Guide Me Home 2 Palm Beach County Fl

Hog Snappers Shack & Sushi
279 S. U.S. Highway One (Village Square)
Tequesta

We have so many great restaurants in Jupiter, Palm Beach Gardens and Juno Beach, my husband and I never really have to think of driving any further than a couple of miles to dinner. Of course, now and again we drive (20-30 minutes) to West Palm Beach, Hobe Sound, Delray Beach and Boca Raton to try other restaurants but we generally agree that our “neighborhood” restaurants are just as good, if not better so, why drive so far?

Then, about six months ago, some friends recommended we try the new Hog Snappers Shack & Sushi restaurant in Tequesta. We kept putting it off because it was “too far to go” – about a 10-15 minute drive – it’s only about 7 miles but lots of stop lights along the way! Since our friends kept raving about Hog Snappers we eventually decided to give it a try one evening and see what all the fuss was about. Well, let me tell you, they were not exaggerating! We are now totally addicted to this wonderful restaurant: the food, the ambiance, the servers and the owners dedication to their dreams!
It’s a small, casual restaurant but very inviting with its tropical theme and island music. They serve a good selection of reasonably priced wines and beers and the menu is huge! So many appetizers, salads (7), soups (8), sandwiches, entrees (fish and meat) and sushi to choose from. You’ll never be bored with this menu! Hog Snappers has a great menu - everything is so fresh plus it’s very reasonably priced and the atmosphere is great. You don’t come here to dine, you come here to eat!

On our first visit we ordered a salad to share, a sushi dish (JC Lopez roll) to share and then two entrees. We quickly realized this was way too much food for two people but it didn’t stop us from trying to finish everything - it was so incredibly delicious. The salad, the Mixed Salad, has become one of our most favorite salads and it’s hard to visit the restaurant and not order (and share!) it. The first main course I tried at Hog Snappers was the Crab Crusted Hog Snapper ($23) – it was absolutely delicious! The generous portion of lump meat crab, topping the freshest, tastiest piece of hog snapper I’ve ever eaten, sat atop a very generous portion of lobster mashed potatoes and perfectly sautéed asparagus – totally awesome! The sauce is delicate and not at all overpowering as many sauces served with fish can be. I’m not a fan of heavy, rich sauces and this is just perfect – you can taste all the individual flavors of the fish, crab, lobster and vegetables – just as it should be!

Since our first visit to Hog Snappers I’ve totally fallen in love with the Bouillabaisse soup – order a cup for just $8 – a very generous portion. Try everything: the crispy fried Hog Snapper ($23), the huge Hog Snapper Sandwich ($8 - not a typo!!!), the ceviche (which is unbelievable!), several of the sushi dishes. Oh, and by the way, don’t think this is just a “fish” restaurant. Hog Snappers serves great burgers, the best Argentinian Churrasco and awesome Rack of Ribs – I’m not a meat eater but all my friends and family are and they love these dishes, especially the Churrasco.

Other entrees include Whole Key West Hog Snapper, Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna, Cedar Plank Salmon, Paella, Delmonico Steak and an unbelievable dish, Tequesta Seafood Feast, that includes crab legs, lobster, clams, mussels, dolphin, soft shell crabs, scallops, squid, red skin potatoes, corn on the cob – the menu warns “be ready to get durty!” and they mean it – the dish is HUGE!

Of course it’s not just us that love Hog Snappers – the place is jammed with people of all ages at all times of the day. They are open every day except Monday – I hate Mondays!! Of course being so popular has its drawbacks … at dinner time, you may have to wait 20-30 minutes since, being such a small restaurant, they can’t take reservations. Like a lot of other people we’ve gotten smart and will either go for a late lunch around 2pm or an early dinner at 5pm or just be ready to hang out and wait outside – after all, it’s so worth it and we meet such interesting people all the time.

Owner/chef, Arthur Rivaldo, has been in the restaurant business for many years in New York, Washington, DC and now in Florida. He wanted to open a restaurant that featured food that most people enjoy hence the snapper and sushi combination. There’s definitely a Latin/Caribbean twist. Together with his partner and fiancee, Melanie Varquez, opened Hog Snappers in August 2009 and they haven’t rested since! But they came to have fun and provide good food and something different for the community and that’s exactly what they’re doing!

Now of course a weekly trip to Tequesta is a must – don’t be surprised if you see us there much more frequently – we can’t get enough!

Posted by:  Marion Suro

Although Jupiter is just a small town covering a little more than 21 square miles, there really is a lot to do and see. Because of the wonderful climate, we enjoy so many outdoor activities year-round; activities such as golf, tennis, fishing, boating, nature-walks and of course swimming in the warm Atlantic Ocean and walking along the beautiful Jupiter beaches at sunrise and sunset.

Known as a “beach town” we often forget Jupiter also has several other wonderful local attractions. Recently we had a 17 year-old young lady, Savanna, visit us from out of state. Before she arrived I pulled together information about local events and attractions that she might enjoy during her visit. When Savanna arrived on Saturday, I was very proud to present her with the results of my research - a whole stack of brochures I’d collected plus print-outs from the Internet about a bunch of things I’d found.

Of course one of the things high on Savanna’s list was shopping - what 17 year-old girl doesn’t want to shop?! Not surprisingly, one thing she selected was a visit to the Sawgrass Outlet Malls. I must admit I thoroughly enjoyed it too – incredible bargains on designer purses and so much more!

Another thing Savanna selected was the Loggerhead Marine life Center in Juno Beach – who wouldn’t want to see these magical, beautiful turtles being nursed back to health? And in such a beautiful setting right alongside the Atlantic Ocean.

What really surprised me though was that Savanna put the Jupiter Lighthouse tour very high on her list of things to do during her one week visit. I was delighted because it had been several years since I’d visited the lighthouse and of course the lighthouse is the symbol of Jupiter and all its history.

There were just five of us on the tour – we lucked out because the tour immediately before us was just ending and there were about twenty people in it! When you’re walking up the very narrow stairs to the top of the lighthouse you’ll understand why 5 is far more preferable!

The guide was very knowledgeable and friendly and shared a great deal of history with us, both about the lighthouse and about Jupiter. He was very patient and willing to spend as much time as we wanted in the grounds as well as in the lighthouse itself.

We had to climb several steps to get to the base of the lighthouse followed by 105 stairs to the top. You do get to stop every 25 steps or so and catch your breath if you need to so it wasn’t too bad at all. Once at the top the views are awesome! Here you are at the highest point for miles around. Look west towards the Loxahatchee River, look in front to the Intracoastal Waterway and look east to the crystal blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean. What an absolutely idyllic spot!

Of course we took lots of photos as we listened to the tour guide tell us about the history of the lighthouse and the new lens that’s used in the lighthouse. I must admit it was difficult to concentrate on all of the tour guide’s information because the views were so spectacular!

If you live in the Jupiter area this is something you should enjoy every year or two. If you’re visiting you absolutely shouldn’t miss the experience.

As I drive around Jupiter showing property each day, it really makes me smile every time I pass one of the Town of Jupiter signs. They all bear the symbol that we all know and love: the beautiful red Jupiter lighthouse.

Posted By: Marion Suro

We have so many great restaurants in Jupiter and Palm Beach Gardens, it’s difficult to know where to start. Have you been over to the new Carmine’s restaurants in the Bermudiana Plaza in Abacoa? It’s really convenient with lots of parking in the Bermudiana Plaza on the north east corner of Military Trail & University. WOW! Have they brought something really good to Abacoa!

Many of us locals know that Carmine’s has been a staple (since 1972) on PGA Blvd in the Harbour Financial Center for many years. There’s Carmine’s Trattoria - a great place to enjoy good Italian food: pasta, pizza, entrees and more. Then there’s the ever popular Carmine’s Delicatessen which has enjoyed an excellent reputation for many years with great produce, fresh fish, meat and poultry, prepared foods, bakery goods, wines and more. We “locals” even call the plaza Carmine’s Plaza!

Well, here we are with not just one but two great new Carmine’s eateries right here in the heart of Abacoa. There’s CG Burgers (CG for the owner’s name, Carmine Giardini) offering a great menu including awesome burgers from just $4.50 to a carving board of turkey breast, prime rib and filet mignon for a very reasonable $7 - $8. There’s also a selection of beers and wines to accompany your meal plus a great welcoming atmosphere with servers who seem genuinely pleased that you came!

Right next door is Carmine’s Coal Fire Pizza Ristorante – my favorite! The extensive menu includes a great selection of antipasti, salads, pizza, panini and pastas. What a great idea to let you choose from several different pastas and sauces of your choice – kinda like mix and match to your own taste! You can also choose from an individual serving to a “family” sized serving for two-plus. The food is good, the prices are reasonable and the service is friendly. Additional good news - there’s a great bar that you can also eat at and plenty of parking. Sounds like a recipe for success!

Carmine clearly recognizes the market potential in Abacoa with all the residential neighborhoods plus the industries moving in - Scripps® Florida, Max Planck and G4S Wackenhut to name a few. Thanks for introducing two good restaurants for us to enjoy right here in the heart of Abacoa’s growing community.

For more information call CG Burgers 561.340.3940 or Coal Fire Pizza 561.340.3930.

Posted By: Marion Suro