The Cooper – Farm To Table in Palm Beach Gardens
Chef Adam Brown of The Cooper, a popular restaurant and patio in South Florida’s Palm Beach County, enjoys including locally sourced foods, from produce to craft beers, into his innovative American cuisine.
Chef Brown has a background in French cuisine and adds Mediterranean influences in his reinterpretation of new American classics. At The Cooper, his farm-to-table driven menu is highlighted with small plates and signature dishes with seasonal changes.
Born and raised in New York, Chef Brown has had a lifelong passion for food and hospitality. He attended the Culinary Institute of America and cooked at Blue Water Grill in New York City before coming to South Florida.
Recently, I had the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of the chef’s fine labors. My dinner started with a smooth and elegant cup of chilled Heirloom Tomato and Watermelon Gazpacho. This raw vegetable pureed soup included cucumbers and red onion, and was finished off with a dash of cilantro and a swirl of aji crema.
No way could I pass up the Beer-braised Mussels accompanied by grilled crostini to soak up the broth. A dutch oven arrived piled high with 100% opened Prince Edward mussels steamed in Sofrito-Ale-Nage –a savory broth, or nage, comprised of vegetable stew and Belgium-style Fat Tire Amber Ale. Three hungry people would be needed to finish this starter.
I was most curious about Chef Brown’s entry for the James Beard Blended Burger Project. The Blended Burger Project™ is a movement that strives to make burgers better by blending ground meat with chopped mushrooms, creating an incredibly delicious patty that’s healthier for diners and more sustainable for the planet.
This is a competition where the top five chefs can win a trip to New York City to cook at the James Beard House, a prestigious fine-dining eatery in James Beard’s former home.
Chef Brown’s Butcher’s Blend Burger is composed of 75% of his signature blend of chuck, brisket and short rib, and 25% of shiitake, maitake and black truffle mushrooms.
A griddled Challah bun, from local artisan bakery, is slathered with preserved Meyer lemon-watercress aioli, and covered with mizuna –a Japanese mustard green, heirloom tomato, and sottocenere al tartufo – a truffle infused Italian cheese.
Garnished with crispy sunchokes –a potato-like root vegetable, and topped with a Lake Meadow Farms fried egg. this colossal burger requires the use of a knife and fork to tackle this hearty and flavor-rich meal.
Nothing showcases the chef’s Farm To Table menu better than his seasonal Farmer’s Market Vegetable Palette. Two delicious skewers of grilled Mexican street corn, rubbed with Parmesan cheese, dominated the platter.
After attacking the cob as elegantly as possible (impossible), I found a bright and colorful vegetable stack of grilled summer squash, eggplant and red bell pepper in a delectable charred tomato sauce with avocado pico de gallo, surrounded by grilled broccolini and quinoa pilaf.
This is fabulously healthy and delicious meal, or salad alternative, just happens to be gluten-free as well as perfect for flavor-hungry vegans.
Finally, I had two not so healthy, but wonderfully decadent, desserts. The gleefully gigantic Cooper Sundae is completely irresistible. Scoops of vanilla ice cream, hugged by bruleed banana slices, and drenched in hot chocolate fudge and salted caramel, then garnished with spiced pecans, whipped cream, and Amarena cherries.
If you are chocoholic that is regretfully lactose intolerant, then, lucky you can order the Flourless Chocolate Cake – This dense, but moist chocolate-rich cake is lightly dusted with spicy Ancho chili, and accompanied by chartreuse-infused whipped cream.
The Cooper is located in PGA Commons plaza at 4610 PGA Boulevard #100, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. For reservations or more information, call: 561.622.0032, or visit: TheCooperRestaurant.com
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