Is Boca-Fort Lauderdale a Culinary Wasteland?

[robyn]

Robyn, thanks, we ended up at Cap's and it was exactly as described which was perfectly fine with us.  That place is a trip and one of a kind, and I (not my wife!) especially enjoyed ogling the tatooed waitresses ;-)

We shared an appetizer of Oysters Napoleon which was a bit cheesy (fit right in).  Then chowder and salad, which comes with the meal.  The chowder left a lot to be desired but the salad (plain old house salad) was excellent.  For an entree I had extraordinary crab cakes and my wife had nothing to write home about scallops.  I doubt I'd go again (it was overpriced), but I'm glad we went.

Glad I didn't screw up the description. I hoped the food had improved - but - after 30 years - I wasn't exactly holding my breath. And you're right about not going again. It's basically a "one shot" place - fun the first time - no reason to return.

By the way - if you like tatoos - come up to northeast Florida. We have more than our fair share . Good golf too . Robyn

[lsernoff]

After two years living in Delray Beach, here are some recommendations. In Lantana, Station House for seafood. In Delray Beach, Tramonte for Italian; La Cigale for French; Lemongrass for asian; Sol Kitchen; for caribbean/Mexican; 32 East for modern American. In Boca, Cucina D'Angelo for Italian; Mark's in the Park for American. In Deerfield Beach, Pellegrinos for Italian. In Lighthouse Point, Kosta's for Greek. In Pompano Beach, Sunfish Grill for seafood; Cafe Maxx for American. In Ft. Lauderdale, Cafe Italia and Limoncello for inexpensive but good Italian.

[CaliPoutine]

For starters, its the prime season for eating good Florida seafood, particularly STONE CRABS.

Riggin's Crabhouse in Lantana is one of my favorites, with all you can eat crabs. Its a divey place, where locals eat.

Rustic Inn Crab House in Fort Lauderdale is a MUST. Their specialty is Garlic Crabs, which are either blue crabs or deep sea golden crabs drenched in butter, herbs and garlic. They are unbeleivably messy to eat but are awesome.

If you are wiling to make your way down to the Hollywood area for dinner, Billy's Stone Crab is THE place to go to sample them. You're right at the height of the season now, so they should be really good.

See Rachel's post on our 2002 Florida trip for more info.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=5993

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We're going to Hollywood/Ft. Lauderdale next month and Im hoping to get some new recomendations to try.

I second the Rustic Inn. My family used to eat there a lot when I was a kid. We'd always get the bucket of crabs and spagetti. I loved the sauce and we loved eating on newspaper lined tables and those wooden mallets. Good times.

Marks is fabulous. Great food, cant say enough good things about Marks.

I love Mama Mia's in Hollywood. Great Italian food. I also really like Mario the Baker in Sunrise. I love their baked ziti and minestrone. My partner says they make the best calamari too.

Any new places anyone wants to recommend?

[CaliPoutine]

For dessert/ice cream I cant stress how awesome Jaxsons in Dania is.

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I second that, fabulous icecreams/sundae's. Dont eat the food though, its nothing special. Just upgraded pub grub.

Oh and Tark's( pretty close to Jaxson's) is famous for fried clams. Rosie's ( short way up US1 towards Hollywood has fabulous italian ice's and custard.

Edited September 11, 2005 by Jason Perlow (log)

[Shirley U. Jest]

In a short reply, yes, Boca is a wasteland for lousey food.

Drive south to Ft. Lauderdale, and Hollywood and you will have better luck.

I just posted a review on a little seafood joint where we ate last night, in Ft.Lauderdale. Check out my review. Shucks in Ft. Lauderdale.

Nothing fancy, just great Florida food, and it won't kill your wallet.

Edited September 12, 2005 by Shirley U. Jest (log)

[pcss]

For the past 10 years I've spent 7 mths/yr (Nov-Jun) on-the-ocean in 'Boca' - we & our friends eat out a lot - here's my favorites restaurants in the area:

Cathay's Gazebo - Boca - US 1 & Spanish River - SUPERB continental foods & wines - best of all is the rack-of-lamb & their dover sole.

Tattoria Romano - Boca - Palmetto Park Road - excellent Italian

I&J Station - Lantana - 1mile east of I95 on Lantana Road - casual seafood - BEST fres Maine lobsters (up to 5lbs) anywhere - very reasonably priced

Bistro Jean Pierre - Palm Beach - just north of the Breakers - EXCELLENT continental food

Tramonti - Delray Beach - Atlantic Avenue - Italian - previouse mentioned

Uncle Tai's - Boca - Boca Center - upscale fresh chinese

Sundy House - Delray - continental - pretty gardens you can eat out in

Kee Grill - Boca - pleasant seafood & meats - spinach Maria as a side dish is very good

The Addison - Boca - Camino Real & Dixie Hwy - UPscale continental

Grrek Island Taverna - Ft Lauderdale - Greek - casual - no reservations - excellent lamb chops and other Greek dishes

Chef Alllen's - Aventura - TOP continental chef & restaurant

Sorry if this post was too long.

[CaliPoutine]

In a short reply,  yes, Boca is a wasteland for lousey food.

Drive south to Ft. Lauderdale,  and Hollywood and you will have better luck.

I just posted a review on a little seafood joint where we ate last night, in Ft.Lauderdale.    Check out my review.  Shucks in Ft. Lauderdale.

Nothing fancy, just great Florida food, and it won't kill your wallet.

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We ate here based on your review and we thought it sucked. We had two appetizers, calamari and lobster quesadilla. Both of them werent that great. My spouse had the grilled ahi salad. The ranch dressing that came with it was horrible. I had shrimp scampi( that dish was just ok, there were 7 nice large shrimp though). My friend had grilled mahi, another friend had a seafood pasta. Overall I would rate this place no better than a chain restaurant.

[raisab]

Wow, you guys are brutal on this thread. I would never just go to a restaurant on one persons recommendation unless I knew and trusted this persons opinion on other restaurants. South Florida is not know for it's food, just for it's flash.

[CaliPoutine]

Wow, you guys are brutal on this thread. I would never just go to a restaurant on one persons recommendation unless I knew and trusted this persons opinion on other restaurants. South Florida is not know for it's food, just for it's flash.

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I would and I did. Remember, taste is so subjective. Shirley U Jest loved the restaurant, I thought it sucked. I'm not made at Shirley and if she recommended another restaurant, I might try it. I really dont think that's brutal.

There are a lot of great restaurants in Ft. Lauderdale. Have you tried Cafe Matarano? Mia's Grill in Hollywood? Mark's on Las Olas?

[suseyblue]

Oh Jesus it may be an old post but it is still so true.

Thankfully my gmil likes Sweet Tomatoes, there are demonstrably worse choices. And you don't even want to know what my fil did & said when we said we were on our way to a Greek seafood joint in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea (we ended up driving around the Boca Mall for three hours looking for TGIF as he specifed, which doesn't exist, then HE threw a public tantrum at us for daring to consider eating without him). Oh, the drama.

Anyway, -our last night we ran away from everyone & went to our Greek joint (Athena's) & pitiable us, it closed at 11- too bad, it was exquisite. HOWEVER, Mulligan's next door- totally unpromising looking pub...

Calamari, marinated in garlic & fried in olive oil (yes, sigh, 'evoo'- just assume from now on if I ever mention olive oil in a post unless otherwise specified that's what I meant), a turkey club with two entire avocados, remoulade with the fish that I could drink in a glass it is so good (and sucked up with the wonderful fries). Everything fresh, homemade. On the pier of A1A. Mulligan's, with a Bass on tap. Stagger to the ocean & watch the waves.

It was worth days of bad Boca food to get there. Do go & try Athena's, too, but don't make my joints too damn popular or I'll never get in.

Best food I've had all year.

I had a wonderful dinner last year at Mark's on Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale. I hope somebody responds to your post, though, because I'm heading to Boca in 3 weeks andI haven't been able to find much in the way of recommended eats either. Surely SOMEONE knows the score down there!!!!

The problem as stated is that if I tell you about a place you'd like - your parents/inlaws will not want to go there. And - if they do go - they will complain throughout the whole meal. My husband and I (late 50's) are from Miami (don't live there now). My parents (80+) live near Boca - and we go through this several times a year. We have developed a workable game plan.

We arrive at the Marriott at Boca Center Friday night. We go to Big City for a stiff drink. We eat at Uncle Thai's (which is adequate - particularly if - like us - you're from a place like Jacksonville with no edible Chinese food) because the only alternatives my parents will go to are smaller more local places with early bird specials that the restaurants bought at Costco. It is the only place where my mother will eat a dish that is overly salted and not die from congestive heart failure. My parents go home early. My husband and I have a couple more stiff drinks at Big City. My husband gets to see many surgically enhanced breasts. He is happy. I am drunk.

The next morning - my parents - starting at 9 am - will give me 10,000 reasons why they cannot possibly go out to lunch and/or get there by noon. Nevertheless - they will somehow manage to get ready and dressed by noon. We go to Legal Seafoods at the Boca mall (another adequate restaurant). We will discourage my mother - who doesn't eat real fish - from ordering the calimari because last time she sent it back because some of the pieces weren't totally round - they had legs. I do not drink before the evening - but sometimes I wish I did. The mall is great. I have fun spending money. My mother complains that everything costs too much.

Saturday evening my mother makes her special dinner. Reheated BBQ chicken. My father BBQs chicken - then freezes it - then they reheat it. If any of you have seen the movie "Mother" with Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds - you will appreciate the significance of the freezer in contemporary senior citizen life. I can manage to get down the dark meat. My husband needs massive quantities of liquid to get down the white meat.

We have a light lunch at my parents' house on Sunday - and then we are free to go to Miami - where we eat good food and have fun.

Sad thing is - there are actually some ok restaurants around this neck of the woods (although I do not recommend Mark's on the Park - Zemi's is better - but it's the kind of place where you wish you just had appetizers and dessert). Even an Indian restaurant near my parents' house was ok - except it was the first time my parents ever ate Indian food and they swore they never would again. So if you're making a dutiful child visit to parents - I feel your pain - and recommend the very large martinis at Big City.

In some ways - it is easier with my father-in-law - who lives in a nursing home near us. When we take him out for lunch or dinner - his standard line is - "don't you know any moderately priced places" (which applies to any restaurant where a lunch main course is more than $5 and a dinner main course is more than $10). I hear this again and again - even though dinner is always on us. Still - he doesn't get to pick the restaurants - so we have a fighting chance of getting a really good meal (only variable is the local restaurant scene). Anyway - I think we need a good shrink as much as a food critic in this thread. Robyn

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[Kouign Aman]

Chef Allen's: I enjoyed eating there 15 years ago. I'm glad to hear its still good. Also Mark's Place (the first one, I understand there are several now).

[Mr. Delicious]

I went to Florida Culinary Institute several years ago in WPB and have eaten quite a few meals around south Florida. First Brewzzi's: one day at class my management teacher starts telling me about the wonderful service he had over the weekend at Brewzzi's, i was there the same night and had just the opposite to say, but food is decent and amtosphere and beer are great. My favorite restaurant in SF is definately Eduardo de San Angel's, what I would refer to as inspiring service, servers knowledge of food was amazing and very personal, I was eating with my girl friend in shorts and a t-shirt (I'm 23 so I usually dont get good service in a place like that). One place i really love for lunch is Belle and Maxwells but thats all the way up in WPB. I have also heard great things about Chef Allens but never made the trip.

[judiu]

I found a new breakfast & lunch place (new to me, I mean) calle the Cypress Nook. It's a tiny little place on McNab Rd., which is pretty much the deviding line between Pompano Beach and Ft. Lauderdale. The best french toast I have ever eaten, and the "sausage special" has bratwurst to DIE for!

[robyn]

Oh Jesus  it may be an old post but it is still so true.

Thankfully my gmil likes Sweet Tomatoes, there are demonstrably worse choices. And you don't even want to know what my fil did & said when we said we were on our way to a Greek seafood joint in Lauderdale-By-The-Sea (we ended up driving around the Boca Mall for three hours looking for TGIF as he specifed, which doesn't exist, then HE threw a public tantrum at us for daring to consider eating without him). Oh, the drama.

Anyway, -our last night we ran away from everyone & went to our Greek joint (Athena's) & pitiable us, it closed at 11- too bad, it was exquisite. HOWEVER, Mulligan's next door- totally unpromising looking pub...

Calamari, marinated in garlic & fried in olive oil (yes, sigh, 'evoo'- just assume from now on if I ever mention olive oil in a post unless otherwise specified that's what I meant), a turkey club with two entire avocados, remoulade with the fish that I could drink in a glass it is so good (and sucked up with the wonderful fries). Everything fresh, homemade. On the pier of A1A. Mulligan's, with a Bass on tap. Stagger to the ocean & watch the waves. 

It was worth days of bad Boca food to get there. Do go & try Athena's, too, but don't make my joints too damn popular or I'll never get in.

Best food I've had all year. 

I had a wonderful dinner last year at Mark's on Las Olas in Ft. Lauderdale. I hope somebody responds to your post, though, because I'm heading to Boca in 3 weeks andI haven't been able to find much in the way of recommended eats either. Surely SOMEONE knows the score down there!!!!

The problem as stated is that if I tell you about a place you'd like - your parents/inlaws will not want to go there. And - if they do go - they will complain throughout the whole meal. My husband and I (late 50's) are from Miami (don't live there now). My parents (80+) live near Boca - and we go through this several times a year. We have developed a workable game plan.

We arrive at the Marriott at Boca Center Friday night. We go to Big City for a stiff drink. We eat at Uncle Thai's (which is adequate - particularly if - like us - you're from a place like Jacksonville with no edible Chinese food) because the only alternatives my parents will go to are smaller more local places with early bird specials that the restaurants bought at Costco. It is the only place where my mother will eat a dish that is overly salted and not die from congestive heart failure. My parents go home early. My husband and I have a couple more stiff drinks at Big City. My husband gets to see many surgically enhanced breasts. He is happy. I am drunk.

The next morning - my parents - starting at 9 am - will give me 10,000 reasons why they cannot possibly go out to lunch and/or get there by noon. Nevertheless - they will somehow manage to get ready and dressed by noon. We go to Legal Seafoods at the Boca mall (another adequate restaurant). We will discourage my mother - who doesn't eat real fish - from ordering the calimari because last time she sent it back because some of the pieces weren't totally round - they had legs. I do not drink before the evening - but sometimes I wish I did. The mall is great. I have fun spending money. My mother complains that everything costs too much.

Saturday evening my mother makes her special dinner. Reheated BBQ chicken. My father BBQs chicken - then freezes it - then they reheat it. If any of you have seen the movie "Mother" with Albert Brooks and Debbie Reynolds - you will appreciate the significance of the freezer in contemporary senior citizen life. I can manage to get down the dark meat. My husband needs massive quantities of liquid to get down the white meat.

We have a light lunch at my parents' house on Sunday - and then we are free to go to Miami - where we eat good food and have fun.

Sad thing is - there are actually some ok restaurants around this neck of the woods (although I do not recommend Mark's on the Park - Zemi's is better - but it's the kind of place where you wish you just had appetizers and dessert). Even an Indian restaurant near my parents' house was ok - except it was the first time my parents ever ate Indian food and they swore they never would again. So if you're making a dutiful child visit to parents - I feel your pain - and recommend the very large martinis at Big City.

In some ways - it is easier with my father-in-law - who lives in a nursing home near us. When we take him out for lunch or dinner - his standard line is - "don't you know any moderately priced places" (which applies to any restaurant where a lunch main course is more than $5 and a dinner main course is more than $10). I hear this again and again - even though dinner is always on us. Still - he doesn't get to pick the restaurants - so we have a fighting chance of getting a really good meal (only variable is the local restaurant scene). Anyway - I think we need a good shrink as much as a food critic in this thread. Robyn

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I missed this reprint of my old message last year - and it brought back a lot of memories. My father-in-law is now dead. As is my mother. And my father moved here to Jacksonville earlier this year. The good news is I will never have to go to Boca again to visit parents (I'm not sure I'd go for any reason - if I want good shopping - Orlando is a lot closer). The only things I will miss about Boca are Legal Seafoods and the Dolly Duz shoe store. Robyn

P.S. Zemi's closed over a year ago.

Edited November 8, 2006 by robyn (log)

[ELA]

Rough thread, LOL.

Anyway, I spend a lot of winter time in FL, and a great deal of it used to be in Boca. I still get there today but only a fraction of the time it used to be and not nearly as much as I would like. I found many restaurants I liked -- Boca, south towards Lauderdale, north towards PB/WPB, and so on.

I haven't been there in quite some time however I always enjoyed Pete's. I am not sure if it was an oversight or perhaps they have drastically changed but I see it hasn't been mentioned. There were several others that I liked as well. I am sure some of them have changed, been sold, closed, etc. but I am going to check and see which ones are still around.

I'll be in FL in the next few weeks and all this talk is forcing me to go to Boca. LOL.

Eric

[raisab]

I am going back to Miami for Thanksgiving as I do every year. ANd as I do every year, I check the Florida forum for new and exciting restaurants. And like every year, there is nothing....Just this thread about it being a culinary wasteland.

I hold by my impressions (as a native Floridian) it is all Flash, with no substance.

[markk]

Well, I'm in Miami a few weeks a year (this year will be Christmas instead of Thanksgiving), and while I pretty much agree with you, I can share two (okay, make that four) places with you that have become regulars for me because of their food.

One is Bistro Plein Sud on Biscayne and 133rd, and my thread with photos and a video is here:

the Plein Sud thread

Another place I always return to is the Miami branch of Texas de Brazil, for some very delicious rodizio meats, in a very beautiful setting (it's in the Dolphin Mall).

And now that I think about it, I've been having great Stone Crabs at Billy's Stone Crab in Hollywood, which I learned about originally from eGullet. I've been thinking about these as I get ready for my trip next month.

Oh, and one more place for lunch - PAUL, in Biscayne Commons, which is the first USA branch of a French bakery-cafe chain, with very delicious quiches and very, very delicious baked goods- breads and desserts.

[CaliPoutine]

And now that I think about it, I've been having great Stone Crabs at Billy's Stone Crab in Hollywood, which I learned about originally from eGullet.  I've been thinking about these as I get ready for my trip next month.

.

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Where is Billy's? I'll be in Hollywood next week for my birthday!!

[markk]

Billy's Stone Crab is at 400 N. Ocean Dr., Hollywood

(954) 923 2300

Billy's Stone Crab

[emsny]

Does anybody know when the Angela Hartnett/Gordon Ramsay restaurant is opening - at the Boca Raton Resort?