Hardy Park Bistro

After years of planning and traveling the world, former yacht chef and Australian native Philip Darmon opened downtown Fort Lauderdale's Hardy Park Bistro in November 2013. Here, he serves upscale food in a casual neighborhood environment. Though Darmon has an affinity for the Mediterranean and its cuisine because of his travels throughout the region, his food also reflects a rich Southeast Asian influence because of its proximity to Australia. He serves dishes like coconut risotto with a green bean, asparagus, and cilantro salad; beef short ribs that are braised in classic red wine with palm sugar; and Maine lobster salad with grapefruit, avocado, herbs, and vanilla vinaigrette. But the menu changes weekly. Expect to see a stellar selection of wines by the bottle and glass; celebrity chef Angelo Elia helped compile the list.