Even Keel dishes up a modern American seafood and raw bar experience
FORT LAUDERDALE - In the heart of Fort Lauderdale's Las Olas Boulevard, a charming hidden gem has recently opened. Even Keel Fish and Oyster is a modern American seafood and a raw bar experience.
With its first successful location in Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, Even Keel promises something for everyone, catering to diverse tastes and budgets.
"You could come in with your shorts and you can come off the beach with your son or daughter, and whoever, and get a lobster roll and a beer," said co-owner Brad Phillips. "Or you can walk in and get a bottle of Veuve Clicquot with a mega yacht with, you know, $200 worth of seafood on it. So it's for everybody."
With its clean, cool, and casual nautical vibe, Even Keel offers indoor and outdoor dining. This year, the restaurant proudly joins the lineup of the annual Orange Bowl Food & Wine Celebration, showcasing its talents alongside more than 40 top restaurants and chefs in South Florida. Proceeds from this event next Friday night benefit local charities, highlighting Even Keel's commitment to the community.
"It's an opportunity to give back to the community, an opportunity to kind of show what we have to offer as far as the restaurants go, our versatility with the restaurants," Phillips' said
Behind the scenes, Executive Chef and partner Chris Wilber prepared a hot tasting dishes for Lisa Petrillo, while partners Brad Phillips and Dave Maclennan assembled the iconic seafood tower featuring an array of delicacies, including oysters, conch salad, peel-and-eat shrimp, and an exceptional house-smoked fish dip.
"A lot of times these are very heavy with mayonnaise. I taste pure fish, plus a kick. It's fresh. I mean, I'd be dipping on that all day," said Petrillo.
"We try to source as many local things as we possibly can and just keep fresh, you know, quality, local, and you know. We just like doing it," said Wilber.
He's doing it right with a rich and creamy Clams Carbonara with bucatini pasta, fresh local clams, peas, bacon, shallots, and black pepper, topped with a perfectly poached egg. Petrillo then moved on to Wilber's specialty, crispy Florida yellowtail snapper served whole.
"Yeah, we fry this and we finish it with on a bed of spinach with a little lemon oil and finish it with Caselveltrano olives, fennel, cream, and finish with capers and it's really, really good," said Wilber.
"Honestly, stop the presses on this fish. That is one of the best pieces of fried fish I've ever had. Thank "That is just a delicacy. I mean that is a stepped-up elevated dish and really tasty," Petrillo said.
Even Keel Fish & Oyster is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner serving brunch on Saturdays and Sundays.
CBS News Miami is a proud sponsor of The Orange Bowl Food and Wine Celebration. It is on Friday, April 12th at 7:30 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Lisa Petrillo returns as emcee.