Dine Out Lauderdale - Sushi Anyone?

The Dine Out Lauderdale promotion continues until November 7th, and offers dining enthusiasts the chance to enjoy a multi-course meal at a fixed price at several locations around town.  It's an especially good value for pricier styles of cusiine, like sushi!

We checked out the deal at Amatsu Sushi & Sake in the Westin Beach Resort & Spa in Fort Lauderdale, a relative newcomer to the local dining scene.  This small, casual sushi bar hidden away on the 2nd floor of the hotel is not particularly intimate or romantic. (It's located in a busy area near the guest room corridors.)  But, Shula's on the Beach is situated in the same hotel, if you're interested in that kind of an experience.

The service at Amatsu is personal and friendly, the decor is sleek, and for the Dine Out Lauderdale promotion, the menu is extremely extensive.  They offer four courses, with several opportunities to upgrade your choices along the way, making it a bit more expensive if you want the more exotic flavors. 

For example, the first Course offers a House Salad, Edamame, Miso Soup, or Wakame Seaweed Salad, but for an addition four bucks, you can also choose an Ahi Tuna Tataki, Hamachi Jalapeno (pictured below) or a Rainbow Cucumber Wrap.  That's just to start.

Next, you get a choice of sashimi or sushi selections: Escolar (pic below), Salmon, Shrimp, and Tuna.  The third course includes your selection from 5 different rolls, with again, the option to upgrade to a handful of others for five additional bucks.  (If you love the combo of warm conch atop a cold sushi roll, check out the Volcano - pictured below.)

Finally, the dessert course offers some interesting ways to end your meal--  Lemongrass Panna Cotta topped with strawberries, Toasted Coconut Cheesecake Lollipops,  and Mochi Ice Cream (the ice cream sits inside a doughy dumpling) in a Green Tea or Sesame flavor!

FYI...according to the menu, the Dine Out promotion is only valid on Sundays through Thursdays, and is not valid during the Boat Show (10/31-11/4).

But, for a laid-back meal offering an array of sushi choices (in an area where sushi is hard to come by), you may want to seek out Amatsu Sushi & Sake before the deal is done.   One of the dozens of restaurants participating in Dine Out Lauderdale.

 

 

Dine Out Lauderdale is on!

Now that Miami Spice has come to a close, it's time for the Fort Lauderdale to dining scene to shine.  For the next six weeks, participating restaurants in Dine Out Lauderdale will offer a special prix fixe 3-course meal for $35.00. 

For example, at Bongo's Cuban Cafe at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, the offerings included a choice of appetizer (avocado salad, a traditional ceviche, or a Cuban Combo), Entree (Camarones al Ajillo, Cuban Churrasco, a Tour of Cuba, or a Vegetable Fried Rice), and Dessert (Tres Leches, Arroz con Leche, or a Traditional Cuban Flan).  And if you're looking for bang for the buck, the portions at Bongo's are shockingly large, so plan ahead and save up your calories!  Beverages aren't included in the deal, but the menu is full of mojito's of all flavors, and they come with the sweet sugarcane stirrer to munch while you sip.

For meat lovers, the Cuban Combo app consists of two pork tacos and a portion of crispy pork bites on the side (the Cubans know their pork) along with two papa rellena and a very generous portion of guac.  That's just the starter!  Moving on to the Entree, a Tour of Cuba will get you a trio of shredded chicken (surprisingly flavorful), roasted pork, and shredded beef.  All that comes with your choice of two sides!  Or you can order up the Churrasco  steak with chimichurri, again, with your choice of sides. 

If you have the endurance and tenacity to make it to the dessert course, three traditional Cuban dishes will tempt the sweet tooth -- Tres Leches, Arroz con Leche, and Flan.  Order up a Cuban coffee and then stroll the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino complex.  You'll feel like you hit the jackpot, even if you never make it to the slots.