With the passing of the New Year, gym memberships soared, produce sections were filled with eager shoppers, and restaurants emptied of ravenous customers.
Like every other January, everyone has jumped onto the healthy bandwagon -- for the time being, at least -- and like every other third week of the first month of the year, many of those hopeful dieters have already fallen off.
For those who resemble that remark, we're hear to let you know you're not the only one who dropped the quinoa burger in favor of the bacon triple patty.
Since so many have given up -- or are thinking about it for the time being -- we decided to compile a list of the five best gluttonous treats worth breaking your New Year's salad fast.
5. Guinness Mac & Cheese at the Dubliner
If you were ever going to combine the two most filling ingredients together, it would be pasta and beer. These Boca Raton and Fort Lauderdale pubs do so deliciously with its creamy and oh so starchy Guinness mac & cheese. Just as it sounds, it combines the sweet malty flavor of Guinness with sharp and tangy cheese and perfectly cooked macaroni browned in a cast iron skillet. We would say go for the mini portion, but this is post New Years resolution; it's time to dive right into the big one.
4. Two on a Blanket at Jaxson's Ice Cream Parlor
You can't do a list about indulgence without putting Jaxson's on it. While the Dania Beach ice cream shop and restaurant is most famous for its ridiculously large "Kitchen Sink" with heaps of ice cream, sauces, and whipped cream, we all know that's supposed to be shared -- we're not trying to be wasteful here. The Two on a Blanket with two cuts of pound cake, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, hot fudge, marshmallow, toasted almonds, whipped cream, and cherries can be shared, but it's not a necessity. Just make sure to wear something with an expandable waist.
3. Short Rib Benedict The Foxy Brown
What happens when you take two of the richest ingredients known to man and pair them together? Gut busting deliciousness that's what. Every Saturday and Sunday, this Victoria Park neighborhood bistro offers a generous dish full of succulent braised short ribs with a fresh yet heavy dose of chimichurri hollandaise. We dare you to try to stay awake after finishing that!
2. Duck Fat Burger the Sybarite Pig
If you're looking for meat to cure your January fast, this craft beer-centric Boca Raton spot is the answer. While there are numerous meaty options to fill your carnivorous tooth, the duck fat burger should do the trick. Made with Wagyu beef, the patty is cooked in duck fat and served with bacon, aged cheddar, a fried egg, red onion jelly, aioli, lettuce, tomatoes, and red onion on a kaiser roll.
1. Opera Cake Patrick Lézé
If there is one ingredient most people would consider a treat, it's chocolate. At this Palm Beach patisserie and chocolatier, master baker Patrick Lézé churns out some sweet treats that could satiate any hankering for sugar. While anything in the display will work, the opera cake is the richest option available; it's pile high with layers of almond crust, chocolate, and coffee buttercream, then moistened with espresso. You know you'll get one serious buzz when you're done.
Follow Sara Ventiera on Twitter, @saraventiera.
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