Crash landing on oil slick, Runway 84 in Fort Lauderdale

Runway 84

330 Florida State rd. 84

Fort Lauderdale, 33315

954-467-8484

Runway-84.com

Lunch, Tuesday-Friday

Dinner, Tuesday-Sunday

This airline-themed Italian eatery and lively bar with a three-decade history has an enthusiastic following. After a recent visit, I cannot say I am a member of that following.

Oil was in abundance in places it should not have been and was missing in another. This sad experience began with tasteless, slightly burned bread accompanied by a small dish of oil for dipping. We could not find the oil; the dish was mostly grated Parmesan with barely enough liquid to grace one slice of bread. Bread is usually the first sign of what’s to follow; this time was no exception.

Enter an appetizer of clams oreganata drowning in oil that should have come with the bread. Oil was not the only problem; the woebegone clams tasted as if they had been resurrected from the freezer. Onward. Mussels were delivered in a “sauce” that tasted more like water with a few dollops of tomato paste. It was miserably tasteless as was the house salad served with a gimmicky piece of salami holding a single sorrowful olive. Iceberg lettuce, a pepperconi here, a slice of tomato there, all drizzled in a bland dressing fit for a bottle off a grocery store shelf.

Denouement of this meal misery: two plates of pasta overloaded with oil. The rigatoni was perfectly prepared but swimming in cheap olive oil. So much broccoli rabe covered one dish that the pasta was hard to find. My plate was topped with a mushy mess of cauliflower and sliced mushrooms.

Runway 84 may be popular for their free meatballs on Thursday nights and grossly huge portions every night. It’s not cheap however; our pasta dishes were about $25 each.

To borrow from Edgar Allen Poe … Once upon a January Florida night cheery … deep into that dish peering, long I stood there wondering, really? Said this writer, NEVERMORE.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale restaurants, Italian restaurants in Fort Lauderdale, restaurants near Fort Lauderdale airport

U-Tiki Beach - Tropical Rhapsody in Jupiter

U-Tiki Beach

Jupiter Inlet Marina

1095 FL A1A

Jupiter

561-406-2210

No website, find them and menu on Facebook

U-Tiki Hours: Mon-Thurs – 4-10 p.m.;Fri: 4-11 p.m.;  

Sat: 12-11 p.m.; Sun:12-10 p.m.

By Jane Feehan

Worth the long wait and a great addition to Jupiter Inlet restaurants, U-Tiki offers a stellar view of Jupiter Lighthouse and surrounding turquoise waters. It’s operated by the people who own Jetty’s next store. They know seafood. 

The U-Tiki menu offers a bounty of seafood choices, including sushi, cracked conch, fried oysters, shrimp, yellow tail, hogfish (or what’s running in nearby waters) and a tasty Jupiter fav—grouper cheeks.They also do steak, burgers, chicken, flatbreads, a variety of salads and a few interesting Caribbean  bowls  flavored with curry and coconut or almond and cream sauces. Lunch and dinner menus differ.

An appetizing dining experience (mahi mahi and chicken dishes we tried proves this point) is heightened by the open air Florida verandas and beach (Ok, ok … an engineered beach), and broad

walkway along the docks to Jetty's; this happy place is authentically tropical.     A large bar overlooking tables and the inlet provides the perfect place for meeting new people or bringing friends who want to party.

U-Tiki is open for lunch on weekends only, to the dismay of many, but it’s a tropical rhapsody otherwise. 

Tags: Jupiter waterside restaurants, U-Tiki, Jupiter inlet restaurant,Jupiter Inlet bar, Jane Feehan

Jet Runway Café, Fort Lauderdale: Calling all aviators – and foodies

Dining room with a view

Jet Runway Café

5540 NW 21 Terrace

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309

954-958-9900

Open Monday-Friday: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

Saturday: 7:30-2 p.m.

Jetrunwaycafe.com

Beer and wine, catering

By Jane Feehan

Jet Runway Café, exactly as its name conveys, sits along a runway in a hangar at Fort Lauderdale’s Executive Airport. What this unique eatery lacks in exterior design (except for the airplane windows of its entrance), is more than made up for by the details of its interior and in its artful presentations from the kitchen. The café’s expanse of glass along its front and side affords all visitors a great view of the tarmac and planes taking off, landing or awaiting the next trip. Its appropriately high-ceiling, airy interior is decked out in a turbine and other aviation elements.  

Entrance

We had standard breakfasts of eggs, potatoes, and a piece of their housemade light fried bread pudding (also available as a complete serving). Presentation here is all about the details: tiny cups with butter or catsup (no ugly bottles or alumium butter wrappers here); potatoes served in a small dish atop the plated eggs. Simple fare but beautifully delivered. They also serve Brioche Almond French toast, breakfast burritos, pancakes and house made coffee cakes.

 

Thoughtful presentation 

Service is excellent. I’ll be back for lunch during this next week and hope I can find a parking space. It was impossible last Friday at 1 p.m. and I think I know why. With good food, a great wait staff and an exceptional setting, what’s not to return for? Stay tuned …

Open for private parties (great venue) only during the evening.

Tags: Fort Lauderdale breakfast, runway restautants, unique restaurant Fort Lauderdale, private party venues, unique party venue, catering

Patsy's Italian Restaurant NYC - more about characters than food

Patsy’s Italian Restaurant

236 W. 56^th Street

New York City, NY

212-247-3491

www.patsys.com

By Jane Feehan

Located off Broadway at the center of the theater district, Patsy’s does a booming business with theater goers and tourists and a smattering of locals who venture in for the characters rather than the food. This was one of Frank Sinatra’s hangouts during the day where he held court upstairs. The same family has run Patsy’s for decades; their graciousness is one reason why so many return here—in spite of hum drum food.

On my first visit I supped on Shrimp Scampi looking for a garlic fix. I didn’t taste any garlic and the pasta was overcooked. A Caesar salad earned the same dismal assessment. The couple sitting next to me, frequent visitors to the place, said the food isn’t great but they come back to see who’s there.

Singer Michael Bublé and wife came in on one of my visits but did not stay to eat. He had to know that role model Sinatra frequented the restaurant. Characters still flock here but not so much the high-profile type. I couldn’t help but notice that some dining could have been “made guys” or wanted to be. Most of all they wanted to see or be seen, providing aware guests some entertainment with their bear hugs of old and new associates.

On another visit with a friend, we dined on seafood and pasta, and gnocchi and had to discretely  extricate shrimp shells from mouthfuls of pasta. Not a pleasant experience for those who tend to get embarrassed by such things.

Service is excellent and they expertly move customers in and out of the crowded spot. A small full-service bar offers a few seats but this is not the place for a leisurely drink before dinner. Move ‘em on, head ‘em out.  

Tags: New York City restaurants, restaurants near CBS David Letterman Theater, Italian restaurants in NYC, restaurants near Broadway, Pre-fix pre-theater menus in NYC

Tallest hotel in Western Hemisphere - Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park

Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park

1717 Broadway (entrance at 321 W 54 St)

New York, NY 10019
212-324-3774

By Jane Feehan

The Marriott Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park towers over other hotels in New York City; it also stakes claim as the tallest hotel in the Western Hemisphere. It took nearly a decade to build its 65 stories with spectacular views when it opened late December 2013. Adjoining Courtyard is part of the new hotel complex and guests share common areas with those of the Residence Inn.

Don’t expect the typical Residence Inn suite.  Many rooms are quite small (especially those in room

numbers ending in 3; rooms ending in the number 4 are more spacious) but all accommodate travelers with compact kitchens. A small fridge, microwave, dishwasher, dishes and cookware are available. I asked for a hot plate for a long stay and they delivered it within minutes of my request. If hotel room cooking is not your pleasure, food delivery is quite popular in New York City and there are, according to one restaurant owner, 24 restaurants on two blocks nearby.

Like most new hotels, this Marriott (a franchise) has a few facility problems to work out. Guests have told me their air conditioning unit or refrigerator had to be repaired or replaced. Air conditioning in my room went out until a part was quickly changed. Fire alarms went off a few times the first month it was open and a very small electrical fire during my stay was cause for an evacuation of several floors. Service problems in their two great rooms have yet to be settled but it is coming together; staff is extremely responsive and engineers are available around the clock.

The hotel provides a laundry room, a rarity in New York City hotels, and comes equipped with plenty of washers and driers. A breakfast buffet and full bar with a light menu is also available. Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park also has an outstanding fitness center with a stunning vista of the city skyline. Located on Broadway, this hotel lies at the epicenter of the theater district. Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and Central Park are each a 10 minute walk away; so is boisterous Times Square. Business or leisure travelers will be pleased with this new addition to Marriott; the Residence Inn New York Manhattan/Central Park lies within a short distance of  the best the city has to offer.


Tags: New York City Hotels, Marriott hotels, Marriott hotel reviews, Residence Inn, Jane Feehan, tallest hotel in Western Hemisphere

Rue 57 - a bit of Paris with a NYC following

Rue 57

60 W. 57 Street

New York City, 10019

Mon-Fri: 7:30 a.m.- Midnight

Sat-Sun: 9 a.m.-Midnight

Brunch – Sat-Sun: 9 a.m.-3 :30 p.m.

212-307-5656 -Rue57.com, delivery 

By Jane Feehan

When I asked some New Yorkers for a short list of good restaurants near my hotel, Rue 57 was at the top. A “Brasserie Parisienne et Sushi Bar,” Rue 57 is a clamorous place with interesting fare that continues to beckon my return.

Located a few blocks from Central Park at the busy corner of 57^th and Avenue of the Americas, Rue 57 serves up some beautiful dishes for brunch, lunch and dinner. My first meal there, lunch, was a turkey burger with fries served with a side of artichokes and tomatoes that placed my pedestrian choice over the top.  A sautéed red snapper special on the second visit wasn’t as intriguing, nor the kale salad with apples and citrus dressing, which didn’t prove as tasty as the menu suggested. The salad was redeemed when more apples and dressing were delivered upon request. The not-so-fresh snapper was prepared beautifully but the dish was an unpleasant juxtaposition of mediocre ingredients and a valiant attempt at a cover up. A pleasant dessert of Profiteroles (cream puffs) in chocolate sauce made me soon forget the main course.  We returned a few weeks later for fluffy French toast with fruit, and an omelet with three cheeses ...  a perfect brunch.

I’ve yet to sample their sushi with so many dishes to choose from … next time. Service is quite good, reservations recommended, especially during peak hours when visitors vie with locals for a table at this popular corner of 57^th Street and Aveune of the Americas. Full bar and sidewalk table seating available.

Tags: New York City brunch, restaurants near Central Park, restaurants near the Marriott Residence Inn Central Park, NYC sushi restaurants 

Coolinary Café - American culinary variations - Palm Beach Gardens

Coolinary Café

4650 Donald Ross Rd. Suite 110
561-249-6760

www.coolinarycafe.com

Open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Closed Sundays

By Jane Feehan

Authentic American dining with an innovative twist or two is in store for diners at the fast-paced Coolinary Café. Look for a spartan room tucked away in the Donald Ross Villages Plaza with people waiting to get a seat. It’s worth the wait.

For those who’ve dined at Charlie’s Reef Grill (Juno) and Little Moir’s Food Shack (Jupiter), Coolinary will seem familiar: an austere elongated dining space with tables, some counter seating and an open kitchen with a few very organized pros preparing food at the grill. Owners of the three places once worked together.

The menu at Coolinary Café changes often to accommodate season, availability and local sources. I supped on very fresh, delicately sautéed Pompano with lemon butter and sautéed brussel sprouts – a plate that could have met the standards of a sophisticated, more formal dining establishment. The same can’t be said about the Bouillabaisse, their version of a fish stew.

This stew was an American take on the Marseilles, France dish, which includes fish not available here but Coolinary’s version was lacking in imagination. The soup was mildly spicy—and flavorsome— but the seafood used was mainly shrimp with a few pieces of swordfish.

A very American dish was the boneless Southern fried chicken atop a jalapeno cheddar waffle with grilled lemon and coleslaw. The café put chicken and waffle together as if it had been that way from the beginning. New Orleans served as inspiration for one of their starters, crab and corn beignets. Innovative in flavor and texture, this gem is enough for a meal for one or an appetizer for three. It’s one of their most popular plates.

Coolinary does wonderful things with waffles. I ordered a “carrot cake-inspired” waffle with whipped cream and another maple-based topping. The waffle was tender and moist. There was no mistaking this was an American original, a great way to top off a meal at this fun and creative eatery.

Wine and beer served. Casual atmosphere but not ideal for small children at night; it’s a small room.

Open a casual seafood eatery, diners will come: Carmine's Crab Shack inPalm Beach Gardens

Carmine’s Crab Shack

2000 PGA Blvd., Palm Beach Gardens

561-275-2185

Open daily 11 a.m. – 11 p.m.

www.carminescrabshack.com

By Jane Feehan

Carmine’s Crab Shack was open only two days when we ventured in to try some seafood. Normally I’d wait until a restaurant has its groove on before writing about it but this place is well on its way. Carmine Giardini has already chaulked up a number of dining successes in South Florida and in Palm Beach Gardens.

His newest eatery was filling up a few minutes before noon but we were immediately seated in the rustic sea-themed dining room at a large booth. Its table was covered with brown paper for those who indulge in crabs but for us it was too early to enjoy their headliner. Instead, we ordered a lobster roll, a Maryland crab cake sandwich and Clams Oreganata.

Delivered on a roll with a bulky piece of lettuce to give appearance of meat aplenty, the very fresh lobster sandwich would have been near perfect with a tablespoon more of the sea meat and a pinch of spice. Lots of fries and tiny sides of tasteless coleslaw or equally dull potato salad came with the meals.

(Management is deliberating whether fries will be included for the sake of presentation going forward. I vote YES.) The Maryland crab cake was made with more crab meat than bread, the way they should be. Clams Oreganata—clams in the shell baked with breadcrumbs and olive oil with a sprinkle of cheese—were delicious.

Carmine’s menu is ambitious with seafood galore: crabs, shrimp, lobster, fish, seafood tacos, PEI mussels, Ipswich clams, conch fritters, conch salad and more.  A few pasta entrees, some  meat dishes and a kids menu will quash any reason for not visiting Carmine’s Crab Shack.  It’s casual, reasonably priced and features a large, friendly bar (filled by 1 p.m.) for dining or socializing. Our server did a great job and the manager came by to ask if we had any suggestions as we left. This will be a busy dining spot; they are off to a great start.

Tags: Seafood restaurant Palm Beach Gardens, casual dining Palm Beach Gardens, lobster in Palm Beach Gardens, conch fritters in Palm Beach Gardens.