Oh, and by the way, you can still follow me at Dine Magazine as I cover the the dining scene in South Florida.

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Robb & Stucky – best known for their home furnishings and interior design service has locations throughout Florida including stores in Boca, Coral Gables and Palm Beach Gardens. But did you know that they also have a Culinary Center in their Palm Beach Gardens location? Let me tell you, this place is top notch. Lined with Kitchenaid products, this center is a chef’s dream come true. It is also a gourmand’s playland.

Chef Christian Mailloux, a graduate of the CIA in Hyde Park, brings his talents and love for fresh, innovative cuisine to Palm Beach Gardens. His classes focus on a wide range of cooking techniques and cuisines including Summer Ice Creams and Sorbets, Summer Fruit Desserts and Cooking with Cedar, you are sure to find something to suit your fancy. He also offers many wine and beer dinners. Visit Robb & Stucky online for a list of upcoming classes.

Since I am drawn to good food and good wine, I was thrilled when Chef Christian invited my Wine and Dine Club into the culinary center for a wine tasting. Combining the best of Florida Seafood and summer wines, he will tempt us with:

• Baby Grouper Tacos with Lime & Cilantro
• Key West Pink Shrimp Ceviche
• Mini Blue Crab Cakes
• Jerk Mahi-Mahi with Fresh Florida Citrus
• Florida Lobster & Chipotle Cheddar Tamales

Delicious! Even better, I have paired up with Hearts and Hope for this event, and will be donating a portion of the proceeds to them. So if you’re looking for a night out with good food and wine, check out Robb & Stucky this Saturday. Tickets are only $20, quite a steal!

What: Florida Seafood and Summer Wines

When: Saturday, July 26 7:00 – 10:00 pm

Where: Robb and Stucky Patio, 4001 Design Center Drive in Palm Beach Gardens

Phone: (561) 904-7279

To RSVP, visit Dine Magazine or call Robb & Stucky at (561) 904-7279

Photo Credit [Beatbull @ flickr]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

As the editor of Dine Magazine, people often ask me where they should go for dinner, what my favorite restaurant is or where they can go for a unique dining experience. I am a walking advertisement, or could be. Out of thousands of restaurants in the South Florida area, I can’t say there’s one that I always lean to, but I do always point people towards a website called Open Table. Open Table is an online reservation system. Whether you are in Miami, Milwaukee or Ontario, Canada, you can go to this site to search for a restaurant for that special night out. Just type in your city, date and time and you will learn what is available. They also give you top ten lists. So if you are looking for the most popular restaurant in the city, where you schedule a lunch for your grandmother’s 80th birthday or for a place to have Sunday Brunch, you will be guided in the right direction.

Search further and you will find more information about the restaurant: hours of operation, a phone number, a description of the restaurant, dress code and the executive chef. No surprises here. Better yet, every time you book a reservation through Open Table, you will collect points – 100 points is the usual reward, but sometimes you can earn up to 1000 points for your reservation. Dine out enough and you will a Dining Cheque to dine out at your favorite restaurant.

Open Table is available internationally, so wherever you may travel, you will be set. Happy Dining.

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

The Breakers, The Breakers — Today I went to The Flagler Steakhouse for lunch located right on the golf course. The view was spectacular, enough so that we fought the heat just to have the view. As I pulled up, the valet happily took my keys. Waiting for the valet to give me back something so they would know what car was mine, they guaranteed me that they would remember what car was mine. Thinking, “Wow! They are good.” I walked up the stairs to the restaurant. I soon discovered there were only 2 others tables occupied in the restaurant. Gee, I hope they could remember what car was mine.

As I sat waiting for my lunch guest, it was nice to take things in and yes, relax. The service was first class, and the menu simple, yet diverse. They offered a selection of soups, sandwiches, salads and fish specials. Since the weather was so humid, I just wanted something refreshing. So I ordered a fruit salad, that included a scoop of either sorbet or cottage cheese, a bran muffin and some fruit. Soon after, our order came out and my muffin was left off the plate. Okay, I’ll just have some rolls. I’ll survive. As we finished up our lunch, I wanted to show something to my lunch guest online, but no luck, I’d have to purchase one-day access to the Internet. Grr..I don’t know, I just would expect those added perks at a place that is supposed to be a notch above the rest, but then again, maybe their goal is for us to escape our addiction from working. Haha! I don’t know, the place was ok. The atmosphere was charming and relaxing (we ended up being there for 3 hours), but it just needed something. Maybe that was why there were only 3 tables in there for lunch. Maybe they just need to advertise in Dine Magazine. That’s it

Photo Credit [The Breakers]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

The Breakers, often lauded as the best of the best, the go-to place in Palm Beach, it is also one place I’ve avoided over the years. You might ask why as this place has received the AAA 5-Diamond, Mobil 4-Star resort awards and is known for the private acres right on the ocean, the lush golf courses, the 5-star restaurants and of course, being treated like the utmost royalty. Am I crazy? Well, back when I initially launched Dine Magazine, one of my account managers forwarded me an email stating that the Breakers did not want the magazine on their property. I was blown away, as this doesn’t happen. I mean my magazine is beautiful – people rave about the photographs, the design, how this is the only magazine that appears on their table, so why on Earth would this hotel turn us away. I couldn’t imagine, but ever since then I’ve kind of avoided going there.

The day has come, tomorrow a colleague of mine wanted to meet for lunch, and since we are both food writers and work around the clock, she wanted to take me somewhere that we could actually — yes, relax — and that relaxing place just happens to be at The Breakers. We are going to have lunch at Flagler Steakhouse and I will report back as to how it went.

Photo Credit [Golf for Women]

Post from: The South Florida Traveler

Post from: The South Florida Traveler