My wife Lauren and I like to think of ourselves as “foodies” and when we stumble upon an incredible dining experience, we like to share it with the world. If you haven’t already heard, Chef Ben Huselton, who was awarded 2013 “Best Chef America,” has joined together with one of New York’s most famous sushi artists, Kevin Z, to open a new restaurant in The Village at Gulfstream Park. Port of Call: Modern American Cuisine, better known as POC, is a fusion restaurant that brings together modern American cuisine and exquisite sushi creations, with a fun tapas style theme.
Feeling adventurous, we left our dining fate up to our server and played a game of Culinary Roulette. She asked a few questions about preference and allergies and proceeded to hand select some personal favorites from the menu.
Admittedly, I am not too adventurous when it comes to my drink, so I ordered single malt, of which they had a vast collection from which to choose. My wife, less picky in this subject, had the bartender whip up a fruity concoction in a martini glass, and all was well in the world. After a few sips and a little conversation, the food began to arrive and the presentation was show stopping.
Our server brought us two soups – one of them was a cold tomato gazpacho, split down the middle with red and yellow tomato to form a Ying Yang shape in the bowl. The lobster bisque, presented in an incredibly unique fashion, was served with the lobster alone in an empty bowl and the bisque was poured over the top at your table (whoa!).
For appetizers, we were served a Watermelon Asparagus & Mozzarella Salad and Foie Gras on a bed of Jameson flavored Shredded Pear. The salad was artfully displayed and very refreshing, while the Foie Gras was surprisingly salty sweet. We were sufficiently teased and eager to see what was in store for our main course.
Queue the Glazed Beef Short Ribs with Whipped Carrots! Having my best table manners in mind, I reached for my fork and knife, only to discover that a knife would not be necessary. The meat was so tender you could have pulled it apart with a spoon! Definitely among the top five short ribs I’ve ever had. Needless to say, manners went out the window as I cleaned the plate with my bread. I was so engulfed with my short ribs, that I barely stopped to make note of my wife’s gorgeous sushi platter that was so well presented that it could have (and probably has) won an award.
We were stuffed, but decided to wait around long enough to let our food settle so we could see what dessert masterpieces were in store for us. What? You didn’t think we would skip dessert, did you? I could go on and on describing dessert, but instead, you will just have to trust me when I tell you to order the Deconstructed Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Ice Cream and Spicy Pecans. You might also want to get the homemade Mango, Watermelon and Mojito sorbet assortment.
As we waddled to the car, we were already planning our next visits (yes, visits – plural). We want to make sure we go for POC’s $39 weekend brunch as well as the weekday “order guaranteed in 15 minutes” lunch. We look forward to going back and we encourage everyone to go check it out. The staff was friendly, the location is perfect, the price is reasonable and the food is incredible. What more can you ask for?
Port Of Call: Modern American Cuisine is located at 501 South Federal Highway in The Village at Gulfstream Park. For more information, visit <www.pocrestaurants.com>.
Levi Meyer is a South Florida real estate agent at Fortune International Realty. He is a third generation Miami native with a passion for all things in South Florida. He can be contacted via his website at <www.levimeyer.com>.
