Yup, it’s the real thing. And it’s really, really good. I was a bit skeptical when I heard that the 18-month-old Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza on South Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale used an authentic coal-burning brick oven to bake its pies. Not too long ago, I learned that in…
Bored with Boca? No reason to be. Now locals can spice up their days with Moroccan Nights (21073 Powerline Rd., Boca Raton, 561-483-0666). The dining experience here is different from the get-go — seats are actually sofas, positioned next to low tables; fabrics rich in color and texture are the…
There’s only one way to order the famous, 100 percent, all-beef hot dog at Vic & Irv’s Hots & Burgers (900 S. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-7255). That’s with “the works,” of course: mustard, onions, and “Vic’s signature meat sauce.” Sound a little hard on your digestive tract? Try the…
The first thing you notice when you pull off North Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale into the arched entranceway of Sublime restaurant might not be the enormous spotlighted marquee announcing the place. It might not be the stationary sign, a towering green monstrosity that advertises the restaurant’s “world vegetarian cuisine”…
You think you’ve got job stress? Try this on for size: You work at a Fort Lauderdale sports bar that oozes old South Florida from every warped piece of paneling, it’s game six of the World Series, and your hometown team, conveniently named after the stuffed billfish that is the…
Prediction for Halloween evening: a tidal wave of ghoulish good times. But only if you attend the Tsunami (651 Okeechobee Blvd., CityPlace, West Palm Beach, 561-835-9696) party. The first wave starts at 5 p.m. (children welcome till 6:30 p.m.), and the tide goes out at 2 a.m. In between, revelers…
You might be confused about Gotham City. To comic book aficionados, it’s home to Batman; Yankees believe it to be modeled after and therefore a nickname for greater New York City. Shoppers on eBay, however, have bookmarked “Gotham City” as a dependable site for trendy stuff, where proceeds from the…
There’s always been one significant problem when ordering a six-foot sub, be it for a kid’s birthday party or a special ball game: getting it into the car. Unless you own something along the long, long lines of a truck, chances are you’ll be driving with the tip of hero…
When I made a reservation for dinner at the Japanese Village Steak House on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale, the hostess asked me a question that struck me as peculiar. “Is it a special occasion?” she wanted to know. “Why?” I thought but didn’t say, in return. “Does it…
If you’ve been wondering about the much-anticipated late summer 2002 opening of Taverna Opa (3051 NE 32nd Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-567-1630), sibling to the popular Hollywood waterside Greek restaurant and nightspot, and its subsequent sudden mysterious closing a mere four months later, query no more. The Lauderdale location was shut…
If you’re not driving too fast, you’ll probably notice the numerous dancing dogs (actually, facsimiles thereof) in front of Hot Diggity Dogs & More! (2641 Griffin Rd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-981-7827), an otherwise-inconspicuous little roadside stand where for nearly a dozen years Browardites have streamed in for steamed Sabrett all-beef frankfurters…
Praise Bacchus: The god of wine’s inaugural namesake celebration, Boca Bacchanal Winefest & Auction, was a big success last year, attracting more than 1,600 guests over three days. As a result, the festivities leading up to the 2004 Boca Bacchanal, which will take place March 19-21, are starting early. The…
When creating poetry, scribes often dabble in a technique called “writing off the subject.” This means simply that a poet starts a piece musing about one topic and ends it philosophizing about another. But it’s not deliberately misguiding; it’s a way of freeing the mind. For the truest barometer of…
Farewells to Footie’s may not be fond, but hey, at least they’re farewells. The eatery marqueed by Y-100 (WHYI-FM 100.7) morning radio personality Footie has morphed into Jensen’s American Grill (8320 W. Sunrise Blvd., Plantation, 954-423-1610.) The décor has changed slightly to reflect a more sports-oriented theme, but folks loyal…
South Florida has long been considered the test market for the initial models of theme-oriented chain-gang eateries. I’m not sure why — perhaps because land has been traditionally cheaper and more abundant here, giving rise to the large generic shopping plazas that cater to the discretionary funds of the chain…
I can’t help but admire a biz that shows initiative. Take Dairy In (3980 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Deerfield Beach, 954-428-3999), an ice cream parlor tucked in next to the Muvico complex on Hillsboro Boulevard. A remake of a Dairy Queen, with an i replacing the “Quee” on the neon sign,…
During my teenage years, I waited on patrons at a gourmet grocery store. The shop featured then-exotic products like caviars, cheeses, and mustards — and was attached to a popular local restaurant. It was the first of its kind in the area. Since then, I have tended to judge every…
Labor Day, that couture mile marker, has come and gone, but we can still wear white. We live in the subtropics. But you might choose to leave the whites behind on November 16. That’s when the Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens (4000 Morikami Park Rd., Delray Beach, 561-495-0233, ext. 210)…
In restaurants, mistakes are common. If, as George Eliot noted in the 19th Century, “One can say everything best over a meal,” humble apologies should be graciously accepted at the dinner table. The rule applies not only to diners but to servers, be they family members or waiters in public…
So you think you know all there is to know about Sushi Blues Café? After all, it’s a downtown Hollywood institution. For years, it’s both served the raw fish-loving community and provided soul food — of the live blues and jazz type — to local music buffs. In short, it’s…
Renowned chef Oliver Saucy, co-proprietor of Darrel & Oliver’s Café Maxx in Pompano Beach and East City Grill in Weston, is no stranger to awards. In 1998, he brought a James Beard home to South Florida, and in 2001, he was recognized with the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence. But…
Learning about wine has become incredibly convenient. For instance, no longer do you have to scan the daily newspaper calendars in hopes of finding a wine tasting or seminar or sommelier course. Now you can receive info about wine events in your area simply by logging on to your computer…
