VERO BEACH — In its debut season on Ocean Drive, Michael’s Table has established itself as a more than worthy successor to Tango’s II.
The creation of Michael Lander, former executive chef at The Moorings Club, the restaurant has from its opening offered a short menu – a half-dozen appetizers, about the same number of entrées – prepared from fresh, highest-quality ingredients purchased whenever possible locally.
The result: perfectly cooked, beautifully plated dishes emerge from the kitchen playing to what have been packed houses ever since the opening right after New Year’s.
On our most recent visit, I decided to start with the baby beet salad ($10) and my husband opted for the pan seared day boat scallops ($16).
The salad was a thing of beauty, the baby beets nestled among Osceola organic micro greens, slices of orange from Vero’s Schact Groves, walnuts and burrata cheese, in a citrus cream vinaigrette.
Burrata, which means buttered in Italian, is fresh Italian cheese similar to mozzarella at its best.
The scallops, seared perfectly, were served in a pistou broth that included asparagus tips and fresh English peas, flavored with an infusion of wild Oregon white truffles. Delicious.
For entrées on this occasion, I ordered the Wyoming leg of lamb ($32) and my husband chose the local swordfish ($30).
The lamb was served in a mushroom ragout, and was accompanied by English peas and goat cheese mashed potatoes.
A very successful dish.
My husband’s swordfish was wrapped in a house cured pancetta crust, and was served with seasonal vegetables in a mussels broth accompanied by arugula salad. While this dish was interesting, it may be the exception to the old adage that bacon improves everything.
My husband felt the pancetta crust overwhelmed the slightly sweet taste of fresh swordfish.
We concluded the evening by sharing a plate of fresh strawberries ($8).
On previous visits, we have tried the other two appetizers on the menu – the butter poached Maine lobster dirty martini and the crisp veal sweetbreads (each $15).
Served in a martini glass, the chunks of luscious lobster soaked in butter are topped by a crostini with an olive tapenade.
Adding its own aromatic taste to the appetizer is chervil, a pale version of parsley with a subtle flavor.
As for the sweetbreads, when we enjoyed them they were served with a Meyer lemon beurre blanc, caper berries and thin slices of a homemade pancetta. At the moment, they are accompanied by roasted wild mushrooms, goat cheddar cheese and a wilted spinach salad, with a warm pancetta vinaigrette.
Either way, they are wonderful.
We have also on previous visits had as entrées the fish of the day (you can be confident it is going to be an excellent piece of fish) and the curiously named duck duck goose ($29), which consists of smoky cinnamon brine breast, ginger beer braised leg and thigh, seared foie gras and braising jus.
While appetizers at Michael’s are a bit pricey, entrées seem quite reasonable, with the lamb at $32 topping the list. Dinner for two with salad, entrée and dessert and a couple of glasses of wine should run in the $120 area before tax and tip.
The really good news is you can now hear your dinner companions when dining at Michael’s Table. The noise level at the old Tango’s II was a terrible problem.
While the structure of the restaurant – the open kitchen at the back, the bar along the south side of the dining room – is pretty much unchanged, some sound-dampening efforts finally seem to be working.
At the end of its first season, Michael’s Table has earned a spot on the “must visit” list for beachside diners.
Restaurants in this location have come and gone, but we’re hoping Michael’s Table is with us for a good, long run.
I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer is a beachside resident who dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.