Danish Delight

In most people’s minds, The Little Mermaid is an animated film based on the fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. But to some of us, The Little Mermaid is also a wonderful Danish restaurant on NE Fifth Avenue in Delray Beach, albeit one with a fairy-tale history all its own…

Foodstuff

You might think that if you’ve seen one knish, you’ve seen ’em all. But then you certainly weren’t browsing at Benny’s Knish Factory (6680 NW 57th St., Tamarac), where if you see one knish, you’re likely to see thirty others. A veritable Baskin-Robbins of the stuffed pastries, the year-old Benny’s…

Foodstuff

If you’re anything like me, you haven’t caught many Dolphins games this fall, which is the 25th anniversary of the team’s undefeated season. But if you’re anything like me, you have caught some of those 1972 Dolphins — on a bottle of wine, that is. Delicato Vineyards in Manteca, California,…

All You Can East

David Williams says that six years ago, when he and partners Richard Chin and Ray Huang opened Emerald Coast on North Pine Island Road in Sunrise, the all-you-can-eat Chinese and American buffet restaurant was the first of its kind in the area. Since then, similar value-driven eateries have sprung up,…

Foodstuff

Speaking of Victorian tearooms (see “Dish”): South Palm Beach County isn’t short on charm either. Hidden behind the hulking Mizner Park, the year-old Boca Victoria, 125 East Boca Raton Rd., Boca Raton, 561-391-1310, serves brunch, lunch, and traditional high tea. The tearoom is actually several cozy rooms, and you can…

Yes Surrey

Every August I fly up to New Jersey to search for good things to eat. Sounds odd, I know, in the state that’s sometimes referred to as “the armpit of the nation.” And having spent my entire adolescence imprisoned in the northeast Jersey suburb of Livingston, where the epitome of…

Building a Better Muffuletta

You don’t hear much about the Italian contribution to the distinctive cuisine of New Orleans. You can discern the French influence easily enough, as well as the Spanish and African-American — cookbooks and historical tomes alike laud the region’s primary settlers and their edible offerings. But pasta and marinara sauce?…

Foodstuff

Longhorn Steakhouse, Lone Star Steakhouse, and Roadhouse Grill. The Olive Garden, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, and Romano’s Macaroni Grill. Tony Roma’s, Chili’s, Boston Market, Shells, Chowders, the Original Pancake House. I’ve never seen more chain restaurants squeezed into a square mile as I have on University Drive in Coral Springs. And…

Food Stuff

Jen Karetnick: When did you learn how to belly-dance? Maja, Girl from the Nile: I’m from Cairo, so it’s in my blood. But I didn’t actually learn until I moved from Brazil to the United States about seven years ago. Then I became a professional. JK: Where do you practice…

Haas Rules

Robbin Haas was a little nervous about opening his latest project, Bex, in Boca Raton. And who could blame him? The award-winning New American chef, who was named one of the top ten chefs in the nation by Food & Wine magazine in 1991, has also received critical acclaim from…

Foodstuff

If you think Elvis impersonators are only to be found in Vegas, Chris MacDonald will reprogram your synapses. MacDonald does the curled-lip thing every Thursday evening at Memphis Barbeque Co. on North Federal Highway in Lighthouse Point. He also does the costume thing, taking audiences through the Elvis fashion years…

Noodle Nirvana

Expectation can be a diner’s worst enemy, leading down the path of culinary disaster. I can’t count how many times I’ve entered a restaurant run by people who operate other well-known eateries with good reputations and left bewildered by an unappealing menu, poor service, or icky food. The most recent…

Food Stuff

Autumn’s a confusing time in the Sunshine State. The summer rains have ceased but the humidity remains; Thanksgiving approaches, but you wouldn’t know it by the heat of the sun. What’s a frustrated South Floridian to do? Celebrate both seasons with draughts of infusions. Clear liquors such as vodka or…

Broken English

Every city has a culinary identity, a kind of food or restaurant that not only dominates the native dining scene but creates a reputation for the metropolis nationwide. I’m not referring to the highfalutin regional stuff written about in the glossy food magazines — New World, Pacific Rim, et cetera…