We had a great night and you will tool..The temperature had dropped into the 60’s and the winds had shifted to the Northwest. The waves were crashing the beach and had been forced poolside for our dose of sun. On a lark we decided to...go out without having reservations at 6:30 p.m.—unheard of, especially one hour before sunset at Pass-a-Griflle Beach. As luck would have it, the cooler breezes discouraged diners from sitting in the outside seating at Grace and we found a table (perfect timing as tables were grabbed up moments later). This was a sign of more great things to come.
We were greeted by Lisa who immediately thanked us for dining outside as the interior service areas were hot and stuffy. She, like us, was a Midwesterner, finding March temperatures in the 60’s to be more like summer in our region of the country. She immediately became our trusted guide in our unusual “tour de culinar.” We started with cocktails. After learning what traditional cocktails we liked to drink she guided us to their signature cocktails. Great move. The choices were rich, unique and within the palette of our normal choices but added times and shades of flavors absent from our usual selections. We tasted and shared the Queen Kong and the DJanga. If you like Manhattans and Old Fashions you will love these.
As we had feasted earlier in the day on home Grilled Fillet Mignon, Cheddar and bacon twice baked potato and Greek Salad from Shaner’s Market at our poolside retreat we thought we would just have a simple appetizer with our drinks. We were steered by Lisa to the Crispy Cauliflower. We were amazed. The cauliflower (white and purple) were perfectly tender but not mushy. The outer surface was crispy buy not breaded. We learned that the cauliflower is coated in a fine corn meal and then the delicacy is flash fried. There was. No grease or oil. Only this delicious and warm morsel. We were brought 3 dipping sauces that included a Korean BBQ, a Chile based sauce and an aioli. We preferred the first 2 that were just the right amount of tang and heat to set off the morsels.
There were so good, my appetite was piqued. How could I stop? Plus I had more cocktail to drink. We asked for the menu and looked for something warm and light. There it was, the Truffle and Parmesan Fries. And right we were. They were so crispy, flavorful and perfect for the next phase of our dining.
As we began thinking about ending our stay Lisa approached with a suggestion that we try dessert. In that we were not in a hurry we humored her with a request to give us the list. They all sounded amazing, but the night called out for the warm beignets. We had to wait 8 minutes. So what. The sun was setting, we had a street-side view of the color, people to watch and our cocktails to savor. The 8 minutes passed in a flash. The 5 small desserts appeared at our table. They were perfectly golden, lightly coated in sugar and in the center of the plate was a mountain of the lightest and tastiest whipped cream I had ever had. The desserts yielded to our forks as they were filled with the cream on the pathway to our waiting mouths. There was just enough to end the dish wanting more but knowing that the end had come.
This was an amazing evening, with great staff, great food and a unique tasing experience. We encourage everyone to explore this restaurant and its menu-not feeling compelled to dine in the usual fashion or order. Make the night your own. We sure did!More