It was billed as a Southern Revival lunch, and it revived even the weariest, hardest-working folks on Friday when Chefs Lindsay Autry, Michelle Bernstein, Stephen Stryjewski and Virginia Willis took over at The Regional Kitchen & Public House in West Palm Beach.
One of the events of the Palm Beach Food & Wine Festival, this was Comfort Food with a Twist. A four-course meal (and dessert!) with wine pairings started with chilled Florida shrimp with farm-fresh succotash, lemon tarragon aioli and a benne seed crisp (pictured), putting yummy with crunchy for a light first course. That was from Chef Willis, known for her Southern cooking and cookbooks.
Then onto a BBQ cobia with extremely creamy grits and local squash blossoms, all bearing the signature of Chef Autry. The cobia was tender and the sauce made it taste a bit like steak, so it satisfied all kinds of cravings. Third up was Chef Bernstein’s foie and Pilsner sous vide chicken thighs, with pickled and raw shaved veggies (okra, parsnips, radishes). Then Chef Stryjewski shone with roast pork loin with mornay sauce and roasted pineapple chutney.
And Regional pastry Chef Sarah Sipe put the finishing touches on the meal with her almond and brown butter cake, last season’s peach ice cream and strawberries (pictured). Served with a Neige ice cider, this combo was a perfect pairing.
