Where are Boca Raton’s best restaurants?
Q: I loved your Fort Lauderdale restaurant recommendations. Can you do the same for foodies in and near Boca Raton? That could include Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach, since the only public restaurant with a water view in Boca is the Waterstone Resort & Marina. We’re big fans of Oceans 234 on the oceanfront in Deerfield Beach. — M.S., Boca Raton
A: You’re right, the options for eating with a view of the ocean in Boca Raton are almost nil as condo buildings take up most of the prime space. You have to head north to Delray Beach or south to Deerfield Beach for oceanfront dining.
The questioner last week asked me for Fort Lauderdale restaurants serving food that doesn’t taste mass-produced and shows lots of love from the chef. In Boca Raton, there is plenty of this assembly-line type food; the city and nearby unincorporated area are home to an abundance of chain restaurants or eateries that have multiple South Florida outposts.
So if you’re looking for innovative food in Boca Raton at a restaurant owned by locals, here are some options, including destinations in Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach. Make sure to call ahead as our local restaurants are entering their busiest season.
Boca Raton
DVASH, 8208 Glades Road, Boca Raton; 561-826-7784; dvashboca.com
This is where I bring guests who are visiting from out of town. If you like Mediterranean food, you can feast on their to-die-for homemade hummus, lamb chops, chicken on a skewer, shawarma or majadara (risotto with mushrooms, onions and lentils). Dvash means “honey” in Hebrew.
La Nouvelle Maison, 455 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-338-3003; lnmbocaraton.com
La Nouvelle Maison was among four South Florida restaurants that made it on to Open Table’s list of “Top 100 Restaurants in America for 2019.” It’s old-school French, with dishes including escargots, duck liver pâté, steak tartare and dover sole. For dessert, enjoy authentic crepes or my favorite, profiteroles, which are cream puffs with ice cream inside and chocolate sauce on top.
Luff ’s Fish House, 390 E. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton; 561-609-2660; luffsfishhouse.com
Luff ’s doesn’t take reservations, so you may have to wait, but you can take a stroll around downtown Boca as you fantasize about the restaurant’s fresh seafood, which is prepared simply and creatively. I love the coconut curry grouper on jasmine rice with stir-fried vegetables. This is another spot where I bring guests. Make sure to order the Key lime pie for dessert.
110 Plaza Real S., Boca Raton; 561-206-0066; corvinabocaraton.com
Corvina brought chef Jeff Tunks, a culinary star
Corvina Seafood Grill,
on the Washington, D.C., food scene, to Boca Raton a year ago. The food is locally sourced; the chef has established relationships with local fishers and farmers, such as Captain Clay and Sons Seafood Market in Delray Beach and Swank Specialty Produce in Loxahatchee.
Here’s what former South Florida Sun Sentinel
restaurant critic Michael Mayo wrote earlier this year about Corvina on Let’s Eat, South Florida, the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group: “Dinner service begins with a basket of warm, gluten-free Brazilian popovers (made from tapioca flour). Light, airy and delicious. The charbroiled oysters with chipotle lemon garlic butter and
parmesan were crispy and composed, with the oyster meat still succulent. A master of the form. There are two types of ceviche on the menu and we went with classic Peruvian with fish, leche de tigre, sweet potatoes and large corn. Clean flavors and delish.”
Twenty Twenty Grille, 141 Via Naranjas, Boca Raton; 561-990-7969; twentytwentygrille.com
This little spot falls in the “hidden gem” category. There are lots of creative items on the menu, including Duck Duck Taco, Thai Marinated Charred Octopus, Mole Spiced Grilled Prawns and Portuguese Bistro Steak and Eggs. This eatery gets consistently good reviews on Let’s Eat, South Florida. One reviewer praised the playful chef: “Prior to the main course, the chef personally delivered a 4-item sorbet and challenges you to guess the ingredients. It appears the sorbet is unique from table to table.” Desserts are luscious; try the molten chocolate cake or Tiramisu Creme Brulee.
Near Boca Raton
Since you said Deerfield Beach and Pompano Beach were OK too, here are a few options farther south.
La Vie, 281 S. Pompano Parkway, Pompano Beach; 954-210-9818; lavieflorida. com
La Vie offers a classic Mediterranean menu with an enticing array of hot and cold mezza, grilled chops, kebobs and shawarma. There are several tagine options, which are slowcooked in a shallow dish with a conical lid that creates steam from the cooking liquid, including chicken, lamb, grouper and vegetable. Vegetarians won’t have any problem finding sumptuous dishes here. The chefs hail from Lebanon and Morocco. Be prepared for belly dancers who complete the cultural experience.
Gianni’s Italian Restaurant, 1601 E. Atlantic Blvd., Pompano Beach; 954-9421733; giannisitalianrestaurant.com
Gianni’s has served Italian favorites to South Floridians for more than three decades. The family-owned trattoria offers traditional Italian fare, with chicken cacciatore, linguini with clam sauce, pork bracciola, shrimp scampi and snapper francese. Here’s what one amateur foodie said about Gianni’s recently on Let’s Eat, South Florida:
“We started with a Minestrone soup and Baked Clams. Dinner comes with salads and a house vinaigrette that was awesome. For dinner we had Eggplant Parmigiana and a Chicken Parmigiana, both with side pastas. Oh, and the Garlic Rolls and bread sticks were over the top. Finished up with homemade Cheesecake and Tiramisu with Espresso and Sambuca. Nice wine list also. We’ll be back and will bring others.”
Delray Beach’s energetic and creative restaurant scene is not far from you, but there are so many good places to eat there that they would take up a whole other column. In the meantime, check out the Sun Sentinel’s extensive restaurant listings at SunSentinel.com/entertainment/ restaurants-and-bars, as well as the Sun Sentinel’s foodie Facebook group, Let’s Eat, South Florida.