East City Grill and Zizzo's

A trick of the trade, from my keyboard to your eyes, is that restaurants that can put a damper on your wallet are just as delicious at lunchtime as they are for dinner. East City Grill in Weston is such a place. If you’re looking to splurge on dinner, this is the place to go, but if you are looking for a yummy meal at a fraction of the cost, you don’t have to look far. East City Grill offers an extensive lunch menu with dishes from the sea (fish and seafood) and the land (poultry, meat and veggies). And for those who crave East City’s elegant, yet hearty dinner meals, a few of the most popular also find their way onto the lunch menu.

At a good-bye meal with my grandparents, my “grammy” and I spilt the champagne poached chicken salad wrap with asparagus and the banana-nut crusted goat cheese salad with a banana-lime vinaigrette. My “papa” ordered another beautiful looking salad (though his was a bit more manly with an entire grilled chicken breast).

The banana-nut-crusted goat cheese ball on my salad was crunchy and warm on the outside, and the gooey, warm center, as smooth as cream cheese, made for a nice pairing. The citrusy dressing was a tad overpowering, but the caramelized banana slices on the side cut the tang. The chicken salad wrap was just a chicken salad wrap, but the bubbly champagne mixed into it added a nice fizzy kick.

While each dish by itself was delicious, I would not recommend ordering the two together as my grandma and I did. The bite from the champagne in the chicken salad was still lingering on my tongue as I took a bite of the salad and had the sharp lime from the vinaigrette snap. Sensory overload.

What’s nice about lunch at pricy dinner locales is that, even at lunch, the staff treats each guest like royalty (how else will they get you to come back for dinner?). The waiters, clad in white aprons, open the doors to great you and say good-bye. The tables are beautifully set and the ambiance is first-class. My grandparents and I enjoyed the fine dining lunch experience.

After lunch we head to Zizzo’s Coffee– a coffee chain that was started in California. Normally, I avoid chains, preferring instead to find one-of-a-kind places. These tend to have better quality food and charismatic atmospheres. But unlike typical coffee chains, Zizzo’s in Weston is one of those places to come in and stay awhile. The dark wood tables and plush leather couches are nothing chain-like at all. The free Wi-Fi is perfect if you have work to do. For those who chose to drink in, the drinks are served in ceramic coffee mugs. And Zizzo’s doesn’t burn their beans. Each cup of coffee is bold, so whether you prefer to take it with sugar or not, you will have a rich cup of joe.

Because I was stuffed from lunch, I couldn’t handle any fun, yet overly filling coffee drinks. A cup of iced coffee with skim milk and Splenda woke me from my food coma and kept me going the rest of the day. The chocolate-dipped mandel bread called to me, but I just couldn’t make any more room in my stomach. The hometown, coffee-bar atmosphere provided just the right mood for my grandparents and I to say our good-byes before I left for school.

KP’s Crumbs: Go to East City Grill for a pleasant, yet not extravagant, high-class lunch. Don’t order the chicken salad wrap and the goat cheese salad together because each of their bold favors deserve to be savored alone.

My end of the date rate the plate: East City Grill is worth of forking. At lunchtime, you get a whole lot of bang for your buck. Zizzo’s is certainly worth slurping up for a morning, afternoon or evening delight.

East City Grill

1800 Bell Tower Lane, Weston, Florida 954.659.3339

Zizzo's

1378 Weston Road, Weston, Florida 954.389.4004