Page 21 - Boca Club News - September '22

Boca Club News, Page 21

The Good Life: Dining, Drinks, Destinations

Second Helpings: A Favorite Recipe from

the Past Pages Of “Boca Club News”...

Grilled Romaine Salad, Bleu Cheese-Bacon Vinaigrette

The same wonderful Romaine lettuce that makes a Caesar
one of, if not the, most popular salads in the world takes on
an entirely different magic when grilled and combined with
the tangy accoutrements included in this healthy, savory
salad. (Add chicken at the end to make it a main dish.) This
is one in a series of recipes that have appeared in past issues
of Boca Club News and received such rave reviews from our
readers that they deserve a second taste.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
• 4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ¾ cup finely diced red onion
• ½ lb. bacon, ¼ inch diced
• ½ cup Balsamic vinegar
• 3 heads Romaine lettuce, cores removed and leafy ends
trimmed and cut in half lengthwise.
• ½ cup crumbled Bleu cheese
• Freshly cracked black pepper
Instructions:
1. Preheat grill on high heat. Heat 1 Tbsp of the olive oil in
a large skillet over high heat. Add onion and bacon. Cook
until the bacon is crispy. Remove onion and bacon from the
pan. Add the Balsamic vinegar and 1 Tbsp of the olive oil to
the skillet and reduce for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat
and set aside.
2. Brush the Romaine with remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil.
Place on the grill cut side down and quickly sear until grill
marks are visible. Set aside.
For each serving, place a wedge of the grilled Romaine
cut side up on a plate, drizzle the Balsamic dressing over top
and sprinkle with Bleu cheese, bacon and onion. Garnish with
cracked black pepper.

Dining Out: Outside My Comfort Zone!

By Alan Serinsky of Bocaire fast-food Indian restaurants become introduced to the an expected tamarind and mint chutney.
Country Club. Hungry Al’s love general public, including Hungry Al. To follow was the full-flavored Onion and Vegetable
for food started very young. I have to confess, I know very little about Indian food. Pakoras ($13.49). These tightly wrapped fritters of spiced
Never satisfied with his Mom’s So, how does a food columnist review an Indian restaurant? veggies and onions don’t paint a pretty picture, but deliver a
dishes, he started to cook his Easy...invite someone from India to help navigate the menu powerful taste to the palate. Certainly a crowd pleaser!
way through her “Betty Crocker and educate you at the same time. Arun’s Indian Kitchen Also, it might almost be considered a sin not to order
Cookbook.” During the years served as the perfect place for my re-introduction to Indian Garlic Naan ($2.75). We will be repenting for days after our
to follow he spend many hours cuisine. continuous conveyor belt ordering of these carbohydrate
working in restaurants, both as server and cook, attending First Impressions: First, don’t set your expectations delights.
cooking classes and traveling the world in an effort to too high. Arun’s is not your fine dining establishment. I Straight From the Kitchen: As our frenzy of appetizer
expand his palette. As a professional writer, Hungry Al would consider it leaning more to the millennial generation eating approaches to the level of full, we decided to limit the
offers his perspective on current food trends and guides style of dining with that basic urban take-out feel. number of our entrees. In continuing our table sharing efforts,
you through your local restaurant options. Located in the 5th Ave Shoppes, it looks like an Indian we allowed Hungry C, with the assistance of Hungry P (who
version of Pei Wei Asian restaurant. There are a few sparse is Indian by association) to choose the main courses.
Arun’s Indian Kitchen/Taco Masala tables inside and a few token ones outside. Tip: Don’t sit As a nod to Indian cuisine, our dinner plates consisted
Federal Hwy. down expecting a waiter to serve you. There are none. of the predictable Chicken Tikka Masala (butter chicken)
Boca Raton, Fl This is a self-serve dining experience. Go to the counter ($15.49). Again, the kitchen honored its heritage with
and order your dish. Go to cold fridge and select a drink. amazing clay oven-baked pieces of chicken, swimming in a
Food For Thought: I have always wondered why Go back to the counter and pay. Go to your table and wait creamy sweet tomato sauce with a hint of delicately spiced
Indian food was not more popular in the United States. We for the food drop-off. Now you know it’s not easy being curry. All was good, with the exception that the portion of
certainly have a huge Indian population, yet the number of a waiter! chicken was insufficient for even one person, no less four,
restaurants falls short compared to other ethnic restaurants. Prime Your Taste Buds: As in all Indian families, the trying to strike claim on the limited protein.
My research indicated that roughly 45,000 restaurants dining table is meant as a place to share your day’s stories Hungry P also selected the Lamb Rogan Josh—or, in
in the country were for Chinese or Mexican, but only and, of course, share everything out of the kitchen. With simpler language, “Lamb Curry” ($15. 49). This dish is as
5,000 for Indian food. If I had to take a guess as to the guidance of our culinary expert, Hungry C, we were basic as most Indian dishes, with tender pieces of lamb bathing
its unpopularity, I would believe most folks consider able to fork and finger our way through several Indian in a cardamom and onion-based curry sauce. This was well
Indian food to be an inexpensive cuisine. In reality, the appetizers. received with the exclusion of Hungry D, who eats no lamb.
preparation of Indian food is very labor-intensive. Even Note: It’s not uncommon to eat Indian food with your As a complementary side, we all enjoyed the Vegetable
the upscale Indian restaurants have struggled to keep their fingers, or even utilize a piece of naan. Biryani ($13.49), which consisted of Basmati rice, mixed
tandoors fired. Perfect example is the well-known upscale Up first from the kitchen is a traditional Indian Samosa vegetables flavored with saffron, raisins and Indian spices.
Indian restaurant Tabla in NYC that couldn’t make the ($4.49/2 pieces) that carries a bit of heat from the indigenous This was a highlight of our meal.
grade despite its amazing Indian food. Indian spices. These fried wonton-like pyramids are stuffed
Hopefully, the tide will start to shift as more upscale with spiced potatoes, onions and peas, and are served with Dining Out on page 22