Move over, the Office, there's a new gastropub in town.
And just think, before a few months ago, Delray wouldn't have known a gastropub from an upscale beer bar (paging Tryst).
Chef Allen Susser's Taste Gastropub is slated to open in April at 169 NE Second Avenue in the Pineapple Grove section of Delray Beach. With it comes a menu (download the full version here) of gastropub hits like small bar bites of house-marinated olives and charcuterie platters, jerk-chicken-wing lollipops and Florida rock shrimp, and peeky toe crab poor boys. Of course, there'll be comfort food as well, including duck confit pot pie, barbecue grilled chicken with cheddar tater tots, and slow-braised beef bourguignon.
And what gastropub would be complete without mac 'n' cheese? Chef Allen's version features lobster, natch.
Prices
are expected to be in the low to mid range, with small bites costing
anywhere from $5 to $15 and larger plates topping out at $22. A daily
braise -- I admire the quasireligious dedication of braising at least
one fatty cut of meat per day -- will feature 72-hour sous vide short
ribs and coq au vin in half ($12 to $14) or full ($20 to $24) portions.
Side dishes of grilled asparagus with blue cheese and triple-cooked (not
double-cooked) hand-cut fries are à la carte (each $5 to $8). Oh, and
watch out, David Manero -- Susser is also serving bacon-studded Brussels
sprouts.
Taste is owned by Delray restaurant/hotel contractor
Robert Workens, who handed the culinary reins off completely to
Susser. Jamie DeRosa, who worked with Susser in the late '90s in
addition to working under chefs such as Wolfgang Puck and Mark Peel,
will handle the day-to-day in the kitchen as the restaurant's executive
chef.
There may be more than one gastropub in Delray Beach, but by the looks of how Taste is shaping up, there's definitely room for them all.
Taste Gastropub
169 NE Second Ave., Delray Beach
877-41-TASTE
