Update: Click here for results from this first round of voting and to vote in the Food Town Throwdown's second round.
It used to be that when you had company in town and wanted to go someplace trendy, you talked about South Beach or Key West or anywhere but Broward and Palm Beach counties. Sure, we had Florida kitsch or Palm Beach glamour, but for some new food trend, you waited for vacation.
Now, name-brand chefs are opening outposts from Fort Lauderdale to Delray Beach. New food movements like farm-to-table and small plates are dominating new restaurants. And -- yes, here it is -- our dining scene has arguably surpassed Miami-Dade's.
So in the spirit of competition, we're pitting our eight best dining areas against one another in a March Madness-style bracket. Later this month, we'll crown a winner -- an undisputed champion city that can boast to have the best food scene in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Click the links below to tell us which city should go on to our semifinal round next week.
• West Palm Beach/Lake Worth versus Wilton Manors
• Boca Raton versus Fort Lauderdale
• Western Broward County versus Hollywood
• Pompano Beach/Deerfield Beach versus Delray Beach
And click here for a companion throwdown of Miami-Dade dining areas from the Miami New Times's Short Order blog.
Eric Barton is editor of New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Email him here, or click here to follow him on Facebook.