Fort Lauderdale, a dining hub? We like to think so — especially with the abundance of great restaurants that have opened up in recent months. Our latest discovery is Burlock Coast located at the glamorous Ritz-Carlton on Fort Lauderdale Beach — and yes, we’re excited. So, this isn’t your typical Ritz-Carlton restaurant, as it’s not quite as formal, as what you’e expect. At it’s helm is Chef de Cuisine Gavin Pera, who may be new to the Fort Lauderdale area, but has worked his way up through the Ritz-Carlton brand with time spent in South Beach, Sarasota and St. Thomas. The seafood-centric menu at Burlock Coast highlights ingredients from local farmers and fisherman — and local artisan producers (don’t miss the charcuterie board with goodies from Miami Smokers).
While the restaurant has only been open since October 2015, it’s quickly becoming a hub for breakfast, lunch and dinner — and for good reason. Here are our top reasons why we think that you’re going to love Burlock Coast.
Five Reasons to Dine at Burlock Coast
The Marketplace – If you don’t have time to enjoy a leisurely sit-down meal at Burlock Coast, head on over to The Marketplace. This extension of the restaurant offers grab-n-go style menu items from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day of the week, because eating on the beach (located right across the street from the restaurant) is so tempting. While the menu changes frequently, expect a variety of breakfast items, highlighting local ingredients, along with items from popular, local purveyors — and a juice bar. Think — coffee from Panther Coffee, bread from Zak the Baker, and more.
The Rum Room – Dining in a private wine cellar is so last year, it’s time to check out the eye-catching, private rum room at Burlock Coast. While it appears to be a specialty cocktail shoppe during the day and comes stocked with books, cocktail tools, collectibles and about 150 rums (including hard-to-find labels like Xtabentun Honey, Rum, & Anise Liqueur and Stolen Coffee & Cigarettes), in the evening, you can reserve the room for an intimate dinner for two. Cheers to that! I see a rum flight in my near future.
Cocktails and more – Since we’re already talking about rum, we should probably head over to the bar where Burlock Coast’s bar has the perfect set up. The bar has seating both inside and al fresco; it offers some of the best views in the city, it’s casual, yet sophisticated; and the drinks equal instant love. While the focus is on rum and craft cocktails here (ok particularly rum), they also feature local beers (nine on tap and an additional nine in bottles or cans); Kombucha (fermented tea); and of course, wines by the glass or bottle. Our favorite of the evening was the Aviation cocktail (gin, Crème de Violette, maraschino liqueur, lemon juice), but we didn’t struggle to finish Donna the Privateer (rum, Don’s mix, Angostura, grapefruit bitters) by any means.
The Food – With a talented chef like Gavin Pera (he’s definitely one to watch), the food was solid across the board. We were a little obsessed with the Tuna Tartare, that was brightly flavored with serrano and cucumber and served with tostones; and the ever-changing charcuterie board, courtesy of Miami Smokers; but it was the Lobster Pasta made with pappardelle pasta, tomatoes, spinach and asparagus served in a rich bisque-like base that truly won over our hearts.
Remember to Come Hungry & Get Ready for Sweet Somethings – Whether you want a sweet ending to your meal, or want to make dessert a meal in itself, it’s time for all of your food fantasies come true. Thanks to pastry chef Ryan Cross, we were able to taste our way across the board and indulge whole-heartedly. Word of advice: Bring some friends, as the desserts are gigantic (definitely meant for sharing) and you’ll want to taste them all. For the chocolate lover, there’s the Avalanche Sundae (yes, that’s a sundae on steroids) with three over-sized scoops of ice cream, salted caramel, chocolate sauce, house made Kit Kat brownie pieces, pineapple chutney and toasted marshmallow. The donut lover, will savor the BC Donuts with cinnamon sugar and white chocolate banana rum sauce; and the traditionalist (or out-of-town guests) will not be able to pass up the Key Lime Pie for many. Sugar rush — yes, probably, but it’s well worth it.
Burlock Coast is located at The Ritz-Carlton, Fort Lauderdale at 1 North Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale. The restaurant is open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 7 a.m. until 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, call (954) 302-6460 or visit burlockcoast.com.
Although I visited Burlock Coast as a media guest, all opinions expressed here are my own.