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NEW BUSINESS | WESTON

Upscale Fresh is hot, cool, contemporary

A new restaurant club brings a late-night destination to the Weston Town Center.

 

Fresh Restaurant and Nightclub opened in Weston in March.
Fresh Restaurant and Nightclub opened in Weston in March.
Shannon Pease

Special to The Miami Herald

For patrons who want to drink and dance into the wee hours, Fresh Restaurant & Nightclub touts a new take on Weston nightlife.

``I wanted to make it an upscale venue for West Broward residents to enjoy without having to leave the area,'' said owner Jamie McDonnell, a Weston resident who took over the former home of Swig Bartini in March.

Tucked away in Weston Town Center, Fresh is a 6,000-square-foot space decorated with contemporary art in a setting that's bright with primary colors. Cushy couches make it easy to kick back and relax. The club has three full-service, granite-topped bars.

One of its attractions is Monday Night Madness, a weekly football party hosted by former Miami Dolphins players Sam Madison and Louis Oliver. Fans can watch the game on a large screen while the hosts deliver a live radio broadcast. The nightly special is a pitcher of beer and 10 chicken wings for $10. Other weekly specials include three-for-one drinks on Tuesdays, two-for-one Wednesdays, and free drinks for ladies Thursdays. A house disc jockey spins hits each night and there's live music Friday nights.

The idea of the name is that ``Fresh could be anything,'' McDonnell said. His take: ``It's new. It's contemporary. It's hot. It's cool.''

The menu offers items like spinach and artichoke dip appetizer ($9); a grilled mahi mahi sandwich ($9); and skirt steak with plantains and white rice ($18). The extensive martini choices include Fresh on the Beach, a sweet mix of orange vodka, peach schnapps and orange and cranberry juice ($11); and The Fresh, made with vodka, a hint of vermouth and olives ($13).

McDonnell doesn't have to go far to check on his other businesses. He also owns Libation, East City Grill, Stop Burgers and Del Vecchios Pizzeria -- all on the same block.

The hospitality business is a somewhat new venture for McDonnell, an inventor who created home safety testing kits for problems like household mold and lead.

Juggling an assortment of restaurants and businesses is definitely different.

``I'm having fun,'' he said.

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