It takes a neighborhood village: for those who have occasion to visit South Florida's horse country, Nicole's Village Tavern in Wellington is a warm, delicious gem hidden in the rough - Executive dining: Nicole's Village Tavern

South Florida CEO, July, 2003 by Johanna Marmon

For those of us who live in the southern part of South Florida, making the trip to Palm Beach County to eat dinner is Something that happens on rare occasions. It's not as if the Palm Beaches don't have tasty restaurants. It's just that In a metropolitan area made up of commuters, the last thing some of us want to do on a Saturday night is take the Turnpike to get a meal.

But there is reason to do so. For one, the drive itself is on a particularly attractive part of the pike (yes, attractive), with the sort of palm stands and foliage you'd more likely encounter on your way to Naples. For another, if you know you're headed to Nicole's Village Tavern for dinner, the drive is far less taxing.

The restaurant is tucked into Mizner Place, a tiny Mediterranean style cluster of shops off Forest Hill Boulevard in Wellington. If it feels like it's in the middle of nowhere, that's because it is. This is horse and polo country, after all, and the approach to Nicole's--actually west of the Palm Beach Polo Grounds--takes you past fields and hammocks.

The restaurant itself is cozy and attractive, with a hammered-tin ceiling, deep-red interior and views of the open, bricked kitchen. The bar area is almost as large as the dining room. Despite being off the beaten path, a well-heeled crowd of local suburbanites come to eat, drink and certainly be merry in what is definitely a neighborhood haunt. On a recent visit it was filled with patrons munching on appetizers and drinking tall glasses of cold draft beer.

The menu offers an extensive selection of meat, fish and pasta dishes and leans toward Italian, though there are several choices that blend different culinary influences, from macadamia-encrusted yellow-tail to Asian-style Ahi tuna.

We were impressed with our duo of appetizers, which we selected from a list that included some raw-bar selections as well as Italian-style bruschetta. First up: stuffed mushrooms. The three plump caps were heartily filled with sweet Italian sausage and blanketed in a bubbly mantle of broiled Fontina cheese. The sauce, a Cabernet reduction, was rich and had a pleasant salty tang. Crab cakes were also successful, crisp and pan-fried, served atop a thatch of sprightly mesclun greens. An understated lemon mayonnaise and a raspberry sauce (thicker than a coulis) dotted the plate, which was also strewn with black sesame seeds and tart lemon slices.

Entrees run the gamut from simple grilled steaks to--on our visit--the wildgame special of ostrich medallions with chanterelles and a potato-Gorgonzola gratin. But we tried the other chalkboard special of pan-seared striped black bass with fennel salad and mashed potatoes. It was superb. The bass--a locally caught freshwater fish--was tender and flaky, reminiscent of yellowtail snapper in texture. It arrived at our table steaming hot, its underside caramelized and crisp. The fennel, again paired with mesclun greens, was appropriately crunchy and dressed only in a slight drizzle of olive oil; it went well with the tender fish. The skin-on mashed red potatoes were simple and tasty.

We were also pleased with the veal, stuffed with herbs and finely diced vegetables. The meat was pounded thin and rolled around the rich stuffing, which was oniony and fragrant--almost like a braciola, or roulade. A tangle of fettuccine and steamed fresh vegetables accompanied the veal. It's worth noting that every dish arrived at our table steaming hot, and our competent server executed every request promptly and graciously.

In fact, it was she who recommended we have tiramisu for dessert, since she told us it's the only offering made on the premises. We were happy for her honesty, since the dessert was fresh, the whipped cream topping voluminous and velvety. It could have used a touch more time to soak up all the flavors that make up the ubiquitous dessert, but it was no matter; it disappeared from the plate in a few short, delicious minutes.

Nicole's Village Tavern, 12300 Southshore Blvd.. Wellington. Open seven days a week, 11 a.m.-Midnight, bar remains open until 2 a.m. nightly. 561-793-3456.