SPECIAL

At the Table newsletter: Indian eatery pops up in PB Gardens. Hot spots open in West Palm.

Liz Balmaseda
Palm Beach Post
A batch of margaritas is served at El Camino, which opened July 1 at The Square in West Palm Beach. The drink menu boasts a large collection of tequila and mezcal brands.

Indian eatery pops up in PB Gardens. New hot spots open in WPB. A Stuart favorite debuts in Jupiter.

Those crackling sounds you'll hear in the next few days may not just be Fourth of July fireworks. They could be the sounds of new restaurants popping open this weekend or preparing to do so soon. 

Let’s start with West Palm Beach, home to two new buzzy spots:

El Camino, the popular Delray Beach taquería, swings its doors open today at The Square plaza and hosts its grand opening weekend through the 4th. The new spot serves lunch, dinner, weekend brunch and two daily social hours (late afternoon and late-night). 

  • 700 S. Rosemary Ave., Suite 232 on the second floor of The Square plaza in downtown West Palm Beach, ElCaminoWestPalmBeach.com
Pig Beach BBQ's house-made barbecue sauces. The Brooklyn-born spot opened June 30 in West Palm Beach.

Pig Beach BBQ, the Brooklyn-born barbecue concept, made its big debut last night (June 30) on South Dixie Highway. The new casual restaurant and bar has transformed a former garage structure and CrossFit gym. 

Meanwhile, in Jupiter:

An array of menu items at Taco Shack in Stuart. The local favorite opened an outpost in Abacoa on July 1.

Taco Shack, Stuart’s go-to spot for creative tacos for the past 10 years, opens today in the former Duke’s Tacos and Margs space on Main Street in Abacoa.

The menu roams the world in a taco shell with offerings that include a Thai basil chicken taco with peanut sauce, a curried cauliflower taco, a “Bangin’ Buffalo Chicken” taco and “The Sticky” taco that’s filled with chicken tenders, Gouda cheese, candied jalapeños and a spicy honey drizzle. 

Of course, there are plenty of Mexican-inspired tacos here as well as appetizers, soups, stuffed avocados, nachos and sweets, plus a full cocktail bar. 

The grand opening kicks off at 3 p.m. with happy hour deals that run through 6 p.m. The party continues with live music to closing time.

A taste of Ela Curry Kitchen

Ela Curry Kitchen, a new restaurant coming to northern Palm Beach Gardens, will focus on traditional Indian cooking.

Ela Curry Kitchen, a traditional Indian restaurant by Chef Pushkar Marathe, is expected to open at the Donald Ross Village in northern Palm Beach Gardens in a few weeks. But Marathe is offering a preview taste of the upcoming spot next Wednesday night  (July 6) at his popular small-plates restaurant Stage on PGA Boulevard.

The Ela pop-up menu will be served mostly thali-style with multiple dishes and components served on a large plate. Dinner begins with shared appetizers (papadums and tomato chutney) and continues with the main thali presentation.

Main-dish thali options include Kolhapuri chicken, Kerala beef curry and paneer makhani. Other thali components include eggplant bhaji, moong usal, spinach-garlic daal, basmati rice, apple chutney, coconut-cilantro chutney and other options. For dessert, there’s rice kheer (pudding) and house-made gulab jamuns.

The Ela menu, which costs $55 per person (plus tax and tip), will be offered from 5 to 9 p.m. Wednesday. Reservations are suggested. To reserve a spot, call the restaurant at 561-408-3685 or visit OpenTable.com.

Fried Chicken Day

A Coolinary favorite since Day 1: fried chicken and waffles.

Fans of all things crispy chicken, your holiday approaches. National Fried Chicken Day arrives Wednesday. A few holiday deals to put on your radar:

Coolinary’s bird-and-bubbles specials. Chef Tim Lipman’s beloved restaurant and bar pays tribute to the dish that’s been a customer favorite since he opened the place 10 years ago – the fried chicken and jalapeño-cheddar waffle. On Wednesday, you can get it with a split of prosecco for $33. 

Lipman is also doing Tennessee-inspired hot chicken on a steamed bun, served with garlic aioli, pickled green tomato and a split of prosecco for $20. The specials will be offered from 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesday.

  • 4580 Donald Ross Road at Donald Ross Village, Palm Beach Gardens, 561-249-6760, TheCoolPig.com
The Regional's fried chicken bucket.

The Regional’s all-you-can-eat feast. Love Chef Lindsay Autry’s fried chicken, the  crispy treat Food Network declared as best in Florida? On Wednesday, you can have as much as you’d like of it when you order her three-course feast for $48 (plus tax and tip). 

The Regional is also offering 12-piece fried chicken buckets to go for $35 (usually $45). They come with a pint of coleslaw, bread-and-butter pickles and Autry’s House Sauce. Both deals start at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

Happy Fourth of July weekend! 

Liz Balmaseda