Dining Suggestions Around Pompano & Deerfield

[Mano]

My family and I will be visiting my folks in Hillsboro, just north of Pompano, south of Deerfield/Boca. I did a search on this forum and the general consensus is the area is either a "wasteland" or mediocre when it comes to restaurants.

What's reasonably casual and not too expensive for lunch or dinner? We're fairly adventuresome diners, so give me what ya got.

[Rebecca263]

Hi! Off of the top of my head I can only think of one GREAT restaurant in that area, and it isn't cheap. It's La Veranda, on East Atlantic Ave. It's a really beautiful restaurant and if you don't look at your watch it's a wonderful experience. The wine list is pretty good, too. They don't take reservations, and you have to wait, sometimes for an hour. They'll serve you wine while you wait, and I've even ordered tid bits during the wait, and they have a beautiful veranda. VERY romantic, really. Italian food, with an emphasis on the traditional. I have had some very romantic meals there, and it's had the same owners for 30 years, with no advertising they stay packed. The tables are very nicely appointed, too. Old fashioned, with lace tableclothes, nice flatware, beautiful dishes. You have to pace yourself, portions are large, but they allow half orders on pasta. I think that they make the best light Fettuccine Alfredo I've ever eaten. I never feel sick and greasy after eating at this restaurant. I try not to order this next dish, because it is such a substantial food, but their Osso Bucco is excellent, as well. Meat that falls apart at a glance. Their sauces are really made from scratch, and divine. It's old fashioned, with fantastic service and delicious slow cooked food. I used to eat there fairly often as a spoiled teenager, but since then I only make it to La Veranda maybe once a year, and in 30 years I've never had a bad experience, so you don't have to be a regular to get attentive service.

Here, I looked up their address and telephone from my book, for you.

La Veranda 2121 E. Atlantic Blvd.

Pompano Beach, FL

954-943-7390

[robyn]

My family and I will be visiting my folks in Hillsboro, just north of Pompano, south of Deerfield/Boca.  I did a search on this forum and the general consensus is the area is either a "wasteland" or mediocre when it comes to restaurants.

What's reasonably casual and not too expensive for lunch or dinner? We're fairly adventuresome diners, so give me what ya got.

←

A restaurant that fits the bill is Bonefish Mac's - a little east of US1 on Sample Road. Not adventurous - but perfect for those family meals (and I ate a lot of them there). The fish sandwich platter is a bargain. Robyn

Edited April 5, 2006 by robyn (log)

[Mano]

Thanks for your suggestions. I plan on going to both places. Any more recommendations are welcome.

[Mano]

Thanks again for your suggestions. We made it to La Veranda but not Bonefish (is this part of the Bonefish chain?).

La Veranda is similar to a number of the better moderately priced Italian restaurants in the Italian sections of Philadelphia and Trenton. The tables were nicely spaced and the wine list was very reasonable, with a number of reds from the mid/late 1990's. The menu entree's were generally below $20 with pastas in $13-16 range. The specials were fairly expensive and my wife got a seafood dish that was around $35 but came with a huge lobster tail. The five of us gave the food a thumbs up and the service was very good, although the waiter had little wine knowledge.

It seems to have changed a bit since Rebecca was there, as it wasn't particularly romantic, no lace table cloths and they now take reservations. My hunch is that the area wasn't willing to support a high-end Italian restaurant, so they now appeal to a wider range of people. I'm glad they do!

I'm an osso buco fanatic but it wasn't offered that night. Maybe next time.

[joiei]

Bonefish Mac's Website.

they are not part of the Bonefish grill chain

[Rebecca263]

It seems to have changed a bit since Rebecca was there, as it wasn't particularly romantic, no lace table cloths and they now take reservations.  My hunch is that the area wasn't willing to support a high-end Italian restaurant, so they now appeal to a wider range of people.  I'm glad they do!

I'm an osso buco fanatic but it wasn't offered that night.  Maybe next time.

←

No lace? Wow, I last visited in June, 2005. My friend mentioned something to me a few weeks ago about them putting out cards with Reservations- call: on them the last time that he was there, too. Did they renovate away the patios, too?

Still, glad to hear the food is still decent. I'll be there in late July, and I'll just have to see for myself, but, all this newfangled modernism, Hmmmppf!

Edited April 27, 2006 by Rebecca263 (log)

[Mano]

It seems to have changed a bit since Rebecca was there, as it wasn't particularly romantic, no lace table cloths and they now take reservations.  My hunch is that the area wasn't willing to support a high-end Italian restaurant, so they now appeal to a wider range of people.  I'm glad they do!

I'm an osso buco fanatic but it wasn't offered that night.  Maybe next time.

←

No lace? Wow, I last visited in June, 2005. My friend mentioned something to me a few weeks ago about them putting out cards with Reservations- call: on them the last time that he was there, too. Did they renovate away the patios, too?

Still, glad to hear the food is still decent. I'll be there in late July, and I'll just have to see for myself, but, all this newfangled modernism, Hmmmppf!

←

The courtyard patio is still there. If it wasn't so windy and a bit chilly we would've eaten out there. Of all the restaurants in that area we've been to over the years La Veranda is the best in terms of atmosphere and quality and price of food and wine. We usually like to eat Cuban at least once, but it never happened.