South Florida diners can enjoy the “fresh fruits of the sea” from off the coast of Chile and much more at Legado Restaurant in Downtown Hollywood.
Legado, which means “legacy” in Spanish, lives up to its name. Hollywood patrons are treated to the same authentic Northern Chilean cuisine served at the original Legado Restaurant that proprietor Luis Montenegro Carter opened in his native Copiapó in 2006.
Launched Aug. 24 at 1824 Harrison St., the new location’s menu showcases the variety of foods that the Copiapó Valley region is known for, from fish and shellfish to premium meats.
A gastronomy enthusiast who learned the secrets of the Northern cuisine as a child, Montenegro Carter had a dream of sharing the unique flavors and products of his homeland: abalones from Caldera, sea urchins and pink clams from Bahía Inglesa, salmon from Southern Chile, the country’s famous empanadas, and signature dishes like corn casserole and abalone stew. Legado’s patrons are drawn to the friendly, attentive service and homey yellow-and-red decor, as well as the food created by two chefs from Chile, said manager Gonzalo Montenegro Guggiana, Montenegro Carter’s son.
“Our food is amazing. The flavors are very different,” he said. “We have a mix of American and South American diners and a lot of repeat customers.”
The menu, which includes some international offerings, features grilled meat and poultry dinner entrées ($19 to $44) served with mashed potatoes, rice or salad: thin skirt steak, strip loin, porterhouse, rib eye, filet mignon, rabbit, chicken breast with shrimp and scallop sauce and gruyere cheese, and boneless lamb marinated in honey, black beer and rosemary.
Among the fish selections ($23 to $29.90) are Chilean sea bass, corvina, conger eel, swordfish, tuna and salmon with a choice of sauce; fish fillet cooked in parchment; and seafood risottos. Starters, beginning at $3 for empanadas, include a variety of carpaccios, sea urchin or abalone with green sauce, ceviches, chopped marinated octopus, seafood soups, and beef and corn casserole. The menu includes salads, side orders and desserts ($4.90 to $7.50) such as chocolate mousse, egg custard with syrup and Chilean Thousand Layers Cake. A lunch menu ($10.95 to $15.95 till 4 p.m.) and a kids’ menu are also available.
Montenegro Guggiana said the historic downtown arts, music and entertainment district was chosen as the home for a U.S.-based Legado Restaurant during a visit to South Florida in 2016.
“We started to look for a location, and my father fell in love with Downtown Hollywood,” he recalled. “He found something special here.”
Legado Restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday – Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 954-248- 6915, or visit
www.LegadoRestaurant.com or the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/legadorestaurantusa.
For more information about redevelopment projects, businesses and events in Hollywood’s Downtown and Beach Districts, call the Hollywood Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) at 954-924- 2980 or visit www.hollywoodcra.org.