Restaurant Review: Darbster, Boca Location

Located: 6299 N Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Florida 33487

Hours: Wednesday - Saturday 5-10 p.m, Sunday 5pm-9pm
Brunch: Sunday 10:30am-3pm (call to confirm: 561-586-2622)

Website: www.darbster.com

My friend Anna and I  have been dying to try Darbster for while now, but making the schlep up to West Palm always seemed impossible. Lucky for us they opened a Boca location! They have a gorgeous bar with drink specials, an outside patio (where you can bring your pooch), and are now serving brunch on Sundays. Also, 100% of all profits from Darbster Food go to Darbster Foundation which assists in animal welfare and animal rights efforts through education, charitable contributions and direct sponsoring of animal care such spaying and neutering.

Perfect for: date night, special occasions, girls night, family dinner, casual dining, brunch, anyone who wants to enjoy fabulous food.
Atmosphere: Don't judge a book for it's cover, it's located in a shopping plaza that could very easily be overlooked, but once inside you are welcomed by a gorgeous serene dining environment. The back patio is a gem! If it's not too hot out I highly recommend sitting out back.
Overall: Highly recommended. I particularly appreciated how they had both raw and gluten-free options marked on the menu, with plenty of options for each.

Click here to check out Darbster's menu!

Reviews of things I've tried: 
Brunch Cocktail, Bellini, $3: Perfectly refreshing in every way! During brunch the mimosas are also $3, and Bloody Marys are $5. 

Brunch, Eggs Benedict with tempeh bacon and home fries, $13: absolutely phenomenal. The portions are extremely generous, so much so that I couldn't even finish it! And you know how much I can eat... I would order this again and again. It wasn't the traditional Benedict, as it was served over a scramble, and it has a béarnaise sauce instead of a hollandaise sauce. The bacon was maple infused and slightly sweet; everything on this plate was to die for.

Appetizer, Palm Cakes, $8: These mini cakes were to die for, and it was astonishing how much they tasted like crab cakes. They come two per order, the perfect little starter. I would definetely say this is a Darbster signature dish.

Appetizer, Nachos, $10: The nacho cheese on these were spot on! My only gripe was there was just not enough, I would definitely ask for an extra side if you order these. They were topped with black beans that were delicious, it was obvious they were home made and well seasoned. The guacamole was nothing special, a little too bland and lemony for my taste, but the beans and cheese are reason enough to reorder this dish!

Appetizer, Fried Green Tomatoes, $10: Traditional with the cornmeal breaded, fried to perfection, very well done in my opinion.

Appetizer, Buffalo Wings, $8: Beyond impressive. I truly don't think a meat eater would be able to tell the difference between these and real boneless wings. The homemade ranch was to die for and it was served alongside Franks RedHot sauce. Fun fact: Franks was the primary ingredient in the first buffalo wing sauce concocted in 1964 in Buffalo, NY.

Appetizer, Seared Scallops, $10: Seared marinated tofu with a citrus agave soy glaze. These were really yummy, the sear was delicious and the glaze was perfect. They tasted nothing like scallops however that wouldn't stop me from ordering them again, I really enjoyed these!

Entree, Rawvioli Zucchini Pasta, $13: So light, flavorful, and delicious! Only complaint is there isn't enough zucchini pasta. Five rounds of zucchini 'ravioli' sandwiched with the most delicious cashew cream and topped off with an insanely good sun-dried tomato marinara. It is served with a small salad.

Entree, Raw Bacon Cheeseburger, $13: Fresh, light, and also very flavorful! No complaints.

Entree (special), Gnocchi with bolonegnse sauce, I can't remember the price- I think it was $15: The gnocchi was out of this world. And I know good gnocchi! I not only grew up eating it, but I grew up making it. Some of my earliest memories are making gnocchi in the kitchen with my grandma. My only complaint was the bolonegnse sauce which was so sweet and cinnamony- which did not compliment the white wine cream sauce and basil oil drizzle the gnocchi was in. If it was a special again I would ask for just the cream sauce.

Dessert, Brownie ala Mode, $7: Dark chocolate brownie served with a soy ice cream. I took my parents out to Darbster as a thank you for being such incredibly supportive parents, and ultimately my biggest cheerleaders. When dessert came around I knew we'd have to go with the brownie, not because I like them (because I really don't) but because my mom is obsessed with them. It was disappointing. The brownie wasn't warm, and you know it should be if it is served with ice cream, it was dense and fudge-like, not ooey and gooey. The ice cream was incredible. I'd say skip the brownie and go for the Sundae instead.

Restaurant Review: Sublime Restaurant and Bar

Location: 1431 N. Federal Hwy., Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304

Hours: 5:30-10:00 p.m Tuesday-Sunday, closed Monday

Happy Hour at the Bar: Tuesday-Friday, 5:30-7:30 p.m.

Website: http://www.sublimerestaurant.com

Quite frankly, to me, Sublime will always be The Mothership of Vegan Fine Dining. It was the first vegan restaurant I ate at and has set the bar very high for all the vegan restaurants that have followed suit. A cool side note: 100% of their profits go towards supporting animal welfare.

Perfect for: date night, special occasions, girls night, family dinners, or for anyone who wants to enjoy fabulous food.
Atmosphere: the restaurant is gorgeous, very 5-star. But let's be honest, this is South Florida, which basically means you can walk in here in jeans and be seated next to someone in a suit and all is well. Personally I think you should get yourself put together for this place, it's too beautiful not to.
Overall: Highly recommended

Click here to check out Sublime's menu

Reviews of things I've tried: 
Complimentary, Pesto Polenta Triangles: These are complimentary and come with every meal. I must admit I had a waitress forget to give me my complimentary polenta once and I was devastated, as I am obsessed with these. If you enjoy poletna you'll really love these. (Pictured below).

Cocktail, Tangito, $9: Made with Flor de Cana 4 year aged white rum, fresh tangerines, mint leaves, and lime juice; this is like a happier, brighter, lighter version of their mojito. Definitely recommended! Don't forget, half-off cocktails during happy hour! (Pictured below).

Cocktail, Sublime Mojito, $9: Made with Flor de Cana 7 year aged dark rum, fresh lime, and mint. You can't go wrong with a mojito, but I do have to ask...where's the sugar cane? Maybe that's a resort thing- but I do appreciate a little sugar cane in my mojitos!
Cocktail, Watermelon Cosmopolitan, $11: Made with American Harvest organic vodka, watermelon, lemon, lime. Clean taste, very pleasant watermelon flavor, not unnaturally sweet- which was a plus! 
Appetizer, Frito Misto, $11: This is a take on General Tso's chicken, and honestly, the flavor is spot on. It would not be a complete dinner at Sublime without ordering this. It's perfectly delicious in every way and a must-try signature sublime dish. (Pictured below).

Appetizer, Fire-Roasted Artichoke, $10: Buttery and garlicky, not my all time favorite appetizer at Sublime, but still very enjoyable. (Pictured below).

Appetizer, Mac 'n' Cheese, $7: Creamy, cheesy, and delicious. They serve it with a panko topping that appears to have been finished off in the oven. If you're into mac 'n' cheese, you won't be disappointed, as it taste just like a 'real' mac 'n' cheese should.
Appetizer, Sliders, $12 for 3: Oh my god I love these sliders. If you like the 'fast-food style' burgers then these babies are for you! They are so juicy and meaty; I adore these. They are offered during happy hour on the bar menu for dirt cheap, a must try if you're making happy hour. 
Entree, Mushroom Ravioli, $19: Currently my favorite entree on the menu. How can you go wrong with fresh homemade pasta stuffed with a mushroom and cashew cream filling, tossed in a basil butter sauce with sundried tomatoes? I'm a huge pasta person and frankly my only vegan pasta options when dining out at local Italian restaurants are pasta and red sauce- borrrinnngg. Sublime, you hit the nail on the head with this one! 
Entree, Sublime Picatta, $18: I give an A for effort on this one. It is a gardein cutlet served with mashed potatoes, sauteed spinach and a lemon-caper sauce- all of which is spot on for me except the gardein cutlet. I normally enjoy gardein products, but I was less than enthused with this one. 
Entree, Reef Tacos, $15: This is always a go to item for me! Lightly battered and fried tofu, which somehow miraculously tastes like cod topped with a delicious Asian slaw, served with freshly made beans and jasmine rice. This is also on the bar menu, one taco for dirt cheap- you can't pass it up! 
Entree, Mushroom Risotto Cake, $16: I adore risotto, but this was a little dense for my liking. With all the other phenomenal entree options, I can't say this is at the top of my list. 
Dessert, Chocolate Nirvana, $9: Let me start out by saying I'm not a chocolate person at all, however, I went to sublime with chocolate lovers and I was out voted on the dessert. With that said, Oh My God- this cake is devine!!! It is a rich chocolate cake, with Kahlua butter creme, and a dark chocolate ganache. You will not regret getting this! 
Dessert, Ice Cream Sundae, $6: Once again I was out voted on the dessert, but this ice cream is phenomenal. It is a homemade vanilla ice cream topped with a creamy chocolate sauce and dusted with peanut pieces.

Is it obvious I go to Sublime a lot?? I seriously love this restaurant. It's truly the gem of South Florida.