Photo Tour of Longboards Grand Opening in West Palm Beach

By Nicole Danna Wed., Jul. 6 2011 at 9:11 AM

Nicole Danna

Longboard special: Carpetbagger Oysters

Longboards, the new West Palm Beach seafood restaurant with a beach-easy theme, opened its doors on the west end of Clematis St. with a bombin' block party Saturday, July 2.

Hundreds turned out for free food, drink and entertainment in support of local charities Grind for Life and Surfers for Autism.

For a photo tour of the festivities, read on...

Located on the 500-block of Clematis St., Longboards will officially open for business starting Thursday, July 7. Until then, feast on this...

Here, Longboards' traditional jumbo lump crab cakes with a lemon aioli, one part of the "Trio of Cakes" appetizer that includes lobster tarragon and shrimp chorizo cakes, each paired with a pepper butter and key lime aioli ($14).

Polynesian Beef Short Ribs (1/2 rack at $7 or full for $12) doused in a rich scallion and macadamia-scented bar-b-que sauce were a hit during complimentary happy hour at the grand opening celebration.

The menu, an homage to "authentic" New England-style seafood, highlights several Maine lobster dishes, including the lobster sliders, pictured here sandwiched between rich, fluffy chunks of fresh-baked brioche bread.

The Hawaiian Tuna Tartare -- seasoned with the chef's own lime oil, jicama, avocado and louts root concoction -- is a tropical infusion to a classic favorite ($14).

A bartender pours the Chiki Ti Ta, one of many specialty cocktails served at the Longboards bar. Garnished with an orchid flower, the Chiki is 2 1/2 ounces of Hendricks gin with a hint of St. Germaine liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and a splash of simple syrup. Its topped-off with a floater of champagne for a truly decadent martini.

Drinks served in ceramic bowls, Longboards equivalent to the "fishbowl," are a classy way to down old world-style drinks, like the Laval Flow, a combination of light and dark rums on ice, blended with an infusion of coconut cream, pineapple juice, fresh bananas and strawberries.

Longboards serves up its own house-made sangria, a blend of fresh wine-marinated fruit, watermelon and apple liqueurs, peach schnapps, and sweetened with simple syrup. Like all Longboards' drinks, it's garnished with fresh seasonal fruit (kiwi for now).

Surf's up! The entry: rustic-chic and surfer-friendly. A drink or dinner will feel like a trip to the beach.

Over every booth, and above each table, look for unique artwork in the shape of surf boards painted or varnished to create a colorful centerpiece against white-washed or muted-panel planks of wood.

Tables and booths line the walls on either side of the double-breasted bar, with the addition of a long, wooden banquet-style table for larger parties. Outdoor seating in the sand can be found out back, where picnic tables offer an even more casual dining experience.

A full bar in every sense of the word, happy hour enthusiasts crammed in July 2 to exchange tokens for complimentary drinks during the block party grand opening.

A 40-foot ramp was set center-stage on the 500-block of Clematis St. during the grand opening. Skateboarders young and old rolled out to support local charities Grind for Life and Surfers for Autism.

The road, closed off for the block part extravaganza, also featured several antique cars, including this Cadillac and a few other colorful rides.

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Location Info

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Longboards

519 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, FL

Category: Music

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Longboards Restaurant and Bar, West Palm Beach

We Recommend

Susie

Had our first experience there about 2 1/2 weeks ago. Loved our waiter; very informative and if he didn't have the info right away he was back quickly with it! Loved the tuna tartare. Good selection of craft beers. We all left stuffed and happy! Going back tonight.

Tsmith917

Island Wings are delicious and staff is very friendly/sweet, but very "green." Not a big deal, but just know that if your server/bartender makes an honest mistake on your order, the assistant manager will make you pay for it! Last week, (first visit..about 9:30pm) I asked for a beer menu, then asked the bartender what the blueberry bottle was on the top shelf inside the cooler. She told me it was Shipyard's blueberry beer. I ordered it. She served it to me in a frosted beer glass. It wasn't until I was ready for a second that she tells me, "You know that's non-alcoholic." I didn't. I asked her if she knew it was non-alcoholic soda (in a beer bottle) when she told me it was a blueberry beer. She confessed she didn't. No biggie. Honest mistake. I asked her to take it off my check. The assistant manager comes over and says he can't because I drank it all. I explained that I thought it was beer because that's what I asked for and that's what your bartender told me it was. She didn't tell me it was sugared-down soda until I finished it. He gave us a 20% off coupon and finally took it off the check. For me, it wasn't about the $3 soda, it was the fact that his staff made an honest mistake and yet he wouldn't fix it. We gave it another shot last night, and again, our server brought out two swordfish sandwiches when we ordered two Island Chicken Sandwiches. She even came back to show us that she wrote chicken sandwiches on her pad. We asked her to make sure she only charged us for two chicken sandwiches. She said no problem. She comes back with the check and surprise, surprise, the two swordfish sandwiches are still on the check, but she says "Oh, I took 20% off." We explained that hey, the only reason we came back was because we had a 20% coupon from last week. Thank you for the 20% off, but we shouldn't be charged for something we clearly didn't order. We watch as she talks to the SAME assistant manager from last week, he reaches into his pocket, hands her two $1 bills. She brings us the $2 and says "He can't change the check, but said to give you this." NICE!! As long as that guy is the assistant manager, this place will not last and I sure as hell will not be back. I've never had the slightest bit of a bad experience at a restaurant or bar (I've lived here my whole life and I work in the hospitality industry), but unfortunately, Longboards has changed that.

Sandy P. Klein

LongBoards Restaurant is THE PLACE to dine! I would like to suggest the Salmon for dinner as a main course. And I absolutely LOVED the appetizer I had, wings!

foodiej

Went to the opening block party and was blown away by how good the food was!!These pictures are a great representationI cannot wait to have a full sit down dinner at the adorable Longboards tonight when they open for real!