BONEFISH GRILL - Sunrise, FL

So I got this coupon in the mail:

2 people, shared starter, 2 salads, 2 entrees and a shared macadamia brownie dessert at $18.00 per diner. Now I'm not much for chain restaurants but this was one well aimed marketing attack and I had to go.

We were promptly lead to a table by a nice hostess and served by Kathleen, a well-groomed, friendly server. All servers and hosts wear uniforms that remind me of what kitchen staff should wear and keep them tidy and clean. Fresh Ciabata is served with a small plate of olive oil infused with salt and herbs, very nice.

Last night we went for it and started with their "Singapore Calamari" which in essence were fried calamari with a sweet & tangy "Asian" sauce. This was very filling but a bit too greasy for my taste.

We each had a BONEFISH (house) Salad with the house dressing a nice sweet vinaigrette. It included mixed greens, cherry tomatoes and whole, pitted black olives. This was quite refreshing.

We decided to try the grilled Long-fin (Tilapia) with potatoes au gratin and the shrimp & scallop grilled skewer with a veggie medley. The fish came with a tiny bowl of what Kathleen called their "Pan Asian" sauce with some wasabi-mustard in the center; this is a nice, sweet sauce that reminded me of eel-sauce. The dish was well executed and rich.

However, the skewer was a different story; first, the scallops were perfectly cooked yet the shrimp were very over-cooked and chewy. This could be due to the difference in thickness of the two foods that are forced to share a skewer and spend the same time on heat. Also, the veggie medley was not much of a medley but rather some buttered up, salty broccoli florets and a couple of julienned pieces of carrot. All this was server with lemon butter in a tine saucer which really does not fit in with any part of this dish.

The highlight of the evening was the dessert, a rich, chocolate brownie with macadamia-nuts & whipped cream topping it off and served next to a raspberry sauce and vanilla ice-cream. This dessert is enough for 4 adults to share so we took half of it to reheat another day. It is well executed and satisfying; the only part that was a letdown was the cream which was over whipped and not exactly fresh.

Conclusions:

-Decor is well put together, nice rustic feeling with some metallic accents.

-Audio system sounds good although the restaurant is a bit too loud due to reflective surfaces; I did not see the rack but speakers are nice Klipsch units and well integrated into the dark ceiling. TVs are located in the bar, playing sports but hard to see from the dining room.

-Service is friendly, staff is well dressed and nice looking

-Value At $20.45 with a soft drink, before taxes and tips not bad the quantity of food and great service; however, quality is so so.

I don't see going back in my future