At the Table newsletter: Happy hour at a new neighborhood gem
Happy hour at a new neighborhood gem. Wing Day deals. New and upcoming restaurants.
I hesitate to tell you about the gem within a gem that is happy hour at Lewis Steakhouse. But some pleasant surprises I found during a recent visit to the new Jupiter restaurant compel me to do so.
First, there’s the feel of the place. One doesn’t expect to find that vintage, deliciously lived-in feel at a steakhouse that’s been open just two months. Certainly not behind an understated storefront at the edge of a suburban strip mall. But Lewis Steakhouse welcomes you with the same polish and warmth you find at its big-sister restaurant, Okeechobee Steakhouse, leather booths and all.
Then there’s the bar. It’s small-ish, intimate and exudes a golden glow, thanks to its marbled, underlit bar-top. It’s a fancy setting for the $4 beer, $5 wine and $5 well drinks and $8 well martinis offered daily from 4 to 6 p.m. during happy hour.
The bar bites are big in flavor. The happy-hour menu may be small, listing just four items – a bar burger, a steak slider, a fried chicken slider and poutine – but the options are high-quality and just $5 each. Unless you’re seeking a vegan happy hour menu, chances are one of these options will hit the spot.
My favorite bites: The steak slider with tangy-sweet balsamic onions and gorgonzola mayo. I requested it without the bun, and the kitchen, led by longtime Okeechobee Steakhouse executive chef Jamie Steinbrecher, was happy to oblige. It’s a generous portion for a bar bite. I also loved the poutine and appreciated that it was not swimming in gravy. This poutine rendition may be my new addiction: crispy potato fries are topped with just enough demi-glace, dotted with white cheddar curds and sprinkled with bits of bacon for a smoky, decadent bite.
The trademark service. It’s clear the place is owned and operated by an Okeechobee Steakhouse team. (Okeechobee owner Ralph Lewis opened Lewis Steakhouse with three of his longtime managers.) The bartenders introduce themselves and ask your name. You never feel rushed or overlooked, only welcome.
Lewis Steakhouse: 6390 W. Indiantown Rd., Chasewood Plaza, Jupiter, 561-277-9188, LewisSteakhouse.com; happy hour served daily from 4 to 6 p.m. at the bar.
Speaking of happy hour…
There’s a new one at Planta, the vegan restaurant that opened in April 2021 at The Square in downtown West Palm Beach. It’s quite the deal for those seeking a stylish, plant-loving happy hour. And the best part: Planta’s happy hour is offered throughout the restaurant.
On the menu, there’s an inspired selection of $6 bar bites, including cacio e pepe croquetas with marinara, Korean BBQ lettuce wraps with jackfruit, gochujang, sesame, peanuts and cilantro, plus yuca fries with truffle aioli. Wine and beer are $5, and there’s a slate of creative $7 cocktails, as in the Guava Mezcal Mule that combines mezcal, guava, lime and ginger beer.
Planta: 700 S. Rosemary Ave., at The Square, West Palm Beach, 561-208-5222, PlantaRestaurants.com; happy hour is served Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m.
Winging it
There’s an explanation for the sudden wave of chicken wing photos on your social feeds. Today is National Chicken Wing Day. If those food pics have you craving wings for dinner tonight, here are a couple of deals to know about:
Legends Tavern and Grille, which recently opened a Palm Beach Gardens location, is offering 50-cent wings today when you buy a drink and when you order the wings in batches of 8, 12 or 16. Tons of sauce options, like Jamaican jerk and mango-habanero, to choose from. The deal is available from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. today. (4550 Donald Ross Rd., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-766-2994, LegendsTavernandGrille.com)
Duffy’s Sports Grill restaurants are offering an $8.99 Wing Day deal that includes five jumbo or boneless wings, French fries, celery and carrots and a choice of buttermilk or blue cheese dressing. The wings are tossed in your pick of sauce. The special is available today from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. for dine-in only. (Find a Duffy’s location at DuffysMVP.com)
Miller’s Ale House locations are serving its signature boneless wings, Zingers, for $7.29 today, which they’re calling National Zing Day. The price is a play on the Wing Day date. Zingers are dipped in buttermilk, breaded, fried and tossed in any of the restaurant’s 17 dipping sauces. (Find a location at MillersAleHouse.com)
New and upcoming restaurants
Bar 25 opened early this month at the former Mellow Mushroom space in downtown Delray Beach. Owner Anthony Giovanniello also owns Nick’s New Haven Style Pizzeria and Bar in Boca Raton. Chef is Walter Pytel, formerly of Fort Lauderdale’s popular Café Martorano. On the menu, you’ll find modernized diner/pub fare. There’s a full bar and a boozy weekend brunch.
Bar 25: 25 SE 6th Ave. (Federal Highway), Delray Beach, 561-359-2643, Bar25.com
Blackbird, an upscale restaurant and bar with eastern/southeastern Asian influences, is coming to the former Shipwreck Bar and Grille building in Jupiter. The partners behind it also own Papichulo Tacos, just around the corner. They are hoping to open as soon as September. Executive chef/partner is Tim Nickey, whose extensive experience includes leading the kitchen at Miami Beach’s pioneering (and now-closed) China Grill and Miami’s Komodo by David Grutman.
Blackbird Modern Asian: 1511 N. Old Dixie Hwy, Jupiter, BlackbirdModernAsian.com
Ramen Lab, the popular south county-born noodle bar, is set to debut its fourth location later this summer in western Boca Raton with an expanded menu and “an underground Tokyo vibe,” according to a restaurant statement. That spot will open at the suburban Mission Bay Plaza on Glades Road and SR 7.
After that, Ramen Lab’s parent company, the family-owned Urban Belly group, plans to open its fifth location in north county. That debut is expected in late fall.
Ramen Lab Mission Bay: 20449 SR 7, Boca Raton, RamenLabEatery.com
More restaurant openings: Keep up with local restaurant openings with our updated guide!
Have a delicious weekend!
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Newsletter: Happy hour at a new neighborhood gem, plus Wing Day deals
