Local Red Snapper | Little Moments of Happiness

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Just Grand at J&G Grill

Ever since I had the opportunity to experience the brilliance of Jean Georges in my first encounter with his work at ABC Kitchen in NYC, I was hooked. Having been to some of his concepts in Shanghai this past October, I perused his website to see where there were other locations, as I could not get enough. Realizing that there was one in Florida, I KNEW my family and I had to venture there. J&G Grill takes the impeccable tastes of Jean Georges Vongeriten and presents it through the talented work off on-site chef Bradley Kilgore.

I took the opportunity to begin the New Year with the right foot and I made a reservation and told my parents they didn’t have a choice but to take me. After reading through the post and viewing what we experienced this night, I think you could tell they were quite pleased with my decision.

The Atmosphere:

J&G Grill is located in the St. Regis Bal Harbour. Once you hit Bal Harbour, you can tell it embodies two words: chic sophistication.

Walking into the St. Regis was just incredible. The decadent mirror halls really blew my mind. Arriving into J&G, I was impressed with the comfortable, yet elegant ambiance. The floor to ceiling windows were just stunning. From the dining tables to the painting selection, and lighting, no thing in the restaurant was unthought. This sleek design was paired with some fabulous background jazzy, sexy, and chic jazz sounds.

J&G Grill

Even before arriving, I was able to connect with Executive pastry chef Antonio Bachour via my friend Estrellita. I seriously love social media. Through a few tweets, he knew I was to come in and set up a night of pure magnificence for my family and I.

The Food:

At first we weren’t sure if we were getting appetizers; however, knowing how much we liked Jean Georges in the past and given that we probably wouldn’t be back in a while, we couldn’t say no. We started off with the Prawns.

Bacon wrapped prawns,
Papaya mustard,
Avocado

The second you put the took a bite, the fusion of flavors that embodied all things sweet and savory came to life. Antonio then sent us out a signature dish, the Black Truffle Pizza with Fontina Cheese. I do not eat cheese regularly, but made an exception and boy oh boy was I happy. The truffles were so fresh and delectable. I could have eaten the whole thing myself! (But then how would I have had room for the remaining dishes??)

Then there was the main dish…

Local Red Snapper
Crusted with Nuts and Seeds
Sweet and Sour Broth

Never have I had such a fabulous fish. At first, the sweet and sour broth made me question how much I wanted the plate, but John, our waiter, insisted it was not what one would imagine for “sweet and sour”. I’m so happy I took his advice.

And then there were the BRUSSEL SPROUTS. HOLY BEJESUS, these bad boys were to die for. Want to experience them yourself? Make your own homemade version with this Jean George recipe.

The Desserts:

Everything about the night during the main course was fantastic. We could only expect the same for dessert, but boy were we blown off our feet. The desserts were really top notch. While we had had a lot of food, there was no way to stop now! I was so excited to try the desserts by Antonio Bachour, who was named of of 2011 “Top 10 Pastry Chefs in America”. Antonio’s Assistant Pastry Chef, Guillermo Perez, came up and explained each of the beautiful pastries we received in the night:

Coconut rice pudding, mango curd, tropical fruit, and vanilla whipped panna cotta.