All the Tea on F&B
by Felicia M. Koretsky

Warning: This story should not be read on an empty stomach. The good news, though, is by the end of
this article, you’ll have discovered plenty of new ways to subside your growling belly.
Here’s the fresh tea on all things F&B for the 2024-2025 season:

New Venues:

• Hammock Halfway House: Think of it as Toski’s little sister. The new Hammock Halfway House at the
end of the 9th hole offers Hammock Course golfers some tasty options. Now open, the smaller-sized
menu features grab-and-go turkey, roast beef, Italian, and ham and Swiss sandwiches, hot dogs,
chicken, grilled chicken Caesar salad, tuna, and roto salads. Sodas, beer, coffee, water, and Reef
Cups are on tap. Expect light snacks and the usual
extras (bug spray, sunblock, and headache remedies).

• The Spirits Bar: A beautiful and intimate new Spirits Bar opens next to Port O’Call, in the
former home of the Dive Shop, in mid-November. This modern cozy locale will give Members another
indoor/ outdoor option for gathering in the Fishing Village with the Spirits Bar delivering
classic, trendy and tiki cocktails.
The brainchild of Director of Beverage & Wine Operations, Sean Carroll, Spirits will be operated by
Port O’Call’s Micah Winecoff, Wyatt Hosmer, Darren Daniels, and Khanya Khanyile. You can also order
from either the Spirits Bar or Port O’Call from the outside patio deck.

• Redlands trailer: With its name inspired by the farm freshness found in the nearby
Redlands, this new trailer at Town Hall Waterside opening November 21st will offer healthy
selections. Veggie, chicken, lamb, and chicken skewers, and grain, antipasti, green goddess and
Caesar salads are some of what you’ll see here.

Theme Nights

• Grill Room: Chef Romane Francis has been hard at work spicing up the all-day and dinner menus and
adding on new theme nights. Fire pop shrimp with dynamite sauce and salted codfish fritters are a
couple of the new starters. Crispy pork belly, 19th Hole liver and onions, and steak kabobs are now
on the dinner menu. Weekly dinner theme- nights continue this season, with updates to Tuesdays and
Fridays. Taco Tuesdays start next week with a choice of
crispy pork belly, fried shrimp, or marinated steak tacos, and BBQ Fridays, starting tonight, with
barbecue ribs. The meats will change each month.

• CH Prime Chef’s Table Nights: Hosted by
Clubhouse Chef de Cuisine Ian Fleischmann, these themed dinners will take place once
a month on Thursdays from January – April 2025 in the CH Prime Cellar Room, showcasing techniques
and vendors unique to CH Prime.

• Ocean Room Dinner Buffets Themes: Look for more themed-buffets this season at The Ocean Room. For
November, it’s New England night on the 23rd and a Thanksgiving buffet on the 28th. Next month,
there’s a Madeira Room-theme for Vintage Weekend on Dec. 7th. The holiday week will have buffets nightly. Italian (Dec. 27th), New England (Dec. 28th), Mexican (Dec. 29th), Thai/Southeast Asian (Dec. 30th), and a New Year’s Eve buffet (Dec. 31st). The Ocean Room will continue will theme nights most Saturdays during the season.

More Bites at Reef Lounge:
A new charcuterie board, steak frites, and mushroom truffle pizza will be on the regular menu.

Breakfast Lovers Rejoice:
The Ocean Room added biscuits and gravy, croque madame, and coconut chia pudding to its rise and shine menu. Griddle options have been enhanced with waffles and lemon-ricotta creme and thick-cut Challah French toast with bourbon pecans and vanilla custard. Breakfast buffets are now offered both Saturdays 7 to 11 a.m. and Sundays until Noon.

Familiar Faces; Rotating Places:
Marisol Perez (formerly of the Grill Room) was promoted to general manager of the Ocean Room, Reef Lounge, and Reef Eats. Kieran McGuirk (formerly of Burgee Bar fame) has filled in the manager spot at the Grill Room. Alain Rios, an Ocean Room manager, has moved to a manager position at Gianni, and Michael Meadows, a sous chef last year at the Ocean Room, is now its night manager.

Back Outside:
Palm Court moved back outside this week with November weather more than cooperating (fingers crossed). Consider spending a little extra time at the Fitness Center so you can indulge in tempura-battered lobster bites, JB tempura rolls, crispy calamari, Gochujang salmon bowl, or a chilled seafood platter. Also, expect plenty of nigiri or sashimi and Donburi (Japanese bowl) options.

No Wet Feet:
The Raw Bar’s thatched-roofed patio just got a great new lift. Literally. The now raised outdoor seating area will help keep Members’ feet dry when it rains and its new ceiling fans will help diners feel comfortable on muggy days. Having the extra tables outdoors plus a great patio TV also helps keep the noise and crowd size down inside.

New Chef at Gianni:
Gianni welcomes new chef Roly Cruz-Taura, who some might remember from Food & Wine and cooking classes with Chef Betania at Carysfort Kitchen. With more than 30 years of professional cooking and kitchen management experience, Chef Roly officially joined the ORC team last week. His impressive resume includes the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Little Palm Island, and The Miami City Club.

New Chef at Banquets:
Paul Larson started this week as the new Executive Banquet Chef, coming to ORC from The Saddle & Cycle Club in Chicago. A graduate from The Culinary Institute of America, Chef Paul’s resume also includes Le Plaza Hotel (Basel, Switzerland), The Four Seasons, and Blue Plate Catering in Chicago.

More Private Label Wines:
Those who love ORC private label wines will soon get more selections this season. ORC Bourgogne Blanc, ORC Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc, and ORC Dana Vaso cabernet. Coming soon to CH Prime, The Islander, and Port O’Call.

Batched Bourbons:
Some of the new bourbon releases this season include ORC Woodford Reserve Double Oak Batch #2, ORC Russell’s Reserve 10 Year Batch #1, and ORC Angel’s Envy Sherry Cask Batch #1. You will find them at most outlets and the new Spirits Bar.

OPENING DATES:
CH Prime reopens on Wednesday, November 13 and Everton’s Rum Bar will open Thursday, November 21, operating Thursday through Sunday. Stay tuned for the re-opening of the ORC Food Truck, currently undergoing some renovations, which will be open five days a week.