Wagyu Wellington Returns + The Cuban Restaurant Naples Keeps Talking About + Poll Results

Friends and Neighbors,

This week's newsletter is about traveling—both in a literal sense and through the tastes of different regions.

First, we're taking a look at Bleu Provence, where the next generation of the Cariot family is experimenting with a rotating summer menu that brings us to different states every week. They're also bringing back Chef Gaspard's Wagyu Beef Wellington for a handful of nights this summer, which has developed something of a following among regulars.

Then we're heading down to Chokoloskee for HavAnnA Cafe. If you've spent any time trying to find the most charming patio or the best Cuban sandwich, you've probably seen somebody mention it. It’s a good spot to know if you find yourself closer to the Everglades.

Thanks for being here, sending events, and putting spots on my radar! You help make this newsletter better. 

Thanks,

One of the challenges facing a restaurant that's been around for 27 years is finding ways to stay interesting without becoming something else and Bleu Provence appears to be trying exactly that.

The Naples French restaurant, founded by Jacques and Lysielle Cariot in 1999, is spending the summer running a weekly series called States of Summer. Every Thursday through Saturday, Chef Gaspard Cariot unveils a new three-course menu inspired by a different part of the country.

This week's route takes diners through California, Hawaii, and Georgia.

That means charred octopus with avocado toast, olive tapenade, roasted tomato and basil oil (California) pan-seared mahi-mahi with pineapple salsa and coconut-lime velouté (Hawaii); and a roasted peach pavlova topped with honey and toasted almonds (Georgia). The entire menu costs $52.99 and includes a glass of rosé lemonade.

What makes the concept interesting is that the menu changes every week through August. Last week featured Washington, New Mexico, and Florida. Next week will be something entirely different.

The summer series is arriving during a period of transition for the restaurant. While many Naples diners still associate Bleu Provence with founders Jacques and Lysielle, the second generation has stepped into leadership roles. Clément and Kevin Cariot now help oversee the family business, while Chef Gaspard is putting his own imprint on the menu.

That doesn't mean the restaurant has abandoned what made it successful.

The wine cellar still contains more than 3,000 labels and remains one of the most extensive collections in Southwest Florida. The restaurant continues to source ingredients from its 65-acre organic farm near Corkscrew. And classic French technique still shows up throughout the menu.

Perhaps nowhere more clearly than the return of Chef Gaspard's Wagyu Beef Wellington.

Available only five more nights this summer—June 26, July 10, July 24, August 14, and August 28—the dish starts with a center-cut Wagyu filet that's wrapped in mushroom duxelles, Bayonne ham, and house-made puff pastry before being served with grilled asparagus and a morel mushroom sauce. At $73.99, it's one of the restaurant's most anticipated seasonal offerings and one that regulars tend to plan around.

What's happening at Bleu Provence right now is more interesting than a typical summer prix-fixe menu. One of Naples' institutions has handed the keys to the next generation, and they’re finding new ways to give people a reason to come back.

Bleu Provence
1234 8th St S, Naples, FL 34102

States of Summer: Thu–Sat through August | $52.99
Wagyu Beef Wellington: June 26, July 10, July 24, Aug 14 & Aug 28 | $73.99
Happy Hour: Daily 5–6 p.m.
Dinner: Sun–Thu 5–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat 5–10 p.m.

https://www.bleuprovencenaples.com/ 

Every area seems to have one restaurant that gets recommended, despite being nowhere near the place being discussed. For Naples, HavAnnA Cafe is often that restaurant.

Located on Chokoloskee Island, just beyond Everglades City, the restaurant sits about 45 minutes from downtown Naples. Yet whenever locals start debating Cuban sandwiches, somebody inevitably brings it up.

Founded by Carlos and Dulce Valdez in the early 2000s, HavAnnA developed around two influences: Cuban cooking and the fishing culture of the Ten Thousand Islands. Carlos spent years as a commercial fisherman, which helps explain why seafood plays such a large role on the menu.

Yes, you'll find Cuban sandwiches, medianoches, roast pork, croquetas, black beans, and strong Cuban coffee. But you'll also find grouper, shrimp, fresh catch specials, stone crab when in season, and dishes like shrimp criollo that have built their own following over the years. The crab chowder gets mentioned almost as often as the sandwiches.

The setting is part of the appeal. Most of the seating is outdoors beneath palms and tropical landscaping, where the occasional chicken might cross your path.

The restaurant has changed ownership since its early years, but much of the identity remains intact. It still serves as a stop for fishermen, Everglades visitors, birders, and Naples residents who find themselves a bit further south. So the next time you're stopping at the Ten Thousand Islands boardwalk, bringing out-of-towners on an airboat tour or exploring Everglades City, think about heading to Chokoloskee.

HavAnnA Cafe
191 Smallwood Dr, Chokoloskee, FL 34138
havannacafe.com

Last week we asked: Which dining passport are you most interested in?

Here’s where you landed: 

Dusk took the crown this week with 28% of votes, narrowly beating Sofra at 27%. Given this audience's enthusiasm for sushi, I probably should have predicted the outcome. Know a sushi spot that deserves more love? Drop me a line!

Naples is always more interesting when the map stretches a little.

This week, that means a summer menu at Bleu Provence, a few rare Beef Wellington nights worth planning around, and a Cuban spot near the Everglades that locals keep recommending for a reason.

If you try either one, let me know what you think.

See you next edition,

Elizabeth Bellotti
Editor-In-Chief
Naples, Florida
The Naples Florida Review

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