beauty (n): the quality of being physically attractive
feast (n): a special meal with large amounts of food and drink
Bring the two together, and you have the newly opened, hip & modern Beauty & the Feast — the newest restaurant to take over the dining space at The Atlantic Hotel (formerly occupied by East End Brasserie). Operated by Society 8 Hospitality Group — the same team that owns Solita — Beauty & the Feast offers a playful menu with international and southern influences of small plates, entrées, family-style feast plates and stone pizzas thanks to Executive Chef Jeff Vincent.
Beauty & the Feast had been on our radar for awhile now, but a visit to the restaurant just hadn’t worked out for us. A trip to the Las Olas Wine & Food Festival where we met the owners and started speaking to them about their upcoming events — think Funky Buddha beer dinners and full moon parties — quickly changed that. Those weeks quickly diminished and within days, we found ourselves dining al fresco at The Atlantic Hotel overlooking the ocean and enjoying one of the best views in Fort Lauderdale.
Beauty & the Feast took over the space previously occupied by East End Brasserie and transformed the classic French Cafe set-up into something more contemporary and playful — and it’s seen in both the design and in the food.
You’ll see a few of Solita’s most popular dishes on the menu, like their Old School Meatballs, but we’re going to suggest you opt for Chef Jeff’s newest creations and get out of your comfort zone (it will be worth it, we promise).
First, head on over to the pizza section, where 5 different stone pizza options are offered. Although you can order a simple Hand Pulled Mozzarella pizza with fresh tomatoes, why not spice things up? We went for the Down South Pizza (ok, chef ordered this one for us), and it was a beautifully designed dish. A fresh pizza crust topped with a sweet and tangy mustard bbq pulled pork, coleslaw and freshly made chips — who would’ve thought?!
Another highlight of our meal was the Paella and there are two variations of this dish on the menu — a seafood version is available as an appetizer, while a “feast” plate, which requires a minimum of 2 people ordering the dish, brings together tender chicken, roasted red peppers, green peas, onions, saffron rice and chorizo. We tasted the appetizer portion and were delighted with the authentic flavors and the fresh seafood.
To add some variation to our typical vegetable consumption, we tried an order of roasted sun chokes (or Jerusalem artichokes). These were listed in the snack section, but could be easily added to any dish. The fresh sun chokes roasted in garlic and olive oil let the true flavors of the vegetables shine — and were enough to feed a crowd.
In addition to the main menu, Beauty & the Feast also offers a Slow & Low section, where groups of 4 or more can enjoy a Pig Roast with black beans and rice or a Bone-In Rib Roast with roasted potatoes — though, you must order this 48 hours in advance.
Beauty & the Feast is open 7 days a week for breakfast (brunch), lunch and dinner. Valet parking is complimentary when dining at the restaurant.
Beauty & the Feast is located at The Atlantic Hotel, 601 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale; (954) 567-8070.