Florida Coast Magazine
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- Jupiter, Florida, United States
PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL – January 25, 2022 – Walking into The Butcher's Club, based in the famous golf mecca PGA National Resort in Palm Beach Gardens, the InFlorida team felt suspended in time. The eclectic mix of black and white tiled flooring and dark wood paneling provided a 1950s feel with a touch of 1920s art deco. The décor immediately made this new steak restaurant feel unique.
Starting the evening in the bar, we sipped on a Home-Grown cocktail, a combination of Mezcal, guava, Florida citrus and dragon fruit. This was enough to get our taste buds dancing and ready for the evening of delights and surprises ahead.
We were intrigued to hear that Bravo’s Season 13 Top Chef winner, Florida native Chef Jeremy Ford is the creative talent behind the food, and he would be on site that night. Our waiter for the evening, Carlos Dias, was a delight and very knowledgeable on all the ingredients. When posed with a question like “Where are the truffles from, on top of delectable, Gooey Black Truffle Jalapeño Poppers, Dias did not hesitate to inform us, “from Alba, a town in Italy’s Piedmont region.” The general manager, Ferenc Fehervari soon came to visit us making sure everything was to our liking. Fehervari was attentive and made us feel most welcome.
For every course, there was a specially selected drink. For example, after eagerly devouring the Local Fish Crudo, which has a scrumptious green chili buttermilk, yogurt dressing, we sipped on a Do Me Daley. This drink included Macallan’s 12 double cask, earl green tea, vanilla, and lemon. Not usually a Whisky drinker, I was pleasantly surprised with this smooth Scottish whiskey and its distinct, yet light notes. It was the perfect palate cleanser that readied us for the next course.
Dish after dish appeared at our table, each as delicious as the next. The presentation was stunning, without being pretentious. It is much like an artist who is naturally talented and doesn’t have to shout about it.
I particularly enjoyed the yellowfin Tuna Tartare Sambal with white soy dressing, dashi emulsion, shaved fennel & radish. Chef Jeremy Ford came out to chat with us, and I asked him about my entrée, which was a pan roasted local fish, saffron carrot & baby onion stew, in kombu citrus broth. “My grandma was Sicilian and had a great influence on me becoming a chef. She didn’t speak English, so growing up we spoke through food. She was an amazing cook,” reminisces Ford. Biting into the mouthwatering fish dish, I swear I could taste the Sicilian influence. A well-rounded dish with hints of citrus as well as flavors from Spain, France, and Arab nations, all of which has a footprint in Sicilian food and culture.
My husband, who had been adding his positive appraisal throughout the dinner was silent while he savored every morsel of the dry aged prime 18oz Delmonico Steak, which he described as, “The best steak he had ever eaten.” After polishing off some decadent side dishes, including a scrumptious colossal blue crab mac & cheese and a flavorsome creamy herbaceous spinach with dill and tarragon, we honestly didn’t think we could fit anymore in. That was until we were presented with dessert! Fine dining dessert expert Vanesa Beltran has worked with Ford in the past and considers him a good friend. Traveling and working around the world, Beltran has met with her friend once more to help oversee operations at the Butcher’s Club.
The dessert was elegant in its design and the perfect combination of decadent and creamy. The Espresso Tres Leches textures were exciting with the smoothness of the ice-cream, the richness of the espresso crumbles and the golden-brown crunch of a perfectly caramelized, wafer-thin topping. This exquisite evening rounded off perfectly with a little tipple of The Macallan’s Harmony Collection.
The Butcher’s Club’s impressive menu including dry-aged prime cuts, a succulent raw seafood bar, innovative cocktails, and extensive wine collection will have guests coming back time and time again.
Visitors don’t even have to be members of the golf club to enjoy this 5-star restaurant. This perfect match of high-end food, sophistication and ambience has scored a hole in one, according to this little birdie!