Review: Cobalt’s delicious food, chic ambiance, ocean view never disappoint

It is that time of the year when I am frequently asked by readers where to take a holiday visitor for a nice lunch or dinner.  With so many great Indian River County restaurants, that is a hard question to answer but I’ll share a recent experience.

A new friend was traveling up from southern Martin County to meet for lunch in Vero Beach. Considering the length of time she would spend driving, I wanted to be sure that she would be rewarded with a delicious lunch in a beautiful location: a destination lunch. After sorting through a number of restaurant ideas, I decided upon the very first restaurant that had originally come to mind, Cobalt in the Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa.

With its beautiful location right on the beach, its chic ambiance and delicious food, Cobalt always seems to deliver.

The day arrived and Toniann, our server, lived up to her end of the bargain. She was attentive but we never felt rushed. She gave us plenty of time to marvel over the sparkling cobalt blue Atlantic Ocean view, catch up with each other and peruse the menu while enjoying refreshing glasses of iced tea.

Deciding upon a starter for the table, we agreed that the calamari ($15) was tender and flavorful, a more than generous serving for three to share. The accompanying charred tomato salsa added a tasty zing.

When my guest read about the fried green tomato BLT sandwich ($13) she exclaimed that she had been thinking about fried green tomatoes all morning and was thrilled to see them on the menu. She was even happier to eat them tucked between slices of toasted challah bread with pimento cheese, delicious strips of smoked bacon and arugula. The sandwich came with a bright, colorful side of assorted fresh fruit.  Other side options were French fries, vegetable slaw or mixed greens.

Cobalt’s lunch special ($18) appealed to another guest. She requested her salmon cooked through and it was prepared perfectly to her order while retaining moistness and flavor.  Accompanying the salmon was a rice cake and grilled asparagus.

I am a sucker for the Woodstone zucchini rollatini ($14).  Arriving in a baking casserole, the perfect rolls of tender zucchini were stuffed with herb and garlic whipped brie and baked in a luscious tomato sauce.  The center roll was topped prettily with a little mound of crispy basil.  So yummy!

We were all delighted by our menu choices and the friendly, professional service. The pleasing, upscale dining room and, most importantly, the fantastic ocean view, made it a lovely destination lunch.

Maribeth Renne dines anonymously at the expense of TCPalm for #WhatToDoIn772. Contact her at [email protected] or follow @mebpeb on Twitter.

Cobalt

• Cuisine:  American
• Address:  3500 Ocean Dr., Vero Beach
• Hours: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday to Thursday; 7 a.m. to midnight Friday; 8 a.m. to midnight Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday
• Phone: 772-469-1060
• Website: cobaltrestaurant.com

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