S3 Menu

S3 Restaurant Review:

Considering that this upscale-casual restaurant’s name, S3, stands for “sun-surf-sand,” it’s not surprising that it’s the closest-to-the-ocean restaurant along Fort Lauderdale’s beach (not beachfront, but just across the street), or that the whole space was designed to have views of the sun, surf and sand. The eclectic globally inspired mostly-small-plates menu is definitely more trend-driven than trend-setting --- a selective rundown of hip food from the past decade: mac ‘n’ cheese, sliders, the signature big burger, a crispy rice cake/tuna tartare item, etc. But long locally popular executive chef Chris Miracolo (formerly head kitchen honcho at farm-to-table Max’s Harvest) and sushi chef Songphon Rawangphan (ex-China Grill) prepare the dishes with considerable polish and, often, creative and/or ingredient embellishments, variations and upgrades. Especially appealing are produce-centered options like crispy baby artichokes with lemon caper aïoli, or, in season (October-December and April-June) grilled Zellwood corn, a triple-sweet variety from central Florida that’s prepared zesty Mexican-style with chile aïoli and queso cotija. Though many at this party place opt for cocktails, the wine list is varied and, except for a “reserves” section for big spenders, reasonably priced.