Our waiter raved about the hearts of palm salad ($11), stressing that it's not a traditional "lettuce" salad, and we indulged but found its tomatoes underripe and the whole thing blandly dressed in a mediocre lemon oil and fresh black pepper. Slightly more memorable was the heirloom tomato and spinach salad ($11), a twist on a traditional insalata caprese. Topped with perlini mozzarella and dressed with basil balsamic vinaigrette, we caught ourselves diving for tomato under the disproportionate mountain of baby spinach leaves. More tomatoes and a deeper platter would most definitely improve this otherwise refreshing dish.
The entrées, unfortunately, also showed signs of incoherence. Although the mustard crusted snapper ($28) sounded promising, its thick breaded crust proved greasy and brash for the flaky fish. Still, it was a satisfying meal, particularly with the hearty sides of braised white beans with tomato and parsley and the delicately sautéed spinach. The eight-ounce East End burger au poivre ($16), however, disappointed. A dish featuring a restaurant's name should indicate a signature dish. But this burger arrived between two slices of English muffin, with melted Gruyére, pickled zucchini, and a barely noticeable peppercorn sauce, plus an odd, bitter flavor. French fries were limp and tepid. Most promising was the chicken française ($25), a battered breast smothered with a slightly astringent lemon caper sauce. A surprisingly tasty herbed risotto, with chopped tomatoes, was delightful. A pork chop ($24) was tough and overcooked.
601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd.
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304
Category: Restaurant > French
Region: Fort Lauderdale
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East End Brasserie, 601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Fort Lauderdale; 954-567-8070. Open daily 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sea Scallops $14
Spicy Korean Bon Chon Chicken Wings $12
Hearts of Palm Salad $11
Heirloom Tomato and Spinach $11
Eight-Ounce East End Burger au Poivre $16
Chicken Française $25
Creamsicle Crème Brûlée $10
When dessert came, though, much was forgiven. Pastry chef Ashley Roehrig deserves the credit for a creamsicle crème brûlée ($10) – a whimsical celebration of sweet citrus flavor, garnished with orange wedges and a lightly sweetened whipped cream. A bite of chewy, slightly tough, beignets fortified our love for the previous dessert, particularly after the fried pâte à choux took a quick swim in the thin, lackluster dulce de leche sauce. A warm, rich, chocolate flourless cake ($10), which came with a trio of crisp and silky tempura bananas, was much more enjoyable, especially with a scoop of homemade brown butter ice cream.
Ultimately, East End Brasserie is a pleasant beachside setting, though the cuisine is too uninspired for the price. I'd love to see the restaurant refocus on French fare, but I won't be surprised if it adds a karaoke night instead.
I changed the beignet and dulce sauce recipes if you would like to come in and have some one the house. I think I will be able to change your mind with these. They're perfect now. Sometimes you need a little kick in the ass. Thank you.
-Ashley Roehrig
@aroehrig Ashley, thank you for letting me know about the changes, but it's against policy to accept your sample. I'm so glad to hear from you, and I offer you my congratulations on your approach to re-structuring the recipes!
What a great idea, wasting your employers money reviewing a restaurant that's going to be different in a month!
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