Journeys by Jennifer: Let the Season Begin

Are you a snowbird or a snowflake?

Now that the holidays are upon us, it's the official start of the snowbird season. That is, the vast migration of northeasterners down to God's Waiting Room -- Florida -- to escape the sad winter weather.

If you're a snowbird, you fly down and spend the whole winter there without another thought of coming home until the Central Park trees start budding again. If you're a snowflake, you fly back and forth all winter. I fall into the latter category.

People in Florida, it seems, do not eat home. It's like cooking will give you the pox or something. So when in Rome, do what the Romans do and eat out.

One of our favorite restaurants in South Florida is Kathy’s Gazebo – or just Gazebo as the locals know it. Situated on Federal Highway and Spanish River Road, it is a fine dining refuge in a day and age where restaurants make it on the number of decibels and how night clubby it can be. Not at Gazebo. In some respects, it’s a restaurant of another time and place, where there are still white tablecloths, the waiters still don tuxedos and where soufflés are still served. Be still my heart.

Giuseppe tells me that this restaurant is very similar to a place called Lorraine Murphy’s on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. While Lorraine Murphy’s is before my time, I find Gazebo charming and not staid in the least.

Even the diners dress up here. It changes the mood when we’re in our Sunday best. Not the stuffy uncomfortable going to church kind but rather in a relaxed and happy wedding way. Typically in Florida, most diners don the hip casual look a la Jersey Shore. At Gazebo, I always feel like the diners are out on a date – some men wear (gasp!) ties with jackets, women wear dresses that don’t expose the full cleavage(!). The only thing exposed is the kitchen. And Giuseppe and I love sitting in the bar area where the kitchen is and we watch the chefs prepare the night’s dinner. It makes our mouths water and gives us ideas as to what will sate our appetites for the night.

I like to start out with a Kir Royale, cassis liqueur with Piper Heiseck champagne, the house bubbly. The cassis gives champagne a little red color to it and sweetness. Already I’m in a festive mood! The prickle on my tongue from the bubbles just makes my mouth water. The wine list is mainly French, American and Italian. What’s on the menu is decidedly classic French – escargots, foie gras, bouillabaisse, Dover Sole a la Meuniere prepared tableside. Seems like nowadays, all the restaurants in South Florida are either Italian or so fusioned that I’m not sure what cuisine it is. Giuseppe’s and my favorite dish is the bouillabaisse, a classic southern-French seafood stew. Who makes that anymore? The dish is finished off with a splash of Pernod giving it a hint of anise on the finish. Yummmmmmmmmmmm.

Since Giuseppe is a pinot noir kind of guy, we can indulge in classic French red Burgundies, which is a pinot noir region of the best kind. So lucky for me. Our recent visit had us tasting a bottle of red Burgundy from Chanson Pere et Fils Beaune Greves Premier Cru 2005. It lasted so long in my mouth and tasted of cherries, red plums, mushrooms (think earthy) minerals and herbs. It was smooth and velvety. It was special. Like my date night with my man.

If you're not in the mood to wear your tightest jeans, stratospheric heels, and give the tatas a night off, head to Gazebo.