I’ve traveled to Spain and Syria in a matter of days, all without leaving north county.
On a recent Saturday night, I enjoyed tapas and tempranillo wine from Spain’s Ribera del Duero region at Andalucía restaurant in Tequesta as a guitarist strummed Gypsy-inspired melodies. The wine (Bardos Romántica) seemed made for savoring with a tabla of Serrano ham, Manchego cheese, pan con tomate, Spanish tortilla and béchamel-rich croquetas.
The local chatter at the bar proved to be no distraction. It faded as our server Pedro Santos Leal, a former Cirque du Soleil performer from Madrid, told us stories about growing up in a family of circus acrobats that goes back seven generations.
Andalucía Tapas Bar and Restaurant is at 187 Tequesta Dr., Tequesta, 561-406-6509.
'Taste the love’
Last weekend, I visited Peroya, a new Mediterranean deli and market in North Palm Beach, where I met owner Talin Dekramnji, who hails from Syria. A poet and former journalist, Talin pays homage to her native land in the velvety hummus, boldly seasoned chicken shawarma, stuffed grape leaves and the other delicacies she offers at the weeks-old takeout shop.
I stocked up on all the above, plus Lebanese kibbeh, labneh and pita. As I was purchasing my finds, Talin held up a small paper bowl filled with freshly made rice pilaf, which she had sprinkled with Syrian seven-spice seasoning.
“Smell this,” she said as a ribbon of steam rose from the rice, its warm spices perfuming the air. “This is the smell of Syria.”
I closed my eyes and picked up notes of cinnamon, coriander, Aleppo pepper and other spices.
Transported again.
“Now taste,” she said. “Do you taste the love?”
Indeed. It was the fluffiest, most delicious pilaf I’ve had in a long time. And the hummus was so smooth, almost buttery, that I bought another container of it later in the week.
My passport may not show my recent travels, but these experiences nurtured the wanderlust in my soul just the same. And I know I can return to them without packing a suitcase.
Peroya market and deli is at 603 Northlake Blvd., North Palm Beach, 954-448-8466.
Summer restaurant deals
I put together a batch of new summer restaurant specials in a story this week, and I expect that list to grow. In fact, here are a couple of additional deals to put on your radar:
Stallion’s summer prix-fixe
Located inside the Palm Beach Polo Club in Wellington (but open to the public), Stallion restaurant has rolled out a special three-course dinner menu for summer. The restaurant is operated by restaurateurs Juan Gando and executive chef Dustin Parfitt, who own Oli’s Fashion Cuisine restaurants in Wellington and Boca Raton.
Prix-fixe menu highlights: starter options that include wagyu “Pigs in a Puff Pastry” with beer cheese fondue, classic shrimp co*cktail and Caesar salad. Main plates such as a 10-ounce New York strip steak, pistachio-crusted salmon, chicken Milanese and black truffle semolina risotto with wild mushrooms. (Other entree options are offered at an upcharge.) For dessert, there’s a choice of gelato, crème brulée and strawberry shortcake.
The special menu is $45 per person, plus 7% tax and 20% tip. Stallion is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. during summer. The menu is offered at dinnertime only.
Stallion: 11630 Polo Club Rd., Wellington, 561-931-4842,StallionRestaurant.com
Avocado Cantina’s summer specials:
A sister restaurant of Avocado Grill, this Yucatan-inspired spot offers BOGO Sundays (buy a large plate, get one free from 4:30 to 6 p.m.).
On Mondays, the restaurant pours half-priced margaritas (all of them).
And summer at Avocado Cantina also means later hours at the bar on Friday nights, when live music is on tap.
Avocado Cantina: 11701 Lake Victoria Gardens Ave., Palm Beach Gardens, 561-766-2430,AvocadoCantina.com
Hot summer deals:Where to find discount dining in Palm Beach County
Joys of Pride Month
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in downtown West Palm Beach is celebrating Pride Month throughout June by donating a part of the proceeds from all Bodega website and app orders to the South Florida nonprofit group SAVE, which fights discrimination against LGBTQ communities through advocacy and education.
Bodega has a Palm Beach County location at 118 S. Clematis St. in West Palm Beach.
If you’d like to celebrate Pride Month over good food, let me suggest you patronize any of the LGBTQ+-owned restaurants in Palm Beach County.
Full guide: Check out my updated list on where to find LGBTQ+-owned restaurants in Palm Beach County.
Have a delicious weekend!
Liz Balmaseda
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Liz Balmasedais a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist forThe Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. She covers the local food and diningbeat. Follow heronInstagramandPost on Food Facebook. She can be reached by email atlbalmaseda@pbpost.com.
