I’ve come up with a great new diet for taking off the holiday five. It’s called diversion: Don’t feed yourself, feed your dog or cat. Craving a Reese’s peanut butter cup? Head over to Bone Appetit (3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale, 954-565-3343), a dog-and-cat bakery, and pick up some…
To qualify as an authentic raw bar, a restaurant must meet certain criteria. Décor should be limited, ambiance rugged, and furnishings as worn as a mother of four, even if they’re relatively young in years. It has to offer a water view, be it only a manmade lake or a…
Think the Y2K thing has been a letdown? Think there’s nothing to look forward to now? Think again, and do it on the Dine-and-Ride Express (954-761-3543). The TMAX trolley is offering free transportation every weekday between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Hop aboard, ride to Las Olas Riverfront, have your…
Under the “there are two sides to every argument” heading comes the following question: How important is it to know the race/ethnicity/sexuality/politics of the proprietor of a restaurant? Not at all, I usually think, other than for a passing note of interest. I don’t really care if a native Italian…
If you thought car dealerships were good for only one thing — selling automobiles — then you haven’t been to Ragtops (2119 S. Dixie Hwy., West Palm Beach; 561-655-2836). This vintage-car dealership, specializing in convertibles, is also a special-events facility. Catered affairs take place in the second-floor showroom, which requires…
You can find lots of fascinating dictionary definitions that start with the word Texas. For instance a Texas citrus mite is a red spider that causes injury to the leaves of citrus trees. Texas fever is a disease suffered by cattle and transmitted by the cattle tick. A Texas leaguer…
Henry’s China House (745 SE 17th St., Fort Lauderdale, 954-763-3333) claims to be “Fort Lauderdale’s first Chinese restaurant.” Now, I’m not about to argue — the place opened in the ’50s and still consistently serves some downright savory Cantonese cuisine. There’s never a doubt the fare is homemade; if you…
I confess I’ve let the most recent issues of Vogue sweat on my coffee tables in their plastic wrappers, so I have no clue: Is fur, faux or otherwise, in or out this year? And how about animal skins — cow, alligator, zebra, leopard? I mean, these are serious questions…
Ever wonder what it would be like to be served by lottery winners? No? Well, anyway, now you can experience this unique pleasure at the Whale’s Rib (2031 NE Second St., Deerfield Beach, 954-421-8880), where several employees joined together to purchase a Florida lottery ticket a few weeks ago. In…
I saw my first fire-safety video when I was in first grade. The graphic scenes in the movie made such an impression on me that I packed my toys in paper bags every night so I could grab them easily in case of an emergency. For a year I couldn’t…
Looking for a stocking stuffer for the sophisticated diner in your life? This year’s South Florida Zagat Survey, featuring about 350 restaurants from the Broward and Palm Beach areas, will hit local bookstores about mid-December. ‘Course, that means Hanukkah celebrators will have to buy this customer-quoting guide for themselves, but…
“I have missed you all tremendously and have decided again to follow my heart….” Sound like a letter from a lovesick suitor? From an absent mother? From a kid away at college for the first time (yeah, right)? Actually, it’s the latest advertisement for the “gourmet Mexicano” restaurant Eduardo de…
Forget the worries about human genetic manipulation and controlled evolution. We should be more concerned about the unnatural adaptation of our movie theaters to 21st-century life. I admit I was glad, back in the ’80s, when the single-screen theater evolved into the more functional multiplex. I was heartened when the…
Question: How do you compliment a girl from Loxahatchee? Answer: “Nice tooth.” Question: How do you compliment ten girls from Loxahatchee? Answer: “Nice set of teeth.” Now, I don’t mean to deride Palm Beach County’s less-ritzy towns — well, maybe I do — but let’s face it: It’s Hicksville out…
Hanukkah’s early this year, and if you’re like me, now’s the moment to panic. Or time to order a gift basket of rugelach from the Kitchen Cupboard, Inc. (800-813-5432), a Broward-based company. The Kitchen Cupboard doesn’t sell its homemade rugelach, developed from a top-secret family recipe and ranging in variety…
I demand a lot from my neighborhood diners. I count on brisk service, for one thing, whether I’m popping in for breakfast, late-night dinner, or a bottomless mug of coffee. For another I prefer that the décor be casual, even seedy (though not dirty); I’m weary of newfangled, prefab designer…
We’ve all been there — single, hungry, and bored with soggy take-out. Often the only alternative is taking oneself to a good restaurant and suffering the pitying stares of other diners. Well, thanks to the Single Gourmet (PMB-555, 1291-A S. Powerline Rd., Pompano Beach, 954-723-9608), you can now “go out…
With its tiled walls and crowded interior dominated by deli cases, Beany’s Cafe (126 NE Second St., Boca Raton, 561-392-1085) hardly looks like what it is — a gourmet deli capable of inspired dishes such as wheatberry salad or chicken napoleon linguine (with fresh spinach and a tomato-cream sauce). Along…
A couple of years ago, the wife of GQ food critic Alan Richman wrote an essay for Food & Wine. In it she defined her main purpose as dining companion: Richman instructed her always to carry a large black purse so that when he stole the menu he’d have somewhere…
I’ve always believed you can’t go wrong with bread and salad. No matter how much of a failure a meal might be — whether it’s served in a restaurant or in someone’s house — guests won’t leave a table hungry if they’re supplied with plenty of crusty bread and fresh,…
Italian restaurants are a lira a dozen, but every once in a while one stands out. Al & Jay’s Pasta Kitchen (2399 N. Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, 561-392-6770) is just such a place, and not because the storefront trattoria is pleasant and colorful and the classic Italian dishes well executed…
A commercial on Comedy Central advertising The Daily Show gets me every time. The Daily Show, for those who haven’t watched it, is a no-holds-barred spoof of a news broadcast, and the commercial is just as snide as the show itself. The spot features a newsroom where everyone chases down…
