This season we’ve seen a lot of changes happening in the downtown West Palm Beach area, especially when it comes to the restaurant scene. We were sad to see Cabana go (and their incredible mojitos), but are thrilled with the new additions to the area, including The Alchemist Gastropub + Bar.
Open since mid-October, The Alchemist — located at 223 Clematis Street (in the former J. Flynn’s location) — is brought to us by the Daiza Restaurant Group, the same team that owns The Atlantic Surf Club in Fort Lauderdale and a few restaurants in Martha’s Vineyard. The theme – a vintage, speakeasy-style eatery with a funky vibe (think — a silver tin ceiling and an apothecary-style bar) and an eclectic menu of comfort dishes with an international flair prepared by Executive Chef Tim Farley.
We were invited in to check it out earlier this week and enjoyed the laid-back, neighborhood feel; the variety of menu items (it’s like you want to try everything on the menu); the reasonable prices and their daily happy hour specials from 3-7 pm (Sun-Thurs happy hour specials are available in the entire restaurant and on Fri – Sat, at the bar only). The Alchemist — we welcome you to the neighborhood.
The dinner menu is divided into Nibbles & Bites, Signature Appetizers, Farm-to-Table Salads, Pub Fare Staples, Petit Buns, In Burgers We Trust, World Street Fare, Wood-fired Crust Pizzas and Big Plates. Since we are all about sharing and tasting away, we opted for mostly small plates, but we did sneak in some extras — who could resist a Wild Mushroom Pizza with a 5-cheese truffle sauce, forest mushrooms and baby arugula?
We started off with two items from the Nibbles & Bites section — The Devil’s Eggs ($6) came on a plate of 5, with a truffle yolk, jalapeño-bacon, pickled radish and caviar; a mouthful of flavors and textures, what some might call the perfect bite, while the Lobster Poppers ($9) served atop tempura rice cakes and cilantro ponzu brought spicy Asian flavors and a hint of sweetness to the dish. While the flavor was good, I felt like the lobster was lost in the dish.
There’s something about street fare that draws me in, especially when it comes to corn on the cob so the “ELOTE” street corn ($7) was a must-do. This is not the summertime bbq corn on the cob that you had growing up, but rather an offering that brings international flavors together for a comforting take on a classic — think spicy-citrus aioli, queso fresco & sweet chili dust served atop a bed of luscious creamed corn.
While we skipped over the section with burgers and petit buns, we never can resist a good pizza and the ones at The Alchemist will not disappoint. Options include a classic Margherita pizza, a Salami Pizza and a Wild Mushroom Pizza, to name a few — and all are priced between $9-12. We opted for the Wild Mushroom Pizza made with a thin, crisp crust (just perfect), and was dressed with a five-cheese truffle sauce, forest mushrooms & baby arugula. This is one combo that never gets old in my book.
With a little bit of room left in our stomachs, it was time to venture into the Big Plates section — and we were presented with a bowl of Chimichurri Pasta ($19), which just happened to be my favorite dish of the night. Chef tossed a bowl of freshly made, al dente fettuccine with a light lemon beurre blanc sauce and parmigiano reggiano. Then, added in two jumbo prawns and two diver scallops. This dish was well balanced, the seafood cooked perfectly and the ingredients shined.
In addition to offering a modern twist on flavors and ingredients, The Alchemist really nails it when it comes to presentation, especially of the desserts. The dessert menu veers away from the ordinary and adds in more playful options. The Berries in a Jar ($7) is just one example. The modern red jar comes filled with a medley of Medjool Dates, Grand Marnier, marinated seasonal berries and Mascarpone Cream and is topped with light, pillowy macaroons. While the berries were delightful, I will have to return for their Shakes & Cookies with homemade chocolate chip cookies and a duo of milkshakes (I wonder if they are spiked).
The Alchemist is located at 223 Clematis Street in West Palm Beach. The restaurant is open on Sundays from 11 am until 1 am, Monday through Thursday from 11:30 am until 1 am; and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 am until 2 am. Lunch is available until 4 pm daily, while Happy Hour takes places daily from 3-7 pm. For more information or to make a reservation, call (561) 355-0691.
