Florida - 6
Four Seasons Fort Lauderdale is lots of fun – see its house car, with vanity plate, above. That's how it was intended to be. The all-day restaurant is Evelyn's Fort Lauderdale, called after the lady of Bonnet House, a local socialite who made everybody feel good. Evelyn Fortune Lily Bartlett, 1887 to 1997. Obviously, in a hotel that opened March 2022, she had no direct contact with the property, but it was nice that Fort Capital Management, the owners, looked around for a suitable lady of note, and that's what they called it. The restaurant's designed by Martin Brudnizki. It couldn't go wrong, particularly with Brandon Salomon in charge. This is a chef who's worked with Mauro Colagreco, and he comes with lots of enthusiasm and with charming parents. They seem to turn up to any special event, as normal customers (Mrs Salomon’s sure a character, in cream shorts that matched her perfectly-groomed coiffeur - she grooms dogs in her spare time and she's an exquisite example of Homo sapiens).
Once a month, Chef Brandon brings in one of the many Michelin-starred chefs in the entire Miami area. And as luck would have it, tonight it was to be Evelyn's x Tornu Subito, with Chef Bernardo Paladini. There were a variety of cocktails first, say a saffron negroni with saffron-infused gin, Romanier bitters, Luxardo, and VV vermouth. And snacks included lumps of 24-month Parmigiano. It was a merry and memorable evening.
The restaurant, set with Fortessa and Sambonet, was full. Locals came en masse to support (remember, there are residences above the hotel, and the two neighbouring blocks have hotels at their base, a Hilton and a Conrad, and obviously dozens of residences above, and the residences behind. And people come further than just one block for such a fun place). There was music and the food was gorgeous. Starter snacks, lumps of 24-month Parmigiano with balsamic and Amelia burgers in balsamic mayo and sourdough crostini and charred red peppers and Wet kitty Everglade oysters.
Girlahead skipped on sea bass with blue crab, but went on to a main course of handmade tortellini filled with cured pork in creamy Parmigiano Reggiano sauce. In between followed a blood orange popsicle, but then the tiramisubitu with mascarpone coffee and cocoa powder. Oh, was that good. The paired wines included a Jill, Gigi, Fontana Bianca. No wonder all the locals went out smiling. This certainly is a fun Four Seasons, here in Fort Lauderdale Florida.
