Cuvee returns to original high quality

DESTIN – When Cuvee Beach first opened, I loved it for its reasonably priced delicious food, outstanding atmosphere, and excellent service. Over the years, as Cuvee’s prices were rising, the quality of the service and in some cases the food declined.

On recent visits, I found the restaurant has been reconfigured. The wine shop has been removed, and the bar expanded into the former shop. There is seating around the large U-shaped bar, and at tables that line the wall. It is a great place to get together with friends or for solo dining.

There is a separate menu for bar dining, but the menu from the dining room was also made available. As it turns out, my favorites are on the bar dining menu.

On my first visit, I tried the thin crust pizzas. I particularly enjoyed the Andouille sausage pizza with marinara, bacon, mushrooms and caramelized onions. Also excellent was the Pesto chicken pizza that included artichoke hearts and roasted red pepper strips.

The Cuvee Cheese Burger, which the server compared to the burger from Port O’Call in New Orleans, was simple and perfect. It featured a grilled bun and grilled onion for an extra layer of flavor.

Sitting atop the beef patty was a thick slice of Cheddar that had melted slightly. The meat, prepared to requested temperature, juicy and had a nice exterior char.

The burger is served with fries, and is a great value at $10. It seems that Cuvee has returned to its original concept of great food at great value. Pizzas and sandwiches are all under $15. Entrees range from $15 for shrimp and grits, to $26 for pan-seared grouper.

A 12-ounce ribeye (served with Tabasco butter and a side) is $20. For $17 we enjoyed the Mediterranean Seafood Pasta filled with beautifully cooked shrimp and grouper, capers, tomatoes, spinach, olives and artichoke hearts.

On the Two Dine for $29 menu (or one for $15), diners choose two salads, two entrees and one dessert from a menu featuring a handful of items found on the regular menu. This was not an early bird special. The only part of the menu that didn’t have great value was the wine list. There were plenty of nice wines from which to choose, but the prices were high.

While some dishes come with a specific side, I found that it was easy to substitute one side for another. My favorites were creamy and rich Bacon & Blue Mac & Cheese, and Corn Maque Choux seasoned with Andouille sausage.

Just as the staff is accommodating when it comes to ordering from the menu, they are equally accommodating meeting special requests. On one visit, one of my dining companions was vegetarian. She asked if they could prepare something. After getting an idea of her preferences, the kitchen provided an entrée that was a good meal, not just a plate of vegetables.

Desserts included a very chocolaty cake, Key lime pie and ginger crème brulee. Of the three, the ginger crème brulee was by far the best, with a crunchy golden crust gaving way to luxurious custard.

Although the restaurant has a grown-up fine dining feel, Cuvee is kid friendly. The atmosphere has a casual appeal, and the kids have their own menu, and crayons to keep them entertained.

Service at Cuvee Beach has improved a great deal recently. Servers were knowledgeable, and attentive but not hovering. And service was as good in the bar as it was in the dining room.

While the dining room was barely occupied on each visit, the bar was busy. I actually preferred the bar atmosphere, which was more lively, but not too boisterous.

It was good to see the things that had originally attracted me to Cuvee again. With the return of good value and service, it is likely I will return again and again.

QuickBites

Restaurant: Cuvee Beach

Location: 36120 Emerald Coast Parkway, Destin

Telephone: 650-8900

Hours: Nightly, 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Bar Dining from 4 p.m. to midnight

Handicap accessibility: good

Children’s menu: yes

Reservations: Accepted

Price range:

Appetizers, $8 - $13

Salad, $4 - $8

Pizza and Sandwiches, $10 - $14

Entrees, $15 - $26

Children’s Menu, $8 - $10

Special Two Dine for $29 menu

Payment: Major credit cards