Just returned from a trip down to Palm Beach County in South Florida. Holy moley, it was freakin’ hot there!!! What was I thinking??? Who in the world travels to Florida in the middle of the summer?? My sister, Linda, my sister-in-law Marlene and I - that’s who. How could we say no to the trip? All three of us had the time, we had the use of a nice house with its own private pool, and doggone it – we lucked into some pretty darn good sale prices on Southwest. We couldn't resist. Goodbye BWI, hello PBI!
First up – Dune Deck Café in Lantana. Right on the ocean with all of the requisite amenities you would expect at a beach front venue: casual atmosphere, palm trees, beach views, lots of seafood, and a cool breeze (oh, we visualized the breeze wafting over us from the ocean – but in reality, the breezes were courtesy of the very plentiful fans positioned strategically around the dining area).
The Dune Deck is a hoppin’ breakfast spot – they have great traditional morning fare like eggs benedict, French toast , blueberry pancakes, and a very tasty homemade yogurt and fresh fruit platter.
But today, it was to be our lunch stop after collecting Marlene at the airport. Having just arrived from New England where she had endured two months of wet, soggy weather - she was anxious for some salty sea air. The Dune Deck obliged.
Hmmm, decisions, decisions…Virtuous or indulgent??? Souvlaki or gazpacho? Fries or fuit? Hard to believe, but surprisingly, virtuous actually won this time. Poor old Virtuous hasn’t made many appearances in the victory circle for awhile. However, since I was eating with my sis who just lost 20 pounds on weight watchers, I decided to suck it up and have a more delicate dining experience. A side note – did you know that if you stick to Weight Watchers it actually works? It’s true. Linda stuck with the plan and looks amazing. I, however, am weak. I “think” about WW a lot. And I think I was actually following the guidelines for a couple of days. But then I strayed. I was more of a Fake Watcher than a Weight Watcher. Which possibly explains how I have been on the plan for 3 months and gained 5 pounds. Stupid, flawed program.
Anyway, back to the Dune Deck and my virtuous selection. Oh snap!! I was rewarded with some pretty darn good eatin’. A huge platter of mixed greens topped with gently poached and lightly marinated seafood (calamari, scallops, shrimp & mussels). Mmmm…I could taste the wine in which the succulent little crustaceans and bivalves were bathed.
Plus, there was plenty to eat. You know how sometimes you go out and the salad looks HUGE but it turns out it’s pretty much all lettuce and the actual seafood part of the salad is meager? Not this time. Lots of shrimp and mussels and scallops. And there was more squid than I could possibly swallow. The soft and sweet ring part and the purplish tentacle part, too. (I know there was a lot of the purple part because I happen not to like it at all and made a nice little pyramid of purple on the side of my plate. )
Marlene’s grilled mahi-mahi sandwich had 2 hefty filets - it really would have been enough for a dinner entrée on its own. It was so pretty – seared to showcase those beautiful grill marks we all love, and cooked just till done but still tender…
And my sis, the WW queen? Well, for some reason, she decided to eat her standard kasha with flax seed breakfast 30 minutes before we made it to lunch. Consequently the skinny thing wasn’t hungry . Instead of food – she had an adult beverage. I must say that although she now shuns fat, she has certainly embraced frou-frou drinks! Today was no exception and she was soon enjoying a sweet and frothy watermelon mojito. Light and refreshing and a perfect choice at this charming oceanfront café.
100 N Ocean Blvd
Lantana Beach, Florida. 33462
Tel: (561) 582-0472 Fax: (561) 582-8579
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