And finally food and culture writer Arlene Borenstein, said she could not script a better
dining experience than the one she gets at her upscale spot for steak and seafood near
the beach.
The busy spot located on Trendy Atlantic Avenue, offers up impeccable service.
That is sophisticated, but certainly not stuffy.
It's at Delray Beach, and it's called Avalon Steak & Seafood.
My name is Antonello Paganuzzi, I am managing partner of Avalon Steak & Seafood in Delray
Beach.
I was a big fan of Atlantic Avenue for years.
I've lived in Fort Lauderdale and I used to come up here.
And I just love the collect crowd that came through here.
And I felt real strongly that a steak and seafood concept would do very well on the
Ave.
The ambiance we want to create is that we looked at Atlantic Avenue as a beach resort
kind of town.
So, when we look at a space, and looked to town, we wanted something a little bit more
airy, beachy feeling, more open.
We wanted to play a little cross between Martin vineyards, Hamptons, Key West all in one.
We are definitely hospitable driven first, what I mean is everyone on my staff, from
the front door, to the hostess, to the bussers, we're all about service.
And I think if there's a reputation that we have, people will tell you about the warm
hospitality that we give.
And the food, drinks, and environment go all hand in hand together.
Avalon is where you want to come for an upscale experience.
Still with a lot of fun, with the highest emphasis on stake and sea food.
And I guarantee you you'll walk out extremely happy.
This place is busy, right?
[Arlene] Yes, it gets really busy.
But when you get in, it's very relaxing, little seaside feel.
So you're also feeling kind of relaxed and chill.
The last time we went we kind of splurge, and did the tuna ribeye, with some friends.
And it's so great to share.
[Michelle] Tuna ribeye, what is that?
[Arlene] I know.
Does it have a bone in it?
Off the bone.
[Michelle] Okay.
[Arlene] Pepper corn exterior.
[Michelle] Crusty, okay.
[Arlene] With a pepper corn sauce.
And it's just so good.
It's tuna like you've never had it.
It is a tuna steak, and they slice it for you, and you can share it, you don't feel
bad after eating it but it definitely indulgent at the same time.
Does it come with anything?
[Arlene] So, the size are all the carp, but I would say something I absolutely love there,
is the chard octopus.
It's not chewy, it's not rubbery.
They put it with these cannellini beans, and this amazing sauce.
[Michelle] You had that?
[Glenn] I agree yeah.
[Arlene] Yummy.
[Glenn] The octopus was great, it was perfectly cooked.
It was almost like an escrow and bean like kind of Italian thing to it.
[Michelle] Oh, I love that.
[Arlene] Exactly.
It was so good.
[Arlene] Yes.
Yeah.
You went on a Saturday?
Yeah, we went on a Saturday at 8.30.
How busy was it then?
It was crazy.
[Michelle] Did you wait a long time?
No, we had a reservation.
We were able to get in.
I had a great table outside.
Okay, there were cocktails right?
[Glenn] Couple of old fashions, very well made.
And it was a wonderful meal.
[Michelle] What did you have?
[Glenn] My wife and a friend, they split black cod, which they said the tasting was fine,
but the fish wasn't overly cooked, it was a little undercooked.
Well, the thing about cod, is because it's so oily.
Sometimes it feels like it might be a little under, but because it's so slickery.
Correct, gooey is how they put it.
[Michelle] I wouldn't use that one.
[Glenn] Right.
But because it's so oily and slickery, it kind of feels like it might be a little under
when it's not.
So who knows?
[Arlene] It's the oil from the cod.
[Michelle] Yeah.
[Glenn] But, the lobsters tagliatelle, was fantastic.
We were fighting over it.
[Arlene] I didn't have it that night, but I've had it before.
[Michelle] Explain it to me a little bit.
Its just fantastic.
And you can actually have it so that they put it on top of your steak if you want it
that way.
[Glenn] That's ridiculous.
Yeah, exactly.
[Glenn] It's delicious, it was the star of the evening.
And then we had wet rub stake, and they were taught us the differences between the two
of them.
[Michelle] Yes there's a big difference.
There's definitely more of a roasty nutty flavor, with a dry than the wet.
[Glenn] Yeah well we ended up getting the wet strip steak, and it was excellent.
The New York strip steak, medium rare.
[Michelle] Any sides?
[Michelle] We got Brussels sprouts, and some salads too.
[Michelle] Okay.
[Glenn] Had an excellent wedge to split it for us.
And then the ladies also got there ceasar salad, which they really enjoyed.
Juan you parked a bit of ways, right you had track?
[Juan] Yeah it was really crowded.
It's on a main street.
As you said there's a lot of people walking.
I went for a day night with my wife.
It's an upscale spot.
Great for like anniversary, or something special.
You pay what you get for.
Sure.
Because everything there is like the quality is like premium, and the service is great.
So for start we had a tuna tartar, the combination between the avocado, the tuna, and the crunchy
they put on the top, was great.
And then we had the filet mignon, I ordered medium.
I am from Argentina so I ask for chimichurri.
[Michelle] Did they have it?
[Juan] Yeah.
[Michelle] How was it, did you find that chimichurri to be like what do you consider chimichurri
to be?
[Juan] Yeah, it was pretty good.
Success.
[Juan] And then it comes with like a full like garlic.
[Michelle] Oh head of garlic.
[Juan] Yeah, head of garlic.
[Michelle] So you can squeeze.
Yeah that's so yummy.
[Juan] Yeah and that the garlic enhance like the flavor of the filet mignon.
With appetizer we had had tuna tartar, we order white wine.
It's like an extensive wine list.
So you have to choose from a lot of different wines.
[Michelle] And Arlene ordered my favorite wine, which is Sancrre.
[Arlene] Yeah so good.
[Michelle] And it probably went beautifully with the pepper corn crusted tuna.
It was perfect.
Okay, dessert anybody?
[Glenn] We all split key lime pie.
A lot of times you get the key lime pies and they make 'em too sweet.
[Michelle] I agree a hundred percent.
[Glenn] And so I like the tartness in it, and the sweet part actually came from the
ice cream that they put on this side.
Arlene what'd you think of service?
The a best, they really pay attention to the details, and if you want something made differently,
they're willing to do it so, I love the service there.
just as much as the food.
Arlene Avalon was your pick, sum it up for us.
They do everything well from steak to seafood.
Glenn?
Perfect seafood, great steaks, great services they said.
Juan, what'd you think?
Avalon is a great place for a special occasion, for a day night, the quality is really premium
and their team is like well prepared to answer any of the question that you have.
Well, you can splurge at Avalon Steak & Seafood located at 110, East Atlantic Avenue in Delray
Beach.
Open nightly for dinner reservations are accepted and the average price for dinner without drinks,
is about $75.