VERO BEACH — Many of the better Vero restaurants appear to be having a great season, but few are more packed night-after-night than Polo Grill, a restaurant a number of beachside residents view as their dining “club” – with its dark paneling, leather chairs, and martini-and-red meat ambience – in Portales de Vero at the south end of Ocean Drive.
Now in its third season since the return of John Marx to Vero, this restaurant is doing a great business – and in our view, strictly on merit.
Last week, five of us stopped by for dinner, a few nights after arriving back from a trip to South America. While our guests reside in one of the island’s club communities, John’s warm welcome made all feel like Polo “members” rather than simply diners.
On this particular evening, we decided to forego appetizers, and go straight to salads, which are included with entrees. Two of us chose Caesar salads – crispy romaine hearts, garlic croutons and shaved parmesan cheese – while three opted for blue wedge salads.
The latter were particularly nice, consisting of a wedge of iceberg lettuce, chunks of Danish bleu cheese, crisp bacon, and topped with a creamy bleu dressing.
For entrees on this visit, one of our guests had the evening’s special, a veal chop ($39.95), another chose the scallops Kelly ($35.95), and the third opted for the crap cake entrée ($26.95). I decided to order the shrimp scampi ($27.95) and my husband went for one of Polo’s signature dishes, the pompano ($38.95).
The veal chop was perfectly grilled medium rare, served with a Bordelaise sauce, and drew high marks. The scallops Kelly (named, we were told, for a regular who loved this dish) were gorgeous orbs served in a Champagne beurre blanc over saffron rice.
The crab cakes were thinner than what we anticipated, but contained nice chunks of lump crab and were very tasty. My shrimp scampi, served in a piping hot casserole, was slightly overcooked (it’s so easy with shrimp), but my husband’s pompano, pan sautéed in a beurre blanc sauce, was a perfect rendition of this popular dish.
All entrées were accompanied by either rice or potato, as well as mixed vegetables.
On a previous visit a couple of weeks earlier, I chose the grouper special ($38.95) and my husband had the lobster imperial ($39.95). The grouper was a beautiful piece of fish, moist and tasty, and the lobster imperial consisted of big chunks of lobster served in a casserole with a bread crumb crust.
Delicious.
At dessert time, diners are offered a complimentary scoop of mango sorbet or rum raisin ice cream. Votes were about equally split between the two Haagen Dazs flavors.
Dinner for two with appetizers and a modest bottle of wine should run about $100 before taxes and tip.
I also would be remiss were I to fail to mention the Polo Grill’s “Dinner at Five,” where those willing to come at 5 or 5:15 pm (of whom there seem to be hundreds) can order from a menu that includes 7 entrees for $16.95 and 4 for $19.95!
These extremely popular dinners also include the choice of the Caesar or blue wedge, and ice cream for dessert. House wines are available for only $3.95 per glass.
With excellent servers, this clubby restaurant has proven it has what many beachside diners want. From comfort foods like meatloaf and calves liver with bacon to ribeye steak and filet mignon Bordelaise, you will find it hard to go wrong.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at [email protected].
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
