Ira's in Boca Raton
 

Hi all,

We are in the midst of our annual pilgrimage to Boca Raton, where temps are in the 70’s and some people wear sweaters because it’s chilly.

I thought I would report on what we find interesting enough to report on.

Tiramisu-Le Vieux Paris
170 W. Camino Real Boca Raton (561) 368-7910

Le Vieux Paris has recently come under new ownership, and its offerings have been expanded to include Italian, as well as French, traditional cooking.

The room is very reminiscent of Belle Epoque Paris, with stained glass wall and ceiling panels, old knick knacks on shelves, etc.

We were there last night.

Service was very prompt and discreet, even though the restaurant was full.

The specials of fish, crab and foie gras were pleasant but not outstanding.

Choices from the fixed price menu (appetizer, main, dessert) were of good quality and could hold their own with similar places in France.

A very pleasant dinner at a reasonable price, if you stick to the tried and true.

FP menu - $28.50 + tax and tip.

((I))

Hi Ira. Welcome to my neck of the woods. What does dinner run at Le Vieux Paris?

Oops, I need to learn how to read...

Cimbrone, I had no idea you lived in Florida!!!!!

Bouche_de_Souris is my next screen name!

Ira,
Your dates? I'll wear my Blue.

Thanks for your review. I used to live very close to that restaurant but never went. I didn't know if it was supposed to be good or not.

Sounds like fun, Ira! I've always wanted to trek to Boca Raton - I'll enjoy reading about your sojourn.

Hi all,

In past years, I have done nearly all of my shopping at Kings on Military Trail.

Yesterday, however, we were somewhat disappointed. It is under new management and has become somewhat more gentrified.

The fresh fish is still good, and the eggplant parmegean is still good, but we found the overall offerings to be less to our liking and less of a bargain than last year.

We are now shopping at the The Fresh Market on Camino Real near the yuppy Publix (and arouond the corner from Tiramisu-Le Vieux Paris).

((I))

Topping.

Ira, I find it hard to believe that you bypassed Paris AND Venice for the "rat's mouth!"

If you haven't been down to visit http://www.vizcayamuseum.org/ it makes for a nice day trip. ;)

Nice report Ira !!!

Hey Dukey,

This is our annual pilgrimage to visit my Lady Wife's aunt.

No alternatives are allowed.

Hi MC,

Good idea. We have been there several times.

Thanks, Bo

((I))

I prefer Whole Foods on Glades just east of I-95 to Fresh Market. They just expanded. Check it out.

And if you like Mexican food at all, you have to try Baja Cantina just north of Palmetto Park, across the train tracks from Dixie Highway.

Thanks, Cimbrone.

Whole Foods it is.

((I))

We stopped off this afternoon at Sonny's Gelato 2151 N. Federal Hwy, just N of Glades Rd.

A very nice selection of flavors. The Cassetta Siciliana was very tasty.

(The lady behind the counter recently arrived from Sicily and was pleased with my choice).

Not the best gelato we have had, but quite acceptable.

((I))

I love this Ira. Keep the info coming. How long will you be there?

Ahhhh - shopping at Pubix in Boca. Them were the days

Hi all,

As we entered the second, and last, week of our sojourn we went to dinner at "J B's Blue Water Grill", 4800 West Hillsboro Blvd (about 1 blk W of Lyons Rd)
954 570 3232

They've just opened and are still getting out some minor bugs, but this is a very nice place, with a friendly atmosphere, good food and good service.

It's a large, glass-walled room with a nautical theme.

Mostly booths, largge bar with a projection TV.

Outdoor bar and seating area, with drinks at, for here, reasonable prices (about $8 for a Martini).

A large, but not varied, wine list (eg 8 chardonnay, 1 fume blanc, 1 sauvignon blanc) at reasonable prices.

We started with 6 Atlantic ($13) and 6 Pacific ($10) oysters on 1/2 shell. These were nice size (not large), fresh and very tasty. Good briney flavor.

Roberta had the Blue Crab Club Wrap - $11.50 and I had the Fisherman's Stew - $19.

Both were very good. I highly recommend the stew.

Key Lime pie for dessert, was proper Key Lime - yellow, not green or white - with Graham cracker crust. Real Florida.

Dinner, including 4 drinks at the bar, 1 bottle + 1 glass white wine, oysters and dessert, tax and tip - $160.


((i))

Hasn't been much to report on.

Dinner last night at The Grand Lux Cafe (6000 Glades Rd - next to Sears in the Town Center).

A very large room, done in Hollywood's (or Las Vegas's) idea of a grand Mediterranean hotel, eclectically decorated and furnished in Etruscan, Greek, Roman, Italian, Spanish, French, Byzantine, Venetian, Egyptian and Moroccan.

Call ahead for reservations, as there was a 40 min wait at 7:15.

We shared a table with a pleasant local couple. Drinks were so-so at $8.50.

Dinner was:

a "Dim Sum" platter for 2 - $19.95 - with satays, ribs, shrimp, spring roll, bean salad, ... - not at all bad.

BBQ smoked planked salmon - very tasty accompanied with a corn and bean salad, onion rings and mashed potatoes piped around the perimeter of the plank - $18.95.

Zen Noodles - rice linguini and chicken breast in a very testy lemon-grass flavored chicken broth with bean sprouts on the side.

A bottle of Horse Heaven Sauvignon blanc - $38 - went well with the above.

1 cappuccino - very generous serving, very tasty - $4.25
1 coffee - 2.75

Total with tax and tip - $123.

Don't get the Key Lime Pie - it's green.

((I))

I LOVE Grand Luxe Cafe. I've only eaten at the one in Vegas (The Venetian) and downtown Chicago. Didn't realize Boca had opened.

Owned by the Cheesecake Factory people.

Hi all,

We went for lunch to "JB's On the Beach".
300 North Ocean Blvd,
Deerfield Beach

Turns out to be the same JB from the Blue Water Grill.

An unpretentious, beachfront place with a limited menu, well prepare at reasonable prices.

The She Crab Soup is cream of crab with chives - very tasty, as is the Seafood Chowder. $6/bowl

BBQ pork was very tasty and comes with French Fried Sweet Potato. 9.95

Spinach and crab salad is for spinach lovers - I think there was a whole bag of spinach. 14.95

The Horse Heaven Sauvignon Blanc that was $38 at the Grand Lux is only $27.

((I))

Now Ira, don't make it sound worse than it is. The Grand Luxe is a good piece of the mall away from Sears. Like Boca doesn't have enough of an image problem already...

This afternoon was beautifully bright and sunny, although high was only 63, so we provisioned and loaded the camels for our annual trek to the Sea Watch restaurant in Ft. Lauderdale.

(If Fort Lauderdale were in England, would it be pronounced Fuddle?)

This is a very pleasant, Old Florida style place, back in the dunes with lovely views of the beach and the ocean, which today was a bright blue.

Best views are from the upstairs bar and terrace, but we were with my Lady Wife's aunt and ended up downstairs in a corner in the back in the dark.

Get there before 12:15 or after 1:30 for best seating.

Valet parking is free, so just give the guy $2 and go in style.

Lunch for 3 was $120 with tax and tip:

2 soups - one lobster bisque and one New England style chowder - both very, very good.

2 crab cake sandwiches - large and good.

1 shrimp and scallops over linguini. Fresh seafood, al dente pasta - quite good (but why does it come with garlic bread on top?)

A very pleasant bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and two cappucinos rounded out the repast.

The 2 shot cappucino is much better than the 1 shot - $4.50 vs $3:50.

Recommended for lunch or dinner.

((I))

Hi Cimbrone,

Thanks for the correction. The Grand Lux is near the Macy's - no?

((I))

Ira, don't know if you've tried any of the restaurants in the Cove shopping center on Hillsboro, just before the intracoastal. The Cove is on the water and a nice casual spot to sit outside for lunch and watch the boats go by.

Somewhere between Macy's and Sears, Ira.

I agree about the Cove shopping center. Went to a retirement party at a very nice restaurant there--maybe with Crab in the name. Been meaning to go back there.

"we were with my Lady Wife's aunt and ended up downstairs in a corner in the back in the dark."

Is she that unattractive? Or is she part vampire?

A very fine French restaurant, charming, reasonably-priced, is Bistro Provence on N.Federal Hwy.in Boca, around the 2300 block. It is really quick to zip over to the next town north, Delray Beach, to the trendy Atlantic Ave., loaded with good eateries, many with outdoor seating. A few are Old Calypso (best brunch/lunch menu I've ever seen), the Shore (on A1A just south of Atlantic Ave.), and Boston's on the Beach (for mountains of New England seafood like Maine lobstah and Ipswich clams, in an atmosphere loaded with Red Sox paraphenalia-the password to get in is "Yankees suck," which rolls off my tongue real easily.

Hi X,
>Bistro Provence ...<
Very nice restaurant. We are having our final meal there tonight.

The Lion and Eagle Pub, in the same strip, is a nice place for a pint before dinner.

>Delray Beach...<

Did that last year. Started with cocktails and ended with Espressos before heading home. Not cheap though.

Hi M,
Charley's Crab Cove? A very nice place.

Hi C,
>Is she that unattractive? Or is she part vampire?

She is a very nice lady (both of them), it's just that they went in ahead of me while I parked the car and took what they were offered.

Unfortunately, I didn't have anything smaller than a twenty with which to bribe the hostess.

((I))

Didn't make it to La Belle Provence.

Someone sneezed on my Lady Wife last week and now she has a cold.

Home now.

Nothing more to Report.

Hope this helped someone.

((I))

Hey Ira,

I was just surfing the US site and pulled your report up...I missed it the first time around!

I have an idea however...when you make your 2008 pilgrimage to Boca, how about a Fodorites get together? I think we could pursuade NeoPatrick and JulieVikmanis, Cimbone, McLaurie, and zkenz to join us, among many others! (We could meet at the Bistro Provence--our personal favorite) Sounds like there are quite a few who live right here! What do you think?

Topping for Ira!

This is just like those "Just back from Europe" posts I always open only to discover they are from 2002.

I'm definitely up for it. Used to love Bistro Provence. Haven't been in a while.

bardo--The info from Ira is still accurate however!

Just topping this to say-
>Charley's Crab in the Cove shopping center is gone and nothing has taken it's place.
La Val D'Loire in the same center is still good though.

>Max's Grill in Mizner Park was very good. They do a "sunset dinner" til 7 (we ordered at 7) that's very good value. You get a 3 course dinner for the price of the entree. Sat outside at the fountains and had a lovely evening.

>Cucina Dell 'Arte in Palm Beach was excellent for lunch.

Hi Ira - I know this is an old post but we winter in Deerfield Beach. If there ever is a Fodorites get together in the area please include us. Just missed you and Cimbrone a few years' ago in Dijon.

Well, here we are again.

It's been cool, but a lot better tan the freezing rain, snow and ice farther north.

King's closed a couple of years ago, leaving us with only the new yuppie Publix in Town Center or the Whole Foods near FAU.

A real find:

We very much liked "Efes Bistro", 8903 Glades Rd, in the shopping center next to TJ Maxx. Done in polished wood with Turkish carpets, it gives the impression of being in a courtyard. It is also quiet and calm, which was a very welcome change from the other places we have been to this week.

Very good Turkish cooking.

The grilled fish was very nice. The spinach pie was excellent.

Fresh made bread.

Mezes of yogurt, chopped tomatoes and peppers, eggplant, hummus, babaganoush - all made in house every day - would make a lovely lunch.

Mrs Yilmaz - a lovely lady - is in the kitchen every morning at 06:00 to do the prep work, and is there when the doors close at 10:00 PM.

Dinner with a bottle of Turkish wine and tip - $90.

There is a 4 course fixed-price dinner for two at $39.95 which, unfortunately, my dinner companion wasn't in the mood for.

((I))

Sounds great.

Ira, go to Toojay's near the Town Center and have a corned beef on rye with matzo ball soup. Here in Ohio, especially on a cold snowy day, it would be heaven on a roll. We love this deli probably because we can't get this kind of food at home.