South Florida is full of catering companies, restaurants, cafés, and every possible option pertaining to food. That being said, there are few spots that offer healthy, homemade-style fare.
Fortunately, Fort Lauderdale now has a new fresh, light, and inexpensive lunch option. L'Hermitage Catering opened its doors for a new service earlier this month. Chef/owner Martha Clemons and her staff are now catering to daytime lunch crowds with a new takeout menu for diners on-the-go.
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From 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, L'Hermitage is offering healthy options for takeout. In addition to rotating daily specials, the menu includes four salads, three pasta dishes, and a wide selection of sandwiches, with most items priced under ten bucks.
Salads include items like the Popeye (spinach, bacon crumbles, boiled egg, and toasted walnuts dressed with balsamic vinaigrette) for $8 and the curried salad (with signature curried chicken salad served over fresh greens with cranberries and candied pecans) for $8.50. Pastas range from health-conscious, like the pasta primavera ($8) with garlic, sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, squash, and broccoli tossed in olive oil and finished with parmesan, to decadent, such as the Pure Indulgence ($8), a combination of garlic, shallots, sautéed mushrooms, and a splash of white wine coated in a Gorgonzola cream sauce. Featured sandwiches range from vegetarian options like the GAC (grilled avocado with muenster and cheddar cheeses and a blue cheese dressing) for $7.50 to carnivorous, such as the filet mignon ($8.95), thinly sliced tenderloin with horseradish mayo on ciabatta with roasted red peppers and arugula.
Specials are offered based upon what is in season and fresh. Clemons makes an effort to source organic and local ingredients as much as possible. She picks up the majority of her produce from Brothers Farmers Market every day on her way to the shop.
A former yacht chef, Clemons hopes to create a solid customer base of individuals who will keep coming back. She has no problem adhering to dietary issues and other menu requests.
"I treat it kind of like I treated yachting," said Clemons. "Once you learn people's preferences, it's nice to be able to just throw things together for them, based on what they say they've liked in the past."
Clemons is currently in the process of applying for a table license with the city, so seating is not available at the moment. However, she plans to start delivery service by July 15. She is also working on setting up some wine dinners with wine educator Stephanie Miskew. And, of course, catering services and private dinners are available.
L'Hermitage is located at 3045 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale. Call 954-568-2383, or visit facebook.com/pages/LHermitage-Catering-Gourmet-Market.
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