New West Palm Beach restaurant transports diners to the Mediterranean coast
If you're looking for the feeling of relaxing along the Mediterranean coast, while enjoying the comforts of your favorite neighborhood restaurant, there's a buzzy new option in West Palm Beach.
The Blue Door, located in the "SoSo" (South of Southern Boulevard) district, has been designed to meet those criteria.
Well, those along with Mediterranean-inspired dishes, wines curated from small vineyards in the region and wonderful cocktails.
The creation of five co-owners including executive manager Tamara Magalh?es, executive chef Nano Crespo, interior designer Sara Ricci, Max Ricci and Michael Katzenberg, The Blue Door opened on Jan. 24.
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Designed by the architecture firm Spina O’Rourke, the structure is completely white except for — you guessed it — a blue door.
Deriving the name somewhat from a Los Angeles hot spot called The Little Door that Max Ricci and Crespo both frequented, Max said he absolutely loved going there.
"It was just a door and you would show up and it would open to this al fresco dining area," he said.
With both an exterior and interior (designed by Sara Ricci's firm Studio Ett Hem) inspired by the coastal Mediterranean, the cuisine follows suit. Executive manager Magalh?es describes it as "the right food you would eat on the coast of the Mediterranean, from France to Italy to Greece."
Designed by chef Crespo, the menu is heavily influenced by that area and features a number of seafood dishes. With a strong emphasis on grilling and a rustic feel, the focus for all their dishes is on using the best ingredients and letting them speak for themselves. That, and making practically everything in-house. From their bread to pasta and even ice cream.
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The Blue Door's whole branzino, served butterflied, grilled and with chef Crespo's salmoriglio sauce (his includes olives, capers and anchovies), along with the lamb chops, imported from New Zealand, are already massive hits. Max joked that they practically "have to hold people back" from the lamb chops they're so good.
While working on the concept for The Blue Door, Max and Katzenberg, who are both residents in the SoSo District, recognized that with all the new families and people moving to the area that "there needed to be a place like this in the neighborhood."
Their idea has definitely proved true with nights so packed that Max said sometimes "it feels like the whole neighborhood just came through the door."
Though the structure itself, the interior and the food all help transport patrons, the cocktails also play their part.
One of the most popular so far, the Sunset Spritzer, made with tequila, prosecco and blood orange, can "bring you back to sitting on the coast of the Mediterranean on a beautiful breezy day," according the Magalh?es.
The Blue Door
Where: 5700 S. Dixie Hwy, West Palm Beach
Hours: 5 to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday; 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 5 to 10 p.m. Sunday
Information and reservations: thebluedoorwpb.com
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: The Blue Door Mediterranean restaurant opens in West Palm Beach SoSo district
