Restaurants
AquaGrille by Vicki Slotnick
Hey neighbors, you’ve probably noticed that the last couple of Covid years have been kind of lean in the new restaurant department, but it looks like we may be emerging, finally, from those couple of lean years. AquaGrille is showing some real promise!
Upon entrance, you will be struck by the décor…contemporary, beach-y, large, inviting, et cetera. If you arrive on a Friday or Saturday evening, you will be struck by the noise level. The restaurant has a very large bar with tables around the bar area and it is quite a happening place where a fair number of young people are going to imbibe, eat,and be merry, and see and be seen. But, never fear, there is much more than just a bar in this large restaurant, and the further you get from the bar, the quieter the noise level gets. Comfortable booths, tables, and outdoor dining abound as well. Outdoors faces east so no sunsets and extra heat in our faces. There are several tables outside, with ceiling fans, roll down protection from nasty weather, and plantings to block off the view of US 1.
Okay, “what about the food and drink?” you may ask…Well, I am here to tell you that the two times I have dined at AquaGrille, I was very impressed with both. They offer a very nice selection of house cocktails with extremely interesting ingredients, another lengthy list of “On Tap” offerings, and a very well-rounded wine list, several of which are by the glass and/or the bottle. Many wine-producing countries are represented here.
Okay, "what about the food?" you may ask. The menu features five small plates, although they are certainly sharable. There’s a short list of raw and roasted oysters. L. raved about them, by the way. Then there are five large plates that are entrée-sized and decidedly sharable. A few catches of the day are featured at market price. There are four ‘Vegetables for the table’ that might make the non-protein eaters happy. Then there are ‘sides’ which are vegetables as well. Everything on the menu contains brief descriptions of the dish. I would describe the food style as being significantly influenced by Asian and Caribbean cuisines and ingredients. But then there are notes of other countries and cuisines as well…France, Spain, Italy, Mexico, and I don’t want to forget the USA, that’s there too! I tasted lots of very interesting food and only one thing ordered disappointed a few of us…the Brazilian cheesy bread.
Okay, "what of the service?" you may ask. We had the same waiter both times we visited, Mark, from England. He was, in my humble opinion, the best waiter we have had anywhere in this country! He obviously loves what he does, he recites the details of the menu with incredible detail, and he is very diligent about caring for any of his customer’s food allergies. If he doesn’t know the answer to a question from a customer, he will be sure to find out the answer from the chef, no faking it. When he describes the food, his love and knowledge come through with every word he uses. Whoever worked our table in addition to Mark, were excellent as well. This restaurant appears to put a good deal of care into their environment, the food, and the exceptional service. Taste AquaGrille, please!
AquaGrille
14121 US Highway 1
Juno Beach
561-355-0438
