Ben Candelaria, left, is the Garden Cafe's chef and Bob Granado is general manager.
The Garden Cafe at Jimmie's
- 148 N. Federal Hwy.
- Dania Beach, FL 33004
- 954-921-0688
- Report an error
- $$, $10 - $20
- European, French
Chocoholics have been gobbling up delectable, hand-dipped confections from Jimmie's Chocolates for nearly 50 years. Now there are other reasons to visit the Dania Beach landmark: juicy steak, for example, and specials like pan-seared shellfish in criollo sauce. The pace can be slow, with food cooked to order, but service is friendly and the menu is small and eclectic.
Chocoholics have been gobbling up delectable, hand-dipped confections from Jimmie's Chocolates for nearly 50 years. Now there are other reasons to visit the Dania Beach landmark: juicy steak, for example, and specials like pan-seared shellfish in criollo sauce.
A ''chocolate walkway'' leads from the shop to The Garden Café at Jimmie's, a cute, cottage-like setting next door that looks like it came out of a child's storybook.
The café was once a house, so you'll climb the stairs to a small, cozy dining room with an eclectic decor -- a large oil painting, ornate metal sconces, antiques, elaborate fresh flower arrangements and a wine cooler. On nice nights, most diners choose to sit outside under the canopy of trees and twinkling white lights.
The chocolate shop had fallen on hard times when Rodney Harrison and Ken Smith bought it in 1997. Keeping founder Jimmie Vonglis' recipes, they revived it, and teamed up with brothers Rob Granado and Ben Candelaria to create the café, open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday. The pace can be slow, with food cooked to order, but service is friendly, with Granado stopping by tables to say hello.
Like the place itself, the menu is small and eclectic, primarily salads, gourmet sandwiches, ''lighter bites'' and a handful of Continental entrees with a Latin accent, reflecting Granado and Candelaria's Puerto Rican heritage.
The food is complemented by a list of 19 well-priced wines, both popular and lesser known, most available by the glass, plus homemade sangria. We chose a bottle of Ménage Trois Blanc, a light and fruity blend of moscato, chardonnnay and chenin blanc, for a reasonable $20.
For a romantic date or group get-together, request the café's chocolate and wine tastings: three courses, each with at least two varieties of Jimmie's chocolates, paired with a glass of wine or champagne.
The café is offering a large-scale tasting called ''The Finer Things'' with chocolate and wine, fruit and cheese plates, live music and a display of work by local artists from 7 to 11 p.m. Nov. 18. It's the the kind of effort that makes the place so endearing.
As for the menu, it's still evolving. Starters are limited -- primarily crostini and a house salad. We had a sweet pepper bruschetta, a basic rendition dusted with grated cheese, served warm. You could graze on light bites like fish atop greens or hummus with a baguette.
Entrees include chicken, steak, pork and fish dishes (one of each) and a nightly special. The New York strip was excellent, tender and perfectly cooked, seasoned with Italian herbs, even better with a creamy brie sauce that didn't overwhelm.
Pork tenderloin, with a hint of garlic, is marinated in beer and seasonings for 24 hours before it's grilled and sliced. The fresh catch of the day, grouper, gets a simple treatment -- broiled with a little butter, a splash of wine and a shot of lemon. The flavors were fine, but the center was undercooked.
We liked a special of pan-seared sea scallops and shrimp criollo, cooked in a flavorful tomato sauce with bell peppers and served over wild rice. Another bonus: most entrees are under $20 and plates aren't skimpy.
The chef sautés a perky mix of julienne apples, onions and bell peppers for each dish, and you get two sides. Among the hits: arroz con gandules, yellow rice and pigeon peas; chayote en sofrito, tropical squash in a savory cooking sauce; and papa con queso, white potatoes cooked with a little cream and Asiago and Romano cheeses.
Of course, we saved room for killer desserts, made with Jimmie's chocolate. The vanilla cake was scrumptious, layered with Bavarian cream and topped with a silky chocolate ganache and fresh sliced strawberries. Or dive into a dessert crepe oozing chocolate ganache, freshly whipped cream, strawberries and bananas. Finish up with a chocolate cappuccino. How sweet is that?
Hours
12:30-9 p.m. Thursday, 12:30-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 1:30-9 p.m. SundayDetails
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Location
- Current 91.4 °F
- It's a tennis day
- Take a lesson in Brickell
