Grace Restaurant Pass-a-Grille
If anyone believes that there are no more hidden treasures in Florida’s Suncoast, Grace Restaurant in Pass-a-Grille will prove them wrong!
Away from the busyness of Clearwater Beach, it opened its shores for us to experience one of its most precious jewels…Grace! Such a pleasant experience we had in our BACA event there. The place may seem small from the outside but don’t let the size fool you! Inside, there’s always a party. And a classy one there is! The attentive hostess GRACEously welcomed us with a warm and sincere smile and, little we knew, our evening would be full of surprises. The restaurant is decorated with various photos of dogs underwater, which is a reflection of the owners’ love for our four-legged friends. The venue itself is pet friendly in the outside seating area. It is not rare to see locals with their dogs stopping by for a treat or two. As we gathered in the dining room reserved for us, we were offered their signature cocktail: The Grace. Sweet and colourful like our beaches, it was a refreshing start. Our dear Christina kindly introduced our guests, Co-owners Lisa Masterson and Chef Marlin Kaplin. Chef Kaplin has a long career history, with 9 restaurants in New York, Cleveland, OH and St. Petersburg prior to Grace, as well as hosting and cooking for 4 James Beard Foundation dinners. Chef Kaplan explained to us that his concept for this venue is one of “fresh local fare” Food is not “masked” with heavy sauces to let the quality of the dish speak for itself. He loves to let his creativity flow in the kitchen and we can see that in a very eclectic menu with some very unique entrees not found anywhere else. — View Website
Then, the moment of truth! Our sampling experience began with a selection of 3 appetizers, which included Smoked fish Bruschetta, Lamb meatballs with fig sauce on naan and Heirloom tomatoes with pistachios and orange blossom water. All 3 were spectacular, although my personal favourite was the Bruschetta. It was spot on! All 3 courses were accompanied by a selection of wines. The main course included Grilled Vegas strip with mashed potatoes, King salmon with cauliflower rice and Roasted stuffed squash with couscous and a variety of chopped fruits and vegetables in honey-Serrano vinaigrette. I was pleasantly surprised with the squash, as the dish was fully vegetarian and full of flavour. Then, dessert! We were presented with Cannoli with chocolate sauce, Zeppoli with cinnamon sugar and Nutella (a plus for me!) and Dessert cheese with fruit. That particular dish caught our attention, as we have never tasted that type of cheese before. We closed the evening with a Q&A session with the Chef in which he was very informative as of the details behind the entrees we had. Needless to say, a remarkable experience!
I would like to thank Lisa and Chef Marlin for their warm hospitality and for such delightful food, Our dear Christina from the Don Cesar for setting this up, our servers Frances, Ashley and Trevor for their excellent service, as well as the entire staff from hostess to kitchen. Please note that hours of operation are Sunday to Thursday from 4-10pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 4-11pm and closed on Tuesdays. It is, really, always a party at Grace! You should join the celebration too and invite your guests to it. There is a new, surprising special dish not in the menu waiting for you to taste and a smooth libation to go with it. Thank you again to those that made this event possible. Certainly, it is a shining jewel in Pass-a-Grille!