The Chimney House
The Chimney House: 701 W Las Olas Blvd, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312
We decided that we wanted to go somewhere different for Valentine’s Day this year. So we decided to try out a place that one of our friends recommended since she lived nearby. It also happened that she had purchased a gift certificate and gave it to us as a Christmas present. We were also going to the Broward Performing Arts Center to watch a traveling Broadway show. So we got all dressed up and headed out for our night on the town to the Chimney House in Sailboat Bend section of Ft. Lauderdale. When we arrived, we were a little confused by the parking. There are probably about 10 spaces at the restaurant itself. But across the street is a larger parking lot that another business is located in and they allow the Chimney House patrons to park there. Once we figured that out, it was easy to park and there is plenty of space. It was a very busy night due to the fact that it was Valentine’s Day. As we approached we saw all of the tables outside were occupied. It was a little chilly being winter time, but they have those kerosene torches to help keep you warm. We ended up eating inside after waiting about 20 minutes even though we had a reservation. Luckily we planned on it being busy so we wouldn’t miss our show.
This was an old house and they have a really nice fireplace inside. That is where the name comes from. The restaurant is a mix of styles but takes some of it’s menu from a Peruvian influence. The kitchen is an open design so you can see everything that is going on while you wait for your food. The one downside is that there is really no waiting area so if you are early you are basically standing almost on top of people watching them eat while you wait. We were finally seated about 10 minutes beyond our reservation time at a high top table. It’s nothing fancy, but was in a great spot to see the whole room and watch outside the window as people walked by. We love to people watch so this was perfect for us. The one downside is that if you are going here for a romantic adult dinner, be prepared they do allow kids and people will bring crying babies.
Our waitress was very friendly and fun. We both decided that we would start off with Crema De Cangrejo (homemade crab bisque soup infused with cognac & tarragon). There was a nice portion of crab meat and the broth was very tasteful. We really enjoyed how the flavors woke up our mouth and senses. Next we both had the Grilled Skirt Steak Scampi. This was an Angus Certified skirt steak topped with shrimp in a garlic Scampi sauce. It was accompanied by yellow rice and vegetables. The steak was perfectly cooked and had a lot of flavor. They must have marinated it for several hours before serving. The shrimp were also very good and added to the surf and turf type dish. The yellow rice added to the dish was fluffy and tasteful and we enjoyed the fresh vegetables as well which was a medley of zucchini, squash, and carrots. All of the flavors flowed nicely together and just melted in your mouth. We decided to finish the night off by sharing a chocolate brownie with vanilla ice cream. This was definitely thew highlight of the night as the warm brownie melted the ice cream just enough to make it easy to finish the whole thing.
Update 11/13/16:
We just found out that for $10, you can now park across the street form the restaurant before your show and leave your car there until after a show at the Broward Center.
Pricing: $$$ to $$$$ for Lunch and Dinner
