By:  Dr. Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

When an Iron Chef invites you to dinner, you cancel all plans. When said chef happens to be Geoffrey Zakarian, you know you are in for the experience of a lifetime.  Needless to say that dinner at Point Royal at the newly renovated Diplomat Beach Resort in Hollywood Beach was nothing short of extraordinary.  While it goes without saying that the food is exceptional, the

coastal American restaurant, is as welcoming, elegant and larger-than-life as chef/partner  Zakarian himself. Picture an expansive, perfectly-lit space with a soothing color palate of earth tones, gold and gradient hues of blue, illuminated by enormous lanterns and filled with comfortable, cozy booths so well-positioned that there isn’t a bad seat in the place.

But the real star at Point Royal is the food. The menu features snacks, starters, items to share and a variety of meat, seafood and poultry dishes, including a daily catch and raw bar selections. For starters, the seafood is caught and served fresh daily, and only of the utmost quality. Start with one of the seafood towers and a few snacks. The 12 oz Alaskan king crab leg  crab croquettes with the “comeback sauce” will make you want to do just that.  The GZ butter poached lobster roll is the best we’ve tasted this side of Maine, complete with the specially-baked and buttered grilled bun and chunks and chunks of lobster dressed minimally with Coleman’s mustard- as it should be. The roasted Maine diver scallops were another favorite and beef lovers will enjoy the dry aged New York strip or the pomegranate glazed short rib. But the great news is that no matter what you order, you are sure to have an extraordinary experience. Save room for dessert. Standouts include chocolate budino and the key lime pavlova.

Don’t forget to sample some of the craft cocktails, as GZ is well-known for his expertise when it comes to creating creative concoctions, to which any fan of The Kitchen will attest.

Point Royal serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily.  For information and reservations visit: 

http://www.pointroyal-fl.com.