Do you love great food? Do you enjoy wonderful music? Would you like to try some creative new drinks? Then El Agave is the place for you. Owners, Sam and Nelly Fakhoury, originally from Maryland, have been in the restaurant business for over 21 years. They are the proud owners of an Italian and Greek restaurant up north and opened El Agave in Lighthouse Point on Jan. 1. Sam believes the secret to a successful restaurant is generous portions, reasonable prices and using only the freshest ingredients. El Agave offers all three.

Agave Azul (blue agave) is a plant native to central Mexico. It produces edible flowers that are distilled and the end result is tequila. El Agave offers more than 40 kinds of tequila, domestic and imported beers and a full bar. Although there were several tempting cocktails to choose from, I ordered the wild berry margarita, made with a blend of wild berries, smooth tequila and crushed berries on top. It was outstanding.

Chef Antonio Brodziak has not only created amazing fresh Mexican dishes but also offers Spanish, Cuban and American cuisine. All salsas, sauces and dishes are made fresh daily in house. Salads and vegetarian dishes are also available. Restaurant consul-tant and gracious host, Miguel Faget, helped us navigate through the very extensive menu.

Choosing an appetizer was difficult since there are over 17 items from which to select. We were tempted to order the ‘guacamole shot,’ which is fresh homemade guacamole served with tortilla chips and two shots of silver or gold tequila! However, my husband and I selected the green quesadilla and the lobster and crab rolls to start. The lobster and crab rolls were fried to a crisp, golden finish, stuffed full of crab and lobster and served with a creamy habanero dipping sauce. They were yummy. The green quesadilla was a large flour tortilla filled with delicate sautéed baby spinach, artichoke hearts and cotija cheese and a balsamic reduction. The deep, rich flavors and the generous portion of this quesadilla could easily have made this an entrée. The fresh guacamole served with this dish was fantastic. It was hard not to fill up on the fresh chips, salsa and homemade guacamole. But we persevered!

For our main meal we chose the chicken fajitas and the carne asada. The fajitas were sizzling strips of savory chicken with roasted poblano pepper, tomatoes, onions and red and green peppers. These were served with the traditional pico de gallo, shredded cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, sour cream, guacamole and flour tortillas. They were tender and full of rich flavors that combined to make a delicious choice. The carne asada skirt steak is marinated until it is cooked to order. It was incredibly juicy and tender and melted in my mouth. It was served with yellow rice, refried beans and a cheese enchilada. The beautifully plated meal was superb.

Our waiter, Rick, brought us a mouth-watering trio of desserts to complete our delightful experience at El Agave. We sampled the tiramisu, the flan and the fried ice cream. The soft, moist cake and rich flavors of coffee and cream made the tiramisu simply delectable. The cool, creamy flan was served with fresh whipped cream and was as luscious as any I’ve ever enjoyed. Finally, the fried ice cream had vanilla ice cream surrounded by pound cake rolled in graham cracker crumbs and deep fried. It was drizzled with chocolate sauce and accompanied by fresh whipped cream. Simply scrumptious.

El Agave is available for special events, fund-raisers, and parties. Wednesday night offers a Mariachi band; karaoke is available on Sundays, and Thursday night is ladies night. El Agave also offers catering and delivery for both lunch and dinner. The restaurant is located at 4480 North Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point. Be sure to make this your next dining out experience. Until we eat again …