South Florida history, dining, things to do

Valentine's Day dining in Fort Lauderdale 2026

2026-01-07T13:04:00.026-05:00

By Jane Feehan

With Valentine's Day falling on Saturday this year, it's bound to be tough to make reservations. Not all eateries will have special menus that evening. If they do, reservations will be necessary (most take them online). Some restaurants have a dress code.

Below is a list of restaurants that may score high on romantic ambiance. However, a mention here is not an endorsement.

More will be added as (or if) they announce special menus, so visit this post frequently.

Pier Sixy-Six has provided a Valentine's Day weekend itinerary. See below.

15th Street Fisheries - 1900 S.E. 15th Street - 954-763-2777. On the Intracoastal

Aruba Beach Cafe - Lauderdale by-the-Sea beach. 954-776-0001. No reservations.

Blue Moon Fish Co. - Lauderdale by-the-Sea, 954-267-9888 - on the Intracoastal at Tradewinds Ave.

BoatYard Fort Lauderdale -SE 17th Street, - 954-525-7400 - Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 3-7 pm., see a great bites menu online.

Burlock Coast at Ritz Carlton - 1 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. - 954-302-6460

Cafe Vico - 1125 N. Federal Hwy., near Sunrise Blvd. 954-565-9681

Camille's Italian Restaurant - 4165 Dixie Hwy (Oakland Park) 954-765-6496. Valentine's menu now available online.

Capitol Grille - Galleria on E. Sunrise Boulevard - 954-446-2000

Casa D'Angelo - 1201 N. Federal Hwy (in shopping plaza) 954-564-1234 - fine Italian dining.

Catch and Cut - 1309 E. Las Olas Boulevard -954-533-1838 - roof top lounge with dining downstairs

Daniel's, The Florida Steakhouse - 620 So. Federal Hwy,-

954-451-1200 (recently tapped as Florida's best steakhouse)

Il Paesano - 2465 E. Oakland Park -954-396-1700 - two seatings, at 6 pm and 8 pm. Make reservation through Yelp. First seating may be sold out. Very small, but popular eatery and market.

Lobster Bar Sea Grille - 450 E. Las Olas Blvd. - 954-772-2675

Mai-Kai - 3599 N. Federal- 563-3272. Limited valet only, for $8. They advise to take ride share or taxi.

MAASS at the Four Seasons - 525 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard - 954-256-0000

Olive & Sea - Hilton Hotel 1881 SE 17th St. Intracoastal view - 954-527-6716 Surf and Turf Valentine's special with "decadent dessert"

Pier Sixty-Six - 17th Street Causeway - provided an itinerary for Valentine's Day weekend.

· February 11

o Celebrate Galentine's Day with our Bubbles & Bloom experience at Garni

· February 13-14

o Enjoy Valentine's Day with a special dinner menu at our signature restaurant Calusso

· February 14

o Breakfast at Tiffany's themed brunch at Garni

o Valentine's Day Dinner at Sotogrande

OpenTable for direct reservations for each restaurant provided below:

· Garni

· Calusso

· Sotogrande

The Pier Top lounge - 954-565-9681 will also be open and and available for a walk through visit if there is no seating. Dress code.

S3 (surf, sun, sand) - 505 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. (next to Hilton) - 954-523-SURF (7873)

Seasons 52 (at the Galleria on Sunrise Blvd.) 954 537-1052

Sandbar Grill

Sun Tower Hotel - Sandbar Grill - 954-565-5700 - very casual - shorts and sandals. On the beach. Only open until 9 pm. Try lunch or late afternoon. Sand is a few feet away. Casual food. Difficult to park so take ride share or cab. Next to Pelican Resort. Call to see what they plan. They said they may have something special. Lovely setting.

Takato at the Conrad - 551 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd. - 954-414-5160. Japanese -Korean Fusion

The Dalmar Hotel rooftop (a Marriott signature hotel) - 954-745-1369 - 299 N. Federal Highway - Rooftop dining and bar at the Sparrow.

Tags: Valentine's Day dinner in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Valentine's Day restaurants in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale Happy Hours with small bites menus

2025-12-26T18:12:00.021-05:00

Restaurant and bar "happy hours" command attention in Fort Lauderdale but they don't always come with food specials. Why not small plates or appetizers as a satisfying alternative to a heavy meal?

Below is a list of Fort Lauderdale dining venues with Happy Hour drinks and appetizers or small bites. Most special pricing applies only to bar seating. Please call restaurants to confirm pricing and availability, which can change with seasons and business operations. Additional establishments will be added. This is a list only, not endorsements.

Aruba Beach Cafe - Lauderdale-by-the-Sea - 954-776-0001. Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4-7 pm. Special pricing for drinks and appetizers.

Blue Moon Fish Co.- Lauderdale-by-the-Sea - 954-267-9888. Happy Hour Monday-Saturday, 4-7 pm. Specially-priced food items may include oysters on the half shell, braised mussels and salmon sliders.

Boat Yard Fort Lauderdale -SE 17th Street, - 954-525-7400 - Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 3-7 pm., see a great bites menu online.

15th Street Fisheries, SE. 15th Street, off Cordova Road. 954-763-2777. Happy Hour drinks Monday-Friday, 4-6 pm. Full service menu, including appetizers, available at bar, but not at discount.

Burlock Coast at the Ritz Carlton - Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard (near Las Olas), 954-302-6460 Happy Hour drinks and food pairings for $25 Monday-Friday 5-7 pm.

Caffe Europa - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-763-6600, Happy Hour drinks and small bites Monday-Friday 4-6 pm.

Capitol Grille - 954-446-2000 - at the Galleria-3-6 pm, drink specials and small plates. See linked menu.

Flemings Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-233-3327, "Social Hour," Thursday - Sunday 4-6 pm. Drinks and shareable bites as well as a more robust bar menu.

Lobster Bar - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-772-2675, Happy Hour, Monday-Friday,4:30-7:30 pm. Drink discounts and interesting bar menu online.

Louie Bossi - Las Olas - 954-356-6699- Happy Hour (Aperativo Hour) daily 4-7 pm. Special drink prices and half-off pizzas and other discounted items.

Mai-Kai, Federal Highway - 954-563-3272. Happy Hour, 4 -7 pm daily. Drinks 50% off. Appetizers. Limited valet parking, rideshare suggested

S3 - Beach House at Hilton Resort - N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Boulevard - 954-523-7873. Happy Hour Monday-Friday, 4-7 pm at the bar and fire pit. Snack menu featuring Asian bites and sushi.

Seasons 52 - Galleria - 954-537-1052 - Monday-Friday 3-6 pm Happy Hour drinks and discounted food items such as flatbreads.

Shooter's Waterfront - Oakland Park Boulevard at the Intracoastal - 954-566-2855 - Monday-Friday 4-6 pm with discounted drinks and small plates or bites. I've seen small plates of lamb chops among their offerings.

Sunness Supper Club - 954-491-6611- East Sunrise Blvd., across from Galleria. Daily Happy Hour 5-7 pm with "specials on cocktails, wine and small plates."

Truluck's - Central Beach - at Paramount condo - 954-980-2255 - Happy Hour nightly 4-6:30 pm. Specially-priced bites and dips available.

Cafe Vico - Federal Highway, near Sunrise - 954-565-9681 - 4 -7 pm; "Italian bits" at the bar and piano music.

YOLO - Las Olas Boulevard - 954-523-1000, Happy Hour, Monday-Friday, 3-7 pm. Robust drink and bar bites menu.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale Happy Hours with small bites, Fort Lauderdale dining, Fort Lauderdale Happy Hour

Lotus Chinese Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale, small eatery with a big following

2024-12-27T10:52:00.006-05:00

At Federal near Oakland Park Boulevard
(Kenann building in background)

Lotus Chinese Kitchen
3020 North Federal Hwy, Ste 1, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33306
954-566-5565
954-566-5605
LotusChineseKitchen.com

Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday -Friday – 12 pm-9 pm
Saturday and Sunday 3 pm-9 pm

By Jane Feehan

Open for more than four decades, Lotus Chinese Kitchen seems to be outliving its competition. They operated in Wilton Manors for most of their history but moved to Federal Highway near Oakland Park Boulevard about two or three years ago. The new location, with a prominent neon sign facing Federal Highway, has helped grow its reputation and customer base.

The restaurant seats about 45 patrons, far fewer than at the old location; at times there is a wait. It’s worth it.

Their menu features standard Chinese fare such as egg rolls, fried spring rolls, dumplings (steamed or fried) egg drop soup (and other soups), and favorites such as Kung Pao Chicken or Orange Chicken. Their robust menu also includes seafood or beef dishes, noodles and rice choices and a lineup of vegetarian plates. It’s all here and quite good. Quality and quantity have not changed over the years. Their fried rice choices—beef, chicken, shrimp, vegetable—could also serve as a main course. Wine and beer are available.

Yu Shang Shrimp

Service is good. Parking is easy and free. Lotus does not take reservations. They were open for Christmas 2024 and told me they were extremely busy. They expect the same for New Year’s Eve and day. . They operate year-round, closing only for Thanksgiving. If Christmas or New Year’s Eve or day fall on a Monday, they close.

Lotus also offers takeout.

Tags: Chinese restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants open Christmas, restaurants open New Year's Eve, restaurants open New Year's day, Fort Lauderdale dining

ALDI prices ring up inflation relief

2024-12-22T16:35:00.003-05:00

Fort Lauderdale

By Jane Feehan

I’ll admit it. I came late to ALDI world. With grocery store prices going up monthly, if not weekly, at other markets, I decided to see what all the bargain buzz is about.

For those unfamiliar with these no-frills stores, a short list provided below of items for comparison to some other supermarkets may prove interesting; the lower prices may even send some running there. I hesitate listing prices because they change as does inventory but estimates of how a product stacks up to those of other stores is provided. Savings are substantial at ALDI--no question.

With US headquarters in Illinois, the chain claims “2,000 stores across 36 states.” More are on the way if there is not one in your area yet.

My purchases December 2024

Aluminum foil – a dollar+ less than at other stores

Avocados – the weeks I went, they were about 65 cents each – at least half the price of those at other stores.

Lacura Makeup Removing Cleansing Towelettes – less than $2.00 per package of 25 at my purchase; at other stores they generally run $5.99-8.99

Honey – organic – about a third less than at other stores

Maple Syrup –organic 100% pure – nearly half the price of other places for 12.5 ounces when I made the purchase.

Kitty litter 14 pounds in easy pour container with handle, about $4-5 less than other stores.

Cat food – small cans – about 20 cents less.

Facial tissue – slightly smaller box but about a dollar less than other stores.

Orange juice – 52 Fl. Ounces, about half the price of that at other markets

Paper plates – a dollar+ less than same quantities at other stores

Raisin bread – about half the price of popular stores. Slightly smaller size and with a small window of expiration but freezes well and tastes great. Wide assortment of other breads

Sponges – a package of three, about half the price at other stores

Waffles – frozen – about $2 less than other stores in a box with more servings.

Wet mopping cloths, small size - about $1.40 less than other comparable store brands (and same quality).

Wines generally run about $8-9.99 with a couple at $14.99. Reds are quality blends.

Bring a quarter to insert for a grocery cart; when the cart is returned the quarter will be available.

By the way, checkout lines go very fast; cashiers don’t bag groceries. Bring a bag and stop at a counter provided on the way out where customers can bag or box.

Visit www.aldi.us to sign up for weekly deals via email.

Tags: ALDI, Grocers in Fort Lauderdale, SOFLA grocers

Doc B's in Fort Lauderdale worth a visit

2024-12-10T17:47:00.002-05:00

Doc B's

https://www.docbsrestaurant.com/locations/fort-lauderdale

452 N. Federal Highway (near Fresh Market)
Fort Lauderdale FL 33301
754-900-2401
M-Thurs: 11 am-10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am -11 pm
Sun: 10:30 am-9 pm
Happy Hour, M-F, 5-7

By Jane Feehan

Part of a small chain of nine or 10 stores*, Doc B’s in Fort Lauderdale attracts a steady stream of customers for brunch, lunch, dinner or drinks and food at the bar.

Their menu presents a casual line up of salads, chicken variations or beef dishes such as ribs, burgers, and steaks. Seafood is limited but shrimp and blackened white fish for sandwiches are available. Bar food includes wings, tasty meatballs, guacamole with house- made sweet potato chips and a variety of other items. For those with a sweet tooth, “Homemade Oreo ice cream,” headlines the list (it's delish).

Burgers and salads will make most customers smile. I tried their turkey burger, an exceptional version with avocado, tortilla strips and an excellent vinaigrette. The dressed up blackened fish sandwich also elicited accolades. On another visit, I chose the California salad with an add-on of grilled chicken. The waiter asked if I wanted the chicken cold or hot. The menu description—grilled—implied (to me) that it would be hot. The salad arrived with warmed up strips of tough chicken. However, the dish didn’t need anything else with its kale, avocado, dried cranberries, roasted sweet potatoes, wasabi peas, pistachio and tortilla and that tasty vinaigrette. Wow, a knockout!

If you’re looking for fancier chicken dishes, such as chicken paillard, this may not be the place. I was disappointed on a subsequent visit with that choice. Typically, paillard is chicken pounded so thin it covers a plate. Doc B’s version was a tough chicken breast barely exposed to the meat pounder. It was blanketed with a generous portion of arugula drizzled with that excellent vinaigrette, which redeemed it … sort of.

The atmosphere is trendy and appeals to all ages. Seating is available both inside and on a covered patio or adjacent tables with umbrellas A bar greets customers at the entrance with tables arranged around it. Service is excellent. Reservations suggested, especially for brunch. Free parking is available in an adjoining garage.

*Other locations: Coral Gables, and Tampa in Florida, several in Texas, including an excellent one in Austin at the Domain, Chicago, Indiana and a new one soon in North Carolina.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale dining, casual dining in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale brunch, Happy Hour in Fort Lauderdale

Restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano 2024

2024-12-08T14:26:00.021-05:00

For Christmas dining some establishments take reservations via Open Table (check there first); others take phone reservations. Call to confirm they are open. Some places change plans depending on reservations, which most require for that day.

This is not an inclusive dining list. Restaurants may be added below.

Anthony’s Clam House (Commercial Boulevard) – 954-467-9720

Aruba Beach Café (Lauderdale-by-the Sea) – 954-776-0001

Batch New Southern Kitchen and Tap (Flagler Village) -754-757-0000

Benihana (Lauderdale-by-the-Sea) – 954-776-0111

Blue Moon Fish Co. (Lauderdale-By-the-Sea) 954-267-9888

Burlock Coast (Ritz Carlton on FTL beach) – 954-302-6460

Café Max (Pompano) – 954-782-0606

Cafe Sensei (Pan Asian, E. Las Olas Boulevard) 954-530-4176

Chima Steak House (Las Olas Boulevard) – 954-712-0580

Dal Contadina Trattoria (FTL off Oakland Park Blvd) – 954-900-2714

Del Frisco’s Grille (FTL downtown) – 754-312-3235

Dune (FTL Auberge Beach Residences A1A) - 754-900-4059

EaTapas (Oakland Park) -754-779-7554

Evelyn’s Four Seasons (FTL beach) – 754-336-3100

Flanigan's (several around town) Oakland Park 954-493-5329

Fogo de Chao (FTL downtown) – 754-900-3111

Lasso Gaucho Brazilian Steakhouse (FTL Sunrise Blvd) – 754-223-4660

Lotus Chinese - (Federal near Oakland) 954-566-5565 first come, first served

Morton’s Steak House (FTL downtown) – 954-467-9722

The Terrace at The Dalmar (FTL Marriott on U.S. 1) 954-945-9500

Timpano (Las Olas) – 954-462-9119

Vitolo – Conrad Hotel (FTL central beach) – 954-414-5100

Wild Sea Las Olas (FTL Las Olas Boulevard) -954-467-2555

Zuckarello's - (FTL E. Commercial Blvd. 776-4282

Tags:

Restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach,

restaurants open Christmas Day in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants open Christmas Day in Pompano

Chowder Heads dominates New England style seafood in Jupiter

2023-05-08T10:40:00.005-04:00

Lobster roll

Chowder Heads
Driftwood Plaza
2123 South US 1, Jupiter, FL 33477
561-203-2903

https://chowderheadsusa.com

info@chowderheadsusa.com

Open 11:30 am – 9 pm Monday through Sunday

By Jane Feehan

If Chowder Heads were in a place with more foot traffic, there would be a line waiting for a table. This is the place to go for New England style seafood in the Jupiter area. They’ve earned “The Best of Jupiter” award four years.

The award is well deserved.

Lobster, lobster rolls, clams, clam strips head the lineup of typical New England fare, but the menu includes much more such as haddock, shrimp and scallops, and of course New England (or Manhattan) chowder and lobster bisque. Their rolls, the buttery, soft, lightly toasted rolls one would expect “up North” for seafood sandwiches hold sweet pieces of lobster, shrimp or scallops. All delicious and fresh. Onion strings (or rings) are among the best anywhere.

Haddock McLaughlin

We lunched on the lobster roll and scallop roll. These were so good we returned for the Chowder Heads signature dish, Haddock McLaughlin. Lightly cracker crusted, the super fresh fish serving was generous as were two lemon wedges --something not served with regularity at other seafood restaurants. An encore order of onion strings and a hefty salad completed the meal. A subtlety-spiced creamy sauce and a catsup-based sauce accompanied all meals. The creamy version earns a big nod. It’s a terrific complement to any dish. Burgers, chicken and pasta dishes and an array of tasty salads and soups also available.

Chowder Heads, a small eatery, is casual, with seating inside and a few tables outdoors. Reservations available but not necessary unless for a large party. A small bar serves beer and wine and a TV is available for sports enthusiasts. Parking is easy. They do a brisk takeout business and orders can be submitted online.

Customers come from other towns. One said he stops by at least every two weeks from Palm Beach Gardens. It’s worth the eight-mile drive from Palm Beach Gardens; traffic on US 1 in this area is light. Get to Chowder Heads for your "lobsta" and plenty more.

Tags: Jupiter seafood, Juno seafood, Palm Beach County seafood, New England seafood in South Florida, Lobster restaurant

Cafe Sole scores a home run by touching all the bases in Juno

2023-04-18T14:20:00.003-04:00

Café Sole

Grouper Livornese

4300 U.S. Highway 1, Space 202 (near Publix) Jupiter 33477 (Jupiter-Juno)
https://www.cafe-sole.com/
561-612-0575
Breakfast – 7-10:30 am
Lunch – 10:30 am-3:30 pm
Dinner – 4-10 pm
Takeout available

By Jane Feehan

It’s hard to miss Café Sole with its bright yellow umbrellas atop a small patio in front of the eatery. Its proximity to Publix, a door or two away, attracts customers; great food builds its reputation.

The patio seats a handful of patrons during the day. Inside a modest décor with tables covered with crisp, white linens and a square bar provides a cozy neighborhood ambiance. A small criticism: a horizontal mirror behind the two-seat tables would accommodate the polite diners who opt for or had no choice about the wall-facing seat.

Few restaurants serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and do it well. Café Sole does. Menu offerings are extensive. Their house-made focaccia bread serves as delicious envelopes for sandwiches and the foundation for their popular pizza. The Rosemary Chicken Sandwich and Blackened Red Snapper – both on focaccia—with dressing and a crunchy topping of slaw and onion ranked as my blue-ribbon winners. Few finish Café Sole portions.

A return trip to sample dinner proved to be just as satisfying. Grouper Livornese—capers, tomatoes and olives—served with perfectly sauteed spinach and a large dollop of mashed potatoes was commendable for freshness and taste. A small house salad was marred by thick dressing that didn’t pour from a small take-out type plastic container, a small complaint for an otherwise outstanding meal.

“We have one of the best happy hours,” claimed the waiter. Good wines at $6 verified the claim. A collection of wines and an array of cocktails draws a collection of friendly neighbors served by cheerful staff. In addition to the food, people gather here for fun.

Takeout business is brisk at the café. Customers walking out with takeout orders is a common sight – even on Easter Sunday. I can taste why and highly recommend this Jupiter/Juno jewel.

Lots of menu choices for every meal (see their online menus, you’ll be enticed), great taste and service…will prompt my next visit, which will be for breakfast. Parking is easy to find near the Café Sole entrance; the restaurant sits in a shopping center. The location is listed as Jupiter-Juno. The mailing address may be Jupiter but the location is Juno Beach.

Rosemary Chicken on focaccia

Tags: Jupiter restaurants, Juno restaurants, Jupiter seafood restaurants, Juno seafood restaurants, Jupiter breakfast, Juno breakfast, Jupiter patio dining, Juno patio restaurants

Little Moir's Leftovers Cafe - among Jupiter's best, Florida's best

2023-03-29T15:25:00.005-04:00

Little Moir’s Leftovers Café

451 University Blvd., Jupiter, FL 33458, 561-627-6030
Pet friendly; call to confirm appropriate seating is available.
No reservations. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. – 9 p.m.;

Friday and Saturday, 11 am until 9:30 pm.
Check their calendar on website for bands.
https://www.littlemoirsjupiter.com/leftovers-cafe

By Jane Feehan

Making Yelp’s list (2023) of top 100 restaurants in Florida, Leftovers Café in Jupiter should be on everyone’s roster of must-dine at establishments when visiting Palm Beach County. It’s one of Little Moir’s collection of great seafood eateries in the area.

A small, but elongated dining room in an unassuming corner of a shopping plaza welcomes patrons to a very casual atmosphere some might describe as funky. Walls painted in a Florida motif of oranges on green leaves and a wood (faux?) floor complete the theme. If visiting at the right time, a live band and singer will greet you with easy rock sounds. A small bar serves beer and wine and daily cocktail concoctions that staff eagerly participate in creating.

Menus are also daily creations offering the freshest fish around. I supped on an oversized filet of potato-crusted Pompano—a SOFLA fish getting harder to find each year and a bargain meal at $24. Served with a huge mound of sauteed vegetables (broccoli, pepper, onion, squash, cauliflower and more), the dish was destined to come home with me as leftovers…and so this reason for the name, right?

Wrong.

Owner Mike “Little Moir” coined the name when he picked out the space for his new restaurant in 2008. It was filled with an assortment of things left there. It proved to be prescient choice.

Back to my meal: it came plated with a tiny cup (a bit larger than dipping sauce size) of a tropical spiced fruit salad and another metal cup with a taste of fried plantains. Dessert was an oversized piece of oatmeal bread pudding. It was a very distant cousin of the bread pudding people are familiar with along the Gulf Coast of Mississippi and Louisiana, but still a taste bud tantalizer.

Leftovers menu includes sushi, pasta, chicken and beef in an array of preparations. This café thought of everyone and cooks it in an open kitchen every which way.

Check menu variations online. Great staff. Parking is free and it's fairly easy to get a spot. Busy weekday lunch hour traffic may present a few brief issues.

Tags: Little Moir's Leftovers Cafe, Leftovers Cafe, Jupiter restaurants, Jupiter seafood restaurants

Another restaurant win for Jupiter, FL - 1000 North

2020-10-12T10:51:00.005-04:00

1000 North

Jupiter, FL 33477

https://www.1000north.com
561-570-1000 -

Reservations suggested. Call for hours

By Jane Feehan

I love Jupiter. Beautiful beaches, plenty of New Jersey accents and some outstanding restaurants. Retired hooper Michael Jordan and partners added to its list of must-try eateries when he opened 1000 North in 2018.

Name and address the same, 1000 North sits off US 1 along the Intracoastal. Most seating—inside and out on the patio—provides a terrific view of the waterway and a peak at the historic Jupiter Lighthouse. A private club on the second floor draws a young crowd at night during the winter season.

I recently stopped by for a Saturday brunch. COVID-careful, the place was busy with ample room between tables and wait staff with gloves and masks. The menu offered enough choices to please most palates.

We ordered Lobster Benedict, Chicken Street Corn Chicken and Crispy Brussel Sprouts. The lobster dish came with two medium-poached eggs astride an English muffin in Hollandaise sauce, a generous serving of watercress with a simple but tangy light dressing and, of course, a lobster tail. Street Corn Caesar, a variation of that traditional salad, is touted as one of their more popular dishes. With thick pieces of sliced chicken and crunchy seasoned corn atop crispy Romaine lettuce, it earned its place on the list of “populars.” Both plates pleased but the Crispy Brussel Sprouts, a side dish, took the taste prize. Caramelized in an air fryer along with huge fresh mushrooms, onions and with a drizzle of lemon aioli, this large side served as a conversation piece; it provided the perfect counterpoint to the other dishes we sampled.

Perhaps most of the conversation will center on the clientele, many who probably don’t know who Michael Jordan is nor his place in basketball history. This youngish well-heeled crowd, mostly under 40, dressed in haute couture casual, some with Jimmy Choo shoes, many in long resort-style dresses. This is not a place for cutoffs, jeans and flipflop shoes. Some men wore stylish shorts but I didn’t see any women in them. The beautiful people gather at this exceptional restaurant. I’ll be back but after I try Tiger Woods’ place—Woods Jupiter—a couple of miles away.

Reservations suggested. Call for hours of operation; COVID concerns prevail at this writing. Valet parking.

Tags: Jupiter, FL restaurants

Crispy Brussel Sprouts

Fort Lauderdale, Miami history posts moving to ...

2020-07-04T15:59:00.001-04:00

Please note: History posts on this blog are moving to: JanesHistoryNook.blogspot.com

Fort Lauderdale Beach quarantine days

2020-05-02T09:42:00.000-04:00

Spell mouthwatering: Tarpon River Cafe Absolute Catering

2019-01-06T17:50:00.000-05:00

Tarpon River Café Absolute Catering

14 SW 11 Street

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315

954-767-8306

Lunch, 11:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Monday through Friday

Lunch first Saturday of each month

Catering for organizations, weddings and other special occasions

For my history posts, please see index here AND visit: JanesHistoryNook.blogspot.com

By Jane Feehan

Just out of the shadows of downtown Fort Lauderdale sits an unpretentious, terrazzo-floored tiny café shrouded in trees and other flora. It would be easy to miss except for a small sign indicating its business or if someone invites you as I was.

Catering is chef/owner Chris Stachowski’s primary occupation here, but what a find for lunch. He whips up a new menu of five entrees and a soup each day; all entrees are priced at $11. With 24-hour-notice, he’ll fill a special meal request as well as requests for the next month’s Saturday lunch.

A large group of us—about 15—ordered across the menu. I sampled a delicious, slightly spiced clam

Turkey, brie and cranberry ciabatta

chowder and off-the-frame turkey, brie and cranberry creation on a ciabatta roll. It was served with a choice of a green salad or pasta salad; the large-portioned pasta salad of perfectly-cooked macaroni ranks as one of the best I’ve had. One of us ordered a ham plate, a few others ordered pork loin—all with eye-popping thick cuts of meat. Turkey slices in my sandwich were nearly a half-inch thick as well as they were for a large off-the- menu salad entrée one diner requested. Extremely accommodating, Chef Chris also served an off-the-menu burger with several slices of bacon draped over the meat. Desserts are house made by Chris’s sister, Beth, who serves as baker extraordinaire of an array of mouthwatering pies and cakes.

With deep, life-long roots in Fort Lauderdale, Chris comes with an impressive resume and thick portfolio of wedding, special occasion and business clients as well as repeat catering customers, including Saint Anthony Church Women’s Guild. Also, for about a decade, he served as a yacht chef—one of the most demanding roles in the culinary field. He’s also been an award-winning participant in local seafood festivals…and in fishing tournaments. Chris’s interests extend to horticulture, evidenced by his collection on 11th Street of fruit-bearing trees, a cinnamon tree, three varieties of pineapple, and herbs and vegetables and a project dear to his heart: an orchid farm, which is under development.

Stop by with a big appetite or to preview a catering menu. Easy parking at Tarpon River Café, which lies across the street from historic Trinity Lutheran Church. The café is an inexpensive and peaceful alternative to the hub bub of downtown. Patio or indoor dining.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale caterers, Fort Lauderdale catering, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, downtown Fort Lauderdale lunch

Mastro's Ocean Club Fort Lauderdale - Skip it

2018-10-06T19:18:00.001-04:00

Mastro's Ocean Club

3000 NE 32 Ave.

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

954-561-4800

Though open nearly three months, Mastro’s Ocean Club has nothing together. Formerly the Chart House (and at one time the very good Harrison’s on the Water), this Landry’s-owned eatery should be an embarrassment to its executives. Tilman Fertitta, where are you?

We stopped in on a Thursday in early October to find the interior layout to be the same as before except new, darker colors. At 6:30 p.m. its large dining room with a view of the Intracoastal Waterway was empty. Only the bar area with a few of its high-top tables stood occupied.

Yet, we had to wait 20 minutes for two glasses of wine. It was downhill from there. I usually can anticipate a fairly good meal if it’s launched with good bread and a decent salad. If that were a cue, we should have left immediately. The bread was dry, stale and tasteless. The $15 salads— Caesars and a chopped salad—were just as bad. The Caesars was drenched in what tasted like bottled dressing.

Next up: Alaskan Halibut and Chilean Sea Bass, about $48 each served with huge carving knives fit for a cow’s slaughter. Overly thick filets did not make up for the bland unimaginative preparation. Not a lemon wedge nor other garnish. A la carte servings of gummy, tasteless creamed spinach and watery (instant?) garlic, void of garlic, mashed potatoes were just as uninspired.

We left a little after 8 p.m. and still no one in the dining room. The bar was busy with drinkers and appetizer enthusiasts—not enough to keep this place open. Mastro’s boasts a very strict dress code on their website but it seems casual prevails, including shorts and sandals. Some business types came in business suits but that was the exception.

Disappointing can't describe the experience and we told the manager, who was very apologetic. They need a major overhaul to remain open. There’s a reason no one was in the dining room. Too bad because it offers a fine view and waterside tables.

Fort Lauderdale waterside restaurants, seafood, Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Landry's, Tilman Fertitta, Fort Lauderdale dining

Watermark Hotel: Baton Rouge Boost

2017-09-24T15:11:00.002-04:00

Entrance

Watermark Hotel

150 3^rd Avenue

Baton Rouge, LA 70801

225-408-3200

www.watermarkbr.com

By Jane Feehan

The Watermark Hotel joined Marriott’s Autograph Collection of boutique hotels in early 2017, a few months after historic flooding hit South Louisiana. Located in downtown Baton Rouge at the site of the old Louisiana Trust and Savings Bank (1927) the Watermark’s distinction lies in its stunning décor. The touch of a master decorator can be seen everywhere, down to the table settings in The Gregory, its dining room named for New Orleans artist Angela Gregory. The magnificent entranceway or foyer pays homage to the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 with face-to-face murals of Thomas Jefferson and Napoleon Bonaparte, parties to that historic land transaction.

Elevator decor

In its short history, the Watermark has attracted a loyal following that fills up the lobby bar (most uncomfortable bar stools, the only flawed decorative appointment) and its more comfortable sofa and chair seating areas. A choice of appetizers, small plates and burgers top visitor choices for casual get togethers. Special occasions and holidays draw local visitors to the more formal Gregory—an open room that flows into the bar. The chef works hard to please customers and will take suggestions. Staff will change up dishes at request. For a coffee shop setting with counter service, visit Milford’s on Third off the lobby. Over-sized sandwiches for about $10 command ooohs and ahhhs.

The rooms, as everything else, are beautiful, if not disparate in size and comfort, depending on the floor and location. I stayed in three different ones, different floors. A caveat: depending on festivities at a nearby park and the time of the year for mirth at the bars on Third Street, noise can be a problem into the wee hours. Get a room above the fourth floor (at least). Unfortunately, the best views of the Mississippi River are from rooms facing Third. Also, rooms vary widely in size. A corner room is ideal of course … and grand. My last room was a small one, which I have no problem with, but the window was covered to block sight of adjacent roofs, which I would have gladly taken over the block out pane.

Room with a pane (!) instead of a view

Parking runs about $20 a day but oftentimes street or lot parking is available for much less—something to keep in mind if planning a wedding or other occasion in one of the meeting rooms or for a long stay. There are plenty of places to walk to, including the river with its pleasant seating, the old Louisiana capitol building and one of the best restaurants in town, Strube’s. The Watermark Hotel does much for historic downtown Baton Rouge; it also gives the entire city some much-needed flair.

View of the Mississippi River from a room

Old Louisiana Capitol, now a museum

Tags: Marriott hotels, Marriott Autograph Collection, Baton Rouge hotels, Watermark Hotel, Louisiana travel, best hotel in Baton Rouge

Principal, Staff, Students Help Each Other in Disaster Recovery - Louisiana

2016-10-16T15:02:00.002-04:00

Teachers and parents collecting needed items
after the Louisiana flood

By Jane Feehan

BATON ROUGE, La.—The flooding event of early August heightened first-day-of-school anxieties for many of the 700 students at Woodlawn Elementary School in Baton Rouge. Few had uniforms; floodwaters carried them away along with most or all of their possessions. Instead of looking forward to the first day in class, many children were left embarrassed about their circumstances.

But Woodlawn students, pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, were not alone in their losses. Their principal, Janice Lindsey, and 12 of the school’s 44 teachers had sad flood stories to tell.

“My husband, three cats and I were rescued by boat,” said Lindsey who has served as principal for two years. Water rose from the yard to the steps of the house in about twenty minutes.” During the rescue, the cats and the principal went overboard. “I was pulled to safety, two of the cats swam to the carport and the third went up a tree and sat for a day and a half.” All are safe now, but Lindsey and her husband lost many of their belongings during the disaster.

There was more to think about than personal loss; the principal and her staff were determined to stay focused on the all-important first day of school. Going to school brought routine to everyone’s life. Routine was to serve as an important piece of the recovery process; it would be a beacon of order in their disaster-wrought chaos.

“We called each student to say ‘come in, uniforms are not required,’” said Lindsey.

Then 30-40 teachers and parents rolled up their sleeves and got to work supporting their school community. They helped their principal, other teachers and students at their water-logged homes in any way they could. And with assistance from neighboring Woodlawn Baptist Church, they obtained new uniforms for all—and then some.

“They did such a good job raising awareness about the situation there were enough uniforms for all the students plus extras for another school,” said Lindsey who helped opened Woodlawn in 2009 when she was a teacher.

When students arrived and saw many classmates and teachers—and even their principal—in the same situation, they were more at ease. Shared loss was to play an important role as they embarked upon an emotional rollercoaster.

For the first week of class most were in shock. The second week was about working to salvage what could be saved and to clean up some of the debris. Those first few weeks were punctuated by tearful breakdowns followed by firm resolutions to move ahead.

“We had to be gentle with students,” said Lindsey. “We assigned no major projects. All our activities had a positive focus.”

Homework was kept to a minimum. A guidance counselor was in place. In class, students were encouraged to express themselves by drawing emojis of their personal emotions or to show how they helped others. The sketches about helping others soon outnumbered those of personal loss. Links of the drawings were strung across classrooms to symbolize links of help.

Routine and positive focus serve as important steps in the recovery process of children in disasters. Both are recommended by a number of children-focused organizations working on the Louisiana recovery. In Louisiana, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been working with federal partners, including the U.S. Department of Education, nongovernmental organizations, pediatric experts and external stakeholders to ensure the needs of children are considered and integrated into disaster related efforts initiated at the federal level. The work is underway and will continue for as long as it takes.

For children, losing possessions can include losing pets, a favorite toy or other cherished treasure. They may not understand why their parents want to dispose of what’s left of their belongings when they’re contaminated with dirty floodwater and mud.

“Children in disasters face different issues, but their recovery is important to the recovery success of the entire community,” said FEMA’s Deputy Federal Coordinating Officer Tito Hernandez. “The community, federal family and FEMA must do what we can to help children in Louisiana affected by this flooding disaster. I applaud the terrific work of Ms. Lindsey and her Woodlawn Elementary staff.”

Useful Links

FEMA: www.ready.gov/coping-with-disaster and www.fema.gov/children-and-disasters
Save the Children: go to www.savethechildren.org and search “Tips to Help Kids Cope with Disasters”
American Academy of Pediatrics: go to

https://www.aap.org/en-us/Documents/disasters_family_readiness_kit.pdf or www.healthychildren.org and search

“Helping your Child Cope”
“Talking to Children about Disasters”
“How Children of Different Ages Respond to Disasters”
“How to Prevent Carbon Monoxide Poisoning” and
“Flash Flood Recovery”

National Child Traumatic Stress Network: www.nctsnet.org

Tags: Disaster Recovery, Louisiana, Woodlawn Elementary School

Wonders of Oregon!

2016-05-30T17:04:00.001-04:00

Mount Hood

By Jane Feehan

I’ve had the good fortune to spend more than three months in this beautiful state. I’ve seen many of its sights and more remain on my list …

Some observations, tips and recommendations:

It rains here. A lot. Flowers and blooming trees command attention during the spring, and the landscape is the greenest you’ll see anywhere. When the sun shines, Oregonians get out and about. They’re impatient drivers through the narrow winding roads to the ocean and through the farm lands. Not a good thing for those taking in the view and suddenly find a tailgater at the bumper. Beware … even if you’re driving the speed limits.

A deer sighting from my hotel window in Salem

The rainy season abates in late spring. Some say summer really begins on July 5 when the rain stops. If you don’t mind the often-gentle rains, I suggest to get out and explore during the wet days. The roads and sights are less crowded. People hike on trails everywhere here, rain or shine. The landscape turns brown in some areas in the summer; I recommend a spring visit when flowers and trees burst with color.

Some farms grow flowers for markets and enthusiastic visitors willing to pick their own bouquets of iris, tulips and more. Oregon is also home to the grass seed capital of the world--Linn County, near Eugene.

The best strawberries you will ever taste come from Oregon. That can probably be said of many fruits and vegetables grown here.

Flower farms, stark and luscious scenery and easy-to-spot wildlife require you to be camera ready ...

What to see:

Mount Hood – Stop at Government Camp (1936-38 Works Project Administration construction) and its Timberline Lodge (the exterior was filmed for the movie, The Shining.) See the mountain up close and beautiful. It’s something to see or ski when draped in snow.

Cooper Spur Mountain Resort

About four miles from Government Camp lies the quiet Cooper Spur Mountain Resort. Great for weddings, reunions and just relaxing, Cooper Spur offers dining in a rustic setting and cabins for rent for a stay. See www.CooperSpur.com.

Columbia River Gorge – Stunning. See it from the Vista House (built in 1917) on Historic Route 30 – off busy Route 84 (speed limit a dismaying 65 mph there along the Gorge).

Columbia River Gorge

Multnomah Falls – Off Route 84 in the Gorge area. Beautiful, I hear, but difficult to get into with its lines of cars at peak hours on good weather days. I enjoyed Silver Falls, about 30 minutes out of Salem.

Vista House at the Gorge

Nearby is the town of Cascade Locks with lodging, gas stations, a few restaurants and a beautiful view of the Gorge. The Sternwheeler Columbia Gorge & Marine Park river cruise leaves from Portage Road. Food at the restaurant is terrible. The cruise, I’m sure, is much better.

Town of Sisters on the way to Bend, the east Cascades. Loads of tourists in this village of fewer than 3,000. Most of the buildings look like new replicas of Wild West architecture. A little schmaltzy, a lot touristy, but fun.

Bend – a winter ski mecca at the edge of the high desert. Sophisticated and sunny, its downtown area offers a few good restaurants. Residents and visitors have a view of snow covered moutains. I highly recommend Drake—excellent food in this restaurant/pub and yes, you can dine with your dog outside. Two-hour free parking on the street behind Drake.

Smith Rock – About 20 miles from Bend. Do not miss. Amazing rocks and landscape and the

Smith Rock

backdrop for a western movie or two. It's also a draw for hikers and rock climbers. Parking at this site is tough on holidays.

Lake Detroit and dam. On the western side of the Cascades along Route 22, on the way to and from Bend. Vacation housing, some lodging, lots of camping and fishing. A restaurant or two. Dazzling.

Lake Detroit

Canon Beach

North to central coast – Cannon Beach, Lincoln City and … a hiking trail with plenty of parking just north of Cannon Beach provides a spectacular vista of the ocean and coastal terrain. The Weather Channel liked a photo I took here and asked to use it. The jaw-dropping view, not this photographer, should be credited. The coast is chilly and windy most of the year. No highway to the sea but beautiful roads through farmlands and wine country.

Dunes near Florence and the Siuslaw River

Wineries – Oregon is home to Pinot Noir. Hundreds of wineries (more than 600 in the north) dot the landscape and welcome visitors (try Cherry Hill) for tastings. I don’t know how one manages tastings and drives home without a designated driver. Roads and Oregon police are tough.

View from path at Adobe Resort

Florence and surrounds – Two hours and 10 minutes south of Salem, Florence offers a slightly different landscape than points north. It’s near the 40-mle long Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. Sand dunes, not rocks claim the landscape. About 8,000 reside in Florence, a town popular with retirees and tourists who come for its Rhody or Rhododendron Festival in May. Rhodys—wild and cultivated—are ubiquitous here. Don’t miss its downtown and harbor, which reminds this writer of a New England seaside town. Friends-locals-took me to Adobe Resort in nearby Wachats where we sighted a whale and its calf from the dinning room. The patrons dashed to the window to watch the two frolicking there for quite a while. After dining, take a scenic walk on the hotel's short path along the ocean.

Heceta Head Lighthouse, 13 miles from Florence. This picturesque lighthouse is among the most photographed in the U.S. Visit and you’ll see why …

Heceta Head Lighthouse

Portland – Almost an afterthought. Traffic is miserable, parking is bad. And homeless youth are more than annoying; they’re aggressive and nasty. I feel safer in New York City. Visit Powell Books, in the Pearl District, a city landmark and among the world’s best book stores. (Portland is second in the U.S. for reading; Seattle ranks first, based on books sold in those cities.) They offer a parking garage (not free) adjacent to the store; it fills up early.

There's much more to see in Oregon ... stay tuned.

Lewis and Clark Expedition ...

Tags: Oregon sights, Oregon tourism, where to go in Oregon, Florence, whales, Smith Rock, OR, Lake Detroit, Bend, OR, travel writer, Columbia River Gorge

Table 57 at HEB: raising the bar for casual dining in Houston

2015-08-30T18:03:00.001-04:00

Table 57@ HEB

5895 San Felipe, Houston 77057

Open daily for lunch and dinner; brunch on Sundays

Take out

Vegetarian-friendly

713-978-5860

By Jane Feehan

It takes a bit of will power to grab a cart to shop for dinner at HEB when you know about Table 57, a casual restaurant with a beer and wine bar on the premises.

Counter-order service may belie what’s ahead at this grocer-operated eatery: a hit parade of barbecued turkey, brisket, pulled pork, spare ribs, chicken and other smoked Texas specialties or bistro-style sandwiches, spicy tostadas, classic salads, traditional or trendy burgers, prime beef sliders with brie, Korean fried chicken and an array of interesting palate pleasers.

There’s not much to describe as casual about the food. Take for example, a simple turkey burger. They transform it into majestic kitchen art. It’s delivered with an avocado kale mash, grilled red onion, solegiatti (slightly dried) tomatoes, feta, arugula and sunflower sprouts. Match it up (or not) with a side of sweet potato fries, eye-popping onion rings, the more exotic Tare-grilled okra, or German-style red cabbage and you’ll be talking about this meal for weeks.

For more out-of-the-ordinary, there’s Korean Fried Chicken, a crispy fried half bird with a mild chili

Korean Fried Chicken

glaze, plated with kimchi mash and Asian braised greens. Sample Tuscan-grilled tuna atop cannellini beans and greens or the spinach, avocado and grapefruit salad. These dishes make it tough to believe this is grocery store dining.

Table 57 (named for the zip code in its address), offers barbeque by the plate or pound, smoked “with Texas Post oak for up to 13 hours,” a daily butcher’s cut featured on a chalk board at the counter, and small bites such as deviled eggs, fried green tomatoes, fresh lobster salad or crispy Brussels sprouts. A hearty local beer or a decent wine is available to drink at the bar or to savor at a table.

Staff delivers food promptly, even during busy weekday lunch hours, and they get orders right. Several times I’ve asked them to omit an ingredient and each time it came as requested. The bar proves to be a friendly place to dine or to meet neighbors and new friends—despite uncomfortable bar stools and their struggle to pour even a half glass measure of wine (my only criticisms but it could be they don't want people to linger long). A live music lineup Friday evenings keeps the outdoor patio filled and patrons dancing.

With great food that includes mouth-watering desserts such as Texas Pecan Bread Pudding or Tres Leches, and a kids menu of hot dogs, mac n’ cheese, and chicken tenders, there’s little wonder so many would-be HEB shoppers never get past Table 57 …

Tags: HEB Grocery, Houston restaurants, Texas smoked barbeque, takeout food Houston Galleria. Tare-grilled, vegetarian-friendly in Houston

True Foods Kitchen: Where healthy meets tasty in Houston

2015-07-11T13:58:00.003-04:00

True Food Kitchen

1700 Post Oak Blvd., Ste 180 Houston, TX 77056

TrueFoodKitchen.com

281-605-2505

Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m.-11 p.m.;

Saturday: 10 a.m.-11 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Brunch Saturday and Sunday

By Jane Feehan

At True Food Kitchen it’s not about tasteless bean sprouts—nor fatty fries and cheeseburgers—but healthy options for vegans, vegetarians, meat eaters and all those in between who like good food. That’s just about everyone.

Medical doctor, teacher and author Andrew Weil teamed up with Phoenix restaurateur Sam Fox a few years ago to develop restaurants (Houston was number nine) offering an anti-inflammatory dining concept. Inflammation, the result of a modern diet overloaded with sugar, saturated fats and processed foods, is blamed for a number of ailments including heart disease, several forms of cancer and even Alzheimer’s.

Dr. Weil’s anti-inflammatory approach to eating blends elements of Mediterranean and Asian diets with a Californian overlay of fresh ingredients and presentation. The True Foods menu embraces this philosophy offering whole grains (yes, even pizza) lean meat (try a turkey or bison burger), wild caught fish and plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. Kitchen wizards elevate health foods from dull to sparkling with healthful ginger, curry, and other worthy seasonings.

One of their most popular dishes, Red Chili Shrimp, sums up the True Kitchen approach. An artful combination of shrimp, tossed with Gai Lan (Chinese broccoli), Shitake mushrooms and spinach over a bed of sesame noodles (a gluten free version also available) mildly accented with red chili spice could compete with dishes of a fine Thai eatery.

Fellow diner ordered a light meal of a caramelized onion tart and salad of spinach, blueberry, beet, snap pea, cucumber, radish, goat cheese, and pistachio drizzled in lemon vinaigrette. More a flatbread presentation, the onion tart is complemented with thinly sliced fig. Bursting with flavor, both plates deserve a curtain call. Another diner sampled Turkey lasagna, not particularly savory or a good fit for the restaurant; it was recently (and wisely) removed from the menu.

Only one of us wanted to venture into dessert nirvana with a strawberry-rhubarb cobbler. Replete with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, this confection was made to order and topped with oatmeal granola. Guiltless pleasure …

The menu offers a variety of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks—all with a healthy yet flavorful spin. Patronized by a youngish crowd, and designed with high ceilings and open spaces, True Food Kitchen can get noisy at night, especially when the music is upped a few notches. A totally different fan club comes for takeout meals signaling hats off to their food if not the ambiance. If noise scares you away, dine outside or visit for lunch. Free parking is available and accessible from the front or the back of Boulevard Place, adjacent to Whole Foods. (Post Oak and San Felipe)

Tags: Houston restaurants, Houston health food menu, Galleria area restaurants

Fort Lauderdale's Royal Pig Pub: Majestic fare

2015-07-08T13:27:00.001-04:00

Royal Pig Pub
350 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale
954-617-7447
www.RoyalPigPub.com
Open: Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-Midnight
Friday/Saturday 11 a.m.-2 a.m.
Sunday Noon -11 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Awesome: Royal Pig Pub. Atmospheric and handsome, if not typically pub-cozy, this eatery delivers creative, high quality, sophisticated food that sets the bar (no pun intended) for other SOFLA establishments that embrace the gastropub concept.

Executive Chef Stanton Bundy brings Texas and New Orleans influences to a menu that includes bounteous sandwiches, inspired salads and main course marvels. Consider the Free range Creole Chicken Club with cheddar cheese, a delicately fried and oh-so-tasty slice of avocado topped with chipotle aioli. Enthusiasm for this creation precluded relegating any to a common Styrofoam

Free Range Creole Chicken Club

container for takeaway. Blasphemy. Down the hatch it went with most of a side of parmesan truffle fries. The same for dining companions blissfully munching on palate-teasing Prime Beef Sliders, and a BBQ Rotisserie Pulled Pork sandwich crowned with coleslaw spicy mustard, American cheese and a fried pickle. The Rotisserie Free Range Turkey Club, encased in cranberry walnut bread, topped with cranberry compote, Vermont cheddar, bacon and avocado, tasted like Thanksgiving on a bun … and ranks among the best sandwiches I’ve eaten.

The roster of main plates (served after 5 p.m.) include New Orleans inspired BBQ Shrimp, and Seafood Gumbo. Texas-influenced Rotisserie Ribs and prime steaks join Free Range Rotisserie Chicken, “Fish of the Moment” and tons more to accommodate any craving, any appetite. The Royal Pig Pub serves fabulous fare on many holidays. Wallet-friendly, this pub offers fine cocktails, excellent wines and craft beers. And yes, the service lives up to the food.

Sophisticated, airy and New Yorkish

Parking available on the street or in a nearby parking garage.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale pubs, gastropub, Las Olas restaurants

Crash landing on oil slick, Runway 84 in Fort Lauderdale

2015-01-10T12:56:00.002-05:00

Runway 84

330 Florida State rd. 84

Fort Lauderdale, 33315

954-467-8484

Runway-84.com

Totally different today. Upscale with music and classy food. Expensive ...

This airline-themed Italian eatery and lively bar with a three-decade history has an enthusiastic following. After a recent visit, I cannot say I am a member of that following.

Oil was in abundance in places it should not have been and was missing in another. This sad experience began with tasteless, slightly burned bread accompanied by a small dish of oil for dipping. We could not find the oil; the dish was mostly grated Parmesan with barely enough liquid to grace one slice of bread. Bread is usually the first sign of what’s to follow; this time was no exception.

Enter an appetizer of clams oreganata drowning in oil that should have come with the bread. Oil was not the only problem; the woebegone clams tasted as if they had been resurrected from the freezer. Onward. Mussels were delivered in a “sauce” that tasted more like water with a few dollops of tomato paste. It was miserably tasteless as was the house salad served with a gimmicky piece of salami holding a single sorrowful olive. Iceberg lettuce, a pepperconi here, a slice of tomato there, all drizzled in a bland dressing fit for a bottle off a grocery store shelf.

Denouement of this meal misery: two plates of pasta overloaded with oil. The rigatoni was perfectly prepared but swimming in cheap olive oil. So much broccoli rabe covered one dish that the pasta was hard to find. My plate was topped with a mushy mess of cauliflower and sliced mushrooms.

Runway 84 may be popular for their free meatballs on Thursday nights and grossly huge portions every night. It’s not cheap however; our pasta dishes were about $25 each.

To borrow from Edgar Allen Poe … Once upon a January Florida night cheery … deep into that dish peering, long I stood there wondering, really? Said this writer, NEVERMORE.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Italian restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants near Fort Lauderdale airport

U-Tiki Beach - Tropical Rhapsody in Jupiter

2014-11-24T13:23:00.000-05:00

U-Tiki Beach

Jupiter Inlet Marina

1095 FL A1A

Jupiter

561-406-2210

No website, find them and menu on Facebook

U-Tiki Hours: Mon-Thurs – 4-10 p.m.;Fri: 4-11 p.m.;

Sat: 12-11 p.m.; Sun:12-10 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Worth the long wait and a great addition to Jupiter Inlet restaurants, U-Tiki offers a stellar view of Jupiter Lighthouse and surrounding turquoise waters. It’s operated by the people who own Jetty’s next store. They know seafood.

The U-Tiki menu offers a bounty of seafood choices, including sushi, cracked conch, fried oysters, shrimp, yellow tail, hogfish (or what’s running in nearby waters) and a tasty Jupiter fav—grouper cheeks.They also do steak, burgers, chicken, flatbreads, a variety of salads and a few interesting Caribbean bowls flavored with curry and coconut or almond and cream sauces. Lunch and dinner menus differ.

An appetizing dining experience (mahi mahi and chicken dishes we tried proves this point) is heightened by the open air Florida verandas and beach (Ok, ok … an engineered beach), and broad

walkway along the docks to Jetty's; this happy place is authentically tropical. A large bar overlooking tables and the inlet provides the perfect place for meeting new people or bringing friends who want to party.

U-Tiki is open for lunch on weekends only, to the dismay of many, but it’s a tropical rhapsody otherwise.

Tags: Jupiter waterside restaurants, U-Tiki, Jupiter inlet restaurant,Jupiter Inlet bar, Jane Feehan

Jet Runway Café, Fort Lauderdale: Calling all aviators – and foodies

2014-11-10T15:55:00.003-05:00

Dining room with a view

Jet Runway Café

5540 NW 21 Terrace

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

954-958-9900

Open Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30-2 p.m.

Jetrunwaycafe.com

Beer and wine, catering

By Jane Feehan

Jet Runway Café, exactly as its name conveys, sits along a runway in a hangar at Fort Lauderdale’s Executive Airport. What this unique eatery lacks in exterior design (except for the airplane windows of its entrance), is more than made up for by the details of its interior and in its artful presentations from the kitchen. The café’s expanse of glass along its front and side affords all visitors a great view of the tarmac and planes taking off, landing or awaiting the next trip. Its appropriately high-ceiling, airy interior is decked out in a turbine and other aviation elements.

Entrance

We had standard breakfasts of eggs, potatoes, and a piece of their housemade light fried bread pudding (also available as a complete serving). Presentation here is all about the details: tiny cups with butter or catsup (no ugly bottles or alumium butter wrappers here); potatoes served in a small dish atop the plated eggs. Simple fare but beautifully delivered. They also serve Brioche Almond French toast, breakfast burritos, pancakes and house made coffee cakes.

Thoughtful presentation

Service is excellent. I’ll be back for lunch during this next week and hope I can find a parking space. It was impossible last Friday at 1 p.m. and I think I know why. With good food, a great wait staff and an exceptional setting, what’s not to return for? Stay tuned …

Open for private parties (great venue) only during the evening.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale breakfast, runway restautants, unique restaurant Fort Lauderdale, private party venues, unique party venue, catering

Patsy's Italian Restaurant NYC - more about characters than food

2014-09-01T13:45:00.001-04:00

Patsy’s Italian Restaurant

236 W. 56^th Street

New York City, NY

212-247-3491

www.patsys.com

By Jane Feehan

Located off Broadway at the center of the theater district, Patsy’s does a booming business with theater goers and tourists and a smattering of locals who venture in for the characters rather than the food. This was one of Frank Sinatra’s hangouts during the day where he held court upstairs. The same family has run Patsy’s for decades; their graciousness is one reason why so many return here—in spite of hum drum food.

On my first visit I supped on Shrimp Scampi looking for a garlic fix. I didn’t taste any garlic and the pasta was overcooked. A Caesar salad earned the same dismal assessment. The couple sitting next to me, frequent visitors to the place, said the food isn’t great but they come back to see who’s there.

Singer Michael Bublé and wife came in on one of my visits but did not stay to eat. He had to know that role model Sinatra frequented the restaurant. Characters still flock here but not so much the high-profile type. I couldn’t help but notice that some dining could have been “made guys” or wanted to be. Most of all they wanted to see or be seen, providing aware guests some entertainment with their bear hugs of old and new associates.

On another visit with a friend, we dined on seafood and pasta, and gnocchi and had to discretely extricate shrimp shells from mouthfuls of pasta. Not a pleasant experience for those who tend to get embarrassed by such things.

Service is excellent and they expertly move customers in and out of the crowded spot. A small full-service bar offers a few seats but this is not the place for a leisurely drink before dinner. Move ‘em on, head ‘em out.

Tags: New York City restaurants, restaurants near CBS David Letterman Theater, Italian restaurants in NYC, restaurants near Broadway, Pre-fix pre-theater menus in NYC

Tallest hotel in Western Hemisphere - Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park

2014-08-03T17:02:00.000-04:00

Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park

1717 Broadway (entrance at 321 W 54 St)

New York, NY 10019
212-324-3774

By Jane Feehan

The Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park towers over other hotels in New York City; it also stakes claim as the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. It took nearly a decade to build its 65 stories with spectacular views when it opened late December 2013. Adjoining Courtyard is part of the new hotel complex and guests share common areas with those of the Residence Inn.

Don’t expect the typical Residence Inn suite. Many rooms are quite small (especially those in room

numbers ending in 3; rooms ending in the number 4 are more spacious) but all accommodate travelers with compact kitchens. A small fridge, microwave, dishwasher, dishes and cookware are available. I asked for a hot plate for a long stay and they delivered it within minutes of my request. If hotel room cooking is not your pleasure, food delivery is quite popular in New York City and there are, according to one restaurant owner, 24 restaurants on two blocks nearby.

Like most new hotels, this Marriott (a franchise) has a few facility problems to work out. Guests have told me their air conditioning unit or refrigerator had to be repaired or replaced. Air conditioning in my room went out until a part was quickly changed. Fire alarms went off a few times the first month it was open and a very small electrical fire during my stay was cause for an evacuation of several floors. Service problems in their two great rooms have yet to be settled but it is coming together; staff is extremely responsive and engineers are available around the clock.

The hotel provides a laundry room, a rarity in New York City hotels, and comes equipped with plenty of washers and driers. A breakfast buffet and full bar with a light menu is also available. Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park also has an outstanding fitness center with a stunning vista of the city skyline. Located on Broadway, this hotel lies at the epicenter of the theater district. Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Central Park are each a 10 minute walk away; so is boisterous Times Square. Business or leisure travelers will be pleased with this new addition to Marriott; the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park lies within a short distance of the best the city has to offer.

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