City: Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Category: Restaurants

Telephone: (561) 776-3188

Address: 5090 PGA Blvd.

Description: Ouzo Blue is a traditional Greek Taverna and bar with a contemporary atmosphere and innovative new takes on the old Greek favorites. It’s bright and new—opened in 2009—and it approaches traditional Greek cooking with a fresh new philosophy.You’ll start off with the meze—appetizers like tirokafteri, which is feta cheese blended with olive oil and hot peppers; or spanakopita, spinach, onions, leeks, and feta cheese baked in a phyllo crust. You’ll also want to sample the kalamaria, baby squid fried or charbroiled, and then seasoned with lemon. Of course, you can’t be in this restaurant without trying the horiatiki (Greek salad), fresh and colorful and dripping with interesting flavors. The kebabs—lamb, beef, or chicken—are marinated in olive oil, lemon, garlic, and oregano, skewered with vegetables, and then served over rice. The lamb chops, charbroiled and seasoned with garlic, lemon, and oregano, will definitely leave you wanting more. The most popular dessert at Ouzo Blue is the traditional baklava, the classic Greek pastry made with phyllo, chopped walnuts, and almonds, and then drizzled in a honey syrup.The restaurant also has traditional Greek dancing and belly-dancing shows nightly, and a sleek, modern bar from which a very hip crowd watches them. You can dine outdoors on the patio, or inside in the stone-walled dining room with strings of lights hanging from the ceiling and recessed, subtle lighting. You’re welcome to get up and join the belly-dancers in your own version of the traditional ouzo dance.