee serves it alongside red bliss mashed potatoes and black and tan onion rings, making it the ultimate, high-class comfort food.

800 Palm Trail, Delray Beach

@800palmtrail

Akira Back

Wagyu is from Japanese origin and the Japanese have high purity standards when it comes to Wagyu cattle, so it makes sense to venture to a Japanese-Korean fusion restaurant to get the best taste of the meat. Akira Back, located in The Ray Hotel, is a gorgeous restaurant with innovative dishes that all food lovers must try. The Restaurant’s namesake owner and chef, Akira Back, has appeared on national shows, including Iron Chef and The Today Show, and has received cooking accolades such as being invited to the James Beard House Dinners for many years.

How to Wagyu: There is no shortage of wagyu at Akira Back. They are stocked with Aussie Tomahawk, domestic boneless short ribs and Japanese NY strip. Try the wagyu tacos with a roasted tomato ponzu sauce or the 48 hours wagyu short rib, served with root veggies and a quail egg. For something especially unique, try the Tataki. It’s lightly seared, thinly sliced, and served with garlic, spicy diakon and ponzu sauce.

233

Japanese A5 Tataki at Akira Back

Sourced from Sunshine Provisions

N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach @akirabackdelray

PUMPHOUSE COFFEE ROASTERS

8,000 SQUARE FEET OF PURE COFFEE BLISS

BY DARIEN DAVIES

If you’ve ever seen that part in the movie Elf: “It is a crappy cup of coffee. No, it’s the world’s best cup of coffee,” and laughed, then you know just how true that statement is. Just because someone can claim that a cup of coffee is the best in town, the best in the world, or the best you’ll ever have in your life, doesn’t mean that it’s true. Well, that is unless you’re Alex and Christian Le Clainche from Pumphouse.

Coffee might as well run in their blood, so it makes sense. (Probably why they work so hard and have difficulty not moving.) Their grandfather, a millionaire three times over and bankrupt three times over envisioned living out the last days of his life enjoying dirty hands cultivating coffee on his coffee farm in Jamaica. Sadly, it didn’t quite pan out for him, but the introduction to that life stuck with his grandsons long after.

“I was surprised by the stark contrast at being at sea level and it being hot you’re in the water all day and then all of a sudden you’re up in the mountains at the coffee farms and it’s the middle of the day and you’re wearing a sweater,” said Alex, who was about 9 years old at the time. “When I started looking to get into coffee, I was reaching as to what I was going to do and what might be a good fit. There was a long process of a discovery, but I think there was some underlying romanticism between having those memories as a kid and those kind of shifting year over year that helped me turn in that direction.”

Pumphouse opened as a business in April 2016 and the brothers literally had to grind to make the business percolate. They hustled at the West Palm Beach and Palm Beach Gardens green markets and attended almost every event they could where they could offer free samples and talk to potential future customers and clients about the nature of their beans. Slowly but surely, and even with the COVID pandemic thrown in the mix, they made it happen because they listened to the many inquiring coffee lovers who kept asking, “Where can I get your coffee served by you guys?”

WE’RE EITHER GOING TO GO TO ZERO, OR WE CAN COME OUT OF THIS WITH SOMETHING.

“It was a lot of running with scissors. We were the new kids on the block. No one wanted to touch us with a 10-foot pole. I liken it to craft beer in the sense that it wasn’t but 15 years ago that it was Budweiser and Coors that owned the taps. Then all of that shifted,” said Alex, who states that they took a pretty aggressive grassroots effort to generate awareness for their business. “We knew it was going to take time. We started at a time where it was early, but on the flip side of that, too, if we started any later, it would have been quite difficult for us.”

So, they found a small warehouse space, moved in their roasters, and got to cooking. Almost organically, thirsty visitors found their information online and wandered into their warehouse, looking for a cup o’ joe. True to their nature, they had a coffee maker and always offered a free cup. Word spread, their wholesale accounts grew, deals poured in and local spots offering their expertly crafted coffee increased at a rate that couldn’t be ignored.

“While we’ve helped to broaden access to better coffee in our backyard, not everyone was going to take coffee as seriously as we do,” said Alex, who decided that he didn’t want to sell something that he didn’t believe in. “We’re either going to go to zero, or we can come out of this with something. As a small business, it’s David versus Goliath. I have a slingshot; how can I make this work as best as possible? [Finding the Pouratorium space] was a huge win for us. We’ve never made any serious mistakes because we’ve never been able to afford them.”

Which brings us to now, almost seven full years later. The brothers, in addition to Will, an extreme roaster, coffee visionary and their first ever addition to the team, and about 30 team members between three locations (Grandview Public Market, the Pouratorium and a shared space with Cones & Coffee), they’ve been able to successfully meet the market for premium coffee. But they even take it a step further, making the Pouratorium something unique in and of itself. It’s basically where the finest coffee beans turn into the most grand and delicious coffee cocktails imaginable.

The 8,000-square-foot cafe, roastery and lab exist to create the perfect espresso, coffee, cold brew and tea, as well as scratch-made food, beer, wine and “plenty of other surprises.” There’s room for guests to chill with their cold brew or mellow out with a macchiato, meet up with friends, get some emails sent or sit back and watch as coffee beans are roasted right in front of them. The best part in addition to transforming how great a cup of coffee can be is that they’re open seven days a week at 7 a.m.

But it’s not just about serving coffee, it’s about educating their team and wholesale partners at large about how to roast, serve, assess, respect and think about coffee. They plan to use the lab as the space to do that.

“It’s the kind of place where we can bring you in and do foundational training and get you up to speed, get you confident, get you understanding what you’re going to be selling and how to produce it consistently and learning not only about the craft but how to execute properly,” Alex said.

Yep, it’s a new kind of coffee, from a new kind of team, brewing a new kind of future. All we know is that it’s delicious and we wonder how we ever lived without it before.

1016 Clare Ave. STE 5A, West Palm Beach @pumphousecoffeeroasters

HOWLE Y S

FRESHNESS AND FRIENDLINESS

When thinking of Howley’s, two things come to mind: fresh food and friendly faces. Opened originally in 1950 by Patrick J. Howley, walking into this namesake diner feels like what I imagine a big, warm hug from Patrick himself might be like. Don’t take my word for it, though: some of Howley’s original family members stop by on the weekly, adding to the nostalgia and living history of the space. By combining the hospitality and open-armed policy of an old-school establishment with offbeat, eccentric design details (take, for example, a 6-foottall Frankenstein that hangs out in the corner), the place draws in diners of all shapes, sizes and backgrounds looking to kick back with a hot cup of coffee (specifically, SubCulture coffee) and a plate of some seriously good chow.

WHERE

ARE THE ONLY TWO F’S GIVEN

WORDS AND PHOTOS BY RACHEL LEVY

The difficult choices begin soon after walking in the door when you’re given the task of deciding where to sit. Trying to resist the bright red, ’50s-style swiveling chairs adorning the industrial bar can only be fathomed once the artwork beckons you toward the booths in the back of the joint. Portraits of acclaimed icons like Bill Murray and David Bowie (see: eccentric) by local artist Emmanuel Gonzales adorn the space, making for an alternative, indie vibe that the SubCulture Group, the owners since 2004, have perfected at the other establishments within their slate.

Conflict continues with sight of the craft beer and food menu. Howley’s motto reads “Cooked in Sight, Must be Right.” More than a simple rhyme, this slogan represents the promise that everything you’ll be served is made from scratch each day: a point that everyone from the chef to the host takes the time to mention when you walk through the door. The generously diverse menu reflects many of the original items first dreamt up by Patrick upon opening in 1950 and fan favorites include Crab Cakes, Addie’s Beef Brisket and The Reuben. With Acai Bowls and Grilled Veggie Burgers for our vegetarian friends and deli salads and Coney Island Hot Dogs for our traditionalists, this menu will quickly have you planning a few return trips so you don’t risk missing a thing.

Though Howley’s will be turning 73 this summer, the vision for the diner is the same now as it has been for the last nearly three-quarters of a century. It seeks to be the place where people stop in as they come back into town each year for the holidays; the place where diners come to celebrate the good days and to wind down from the bad ones; the place to settle nerves on first dates and share stories on late nights; a place that welcomes anyone and everybody and makes walking through the door feel like walking into your own home.

This feeling that has been cultivated by Howley’s is no fluke. It’s a true warm-heartedness proven by the actions taken during the COVID-19 shutdown when the non-profit Hospitality Helping Hands (H3) was born among the retro booths and industrial stoves. Under the glow of the jukebox and the gaze of Bob Marley, Howley’s fed thousands of people daily during a time when most people were suddenly left food insecure. A place that takes pride in its individuality and work ethic, Howley’s is no cut-and-dry food establishment: it’s a historic cornerstone of West Palm Beach culture and a spot that gets better and better with age.

4700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach

@howleyswpb

COOKED IN SIGHT, MUST BE RIGHT.

“I swore I would stay far away from the restaurant industry,” said Troy Ganter, founder and visionary behind Papa’s Raw Bar. Lucky for us, and for him, he didn’t. The rise, fall and rise again of Troy and Papa’s Raw Bar is a modern-day Cinderella Story, with a narrative that’s riddled with addiction, bankruptcy, finding purpose and focusing on what’s important.

Troy Ganter

After leaving Florida State University in 2001, Troy came home to help his father run his seafood commissary that supplied his icon restaurant, Papa Hughie’s Seafood World. Together they took a $300,000 commissary and turned it into a $7 million wholesale/ import/export distribution center. They sold to restaurants and markets from Key West to Jupiter and exported to hotels and resorts throughout the Caribbean. His home base was in Tortola, British Virgin Islands, he met the girl (now wife) of his dreams, Cassie, they owned multiple rental properties and were sitting on top of the world.

Then that dream boat sank.

BY DARIEN DAVIES

When the economy took a turn in 2009, their business and life suffered. Their main client in the Caribbean left them on the hook for close to $1 million and they were forced into bankruptcy. They had to forfeit their new distribution headquarters, all of their rental properties, Troy’s house and his parents’ house and most of their assets. He and Cassie even pawned their wedding rings. The bank took everything except for their landmark restaurant, seeing no value in an old restaurant that they didn’t even own.

“I was never aware of my addiction(s) and character defects. This is when things got really bad for me, my new wife and my newborn boys,” Troy said. “I crawled back to Papa and Seafood World. My wife and I served tables and hustled to raise our family.”

Then, in 2014, the opportunity became available to take over the Thai restaurant adjacent to Seafood World. They jumped at the opportunity to expand their business, which became the beginning of Papa’s Raw Bar and Eat Drink and Be Local®.

“Cassie and I were all in. We were officially restaurant owners. Papa’s took a couple years to get off the ground. Soon business started to boom, we were building relationships, serving our community and having the time of our lives. My addictions and demons

Founder of Papa’s Raw Bar on the rough seas and smooth sailing that made him who he is today.

PHOTOS BY BEN HICKS

were doing push-ups in the parking lot,” Troy said. “Working in a restaurant fueled my addiction, I always wanted to cater to others and make sure everyone was having fun. I was surrounded by drugs, alcohol and people. I made it my job to entertain everyone.”

A purpose that helped not only him to be his best self, but for his entire restaurant family to grow as a team and as a business, even with other hurdles, like COVID-19, which forced them to once again pivot to survive.

In 2016, he hit rock bottom when he was arrested. However, always the optimist, he used the arrest to wake him up, accepting the fact that he was an addict and needed help.

“My life had become unmanageable, and I was sick and tired of running the show. I knew I needed help, so I surrendered and sent myself to rehab. I had to borrow money from my friends for rehab. This was the turning point of my life,” Troy said. “I started working a program, found a sponsor and a tight circle of sober brothers. I built a real relationship with God and found my purpose in life. My purpose was to help and serve others. In order to help others I needed to be the best version of myself. I knew I needed to continue to work a program, turn my will over to God and trust in His plans for me and take things one day at a time. Today I’m aware and grateful. I possess the tools to pause, communicate, listen, stay present and live with true purpose.”

“We slimmed down from 126 employees to our 14 All Stars. We had to close the Raw Bar and were able to keep the market open as an essential business. We scaled our menu, catered to locals, and started deliveries to local communities and neighborhoods, which became our lifeline,” said Troy, who credits his team for staying pliable and adapting. “COVID showed me nothing can beat our team and family. Together we can survive anything. COVID was probably the best thing that happened to us.”

Now, the Papa’s family includes Papa’s Fresh Market & Carry-Out, their new speakeasy/private party room called The Barrel Room, and Papa’s Raw Bar, which are all under the EDBL (Eat Drink and Be Local®) Family Brands where it’s “Good Vibes Only.” It wasn’t always easy to get back on his feet, but with the help of his family and family of employees, it seems like there was no option but sobering success.

“Working in a family business has its ups and downs. Thank God for my family, they are everything to me. My father and mother taught me everything I know. My father was my best man, my mentor and still my best friend.” Troy said. “We are still a thriving family business but we have made a huge pivot to incorporate team principles. We put our faith in our systems. We surround ourselves by great people and hold each other accountable. Always learning, always growing. Our purpose is to SERVE.”

Ever growing, the EDBL is welcoming a new concept in April 2023, Won-Tom’s. A craft kitchen on steroids, Won-Tom’s will be located in the Cove Shopping Center in Deerfield Beach, right next to the Cove Brewery, and will feature a kitchen, pick-up window and of course Good Vibes Only.

“It’s not just a saying, it’s our story,” Troy said. “We are all foodies at heart, with a passion to elevate your taste buds and make you

feel at home…From dim sum to then sum, there’s something for everyone.”

It might take a village to raise a child, which is no different when you consider your children to be the restaurants that you grew and raised, amid, in this case, a roller coaster of addiction, bankruptcy, family challenges, COVID, highs and lows, extremes, and rock bottoms.

“It all happens for a reason and there’s always an opportunity to learn and grow if you’re positive, grateful and seeking opportunities. We don’t have problems, we have challenges, and God has a plan for us all. All we have to do is Trust and keep our faith,” Troy said. “I’ve always wanted one thing in life and that’s to be happy. I’m happy today. I have everything I need. A family who loves me, and we respect and inspire each other. We have a Savior that is always there for us, and we have purpose. I love our story. We are so blessed and excited to see what God has in store for us.”

4610 N Federal Hwy, Lighthouse Point

@troyganter

@papasrawbarlhp

“We don’t have problems, we have challenges, and God has a plan for us all.”

CHOLO SOY COCINA

CHEF CLAY CARNES BRINGS A LIFETIME OF GLOBAL CULINARY EXPERIENCE

CHOLO SOY COCINA

BY RACHEL LEVY

TO

For Clay Carnes, acclaimed chef and owner of Cholo Soy Cocina in West Palm Beach, the culinary arts are less of a throw-around 9-to5 and more of an embodied identity. He’s known around the country for his success on Food Network’s “Cutthroat Kitchen,” but that achievement is just one of many for the talented cuisine-man.

“I’ve just been working in restaurants, you know, literally my whole life,” Clay shares. Summer jobs in local joints at the ages of 12 and 13 directed him to an eventual line cooking job in Palm Beach that led him to culinary school first at the French Culinary Institute in New York City and then at ALMA, a school of Italian culinary arts near Parma, Italy; two experiences that landed him the Executive Chef role when he returned to that same Palm Beach restaurant at the age of just 23. Following this, Clay headed to Ecuador, an experience that ultimately came to influence the beloved Latin-American food fusion experience he’s now offering at Cholo Soy Cocina.

THE VIBE JUST BUILT ITSELF, BUT BY REFLECTING MY FAMILY.

Clay says that he’s taken the lessons from his lifetime in kitchens around the globe to create for a truly elevated experience for his patrons at Cholo Soy Cocina. “The techniques we use, which are a product of all the different stuff I’ve learned, you 100% just won’t find anywhere else.”

The unique spin and creative edge of the establishment is evident at first glance of the menu: from Pescadito Frito tacos to Octopus & Chorizo tacos, anyone who mistakes this place for your average Mexican restaurant does a disservice to the creative genius and experimental nature of its head chef.

“The best flavors are our favorite childhood dishes,” Clay said. “Anything, anything, anything, that we can dream up, we can 100% execute here.”

And execute they do. However, patrons coming for the promise of good food are increasingly staying for the warm atmosphere Clay and his family have lent to the space.

“I designed the whole place and myself and my dad essentially built the place from the ground up with a lot of help from my wife,” he explains. After being in restaurants his whole life, he wanted a place that was warm and felt like home.

“We started out with four tables inside and three picnic tables outside; now we have an entire tropical oasis, graffiti-filled open-air patio with capacity for like 40 people in the middle of West Palm on a busy street,” he muses. “The vibe just built itself, but by reflecting my family.”

The goal was to make the space feel lived in.

“It’s like people’s houses,” he says. “You go in, and some have just really spectacular marbled walls and it’s great. And it’s like, wow, this is super nice. But, then the art is not always hand-picked; It’s not always warm. Should I sit on this couch? Or just look at it? You know? So, yeah, here we are trying to find that balance.”

One encouragement that contributes to the balance and is a cultural nod to Latin America— is the “¡If you’re able, share your table!” This phrase was coined by Clay’s friend and the artistt behind the graffiti-covered walls Mark Bulks of Bulk Styles.

Call it what you may, but there’s certainly a harmony that both the patrons and Cholo Soy community have tuned into that make this space so special. Between the many happy customers, the undeniable charm of the space, and the exceptional menu, I think it’s safe to say that Clay has reached that comfortable balance that he set out for.

3715 S. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach @cholosoycocina

Hibiscus StrEATery Recipes

DO TRY THIS AT HOME

Hibiscus StrEATery is a seafood market, café and catering operation that doesn’t pull punches when it comes to delivering some of the best seafood in town. After all, they operate alongside the famous Food Shack and Leftovers Cafe under the Little Moir’s umbrella. The menu changes daily but always has the classics (read: tuna basil roll) on deck. And if you’re worried about pulling off these dishes, you can always cruise to Hibiscus StrEATery and let the pros make it for you.

326 Hibiscus Street, Jupiter @hibiscusstreatery

Sautéed Fish

BY: CHEF MIKE MURGIO

INSTRUCTIONS:

Coat fish with flour

Add 2oz of butter to a pan on medium high heat, sauté fish on each side approximately 4-6 minutes a side depending on thickness. Add garlic, tomato, capers, and onions; sauté lightly for 1 minute; deglaze pan with white wine and lemon juice. Add remaining butter and finish sautéing until butter is incorporated in sauce. Serve over spinach and rice.

1lb of fish (snapper, tilefish, grouper are all good choices)

flour

4oz butter, divided 2oz tomato, chopped

2-4 cloves of garlic, minced

2oz capers

2oz red onion

1 lemon, juiced

4oz white wine

Coconut Milk Fish Ceviche

BY: CHEF MIKE MOIR

INSTRUCTIONS:

Evenly dice up fish into ½” cubes, place in a bowl and season with salt, let stand for 5 minutes. This will seal the outside of the fish, making it a little firmer in texture. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon and 1 lime onto the fish and mix. Add the onion, tomato, ginger, cilantro, peppers or hot sauce, mango or apple, if using, and coconut milk and lightly toss. Taste and adjust spice and salt to your liking. Serve immediately or refrigerate, consume within 2 days.

1 lb fish such as tuna, wahoo or corvina

1 lemon (roll ahead to loosen the juice)

1 lime (roll ahead to loosen the juice)

½ medium red onion, diced

1 whole tomato, diced

2oz piece of ginger, peeled and grated

6 sprigs of cilantro, chopped (leaves and stems)

salt & pepper to taste

red chili

1 jalapeno or any hot sauce you like (adjust amount to control heat level)

½ a mango or apple (optional)

3oz coconut milk (shake can, make sure it is pure milk, do not use imitation)

1oz toasted shredded coconut for garnish

Little Moir’s Hibiscus St. Crab Dip

BY: CHEF MIKE MURGIO

INSTRUCTIONS:

Sauté onions, celery and garlic for 5-10 minutes over medium high heat, deglaze with white wine, let liquid cook down for 3-5 minutes, remove mixture from heat, set aside to chill.

Mix crab, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, parsley, Old Bay, lemon zest and lemon juice. Combine onion, celery and garlic mixture to crab and cheese mix once it is cooled down. Slowly add in panko breadcrumbs to desired texture.

8-10oz of lump crab

(can substitute shrimp)

1 tablespoon garlic

2 stalks celery, finely diced

1 medium onion, finely diced

1/3 cup white wine

8oz cream cheese

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

3oz flat leaf Italian parsley

1 tablespoon Old Bay

2 lemons, zested and juiced

¼ cup panko breadcrumbs

salt and pepper to taste

THE GREEN PARAKEET GRILL AND PIZZA

DELRAY’S FRENCH BAKERY EVOLVES FOR NIGHTTIME DINING

BY AVA BOURBEAU

An extension of an already beloved spot, The Green Parakeet Grill and Pizza had a soft opening last December, but let us advise you not to wait another second before trying it. The Green Parakeet is under the same ownership as The French Bakery of Delray Beach where it’s housed —and follows the same principles when it comes to starting with great bread and fresh ingredients.

Owner-baker Christian Backenstrass said, “Good food means caring for the ingredients you choose, we make our own doughs for the pizzas and rolls, we get our fish from a local fish market, and our plan is to rotate the wines on our list every 30 days. The aim is to stay away from brand names with high volume wine production and offer something interesting thanks to our in-house sommelier.”

To no surprise, they’ve had success because of the positive reputation The French Bakery already earned. “It’s about making simple but good food and providing a place for local people to eat under our patio or take the food home,” Christian said.

Christian, along with Kitchen Manager Juan-Carlos Gonzalez and general manager Louis Alfieri took the authenticity and experience of French-trained bakers and pastry chefs to create an offshoot and menu stocked with specialty pizzas, sandwiches and sausage rolls. “Over the years, I had taken several trips to San

Francisco with several of my bakers to look for ideas from famous bakeries like Tartine Bakery. This experience gave me more confidence that we could extend our bread-making to great pizza-making.”

can cruise in during peak weekend hours, grab some delicious food, a reasonably priced bottle of wine and hang out for a while. The setup is very casual and welcoming, but the attention to the food is anything but lax.

And, fear not, there are meatless options, too. In fact, the meatless sausage rolls are one of Christian’s favorites. He said, “You can enjoy a great bratwurst without having any digestive problems such as the ones associated with greasy sausages, and we cook our own sauerkraut in beer, garlic and cumin.” It’s the same recipe that Christian learned from his mother in Alsace, France.

If sauerkraut isn’t your thing, you can also top your roll with options such as Harisaa ketchup (made with hot chili paste, grilled peppers and onions) or Alpine onion (caramelized onions, gruyere cheese and thyme).

Pizza lovers will be delighted by the unique specialty pizzas. Talk to us after a bite of the Romana Artichoke (topped with mozzarella, tomato sauce, Romana artichokes, black olives and garlic) or the Pinoli Pesto (topped with mozzarella, pesto, caramelized onions, black olives and pine nuts).

Last but not least, let’s talk about the ambiance. The extension to The French Bakery might be the only place in Delray where you

The Green Parakeet is currently open on Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5 to 9 p.m. and accepts phone orders until 30 minutes before closing.

814 N.E. Sixth Ave., Delray Beach (561) 528-7063

the-french-bakery.com

@greenparakeetgrillpizza

ART PHOTOS BY ROBERT EXELBIERD

BULK STYLES

Behind the Art at Your Favorite Local Restaurants

BY AVA BOURBEAU

Who needs a fake I.D. when you can just have your mom buy your spray paint for you? Despite what you might expect from a parent whose son is spray painting abandoned buildings, Mark Bulk’s mom supported his graffiti career. And thankfully it wasn’t ‘just a phase’ for Mark.

“Starting out as a young guy who does graffiti, no one’s going to let you paint any wall. I look at all the years that I didn’t make any money it’s not about the money, but it is my career and I think about the countless hours that I spent going to spots and painting. Even when my friends that I would paint with would say ‘You went back?’ and I would say ‘I had to. I had to roll that out and redo it.’ They’d say to me ‘you’re gonna do it.’ If I was doing it like that then I’m gonna do it,” he said.

We approached Mark to help us try to entwine art within the Food Issue because he’s done many of the murals you see in your favorite local restaurants. Mark already had quite a few ideas about how the two art and food have always been of similar kin.

“Of any version of art in the world, I think that food is the ultimate form. When you cook onions in the pan, there’s a sizzle; sound, noise. Tinging of the bowl; A kitchen has its own song. The smell of caramelized onions. You eat with your eyes. People will say they don’t like foods not because of the way they taste, but because of the way they feel,” said Mark.

Food uses all of the senses very literally, while Mark’s art uses them more subtly, saying, “I’ve actually seen paintings that I’ve tasted. Like damn, I’m getting bubble gum.”

LYNORA’S Take me to Lynora’s

“With Lynora’s brand they have the mom and pop thing but then it’s also a really young and hip generation. I would say the direction for those was, let’s keep it really beautiful and classy and kind of fun. Lynora’s is very feminine. Everything I’ve done for them has been women and I think that’s very empowering for that brand. I think a lot of the things I’ve done for Lynora’s have shown women in a very independent way.”

PARCHED PIG Spirit

Animal

“Tim came to me and was like ‘Hey man, from one artist to another, I have been following your work for a long time and I really don’t want to tell you what to do.’ It was, again, a really nice brick wall with real brick from a Chicago building. ‘Obviously, something with a pig, cause that’s what I am, but you do you.’ And I had gone home that day and I was looking through farm animal photos. And it’s kinda funny cause pigs are my spirit animal. That’s a whole ‘nother story. I was going through all these photos of pigs and was like ‘there’s so much expression with them’.

I was looking for something more fun, but when I came across this picture of the pig, I was like ‘That is it’. I put it in my own style. I think from Tim trusting me and knowing my work, I texted him the design, and I don’t think the ‘ding’ on his phone even ended before he texted me back like ‘when can you start?’”

CHOLO SOY COCINA

“Clay is a guy who does know what he wants. Leaves me cool freedom, but knows what he wants. He’s like bro, ‘People don’t realize the way I want my out-back set up.’ You’ll see people standing because there will be a couple of two, and a couple of two, and a couple of two, at all four [picnic tables]. And, he said ‘I want people to understand that’s not how people eat in Mexico and certain places.’ He asked me to come up with a slogan so that people could understand that. I swear, I don’t know how this stuff comes to me sometimes, but I was sitting there, and as I was painting, I texted him like ‘Hey man, how does this sound? If you’re able, share your table.’ And he was like ‘Write it!’”

LEFTOVER’S On the Map

“Mike Moir [owner of Leftover’s and Food Shack], hands down, put me on the map in Jupiter, Fla. and I don’t take that lightly. I know I’ve done all the work, but he was somebody who said, ‘Here’s my restaurant, I’d love your artwork.’ It was the one restaurant that truly got me all of my opportunities and was one of the biggest stepping stones for me.”

“¡If you’re able, share your table!”

FOOD SHACK AND MAXI’S LINEUP

Twists on Classic Jupiter

“After I did Leftover’s and it went really well, it was funny because in between that Mike would just call me for some cool small projects. Food Shack and Leftover’s are a really good representation of a lot more twists on our food and our town. I think that had a lot to do with him [Mike] saying he didn’t want this restaurant to look like other Jupiter restaurants.”

@bulkstyles