From languid Mediterranean lunches to disco-themed Halloween parties, this week’s dining dispatch is full of flavor, fun and a few surprises.
We’ve got a wine dinner that pairs perfectly with a museum’s prestigious new exhibit and a bagel shop expansion that might redeem a rocky first impression.
Whether you’re planning a long lunch in SoSo, a kosher brunch, dancing with Scooby Doo in Delray or sipping Rioja under Rembrandt’s gaze, there’s something here to savor.
Read on for the latest bites, sips and happenings across Palm Beach County’s ever-evolving food scene.
The Blue Door adds lunch to its Mediterranean repertoire
Starting Oct. 31, The Blue Door in West Palm Beach’s SoSo neighborhood will serve lunch Fridays through Sundays from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering a menu that’s as stylish as its setting. New daytime dishes include anchovy and egg toast, house-cured trout, chicken Milanese plus a few overlapping dinner favorites in a space that invites lingering.
The restaurant is helmed by Tamara Magalhães and her executive chef-husband Nano Crespo alongside partners Max and Sara Ricci and Michael Katzenberg. Crespo’s coastal menu emphasizes simplicity and local sourcing, paired with seasonal cocktails and wines from small producers. Dinner is served Tuesday through Sunday from 5 p.m.
Details: 5700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-360-2064, thebluedoorwpb.com
New brunch at Malka
Malka, the kosher restaurant from celebrity chef Eyal Shani, now offers Sunday brunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in its gorgeous setting. The menu features golden focaccia, red shakshuka, minute steak & eggs, latkes, beef tartare and more.
Details: 209 Sixth Street, West Palm Beach, 561-559-0901, malka-usa.com
Good Night John Boy goes full on Scooby-Doo
Disco den Good Night John Boy is trading bell bottoms for mystery-solving vibes this Halloween weekend. Through Nov. 2, the retro hotspot transforms into Scooby-Doo’s iconic Mystery Inc. HQ hangout. Expect themed cocktails and shots named The Jinkies, Danger Prone Diva and The Scooby Snack, each one crafted to keep the jeepers away and the party rolling. Costumes are encouraged, dancing is inevitable. The team told us things will get groovy-groovy doo. Scooby and the gang would approve. Ruh-roh, better RSVP.
Details: 33 SE Third Ave., Delray Beach, 561-516-1957, goodnightjb.com
Art meets wine at The Norton
On Nov. 10 at 6 p.m., The Restaurant at the Norton Museum of Art hosts a special wine dinner featuring Spain’s Bodegas Faustino, whose label famously bears Rembrandt’s portrait. The timing coincides with the museum’s new exhibit, “Art and Life in Rembrandt’s Time,” making this a multisensory celebration. New Executive Chef Richard Pietromonaco presents a four-course menu paired with Faustino’s finest vintages. Reservations available via Tock where tickets are $174 and include service charge and tax.
Location: 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-268-0500, norton.org
New bagel spots
Bagels With Deli expands north and south with new locations at 17940 N. Military Trail in Boca Raton and 3335 Northlake Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens (the latter opens Nov. 17.) My cousins, HEC expert Eric and his wife Natalie whose cooking surpasses many restaurants, praised the expansive Delray spot’s impressive appetizing counter and real-restaurant vibe, volume included. When we visited, I was nowhere near as lucky with my order: a bagel sandwich with cream cheese and cucumber slices arrived in three a la carte parts, or what chefs like to call “deconstructed.” But the bagels were great. Fingers crossed for clearer communication during my next visit.
Diana Biederman is the Palm Beach Post’s new food & restaurant writer. Care to share news tips about the local dining scene? Please send them to dbiederman@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
Dining and Cooking