***** Red Zone Cafe & Sports Theatre, 1804 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33316 (954) 467-3535.

The one thing that I know about restaurants is…I want to eat in them–not own them. Restaurants in South Florida (for that matter–everywhere in the United States) come and go, literally in the blink of an eye. Anyway…there use to be a small sports-bar chain down here called The Original Steakhouse—not half bad food–pleasant service–tvs galore. And one day, about 2 years ago, it just closed—Why it closed? I have absolutely no idea…but what I do recall, is that Original’s owners just walked away from the locations leaving the physical restaurants totally intact. Now follow me…Red Zone apparently moved into The Original Steakhouses’ Cordova Road location “lock stock & barrel”…because the joint’s decor is Original’s decor right down to the oversized tv sets on the wall…I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the plates, knives, forks and spoons are also the same.

I recently did dinner at Red Zone…check its website www.redzonecafe.com for menu/prices/and loads of photos. The food is “sports bar” food…probably no better nor worse that your “average” neighborhood haunt. I did pot stickers, bacon cheeseburger, chicken parm sub, babyback ribs…like I said, SPORTS BAR FOOD.

Let me wrap this up…Red Zone has the full boatload of appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, wings and meat-seafood-chicken entrees—tv sets…

By the way, if anyone out there knows the “real story” why The Original Steakhouse just-shut-down one day—without any notice…please e-mail me with the skinny.

The joint is open 7 days a week 11am-2am.