Subject: John Linn

• Monday Morning Question: Terrible Restaurant Names

  August 11, 2008

• Those Fresh Oysters are Frozen

  August 20, 2008

• Rick Roll'd By a Birthday Cake!

  October 1, 2008

• It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

  October 31, 2008

• The Beer-Offs: Way Better Than the Bud Bowl

  Calendar editor John Linn was very sick this weekend. I know this not because he told me (he did tell me, but he's tricky), but because he was unable to fulfill his duties as a judge in this year's Beer-Offs, held Saturday at the Coral Springs Whole Foods. This second annual tournament had different brews from all over the country going heads-up in a bracket-style showdown, with about 50 people judging each round. Because I'm the ultimate team player, I took the bullet for John and went in

  February 4, 2009

• Florida Trend Dispenses Golden Spoons

  Florida Trend's 2009 Dining Guide is out, with a new editor in chief: Chris Sherman has replaced Robert Toff as the dispenser of Golden Spoons. This year's guide cites plenty of South Florida gems among the 20 Best New Restaurants. In Fort Lauderdale: Christine's (pictured above) and Four Rivers (which has just closed, sadly); in Boca Raton, Morimoto (see John Linn's impressions here); in Miami, Fratelli Lyon, Brosia, Pacific Time, La Marea, and Sardinia; and in West Palm, Forte di Asprinio. T

  February 4, 2009

• A Culinary Tour of New Orleans

  John LinnWe rolled into town like birds of prey and had to be rolled out like over-stuffed roasters. Three friends and myself spent last week devouring our way through the vibrant culinary city of New Orleans. And what a trip it was: we must have ravaged whole sea beds, made scarce the supply of French bread for poor boy sandwiches, and forced law makers to consider raising taxes on chicory-imbued cafe au lait. When we were done there, clothes no longer fit - shame was the heaviest garment we wo

  June 3, 2009

• Light My Fire?

  I try and fail to warm to Oakwood Grill

  July 17, 2008

• Letters for January 17-23, 2008

  January 17, 2008

• Five Places to Celebrate Cinco de Mayo

  John LinnFeeding our late-night taco jones at Tacos al CarbonWhere are you going to celebrate Cinco de Mayo tomorrow? (or if you're like us, where are you starting today?) Below, our five favorite Mexican restaurants in Broward-Palm Beach. Leave a comment and tell us where you go to get your flautas fix, from your local taco truck to your favorite tequila bar. What makes it your go-to when you're feeling Mexi? Here's Our T List:Eduardo de San Angel, Fort Lauderdale Fungi, chilies, and squash b

  May 4, 2009

• Destination, Food: Le Tub's Sirloin Burger

  Gail's post on Friday regarding our hunt for the Best Burger proposed a few essential factors for quality burgers. A recap of that list would read, "A Burger should be: 1. cheap, 2. chuck, 3. fresh ground, 4. filler-free, 5. juicy, 6. served with atmosphere, and 7. thick." That's a pretty tight list, to be sure, but not impossible to achieve. And one legendary burger shack, Hollywood's Le Tub, pretty much fulfills them all, save #2. Yes, Le Tub's award-winning 13-ounce burger is made with sirloi

  May 4, 2009

• Putting Kindai Tuna to the Test at Seminole Coconut Creek Casino

  John LinnLook closely... Mini Kiss looms in the background.A few weeks ago, Clean Plate Charlie reported that the Seminole Coconut Creek Casino would bring in a special catch, a whole loin worth of ultra-expensive and rare Kindai tuna, that it would sell as a special at its Thursday- through Saturday-night sushi bar, located just inside Nectar Lounge. Kindai is an alternative to wild bluefin tuna, whose dwindling stocks have prompted Japanese researchers at Kinki University to develop methods fo

  May 6, 2009

• A Priest, a Rabbi, and a Buddhist Monk Walk Into a Bathhouse…

  May 14, 2009

• Signature Drinks Pack a Punch at YOLO Restaurant & O Lounge

  John LinnThe O Lounge is classy, dark, and sultry all at once, a classic environment for a cocktail. While I'm far from the martini-sipping type, I can respect the breed. Powerful types and their wanna-bes, cavorting and carrying on, stemmed glass hoisted in one hand saying loudly to the world, "Bring it on, you bastards. I have gin." The fact is, though, as the martini has become more and more popular its one true ingredient, gin, has slipped to the wayside. Instead, specialty martinis - drinks

  May 20, 2009

• Wine Guy: Pairing with Pizza

  John LinnSven Vogtland is the Advanced Sommelier at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale, and a 13-year veteran of the craft who has recommended bottles in the sunny Virgin Islands and in far-away Vietnam. In this column, Vogtland will discuss the latest trends in wine, from what bottles and regions are blowing up to the newest cocktail crazes. This week, Sven talks about what wine to pair with the most popular of Italian foods: pizza."For me, wine is about where you are at and who you are drinking

  June 17, 2009

• Screw Jimmy Dean: Homemade Breakfast Sausage You'll Flip Over

  John LinnSaturday I was wandering around Publix looking for sundries for a Father's Day brunch I was having at my place for my girlfriend's father. He's a real dad's dad: He enjoys motorcycles, power tools, target shooting, good booze, and, of course, meat. So whatever brunch I put together had to include at least two quality kinds of meaty goodness, preferably made from pork. But I wasn't going to buy some crappy, frozen breakfast sausage, and there weren't any fresh patties ready to go in the

  June 22, 2009

• Destination Food: My Market's Prosciutto Roma Sub

  John LinnA little bit of perspective. Click any pic for a high-res version.For years we've praised the deli counter sandwiches made at Fort Lauderdale's My Market, a convenience store/bodega with a thriving sub shop attached. And for good reason: each of the fifty-some varieties are made with bread baked fresh daily, quality deli meat (what's not Boar's Head is usually made in house), vibrant vegetables and herbs, and fruity olive oil. No other sandwich there is more exemplary of this commitment

  July 16, 2009

• Canyon Southwest Café Is Worth Its Wait in Gold Dust

  July 23, 2009

• Upgrading the Roast and Sausage Po-Boy

  John Linn​I'm a sucker for po-boys of all types: hulking sandwiches filled with fried catfish, oysters, and shrimp, and beefier equivalents stuffed with sopping wet roast beef or hot Italian sausage. No matter the filling, I prefer them served with crusty French bread and gobs of spicy remoulade, with a smattering of shredded lettuce and slices of fresh tomato. So when I decided to put together some po-boys on Saturday night, that's the exact formula I followed. Only, I didn't have all night t

  July 27, 2009

• Our Critic Takes Her Father-un-Law to Dine With Moneybags at Chops Lobster Bar in Boca Raton

  July 30, 2009

• Texas Hold 'Em BBQ Folds Sunrise Store, Antes Up Downtown

  John LinnTexas Hold 'Em's pulled pork sandwich with a spicy-sweet, tomato-based sauce. ​Every day after work I would drive home along Sunrise Boulevard and spot Texas Hold 'Em BBQ's big barrel smoker chugging along out front. I got really used to seeing -- and smelling -- it out there. Occasionally, the fuming stack would churn out a plume of rich smoke so strong I'd have to pull over and grab an early dinner. Well, for about a week now I noticed the distinct lack of that comforting smell as I

  July 29, 2009

• Coming Attractions: Taurus Steakhouse

  ​Every week in Coming Attractions, we give you a taste of what's on deck in our Dish review column. This week, we take a look at Taurus Steakhouse, a Peruvian-style Parrillada in Tamarac.Anyone with a modicum of skill can take a dry-aged, 24 oz. prime rib eye and render it edible; that the chefs at Taurus Steakhouse can take unconventional cuts and bits of steer and transform them into something greater through spice, flame, and nearly 40 years of accumulated technique is a thing of beauty. Th

  August 3, 2009

• Wild Hog Barbecue at Rufus Ribs

  John LinnA meaty scrap of hog ribs coated in Rufus' sauce. ​ A friend of mine lives a block away from Rufus Ribs, a road-side barbecue trailer with an outdoor smoker in Boynton Beach. He's there pretty much every week, gobbling down styrofoam containers full of meaty spare ribs and pulled pork. But for the past week, he's been telling me about owner Rufus Allen's latest "catch": a wild hog straight from the woods of Kissimmee. See, Allen is no stranger to smoking wild game. The promise of wild

  August 10, 2009

• Coming Attractions: Brother Tuckers Belgian Beer Garden in Pompano

  John LinnSomewhere beyond the pearly gates lies the chimichurri sirloin steak at Brother Tuckers.​I imagine heaven to be something like Brother Tuckers, a Belgian-themed gastropub in Pompano Beach and the subject of this week's dish column. I spent much of last week buried in the pub's brilliant version of chimichurri steak -- it took me almost three meals (well, two and a quarter) to finish the short stack of grilled sirloin, each piece pounded tender enough to cut with a worn-out spork. I mo

  August 11, 2009

• Jamaican Soul Food in a Hurry at Kelsie's Place on Sunrise

  John LinnJerk chicken at Kelsie's Place is exceedingly tender and only slightly spicy.​The drag along Sunrise Boulevard east of I-95 is really in a bad way these days. Almost everything is out of business or vacant, except a few automotive-related businesses and a handful of chain restaurants. It's also a rough area inhabited by many homeless. So it's inspiring to see people still trying to run local businesses there, like Kelsie's Place, a new soul food restaurant by way of Jamaica just three

  August 13, 2009

• Improvising With Leftovers - Bok Choy Quiche

  John LinnQuiche in a skillet - now that's an interesting idea.​One thing I can't stand is having extra ingredients go bad in my fridge. Last week, I was in Oriental Square, a Chinese Market in my neck of the woods that has amazing deals on produce. I buy all types of fresh vegetables and herbs there: they have the best prices on shiitake mushrooms, only $2.50 a pound. I can buy a couple sticks of lemon grass for less than 50 cents, and fresh herbs like cilantro are less than a dollar a bundle.

  August 17, 2009

• Stealing From the Restaurant: Marumi Sushi's Tofu Steak

  John Linn​Marumi Sushi's tofu steak is made of pure win -- it's a thin brick of tofu that's been lightly floured and pan fried, and topped with about a pound of mushrooms, onions, and silky sake butter sauce. The mushrooms are amazing. There are about seven different kinds on top, including regular buttons, enoki, shiitake, oyster, and cremini. Lightly sauteed, the fungi are tender and the onions are crisp.  And the sauce -- oh the sauce -- is slightly sweet, floral with sake, and thicken

  August 19, 2009

• Beer of the Week: Red Seal Ale

  John Linn​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like featured in Beer of the Week, let us know via a comment.It's been a while since Beer of the Week last ran, dear friends of the brew. But we're bringing it back, and with gusto. This week's beer is one

  August 20, 2009

• The Dutch Pot Overfloweth

  John LinnGet used to lifting fork to mouth at the Dutch Pot.​ I've been really digging me some Jamaican food lately, so it's a good thing that South Florida houses so many islander restaurants. Two weeks ago, I mentioned Kelsie's Place on Sunrise as a great place to get fast, cheap Jamaican classics. But I recently visited the Dutch Pot on 441 and Kimberly Rd. in North Lauderdale, and found that it's not quite as cheap, but portions are even bigger.

  August 24, 2009

• Food Porn: Roasted Jalapeno and Cheddar Burger

  John Linn​ Pictured: Cheddar and roasted jalapeno burger with rosemary garlic home fries. Burger: Fresh ground round. Salt and pepper crusted. Grilled medium rare. Melted aged Vermont white cheddar.Bun: Whole wheat kaiser, grill toasted on the cut side.Toppings: Whole jalapenos, grilled, skinned, and seeded. Chopped fine. Campari tomatoes, sliced. Mayonnaise.Fries: Red potatoes, skin on. Wedges. Olive oil. Salt. Dried rosemary and garlic. 450 degrees. 27 minutes. Flip once. Enjoy. 

  August 24, 2009

• Beer of the Week: Big Bear Brewing Co.'s Witness

  John LinnWit beer understands you -- it also sweats in the sun.​ Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like featured in Beer of the Week, let us know via a comment.I don't know if you all have noticed, but it's hot out. Really, really hot. And hot-weath

  August 27, 2009

• Burger?! of the Week: Big Bear's Bistro Burger

  John LinnSo messy, so greasy, so good.​ A serving suggestion for our Beer of the Week, Big Bear's Witness: In June, we named Big Bear's bistro burger the best piece of ground meat between two buns in South Florida. Why? Well, you can read about it here, but essentially, it's a perfect combination of great ingredients and quality meat, cooked properly. I'll leave you with these pictures as evidence. Burger fans, you owe it to yourself to try one. Hit the page jump for the pics.

  August 27, 2009

• Dish Deconstructed: Hu Tieu Xao Ga

  John Linn​ Pictured: Stir-fried rice noodles with chicken and asparagus (hu tieu xao ga).Chicken: Salt. Pepper. Fish sauce. Soy sauce. Rice wine vinegar. Olive oil. Hot pan. Sear.Noodles: Blanch.Asparagus: Salt. Pepper. Olive oil. Saute. Finish: Hot wok. Vegetable oil. Noodles in. Fish sauce. Soy sauce. Sriracha. Sliced onion. Sliced jalapeno. Shredded carrot. Remove from heat. Cilantro. Torn basil. Mix. Chicken in.Enjoy. 

  August 31, 2009

• Food Fight: Battle Prosciutto Sub

  John Linn​ Say what you will about Fort Lauderdale, but America's Venice knows how to put together a sandwich. It's not that there's a higher concentration of sandwich joints than elsewhere; it's just that what local places here are tend to make some badass, honkin' big sandwiches. There are some great ones to choose from, but in my opinion, no submarine can compete with one constructed from the king of Italian cold cuts, prosciutto. Married with fresh mozzarella, tomato, basil, and olive oil,

  August 31, 2009

• I'm Eating What?! Dried Betel Nut

  ​This one didn't work out so well. The boss went on a shopping spree a couple of weeks back at Little Market Indian Grocery & Spices (3062 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale). He picked up last week's gem as well as a couple of bags of betel nut. I went with the Rajgira last week, as it looked at least edible, and saved this one for later. Resident food writer John Linn sent me a cautionary email warning that eating betel nut might not be a great idea, seeing it's got carcinogenic qualities

  September 1, 2009

• Beer of the Week: Brooklyn Lager

  John Linn​ Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like featured in Beer of the Week, let us know via a comment.Call me a turncoat, but I just haven't been in the mood for big beers lately.I know, it's crazy. I'm kind of mad at myself, because I have two

  September 3, 2009

• Dish Deconstructed: Breakfast Burritos

  John Linn​ Pictured: Scrambled egg breakfast burrito with pico de gallo.Pico de Gallo: Tomato. Onion. Jalapeno. Dice. Cilantro. Lime juice. Olive Oil. Salt. Pepper.Eggs: Milk. Butter. Wisk. Scramble.Plate: Flour tortilla. Refried beans. Sour Cream. Eggs. Cheddar Cheese. Pico de gallo. Enjoy.

  September 8, 2009

• Dish Deconstructed: Spiny Lobster Enchilladas

  John Linn​ Pictured: Spiny Lobster Enchilladas with sherry chili sauce.

  September 14, 2009

• Order Up: El Zocalo Authentic Mexican Restaurant

  John Linn​ The pozole is undoubtedly the best thing I tasted at El Zocalo Authentic Mexican Restaurant, the subject of this week's Dish review. The dark red soup has thick chunks of pork and plenty of hominy, large kernels of corn with a potato-like texture. On its own, the soup is spicy and savory, the thin broth redolent of chilis and slowly simmered meat. But you can also add a squirt of lime or some fresh chopped cilantro and lettuce to flavor the further. A big "cup," like the one shown,

  September 15, 2009

• Mango Kuchela, Or How I Got Third Degree Burns On My Tongue

  ​This one came with a disclaimer. A note on my desk reads: Brett: This may be so hot it kills you. --E. I ponder whether this sticky note disclaimer would hold up in court. Then I realize if something I eat kills me, my family will surely be too embarrassed to even acknowledge I ever existed, much less sue in my name. But after the last "spicy" food debacle, it's hard to get worked up about this one, no matter how severe the Post-It foreshadowing.The label reads Trinidad Best Mango Kuchela. So

  September 16, 2009

• Beer Liquor of the Week: Cruzan Single Barrel Rum

  John Linn​You know those little hexagonally packaged Tortuga rum cakes that people who get off cruise ships and air planes tend to give hand out the way fruit cakes go around during Christmas time? They're sweet and dry and taste like a very distant relative to what someone's Bahamian grandmother might actually make and hand out to friends and neighbors. Well, I'm assaulted by that smell when I life a rocks glass with a tiny pour of Cruzan Single Barrel Rum to my nose. It took me a while to pl

  September 17, 2009

• Side Dish: Key West Edition

  September 24, 2009

• Troy's in Boynton Delivers BBQ Goodness

  John Linn​ For me, passing a barbecue stand on the side of the road is like seeing a leprechaun handing out gold bullion -- I pull my car over as fast as possible and get in line. So when I came across Troy's Bar-Be-Que this weekend, I had to check it out. I've heard some good things about Troy's, a red shack on the corner of Federal Hwy. and Martin Luther King Blvd. in Boynton Beach. Mostly that they don't necessarily plunk their pig parts in a smoker and leave them there for hours at a time;

  October 12, 2009

• Order Up: Mustard Seed Bistro

  John LinnOne of Mustard Seed's signature dishes is the roasted duck with cherry gastrique.​ On deck this week: our review of Mustard Seed Bistro, a quaint French-inspired eatery in Cooper City. It's the product of Tim and Lara Boyd, a pair of restaurateurs now in their second location since selling Plantation's Upper Crust Cafe in 2004. Like their last effort, Milk and Honey, the Mustard Seed makes use of timeless bistro dishes like tuna Nicoise and French onion soup, each plating with an extr

  October 13, 2009

• Anatomy of a Bad Meal at Latitudes Beach Cafe

  John LinnMiso sea bass at Latitudes: Oh, the humanity.​Last week I checked out Ron Duprat's restaurant in the Hollywood Beach Marriott, Latitudes Beach Cafe. I high hopes for Duprat's food after catching the Haitian-born chef on this season of the Bravo series Top Chef, even if longtime critic Gail Shepherd had once ravaged the place with such a scathing review you can still hear her pounding on the keyboard as you read it. But that was years ago. Certainly the affable Duprat has come a long w

  October 14, 2009

• Order Up: Bamboo Fire Cafe in Delray Beach

  John LinnCurried golden crab at Bamboo Fire Cafe is messy but flavorful eating.​ Do me a favor: take a look at that plate of curried Florida golden crab pictured above and imagine a scenario in which you can eat it and stay clean. Then I'd like you to please share your findings with me. Because after I was done the savory, spicy dish I was literally covered in crab shrapnel and curry sauce. To get at the meat, you have to first extract it from the shell, which stewed in the delicious sauce.

  October 20, 2009

• Dish Deconstructed: Chinese Pork Ribs

  John LinnGrilled and sliced Chinese pork ribs are great with some home-made stir fry.​Pictured: Chinese-style grilled baby back ribs.Marinate: Whole rack of baby back ribs. Hoisin sauce. Minced Garlic. Rice wine vinegar. Cilantro. Black Pepper.Grill: Low heat, membrane side down. Cover. Flip once. Cover. Flip again. Baste with marinade. High heat, finish. Slice. Top with additional cilantro. Enjoy.

  October 26, 2009

• Beer of the Week: Sierra Nevada Anniversary Ale

  John LinnThey say it's your birthday...​ One of the reasons I really love homebrew is the chance it gives you to learn what individual beer ingredients taste like. Make enough brews with centennial hops, and you start to detect its bitter citrus flavor when you taste a beer. If you add chinook or warrior hops next time you might note the differences in aroma and flavor. Homebrew was where a lot of today's biggest craft beer makers got their start. Guys like Dogfish Head founder Sam Calagione a

  October 29, 2009

• Dish Deconstructed: Steak and Egg Burger

  John LinnThis burger combines a meaty steak patty that has texture and bite with a buttery croissant and fried egg. It tastes just like a steak and egg breakfast.​ Pictured: Steak and egg burger on a croissant.Burger: One pound of sirloin steak, fat left on. Chop into one inch cubes. Place in food processor. Pulse 15-18 times or until coarsely chopped and not too fine. Gently form into four equal sized patties.Sear: Place iron skillet in oven and preheat to 400 degrees. Once hot, remove with o

  November 2, 2009

• Beer of the Week: Delirium Nocturnum

  John LinnPink elephants dance in your brain.​Unrepentant beer drinkers, rejoice! Each week, Clean Plate Charlie will select one craft or import beer and give you the lowdown on it: How does it taste? What should you drink it with? Where can you find it? But mostly, it's all about the love of the brew. If you have a beer you'd like featured in Beer of the Week, let us know via a comment.If you want to see pink elephants, go Belgian. Not only does the iconic pink elephant adorn the bottles of bo

  November 5, 2009