12/30 Update

New posts coming after the new years. Anthonys runway 84, Isabellas Pizza and Pasta, and others

12/7 Update

I got a new puppy last week who requires a ton of attention, so I've been going home around lunchtime every day to take him out and have been eating at home. I should have some new updates coming sometime next few weeks.

15th St. Fisheries, 12/1

I went back to the downstairs, casual area, of 15th Fisheries at Lauderdale Marina 1900 SE 15th Street, Fort Lauderdale. While I don't particularly care for the supposedly fancy, upstairs dining area, the downstairs area by the dock is a great lunch place for this time of year when its not to hot to sit outside.I had my usual favorite, which is a crab cake sandwich $13,(pictured below) with excellent steak fries, served with a creole mayo. Top notch as always. The crab cake had the right amount of crab and not that much breading and filler. Although $13 is a bit more then I like to spend for lunch, this is worth it, given the food and the great setting right on the water. My co-worker had the chicken sandwich, pictured below, which was also very good. 8.5/10.

Don Arturo's 11/24

I ordered the 1/4 chicken with rice and beans and plantains today at Don Arturo's, a local courthouse favorite, located at 1198 SW 27th Ave, Fort Lauderdale, FL. Previously reviewed a few months back. The food here is always solid, fast and they have a great waitstaff. Ask for the Chimicuri and Jalapeno sauce. Both are great on everything, especially the cuban bread.

Waxy O'Connors 11/20

For what most people just think is an Irish Bar, Waxy O'Connors also serves great lunch and dinner. The have a lot of the traditional Iris Pub fare but also a number of specialty items. Everything I have ordered their has been freshly prepared and I've never been disappointed.

Waxy's is located off of 17th Street Causeway, about a 1/2 mile east of US1.

Today I ordered the Ham and Cheese Toasty, which was a ciabatta roll with melted Cheddar cheese, ham, tomato and onions and came with a large portion of long freshly cut fries. Everything was good. The fries where just how I like them. Just a little crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. One of the better and most surprising lunch choices in the area. 8.0/10

Quick Coffee Suggestion

I'm not much of a coffee drinker but occasionally I'll grab a decaf in the morning on the way to work. This suggestion came from my mother and I tried it out today and it was really good.
7-11 stores have recently stepped up their coffee service and now offer many choices and flavors of good quality coffee and accompaniments. They also offer pre-made cappuccino. Fill your coffee cup about 1/4 of the way with the pumpkin spice cappuccino from the machine, then fill the cup the rest of the way with their regular coffee or decaf. Then add splenda and milk or whatever sweeteners you prefer. I think the 16 ounce coffee was like $1.49. Compared to Starbucks it's a steal.

photos 11/18

I went back to Joe's Diner in the the Harbour Shoppes off of 17th St. Causeway today and got the California Chicken Sandwich, pictured below. Everything from this place is always solid. Certainly not the fanciest place, but as previously reviewed, it is good typical diner fare. I've also included some photos of items I've eaten the past few weeks that have previously been reviewed. 1. California Chicken Sandwich with Avocado and Bacon from Joe's Cafe. 2. Asian grilled chicken salad from Gilbert's 17th St. Grill. 3. Tacos Al pastor from Taqueria Dona Raquel in Pompano.

Charm City Burger Co. 11/16

I had to go up to the Deerfield area yesterday, so after I was done, I stopped in at what I consider the best hamburger place in all of South Florida. Charm City Burger Company is located right off of Hillsboro Rd, just east of US1 at 1136 E. Hillsboro Blvd. Deerfield Beach, FL 33441. It is a small, nondescript place that you could easily pass and drive by it all the time without ever noticing it. That would be a huge mistake as their hamburgers are fantastic. I was told the chef has worked in a number of high end restaurants and they do have other sandwiches on the menu besides hamburgers. I ordered the double cheeseburger, pictured below (Half eaten). For most people, the regular cheeseburger would be fine, but the double just brought it to another level. The fries are very good too. 9.0/10. That makes charm city the highest rated lunch place I have reviewed to date I believe.

Vito's Gourmet Pizza South 11/17

Today I went to Vito's pizza, which is located off of 17th St. Causeway in the same shopping center as Office Depot and Ross. They offer a few lunch specials and both regular and sicilian pizza slices. I've had the slices before and they are pretty good. Today I got the vegetable roll/stromboli. It was freshly made so it did take a little long to make, but that is understandable. It was stuffed with spinach and fresh tomatoes and came with a fountain drink for $5.95. As you can see from the photo, it was quite big and I actually only ate about 2/3 of it and took the rest home. I was very happy with the roll and will certainly be back again. 8.0/10

11/12 Update

I'm taking a short break from posting but I should be back in the next few weeks. I've been running out of good local lunch places to review. PLEASE LET ME KNOW OF ANY GOOD PLACES THAT I HAVEN'T YET REVIEWED.

Week of Nov 1

I only went to a few previously reviewed places this week so I'll just include some pictures:

1. Veal Milanese Sandwich from Giorgio's on 17th St. Excellent

2. Grilled Chicken Sandwich with Cole Slaw on top from Gilbert's 17th St. Grill. Very good

3. Large Deluxe Chicken Chop with yellow rice from the Natural Chicken Grill in the harbour shoppes. So so.

10/30 Updates

Nothing really new to report on this week. Everywhere I went to for lunch this week has been previously reviewed. I should hit some new places next week though.

Bravo Gourmet Sandwich Shop 10/26

Back to Bravo Gourmet Sandwich Shop, 2925 NE 6th Ave Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334. Previously reviewed. We split the ceviche and the Peruvian Country Ham Sandwich today. We ordered the ceviche spicy this time and it was excellent. Comes with sweet potato and 2 kinds peruvian corn. The sandwich was also good. The peruvian country ham was a roasted ham, similar to the kind of roast pork you would find on a cuban sandwich. Ask for the rocoto pepper creamy hot sauce to put on the sandwich.

Best Sandwich Under $10 in South Florida?

Something to think about over the weekend.
What are your favorite sandwiches under $10 in the South Florida Area.
I'll have my top 3 or 5 on Monday.

Chuck's Steakhouse 10/22

Just got the soup and salad bar deal $9.95 at Chucks Steakhouse 1207 SE 17th St, Ft. Lauderdale today. I had the roasted pepper and gouda soup which was very good. The salad bar is plentiful with lots of choices. A good place for a lighter, healthier lunch. They do have a full menu with many sandwiches and of course steaks, but I've never really been impressed with the menu items. If you keep it simple, this is a solid lunch choice. 7.0/10.

Pirate Republic Bar and Seafood 10/19

The Pirate Republic Bar and Seafood recently opened right near my office, in the place formerly occupied by Shirt-tail Charlies for many years. 400 SW 3rd Ave. Fort Lauderdale, FL 33315. It is right on the new river and they still have the wooden dock with tables all along it. Now that it is getting cooler outside, this is a nice place for lunch when the weather is right. The menu is fairly big and obviously contained many seafood items. I got the grilled grouper sandwich with sweet potato fries. ($14) The piece of fish seemed fresh and was a nice cut. Overall the sandwich was pretty good, but way to expensive for just a grouper sandwich and fries. My friend had a chicken sandwich with roasted peppers ($9) that looked pretty good. Again, the food was good, but not great, but as noted above, on a nice day, the setting is excellent. 7.0/10

Gilberts 17th St. Grill 10/16

I went back to Gilbert's 17th St. Grill in the Harbour Shoppes today. (Previously reviewed). I once again got the seared tuna with Asian slaw. I did remember to take a picture today. Tuna was good, but the slaw was excellent. Very friendly staff and service as usual.

Mr. Nicks 10/14

Back to Mr. Nicks, previously reviewed, for their excellent Chicken Cordon Bleu. Got the 12". Ate half for lunch and will have the other half for dinner. Another great sandwich. 1/2 of the sandwich pictured below.

Bravo Gourmet Sandwich Shope 10/12

I read about this place on www.chowhound.com and it sounded great. Bravo Gourmet Sandwich, is a Peruvian sandwich shop located just North of Wilton Manors on 6th St (Just South of Oakland Park Blvd). It is a small place with about 5 tables and has a menu consisting of about 10 sandwiches and a few appetizers.

I had the Lechon Pork sandwich which consisted of juicy roasted pork slices, criollo, olive and a creamy rocoto pepper sauce. It was really and excellent sandwich.
I also shared the ceviche appetizer which was served traditional peruvian style with the giant corn, toasted corn and sweet potato. Also very good.
I'll be coming back here many times in the future. 8.5/10
Sorry no pictures today.

New Orleans

We didn't get to spend a lot of time in New Orleans but we did manage to stop by the World Famous "Mothers" for the Ferdy Special, which was absolutely fantastic, and also got a muffelletta at the Market Cafe. Both Pictured below. The Ferdy's special at Mothers consists of their home cooked Ham, roast beef, cole slaw, and topped with debris and gravy. Debris is the pieces of the roast beef that fall into the drippings during the cooking. One of the best sandwiches I've had in quite some time.

10/8 - 10/9

I'm headed to New Orleans and then to Baton Rouge on Saturday for the Florida-LSU game, so no posts today and Friday. Back on Monday with a report from New Orleans.

Topic for comment.....
Best hole in the wall/no frills place in Broward?

Taqueria Dona Raquel 10/7

I finally got to try Taqueria Dona Raquel in Pompano Beach today on my way back from visiting a client at the jail. It is located at 793 S Dixie Hwy W, Pompano Beach. I've heard great things about this place for awhile but never managed to make it up there. From what I've been told, they previously only spoke spanish, but now the menu is in both spanish and english. This is the first true and authentic Mexican Taqueria that I have been to in South Florida. I ordered 2 tacos al pastor, $1.99 each and 1 steak sopas $1.99, pictured below. The also bring amazingly fresh tortilla chips and 2 sauces to the table. The sauces were both excellent and hot but not overbearing. The tacos where fantastic. The sopas was good but a little hard to eat. Next time I'll stick to the tacos. They also make these fresh juice water drinks that are top notch. Overall, this place is a hidden gem and I will try and make it back there anytime I'm in the area. 9.0/10.

Tarpon Bend 10/6

Although many think of the Tarpon Bend, 200 SW 2nd St, Fort Lauderdale, as a happy hour bar place, it is also just as much a restaurant with very good lunch fare. They usually offer 2-3 daily fish specials and in my visits there, the fish has always been fresh and very tasty. I almost always get the fish sandwich. Again, the fish varies from day to do. Today it was Sea Bass. $12 You also get a choice of side or vegetable of the day. I chose the warm orzo and vegetable salad.
I was very happy with the sandwich. The fish was a nice cut and the key lime mayo worked perfectly on it, with lettuce, tomato and red onion. The orzo was nice but I would have liked the serving size to be a big more. Sorry, I once again forgot to take a picture and I was starving on arrival and it was 3/4 of the way eaten when I remembered that I needed to photograph it. Overall and excellent fresh grilled fish sandwich, which is surprisingly hard to come by in this area for whatever reason. 8.5/10.
Who else makes a great grilled fish sandwich?


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My Market 10/5

Got the infamous Prosciutto Roma at My Market again today. Reviewed previously. Half of the sandwich is pictured below. Awesome as usual. Also, I fired up the home smoker this weekend and made a great brisket, chicken legs, and some country/boneless ribs.

Garden Deli 10/2

Only had time for a quick sub before going back to court today. I went to the Garden Deli, 1144 S Andrews Ave. The deli is located in the back, inside the Shell station on the corner of Andrews and Davie Blvd. They have a seating area with about 6 tables. Just had a simple Ham and Turkey on Wheat. The service is pretty fast. A fairly good sub and another place to grab some decent lunch when you are in a rush. 7.0/10

Forgot to take a picture again :(


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Copper Kettle 10/1

Just a quick lunch at the Copper Kettle (previously reviewed) I got the corned beef and cabbage special. It came with potatoes and carrots. All pretty good. Could have been a little more corned beef and less potato and carrots, but overall a decent, solid, lunch 7.5/10. Sorry, no picture today.

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Slice Pizzeria 9/30

After today no more pizza for awhile. Good thing I've been doing the spinning class at the gym lately. I tried this new place downtown near the Library. Slice is located at 108 SE 1st Street, Fort Lauderdale. They have a 2 slices and a drink deal for $4.95. The slices certainly visually looked much better then the ones I got the other day at New River Pizza. They were a bit on the small side but overall pretty decent. The sauce they use is sweeter then most places but I found it to be an interesting change. I'm not sure everyone will feel the same way though. Certainly not the best slices I've had, but far from the worst. A decent place to grab a quick slice to go if you are in the area and in a rush 7.0/10

9/29

I was off yesterday and had a late breakfast today and a smoothie for lunch, so no review. Back tomorrow. But continuing on the pizza thing.... what are your favorite pizza places in Broward?

Other then Anthony's Coal Fired, I can't really think of any places that really stand out.

New River Pizza 9/25

On a bit of a pizza kick this weekend so I got 2 slices and a drink $5.50 at New River Pizza, 706 S Federal Hwy Fort Lauderdale. I've been here a few times before. The overall taste of the pizza seems to be going a little downhill. I got the slices to go today so I didn't see them come out of the oven and into the box. When I returned to the office and opened the box, i found the slices to be very overdone and borderline burnt. Unless the customer asked for the slices to be well done, these slices should have been thrown out by the maker and new ones made. There really isn't any excuse for this. Since I have enjoyed this place in the past, I'll probably give them one more shot, but the Downtown Pizzeria clearly wins this battle of pizza slices. 5.0/10.


I'm trying to add photos from now on when possible. See the overdone pizza.

Big C's Downtown Pizzeria 9/23

Stopped in to the Downtown Pizzeria at their new location accross from the hospital at 1509 S. Andrews Ave Fort Lauderdale for 2 quick slices and a drink to go $5.50. Pretty good pizza and a nice value. 7.5/10

Don Arturo's 9/22

Back to Don Arturo's today (reviewed previously). Got the 1/4 chicken with rice and beans and plantains $7.95. Great as always. I must add that they make the best Chimichurri sauce in town. You have to ask for it. It's great on the bread, or mixed in with the rice and beans. 8.5/10

Joe's Cafe 9/21

Back to Joe's Cafe in the Harbour Shoppes today. I got the California Chicken sandwich $8.95, which was a grilled chicken breast with sliced avocado, bacon, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato and red onions on a ciabatta roll. It was quite good. Came with some nice fresh fruit on the side. Joe's is becoming a new solid lunch joint. 8.0/10

Sonny's Famous Steak Hogies, 9/16

This review was written by a special guest writer and South/West Broward Correspondent, David Goldberg:

Sonny’s Hogies, located at 1857 Nw 66th Ave, Hollywood, FL 33024 , a fixture in Hollywood since 1950 something, is a no frills lunch spot specializing in cheesesteak sandwiches. It was recently buoyed by an appearance on Diners and whatever, and judging by its recent swollen lunch crowds, I would imagine Sonny’s loyal fan base has mixed emotions. I ordered a cheesesteak sandwich with mozzarella (Whiz is not on the menu) and onions, a side of tomato sauce, and a bag of chips (fries are not on the menu). As usual, the sandwich was tasty and fresh. The bread is baked in house daily and Sonny’s high quality meat is thin sliced and plentiful. Unfortunately, this particular sandwich had too little cheese on it with only one slice between the meat and bread, and it could have used more onions as well. For me, the tomato sauce just didn’t work with a cheesesteak sandwich, the complementary spicy peppers provided are a better choice. It should be noted that the author of this blog, who originally introduced me to Sonny’s, ordered a meatball sandwich that apparently was pedestrian.

Sonny’s Hogies is a high quality, superb choice for a quick and tasty cheesesteak sandwich, especially given its location in Hollywood where premium sandwiches are few and far between. Cheesesteak gets an 8.0/10

Goldberg's half eaten cheesesteak

My Market Sub shop 9/17

Back to My Market sub shop, (previously reviewed below) I got the Proscuitto Roma again and it was fantastic as usual. Proscuitto might just be my favorite food.

I'm traveling to Gainesville tomorrow, so no new reviews or posts until Monday.

Yesterday I went to Sonny's Cheesesteak shop in West Hollywood (Featured on Diners, Drive ins and Dives) but I am allowing my friend David Goldberg to write up that review as a guest as Sonny's is one of his favorite places. Waiting for him to send it to me.

15th St. Fisheries 9/15

Went to the downstairs, casual area, of 15th Fisheries at Lauderdale Marina 1900 SE 15th Street, Fort Lauderdale. While I don't particularly care for the supposedly fancy, upstairs dining area, the downstairs area by the dock is a great lunch place when its not to hot to sit outside.
I had my usual favorite, which is a crab cake sandwich $13, with excellent steak fries, served with a creole mayo. Top notch as always. The crab cake had the right amount of crab and not that much breading and filler. Although $13 is a bit more then I like to spend for lunch, this is worth it, given the food and the setting right on the water. 8.5/10

Joe's Cafe 9/14

Joe's Cafe is located at 1913 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale, in the Harbour Shoppes off of 17th St. Causeway. Joe's Cafe is a traditional American/Greek Style dinner with a very large menu and many daily specials. The have ample parking in the shopping center.
Today I got the London Broil special for $9.99. It came with the soup of the day (Yankee Bean) and a Greek Salad. This was an excellent value for the price and more then enough food. The London Broil was cooked to order and came out a nice medium rare. The service is friendly and their are plenty of options to choose from so everyone in your party would be happy here. 8.0/10

Christina Wans 9/11

Christina Wans is located at 644 North Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale.
They have a number of lunch specials in the $7.95 to $9.95 price range. It comes with either soup or an egg roll. Today I had the chicken with green beans and the hot and sour soup. Both used excellent and fresh ingredients but the chicken was just a bit bland. It could have used some more spiciness. I find this to often be the case here. All the menu items are generally fresh and plentiful and nicely prepared but they just seem to lack that extra spiciness or flavor that you want in a Chinese dish. In the past, i've asked for the dish to be made "spicy." I was certainly better that way but still missing just a little bit. Don't get me wrong, the food is good, but with a little more seasoning or spiciness, it could be excellent. The dining room is spacious and comfortable and there is plenty of free parking in the shopping center. 7.5/10

Croissant Time 9/10

Just a quick report today. Went to Croissant Time French Bakery today at 1201 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale.
I had the Pan Bagnat $9.25, which is a large sandwich on really good round french bed with tuna, hard boiled egg slices, olives, lettuce and tomato, topped with olive oil. This is a really good sandwich and is almost to much to eat at one sitting. 8/10

Copper Kettle 9/9

Went to the courthouse crowd favorite Copper Kettle today. Copper Kettle is basically a Greek style diner located at 1611 S Andrews Ave, Fort Lauderdale. They have a large menu with many daily specials. The food is fairly good and always consistent, but nothing that will blow you away. It's a good place to go when you aren't sure what you want, or you have a group of people and can't agree on a place.
The decor is less then inspiring and I would bet that they haven't spend a dollar on any interior renovations in 15 years, but there is plenty of seating and ample parking in back.
Today I got the Athenian Style chicken with a Greek Salad. $7.95 A fairly healthy lunch. The Athenian chicken was basically chicken breasts cut into strips and seasoned with oregano and other spices. Overall a decent lunch though nothing to get to excited about. Copper Kettle is always a good standby place to go when you are in a hurry and want consistently decent food at a good price. 7.5/10

Shuck N Dive, 9/3

Shuck 'N Dive Cajun Cafe is located at 650 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale.
Although they serve excellent food, for some reason I rarely go to this place, despite the fact that it is very close to both my home and office. They used to have terrible service and many of the workers there had attitudes, but that didn't seem to be the case anymore on this visit. Their prices are still a bit high though, especially for lunch. An oyster Po Boy, for example costs, $12.99.
Today I was looking for something a little lighter then usual so I got the grilled chicken sandwich with tater tots for $9.49, which is fairly reasonable. The tots were excellent as always, especially with hot sauce poured on top. They offer a nice selection of bottled hot sauce choices. Overall the sandwich was pretty good and had a nice seasoning.
Again, the food here is always solid, but there is just something about the place that makes me only go back there just a few times a year. I'm not sure what it is though. Any thoughts???? 7.0/10

Mr. Nicks Sub Shoppe 9/3

I had some leftovers at home for lunch yesterday, thus no post. Today I went to Mr. Nicks Sub Shoppe, at 901 South Andrews Avenue, Ft. Lauderdale, which is just around the corner from my office. Mr. Nicks has limited parking and only has outdoor seating. They get busy at lunchtime so it's best to call ahead with your order. Not wanting to sit outside in this weather, I got my order to go. Today I couldn't decide between the Chicken Cordon Blue or the Ft. Lauderdale Chicken. I've had the Cordon Blue Sub before and it is very good, but I finally went with the Ft. Lauderdale chicken. I got the 12" for $8.75. The 6" is enough for lunch but I planned on having this sub for both lunch and dinner tonight. The Ft. Lauderdale chicken is a breaded chicken cutlet breast topped with bacon, lettuce, tomato and creamy italian dressing. I got it without the bacon. A very good hot sub overall. I just wish they had indoor seating this time of year. 7.5/10

Pita Plus 9/1

I made the 15 minute drive down to Pita Plus at 2145 Stirling Road, Fort Lauderdale. I really like this place but I don't go here as often as I would like because it is a but longer of a drive from my office then I usually go for lunch.
Pita Plus is a Kosher/Israeli restaurant with counter service. The items are prepared to order but you can get in and out of there fairly quickly. My 2 favorite items are the falafel pita and the shwarma pita. Both come with hummus and tahini sauce as well as the salad toppings of your choice. I get mine with everything including the hot/spicy items. You also get access to the pickles, peppers, and cabbage bar to the left side of the counter.
Pita Plus makes the best falafel and shwarma sandwich that I have found in the area. If you know of a better place close to Fort Lauderdale, then I'd like to hear about it. 8.5/10

Marina Deli 8/31

I'm back from Las Vegas and will post about my meals out there either later today or tomorrow.

Went to the Marina Deli at 1453 SE 17th St, Fort Lauderdale. It is located off of 17th St. Causeway in back of the Office Depot/Ross shopping center. I've been going to this place for years. Marina Deli is a traditional NY style deli that makes great sandwiches and also does a good breakfast too. The staff is extremely friendly, the have ample seating and there is plenty of free parking in the shopping center.
After 4 days in Las Vegas I needed something a bit lighter, so I just got the freshly sliced turkey breast on Rye. It comes with a side of coleslaw or potato salad. At first my sandwich was just a bit dry, so I put the coleslaw directly on the sandwich. (so much for eating light today) after that it was very good. I didn't get soup this time, but they make a good matzo ball soup and usually have 1 or 2 other soups daily.
Marina Deli is another solid lunch choice for good NY deli style sandwiches. 7.5/10

Healthy Lunch Options around Downtown Ft. Lauderdale

I'm leaving for Las Vegas today so I won't have any new posts until Monday, but I wanted to give some recommendations for lighter/healthier lunch items in the downtown Fort Lauderdale area. From time to time I'll get on a healthy eating kick (though it rarely lasts longer then a week). Here are some good choices:

1. Giorgio's on 17th st. Causeway has 2 excellent salads topped with grilled chicken. Ask for no cheese and no bacon. They have 2 salad dressing options, both are vinegar based so they probably aren't that bad for you.

2. California Pizza Kitchen on Federal Hwy, actually makes a bunch of great salads. I especially like the Thai chicken Salad, the BBQ chicken chopped salad, the Waldorf chicken salad, and the new Moroccan Chicken Salad.

3. Tokyo Sushi, next to Giorgio's on 17th St. Causeway. Pretty good quality sushi, though sometimes I leave there a little hungry if I just get the lunch portion of sushi or sashimi.

4. Gilbert's 17th St. Grill's seared tuna and Asian slaw. See Gilbert's post below from last week. Gilbert's also has some salads that are fairly good.

5. Ernie's BBQ, on Federal Hwy, south of 17th St. Conch Salad. Although the rest of the menu isn't particularly healthy, the large conch salad is a great choice, and is plenty filling.

6. Moe's Southwest Grill. The close talker salad is fairly heathly. Just get in on a plate, without the tortilla shell, and no cheese. Use some of the fresh salsas from the salsa bar instead of dressing. It's very good this way.

Anyone have other healthy lunch suggestions for the downtown area?

Don Arturo's 8/25

Don Arturo's is located off of Davie Blvd, just west of 95, at 1198 SW 27th Ave. Fort Lauderdale. They have daily lunch specials that average around $8. This place is very popular amongst the courthouse crowd. The food is always excellent, is very plentiful, and the service is great. They also get the food out fairly quickly which is great if you are pressed for time. Today I got the 1/4 roasted chicken with beans and rice and sweet plantains. They also have great cuban bread. Ask for a side of chimichuri and Jalapeno sauce. Both are excellent on the bread and mixed in with the rice and beans. I would eat here every week but the food is a little heavy for lunch and I always eat to much and feel sluggish afterwards, so we usually only go about once a month. 8.0/10

Giorgio's, 8/22

Giorgio's is located at 1499 SE 17TH St, Fort Lauderdale near Port Everglades, on the 17th St. Causeway. It is one of my regular lunch spots and I usually eat here once every 2 weeks or so. What I like about this place is that I can go there 5-10 times and get something different each time. They make excellent salads and hot and cold sandwiches. They also make pizzas but they are not my favorite.

Today I ordered the seafood salad which is marinated shrimp, scallops, and squid over a spring mix type salad. I actually ordered the appetizer portion for $9.75 which is more then enough. They do offer the full serving for $14.95, but I find the smaller amount to be more then sufficient. It was quite good as usual and a great choice for a lighter/healthier lunch. I did have 2 of their excellent rolls which are provided with a hummus type spread and butter, so I probably ruined the healthiness anyway though. Giorgio's isn't a huge place and they do get a bit crowded during peak lunch times, 12-12:45 or so. Again, one of my favorite regular lunch spots. 8.5/10

My Market Deli 8/21

Back to the old format today. I'll probably use the new format for sit down type places, or when I have more time to write.

Today I just got a sandwich to go from My Market Deli, which is located in the rear of a convenience store at 229 SW 17th St, Fort Lauderdale. I got the prosciutto roma, $8.99 It consists of pretty decent quality prosciutto, Boars Head I think, with fresh Mozzarella, basil and their balsamic vinegar based sauce on a ciabatti roll. An Excellent sandwich. $8.99 may seem like a lot for a sandwich, but prosciutto ain't cheap, so its actually a fairly decent price and it is more than big enough for lunch.
My Market is always crowded during lunch time so you need to call ahead with your order or plan on waiting a good 10-15 minutes during peak lunch times. They do have some tables in the back to dine in.
My Market Deli consistently makes some of the best subs and sandwiches in the area. Why anyone would ever go to places like Firehouse Subs, Subway, or Jimmy Johns, when they can go here is beyond me. 8.0/10

Moe's Southwest Grill, 8/20

I'm going to try a new format for this review as recommended by a reader, Mike M. While this format probably works better for a regular sit down place, I'll give it a try for Moe's. First, let me disclose that I am friends with the owner of this location of the franchise, but I don't think my comments are influenced by that in any way.

Location: Moe's Southwest Grill is located in the Harbour Shoppes off of 17th St. in Fort Lauderdale, near Port Everglades. There is plenty of free parking in the shopping plaza.

Service: Your order is prepared in front of you on an assembly line sort of system like at Subway. They move you through the line fairly quickly, so this is a great place for a quick fast food type lunch but with better then fast food quality.

Decor: Obviously nothing to fancy here, given the genre, but it is clean and well kept.

Food/Menu: As the name suggests, Moe's serves tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and salads. I had the 2 taco combo today that came with a side of queso, chips, and a drink for $8.39. Tacos were pretty good, but contained to much cheese for my taste. I should have told the preparer to put on less cheese, so this was my fault. Other then that, they were pretty good tacos and the combo made it a pretty good value. On previous visits I had the Close Talker salad which can be fairly heathly if ordered without cheese and either light on the dressing or just using salsa instead of dressing.

Overall, Moe's is a good choice for a quick, inexpensive lunch that allows you to choose exactly what toppings you want on your item. 7.5/10

Texas Hold 'Em BBQ, 8/19

I tried Texas Hold 'Em BBQ at 21 South West 7th StreeetFort Lauderdale, FL today. They used to be located on Sunrise Blvd near Andrews, so this new location is certainly an upgrade in neighborhoods.
I ordered the pulled pork dinner with mac n cheese and collard greens for $7.95. The pork was quite good and they added just the right amount of sauce and didn't completely smother it in bbq sauce, which is what many places do and I can't stand. Why someone would want to cover the taste of pork that has been slow cooked over wood for at least 10 hours with tons of sauce is beyond me. Anyway, I digress. I also thoroughly enjoyed the mac n cheese but the collard greens where just ok. Next time I go I'll be trying the ribs. Overall a very good lunch though, 8.0/10

Gilbert's 17th Street Grill, 8/18

Went to Gilbert's in the Harbour Shoppes off of 17th Street for lunch today. I had the seared tuna, served rare, with sesame cole slaw. It was quite good and a decent value for tuna at $10.95. The sesame cole slaw was excellent and not just thrown in as an afterthought as cole slaw often is. Gilbert's is always a solid choice for lunch. 7.5/10

Also need to mention that the Kwick Stop Convenience market on S.E. 7th Street and Federal Hwy, next to New River Pizza, has very good croissant's and breakfast type pastries that they make fresh daily. I got a great guava and cheese for breakfast from them today

Best Hamburger in Broward County

What are your top 3?

Currently mine are:

1. Le Tub, Hollywood
2. Charm City Burger Co., Deerfield
3. Jack's, Fort Lauderdale

This list is fluid and I reserve the right to change it at any time.

Jimmy Johns Subs Shop, 8/17

Let me start off by saying I don't really care for chain sub shops like this, but people seem to like this place so I figured I'd give it a try. After eating here I remembered exactly why I don't like chain sub shops. The sandwich had what seemed like 2 slices of meat and the toppings were limited and also not plentiful. I was still hungry after eating the 8" sandwich and I had to run to the convienance store across the street to grab a banana to get over my hunger. The sandwich wasn't terrible, but as you will find out if you continue to read my posts, I hate mediocrity in food and Jimmy Johns just screams mediocrity. 4.0 out of 10 .