Jardin West Palm Beach Restaurant Review
By Denise Castillon
Jardin West Palm Beach opened this spring by newlywed chefs Jordan Lerman and Stephanie Cohen, who are creating dishes with complex flavors using seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients. The West Palm Beach restaurant is located in the heart of the historical Downtown district on Clematis Street. Bustling with activity, day and night, the street is lined with boutiques, nightclubs, live music venues, restaurants, antique shops and historical landmarks, and extends east to the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway.
Recently, I was invited to dine at Jardin West Palm Beach. When I entered the restaurant, I had the choice of seating in the street-fronted, covered patio for maximum people watching or in the back courtyard patio centered around a beautiful and grand Mediterranean fountain. Ultimately, I chose a table in the main dining and bar area, with a view of the glass enclosed, open kitchen for maximum cooking action.
The result was I enjoyed two great dishes from each chef. From Chef Lerman, his Steak Cut of the Day, a 9 ounce Flat Iron steak, was tender, juicy and perfectly grilled to medium rare. The aged meat was dry rubbed with salt and pepper to enhance the taste. Here’s where the restaurant’s complex flavors come in, the steak was served with eggplant puree and a charred Red Pepper harissa sauce, plus a side of pickled Shisito peppers. And, it all worked for a spectacularly delicious dish.
To accompany the meal were grilled baby zucchini and, something I never heard or seen before, a delightful deep-fried egg yolk. The sous vide egg was lightly breaded with panko to give it a new crunchy shell outside, while having a firm pudding-like texture inside.
From Pastry Chef Stephanie Cohen, I ordered the first dessert I saw on the menu, the Doughnut Tower & Café Con Leche. On the inside, I squealed with delight while I was present with a stack of three donuts. On the bottom, a decadent Maple Bavarian Cream covered in Chocolate and thick pieces of Pork Belly bacon coated in Maple syrup. In the middle, lies a special treat, a super moist and luscious honey-soaked and doughnut-shaped churro. A generously orange-glazed sour cream cake donut crowns this confection heaven, which is served with a Spanish-styled latte, café con leche.
