Get ready to feast your eyes on not only exceptional artwork, but also masterpieces in the form of elevated modern-American fare at the Norton Museum of Art. Following a $100 million renovation completed in February, the West Palm Beach icon unveiled its new stand-alone dining venue, The Restaurant at the Norton, open for museumgoers and the public.
The renowned Constellation Culinary Group, whose team is behind Verde at Pérez Art Museum in Miami, took the lead in creating a full-service kitchen with executive chef David Schiraldo at the helm.
The 165-seat dining room is flanked by the Pamela and Robert B. Goergen Garden and features stunning details to match the museum’s aesthetic, such as floor-to-ceiling windows, mid-century modern decor and a video installation by Cleveland-based artist Gregory Scott.
FOOD AS ART
After viewing Chinese and European artwork, order the Grilled Spanish Octopus that’s accompanied by oven roasted tomatoes, black olive crumble and saffron aioli atop a smooth white bean puree. Walt’s Tomato & Quinoa salad is presented with bright reds and yellows surrounding whipped burrata cheese, a sprinkling of pomegranate, hemp seeds and a drizzle of sherry vinaigrette.
Large plates vary from Steak Frites (tender grilled skirt steak, chimichurri aioli and fresh cut fries), to the Grilled Mahi Tacos (blackened mahi, fried avocado, lime cabbage and chili spice), to one of the tastiest salmon dishes you’ll have in town—the Miso Glazed Salmon, which includes a filet atop tosazu quinoa, pickled cucumber, edamame, nori ribbons, samba aioli toasted cashews and a sprinkle of cilantro.
ALL IN THE DETAILS
Dishes pair well with timeless cocktails. An aromatic concoction, the Lavender Collins blends gin, lemon juice, lavender syrup and sparkling water, and is garnished with a fresh lavender sprig.
Don’t skip something sweet. “A lot of thought went into these desserts to match the design of the restaurant and the art, of course,” chef Schiraldo says. Grab two spoons for Hope’s Sundae, named after Hope Alswang, the museum’s former executive director and CEO, to sample vanilla bean ice cream, brownie bites, fresh marshmallow and warm chocolate ganache. Or, go for the Bananas Foster Milkshake, what Schiraldo calls “the showstopper.” It’s a nod to Norman Foster, the renowned architect behind the museum’s expansion, and is, according to Schiraldo, “the ultimate sweet ending to a delicious meal at The Restaurant.”
The Restaurant at the Norton, 1450 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach; 561.268.0500; norton.org
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