BY JOE NASUTI, THE PHANTOM
The season is always abuzz, with something happening every day and every night. I love all that excitement — but not the traffic associated with all the visitors. It seems that half the people on our highways don’t know where they are, and the other half, like me, are too old to drive!
As much as I love the season, I look forward to summertime in the Palm Beaches. Highways are less congested and summertime deals offer incredible discounts on hotel packages, stay-cations and vacations, and all the restaurants throughout Florida are offering up a wide array of prix fixe menus and nightly specials. I also like the Flavor of Palm Beach promotion every September. Fortunately, you don’t have to wait that long, because a number of summer menus are in place at many Palm Beach County restaurants. I intend to go from Jupiter to Boca throughout the summer and sacrifice my diet to take advantage of the enticing special summer menus that beckon my taste buds!
I started my summer menu journey on June 21 — the first day of summer — at one of my favorite eateries, Vic & Angelo’s in Palm Beach Gardens. This wonderful restaurant is featuring two terrific, three-course prix fixe summer menus, for either $25 or $35 per person, which amounts to about a 50 percent savings if ordered from their regular menu. What a great meal deal to kick off the summer season. These menus are also available at Vic & Angelo’s in Delray Beach.
For only $25, the three-course menu offers you 10 items from which to choose, such as Angelo’s salad (a very Italian combination), their delicious Caesar salad, or yummy fried calamari with San Marzano tomato sauce for appetizers. Entree selections are their famous pizza (a reason to go to Vic & Angelo’s any time), cappellini al telefono, fusilli with crumbled sausage and broccoli rabe, chicken Milanese, or grilled shrimp or tuna cobb salad. For dessert, there’s a choice of gelato or sorbet.
For only $35, there is an upgraded, three-course menu with 11 items. Diners can choose one appetizer: PEI mussels al forno, grilled calamari (one of my favorite dishes) or spinach salad. Entree choices include shrimp penne alla vodka, chicken piccata with artichoke hearts, chicken marsala with wild mushrooms and the incredibly delicious sweet pea risotto, veal Milanese (very Italian and very delicious), wild salmon with mixed veggies or four-cheese pear tortelloni with truffle cream sauce. Dessert choices are either house-made tiramisu or cannoli. You can add a bottle of Coastal Vines pinot grigio, chardonnay, cabernet sauvignon or pinot noir for only $15.
I would be remiss if I did not mention talented restaurateur and entrepreneur John Rosatti’s sister restaurant, the Office in Delray Beach, which also offers two summer prix fixe menus: two courses for $25 or three courses for $35.
Appetizer choices are quesadilla, deviled eggs, fried pickles, grown-up tater tots, house-smoked fish nachos, warm baked pretzel bread, side salad (house or Caesar), barbecued Chinese chicken wings, chicken shu-mai dumplings or sweet potato chips.
Entree choices are veggie burger, Office burger, barbecue pulled pork sandwich, buffalo chicken sandwich, grilled marinated hanger steak, baby-back ribs, pan-roasted chicken, grilled salmon, coconut curry PEI mussels, dark English ale-battered fish or boneless country fried chicken.
Dessert choices are apple crumble, mini ice cream sandwiches, maple- and bacon-glazed donuts, golden raisin and chocolate bread pudding, and blueberry creme brulee.
These prix fixe summer menus at Vic & Angelo’s in both Palm Beach Gardens and in Delray Beach, and at the Office in Delray Beach, are offered Sunday through Thursday for lunch and dinner through Sept. 30. Of course, the regular menu items are also available.
Both Vic & Angelo’s restaurants and the Office serve lunch and dinner, daily with a happy hour daily at both the indoor and outdoor bars. The Office also offers a late-night happy hour. Brunch is served on Saturday and Sunday at both Vic & Angelo’s restaurants.
Vic & Angelo’s in Palm Beach Gardens is located at 4520 PGA Blvd. in PGA Commons. Call (561) 630-9899 for info.
Vic & Angelo’s in Delray Beach is located at 290 E. Atlantic Avenue. Call (561) 278-9570 for info.
The Office is located at 201 E. Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach. Call (561) 276-3600 for info.
Find the restaurants on the web at www.vicandangelos.com and www.theofficedelray.com.
