Johnny V Restaurant
625 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954/761-7920, Johnnyvlasolas.com
Johnny V chef Johnny Vinczencz was dubbed the Caribbean Cowboy early in his career, and though he has outgrown the nickname, the independent streak lives on at his 200-seat restaurant. There's not a dull dish anywhere on the Johnny V menu, and regulars can't get enough of appetizers such as the short stack of wild-mushroom pancakes; mussels served in a chorizo, tomato and saffron broth; and the remarkable selection of artisan cheeses, which may be his most original stroke of all. Between the starters and the entrées, which include a painstakingly prepared corn-crusted yellowtail snapper and a red-chile venison chop, the kitchen treats diners with a mini cup of an earthy, smoked tomato soup, which is also served by the bowl at lunch. The restaurant features indoor and sidewalk seating, and the long bar fills up on weekends for customers seeking first-rate wines by the glass and Vinczencz's prize-winning Caribbean Cowboy cocktail. The celebrity chef will open Johnny V South Beach in November at the Hotel Astor in Miami Beach.
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