Hidden gem, that’s what I think of when eating at Café Chardonnay. Its one of those little places tucked away in an ordinary shopping center that you would pass by if you didn’t know it was there. But for those that do know it becomes an instant favorite. My wife and I first discovered it when we were dating about 15 years ago and it seems to be one of those places that has a bit of a magical and romantic quality that never seems to age.
The parking is nothing special and there are no valets but there is always a warm and friendly greeting for you at the door (As if they were waiting just for you). You can easily find a parking spot with a short walk to the gardens like entrance. I would recommend reservations as it gets quite busy with regulars. This time we were running about 10 mins late (I know, bad etiquette, my wife really dislikes being late) and they called our phone to see if we were running late or would like to reschedule. Rather than this feeling like a bother it genuinely came off as a courteous and thoughtful (pleasant) interaction. We answered the phone and told them we were parking and we all chuckled when we came in 30 seconds later.
There is seating indoors and out and when its cool enough we really enjoy sitting on the intimate patio (really it appears to be a decorated sidewalk). I guess that’s part of the charm of this place and although it is in a busy shopping center it still feels like its hidden away. I don’t know that I can say there is a bad seat as each one seems to have its own cozy feeling and we really appreciate the simple decorations and oversized (comically oversized) wine and champagne bottles. This time we sat upstairs as it was busy in the main dining room and found it to be very nice.
The service is always very attentive and friendly with the entire staff seemingly looking out for you (obviously a great team). Our waiter was pleasant and welcomed us back. I always find it surprising and very welcoming when the staff remembers you for no particular reason. There is no secret why people keep coming back to Café Chardonnay, the food is consistently excellent. Every place seems to have good nights and bad but we have yet to have a bad experience or food here. We ordered our drinks (I particularly like a bartender that can make a good dirty martini with fresh stuffed blue cheese olives) and my wife asked the waiter to recommend a good sauvignon blanc (this is one of those places that you can do that and they will make an excellent selection for you).
We ordered brandied lobster bisque and beefsteak tomato with buffalo mozzarella salad as appetizers and the waiter asked if we would like to have him split it. We often share appetizers and I appreciate any restaurant that doesn’t make this difficult or just dump an extra plate on the table. I am a bit picky about a good lobster bisque and this one is lovely. The caprese was excellent as well. They serve what must be a fresh bread along with a very nice hummus for the table instead of butter that adds a little extra something to the warmth of the meal. For the main course we ordered Jumbo lump crab cake and the butter basted Maine lobster and scallops. The flavors were amazing (as usual) and we had a wonderful evening.
If your looking for a simple, understated, romantic and slightly magical dining experience we would put this at the top of the list. Although it doesn’t have the wonderful views, valet service and over the top modern designs of some of the other places it makes up for it in spades with excellent food, service and a special touch (je ne sais quoi). Highly recommended…
Date Nights Palm Beach 