Last week, I received my November issue of the Las Olas Lifestyle magazine in the mail. Upon perusing through the mag, I noticed a write up about this new restaurant, South Bar and Kitchen in Pompano Beach.
Curious, I checked the address on Google Maps (165 NE 1st AV, Pompano Beach) to realize that it is 4 miles west of the beach, 2 blocks North of Atlantic BL and and 2 blocks east of Dixie Hwy area. Puzzled of its location, I thought ‘Why would a restaurant in a nothing area, right next to a busy R-R track, in a known-for-nothing area advertise in the Las Olas Lifestyle mag?’
I read the first paragraph of the article, and to my surprise, I learned that this new restaurant “on the po’ side of town” is owned by Mike Linder, owner of the SFL Hospitality Group that operates Canyon, Jet Runway Café (two of my favorites), YOT, and Rio’s Tequila Bar (the latter two are unknown to me, yet). Then I understood why the article was in the Las Olas mag.
I read further and “A fusion of Cajun and Creole flavors” spiked my attention. I rounded up my regular foodie friends and Saturday night we ventured out to South Bar and Kitchen.
We really had no idea of what to expect and we went cold call, unannounced. We arrived at 6pm. Upon crossing the main entrance threshold, we lost our field of vision across an endless dining room and bar. Why isn’t there anybody here?, I worried. The greeter asked us if we prefer to be seated inside or out on the back terrace? The weather was cool-perfect for outside dining; we asked to check out the terrace first. She cheerfully ushered us to the terrace which appeared to be cosmos-infinity greater than the dining room with a lighted banyan tree (maybe a ficus tree) smack in the middle of the terrace resembling the Avatar Tree of Life surrounded by a bar.
That’s where everybody was because of its lively atmosphere. Then, I noticed an entertainer setting up his gear behind the bar and that was frightful for me for I don’t enjoy entertainers hoping to be discovered by chance-impresarios while I am dining. We all opted to sit inside. Don’t get me wrong here, it is I that have this problem, but most people love live entertainment while eating. Shortly after our seating at a booth, many more people arrived and opted to sit inside.
The menu is about 50% cocktails and beer, and the food items are definitely enticing, and indeed favoring dazzling Cajun and Creole flavors. The choice of food was difficult for me because I wanted to sample everything. Our server steered us to her favorites, and we chose from her recommendations. We shared two appetizers: the Deviled eggs that left a trail of delightful spicy Creole tang on our tongues, and the Southern Green Fried Tomatoes which were delicious, but cut very thin, thus, the mild piquancy breading was empowering the texture of the tomato slices – perhaps the tomato slices should have been cut thicker. For mains, three of us enjoyed double-cut pork chops, tender and flavorful, while I indulged with the incredibly aggressive and most delicious fried half-chicken.
We all left the place happy. Because this territory was totally new to us, we drove around to explore that new trendy hub that seems to attempt to rival (in a small scale) Flagler Village, Las Olas BL, and Lauderdale- By-The-Sea (minus the sea).
I think that Mike Linder had a bold vision to set up shop in a no-where-land right off I-95 and Atlantic BL exit (very clever to attract far away neighbors). I am eager to watch this new neighborhood grow because there is plenty of surrounding land for expansion, and many new residential high-rise buildings are popping up all around that hub, like Flagler Village.
Street parking, or $6 valet service.
Photos by me.
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