Principessa Ristorante, Japanese Bocce Club & More

Four intriguing dining options at The Boca Raton

By Nila Do Simon

If it tastes personal, then consider your palate personally satisfied when The Boca Raton opens its newly enhanced roster of culinary concepts this season. Added to the already robust lineup of on-property restaurants are four distinct dining experiences that will continue elevating The Boca Raton’s culinary offerings, totaling 14 extraordinary options in one destination.

Major Food Group, the worldwide restaurant group that has trail-blazed through the culinary world in the past decade, continues to offer members and guests its take on artful cuisine in energetic spaces with two additional signature dining options.

Joining The Flamingo Grill, and its widely popular brunch and deli institution Sadelle’s, are Principessa Ristorante and Japanese Bocce Club. The former is an ode to classic Italian cuisine set inside a regal dining room inspired by the villas of Northern Italy, complete with a large-scale mural and views of the marina and Lake Boca Raton. The indoor and outdoor seating options give guests the chance to dine on fresh house-made pastas and enjoy a world- class wine list, while taking in the lakeside scenery. Options are sharable, and in fact, sharing is encouraged, says Chef Andrew Roenbeck, the property’s longstanding Vice President of Culinary Operations and Group Executive Chef.

“There’s an incredibly talented team that developed the menu at Principessa Ristorante,” says Roenbeck, noting that Mario Carbone of Major Food Group was instrumental in honing in on a concept. “The energy and the focus that’s put on Principessa Ristorante to source the best ingredients is impressive.”

In Roenbeck’s more than 30 years at The Boca Raton, he has encouraged each dining concept to have its own specific theme and focus. Case in point, Principessa Ristorante transports diners to Italy, and the new Japanese Bocce Club takes guests to the Far East. Helmed by Chef Takao Soejima, a master-level sushi chef, the restaurant features a streamlined design, as dreamed up by celebrated architecture firm Rockwell Group, which includes a 10-seat bar counter for diners to observe how sushi chefs like Soejima construct their art. Some of the fresh sushi-grade seafood is flown in from as far away as the seas off Japan and New Zealand, with several high-quality locally caught fish options, and sushi rice is made in house in a specific, very detailed process that must meet Chef Soejima’s precise standards.

Japanese Bocce Club’s namesake is the bocce court just outside the restaurant. The Boca Raton gives bocce its own spin by allowing diners to enjoy indoor- outdoor interactive sessions that will include plenty of energy and hype—and appeal to all ages.

Harborside Pool Club is also be home to two additional dining experiences, Harbor House and Burger Bar. Considered the final phase at the brand-new pool club, the two restaurants bring to fruition the transformation of the entire area.

Harbor House serves cuisine that has become synonymous with South Florida through a distinctly island-inspired menu heavily influenced by South American, Caribbean, Cuban and American flavors. Designed to showcase an eclectic and vibrant vibe, Harbor House is home to chef-driven classics in an easygoing atmosphere with all-day dining options. Club members and guests arrive at Harbor House by way of the newly enhanced promenade along the Intracoastal, which means you can enjoy the restaurant any time of day, regardless of whether you are at Pool Club.

Roenbeck says the restaurant features a bit of every- thing: entrée salads, ceviche and local fish caught that day, steaks, hearty burgers and more. The menu can be at once considered casual, but also “elevated with a great bottle of wine,” says Roenbeck, who notes that select nights include live music or a DJ.

“Harbor House has a strong sense of place.A person who dines at Harbor House is the type of person who says, ‘I want a taste of South Florida cuisine."

Andrew Roenbeck, Vice President of Culinary Operations and Group Executive Chef

The final addition is Burger Bar, adjacent to Harbor House. A decidedly more casual establishment, Burger Bar will be what its name implies: a grab-and-go location devoted to high-quality burgers and similar foods, like chicken tenders, griddle hot dogs, Impossible Burgers, and creative French fries and onion rings. The quick- service eatery’s highlight will be a smash burger that Roenbeck says includes what he calls “sneaky onions,” or minced onions combined with dehydrated mushroom porcini powder for a healthy dose of vegetables. Another fun and optional inclusion will be Whickle Pickles, sweet and spicy pickles that add a friendly touch of heat. Dessert options will include the Boca Whip, a soft-serve fruit ice cream, and milkshakes.

President and CEO Daniel Hostettler says the addition of these new culinary options fully illustrates how specialized each of the property’s entire family of restaurants is under A World of Flavor.

“Positioning the property as a world-class club and a leisure-focused resort, you have to have an emphasis on elevated dining, and we’re proud to present this portfolio of restaurants to our members and guests.”

Daniel Hostettler, President and CEO