Sure, the US ditched its monarchy centuries ago, but if a shocking about-face brought royalty back in style, Palm Beach, with its glittering scene packed with aristocrats, titans of industry, and all-round queen bees, would be a good place to get started. And, once on the island, where to find this elite crowd, you ask? Café L’Europe, darling.
The doyenne of Palm Beach restaurant scene, this swanky spot is the place to be if you want to watch the upper crust hold court. Ever since well-connected restaurateurs Lidia and Norbert Goldner opened their famously formal establishment in 1980, a steady steam of blue bloods (among them modern day princess Jackie O.) and society dames has paraded through the chandelier- and mirror-laden dining room, making it a permanent fixture of the gossip columns and a must-visit for anyone who wants in with the city’s clubby (and a bit older) in-crowd.
We’d break out the heirloom gems and the designer labels, especially on “in season” weekends (and jackets are de rigueur for men). Sure, things have relaxed a bit over the years (the waiters are no longer tuxedoed, fresh flowers have replaced staid centerpieces, some prix fixe lunch deals have been introduced, and –whisper it–the dress code is relaxed in the off-season), but if you don’t know your salad fork from your soup spoon, you may leave your fellow diners aghast. That is…if they’re not lost in the pages of the encyclopaedic wine list (which is très European, bien sûr) or completely absorbed by their plates of superb pan-European fare. (Surprisingly, given the rarefied atmosphere, the highlights of the menu are homey dishes like weiner schnitzel and apple pancakes.)
If you’re intrigued by the eats but overwhelmed by the silver service, try coming for lunch (which is toned down to merely “business casual”), or look for a table in the marginally mellower bistro area in the front. (Mellow is relative here–don’t turn up in shorts.) Either way, make sure you’ve got financial resources of a royal treasury, because these luxurious meals–to use a vulgar colloquialism–don’t come cheap. But don’t let that put you off. American monarchy may be a no-go, but everyone needs to play princess once in a while.
Rachel Levin contributed to this post
