Herb-Crusted Lamb A Customer Favorite At Kaluz Restaurant

Kaluz Restaurant is a dining gem, brimming with upscale modern/new American cuisine with a unique ambiance all its own. Smooth circular lighting and relaxingly lit water fountains in the open concept dining room make for an elegant yet laid back atmosphere. Now in its third year, it’s all about new twists on traditional comfort foods.

“We provide excellently executed staples,” Kaluz Executive Chef Ian Carpenter said. “There’s a lot of places you can get a burger and fries, or a piece of fish, but we like to rise to the occasion and do that a couple steps above.”

“We’re definitely a meat and potatoes kind of crowd,” General Manager Patrick O’Keefe added.

One of those featured meat and potatoes dishes is the incredibly popular herb-crusted lamb rack with parmesan mashed potatoes and roasted heirloom carrots topped with a balsamic port wine reduction.

“It’s a feature, once a week,” Carpenter explained. “It’s a cooler night food, almost a comfort food, but in an elevated way.”

Ingredients include finely chopped herbs, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper.

“I encrust the lamb rack, sear it to render outside fat and slow-roast it in the oven. Most people prefer it mid-rare to medium, but whatever you like. If you want it well done or want it rare, we can do that as well,” Carpenter said.

It’s pleasantly plated with creamy parmesan mashed potatoes.

“They’re a little rustic. You get a little bit of chunks in there. We don’t whip them to puree. They’re well-seasoned, so you can get all the flavors of the parmesan,” he said.

The heirloom carrots are slow roasted with garlic, shallots, salt and pepper.

“You can pair it with a cabernet or a nice blend, even a pinot. It’s definitely a nice meal to have when it’s 60 degrees out, along with a nice bottle of wine,” Carpenter said.

The restaurant’s ambiance complements what they call well-crafted food ranging from $16 to $46, and a wide variety of drinks to enhance the dining experience.

“We have 15 hand-crafted cocktails. You pick a spirit and try to do something fun and new with it. A lot of classics revisited,” O’Keefe said. “The mojitos and the mules are quite popular, as is the Kaluz signature martini and anything with vodka. Tito’s is a go to. As is a large wine selection, and a number of beers.”

The neighborhood hotspot is a staple for residents and equestrians during season. Flanked by hotels brings many out-of-town visitors. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., offering a wide selection of little bites and flatbreads all under $10. The main menu is equally diverse.

“The diversity of our menu is one of our standouts, being accessible to any pocketbook. If you want to come in and have two iced teas and a couple of burgers, you can get out of here for two people under $50. Or if you want a bottle of wine and two entrées, you can come in and knock yourself out,” O’Keefe said.

The Wellington location opened nearly three years ago, with the original now in its eighth year in Fort Lauderdale with a more seafood-driven menu, being on the Intracoastal Waterway. A third location is in the works to open within a year in Plantation.

Carpenter, who started with the company’s Fort Lauderdale location, calls himself very adaptable, coming from the Chicago restaurant scene and first getting his experience in Wisconsin Dells, where he was born and raised. He began working seasonally in the tourist town when he was 13 years old. Now, 23 years later, and a long résumé of work under many talented people, he said it’s that experience and hard work that drives him to make the Wellington location a happy one.

“I try two to three recipes a week at home and think of how I can develop it into something here. How do I execute this on a large-scale setting? That’s what challenges me. That’s what motivates me,” Carpenter explained. “I like using the best ingredients to create the best food I can that someone’s going to enjoy. That’s what I take joy out of.”

The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Carryout is available, ordering through the Kaluz web site, as is delivery through Delivery Dudes. Indoor and outdoor seating is available following all COVID-19 guidelines.

Kaluz is located in front of the Mall at Wellington Green just off Forest Hill Blvd. at 2025 Wellington Green Drive. Call (561) 784-5500 for reservations or visit www.kaluzrestaurant.com for more information.