VERO BEACH — We dined for the first time this season late last month at the Citrus Grillhouse – an island favorite overlooking the sea at Humiston Park.
While an offshore electric storm was putting on a spectacular light show for those seated on the porch, we were shown to a nice corner table for two inside the pale blue dining room, which was otherwise filled with diners when we arrived for our reservation at 7:30.
Our server Rebecca quickly took our drink order, and returned with a plate of bread and the Citrus Grillhouse’s tasty hummus.
For starters on this evening, I chose the roasted baby beet salad with herbed goat cheese and red wine vinaigrette ($10), and my husband opted for the braised kurobuta pork belly ($12).
These two dishes provided a clear demonstration of the difference ingredients make.
In my case, the baby beets – only hours removed from the fields of Osceola Organic Farms – had a sweet, earthy taste that harmonized perfectly with the herbed goat cheese.
As for the pork belly, heritage pork like the kurobuta – which comes from the famed Berkshire pig – has more tasty fat, and as a result more of that succulent porky flavor, than regular farm-raised hogs.
Served with a light fennel-apple slaw and a fig/balsamic reduction, it was to die for.
We then shared an order of strozzapreti pasta with a bacon and leek ragu. This twisted pasta has a ridge that helps pick up more of the sauce.
Served with truffle butter, an egg yolk and parmesan, the dish was exquisite.
For entrées, I ordered Alaskan halibut ($35) and my husband chose a Wagyu New York strip steak ($90).
The halibut was a beautiful piece of fish, perfectly cooked, and served in a lemon-thyme broth with petit peas and shaved shiitake mushrooms. Could not have been better.
The New York strip was a succulent piece of meat, seared medium rare, and was very nicely complemented by a delicious creamy polenta (don’t ask me why my husband decided to pass on his favorite truffle fries) and baby haricot verts. Worth every penny as an occasional treat.
For dessert, we decided to share the trio of mini-bites ($8) – a dark chocolate citrus-scented cake with chocolate ice cream, a vanilla cheesecake with warm apple compote, and a key lime pie with lime crema. Any one of these for $3 would make a more than satisfying end to a wonderful meal, but ordering the trio spared us the difficulty of making an impossible choice.
With several glasses of excellent wine, our tab for two came to about $200 before tax and tip. With one fewer course and a bit less to drink, the check would more likely be in the mid-$100s.
With each passing year, Chef Scott Varricchio seems to become more adventuresome – and the printed list of Citrus Grillhouse specials now is supplemented on many evenings by specials of the evening that are described to diners by the servers.
While there are many fine items on the menu, we would strongly encourage diners to put Varricchio’s creativity to the test and try the spoken specials.
You’re not likely to be disappointed. I welcome your comments, and encourage you to send feedback to me at tina@verobeach32963.com.
The reviewer dines anonymously at restaurants at the expense of Vero Beach 32963.
