Tish Boyle’s Review Of Rooster In The Garden

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Since opening in 2018, Rooster in the Garden has become a popular dining spot in downtown Fort Pierce, and for good reason: It’s a charming restaurant with excellent food and service. The “Rooster” is the more casual sister restaurant of The Braford Steakhouse (located next door), and the two restaurants share executive chef Gregg DeAquair. The stylish interior is airy, bright, and opens onto a cozy outdoor dining patio.

The Rooster is known for its locally sourced ingredients, and the star of the show is the antibiotic- and hormone-free beef. It comes from the Braford cattle that are bred at the Adams Ranch, located just 20 miles away. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and brunch on Sundays from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and offers wine, beer and cocktails.

My husband and I stopped in for lunch recently and were very impressed with our meal. We started with a baby gem salad, composed of tender bibb lettuce, grape tomatoes, pickled red onions, chunks of Gorgonzola cheese, and a house-made blue cheese dressing. We also ordered the fried zucchini, which was perfectly seasoned and addictive, served piping hot with a creamy dipping sauce.

For my entree, I ordered the Adams Ranch open-faced steak sandwich. Slices of tenderloin were piled high on a hero roll and topped with a crimini mushroom sauce and a generous pile of house-made onion rings. It was quite possibly the best steak sandwich I’ve ever had. My husband opted for the beef tenderloin sliders, which were slathered with caramelized onions and a creamy “bistro” sauce—also outstanding.

Waleska, our attentive and knowledgeable server, recommended the peanut butter pie or crème brûlée for dessert, but we couldn’t find the room. We’ll make sure to stop back and try them very soon.

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