Q: We are returning to live in the area after spending years in Los Angeles. We love it here, but most restaurants taste the same. They taste like Sysco. The food tastes like it was frozen at some point. It’s lacking original flavor and the special touch you can taste when a chef/cook puts a lot of love into the dish. Where are all the chefs in this town and fresh ingredients?
What I don’t understand is how a town like Fort Lauderdale can have such a huge amount of wealth yet a small amount of world-class dining. My mom likes a delicate white fish with fingerling potatoes and broccolini on the side, that sort of thing. My husband likes an all-American upscale bar and grill. I’d like a restaurant that’s light, northern Italian (i.e., not just red sauce on everything). What are your recommendations? — Rachel C., Fort Lauderdale
A: Rachel, I smiled when you said South Florida restaurant foods often “taste like Sysco.” We all see the food distributor’s giant trucks around town, emphasizing your point that lots of eateries are getting their goods from the same massive operator.
