By: Tobin Bennison
Article Category: Restaurant Review 2 Comments
My problem with reality shows isn’t so much that they elevate mundane events to the level of high Greek tragedy, the fact that they choose to uglify subjects that are often far better left alone, nor the way they’ve changed the very nature of editing for continuity’s sake into an insidious strain of Orwellian illusionism, but how they’ve let someone like Gordon Ramsay convince millions of viewers that they might know a thing or two about running a restaurant.
The famously prickly restaurateur’s hit reality show, “Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares,” finds him bursting into floundering eateries and turning them almost overnight into must-visit hotspots. “Nightmares” posits the notion that a restaurant which is unable to live up to Ramsay’s high and almighty standards (and there are many such places, apparently, no matter how many people don’t seem to mind them) can be made successful simply by the injection of several hundred thousand dollars-worth of design, equipment and vendor improvements, tossing the expired milk, and, of course, allowing Chef Ramsay himself to revamp their menu from the ground up, effectively making what was once Phil’s Eats another Gordon Ramsay restaurant. Which, in some respects, makes him a bit like the Peruvian bot fly, but with mussier hair.
Now I’m sure Ramsay does actually know what he’s talking about, because he’s wildly successful and has his own television show that tells us so, but it doesn’t mean that people should fancy themselves New York Times food critics after merely having seen a few episodes. It’s always easier to criticize something than praise it, as we all know, so in the spirit of turning the aphorism on its ear, I suggest creating a show called “Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Dreams,” in which he strolls into a place, enjoys a good meal, extends his compliments to the staff and chef, leaves a 20% tip and grabs a toothpick before going home to tell all his friends what a good time he had. He could film the first episode of “Kitchen Dreams” at Izzy’s Bistro in Cape Canaveral.
Knowing Ramsay, he’d probably re-fold his napkin into a swan playing a golden harp or ask the server to remove an ice cube or two from his water, but I believe he’d find himself struggling to come up with negative comments. Because Izzy’s, you see, is one of those rare restaurants that, while elegant, harbors no delusions of grandeur.
What Izzy’s does, it does well — something that might sound like faint praise if applied to a host of more mediocre local restaurants, but in the case of Izzy’s, the commendation covers every facet of the dining experience they provide. Here, the casualness you expect from a beachside restaurant meets with up-scale decor and ambience, and tried-and-true items are given refined and creative twists, from the time they’re conceived to the moment they appear at your table in stunning presentation. And that might be the secret of Izzy’s charm — the feeling that you’re getting something so special in an area that, according to some threads of logic, should be a lap or two behind the culinary times. As you take some of your first bites, that feeling morphs into undisputed fact, because Izzy’s is special — not for what it outshines, but for what it confidently presents.
Run by Jutta Rose, daughter of Brigitte Krause and sister to Chef Klaus, both of whom are behind Cocoa Beach’s vaunted Gregory’s, Izzy’s takes its name from Jutta’s daughter, 4-year-old Isabella. While much initial coverage has been given to Izzy’s inclusion of German dishes (most of which are served as weekend specials), it’s more correct to describe their menu as Continental, with generous flourishes of classic American influence woven in for good measure. Since Izzy’s opened in 2008, they’ve gone on to win praise for their skilled seafood preparations and their popular Tuna Tuesdays.
It’s all about the moment at Izzy’s — or rather, a succession of delightful moments that begin with their well-chosen appetizers. While generously portioned, each fulfills the appetizer’s aim of enticing both the palate and provoking interest in the remainder of the evening’s meal. Items include a jumbo shrimp cocktail; calamari fritti; char-grilled fresh sea scallops (in a red curry lobster cream with crispy wonton); roasted duck spring rolls; smoked salmon in phyllo; fire-roasted chipotle shrimp (featuring a delicate orange-cilantro butter sauce); the excellent and beautifully arranged whiskey shrimp (char grilled with a hoisin whiskey glaze), and one of their more popular selections: Izzy’s escargot in a fresh garlic cream sauce with shiitake mushrooms. Further initial adventures are to be found with their soups de jour and large salads, to which can be added char-grilled chicken, shrimp, or seared ahi tuna. We had the delicious bistro goat cheese salad, comprised of mixed field greens, warmed golden brown goat cheese, toasted pine nuts and a sampling of fresh fruit laced with raspberry vinaigrette. We also recommend the incredible cioppino (rarely found outside of San Francisco, its reputed place of origin) — an herb tomato broth surrounding shrimp, scallops, lobster mussels and chunks of fish.
Pasta is well represented by herb scampi or chicken pesto over fettucine; a seafood pasta, lobster pad thai, and one of their house specialties: Izzy’s Alfredo (asparagus tips, shiitake and applewood-smoked bacon in alfredo over fettucine). Seafood lovers have plenty to get excited about, too. There’s hibachi salmon, fresh mahi in a variety of preparations, coconut shrimp, shrimp and herb-crusted tilapia and an enormous lobster pot pie, filled with chunks of lobster and vegetables in a subtle mornay sauce. Turf selections are covered by chimichurri sirloin medallions topped with grilled shrimp; the bistro filet (an 8-oz. char-grilled filet mignon encrusted with bleu cheese); a 14-oz. NY strip pan-seared and finished with a Jameson mushroom demi-glaze); chicken vin blanc, and chili-crusted pork tenderloin with roasted corn relish prepared in a mango-tequila glaze. Part of Izzy’s enthralling character comes from creative touches like the discerning wine list, house-made dressings, masterful sauces and the option of side items like smoked gouda potato gratin and asparagus in hollandaise sauce.
The Klause family’s German heritage shines through in the traditional wiener schnitzel (two types of which appear on the regular menu) and devotes a special Friday and Saturday menu option to things like rouladen (thinly-sliced sirloin stuffed with bacon, pickles, mustard and ground beef over cabbage); spaetzle; goulash; roasted duck in a black cherry cognac sauce, and schweinehaxe, a whole pork shank cured and roasted with garlic and caraway seed. Each Tuesday sees an added menu of tuna dishes, including sushi rolls; pan-seared tuna cutlets; sesame seared tuna, and a blackened tuna salad along with several other permutations. Izzy’s Tuesday sampler platter gives you a little bit of every concoction, perfect for sharing among friends.
It’s hard to find fault with a place that prides itself on simply serving great food in a pleasant atmosphere without all the folderol — principles, which if you believe Gordon Ramsay, only exorbitantly expensive restaurants in New York adhere to. Dining out at anywhere other than a place he’s given his golden touch isn’t the impending nightmare he’s made it out to be. In the case of Izzy’s Bistro, it’s the effortless dream it’s meant to be.
Izzy’s Bistro is located at 6615 N. Atlantic Ave. in Cape Canaveral in the Sunseed Co-Op Plaza. Happy Hour is celebrated in their bar area Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Enjoy 2-4-1 house wines and Bud Light drafts and $7 appetizers (at the bar exclusively). In addition to boasting an impressive, affordable wine list, Izzy’s also features a wide selection of domestic and imported bottled beers as well as Stella Artois, Warsteiner, Yuengling and Blue Moon on draught. Select early bird specials are offered Monday through Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. They’re open Monday through Saturday from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and are closed Sundays. Call 783-4548 for reservations or more information. To view their menu in its entirety or to make reservations online, visit www.izzysbistroflorida.com
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Actually, your characterization of Ramsay is wrong. He does not nitpick on dining room flourishes the way you describe. In fact, he often tells restauranteurs and chefs that ‘less is more’. On many occasions, in both the British and American versions, he has criticized dining rooms as well as recipes that are overly fussy and complicated. He has always championed “good, honest, rustic” dishes, so he would probably like this restaurant, as long as the kitchen isn’t filthy.
Yuengling on draught? Hmmmm….worth a visit.