There’s a breath of fresh air in downtown West Palm Beach and it comes to us from renowned Chef Julien Gremaud. Gremaud, well-known for this time spent as the Executive Chef of Pistache French Bistro on Clematis, is ready to tantalize the taste buds of his loyal followers and gain new ones with the opening of Avocado Grill, his first solo effort.
Located in the former Gratify / Barrel & Grain location, Avocado Grill sports an airy set-up with seating inside and al fresco, industrial lighting, a communal table built from salvaged ship wood and an ever-changing menu highlighting fresh and seasonal ingredients. Gremaud stresses the importance that local farmers play in the Avocado Grill concept, and makes sure that local ingredients are the highlight of the dishes that come out of the kitchen. “Sustainability and carbon reduction are important cultural, and culinary, benchmarks and they’re why I source most of my ingredients locally,” states Gremaud.
On the menu, you will find a variety of artisanal small plates (salads, vegetables, seafood, meat, pasta), a section devoted to the much-loved avocado, specialty sushi rolls and large plate options. The menu is meant for sharing (and you’ll want to try everything), so we recommend gathering up a group to dine with you (and make sure that these are people who like to share).
With so many options that I wanted to devour, our server gladly gave us a rundown of her favorites — and you could see her enthusiasm for the dishes as she described them to our table. With those in mind, our culinary journey began. While everything on the menu was solid, and well executed — there were some dishes that stood out from the rest. Here are some of our favorites.
Going to a restaurant called Avocado Grill, trying an avocado dish is a must do — and we opted for the Lump Crab and Avocado dish to begin. This customer favorite blended together chopped avocado with lump crab in a timbale form and was lightly seasoned with scallions, a squeeze of orange and tarragon vinaigrette. The dish was beautifully presented, and better yet, the flavors shined. Truly a dish to remember.
While some of the dishes at Avocado Grill tend to be light and healthy letting seasonal ingredients highlight the flavor, others are more rich and indulgent and will satisfy those craving a heartier meal. One of our favorites in this category is the Mushroom Fricasse with cheddar grits and truffle oil. This creamy, decadent treat with earthy accents will have you hooked after just one spoonful. It’s luscious, highly addicting and will make all of your mushroom-craving fantasies come true.
Other standouts include a Spiced Lamb Slider with cucumber, feta yogurt and a harissa aioli, that gives it a welcome north African twist. The contrast of hot and cold keeps it well balanced, and this dish has been known to change some non-lamb lovers into passionate lamb enthusiasts. Better yet, these lamb sliders can be ordered by the slider, making this dish a snack or a complete dinner option.
Another section not to be missed is the section of Specialty Sushi Rolls. Chef Gremaud brought on board one of his favorite sushi chefs from Candy Fish Sushi to create a sushi menu that would appeal to the West Palm Beach crowd — definitely not the typical sushi offerings. We opted for the Naughty Nico, which was quite the mouthful — almost like a sushi roll within a sushi roll made with salmon, tuna, masago, cucumber and cilantro, rolled and covered in spicy tuna then topped with hamachi, avocado and jalapenos, served with yuzu. Quite the delight to the palate, but some of their other unique offerings still have our curiosity wandering — I think that means we’ll be back soon. Imagine a Duck Roll with shrimp tempura and compressed pineapple, topped with sous vide duck, avocado, tempura flakes and a foie gras emulsion. Oh yes, it will be quite the party.
Because ending the meal with a little sweet something, just adds to the experience, our stomachs were dancing in delight when we heard the dessert menu. Given a choice of the Passion Fruit Tiramisu, Ginger Creme Brulé or a Peanut Butter Macadamia Nut Chocolate Brownie, we knew chocolate would be the winner at our table. Soon after, a rich chewy brownie topped with a layer of peanut butter, macadamia nuts and chopped miniature Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups served atop a dollop of strawberry glaze and marinated berries was delivered to our table — and yes, it was sinfully delicious.
To complement the food, Avocado Grill offers a nice selection of rosés, champagnes, wine and signature cocktails.
Avocado Grill is located at 125 Datura Street in West Palm Beach; (561) 623-0822 Dinner is served seven nights a week and a Sunday Brunch is available on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
