Farm-to-table is a catch-phrase used by many restaurant owners and chefs today, but few take it as far and as seriously as Frank Stronach, owner of Adena Grill & Wine Bar in the Village at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach. His family has its own 90,000-acre farm in Ocala, the source of the humanely raised, all grass fed, wet-aged Angus beef served at the stylish steakhouse, as well as the pasture-raised chickens.
Stronach, who also owns Village at Gulfstream Park, has been accruing land in Ocala for years and building a herd of cattle there. The restaurant’s menu explains the Stronach family philosophy: raising animals without pain, stress or added hormones, feeding them natural foods and allowing them to roam free.
Adena’s décor features spectacular Swarovski crystal chandeliers suspended from a coffered ceiling and colorful, dramatic murals of flamenco dancers by Russian artist Anna Razumovskaya. The dining room is large—it seats 297--but it is divided in half to give it a warm, more intimate feel. Floor-to-ceiling wine cases along one wall display 7,000 bottles, and an open theater kitchen allows you to watch the chefs in action. Comfortable, semi-circular banquettes provide seating at hard-surface tables.
Connected to the main seating area is a wine bar with dark wood tables, a private dining area and a marble-topped wine bar. Contemporary white leather banquettes add style to the lobby.
Immediately after you are seated, a server delivers hot, moist hand towels, followed by a basket of warm, crusty bread. An electronic menu lets you see tempting, full color photographs of food and cocktails before you make your selections. We were impressed by how knowledgeable our server was about the menu and wines.
Appetizers
I began with an unusual appetizer: roasted marrow ($15) served in the bone. A slightly sweet, slightly spicy onion jelly accompanied the rich meat, along with parsley salad and dusky grilled rye bread.
Smooth, creamy roasted tomato bisque ($12) was mildly spicy and accented by croutons seasoned with thyme. It was very good.
Reflecting the restaurant's expectations of upscale patrons, the appetizer menu includes caviar service (American paddlefish roe $60, and Russian amber osetra $150), and a $79 shellfish platter for two. Other starters include yellowfin tuna tartar ($20); gnocchi mac 'n cheese made with gruyere and bacon ($12 and $22); and burrata with strawberry, fig and hazelnuts ($12).
Entrees
The lamb chops (market price) served here comes from Colorado rather than Adena Farm, although plans do call for starting a flock at the Ocala location. Regardless of the origin, the thick, meaty chops perfectly cooked to order were delicious. Crusty on the outside, tender on the inside and bursting with flavor, the chops were enhanced by a honey glaze fragrant with rosemary.
A "cowboy" steak ($48) served on the bone was perfectly cooked to order and well-seasoned. It's an ideal choice for red meat lovers.
Other entrees include four other steaks ($40-$50); grilled Maine lobster or twin lobster tails (market price); rotisserie chicken ($28); fish of the day (market price); prime rib ($28 and $34); and an expensive burger ($24). For vegetarians, there's roasted vegetable and barley risotto ($24).
A side of sautéed mushrooms ($9) was disappointing. For the price, we expected a mix of wild mushrooms rather than just the rather bland baby bellas that were served. The menu also offers platters of international cheeses (Switzerland, France, Italy, England and the U.S.) priced at $20.
Desserts
Desserts (all $9) are made in house. Cashew lime pie had a cheesecake-like texture and a crust made with dates and almonds. Crunchy cashews provided a pleasing contrast to the creamy dessert, which was topped with coconut cream, mango and raspberry coulis. Creme brûlée, topped with fine-grained, caramelized demerara brown sugar, was a perfect version of the classic.
Other sweet endings are apple tart, chocolate torte, fruit cake and lemon curd pavlova.
Adena Grill & Wine Bar offers a stylish, casually elegant ambience, delicious food and prompt, knowledgeable service. Best of all, it serves humanely raised meats and poultry so you can feel better about enjoying them.
The name tells the story. The harvest of the ocean is the main attraction at Wild Sea Oyster Bar & Grille, a stylish restaurant in Fort Lauderdale's Riverside Hotel. The menu offers some terrific fare for seafood lovers, including a selection of six different kinds of oysters from both the east and west coasts that changes daily. There are also dishes that will appeal to carnivores, as well as some interesting sides.
Executive Chef Toby Joseph describes the menu as modern American cuisine; preparations are the clean, simple kind that allow the freshest fish and shellfish to star on the plate without interference from complicated sauces. Joseph, a graduate of Johnson & Wales in Rhode Island and former executive chef at the Palm Beach Hilton, also follows the farm-to-table principle, using locally sourced products whenever possible. “Something from a local vendor is likely to be picked one day and come in the next, while something from a wholesaler could have been picked weeks ago," he says. “The local vendor may be more expensive, but it’s worth it.”
Artistic framed photographs of sea creatures decorate the bar area, and the casual dining room has planked floors and hard-surface tables. The design of a large, dramatic, wraparound glass wine case is reminiscent of an aquarium. No wonder it is large; the wine list is 10 pages long, and bottles range from moderately priced to very expensive. A nice selection is offered by the glass.
On the night we visited, guests were dressed in everything from business suits and stylish dresses to shorts, so you'll be comfortable no matter what your attire. The street-side patio offers outdoor seating that overlooks bustling Las Olas Boulevard, and watching the ever-present pedestrian traffic on the trendy street is part of the fun.
Starters
A meal begins with a basket of the buttery, rosemary-scented focaccia. Like everything else, including other breads and desserts, it is made on the premises. .
The fresh oysters, priced at $3 each, get top billing on the appetizer menu, and they are impeccably fresh and delicious. Even if you’re not sure you like oysters, try a few of these. Fried oysters ($12) had a crispy cornmeal coating, light enough so it did not overpower the mild shellfish, and the accompanying beer mustard cream accented them nicely. They were very good, but if it is a choice between the two, the fresh oysters are not to be missed. Maine mussels ($13) were also fresh and good, though the red sauce accompanying them that evening was a bit too much.
Shellfish lovers can also choose from king crab legs ($18 for a half pound), a one-pound lobster cocktail ($19); shrimp cocktail ($3 per piece); or top neck clams ($2 each).
Octopus ($13), grilled with garlic aioli, was tender, not overly chewy, and very tasty. The creative pairings of blueberries and bacon add sweetness and saltiness. If you’ve wanted to try octopus and have not, here is an excellent opportunity.
Other appetizers include blue crab cake ($15); ceviche ($14); lobster bisque ($10); and smoked Florida wahoo ($12).
After the server clears the appetizers, hot towels arrive to clean your fingers—a nice touch that makes you feel pampered.
Entrees
The west Florida grouper ($34), was some of the best fish I've had. The outside was seared to a golden crispiness, and the inside was moist and richly flavorful. A blackberry drizzle added a perfect touch of sweetness, and the accompanying heirloom tomatoes and peaches were perfectly fresh. The simple combination was simply delicious
Giant tiger shrimp ($32) lived up to their name--at two to a pound, they were indeed huge. Perfectly cooked, they were aromatic with tarragon and stuffed with rich grana padano cream. Tomato jam amd tasty potato gnocchi accompanied them.
Roasted diver scallops ($30) were firm, tender and absolutely fresh. They were whimsically paired with pork belly, as well as a watercress and pea shoot salad. The delicate seafood, salty pork and crisp, crunchy greens were a winning combination.
Although seafood stars here, we could not resist trying the smoked pork shank ($32). We were glad we did. Perfectly tender and richly flavorful, the large portion was served with snap peas and sweet corn. It's a great choice for carnivores who want a change from steak.
Other entrees the night we visited included Key West mutton snapper ($32); monkfish ($28); beef tenderloin ($38) swordfish ($29); Ahi tuna ($34); and whole lobster ($36 and $62).
Desserts
Pastry chef Sabrina Courteman does a memorable job with desserts. Dark chocolate crunch ($10) was a winner: rich dark chocolate outside and creamy chocolate mousse inside, accented with sea salt and caramel ganache. A trio ($10) of dusky, dark and rich chocolate truffle cake, sweet, tangy and refreshing blackberry cabernet sorbet, and smooth, creamy cabernet mascarpone mousse is a tasty way to sample a variety of sweets. Key lime pie ($9) was nicely tart and tangy.
Wild Sea offers some very good seafood and has a stylish yet casual ambience. It’s a place you’ll be glad to have discovered.
