* Coconut Grove Arts Festival.

This is a good one!

More artists, crafts, kids’ activities, food vendors, music-entertainment than you can imagine!

Gonna- cost you 15 bucks a day to get in…

For tickets/info- cgaf.com.

By the way, if you do go, try and catch Beebs And Her Money Makers (see Jeff Eats’ 1/13/15 story). Trust Jeff Eats on this one- they put on a great show!

* Valentine’s Dinner at Diplomat Prime.

You guys do know that on any given day Jeff Eats receives numerous unsolicited pr- e-mails.

Just got the below pr- e-mail “concerning” a Valentine’s Dinner at Diplomat Prime in Hollywood.

Now, if I’m doing my math right, I’m thinking that this dinner is gonna run close to $440 for two-people.

Jeff Eats is seriously considering being- “removed” from Diplomat Prime’s e-mail list.

Personally, I’d rather make a mortgage payment, car payment, FPL payment, AT&T payment, Comcast payment. HOA payment, student loan payment- than spend $440 on a dinner for-two, but that’s just me!

Come to think of it, based on $440- I could pay this month’s FPL bill and AT&T bill and have enough- left over for a lunch for-2 at Five Guys Burgers & Fries!

***** Munchiez A Unique Sandwich Joint, 158 Northwest 20th Street, Boca Raton, Florida 33431, (561) 395-0833.

Munchiez…trust me, I get the name- hey! I went to college!

Let me start by saying that Jeff Eats absolutely loved this- order at the counter “hole in the wall” sandwich joint located in a rundown strip center- a hop, skip and a jump from FAU’s Boca Raton campus. Just so you know, Munchiez has maybe 2-tables outside/and a handful of counter seats so don’t be planning a big-Bar Mitzvah or a Wedding Party there…

Munchiez menu has a nice mix of salads, soups, hot & cold subs/sandwiches/wraps, burgers/hot dogs- trust me if you got the munchies you’ll find what to eat…of course, the stuff you “eat” may taste like-something else and you may not remember that you ate the stuff in the first place…but that’s a whole-nother story for another day!

If I remember correctly, a recent outing had Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats “trying” #6. The Willie Nelson munchiez house roast beef, apple wood bacon, vermont aged cheddar, coleslaw, french fries, red onions, b.b.q. sauce, texas toast, served hot $9.99…#16. Bill Clinton With T.H.C. “this one he inhaled” our bill clinton combined with smoked turkey, virginia ham, vermont aged cheddar, american cheese, aioli, texas toast $9.99…17. Funky Fungi marinated grilled portabella, gouda, roasted red pepper, grilled red onions, spinach pesto, basil, focaccia kaiser roll $8.99- and I gotta tell you that everything was right on the money.

Like I said 4.5 seconds ago, Jeff Eats loved Munchiez. The food, the munchies’ theme/decor, the prices, the vibe…just right!

Man! You can check menu/pictures/info at munchiez420.com.

Munchiez A Unique Sandwich Joint is open Monday-Thursday 11am-9pm, Friday-Saturday 11am-3am, closed on Sunday.

This guy really fits in! A real life of the party!

* Holocaust Survivor Band.

The band’s “story” was featured on the Sun Sentinel’s 2/8/2015 cover…the band’s “story” was also featured on every local South Florida tv-news program.

Jeff Eats is interested in seeing-hearing this band.

Down below is a coupon to help you save some gelt- before or after the “concert”…nothing wrong with killing two birds with one stone!

Now seriously, can you name another South Florida food blog site-that would even attempt to tie a small handful of Holocaust survivors who have a band- and a $20 flea market coupon together? I didn’t think so!

From Festival.com
Holocaust Survivor Band – Feb 15

February 15th 2-3pm
Festival Flea Market Mall is proud to present the Holocaust Survivor Band on February 15th at 2PM by the food court. After a dream, Saul Dreier tracked down a music teacher and fellow Holocaust survivor, Ruby Sosnowicz and asked if he wanted to put a band together featuring Holocaust survivors and their offspring. That was in April…since then they have put together a full band , including Chana Rose, Ruby’s daughter. The band has played many events, most recently the Last Survivors Concert in Las Vegas. Now you have a chance to see a band that has fought the odds to be here today and play some wonderful music for us.

* Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar To Open In Boca Raton- We Think!

Way-back on January 22, 2013- that’s right over 2-years ago, Jeff Eats told you guys about Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar- that was “coming” to Boca Raton. Amazingly and I do mean amazingly, this American-Style joint took over 2-years to BUILD! Can’t explain it, but I’m really thinking that the City of Boca Raton is sometimes beyond-real-difficult when it comes, shall we say, to approving restaurant “construction.” Now I’m just guessing, but that’s what I’m really thinking!

Anyway, long story short, just this minute I got an e-mail from Zinburger concerning a job-fair that it’s currently holding for the Boca Raton location. Sooooo, I’m thinking that this terrific and I do mean terrific casual/burger/fries/shakes/salads/full bar joint is finally gonna open and I’m thinking sometime in March 2015.

The e-mail is printed down below as is the 1/22/13 story…if this joint doesn’t open in March, I give-up!

By the way, when Zinburger opens, you gotta try it- it really is that good! For you folks who can’t wait (hopefully) just another few weeks, Zinburger has a location at Sawgrass Mills in Sunrise.
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Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar to Host Job Fair February 10-23

Looking to Fill Nearly 150 Positions for its new Boca Raton Location Slated to Open in March

Boca Raton, FL– February 10, 2015 – Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar, the upscale burger restaurant offering gourmet burgers combined with perfectly paired wine selections, will be hosting a Job Fair from February 10-16 at The Town Center at Boca Raton, 6000 Glades Road, Room 1008C, Boca Raton, FL 33431. The Job Fair will be open from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm each day.

Nearly 150 positions are available including bartender, server, front desk host/hostess, busser, line cook, prep cook, dishwasher and meat grinder.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply online before attending the Job Fair. To apply online, visit Zinburger.wyckwyre.com. Additionally, applicants should bring their resume and proper forms of identification to the Job Fair in case a position is offered.

About Zinburger:
Since opening the East Coast’s first Zinburger in New Jersey more than four years ago to much fanfare, stellar reviews and packed crowds, Zinburger has developed an almost fanatical customer following who enjoy made-to-order gourmet burgers, hand-dipped shakes and floats, decedent pies and 23 wine varieties.
Boca Raton will be Zinburger’s 10th east coast location and second Florida location (Sunrise).
______

Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar (Boca Raton)
Posted on January 22nd, 2013 · American Boca Raton

***** Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar *****

Got one for you…Zinburger Wine & Burger Bar.

Just so you know, Zinburger hasn’t opened yet–it’s coming to Boca Town Center in Boca Raton…it’s going to be a few “doors down” from the Stir Crazy Fresh Asian Grill. Since Jeff Eats isn’t in the construction business, my best guess based on what I saw at its site—is that it will probably open sometime in the next 4-5 months. You do know that the City of Boca Raton isn’t the easiest “group” to deal with when opening a new restaurant, don’t you?

Zinburger is a very small-full service gourmet hamburger chain…it’s got a few locations in Arizona and a few in New Jersey.

You can check menu/prices/locations/photos at www.foxrc.com.

Jeff Eats is very familiar with Zinburger. I’ve eaten in its Tucson joint something like 5 times and I gotta tell you that it turns-out some of the most delicious burgers, fries, salads, shakes that I’ve eaten.

Now nothing for nothing…if the Boca Zinburger is anything- even close to what the Tucson outpost is—this joint will be an absolute homerun.

You guys now know about a new joint—before most of your friends do!

* Five Guys Burgers and Fries Testing Milkshakes!

Just a quick heads-up, national fast food burger chain- Five Guys Burgers and Fries is testing milkshakes at a- “big handful” of stores across the nation. For our purposes, the only “test site” in Florida… Five Guys Burger and Fries, 401 Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. For those who don’t know, dah!- the chain currently doesn’t do milkshakes!

Jeff Eats will keep an eye on this “very important development” (for a guy like me, it is, anyway!) and keep you guys posted.

For a list of all “testing sites” check fiveguys.com/milkshakes.

* DELI MAN.

Got something that may be of interest to some of you guys…a terrific new documentary film-DELI MAN which is opening in South Florida on February 27, 2015.

You may-be wondering- how I know it’s a terrific film (then again you may not be)?- because Jeff Eats has already seen it.

If you are a “fan” of Delicatessen Food- you will love this film that tells you the “story” of… America’s Kosher Delis.

Down below is a press release with “details” of the film’s upcoming release.
_____

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

FILM “DELI MAN” SERVES UP A HEAPING ORDER OF DELI SPECIALS WITH A SIDE OF

JEWISH CULTURE AND HUMOR FOR ALL!

FILM “DELI MAN “ Opens February 27th at these area theaters:

Miami-Dade: AMC Aventura 24-Aventura, AMC Sunset Place24-South Miami, Cosford
Cinema-Coral Gables

Broward: The Classic Gateway Theatre-Ft. Lauderdale, The Last Picture
Show-Tamarac

Palm Beach: Regal Shadowood 16-Boca Raton, Living Room Theaters-Boca Raton,
Movies at Delray, Movies at Lake Worth

“Jewish culture reflects the heart of a vital ethnic history. As that culture
continues to shift and adapt alongside mainstream America, delicatessen food –
as its name suggests – remains a beloved communal delicacy.”

Director Erik Greenberg Anjou’s “Deli Man” is a lively new film about
delicatessens that will especially appeal to S. Florida audiences. In fact,
Ben’s Kosher Delicatessen (S. Fla. has its own in Boca Raton) is one of several
delis featured in the film! This “reality show” styled documentary is a
fast-paced, fun-filled look at the men behind the food, behind the tradition of
the deli!

Third-generation deli man Ziggy Gruber moved from NYC to Houston, Texas, where
he built arguably the finest delicatessen restaurant in the United States.
Ziggy’s story – augmented by the stories of iconic delis including Katz’s, 2nd
Avenue Deli, Nate ‘n Al, Carnegie, and the Stage – embodies a tradition
indelibly linked to this savory, nostalgic food now enjoyed by mainstream
America.

“Deli Man” also features appearances by famous deli-lovers Larry King, Fyvush
Finkel, comedian Jerry Stiller and others. This film offers a revealing
behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to serve plate after plate of
jaw-dropping pastrami sandwiches, big crunchy garlic pickles, and steaming hot
matzo ball soup to hungry, discerning diners … who speak their mind about the
food! Filled with raucous humor, “Deli Man” provides insight into the hectic,
crazy lives of the men who run these restaurants, and made them famous.

Scene after mouthwatering scene is filled with succulent brisket, golden baked
chicken, overstuffed sandwiches with grainy mustard, and other delicacies that
will prompt foodies and film audiences alike to rush out to their favorite deli
… with new found appreciation for the “Deli Man”!

* Midtown Lunch (midtownlunch.com)

Jeff Eats recently came across a really cool food blog… Midtown Lunch (midtownlunch.com).

Give it a read…nice irreverent and informative “take” on FOOD..

Reprinted down below, is a March 7, 2007 -“story” Midtown Lunch ran-on Chinese food buffets…and its From The Editor column…the story and column should give you a nice feel for what this site is all-about.

Like I said 1.8 seconds ago, a really cool food blog…
______
The M.L. Guide to Beating the All You Can Eat Chinese Food Buffet

I fully admit that I am not a food expert. I’ve never been to culinary school, my palate isn’t particularly advanced and I probably have no business writing about any kind of food (even if it is crappy carts and dives in Midtown). But if there is one thing I could be considered an expert on, it’s Chinese Buffets. I am a huge fan of the All of You Can Eat Chinese food buffet (emphasis on the huge). The concept of all-you-can-eat is brilliant on its own, but once you throw in one of my all time favorite foods (Chinese), you’ve got one of the greatest inventions of all time.
In fact, it is a personal goal of mine to eat at a Chinese buffet in every state in the country. Here are the states I’ve tackled so far:
California
Connecticut
Florida
Louisiana
Massachusetts
New Mexico
New York (Just recently… and the inspiration for this post.)
Nevada (Obviously)
Pennsylvania
Texas (A great buffet just outside of Houston that had fried frogs legs. Delicious!)
Tennessee (Terrible. My wife will never let me live that one down.)
It’s clearly a work in progress, but I take my work very seriously. I really love Chinese Buffets. And it is not just the fact that you get to stuff your face (something I enjoy doing very much). It’s also the no waiting (you start eating right after you sit down), the variety (it’s the spice of life!) and of course, the competition. That’s right… the competition. You vs. the Buffet. The price is really just a dare. A sign that says “All-U-Can-Eat for $14.50″, might as well just say “I dare you to eat more than $14.50 worth of food. Signed – The Buffet.”
Basically, your goal from the moment you walk into the buffet should be “Win the Game”. And the game is to eat so much food that the restaurant loses money. You want to eat so much that when they see you come back the next time, they get scared. You want them to worry that if you eat at their buffet too often, they might have to close it down. But before you can learn how to beat your enemy, you must KNOW your enemy.
The three kinds of Chinese buffets, PLUS my tips to winning the game (and more buffet porn)- after the jump…
Working just outside of Boston for 8 years, I became intricately familiar with the all you can eat Chinese food buffet. There are three kind of Chinese food buffets, and all were within driving distance from my job in Lynn, MA:
1. Small Scale – The small scale Chinese buffet is exactly how it sounds- small. Only one station, it usually has only about ten items, but ideally they do those ten items really well. What you sacrifice in quantity, you gain in quality. There was a great example of this in Swampscott, MA, about 5 minutes away from my work. I don’t remember what it was called, but it cost $7.95 and was delicious.
2. Medium or “Regular” Scale – Most Chinese buffets will fall under this size. Anywhere from 2 to 4 stations, a regular all you can eat chinese buffet will have anywhere from 20-40 items across 2 to 3 stations (or one really long station). All your standards should be covered, a few different kinds of rice, soup, noodles, a few chicken dishes, a few pork dishes a few seafood dishes, some dumplings, egg rolls. Just a standard buffet. A ten minute drive to the Mandarin Super Buffet in Salem, and we were golden. Don’t let the name fool you… this place was not a super buffet. They only had 2 stations, and nothing out of the ordinary. And that brings us to the third example…
3. The Super Buffet – The mother of all buffets. Finding a true super buffet is an awesome feeling. The Super Buffet has that wow factor. Buffets are awesome in and of themselves, but if a buffet makes you drop your mouth when you walk in, it gets the title of Super Buffet. A super buffet will have at least 4 stations (or a few super long ones), with 50 or more items. When you see it, you’ll know it. Sure, sometimes you’re sacrificing quality for quantity- but the sheer size and fun of it all makes it worth it. There was one of these on Route 1 in Saugus, but I’m pretty sure it’s gone now (International Buffet King).
Massachusetts was a great place to work if you liked all you can eat Chinese buffets. Manhattan, not so much. There are tons of Indian buffets in Midtown, but only one Chinese buffet- the Mid Town Buffet on 7th Ave. btw. 39th & 40th. It’s a regular size buffet, and only costs $7.50 at lunch time, making it fairly easy to beat. But this is not always the case… so here are some tips for beating the all you can eat Chinese buffet.
1. Sit as close to the buffet as possible. Walking back and forth between the buffet takes up valuable time, so you want to be as close to the action as possible. Plus, at buffets with big money items, they always run out of the best stuff (crab claws, etc.). You will want to be as close as possible so that when the refills come, you can be front and center stocking your plate as quickly as possible. They saw me for the professional buffet eater that I am when I walked in, and seated me in a corner as far as away from the buffet as possible.

To make matters worse, they put a guy on the outside chair of the table- totally blocking the aisle to get out. These guys were good… but it wasn’t enough to stop me.

2. Never order a soda. The first thing they will do at any buffet is ask you if you want a drink. Don’t even think about ordering a soda. It costs them pennies and fills you up- making it much harder to win the game. Sometimes it even costs extra, so they’re giving you the double whammy. You can’t eat as much, and they make you pay for it. The smart places know this, and will give you the soda for free. Don’t be fooled.
3. Your first plate should be a feeler plate. Your first go around, don’t load up on any one particular item. Take one bite of everything, that way you don’t waste any space on things that end up tasting bad. On your second go around, load up on all your favorite things from the “taster” plate. Can you see what’s wrong with this first plate:

6 shrimp! 2 dumplings! 3 pieces of sesame chicken! Terrible. And only 6 different items. (You should have at least 8-10) A chinese buffet professional might be able to pick out the 5 or 6 good items on a buffet just from looking at them… but I suggest the feeler plate for everyone else.
4. Seafood is a make or break item, both a blessing and a curse. A big part of beating the game is making sure you get your fill of the “big money items”, and this is always going to be the seafood. The problem is, if the buffet is too cheap, you have to be wary of the seafood. If the deal seems to too good to be true, it probably is. (If you are going to eat seafood at a crappy buffet, make sure it’s not on a Monday, chances are it’s leftover from the Friday weekend delivery). If a buffet is more than $10 because it has crab claws, shrimp and mussels you MUST eat your share to win the game. It’s the suckers who don’t eat the seafood that are paying for your seafood.

5. Beware the “American” food. Chicken Nuggets? Mashed Potatoes? French Fries? Corn? If you want American food, go to Hometown Buffet (or Sizzler… I used to love their buffet!). Chinese buffet is for Chinese food. The chicken nuggets are for kids and losers. (The one exception I make is for onion rings. I love onion rings, and allow myself to indulge in one or two… just to see how they taste.)

6. When you think you’ve eaten as much as you can handle, eat the crab. I know you are going to think I am crazy, but on numerous occasions I ended a huge buffet with a plate of crab, and ended up less full when I finished eating the crab than when I started. I kid you not. Crab has some sort of magical restorative properties. I don’t know if it’s all the work breaking the shell that burns calories, or what… but I am telling you- eating crab at the end of a buffet makes you less full. It’s some sort of strange buffet miracle… try it for yourself.
7. Don’t waste your time on the desserts. Chinese buffet desserts are terrible. Occasionally there will be a soft serve sundae bar, or the random decent eclair- but for the most part those cakes and cookies are always terrible. Stick to the fruit, which is a decent money item, and a great palate cleanser. I’m also a big fan of the post Chinese Buffet Jello. You can’t go wrong with Jello, and for some reason they have it at every Chinese buffet I’ve ever been to. (Although preferably, you don’t want it to be touching the peel and eat shrimp)

8. And finally, DON’T EAT THE BREAD! It really should be the #1 rule. Everyone knows it, but I’ve got to say it. Never, under any circumstances should you ever, eat the bread at a Chinese Buffet. It costs nothing, and fills you up. In fact, if it wasn’t for pork fried rice, I’d probably say the same thing about rice. Needless carbs. Stay away!!!
If all this has made you hungry for a Chinese Buffet, I have only been able to find one in Midtown (it’s where all the pictures came from). The Mid Town Chinese Buffet on 7th Ave. btw. 40+41st is a regular size buffet, and nothing special. It’s only $7.50, but I would still only recommend it if you truly love Chinese Buffets. It’s the kind of place I will go to every six months, to remind myself why I only go there once every six months.
So there you have it… the Midtown Lunch guide to eating at All You Can Eat Chinese Buffets. It has taken me many many years of buffet eating to compile it…. so use it wisely & enjoy!!!
Posted by Zach Brooks at 9:16 am, March 7th, 2007 under Blogroll, Buffet, All You Can Eat.
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From the Editor
So here’s the deal… if you work in an office, then you know how lazy people are when it comes to lunch. And nowhere is that more true than in Midtown Manhattan. One block in either direction is about as far as most people will go, and usually it’s just for a crappy, overpriced salad or sandwich. I’m not one of those people. To me, lunch hour is sacred- and I’m not going to waste it in some generic overpriced “deli” (unless it doubles as an all you can eat buffet.) This site will hopefully be a place for you to find the gems in a sea of duds, wherever it is your work.
Founded in 2006, Midtown Lunch used to exclusively cover the food in Midtown Manhattan. But starting in January of 2010, we expanded out reach and now seek out “Midtown Lunches” in Downtown NYC, Philadelphia, and Los Angeles. All of us are big fans of ethnic food (did I mention my love of Chinese buffets?), and not such a big fan of boring chains or salads- so if you are looking for a new salad place that gives you 7 options instead of 6, you will probably not find it here (unless it’s a salad bar/Chinese buffet). We love street food, and the challenge of eating in places that most of our co-workers would consider “dirty” (Tad’s Steak I’m looking at you), so hit us with your best shot. All in all we hope that Midtown Lunch will be a useful resource for all of you who are looking for some adventures in urban lunching. So step away from that desk, leave your boring co-worker who eats the same thing every day behind, and let’s take advantage of the one hour a day we’re given to flee the confines of our cubicles for some good eats.
About The +/-
I am a firm believer that what makes food “good” is always a matter of taste. What one person finds to be great (me at a bulgogi cart), another may think is disgusting (most people I work with). Much of what you like and don’t like has to do with personal taste, expectations, price, and so on, so I’ve always felt a straight up review is indulgent. If a place is open, then somebody must like it- so every place we write about gets a +/-. In theory the (+) is what somebody who really likes this place would say about it. The (-) is what somebody who doesn’t like the place would say about it. While it’s usually obvious whether we like a place or not, I know that information is pretty subjective… hence the +/-. That being said, everybody has got their own favorites and opinions, so comments and recommendations are always welcome.

DISH OF ThE WEEK (Sunday- 2/8/15)

PLAIN LARGE PIZZA
$14.95

Kings County Pizza
18228 West Dixie Highway
North Miami Beach
(305) 792-9455
kingscountypizza.com
Latest Review: 3/24/14

Real simple story here, Kings County makes one of the best NY-style pizzas down here in sunny South Florida. Just so you know, this joint is basically a take-out, so don’t be planning on making a 63-person high school graduation party there. The beautiful thing about Kings County is that in addition to that thin/crisp/sweet sauce slice that drips the “requisite” oil when folded-and pointed down, the joint makes terrific garlic rolls and its subs are also right on the money. All in all, Jeff Eats gotta rate Kings County Pizza a homerun!

* Orange Sunshine.

Hands down, Orange Sunshine is one of South Florida’s premier 60’s Rock N Roll Oldies Bands.

Jeff Eats has seen Orange Sunshine numerous times and this 5-member band has never disappointed.

This morning- Jeff Eats received an e-mail from Orange Sunshine which had its February-April 2015 schedule. A cursory look at the dates- has the band playing a number of FREE SHOWS. As a matter of fact, tonight- Orange Sunshine is playing a food truck event in Margate and tomorrow afternoon at a park in Royal Palm Beach …

If you are a fan of 60’s Rock N Roll…plan on seeing these-guys. They really put on a great show!

orangesunshine.biz

Saturday February 7 @ 6pm
The city of Margate’s
“Sounds at Sundown & Food Trucks Concert Series”
located @ the NW Corner of Margate Blvd. & 441
BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIRS and COOLERS!!!

Sunday February 8 @ 330p
Commons Park Royal Palm Beach
Winter / Spring Concert Series
http://www.royalpalmbeach.com/DocumentCenter/View/4570

Orange Sunshine’s 2015 Calender

FEBRUARY
Saturday February 7th City of Margate 6:00p
Sunday February 8th City of Royal Palm Beach 3:30P
Wednesday February 18th Wynmoor 9:00p
Friday February 20th St. Coleman’s Italian Festival 5:00p
Saturday February 21st The Grove Boynton Beach 8:00p
Thursday February 26th St Ambrose Church Carnival 8:30p
Saturday February 28th The Palms @ Weston 7:00p
MARCH
Sunday March 1st Cascades Port St. Lucie 8p
Thursday March 12th Delray Marketplace
Thursday March 19th Midtown Palm Beach Gardens 6:00p
Friday March 20th Boca Country Club

APRIL
Friday April 3 Boondocks Ramrod Key 7:00p
Saturday April 4 Ramrod Key 7:00p
Friday April 10 City of Coconut Creek 7:00p
Saturday April 25th Pompano Beach Seafood Festival 12:30p

Check the ORANGE SUNSHINE website www.orangesunshine.biz for additional dates, times, videos etc
If you would like ORANGE SUNSHINE to perform for your next event contact Tony V @ 954-648-4432 or tonyv54@comcast.net