Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Guacamole takes a spin
Q. I am currently sitting beachside at the Hollywood Diplomat Hotel. They serve a chipotle almond guacamole that is absolutely delicious! The server said they make the chipotle sauce that tops the guacamole on the premises. I was hoping you could get the recipe. — Debbi Rosenblum, Boca Raton
A.
Through the help of chef de cuisine Jaime Bibiloni at the Playa at The Diplomat Beach Resort (3555 S. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, 954-602-6000, diplomatresort.com), I was able to get my hands on the chef ’s unique, reinterpreted guacamole recipe. Bibiloni explained, “The Tropical guacamole is a twist on the traditional guacamole everyone knows and loves. At Playa, we put our spin on it by adding the chipotle, mango, queso fresco and toasted slivered almonds. This creates an umami of flavors between the creamy avocado, the sweet and spicy from agave and chipotle, the freshness of the mango and tartness of the queso fresco. Guests love it.”
Bibiloni, a native of Ponce, Puerto Rico, followed the footsteps of his grandfather, a 40-year veteran chef in the cruise ship industry. After receiving a biology degree from the University of Puerto Rico, Bibiloni moved to South Florida and attended culinary school at Johnson & Wales University. Chef Bibiloni started as a cook at The Diplomat Golf Resort & Spa in 2005. He continued moving up the culinary ladder at various luxury properties. In April, after the completion of a $100 million makeover, The Diplomat Beach Resort opened 10 culinary destinations ranging from celebrity chef-driven restaurants led by Geoffrey Zakarian and Michael Schulson featuring coastal American and Japanese fare, to a classic steakhouse, fast casual burgers, a grab-and-go market to familyfriendly ice cream and sweets shop and more.
Chefs Sue Torres and Darren Carbone initially designed the food at Playa, a Nuevo Latino concept. With the resort’s redo, Bibiloni assumed his new role as chef de cuisine to execute the menus at the poolside, beachfront eatery. An extensive bar highlighting rum and tequila specialties and fresh juice-based cocktails are paired with Bibiloni’s tacos served on house-made tortillas and freshly made salsas and guacamoles.
Bibiloni recommended, “This recipe is perfect for entertaining guests out by the pool or on your patio. However, make sure that you are using fresh ingredients and it is best when prepared right before serving. While the lime delays the process, the guacamole will start to lose its color due to the oxygen.”
Q. I adore the honey cilantro vinaigrette from J. Alexanders restaurant in Fort Lauderdale. Houston’s recipe is identical. Hope you can get the recipe from either restaurant or both. — Daisy Markus, Fort Lauderdale
A.
I wasn’t able to get a direct corporate response from J. Alexanders, (multiple locations jalexandersholdings.com), or Houston’s, (multiple locations houstons.com), but online research provided several options. Based on recipe reviews and comments from previous employees I’m sharing an adapted version of Houston’s honey-lime vinaigrette recipe that is served with their grilled chicken salad. I hope it’s close to what you’re looking for.