Fine dining-focused Fort Lauderdale visitors and residents, alike, can now enjoy high-caliber Italian cuisine served beach-side. This as Former Casa Tua Chef Fabrizio Polizzi has joined Casa Del Mare Ristorante as Executive Chef and Partner. Specializing in modern Italian cuisine, Chef Polizzi is implementing 20 years of top-notch culinary experience as executive chef manager, sous chef, and director of food and beverage into this new venture, where guests can dine seaside with spectacular ocean views. Located in the Sea Club Resort on Fort Lauderdale beach, Casa del Mare Ristorante is revered as one of very few internationally-acclaimed restaurants in the city.
Fabrizio Polizzi New Chef & Partner at Casa Del Mare Ristorante Fort Lauderdale
“We are super excited to bring Chef Polizzi onboard,” says Michael Man, general manager of All Sunny Hotels. “He possesses an incredible mixture of culinary vision, upscale experience and has the ability to satisfy the most sophisticated palate. This is a first for Fort Lauderdale having such a top-quality chef within its blooming restaurant scene. Restaurant bookings have already jumped 1000% since the announcement of our new chef and we are booked solid, a month in advance, which never happens in Ft Lauderdale.”
Chef Fabrizio was born in Belgium and is of Italian descent, with parents from the South of Italy, Catania, on the Island of Sicily, known for bursting flavors, seafood dishes and risotto. Chef Polizzi has worked at famous restaurants and star-studded celebs both in the South Florida region as well as different parts of Italy. He also previously worked as a private chef on Fisher Island. Most notably, Chef Polizzi helped lead the revered Casa Tua Restaurant in Miami Beach, Florida, where he perfected his flavors and presentation skills as the restaurant’s Sous Chef.
At Casa del Mare Ristorante, Chef Polizzi’s rich and diverse culinary background—where experience, talent and tradition converge—has resulted in a menu replete with authentic and heartfelt dishes, with all day menu options from both land and sea. Casa del Mare Ristorante truly offers something for everyone, from fish and shellfish, to meat and cheese charcuterie, soups and salads, starters, steaks, and a wide array of pasta dishes.
Some house favorites include starters like the Polpette di Carne or Homemade Meatballs in a Rich Tomato Sauce with Parmesan Cheese or pastas including the Rigatoni Bolognese with Beef Ragu and the Grilled Chilean Sea Bass served with capers, lemon sauce and mashed potatoes.
And, the restaurant’s wine offered both by bottle and glass, and their specialty cocktail selections, are equally delectable, courtesy of the restaurant’s full bar. While there, be sure to indulge in the dessert selections as well with nearly a dozen options to titillate your taste buds. Grab a piña colada during happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. and a delicious dessert like Key Lime Pie and unlimited Bellinis for breakfast.
I recently connected with Marcos DaSilva, a spokesperson for the eatery, for a “lightening round” Q&A. Here’s a bit of that conversation.
MK: How would you sum up Casa del Mare current approach to cuisine?
MD: We have a traditional Italian menu with personal touches from a chef who comes from a rich background. Fabrizio Polizzi was born in Belgium and his parents are from the south of Italy. What he brings to the table is a variety of flavors, colors, textures, always maintaining personal creativity and keeping the tradition of Italy alive in every dish.
MK: What other qualities set this restaurant apart from other dining options in the area – the beach or wider in SoFla?
MD: Casa Del Mare has gone far beyond expectations by offering world-class cuisine in a casual setting. No other restaurant in the area has this combination of elements. Al fresco dining, ocean views and outstanding food.
MK: Does Casa del Mare have a “signature dish”?
MD: Polipo all Griglia, which is grilled octopus served over chickpea puree, organic mixed green salad, drizzled with a basil olive oil infusion.
MK: Is there anything upcoming the public should know about?
MD: Yes, the restaurant is now featuring a Spectacle Room with a grand opening October 2nd at 6:00 p.m. with the remarkable show of Bobby “Sinatra” Rome—a Frank Sinatra impersonator. Reservations can be made on our website as this will be a performance during dinnertime, from 6 to 10 p.m.
MK: How did Casa del Mare survive the difficulties of 2020 that extended into 2021,, and how will it conduct business up ahead?
MD: We are lucky to be located in a resort and to have the al fresco setting. These have been pivotal in surviving the COVID-19 era. Here at Casa del Mare we are fully committed to the safety and well-being of our team and clients. We have taken measures to ensure the restaurant is up to the highest of sanitation standards.
MK: Why is the Sea Club resort the optimal spot for this restaurant?
MD: We are fortunate to have our restaurant above the sea level offering those amazing views to the horizon. We have a sizable kitchen, a Spectacle Room and a separate room for events.
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MK: What are some of your long-term goals for the restaurant and how will it continue to elevate its image?
MD: To develop a combination of live shows and food experience. The target is to have two to three shows a week, providing entertainment and dinner simultaneously. We are also on social media and maintain consistency; we strive to put out the best flavors and to show our customers that we can stand out. Most of all, we want to build a good reputation and keep it.
MK: What is your personal favorite item on the menu?
MD: Veal Chop alla Milanese, which is pounded, breaded and deep fried. It is topped with arugula, tomatoes, dressed with olive oil and lemon.
As one of Booking.com’s most sought after hotels on Fort Lauderdale Beach, Casa Del Mare Ristorante is a worthy locale for those seeking that perfect combination of well-executed authentic Italian fare, attentive service and outdoor seating replete with ocean breezes. It’s sure to proffer a splendido seaside experience.
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Forbes Business Council Member Merilee Kern, MBA is an internationally-regarded brand analyst, strategist and futurist who reports on cultural shifts and trends as well as noteworthy industry change makers, movers, shakers and innovators across all categories, both B2C and B2B. This includes field experts and thought leaders, brands, products, services, destinations and events. Merilee is Founder, Executive Editor and Producer of “The Luxe List” as well as Host of the “Savvy Living” lifestyle TV show that airs in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and other major markets on CBS, FOX and other top networks; as well as the “Savvy Ventures” business TV show that airs nationally on FOX Business TV and Bloomberg TV. As a prolific lifestyle, travel, dining and leisure industry voice of authority and tastemaker, Merilee keeps her finger on the pulse of the marketplace in search of new and innovative must-haves and exemplary experiences at all price points, from the affordable to the extreme. Her work reaches multi-millions worldwide via broadcast TV (her own shows and copious others on which she appears) as well as a myriad of print and online publications. Connect with her at www.TheLuxeList.com and www.SavvyLiving.tv / Instagram www.Instagram.com/LuxeListReports / Twitter www.Twitter.com/LuxeListReports / Facebook www.Facebook.com/LuxeListReports / LinkedIN www.LinkedIn.com/in/MerileeKern.
***Some or all of the accommodations(s), experience(s), item(s) and/or service(s) detailed above may have been provided or arranged at no cost to accommodate if this is review editorial, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of Merilee Kern and have not been influenced in any way.***
