Latest news with #LizBalmaseda
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- Yahoo
The Post's new restaurant reporter does a Boca dine-around roadtrip - What could go wrong?
Readers, welcome to what will be the revival of the Palm Beach Post's 'At the Table' newsletter. We've been on a hiatus since my Pulitzer-prize winning predecessor's Liz Balmaseda retirement and will be relaunching in March. From Tequesta to Boca Raton and all points in between, subscribing to our weekly newsletter ensures you're getting the newest local food and restaurant stories before they hit our print newspaper. It's where we can share thoughts on the local restaurant scene and trade ideas on where to go. Please sign up via As a Palm Beach County newbie who recently moved here after nearly three years working in the same gig at Naples Daily News, our sister Gannett newspaper, I look forward to hearing about your favorites on everything from casual bagels and tacos to fancy sushi and steaks. I am also big time into specialty markets. A current fave is Narbona in Boca Raton, where a sandwich ended up costing me $115. WHAT?!? you might be asking. I was early to meet a PR gal who reps quite a few restaurants in the area. Since we both previously worked decades ago at rival New York City fashion firms, I wanted to (somewhat) look the part of my past and donned a sleeveless Lilla P mockneck and silky accordian-pleated Vince skirt, both in a creamy off-white. (Reporter's note: Remember this part for later in our story.) Traffic wasn't bad on I-95 so I arrived at Shops at Boca Center, our assigned meeting place, an hour early, perfect for a solo lunch. I discovered Narbona, an expansive bright and beautiful food emporium-café that originated in Uruguay in 1909 and wasn't on our list to visit that afternoon. Because I forgot my glasses, I asked for the most Uruguayan thing on the menu. My server suggested either steak or a sandwich. A hefty beef slab at noon is a bit much, and I love sandwiches. If you've read my bagel and breakfast sandwich roundups, you already know this. I ordered the $23 'Chivito Uruguayo'which according to Wikipedia is this South American country's official national dish. Served on Catalan bread, its contents comprise beef tenderloin, ham, bacon, mozzarella cheese, caramelized onion, lettuce, tomato and perfectly cooked fried eggs. If you can remember the first time you bit into a cherry tomato and it exploded in your mouth, you might have sympathy for what happened next. While the menu lists tomatoes as a sandwich ingredient, it didn't specify cherry tomatoes and those slippery little suckers started sliding out of the sandwich onto my shirt, then hitting my skirt before finally splatting on the floor. As a messy eater, my Tide Pen goes everywhere with me, but I really needed a cup of detergent by the time the sandwich was finished. I asked for seltzer water and a few more napkins to clean up, but ended up with a soaking wet phone and looking like a paint-ball target. One of the reasons department stores are dying is probably because of people like me. If there had been one close by, I'd have opted to go there instead of a cute indie boutique to purchase a clean top, wear it for the afternoon, and return it to the store before heading north. Luckily, the skirt's pleats easily hid stains. Alas, the best I could do was a shimmery bronze silk top for $80 (plus tax). I asked the manager if she could do better pricewise given the circumstances, and she took 10% off my tab. Final sale. The next time I head to Boca, I'll be wearing black. Narbona: 5250 Town Center Circle, 561-692-3933, Other Boca Raton restaurants I've visited but not necessarily have eaten at since moving here are listed alphabetically, and include: A work friend from the other coast was visiting, and this was her pick. The food is good, the décor fun, and the cocktails, potent. Details: 409 Plaza Real in Mizner Park, 561-576-2132, Nibbled at this outpost, devoured my meal a few years back at the Aventura location. Details: 6000 Glades Road, 561-221-0940, So pretty with fun cocktails and terrific food with great presentation. Details: 5377 Town Center Road, 561-980-7700, Stopped in for refreshing booze-free elixirs. It was a hot day, and I can't think of a more flavorful way to hydrate. Details: 1901 N. Military Trail, 561-417-5836, I LOVE popovers. An early career ad campaign I worked on was compound butters; served together makes me a happy girl. Details: 6000 Glades Road, 561-544-2320, Under new ownership. My breakfast sandwich was fine. Details: 404 Plaza Real in Mizner Park, 561-368-0080, A good friend from Tampa is heading to Fort Lauderdale next month and we're meeting half-wayish. This is my pick because it is so her glamourpuss vibe. Fun fact: She was also Tony Bennett's sister-in-law. Details: 2000 N.W. 19th St., 561-245-6777, I sampled a few amazing dumplings and already have north county friends fighting over who's roadtripping with me for the full-on experience. Details: 1 Town Center Road, 561-826-7595, Didn't eat here, but it reminded me of a hipper True Food Kitchen (which I love.) The chain boasts an eco-friendly wine pouring system with 60 varietals on tap at any given time. Even if you are not an wine wonk, seeing the how-it-works demo is cool. Details: 5050 Town Center Circle, 561-961-3131; Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post's food & restaurant writer, fresh from two years at the Naples Daily News. If you have any news tips about the local dining scene, please send them to dbiederman@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Boca Raton, Mizner Park restaurants worth a South Florida roadtrip
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
10 best Palm Beach County spots we wish made USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year
USA TODAY's Restaurants of the Year 2025 list, published today, features 44 hot spots spanning America. Locally, the best we scored this year was Bicyclette Cookshop. Where the heck is that? you might be asking. It's in Naples. BUT its executive chef-owner Kayla Pfeiffer is a Jupiter High grad. Okay, okay, it's a stretch to call hers a win for Palm Beach County, but our top restaurants have bigger fish to fry right now than the folks on that other coast, namely those secret Michelin Award inspectors. Like me as an area newbie, I suspect Michelin's team might rely on my brilliant predecessor Liz Balmaseda's comprehensive list of restaurants from 2024 (in addition to the winning Stage that she believed deserved a slot on last year's national Restaurants of the Year (ROTY) as a guide on where to eat. What's the best restaurant near you? Check out USA TODAY's 2025 Restaurants of the Year. Alphabetically, Liz's list included: : When so many chefs refer to their time working for Clay Conley as a top moment in their careers, you know it's special. I LOVE the sandwich shop in West Palm Beach, particularly the beef carpaccio. My cousin Eric believes his group's best restaurant is Imoto, so I want to go there too. (350 S. County Road, Palm Beach, 561-833-3450, Café Boulud: Where I recently caught up with my longtime pal Georgette who helped launch the haute spot way back when. An otherwise fantastic turkey club's contents spilled all over my cream-color pleated Vince skirt. You can't take me anywhere. (301 Australian Ave. at the Brazilian Court Hotel, Palm Beach, 561-655-6060, Coolinary: Between this gem from Tim and Jenny Lipman and Stage's sister restaurant Ela Curry & Cocktails, it's been impossible to find parking. I've tried three times and will give it another go when season ends. (4580 Donald Ross Road at The Shops of Donald Ross Village, Palm Beach Gardens, 561-249-6760, Driftwood: On my list. (2005 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach, 561-733-4782, Food Shack: Bread by Johnny's Johnny VanCora also recommended it. My GPS failed to get me there when I tried in January. (103 S. U.S. Highway 1, Jupiter, 561-741-3626, : From chef Lindsay Autry, another topping my list that was jam packed when aspiring to dine solo on a Friday night. (400 Avenue of the Champions at the PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens, 561-627-7015, La Sirena: When transferring my driver's license and registration, the gals working at DMV said it's their absolute favorite. (6316 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-585-3128, That's not to be confused with Café Sapori, not on La Liz's list but recommended by the terrific gents at New Age Auto who know food. (205 Southern Blvd, West Palm Beach, 561-805-7313, Nicholson Muir Distinguished Meats: I need the right plus one for this and that might take some time to find. (480 E. Ocean Ave., Boynton Beach, 561-336-3977, Oceano: Recently reopened after a six-month refurb, it's fantastic. Go. (512 Lucerne Ave., Lake Worth Beach, 561-400-7418, Okeechobee Steakhouse: Visited the space and met the owners for our legendary restaurants list. Have yet to eat there. A burger and martini at the bar are on my to-do list. (2854 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561-683-5151, Pescatore: Topping the to-try list. 1600 N. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-557-9560, Queen of Sheeba: Another that friends love. (716 N. Sapodilla Ave., West Palm Beach, 561-514-0615, Rose's Daughter: Can't wait. If you're among the lucky attending Delray Beach Open, give it a go and let me know. (169 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561-271-9423, Tropical Smokehouse: It only feels like we write about them every week. (3815 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-323-2573, I've sampled Tequesta's terrific and ; both are on my list for full meals once they hit the three-month mark. Same with The Singer's oceanfront . In Palm Beach Gardens, Kitchen's terrific chicken schnitzel could warrant a solo story. In Boca Raton, I adored the elegant Red Pine's dumplings and milk tea sponge cake and can't wait to try more of its menu. Boca's Meat Market location is the sexiest restaurant anywhere. As someone easily bored by hunky beef slabs, the idea of a 6-ounce petit filet (which the restaurant claims credit for) makes me happy. Speaking of happy, how can you not have fun and a delicious meal at the new 105 at Town Center? Others currently piquing my interest combine fine food with fun include: While I didn't see any of the celebrity biz partners at the restaurant, I was a tad blown away spotting my cousin's daughter and her high school besties decked out in LoveShackFancy's pretty party looks while disembarking from yacht to dock for a birthday party. She thought her parents sent me to spy on her but really (pinky promise), I was there for a story. More fun small world stuff: The gent sitting next to me at the bar turned out to be the uncle of a gal I profiled for Fort Myers News-Press in 2022. What I love: The food punches above its weight class and there's really nowhere else I'd rather be on a gorgeous weekend afternoon. Sure, there's a private club component, but it doesn't feel snobby for those of us without a membership. The downside: I queried my busy server why I wasn't offered a garnish on my cocktail or bread service when other patrons were. #middleagegripes 1000 N. U.S. Highway 1, Jupiter; 561-570-1000, It's a sky-high rooftop pizza party where cocktails and caviar are mere introductions to a bar menu featuring a choice of 14 artisanal pies made downstairs at the renowned Elisabetta's, then delivered to your table via elevator in a pizza box. 185 Banyan Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561-342-6699, Here's your perfect night: Head to the Norton Museum which stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays. Become a member and score free parking on each visit. Another bonus? A 10% discount at the museum's shop and more importantly, restaurant where a dedicated section of the menu reveals gorgeous dishes that take their cues from the collections. Pretty and pretty delicious. Other days, go for lunch. 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-268-0500, A chain, you scream? Yes, but it epitomizes hospitality with personality and then some at this super fun interactive omakase experience that doesn't take all night and each location has its own vibrant look. PGA's locale feels like a party. A pretty new outpost at Benny on the Beach opened last week. The spaces are tiny, so make that reservation at one of three Palm Beach County locations from north to south: 400 Avenue of the Champions at PGA National Resort, Palm Beach Gardens 10 S. Ocean Blvd., Lake Worth Beach 409 S.E. Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton Call: 888-670-5996 Website: Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post's new food & restaurant writer, fresh from two years at the Naples Daily News. If you have any news tips about the local dining scene, please send them to dbiederman@ Help support our journalism. Subscribe today. We occasionally recommend interesting products and services. If you make a purchase by clicking one of the links, we may earn an affiliate fee. USA TODAY Network newsrooms operate independently, and this doesn't influence our coverage. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: West Palm area spots we wish on USA TODAY 2025 Restaurants of the Year
