At the Table newsletter: Carolina ‘cue, Flamingo Park’s tasty hour, Juneteenth eats

Carolina ‘cue, Flamingo Park’s tasty hour, Juneteenth eats

Let’s wrap up this hot, sunny week with a buffet of hot, sunny news bits.

On the menu: A Carolina cookout-inspired event. A tasty social hour to know about. And Palm Beach’s favorite salad eatery expands to the north.

Pig Pickin’ pop-up tonight

Chef Lindsay Autry brings back her Eastern Carolina-style barbecue pop-up tonight at her West Palm Beach restaurant, The Regional. Autry’s “Pig Pickin’” menu is part of a summer series of three cookout-inspired events taking place through August.

The menu’s centerpiece is Autry’s hickory-smoked pulled pork, which will be offered in two ways: In a meat-and-three combo ($29) with your choice of three sides and cornbread. Or in a sandwich ($18), piled into a toasted brioche bun and served with your choice of one side and coleslaw.

A batch of fresh hush puppies at The Regional restaurant in West Palm Beach.
A batch of fresh hush puppies at The Regional restaurant in West Palm Beach.

Side dish options include creamed summer corn, collard greens and black-eyed peas, fried okra, Brunswick stew and mac and cheese.

Add to this a batch of a la carte bites like summer peach salad ($16), hush puppies with whipped Florida honey butter ($9) and the chef’s “Picnic Plate” ($20), kind of a Southern antipasti plate that combines pimento cheese, deviled eggs, hickory-smoked sausage, boiled peanuts, pickled garnishes and club crackers.

The Pig Pickin’ menu is offered from 5:30 p.m. to closing tonight, and reservations are recommended. Dates in July and August are planned but not yet announced.

Speaking of summer, The Regional just rolled out a BOGO deal for early birds. You get one entrée with the purchase of another from Monday through Saturday from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. (651 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach, 561-557-6460, EatRegional.com)

Grato’s Power Hour

An array of "Power Hour" bites at Grato restaurant in West Palm Beach.
An array of "Power Hour" bites at Grato restaurant in West Palm Beach.

On the topic of talented chefs and their early-evening offerings, Chef Clay Conley’s “Power Hour” menu at Grato in Flamingo Park is one of the tastiest deals on South Dixie Highway. It’s available at the bar from Monday through Friday from 5 to 6 p.m.

If you haven’t tried the meatballs in marinara over creamy polenta with a drizzle of basil pesto ($10), you’re missing one of the most delicious dishes on Conley’s Grato menu.

The $10 menu also includes three pizzas, wings and plant-based nachos. And there’s a $5 menu as well – it includes well-dressed sliders and fries. (1901 S. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach, 561-404-1334, GratoWPB.com)

Field of Greens expands north

A falafel wrap is served at the new Field of Greens eatery in North Palm Beach.
A falafel wrap is served at the new Field of Greens eatery in North Palm Beach.

A new Field of Greens eatery debuted in North Palm Beach Thursday. The popular local mini-chain brought its healthy-minded menu to the newly revamped Seminole Shoppes plaza.

Expect a large variety of FOG salads, sandwiches, plant-based shakes and smoothies, acai bowls and soups, plus breakfast offerings.

I stopped in at lunchtime Thursday and tried the falafel sandwich ($10.50), which packs tons of flavor into a wrap (gluten-free is available and delicious) – hummus, tahini, pickled cabbage, romaine, Mediterranean salsa and lots of two-bite falafel orbs – and is served with a tahini dip.

The falafel follows a family recipe, FOG owner Hess Musallet told me. “It’s my mom’s recipe.”

FOG has eateries in Palm Beach, West Palm Beach and Wellington. The new North Palm location is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. (11940 U.S. Hwy 1, North Palm Beach, 561-223-2393)

Juneteenth weekend eats

Peach cobbler cheesecake at the Majestic Ash Lounge and Southern Spice restaurant/bar in West Palm Beach's Northwood Village.
Peach cobbler cheesecake at the Majestic Ash Lounge and Southern Spice restaurant/bar in West Palm Beach's Northwood Village.

Wishing all a happy, healthy and proud Juneteenth. If you’re seeking a celebratory meal this weekend (and prefer not to do the cooking), check out our Black-owned restaurant guide, which offers a variety of terrific eateries.

Salty Donut pop-up

Voted 'Best Donut Shop in Amercia' The Salty Donut is coming to The Square plaza in downtown West Palm Beach.
Voted 'Best Donut Shop in Amercia' The Salty Donut is coming to The Square plaza in downtown West Palm Beach.

Wynwood's popular Salty Donut pops up again this weekend at The Square in West Palm Beach. Look for The Salty's Aloha camper parked on Rosemary Avenue Saturday and Sunday.

The West Palm menu includes caramel apple and double chocolate cookie doughnuts. They're open from 10 a.m. until they sell out.

The sweet concept is expected to open officially at the former Rosemary Square sometime in late July or early August, according to a rep. (700 S. Rosemary Ave., West Palm Beach)

Let’s tell food stories!

We'll tell food stories worth celebrating at our next Storytellers Project event. (This is me at one of my happy places: a table with friends, foods and sparkle.)
We'll tell food stories worth celebrating at our next Storytellers Project event. (This is me at one of my happy places: a table with friends, foods and sparkle.)

Here’s a cool event to put on your radar: The Post’s Storytellers Project will be all about food stories when it takes the stage on Sept. 14 in Lake Park. We’ll have five to seven storytellers. I’m thrilled to be one of them.

There’s still time if you’d like to be there as well. Our project organizers are taking story pitches as we speak. If you have a kitchen story burning to be told, a childhood food memory or culinary a-ha moment you’d like to share, or maybe an ode to that one dish you can’t live without, we’d love to hear about it.

Here’s what’s to know about Storytellers, including how to pitch your story and the pitch link. The project is part of a national USA Today program and follows the vibe of The Moth Radio Hour. Join me!

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Have a delicious weekend!

Liz Balmaseda

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Newsletter: Carolina ‘cue, Flamingo Park’s tasty hour, Juneteenth eats