Calling all Vegans (and non vegans too)

Hello FoodieFriends,

This past Saturday, I attended a luncheon that I had organized at Sophie n Me, a new Vegan/Vegetarian/Organic restaurant (that also offers non veg selections as well) in Boca Raton on Federal Highway, just north of Spanish River Blvd, in the plaza on the west side. I arranged a tasting menu which satisfied all in attendance.
As the group arrived and we were waiting to begin eating, we were each brought a sample of their Matcha Green Tea Smoothie (Vegan). It was chock full of "green" and yet containted just the right amount of sweetness. First item we sampled was the Coconut Curry Soup (Vegan) made with rice vermicelli & spinach and simmered in a coconut milk & curry broth. (Served with chicken for our non-vegan friends). This soup was perfectly balanced and had excellent flavors. It reminded me of my favorite Thai soup, Tom Ka Kai. Our sampler plate arrived and on it was a beautiful arrangement of Salads, a grilled veggie wrap, and Macaroni & Cheese. The first salad I tried was the Corn Off The Cobb Salad. I had the non-vegan version which consisted of a traditional Cobb Salad of Romaine & Boston Lettuces, avocado, tomato, nitrite-free bacon, chopped egg & roasted seasoned corn, cut off the cob. You can choose from a variety salad dressings; all are organic and the Lemon-Thyme Vinaigrette, which is homemade, is also vegan. I tried this one and also the Balsamic Vinaigrette and both were delish! The other salad we sampled was the Quinoa & Pesto Salad (Vegan). OMG, was this amazing! I have had quinoa a few times before, but never have I had anything that tasted this good! The pesto sauce elevated this dish to a whole new level, creating such a unique taste; it was tossed with red peppers, onions and garbanzo beans. The grilled veggie wrap ($6.75), was made with grilled sweet peppers, portabella mushroom, carmelized onions and eggplant inside a grilled whole wheat wrap and served with a creamy avocado dressing. Yum Yum! The Macaroni & Cheese (Vegan) is made with whole grain macaroni and baked in a creamy vegan cheese sauce. ($5.75). It was so creamy and cheesy, I didn’t feel I was missing out by not having the “real” dairy products at all. For dessert, we were delighted with mini Green Tea Cupcakes (Vegan). They were very good and not sweet either.

Sophie n Me takes special care to ensure all menu items are made with all-natural, sustainable and/or organic ingredients that are free from preservatives, hormones, antibiotics, chemicals or GMO's. All of their vegetables are 100% certified organic. They are committed to distinguishing themselves as a leader in fresh flavor that you can savor and are proud to provide a health-conscious and environmentally-supportive dining option for you and your family.

Sophie n Me is open Tuesday through Saturday 11am - 9pm. Located at 4251 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton Phone: 561-961-4899 Email: info@sophienme.com Web: http://www.sophienme.com/ Facebook: www.facebook.com/SophienMe

Until we eat again,

I send you delicious wishes, xo

Denise

The Spaniard Tapas Bar & Cafe

Hello my Foodie Friends, I had the great pleasure of organizing and attending a Media dinner at the brand new restaurant that just opened up in the former Moquila location in Downtown Boca called The Spaniard Tapas Bar & Cafe. Amongst the distinguished guests were popular food columnist Jan Norris, Leslie Streeter of the Palm Beach Post, Peter Leonard, host of The Food for Though Radio Show & co-host of The Talk of The Town Radio Show, Deby Goldfarb of Stepping Out Florida, Cary Roman from LivingFla, Linda Haase from The Boca Raton Observer, Shawn & Karen Alleyne-Means from HerLife Magazine, Misha Grosvenor from Broward/Palm Beach New Times and Taylor Morgan from South Florida Dines.

The night got off to a great start as we were greeted by Chef Jorge Luis Fernandez who poured each of us a unique Spanish beer called Estrella Inedit, served in an unusual and attractive bottle- which resembled more of a wine bottle and was even served to us in wine glasses. We were told that this beer was the collaboration between Executive Chef Fernan Adria of elBulli (a famous Chef from Barcelona), elBulli's Sommelier and Estrella Damm brewing company - conceived & created specifically for food pairings. I'm not much of a beer drinker myself, however I did give it a try and found it to be pleasantly crisp and clean with a hint of orange under tones. Once everyone arrived, we were seated at a long table where Chef Jorge stood in front of an easel and drawing board. He let us know that we were in for a fun evening and that this was going to be an "Interactive Experience". We hadn't been told of the menu in advance and the Chef wrote on the board the name of each dish and described it to us prior to the staff presenting each one to us. After we had a chance to savour each dish, he asked us our feedback and if he accurately presented the dish in the description. We all had a great time with our contributions. The first dish to arrive was a plate of Cured Pork Loin with Manchego Chees and Spicy "Chorizo", Walnuts and Dates. Freshly baked breads and a Mixed Olive Cocktail with homemade Pickle Garlic and Wild Capers accompanied this course.
Next up was the Chilled "Andalucian Gazpacho" with a "Typical" Spanish garnish. The soup itself was great, but when topped with the assorted garnishes of apples, diced peppers, tomatoes and croutons- it became elevated to a whole new level. This was a real unique treat.
The next dish was Roasted Sweet Piquillo Peppers filled with Calamari and Shrimp, and served in a Goat & Cream cheese Bechamel sauce. The filling was smooth and creamy and slightly sweet which contrasted nicely with the bechamel sauce, which was slightly more rich, had a hint of fresh anisette and tied the whole dish together perfectly. The Baked Corvina with Clams and Shrimp came in a lightly scented Saffron Broth Fume topped with White Asparagus. The fish was so flaky and tender while the flavors of the broth were so intense. We weren't provided spoons for this dish, so I ended up using the delicious bread as a vehicle for mopping up what remained in my bowl once the fish was all gone!
We were served a Lemon Sorbet with Dry Cava as a palate cleanser to prepare us for our next course which was the star of this evening's delights: the Black Seafood Paella with Cuttlefish and Aioli. Now, I have only had paella maybe once in my life and never "black" paella. Chef Jorge took the time to explain the proper technique for eating his paella. He instructed us to incorporate his wonderful aioli (not too mayonnaisey, not too eggy, oily or garlicky- just right!) into each bite and you know what, he was not joking. Combining the aioli with the rice and seafood made each bite a taste of heaven. To complement each course we served throughout the evening a variety of delicious white and red wines. We finished with a Viennese assortment of desserts, European Coffees and sweet Sherry. Not one of us left hungry and all of us left very excited and eager to come back for more!
The Spaniard Tapas Bar & Cafe is located at 99 SE Mizner Blvd., Boca Raton, FL 33432 Restaurant: 561-347-7000, Catering: 954-609-0656

Facebook:www.facebook.com/TheSpaniardTapas

They are open Tuesday - Sunday for lunch and dinner; closed on Mondays.

Chef Jorge also designs custom menus that can meet all culinary needs and tastes for parties of any size. From 1,000 people or more to just one. The Spaniard will plan and cater corporate meetings, events, team-building activities, weddings, garden parties and festivals. Interested in taking a cooking class? Gather your friends and co-workers and have a blast cooking with Chef Jorge, aka "The Crazy Spaniard".

Until we eat again...

I send you delicious wishes xo,

Denise

Raffaele Ristorante - the wait is finally over

Hello Fellow Foodies,

For those of you who have been patiently waiting for Raffaele's to open, I've got good news: the long awaited, much anticipated opening of Raffaele Ristorante in Royal Palm Place has finally arrived! Chef/Owner Raffaele Esposito took his time to see his vision through as he totally transformed the space that had previously been occupied as Argentango into something uniquely his own. This new space is open and airy and is decorated in soothing, neutral tones of beige and brown with italian tile floors and dangling mother of pearl pendant lighting. The large windows and sliding glass door provide an excellent view of the lighted monument tower at night, and a nice selection of music could be heard throughout the restaurant which added to the overall ambience.

Raffaele, a successful restauranteur in NYC for 20+ years, decided to move to South Florida and bring his culinary expertise with him. His signature dishes are representative of Naples and Southern Italy and his wine list, primarily comprised of CA and Italian wines, is quite extensive.

I had the pleasure of dining at Raffaele's last night and wanted to share with you some of the highlights of the evening. As we entered the restaurant, we approached the hostess stand and were warmly greeted and escorted to a nice private table. Shortly after being seated, our server, Jean, came over to introduce himself, presented us with a wine list and offered to tell us about their appetizer and dinner specials to aid us in deciding what wines we might be interested in selecting. We appreciated that gesture and thought that was a very nice touch. I started out with a lovely glass of Lyeth Pinot Noir, CA ($12) and my husband chose the Capone Super Tuscan Reserve ($14). Both were wonderful choices. A basket of assorted freshly baked breads were delivered to our table that had been made in house in their wood-fired oven. We informed Jean that we were interested in trying a number of items and taking the initiative, like a true professional, he had each item brought to our table already split in the back. Impressive. First up was the Capesante Con Shiitake ($13)- grilled scallops with leeks, shiitake mushrooms and fresh herbs. The scallops were tender and the white wine reduction was light and flavorful. The shiitake mushrooms were the star of this dish in my opinion. Next up was the Lenticchie Con Riso ($10)- Lentil Soup with Italian rice. The lentils were cooked perfectly and this soup was packed with flavor. Next we had the Risotto Con Porcini Ricotta ($20)- Italian rice with porcini mushroom, ricotta and parmesan. The risotto was hearty and I especially enjoyed the combination of porcini mushrooms, the ricotta, parmesan and the fresh basil that topped the dish.

We selected the Steak Pizzaiola ($30) for our main entree, one of the specials that Jean had informed us about. The steak was cooked in their wood-fired oven, sliced and delicately placed atop a freshly prepared tomato sauce and accompanied by a spinach and cheese encrusted fritter (for lack of a better word) which was very unique and very tasty. Lastly, we somehow managed to save room to try two of Raffaele's wonderful desserts: Tiramisu ($8) - Homemade with ladyfingers, coffee, Kahlua and mascarpone cheese (simply, TDF: to die for!) and Torta di Ricotta ($8) - Homemade Italian cheesecake with a delicate orange sauce. We were pleasantly surprised when Raffaele himself came out at the end of our meal and brought with him some of his very own homemade arancello. He makes both limoncello and arancell (the orange one). Watch out folks, this stuff is uber strong and will knock your socks off if you're not paying attention! Great flavor and a wonderful way to end an exquisite meal.

Raffaele Ristorante is located at 508 Via de Palmas in Royal Palm Place. 561-392-1110. Their website is still a work in progress, but does have their menu listed: http://www.raffaelerestaurant.com/. They are open for lunch M-F 11am - 3pm and dinner every night from 5 - 10pm and until 11pm on Fri & Sat nights.

Until we eat again...

I send you delicious wishes, xo

Denise

Blues FortyOne- The Place to be for Great Food & Live Music

Hello Fellow Foodies,

My latest BocaFoodFind is the new Blues/Jazz Restaurant in Downtown Boca called Blues FortyOne (41 E. Palmetto Park Rd.) I ventured out there the other night with a friend to check the place out. We were warmly greeted and asked if we'd like to be seated at a table or if we preferred to have a seat at the bar. We decided upon the latter. To get the evening started, I selected the Diseno Old Vine Malbec, ($7) and my friend had the Blufeld Riesling, ($7) both very tasty.

We then glanced at the menu and soon discovered that it was quite eclectic. It had everything on it from Steak, Veal, Lamb, Pork and Fish to Sushi, Soups & Salads. It was explained to us that the thought behind the menu was that they wanted to be able to have something on the menu that would appeal to everyone in the party who came there. Well, I believe they hit their mark with these offerings. As we were trying to decide what sushi to start off with, Sushi Chef Chi came over to us and asked us to tell him what we liked. We both agreed that we liked eel and also a crunch factor, so he suggested we try the Crunchy Eel Roll, ($11), which was actually an adaptation of the Crunchy Tuna Roll. Besides the eel, which was definitely the star ingredient of this roll, it also had scallion and avocado and was fried perfectly. It was excellent, and quite a work of art to boot!


Next up was the 14 oz Prime NY Strip Steak, ($39), with grilled Zucchini & Sweet Potato Croquettes. The steak was seasoned and cooked to perfection and the croquette had a nice crispy coating and a soft flavorful center. Not pictured, but definitely a highlight of this dish were the crispy shallots that were placed on top of the steak. They were amazing! We decided to share the Eggplant-Portobello Tower ($22), which consisted of lightly breaded/fried eggplant and grilled portobello mushrooms drizzled with a balsamic glaze, roasted tomatoes and grilled zucchini topped with a little dollop of fresh hummus. Delicious!






To end this very satisfying meal, we were brought out a beautiful Panna Cotta, ($7) -Italian Vanilla Custard with a trio of berries (Raspberry, Blackberry and Blueberry) with Grand Marnier and brown sugar. Simply divine!

While we dined, a pianist played ambient jazz music, which we were told is typical during the dinner hours and that they kick it up a notch with premium Blues bands later in the evening. For a complete line up, you can check their music schedule online at http://www.bluesfortyone.com/.

Blues FortyOne is located at 41 E. Palmetto Park Rd, Boca Raton 561-672-1515.

They are open Tues - Thurs 5 - 11pm; Fri & Sat 5pm - 2am and Sun 5pm - 9pm.

Become a Fan of theirs on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BluesFortyOne

Until we eat again...

I send you Delicious Wishes, xo

Denise

Sushi & Sake & Yakitori - Oh My!

Hello Fellow Foodies,

I am excited to report to you my latest BocaFoodFind- Yakitori Sake House, located in Royal Palm Place, in the former Diamatsu Sushi location on SE Mizner Blvd. I have three words to describe my new favorite sushi restaurant (well, it's actually one word, but I have to repeat it three times to achieve the impact: FRESH! FRESH! FRESH! These guys aren't skimping, that's for sure. The thick cuts of sashimi were melting in my mouth. Owner Ben, who opened up Yakitori after working for a Japanese restaurant in Coral Springs for 14 years, was on hand to chat with while I sat across from him at the highly stylized sushi bar. I was curious about the name Yakitori and what it meant and soon found out that it is the Japanese version of skewers. My server, Tina was so sweet. After handing me the menu, she asked me what I'd like to drink. Being that it was lunch and I had to return to my office, I resisted my usual sushi side kick (sake) and opted for a refreshing Calpico (Japanese juice). Since this was my first visit, I was interested in trying a variety of items on the menu. After looking over the yakitori choices, I announced to Ben that I'd like to try the Pork Belly. He graciously nodded and then suggested I try the Sea Bass and the Calamari as well (his personal favorites). I eagerly obliged. Turns out, they were all delicious, but the Sea Bass and the Calamari were indeed my favorites too. On to the sashimi. Jeff, the Sushi Chef started me off with a plate of Salmon, Seared Albacore Tuna & Hamachi. OMG!
Every bite kept getting better than the one before it! The fish was (dare I say it again), so FRESH and such a generous thick cut. I have to say that the Hamachi was probably my most favorite of the three, although it was so close. Then Jason came out (who I'm pretty sure doesn't speak much English yet) holding what appeared to be a prized fish. Apparently it was a Hiramasa fish, flown in from Japan. They say it's even better than Hamachi. After I snapped a photo of him holding up this "prized possession", he returned to the kitchen and shortly returned with it cut into portion sizes. Unfortunately, I didn't get to try that, but will certainly ask for that on a return visit. Next Jeff made me a Little Tuna Tower, which was one of their specialty rolls. It consisted of chopped spicy tuna on top of a tempura roll of tuna, cream cheese and avocado. I tell you, with so many rolls to choose from, I'm sure there's something for everyone!

Yakitori has a nice patio with tiki torches and a cool interior and hip vibe. They've got two fantastic happy hours on Wednesdays - Saturdays from 4:30 - 6:30pm & again from 11pm - 2am. Buy 1, get 1 on hot sakes, Sapporo draft and house wine.

They are located at 271 SE Mizner Blvd, in Royal Palm Place, http://www.yakitorisakehouse.com/ and on facebook: www.facebook.com/YakitoriSakeHouse 561-544-0087.

Until we eat again,

I send you delicious wishes, xo

Denise

Meze Fest

Dear Fellow Foodies,

My latest foodie event took place at Anatolia's Mediterranean Restaurant in Downtown Boca. We had a group of 20 who were treated to a wonderful selection of both hot & cold Mezes (or appetizers). Since Anatolia's doesn't serve wine, guests are encouraged to bring their own for a nominal charge of just $5 per bottle. Our wait staff was extremely attentive and were quick to open our bottles and chill any that needed to be chilled. Our first platter arrived and consisted of Hummus, Ezme (finely minced tomatoes, green peppers & onion), Babaganus (fire-roasted eggplant, tahini & herbs), Eggplant salad (fire-roasted eggplant, veggies & herbs) and Dolma (stuffed grape leaves). This came along with unlimited baskets of their home baked bread and homemade sun dried pepper dipping sauce, which was a big hit with this crowd!

Next up was a dish called Barbunya, which are kidney beans served slighly warmed with carrot, celerly and a light olive oil/lemon juice. Very tasty. Following the Barbunya came one of my favorite dishes: Kizartma - seasoned grilled veggies with a garlic yogurt sauce drizzled on top. We had grilled eggplant, zucchini, carrots & cauliflower. Kisir came out served on a lovely bed of romaine lettuce leaves. Kisir is a cracked wheat which the chef masterfully combined with scallion, tomato, parsely and a pomegranate molasses lemon juice to create a perfect blend of texture and seasoning. We were instructed to eat this by scooping the kisir onto the lettuce leaves, everyone willingly followed these instructions.

To end the night on a sweet note, we were treated to a homemade mini baklava square made with layers of phyllo dough, filled with pistachios and walnuts and drizzled with homemade syrup and then topped with crushed pistachios. If you've read my previous food blog that I did on Anatolia's "Let's Talk Turkey", then you will also see that I was served this most yummy creation for dessert. I am going to go out on a limb here and say that I dare anyone to find a better piece of baklava! Anatolia's in my opinion makes THE BEST, period!

So there you have it. To read some of the other comments made by my guests, please go to Anatolia's facebook page: www.facebook.com/AnatoliaBoca. While there, be sure to "LIKE" them.

They are located at 212 S. Federal Hwy. Boca Raton, 33432 561-361-4000
Open for lunch and dinner 7 days/week.

Stop in and say hi to the owners Nuran & Nadir. They will treat you, like they treated us...Like Family. Enjoy.

Until we eat again,
I send you delicious wishes xo,

Denise

Where else can you get Middle Eastern, Afghan, Persian & American cuisine all in one place? Cuisine by Silvia, that's where!

Hello Fellow Foodies,

I recently brought a group of my friends to Cuisine by Silvia, a quaint little treasure located in Royal Palm Place. We tried a variety of the dishes that the owner Michael had brought out for us Family style. We started with the mushroom soup, which was a big hit with everyone. It had a wonderful texture and was creamy, although I believe he said it was not made with any cream. Next we were served baskets of freshly made pita bread with a variety of sides for dipping. My favorite was the babaganoush, followed by the Turkish cigars (a traditional meze made with a meat filling and phyllo dough and rolled tightly to resemble little cigars). We tried a few of the main entrees such as their Stuffed Chicken breast, which was stuffed with ground beef and red bell pepper and served with our choice of cous cous or rice pilaf. A mushroom gravy was brought out to accompany this dish which was excellent. The Rib Eye Steak normally comes on the bone, but for our group, Michael cut it into strips and served it Family style. The steak was cooked perfectly and was full of flavor. We had our choice of the above rice or french fries (or in my case, I had a little of both). We all enjoyed the ambience, the hospitality and of course the food and look forward to coming back again soon.

They are a Kosher Restaurant as well and do observe the Sabbath and as such are closed on Fridays & Saturdays. They are open for lunch & dinner, Sunday - Thursday from 11:30am - 9pm.

Cuisine by Silvia is located at 141 Via Naranjas, Suite 45b, Boca Raton, FL 33432
561-361-3939 Facebook: www.facebook.com/CuisineBySilvia

Until we eat again...
I send you delicious wishes, xo
Denise