***** Nonna Maria, 529 Northlake Boulevard, North Palm Beach, Florida 33408, (561) 863-6584.

Nonna Maria describes itself as…

“Nonna Maria is your neighborhood Italian restaurant with a French twist. This cozy and intimate restaurant has been lovingly serving good food in the Palm Beach area since 1981.
We strive to bring you classic French and Italian dishes using only the freshest local ingredients. Everything here is homemade- from the marinara sauce to the French baguettes. Our affordable prix-fixe menu offers you three courses to choose from- crisp salads, pan seared snapper, braised short ribs, homemade sorbets and pastry for dessert.”

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats recently did dinner and I gotta tell you, Nonna Maria absolutely blew us away…The food and service were dynamite!

On the menu-front, Nonna Maria in addition to an a la carte menu- has a ​Prix-Fixe Menu $32.95​. Just between you and Jeff Eats- my “trained eye” told me that on the night that Jeff Eats was there, every person give or take 1-or 2-or 3-maybe 4, had the Prix-Fixe-deal. Based on the selection/quality/portion size/prices- the Prix Fixe Menu (which is served all of the time)- is definitely a “good” way to go at Nonna Maria. The Prix-Fixe Menu is printed down below. You can check the regular menu/prices at nonnamariapb.com.
____
Prix-Fixe-Menu $32.95
Choose one appetizer, one entrée & one dessert​
Served every night, all night!​
* PF + (additional charge for menu item)​

​Appetizers​

SOUP DU JOUR

FRENCH ONION SOUP made w/ chicken stock PF+2
CAESAR SALAD anchovies & garlic croutons
HOUSE SALAD artesian greens, romaine, cherry tomato, olive & onion
BLEU CHEESE SALAD artesian greens, romaine, tomato, olive & onion

ENDIVE & GOAT CHEESE w/ apples, walnuts & radish
BEET, TOMATO & FETA w/ balsamic reduction
NONNA MARIA BAKED CHEESE MANICOTTI w/ marinara sauce

ESCARGOT garlic, shallots, parsley & Pernod butter
BROCCOLI RABE w/ garlic & oil
​
Pasta and Baked Entrees
GNOCCHI a la NONNA brown butter sage sauce w/ parmesan cheese
CHEESE RAVIOLI a la VODKA or Marinara sauce
EGGPLANT PARMESAN vegetarian dish w/ one side dish
PASTA PRIMAVERA vegetarian dish w/ whole wheat penne, garlic & oil
RIGATONI CARBONARA cream & cheese sauce with peas & bacon
BROCCOLI RABE & SAUSAGE LINGUINI w/ garlic & oil ​
LINGUINI BOLOGNESE beef, veal & red sauce (with or without cream)
​
Seafood Entrees
FISH DU JOUR mkt.

YELLOW TAIL SNAPPER FRANCAISE over fresh steamed spinach *PF+4
GRILLED SCOTTISH SALMON w/dill, yogurt & cucumber sauce w/one side dish
SCOTTISH SALMON PICCATA w/ one side dish ​
SHRIMP MARINARA LINGUINI *PF+4
​
Poultry, Beef or Veal Entrees
VEAL or CHICKEN:​
MARSALA: marsala wine, mushroom & shallot sauce w/ one side
FRANCAISE: light egg batter w/ lemon butter wine sauce w/ one side
PARMESAN: breaded, topped w/ marinara & mozzarella w/ one side
PICCATA: lemon , butter ,caper sauce, artichokes & mushroom w/ one side

MILANESE: breaded, topped w/ arugula, tomato, onion & balsamic w/ one side

SALTIMBOCCA: proscuitto, sage reduction & spicy broccoli rabe * PF+3

CRISPY ROAST DUCK citrus sauce, broccoli & Crimini mushrooms * PF+4

BRAISED SHORT RIBS of BEEF over risotto w/Chianti reduction
​
Side Dishes with Prix-Fixe Menu​
vegetable du jour, pomme frite, linguini marinara or whole wheat penne marinara
aioli pasta +2.5, angel hair +2.5, spinach garlic & oil +2.5,
linguini bolognese +6.95, broccoli rabe garlic & oil +6.95 ​

Dessert​
Crème Brulèe
Dame Blanche vanilla ice cream w/ hot chocolate sauce
Nonna Maria Ricotta Cheese Cake
Sherbet
Chocolate Cake & Citrus Sauce
Profiterole ice cream filled puff w/ hot chocolate sauce
Split Banana Split vanilla & chocolate ice cream/choc. sauce & whipped cream
Vacherin Glacè meringue, vanilla ice cream, fresh fruit & whipped cream
Cafè Liegèois coffee ice cream, espresso & whipped cream

Cappuccino $4.5 – Espresso $4 – Coffee $2.9 – Tea $2.9

Prix- Fixe Menu may not be shared​
_______________

Anyway, long story short…

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats on the Prix-Fixe Menu ordered up…house salad, baked cheese manicotti, veal parmesan, roast duck, crème brulee, ricotta cheese cake and like I said 3.4 seconds ago, everything was dynamite.

Nonna Maria is an absolute must try.

Nonna Maria is open Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday 5pm – 9pm, Friday-Saturday 5pm – 9:30pm, closed on Monday.

* Doctor Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster.

Go see this band…it puts on a terrific show!

Doctor Zarr’s Amazing Funk Monster hits- the Mardi Gras Casino- June 30th-July 3rd at 8pm and it’s “FREE”…

For more info mardigrascasinofl.com.

* Feeling Groovy.

If you just happen to be in New York City on July 12th- you gotta go see these 4-guys in action…

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats got some NY-business to attend to, so we’ll be there!

Just between you guys and Jeff Eats, I’m hearing that this “lineup” will be playing South Florida late 2016-2017…so keep an eye out for dates!

* Fireworks By Grucci of New York.

If you’re into “July 4th-Fireworks Displays”…the one planned by the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek should be pretty awesome!-(although it’s gonna light up the sky and make all kinds of noise that will scare the crap out of Coconut Creek’s dogs)- on July 3rd and not July 4th!

The Casino has Grucci of New York handling the “job”…and- just between you guys and Jeff Eats, Grucci which has been around since 1850 is about as good as it gets!

Printed down below, the Rules & Regulations- Facts & Circumstances.

theseminolecasinos.com

Fireworks

By Grucci of New York

——————————————————————————–
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What makes this fireworks show special?

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek has proudly arranged

for Grucci of New York to present a world-class fireworks

program, in the elite style for which they are known. The

Grucci family are the innovators, creators and leaders of

international fireworks and special-effect pyrotechnics. Using

the finest variety of fireworks set to popular melodies, the

magical Grucci choreography is the unique catalyst that

marries the two art forms of music and fireworks to provide

an all-around exciting entertainment experience. Our

22-minute program will feature three distinctive and exciting

scenes, each with its own unique facets. From the attentiongrabbing

Opening to the spectacular Feature Presentation

followed by the truly amazing Grucci-Style Grand Finale,

the entire production is sure to be awe-inspiring.

Where can I view the fireworks?

Seminole Casino Coconut Creek will have two fireworks

viewing areas for our guests: the Premium Viewing Area

for invited guests and a Public Viewing Area for general

admission. Please refer to the Event Map for the viewing

area locations. Please note, viewing will not be permitted

from the Casino Parking Garage due to safety regulations.

May I bring my family to the fireworks viewing?

Yes, you may bring family and friends to the fireworks show.

Guests of all ages are welcome to attend, as it will be held

outside of the casino.

When will the fireworks show begin?

The fireworks will begin at 9pm and last for approximately

22 minutes. The viewing areas will open at 8pm.

Where can I park?

Parking will be available in the Casino’s West Parking

Lot and Parking Garage. Road closures will take effect at

8pm, so you may want to arrive early for easier access.

Please refer to the Event Map for road closure and detour

information.

Will the fireworks be cancelled if there is inclement weather?

In the event of rain or inclement weather, the show will be

postponed to the following night, Saturday, July 4th at 9pm.

***** The Habit Burger Grill, 18315 South Federal Highway, Delray Beach 33483, (561) 265-0934.

Last night Jeff Eats “attended” a “media-event” at The Habit Burger Grill which is set to open this morning at 10:30am…suffice it to say, I literally got to try everything-on this fast food joint’s menu and I gotta tell you that the food absolutely killed!

No ifs, ands, or buts- home-run!

The Habit Burger Grill is an absolute must try…trust Jeff Eats, if you like burgers, fries, onion rings, shakes- you are gonna LOVE this joint!

Follow- The Habit Burger Grill at habitburger.com.

* Kickin’ It Country Music Festival.

Just picked up 2-tickets…hearing that Kickin’ It Country Music Festival ticket sales are real-strong! For you guys who like to save a few bucks, goldstar.com is running a deal that gets you a $30 ticket for 15 bucks!

Between you guys and Jeff Eats, the Pompano Beach Amphitheater is a top-shelf outdoor venue for concerts/festivals…catch good weather and you- Country Music fans are gonna have an absolute blast on the 27th.

Like I said 2.5 seconds ago, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats are gonna be there. Still can’t figure how Hicks won American Idol Season 5…should be interesting!

Kickin’ It Country Music Festival
Info/BUY TICKETS: pompanobeacharts.org.
Featuring American Idol winner Taylor Hicks
and tributes to Garth Brooks, Shania Twain, and Kenny Chesney

Saturday, June 27th
4PM | Doors
5PM | Concert
The Grounds at The Amp (Pompano Beach Amphitheater)
Early bird drink special: Arrive before 5pm and get a FREE drink voucher!

Get ready to kick it with us this summer! Headliner Taylor Hicks serenades Pompano with his trademark soulful crooning that won him the American Idol title! Spend the evening with us as we celebrate Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Shania Twain – three dominant forces of country music. World-class musicians pay tribute to these icons with renditions of songs you know by heart. Local artists perform blazin’ original music and classic country hits on the second stage. Plus, plenty of mouthwatering local food to chose from – grab a bite, sit back and enjoy the summer sounds.

Tickets:
$30 | Advance
$40 | Door
$75 | VIP (Includes 2 hour VIP buffet 5:30-7:30pm, special tented viewing area with seating and 2 drink tickets!)
Kids under 12 Free when accompanied by a parent

***** {Bru-sket-ta) Italian Caffe, 12111 Taft Street, Pembroke Pines, Florida 33026, (954) 391-9319.

Got a real-good “mom & pop” hole-in-the wall Italian joint for you, {Bru-sket-ta) Italian Caffe located in Pembroke Pines. Just so you know, the joint is in a strip-center, so don’tcha worry your tee shirt/shorts/flip flops- ensemble will work perfectly.

Let Jeff Eats make this tale real short and simple for you guys…the food kills, the prices are super reasonable, the wait-staff is as pleasant as can be…I absolutely loved (Bru-sket-ta} Italian Caffe- but I will tell- you typing these ({ and }) are/were a real-bitch…don’t believe me?- then you go-see how easy it is to find the freaking symbols on your keyboard!

A recent dinner outing had Jeff Eats, Mrs. Jeff Eats and another couple doing…fried calamari, caprese salad, veal parmigiana, penne bolognese, lasagna, cheese pizza and a “thing” {Bru-sket-ta) calls L’INDECISA which is 1/2 of a pizza combined with 1/2 of a calzone- (Jeff Eats did a meatball/sausage-calzone), tiramisu- and like I said 2.9 seconds ago, the food killed!

{Bru-sket-ta} Italian Caffe is a winner! Between you guys and Jeff Eats, the drive from my home in Boca Raton down to the joint- was well worth the time, effort and gas…

{Bru-sket-ta} Italian Caffe is open 7-days a week 11am-10pm.

You can check menu/prices/info at bru-sket-ta.yolasite.com.

* Audition For The Bachelor.

Never saw the “show” in my life!

Maybe this works for you in some strange way…

Calling all singles, the hit TV show The Bachelor is having auditions for Season 20. Come to the Festival 2900 W Sample Rd, Pompano Beach, (954) 979-4555 on June 27th and audition to be one of the lucky few chosen to be on the TV show. Auditions will be from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM on June 27, 2015.

***** Taste of the City, 9940 Griffin Road, Cooper City, Florida 33328, (954) 434-9245.

If- like Jeff Eats you are into the “mom & pop” neighborhood diner-concept…then I got something really good for you…

Taste of the City in Cooper City.

Absolutely positively- nothing fancy going on here- counter seating, a whole bunch of tables…a menu loaded with tons of reasonably priced- breakfast stuff, salads, burgers, sandwiches, so on and so forth…open for breakfast/lunch Sunday 7:30am-2:30pm, Monday-Saturday 7am-3pm also open Thursday 5pm-9pm for dinner.

Long story short, Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats recently did breakfast…and loved the western omelet, cheese omelet with bacon, breakfast bacon burrito, grits, toasted et-bagel, home fries that were pleasantly/timely delivered to our table. Jeff Eats not being a coffee expert- Mrs. Jeff Eats Juan Valdez told me to assure you guys, that the coffee was right on the money!

Like I said a few seconds ago, Jeff Eats really enjoys “mom & pop” diners…call me what you’d like (just don’t call me Ray) but to me- these diners-are part of our American culture our history. May sound hokey, but think Andy Taylor, Mike the Cop, Mr. Fields, Gunther Toody, Aunt Bea, Leo Schnauser, Floyd the Barber-and just maybe you’ll appreciate from where I’m coming.

You may call your favorite diner, Joe’s, Lou’s, Tommy’s- but a rose is a rose …

To wrap it up, Jeff Eats loved Taste of the City.

* Happy Father’s Day- 2015!