Eddie Ritz, Palm Beach Post (Oct.17, 2024)
Palm Beach Gardens hot spot Stage Kitchen & Bar will soon give the South County area a taste of what they’ve been missing when they open a Boca Raton location in a few months.
Once again helmed by chef Pushkar Marathe and restaurateur Andy Dugard, under their joint venture Flavor Builders Hospitality, the new restaurant is slated to open in early 2025 along the stretch of Town Center Road known as ‘Restaurant Row.’
Known for their Indian-inspired small plates, the new Stage (pronounced “staahj”) will draw inspiration from the original, Palm Beach Gardens location.
Making the USA TODAY Restaurants of the Year 2024 list and featuring a James Beard Award semifinalist chef, the popular restaurant definitely earns the term ‘hot spot’ on merit. It also, however, earns it for the method of cooking which is over wood-burning, open flame grills.
Marathe said there is something very special and skillful about cooking over a wood-burning grill, “You have to speak to the fire… have a relationship.” He said you really have to learn the skill and understand the difference between a young fire and a fire that’s an hour and a half old, and to be able to feed it properly to keep it where you want it, for what you are cooking. He added that cooking over open flame is “one of my favorite things.”Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Much like the ones at the Gardens restaurant, the Boca Raton grills will be custom made including a 9-foot-long Spanish-style parrilla that was actually built in Spain.
When asked about the menu at the Boca Raton restaurant in comparison with the wildly popular offerings at the Palm Beach Gardens location, Marathe said the menu in Boca Raton will be “very much similar” to the one in Palm Beach Gardens, “But we’ll have a separate section on the menu to cater to Boca residents.” He said “People love their steaks… there will be a daily cut list, cooked to order, including wagyu.”
Marathe said that they will be bringing all the Stage classics from Palm Beach Gardens to the new Boca Raton location specifically naming the chicken liver pate, bang bang cauliflower and grilled tandoori niman ranch churrasco.
He will oversee both the Palm Beach Gardens and Boca Raton locations, he said, and will have chefs working under him at each. “I’ll always be there to spearhead the operation and the menu.”
Menu favorites at the Gardens location aren’t the only items that will travel south. Some popular beers brewed by nearby will also make an appearance. “We love our neighbors,” Marathe said. “We’ll take one or two from Twisted Trunk (down to Boca Raton).”
The new restaurant will be nearly 6,000 square feet and accommodate up to 189 guests with both indoor and covered outdoor seating. There will also be a 25-seat bar.
Setting the mood and helping recreate the ambiance that the Gardens location features will once again be Anna Woodman Interior Design. The restaurant will feature three distinct dining environments with deep blues and metallic hues of burnished bronze and copper.
Marathe said that he and Dugard have a great relationship working with Woodman. He said that she understands their ideas and vision and “brings them to reality.”
“Our guests’ experience begins the moment they step inside our door. Anna has and continues to be an integral part of our team, visually bringing to life our vision for that first impression” said Dugard.
Marathe said he’s excited about the being in the center of Boca Raton. He praised the area’s diversity, with potential customers ranging from professionals in high finance to students studying to enter the medical field at Florida Atlantic University.
“We’re excited to bring the eclectic, globally-inspired cuisine to Boca.”
What: Stage Kitchen & Bar
Where: 5377 Town Center Road, Boca Raton
Information: stagepga.com; instagram.com
About Anna Woodman Interior Design
Anna Woodman Interior Design (formerly Anna Schmidt Interior Design) is a professional interior design firm with an exceptional reputation built over the years through the design of one-of-a-kind spaces and strong client relationships. Established in 2003 and based in Jupiter, Fla., the firm has worked extensively with nationwide brands, franchises and upscale independent restaurants throughout the country, as well as many corporate and commercial spaces. For more information, visit annawoodmaninteriordesign.com or call (407) 399-6808.