City: Fort Lauderdale, FL

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (954) 761-7290

Address: 625 E. Las Olas Blvd

Description: Triple yum is an understatement at Johnny V’s. Chef and co-owner Johnny Vinczencz is a South Florida celebrity chef known for his Caribbean-influenced Florida cuisine—his style has earned him the nickname “Caribbean Cowboy,” but even outside the region, you may have spotted him on the Today show or the Food Network, or read about him in food glossies Bon Appétit or Gourmet magazine (now defunct). Known for his sharp flavors and refined Sunshine State cuisine, he reigned at the helm of Miami Beach’s Astor Place in the late 1990s and opened his own 200-seat restaurant in 2003, where he continues to showcase innovative dishes like Florida stone crab shepherd’s pie, blue corn–crusted calamari, and his famous “short stack” of wild mushroom pancakes. Also known for his imaginative use of game and other meats, carnivores will enjoy trying Ancho Cinnamon Grilled Pork Tenderloin or a twist on surf and turf (lobster and buffalo sharing one plate). Don’t forget to ask about the cheese-tasting menu (over 30 varieties), which comes with fig-balsamic marinated grapes. It all arrives like works of art in your comfy red banquette, surrounded by deep walnut walls and an air of modish surrounds.