La Trattoria: Great unmet expectations

        

La Trattoria

2401 PGA Blvd. (Harbor Financial Center)

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410

561-775-0186

Open for lunch and dinner

11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

www.carmines.com

By Jane Feehan

Part of the growing roster of Carmine’s eateries, La Trattoria disappoints.  It sits adjacent to Carmine’s Gourmet Market, a trove of epicurean delectations that set the bar for our expectations.

Three of us ventured in for dinner one Saturday. The menu is expansive with seafood, pasta, pizza, and a variety of meat dishes. I ordered Pappardelle “Carmine's,” a wide fettuccini noodle served with chopped tomatoes and broccoli rabe. Another diner ordered lamb chops and the third, Linguine “Zia Pia,” a combination of clams, scallops and zucchini.   

While waiting, we sampled bread served with olive oil, the first disappointment. The server poured a concoction of dried (huh?) basil and whatever else onto the plate, followed by oil. The mix proved to be as tasteless as the bread. Then came the Caesar salads (a la carte) that earned an “A” for the anchovies, but flunked in garlic; we couldn’t taste any there or in the olive oil. Hey – La Trattoria is Italian, right?  

Bread and salads are first impressions. Neither impressed here.

Both pasta dishes were more uninspired zuppa than anything else and the lamb chops, well … ho hum.  We shared chocolate cake for dessert – the final nail in this meal of mediocrity.

Perhaps the pizza is better.

Service: good. Valet and self parking available. Moderately priced. ©2010. Jane Feehan. All rights reserved. 

Tags: Italian restaurants, Florida, Palm Beach Gardens,lunch,  dinner

Kevin's Dockside Deli: A nautical, kosher-style mix in Palm Beach Gardens

Kevin’s Dockside Deli        CLOSED

2401 PGA Blvd. (Harbor Financial Plaza)

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33410

561-694-7945

Monday-Saturday: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Sunday: 7:30 a.m.-3 p.m.

For more Jewish deli's see: http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2010/09/kosher-deli-restaurants-in-palm-beach.html

By Jane Feehan

There’s a little piece of New York City in Palm Beach Gardens; it’s Kevin’s Dockside Deli. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, Kevin’s dishes up the requisite specialties of a deli: hot corned beef or pastrami, whitefish salad, kosher hotdogs, chopped liver, house made rice pudding, soups and lots more.

Sandwiches and salad platters are oversized and delicious with side orders that match in quality. Breakfast features eggs and omelets, lox, French toast and bagels. Kevin Dennis and family know deli; they owned one in New York before moving to Florida to open Pomperdales in Fort Lauderdale. The family sold the popular deli and eventually moved to Palm Beach County.

Kevin's location (with nautical décor), provides an extra perk not found at a NYC deli: a beautiful dockside view of yachts. They specialize in buffet catering and - no surprise here - yacht provisions. Self service, pleasant atmosphere with a family touch. ©2010 Jane Feehan.  All rights reserved.

For other delis in Palm Beach Gardens, check this blog at: http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2010/09/kosher-deli-restaurants-in-palm-beach.html

Tags: Palm Beach Gardens, Jewish deli, Florida, yacht provisions, breakfast, lunch, kosher-style

Johnny Longboats: Eat, drink, be merry beach side on Singer Island (Palm Beach County)

Johnny Longboats

2401 Ocean Avenue

Singer Island, Florida

561-249-2795
Open daily 7 a.m -2 a.m.

www.johnnylongboats.com

By Jane Feehan

Johnny Longboats beckons the let’s-go-to-the-beach-without-sitting-on-it-crowd.  Opened December 2009 after the public beach center on Singer Island was completed, this watering hole and eatery attracts those more into drink than food.  

Specials for the day are displayed on a blackboard wheeled tableside.  The day we stopped in, beef and chicken entrees were featured. The menu provides a variety with Bahamian and even Creole meat and seafood dishes.

We ordered Fish Bites with black beans and rice and a Dolphin Reuben with fries (about $10 each). The fries, and beans and rice were both nearly cold. The same sides were hot on a slower week day we dined there. Sundays tend to be busy at Johnny’s, which may explain the difference. That said, the rest of it was good. Cole slaw – made of paper thin sliced cabbage and carrots – proved excellent. Both plates were more than we could eat. We had planned to order one of the scrumptious-looking cakes shown off in a cold case in the lobby but couldn’t eat another morsel.

With nearly as many places at the bar (the biggest draw) as there are at tables, Johnny Longboats' air-conditioned indoor seating opens – transitions actually - into a fresh air patio, where live steel drum music plays on certain days.  For those who really want to go to the beach,  fuel up beforehand at Johnny's with breakfast, served daily. Available parking spaces will increase as the center, located at the beach near Blue Heron Blvd., enters final stages of completion. Service: good. © 2010. Jane Feehan.

Singer Island hotels: Hotels.com
Palm Beach County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Tags: Palm Beach County, Florida, Singer Island restaurants, beach, live music, breakfast

   

Mecca for hoagie lovers: LaSpada's in South Florida

LaSpada’s Original Hoagies

4346 Seagrape Drive

Lauderdale By The Sea, Florida 33308

954-776-7893

Monday-Saturday: 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m.-8 p.m.

www.laspadashoagies.com

Also at:
Davie, Coral Springs, Boca Raton and 17th Street Causeway in Fort Lauderdale

By Jane Feehan 

LaSpada’s tag line, “Best Hoagies in Town,” sounds a bit humble after digging into one of their creations. How about best hoagies in Florida, best in the South, best east of the Mississippi, best in the U.S.?  Could be; I haven’t had any better.

Don’t expect to get a comfortable seat here. Seating is minimal in this tiny hoagie mecca. Sandwich aficionados stand in line for their quests and carry them out as if they were treasures. This is the only place I’ll wait in line for food; it’s worth it.

Can’t put my finger on what places LaSpada’s ahead of the hoagie-making pack. It could be the bread or maybe the variety of sweet and hot peppers, or the fresh tomatoes, meats, cheeses, and salads. It could be the perfectly sprinkled oil and vinegar. Whatever, the wonderful smells seems to placate the crowds entering this  seemingly disorganized shop (it seems chaotic but they know who’s next in line).

Whether it’s an Italian combo, or turkey, roast beef or veggie (it’s delish), or a six-foot monster for a party, LaSpada’s does it right. A fav of locals, this joint also draws returning tourists who put this eatery in Lauderdale By The Sea at the top of their must-visit lists.  Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tag lines: Best hoagies, Fort Lauderdale, Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida, restaurant reviews

Little Moir's Food Shack: Food Wow - Jupiter, Florida

Little Moir’s Foodshack

103 S. U.S. 1, Jupiter, Florida 33477

Lunch and dinner served Monday through Saturday 11:00-9 p.m.

561-741-3626

www.littlemoirsfoodshack.com

By Jane Feehan

If ever there was a reason not to judge a place by its name, Little Moir’s Food Shack will be it. Sitting in a strip shopping center with a nondescript storefront, Food Shack is a culinary surprise. Exterior seating for fans willing to wait for a table provides one hint of what’s to come; opening of the door by a staffer before patrons reach it gives another.

We chose a counter dining spot to watch the cooking. No stumbling over each other here; it was choreographed preparation.  While trying to decide from one of their two daily menus, we ordered house made potato chips tossed with lemon, garlic, black pepper, olive oil, sun dried tomatoes, capers, caramelized red onion and freshly shaved Parmesan cheese. WOW. So good we could barely stop eating but wait – we said - there’s more; other items beckoned.

I chose Sweet and Spicy ($19) with scallops. Made with fresh cauliflower, squash, wilted spinach, mango, and peanuts over coconut rice, the soupy dish, loaded with scallops, was ambrosial. Fellow diner ordered blackened grouper over coconut rice (about $18) with Food Shack’s distinctive spiced fruit salad and cucumber slaw. Perfectly spiced and super fresh, the meal was more than pleasing. To top off the occasion we shared Raspberry Key Lime Pie ($6.50) that had to be the best version of that Florida tradition I’ve indulged in. Instead of a thick graham cracker crust, it was made with the thinnest layer of light cake. The creamy filling: a perfect blend of sweet and tart.

Food Shack, a name derived from a picture of a Bangkok, Thailand alleyway, is known for fresh fish, sweet potato crusted fish, BBQ chicken sandwiches and its fried tuna and basil roll. I’ll return to try some of their other “Shackatizers": Crab Guacamole ($12), or Fried Eggplant Stack with Grilled Pineapple, Tomato, and Homemade Mozzarella Cheese Topped with Blue Crab and Citrus Wine Vinegar Glaze ($11.50). There’s so much more – much of it not even on the menu, we were told. A glance at the offerings shows off innovation, variety and appreciation for freshness.  As one cook told us proudly – this is five star food in a one star setting.  Agreed.  All good reasons for me to dine at their other restaurant -Leftovers©. Beer and wine served. I've suggested Food Shack to Food Network's Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.   


Service: Excellent. Reservations for parties of six or more. See their recent addition, Maxi's Lineup. 

Tags: Food Shack, Seafood, Jupiter, Florida, restaurants, dining

Waterfront dining thrives in Jupiter, Florida

  

Use search box at right to find restaurants open for Easter in Jupiter and the Palm Beaches

 By Jane Feehan

Jupiter is known, among other things, for its iconic lighthouse, jetty fishing and the beautiful aqua waters of its inlet.

There’s also a few waterfront restaurants, a dying breed of Florida eatery because of real estate and other issues, that draw locals and visitors from afar or from neighboring counties.   Below are a few. Jetty's and Guanabanas capture most of the dining business along the water. (For area Thanksgiving ideas, enter "Thanksgiving" in search box.

U-Tiki (see photo at left) - now open 
For hours and review, see: http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2014/11/u-tiki-beach-tropical-rhapsody-in.html
Next to and owned by Jetty's.
  

Guanabanas  - See review and photos here. 

18091 N. Hwy A1A

Jupiter, Florida 33477

561-747-8878

www.guanabanas.com

Jetty’s - See review and photos here. 

1075 N. Hwy A1A

Jupiter, Florida 33477

561-743-8166

Café des Artistes (at Jupiter Yacht Club and Marina)

318 South US Highway 1, Suite 101

Jupiter, FL

561-747-0998

http://www.cafedesartistesjupiter.com/

Review

Crab House (Landry's - chain) CLOSED - Re-opened 3/26/2012 by Landry's as 
Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. -     2015 CLOSED RE-OPENED AS RUSTIC INN   CLOSED                                               

1065 N. Hwy A1A                                        

Jupiter, Florida 33477

561-744-1300

Dive Bar Restaurant  (at Jupiter Yacht Club and Marina)
318 S. U.S. Hwy 1
Jupiter, FL
561-747-4767
www.divebarrestaurant.com
Review

Square Grouper (must be 21; emphasis here is on drinking but they do serve food) 

111 Love Street

Jupiter, Florida 33477

561-575-0252

www.squaregrouper.net

Wylder's Waterfront Bar and Grill       CLOSED
18701 SE Federal Hwy
Tequesta, Florida 33469
561-744-7400

For breakfast or brunch in the Jupiter area, see http://janesbits.blogspot.com/2011/02/breakfast-and-brunch-in-jupiter-and.html
Tags: Jupiter Inlet restaurants, waterfront dining in Jupiter

Asian Fin: A sophisticated taste of Asia in Palm Beach Gardens

Asian Fin

4650 Donald Ross Rd, Suite 106

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418

Monday-Friday Lunch:  11:30 a.m. -2:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday Dinner: 2:30-10 p.m.

Saturday – Dinner only: 4-10 p.m.

561-694-1900

www.asianfin.net

By Jane Feehan

Owner/Executive Chef Tsutomu "Yama" Yamamoto of Asian Fin aims to please with his sophisticated choice and preparation of sushi, seafood and steaks.

It’s a small, elegant eatery with more seating outside than in, for now. He's opening extended space – a bar serving food - in August.  Judging by the way they filled up shortly after 6 p.m. one Saturday evening, the new area should have no trouble reaching capacity.

I ordered a sushi special for the evening: a Berry Nutty roll with tempura shrimp, avocado, cream cheese and paper thin strawberries ($15). Delicious. Fellow diner, not a sushi fan, sampled lobster cakes on a bed of greens for $12. They were fresh, ample in size and well prepared. We asked for vegetable fried rice that was out-of-this-world-good. Made with brown rice, fresh bok choy and other vegetables, it was more sautéed than fried – a good thing. Asian Fin is also generous with their glasses of wine.

Seafood entrees change daily, average $18-$25. The menu offers lots of different price points and choices for any taste or wallet size. Make a meal of appetizers, salads, bento boxes or even burgers.  We’ll be back. Service: excellent. ©2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved.

Tags: Asian restaurants Jupiter, Asian restaurants Palm Beach Gardens, Asian Fin hours of operation

Galuppi's in Pompano Beach: Not just for golfers

Galuppi's
1103 North Federal Hwy

Pompano Beach, Florida 33062

954-785-0226

Breakfast: 7 - 11 a.m.

Lunch: 11 a.m. 4 p.m.

Dinner: 4-9 or 10 p.m.

http://galuppis.com

By Jane Feehan

Galuppi’s draws not only golfers from the course that it sits on, but also business types and social butterflies for meetings, and those looking for a picturesque spot to marry. The food, though not for the gourmand, is consistently good.

A large covered patio and bar as well as a more formal table-clothed dining room with a great view of Pompano's public golf course provide contrasting venues for whatever the occasion. I’ve dined at Galuppi's for Rotary Club meetings and for lunch or dinner with a few friends and it’s always been a pleaser. It’s also reasonable. Lunches (from a large menu) average at about $10 and dinners can be ordered for just a bit more. Portions are large enough to share.

Galuppi’s knows its business; they accommodate groups as well as individuals with the same  efficiency and consistently good food.  It’s a great place for both winter and summer visits. Plenty of parking available. Service: excellent. © 2010 Jane Feehan. All rights reserved. 

Restaurants,weddings, Pompano Beach, Florida, golf.