Local restaurateurs breathe new culinary life into Sawgrass
words by Damon Noisette // photos by Agnes Lopez
The fate of the Oak Bridge Club was uncertain for a couple of years as its owner, Dave Miller, worked to convince Sawgrass residents to allow a portion of the golf course to be sold to a residential developer to fund a renovation of the aging track. While a meeting of county commissioners last month cemented the deal, the revitalization of the club actually began over a year and a half ago with the opening of 3 Palms Grille at Oak Bridge, a joint restaurant effort from the managing partner of Eleven South in Jacksonville Beach and the owners of Cap’s on the Water in Vilano Beach. The friends, John Nagy and his wife Karen Thomas, and Bernard and Vivian de Raad, had kicked around the idea of opening a restaurant together, and their venture is now one of the gated community’s best kept secrets.
What was once an aging clubhouse bar is now an updated, laid-back restaurant space with a massive covered patio and 3,000 total square feet that offers seating for over 160 guests. From inside, diners can look out through the windows across the patio to a lake and onto the golf course. They can also grab a drink from the new bar and head outside to the fire pit, grab a seat in an Adirondack chair and enjoy the view.
Executive chef Christopher Beck collaborated with the partners to create the seasonal menu for 3 Palms that they dub casual fine dining. It’s not the standard golf course clubhouse fare; elements of Eleven South and Cap’s are on hand with seafood appetizers like the large Maryland-style lump crab cake ($14) and ahi tuna tartare ($15). The crispy Korean broccoli ($10) appetizer is a clever way to get one to eat their vegetables, with the broccoli fried, cauliflower roasted and pickled Asian vegetables tossed in a savory and spicy Korean barbecue sauce.
3 Palms’ dinner menu skews closer to fine dining in pricing, with entrées ranging from $24 for a chicken marsala and gnocchi dish to $37 for the lobster Oscar, a Maine lobster with a béarnaise sauce and whipped Yukon Gold potatoes.
At lunchtime, the truffle parmesan frites ($6) are an easy addition to anything, served with a black garlic aioli and more than a hint of truffle oil. Word from the general manager is the grilled chicken and wild mushroom risotto ($19) and warm spinach and bacon salad ($12) are, unfortunately, unlikely to stay on the menu as they transition to the summer season. Here’s hoping the Mojo pork sandwich ($15), with its juicy braised pulled pork and cabbage and green apple slaw sticks around for a little while longer.
Open Sesame
The restaurant is located inside the gates at Sawgrass on the west side of A1A. To get in, all you need to say is “I’m headed to 3 Palms.”
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Whatever the Hour
3 Palms is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, and brunch on Sundays, with happy hour and bar specials Tuesday through Friday from 3:30 to 7 PM. It is closed on Mondays.
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Book Your Time
Reservations can be made via the OpenTable app or by calling the restaurant if you don’t see a time that suits your fancy.
