Celebrating the holiday season, escaping the cold and exploring restaurant opportunities brought us to warm places. So we highlight and applaud some great dishes and restaurants that we visited. What we realized again from many of our visits is the stand out dishes were all spanking fresh and simply prepared. The main ingredient took center stage. And when two perfectly complimentary components are combined well, a little slice of food heaven happens. All our food experiences this winter reinforce our philosophy that the best food is the simplest. Keep it simple, fresh and seasonal. Eating like this is even possible in the dead of winter!

South Beach, Florida

Prime 112 is a terrific happening steakhouse in South Beach where the food is as good as the eye candy. Not to mention the prospect of choosing from 9 sides of potatoes!!!!!!

Favorite Dishes:
Awesome Deviled eggs with Caviar
Prime 48 oz. Porterhouse for Two--fabulous aged flavor

Generous and velvety sides:
Cauliflower and Melted Vermont cheddar
Four cheese truffle Mac and Cheese
Creamed corn and black truffle

Dessert:
Banana Foster cheesecake - takes cheesecake to a new level.

Barton G
The Garden seating at Barton G’s is matched only by the outdoor seating at Spago in LA -- tropical, lush and private. This restaurant is a major fun experience for the family, although the food doesn’t quite live up to the reputation. The owner is a party planner and caterer and is gadget happy.

Lobster Pop tarts toasted at the table in a toaster oven!
Cotton Candy and Popcorn balls
Coconut Cake in a globe with a pac-man machine

Palm Beach

Chez Jean-Pierre has a Dover Sole Meuniere which is close to perfection!!! Perfectly dredged and lightly pan sauteed in a lemon butter – fresh flown in dover soles were flying out of the kitchen. This experience inspired a couple of our spring fish dishes to come: a classic Dover sole and an amandine two ways – trout with amandine butter and string bean salad amandine.

And a quick trip in the cold to NYC...

Peter Luger
Great steak on a plate. Nothing more. We were a tad disappointed that the porterhouse for four was two smaller steaks and not one big 60 ouncer. But it didn’t stop us from consuming every morsel.

Lupa
Mario Batali’s fabulous earthy venue celebrates simple fresh food whose flavor comes from the main ingredient and is rarely adorned with more than two or three components. His brilliant vegetables could convince you to eat healthy everyday.

Some great hits:
Beets in Vinaigrette
Brussels Sprouts and Pecorino
Escarole and Walnut salad
Spaghetti aglio e olio which lives up to Babbo fame, just simpler and less fussy!

Perry Street
Jean-Georges recently opened a new place downtown on the Hudson. Beautiful, sleek, modern space which was mirrored in the food. Like the atmosphere, the dishes were fresh, clean and composed. The intensity of his flavors, his sauces and the contrasting textures of his use of ingredients makes each visit to one of his places a treat.