Editor’s note: High Dive West Palm is temporarily closed, but we’re sharing our review from the September/October issue of Boca magazine in eager anticipation of its eventual reopening.
High dives require a leap of faith, jumping into deep waters with timing and grace.
That sums up the winning equation for Jeremy and Cindy Bearman, who opened High Dive West Palm in January 2020. Like its sister restaurant, Oceano Kitchen in Lantana, it was an immediate hit, due to the talented duo’s efforts both in the kitchen and in turning a large, bright space from abandoned to coveted.
As with all great performances, there’s more than meets the eye. The Bearmans are a highly experienced team: Jeremy was executive chef at NYC’s Rouge Tomate, earning it a Michelin star for six years; Cindy was executive pastry chef at Jean Georges’ ABC Kitchen in NYC. They both worked for Daniel Boulud in New York, and both worked at top venues in Las Vegas; we’re lucky to live in the spot they picked to open both restaurants.
High Dive Lobster Roll
Unlike Oceano, where the complete menu changes daily, High Dive has regular, memorable dishes that are sticking around—thank goodness. The Maine lobster rolls ($25), bursting with lobster on a griddled brioche with lemon aioli and Old Bay chips, usually poke their heads up in any conversation about the restaurant; everyone loves them. The list of favorites should grow to include the Maryland crab cakes ($26) with gribiche sauce, lemon, dill, slaw and fries. These are creamy, not crispy, and melt away into your palate.
Octopus Bao Buns at HighDive
One of the daily specials we hope to see again are the octopus bao buns ($21): sweetish buns, tender octopus and salty-sweet hoisin sauce, where the sauce cuts the doughy-ness of the buns and everything is layered with flavor. It’s a combo not usually seen on menus, but it works oh-so-well.
That’s the way each dish seems to be created: How will it taste from all angles? A perfect bite was apparent in the construction of the local mahi plate ($21, pictured at the top of this page), with smashed fingerling potatoes, rapini, hazelnut romesco sauce and scallion vinaigrette. In one mouthful, you get tangy, tender, then crunchy rapini.
Cindy Bearman’s carrot-zucchini cake ($9) with white chocolate cream cheese frosting and rum-soaked currants, is sweet, light and airy. There is a burger on the menu, but most dishes feature seafood and are meant to be shared. High Dive has a large inside seating area, and a capacious outdoor patio area—all socially distanced.
IF YOU GO
PARKING: Rosemary Square parking garages; tickets are validated for two hours’ parking by restaurant staff
HOURS: Wed.-Fri., 5 p.m. till close; Sat.-Sun., noon till close
PRICES: $13-$45
WEBSITE: highdivewestpalm.com
This story is from the September/October 2020 issue of Boca magazine. For more content like this, subscribe to the magazine.
