Pssst. Wanna hear a secret?
What if I told you the area’s best value is found year-round at an expensive steakhouse with two locations in Palm Beach County?
And you don’t need to order beef because there’s a choice.
The caveat? It’s available exclusively Monday through Friday for lunch, making it a tad tricky for us worker bees to enjoy it. But for those with flexibility in their schedules, it’s among the best deals around.
Elsewhere, if Italian food in a fun setting is your jam, we have a $25 three-course deal that runs until Feb. 11.
Capital Grille’s “Plates” deal
The Capital Grille’s lunchtime exclusive deal offers three choices of starters and main courses.
In Palm Beach Gardens, the price is $28 and must be ordered before 3:30 p.m. In Boca, you have until 4 p.m. where it’s $30.
A gentle reminder, dear reader, tax and tip are not included.
Tenderloin with chimichurri sauce and fries is one of three entree selections for Capital Grille’s lunch “Plates” special.
I tried it last year with my pal Val, and the experience exceeded our expectations in every way.
Cases in point: I asked for extra anchovies on my Caesar salad and was surprisingly not upcharged because that’s happened at other restaurants.
Then I sent my tenderloin back for further cooking, having ordered it “rare no blood” despite the judicious advice of our server who suggested a tad more done.
When the beef returned to the table from the kitchen during the second go-round, the dish was re-plated and just as pretty as the first presentation.
Val’s chicken, loaded with mushrooms atop Parmesan risotto, was the afternoon’s homerun.
Roasted chicken with mushroom over Parmesan risotto is one of three entree selections for Capital Grille’s lunch “Plates” special.
It was easy to justify ordering a martini at lunch at these prices. It was the perfect accompaniment while listening to my pal’s stories about her days as a Hollywood extra on the biggest shows of the 80s and 90s, including “Cheers.”
And before you judge imbibing a daytime cocktail — or fondness for anchovies — it was a day off.
The Capital Grille: What to know
Both the Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton locations accept reservations via OpenTable.
Details: 11365 Legacy Ave., Palm Beach Gardens; 561-630-4994 and 6000 Glades Road, Boca Raton; thecapitalgrille.com
Brio’s “Taste of Tuscany”
Brio at The Gardens has a $25 three-course dine-in special until Feb. 11.
Brio’s $25 three-course deal, officially titled “Taste of Tuscany,” runs until Feb. 11. Tax and tip are extra.
What’s included?
A choice of two salads, followed by three spaghetti-centric mains with chicken and shrimp.
For dessert, choose among crème brûlée, tiramisu, or chocolate chip bread pudding.
Brio’s: What to know before you go
I’ve not been there for the special, but recently dined at its popular Waterside Shops outpost for brunch, and the food was good.
Details: 3101 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens at The Gardens Mall; 561-622-0491; brioitalian.com
The restaurant accepts reservations via OpenTable.
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This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Fancy for less: Dine-in meal deals under $30 in Palm Beach County
