Best food news: NY restaurants arrive — again. Prix-fixe perks. Saturday brunching.
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The heralded wave of New York restaurants can best be viewed — for the moment, anyway — at the downtown West Palm Beach plaza known as The Square. This is where three notable restaurants with New York roots have opened this year.
A few years ago, it was Palm Beach island that witnessed a New York wave with the openings of La Goulue and later Le Bilboquet, both Manhattan-born French bistros. They joined Almond, a Bridgehampton-founded neighborhood bistro, on the island that had welcomed the chic Sant Ambroeus just a few years earlier.
I mention this because the New York/Palm Beach interzone is not a new phenomenon when it comes to restaurants. It may feel like it is because the wave of openings coincides with the pandemic-era migration of new residents from the north. And because the wave also extends to south county.
In February, downtown Delray Beach greeted an outpost of New York’s old-school Le Colonial French-Vietnamese restaurant. Last year, Boca Raton welcomed New York’s Blue Dog Cookhouse, a daily-brunch favorite.
But back to what’s shiny right now: The restaurant openings at The Square. The debuts are part of the plaza’s larger efforts to cater to a new, thriving, more high-end segment of the metropolis while maintaining its community-hub status. Hopefully, when the dust settles, it means something for everyone, in terms of price and accessibility.
Right now, there’s still a good mix of restaurant offerings at the plaza: Mainstays like City Cellar and Il Bellagio. Fun spots such as El Camino. Healthy spots like Sweetgreen, Planta, True Food Kitchen and Pura Vida. Decadent, easy stops like The Salty Donut, City Pizza and BurgerFi. And local gems such as chef Lindsay Autry’s restaurant, The Regional Kitchen and Mockingbird bar.
These and the newcomer restaurants are all good reasons to venture into the hub and explore.
Speaking of Delray’s Le Colonial…
New summer menu at this downtown Delray Beach restaurant
The prix-fixe deals of summer continue to roll in. This weekend, the newish French-Vietnamese restaurant Le Colonial launches two of them, a deal for weekend lunch and another for early, weeknight dinner.
Le Colonial’s kitchen in Delray Beach is in the hands of executive chef Huy Hoang, a Vietnamese native whose family owned a restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Here’s a glimpse of his summer specials.
Le Colonial’s Rosé Lunch — The $35 prix-fixe weekend lunch includes your choice of small plate, main plate and soft drink. The rosé? Pink wine pairings are offered for an upcharge ($14 to $18). The special lunch menu is available summer Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. through September.
Saigon Sunset Supper — Priced at $40, the early dinner includes a small plate, a main entree and a soft drink. The early supper special is available Monday through Friday from 4:30 to 6 p.m. through September.
Menu highlights: Menu items for the special lunch and dinner menus include a chilled veggie roll (bo bia), chicken curry (ca-ri ga), crispy pork and shrimp spring roll (cha gio) and others.
But something to know before you go: There’s a strict dress code. Le Colonial frowns on athleisure attire (sneakers, flip flops, sweats, hoodies, jerseys, ball caps). A restaurant statement says this on the topic: “Given the love and effort we put into our décor, service, food and drinks, we politely ask that our guests return the favor by joining us sans any (athleisure attire). We reserve the right to deny a reservation if any party does not adhere to these rules.”
Le Colonial is at 601 E. Atlantic Ave., Delray Beach, 561-566-1800, DelrayBeach.LeColonial.com.
Want more hot summer dining deals? Here you go!
Warren Delray’s Saturday brunch
This popular suburban Delray steakhouse, which opened two years ago this month, kicked off a Saturday brunch series last weekend.
Warren’s Saturday brunch, which goes from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., features an extensive menu of breakfast/lunch dishes and drinks, plus a live DJ.
What’s to eat? The a la carte brunch menu includes raw bar items and towers, salads ($15-$19), bourbon-brined chicken-and-waffles ($23), steak and eggs ($28), bread-pudding French toast ($19), various omelets and egg dishes ($17-$22), and burgers ($19-$20).
What’s to drink? Rosé, of course ($10 glass, $35 bottle), endless bloody marys ($27, $47, depending on ingredients) and a large variety of a la carte cocktails.
Warren is at 15084 Lyons Rd., Delray Beach, 561-455-4177, WarrenDelray.com.
Want more weekend brunches to try? Here you go!
Have a delicious weekend!
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Liz Balmaseda is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA Today Network. She covers the local food and dining beat. Follow her on Instagram and Post on Food Facebook. She can be reached by email at lbalmaseda@pbpost.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best New York restaurants in West Palm Beach, Delray brunch, hot deal
