By Krista Martinelli
When you enter Maxwell’s Plum in Wellington, the first thing you notice is the beautifully appointed bar and the modern décor throughout. My son and I were there for the first time and were greeted warmly by our server Danielle. I looked through the small, but well-designed menu and selected a cocktail and an appetizer.
The Valencia Spritzer turned out to be very refreshing, featuring Beefeater Gin, St. Germain, lemon juice, prosecco and these intriguing black flowers…butterfly pea flowers. Before our appetizers came out, Danielle told us that the chef was testing out his new wood oven and she’d be bringing us some complimentary pieces of pizza. With a bit of prosciutto and a drizzle of truffle oil, the pizza was a little slice of heaven.
I had ordered a half dozen oysters, which came out with a bit of garlic on the side and of course, cocktail sauce, a nice presentation on ice. My son Paul ordered the cheddar broccoli soup, which was creamy and hearty. We were both warmed up for the main course.
While we were having our appetizers, we had the pleasure of meeting the chefs – Stephanie and Richard Pietromonaco. They have a long, rich history of being chefs at different restaurants in New York and beyond. Most recently, during Covid, they were chefs in Montauk, NY. They were very warm and welcoming. They explained that they have a clear “division of labor” behind the scenes. Stephanie creates the soups and the salads, while Richard handles the pizza oven and the meatier dishes. They went back to the kitchen to work their magic, while we eagerly anticipated the main dishes.
Since lobster is my favorite food and I love salads, I ordered the lobster salad. It was delightfully light with a citrus accent. The lobster was tossed in a cool ranch dill dressing, very lightly. The salad includes Boston lettuce, avocado and cherry tomatoes. I was happy with my selection.
Meanwhile, my son ordered the lamb chops with rosemary garlic butter. They were savory and surrounded by roasted potatoes, red onions and accents of cherry tomatoes. I persuaded him to give me a couple of bites.
After all of that, we didn’t have much room for dessert, but we found room for the hazelnut espresso tiramisu. The sprinkling of espresso on top was just right, giving this stellar dessert an edge to it. I also enjoyed nibbling on the hazelnuts that surrounded the tiramisu.
Overall, it was a lovely dinner, and I’ve already made plans to come back.
Happy Hour: Weekdays from 5pm to 7pm
Monday: Burger Night
Thursday: Ladies Night, Half Off Drinks all Night for Ladies
Maxwell’s Plum
12300 S Shore Blvd, Wellington, FL 33414