Just got back from eating dinner at La Stella’s…a 30 seat “mom & pop” Italian joint in Boca Raton. Wanna talk about mom-pop?… the lady owner is both waitress/bus-girl…same goes for a family guy-friend who is both waiter/bus-boy. You can check La Stella’s menu/prices/photos at www.lastellasrestaurantandcatering.com.

This evening my “selected” entree was chicken scarpiello (on the bone)—the dish was so loaded with cherry and fried peppers that it was borderline inedible. A guy at the next table, told me-he also thought that the chicken scarpiello was way-way too spicey and that he would need some Rolaids when he got home.

Lucky for me, “my table” also ordered—house salad, gnocchi, eggplant parmigiana, grilled chicken, meat-balls and fresh mozzarella flatbread—which I got to taste… all very good. So, in total—we had 7 dishes, 6 were just fine and 1-was a disaster, which is an .857 batting average.

Just so you know, I found the service to be super-friendly but amateurish…it sort of reminded me of children-stars Shirley Temple and Mickey Rooney “doing a show.” The portions were ok…but too pricey for what showed up. The entrees came with NOTHING…no salad, no pasta side…and get-this, no bread.

Let’s sum La Stella’s up this way…a “no-liquor” $142 bill for 4 people was not a good deal. If the owner gets real-waiters, has garlic bread when you sit down, throws in soup or salad–and a pasta side with entrees, gets rid of those “peppers”—Jeff Eats will be back for a second go-round.

La Stella’s is open Tuesday-Saturday 5pm-10pm and Sunday 5pm-9pm.

Two Brothers Pizzeria is a “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joint…or is it a “two brothers” red sauce Italian joint? Not sure, but you guys know exactly what I am talking about… by the way…there are 2-of these joints, the other is located at 8424 Mills Drive, Miami, Florida 33183 (305) 595-7559. Finally, this review is about the 13740 joint…haven’t been to the other one.

As you know…there are more “mom & pop” red sauce Italian joints down here in South Florida, than there are Chins in a Chinese phonebook (thank you Soupy Sales). I have eaten in tons and I do mean tons of these joints and…most are just a blur to me. To be honest with you, most of these red sauce places are basically the same…save me some time here, you know the routine—garlic knots, minestrone soup, pasta side, “veal parm” entree—18 or so-bucks.

Let me make this real simple…Two Brothers Pizzeria is one of the better “red sauce” joints down here in South Florida. A recent outing had me doing—pizza, veal parmigiana, chicken marsala, shrimp scampi, penne alla vodka. The pizza was thin-crispy-sweet sauce—delicious. For sure, this is a mom & pop joint—but I am telling you, that Two Brothers for some reason-is better than most of the joints that I have been to. Is it the delicious sweet sauce on the veal parm, the huge portions, reasonable prices, the dynamite garlic knots baked just right and not overly drenched–I just don’t know. What I do know, is that I’ll remember Two Brothers the next time I’m down in the Kendall area.

Give this joint a shot…it’s real good. Two Brothers is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner.

The Original Lots of Lox Deli which has been around for 30-something years, is a “NY Style Bagel-Deli”…located in Palmetto Bay.

First things first, yes–I tried the joint’s nova and it was delicious…with that out of the way, let, me tell you that this 7 days a week 7am-9pm joint is one of the better “bagel-deli” joints that I have eaten in down here in South Florida.

Great selection– of bagels, all kinds of appetizing, breakfast items, salads, sandwiches, burgers, dinner entrees. Take a look at The Original’s website www.originallotsoflox.com for menu/prices/pictures.

I recently did a corned beef on rye, chicken salad on white toast, sweet and sour stuffed cabbage, bacon cheeseburger, meat loaf, brisket on a kaiser roll, matzo ball soup…I liked everything.

The Original Lots of Lox Deli is a winner. If you live or work in the area, give it a shot.

I am now going to do you a solid and tell you about “breakfast-lunch” joint, Jet Runway Cafe. I am willing to bet, that you would never hear about or for that matter find this joint without old Jeff Eats’ help.

Jet Runway Cafe is located right next to Fort Lauderdale’s Executive Airport. You can watch airplanes/helicopters takeoff and land while you eat breakfast or lunch. Take a look at Jet’s website www.jetrunwaycafe.com for menu/prices…you will also find photos of this joint and directions on how to get to it.

Jet Runway Cafe is not…I repeat NOT some “mom & pop” neighborhood diner. Let’s call it a semi-upscale breakfast-lunch joint, but your shorts/tee shirt ensemble will work just fine.

During the past 2 weeks, I did both a breakfast and lunch. The food is terrific…my sampling included– western omelet ($8.95), almond crusted french toast ($8.25), cheeseburger ($9.50), meatloaf ($11.95), crab cake sandwich ($10.50).

On the pricing front, not exactly bargain basement stuff, but nothing too terrible. Service was very pleasant and efficient.

Like I said before, not– a “mom & pop” joint…the place is really cool in that it is basically an upscale diner with an airport runway as background decor.

You got to check this one out.

Jet Runway Cafe is open Monday-Friday 7:30am-3pm and Saturday-Sunday 7:30am-2pm.

Had dinner at a Kendall “mom & pop–red sauce” Italian joint…Mike’s Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant. Did pizza, veal parmigiana, chicken milanase, eggplant parmigiana—food is okay, fairly priced. Nothing special, but decent enough- that if I lived in the neighborhood, I’d consider it for an occasional eat-in/takeout.

You can check its website www.mikespizzaonline.com for menu/prices/photos. By the way, Mike’s has two locations, the other joint is at– 4254 Southwest 152nd Avenue, Miami (305) 551-2040.

Mike’s is open Sunday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm.

Got a good Chinese joint for you…South Garden Chinese Restaurant in Miami.

Check www.southgardenrestaurant.com for menu/prices.

A recent outing had me doing some of my “Brooklyn” favorites…wonton soup, egg rolls, bbq spare ribs, sweet & sour chicken, pepper steak, general tso’ chicken, roast pork fried rice, shrimp with black bean sauce—like I said before, GOOD. For sure, some dishes were better than others, with the sweet & sour chicken and general tso’s chicken being dishes that I would definitely order again…the rest of the stuff, was ok-but definitely nothing to get nuts over. For you dim sum fans, the joint has a real nice cart-selection…the bbq pork buns and fried shrimp buns were very good.

On the price front…South Garden has plenty of “specials”– so you soup-egg roll-roast pork fried rice-entree players won’t be disappointed.

Let’s sum this one up this way—better than most “neighborhood” joints…

South Garden is open Monday-Saturday 11am-10pm and Sunday 10:30am-9:30pm.

I’m now gonna tell you about a great and I do mean great “bbq” joint…Smoke’t Southern Kitchen & Tap located in Coral Gables.

First things first…check the joint’s website www.smoketbbq.com for menu/prices/photos. Trust me on this…the food tastes as good as the menu “reads.” Service is real good. Prices are reasonable.

A recent outing had me eating like a pig… just so you known entrees come with 2-sides—-rack of baby backs ($23.95)—bbq beef ribs ($14.95)—1/2 bbq chicken ($13.95)—pulled chicken/pulled brisket/pulled pork sliders (3 sliders with fries are gonna run you $9.95)—1/2 fried chicken ($12.25)— french fries—sweet potato fries…

I am telling you, the food is outrageously good. The bbq dishes are smoked, but not overly smoked…trust me, you’ll love this stuff. The fried chicken was absolutely dynamite…same goes for the sliders, each was on a nice soft bun-meat/chicken piled high/onion strings–side of french fries.

Let me do it this way…Smoke’t is one of the best bbq restaurants going. Cool decor, full bar, live music—terrific food.

Smoke’t is 7 days a week for lunch 11:30am-5:30pm and for dinner Sunday-Tuesday 5:30pm-1pm and Wednesday-Saturday 5:30pm-11pm.

I think that the best way to begin Grande’s Bella Cucina’s review is for you guys to go to www.grandesitalianrestaurants.com. Checkout this joint’s menu/prices/photos.

Personally I got mixed feelings about this “upscale” Italian joint. For sure, the “sampled dinner” linguini with white clam sauce ($23)–chicken milanase ($26)–grilled veal chop ($39)–fried calamari ($12) were all just fine…but when I was eating at Grande’s with its fancy dining room, in-house bakery store, indoor/outdoor patio seating—I kept thinking LEONARD’S OF GREAT NECK…Now you New Yorkers out there will know exactly what I’m talking about here…for you–others, checkout www.leonardscatering.com for details.

Like I said before, the food is decent enough- as is the service…the prices although a drop-high are also okay…but something about this joint says to me “it’s all staged”—whatever that means.

Grande’s is open Monday-Thursday 11am-10pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-11pm, Sunday 9am (breakfast)-9pm.

“Hole In The Wall” breakfast-lunch joint.

Jim’s is open Monday-Friday for breakfast & lunch- 6am-1:30pm…Saturday for breakfast only- 6am-noon…Sunday for breakfast only-7am-noon.

Jim’s is my kind-a of joint…good solid breakfast and lunch stuff…absolutely nothing fancy here.

Recently did…western omelet, cheeseburger, french fries, meat loaf on texas toast, philly cheese steak, texas toast french toast. This is real diner food…and I loved it.

You can check Jim’s website jimsplacerestaurant.com for menu/prices.

I love a great “sub”…please feel free to insert- “hoagie”–”hero”–”grinder” if you like. Anyway…I got an absolutely terrific sub-joint for you—Manzo’s Italian Deli in West Palm Beach. You can check the joint’s website www.manzositaliandeli.com for menu/prices.

Can’t exactly describe it, but Manzo’s “hero bread” is outrageoulsy good. Recently did, a chicken parm ($7.95)–philly cheese steak ($8.45)–sausage/peppers/onion ($7.95)–chicken salad ($7.45) sub-hoagie-hero-grinder and like I said before, absolutely delicious.

Manzo’s Italian is an order-at/pickup-at counter joint.

Manzo’s is open Monday-Friday 9am-6pm.