Restaurants in Lake Worth Corridor

Chef Fritz Cassel constantly imagines up creative dishes to complement his eclectic, ever-changing menus. Servers transport his small plates and inventive gastro-pub dishes—such as mussels, gourmet sandwiches, and cheesy grits—to tables already supplied with complimentary baskets of housemade potato chips. Beneath a lofted ceiling lit by artistic pendant lamps and chandeliers, bartenders pour craft beers and mixed drinks as well as concoct potent adult milkshakes that pair perfectly with a copy of the latest _ Hardy Men_ mystery novel.

"It took them five years before they would let me handle the fish," says sushi chef Jo Clark about his extensive training. He began his culinary journey at 13 years old and spent a decade in an apprenticeship at the Japanese restaurant Yama. There, he honed an ability to prep rice and sauces, wield a knife, and select sushi-grade fish while shadowing chefs from different regions of Japan. In his spare time, Jo enjoys paddle-surfing and once skillfully maneuvered alongside a lively school of sharks.

At the restaurant, however, he deftly manages cuts of salmon, flounder, hamachi yellowtail, and shellfish to craft more than 40 inventive sushi rolls. He toys with the traditions of sushi, wrapping some rolls with thin slices of European cucumber and creating a sashimi pizza on a tortilla crust. The aromas of ginger, eggplant, and garlic wander from pots of Thai-style dishes in the kitchen and out into dining rooms. Though each location has distinct decor, diners mingle among elements such as exposed-brick bars, hardwood floors, and hanging Japanese paper lanterns in the exciting bright colors of a furious traffic cop viewed through a kaleidoscope.

Orchids are, in general, delicate and colorful flowers, concepts appreciated by Japanese and Thai chefs. Orchids of Siam brings the two schools of cuisine together under the flower's banner, serving colorful curries, stir-fried medleys with noodles, and, of course, sushi. The chefs draw flavors from all over the map, though, in their quest to create memorable dishes, infusing shrimp tempura sushi with the flavors of roasted garlic or enriching pad thai with eight ounces of fresh lobster.

New England–style fresh seafood items, such as carpetbagger oysters and lobster rolls, accompany pork rib chops and brisket tacos to tables at Longboards Restaurant and Bar. Inside, hanging longboards and flat-screen televisions unite in their skinniness to forge a laid-back yet entertaining setting, similar to a monk's cabin placed in the middle of a red-light district. Behind the longboard-shaped bar, a libation wizard concocts house-made juice-infused cocktails and doles out craft brews to supplement a list of 16 bottled beers such as Shock Top and Kalik Gold. Porters, pilsners, IPAs, and ciders further solidify the eatery's credibility as a haven for hops.

Since no surfing-styled venue would be complete without an alfresco component, Longboards Restaurant and Bar also maintains an outdoor patio replete with a mini wooden walkway and picnic tables nestled atop a bed of sand, where a gaggle of plastic flamingos hones yoga skills. Trees, lights strung overhead, and colorful longboard murals ensconce patio denizens in an atmosphere utterly bereft of dullness.

Seated at booths or on an outdoor patio with brick floors, patrons of Pizza Stop and Pasta bite into New York-style pizzas with toppings such as baby spinach, roasted garlic, and sweet Italian sausage. Chefs also pile hero sandwiches with cold cuts and, bake pasta dishes, and toss chicken wings with tangy sauces.

The staff at Italiano's Pizza, Pasta & More cooks up Italian-inspired fare, rising early each day to begin kneading pizza dough and stirring sauces. In the busy kitchen, a panini press clamps down on slices of bread concealing prosciutto and mozzarella or chicken parmesan alongside plates of seafood and eggplant. Diners also concoct their own pasta dishes, choosing from five fresh-made sauces and a variety of noodle shapes, which each hold sauce in distinct fashions and allow macaroni-based greeting cards to convey more complex emotions.