* Party City (partycity.com).

Trust me, Jeff Eats knows his crowd…with that in mind, I know that you guys already have your Halloween costumes in hand!

No insult intended, but if for some crazy reason you slipped up, please consider the “below” advertisement as a Public Service Announcement.

Before I run to Costco to pickup some last minute “bulk” trick or treat candy… have you guys been in a Party City, lately?

Yesterday, I checked out 2-of its Boca Raton stores and I gotta tell you- the joints had a terrific selection of reasonably priced- “loose penny” candy, party & paper goods, gift & houseware items, greeting cards (they are all a buck), novelty gifts & clothing, balloons- not to mention Halloween Costumes!

I gotta tell you, Jeff Eats was super impressed by this national chain’s-operation… the stores were well stocked, super clean, organized and had employees who seemed to really enjoy working there!

Finally…Keep it to yourself, I’m going as a Sexy Nurse this year!

***** Falafel Benny, 658 West Hallandale Beach Boulevard, Hallandale, Florida 33009, (954) 455-2118.

Got something real-good for you guys…Falafel Benny- fast food- order at/pickup at the counter kosher-Israeli-Middle Eastern joint.

A recent outing had Jeff Eats “trying”-shawarma pita, falafel pita, hummus, Israeli salad, babaganush and I gotta tell you everything was delicious.

At this stage of the game, I could tell you- that the food was so good -that I actually considered moving to Israel-to be around Falafel Benny “type” stuff-all of the time…but -my luck, Israel would put me in the IDF- so I deep sixed the idea.

Real simple! Falafel Benny is a huge-winner.

The joint’s menu is down below- by the way, Falafel Benny has been around for something like 3-years. – so “Grand Opening- New Management” printed on its menu- means ugotz!

You can check the same menu out at falafelbenny.com.

* 20 MPH SCHOOL ZONES!

May-be its just me, but I can’t- recall ever seeing a kid crossing in one of those 2O MPH SCHOOL ZONES…and Jeff Eats has been down here 22 years!

Is it just me, or what?

* Susan Boyle.

Personally, Jeff Eats isn’t impressed…

I definitely get the “rags to riches” story and the “princess kissing the frog” or whatever that one-was…but I just don’t care for the voice-so forth and so on.

Now with that in mind, loads of folks apparently “hear” it differently than Jeff Eats does-because the lady is set for a Broward Center show on Monday Night- November 3, 2014 at 7:30pm (as well as November dates in Melbourne, Clearwater and Jacksonville).

If you are one of those folks, Gold Star Events (Goldstar.com) is running a deal offering Broward Center -$65 tickets for $32.50.

Like I said, I don’t get what all the hoopla is about…if on the other hand you do, you now know what to do!

By the way, there is a Jeff Eats’ story- 8/26/14 about Gold Star Events that will give you some background on this discount -ticket operation.
*****
From Goldstar’s site…

After performing for Simon Cowell, the Queen and the Pope, Susan Boyle sings for you. Instantly famous for her bravura performance on Britain’s Got Talent, Boyle achieved super-stardom when her debut album I Dreamed a Dream became the best-selling album in the history of the U.K. And the fairy tale has only continued for the humble Scot with a golden mezzo-soprano voice, who went on to sing for sold-out crowds around the world, release four more albums and receive two Grammy nods. Funny and charming in person, she now brings her formidable talent to the Broward Center’s Au-Rene Theater where she will be joined by the Florida Singing Sons Boychoir and the Girl Choir of South Florida. Experience Boyle live as she performs new album tracks and never-heard-before classics as part of her first headlining tour in the U.S.

***** Publix Peanut Butter Pretzels.

About 4 months ago, Jeff Eats “discovered” Publix Peanut Butter Pretzels.

Real simple, for something like $3.99 you get…a see-through plastic container of 1.08-lb of bite size-salty hard pretzel puff squares- that have a dab of peanut butter in their center. Now I’m no-mechanical engineer here, but I’m thinking that each pretzel is something like 1-inch square…but as I just said, I didn’t have a protractor or nothing handy-so Jeff Eats is just guessing here.

Real simple…these little suckers are delicious.

If the “idea” of – 1 inch-salty -hard -pretzel puff squares with a dab of peanut in their center intrigues you…Publix makes and has them.

* Halloween-2014!

Remember when you were a kid?

H A L L O W E E N !

Jeff Eats, Brother Jeff Eats and our friends sure did have fun back in the 50’s “hitting” every apartment in our 6-story Brooklyn apartment building. Just between you and me, the Eats Brothers- loved getting all the candy, but our favorite trick-was the pennies, nickels, dimes and occasional quarters that some of our neighbors would throw into our bags…for some reason, we really enjoyed the day after Halloween going to Sam’s Candy Store on Cortelyou Road, between East 9th Street & Coney Island Avenue and picking out-our own stuff with the Halloween loot. All things being equal, I’m thinking with inflation and all–that in “today’s money” we probably cleared about 12 bucks a piece. Keep a secret? Loved- those Chunky Bars and still do!

Anyway, back to the present…”THIS”-sure would have made it a lot easier on the girls in my BUILDING…

Enjoy the local South Florida festivities-from what I’m hearing and reading, seems like every mall, sports bar- has something cooking this year.

* BASEBALL!

Real fast…

Who’s playing in this year’s World Series? Who’s leading in the series?

Boy o-boy, things sure have changed!

When most of you guys- were kids, the answers to those two questions would have been gimmes…and I’ll bet -that you could’ve told Jeff Eats-right off the top of your head, the starting lineups of both teams.

Now you know why THEY invented the internet- so you could look stuff up!

I don’t know about you, but Jeff Eats kinda liked it better when it was basically just ABC, CBS, NBC and it was Skowron, Richardson, Kubek, Boyer, Berra, Lopez, Mantle, Maris with Ford on the mound…but that’s just me.

Lucky for us, some things haven’t changed …french fries are still covered in ketchup, all beef hot dogs are still grilled, pizza still comes by the slice, White Castle still makes sliders and the Giants are still the Giants- but wait -they aren’t New Yorkers and they play in the Polo Grounds- no more!

By the way the other team is the Kansas City Royals, but you already knew that-thank God for Google!

***** DISH OF THE WEEK (Sunday- 10/26/14)

One of Jeff Eats’ favorite menu items…

RASPBERRY WINGS
$10.95 (order of 10)

Chez Porky’s
105 Southwest 6th Street
Pompano Beach
(954) 946-5590
chezporkys.com
Last Reviewed; 7/9/08

Chez Porky’s has been around for something like 30 years…the joint bills itself as “Ribs Wings & Cajun Things” and I gotta tell you- that its food is dynamite! Today, Jeff Eats is singling out Chez Porky’s raspberry wings (grilled)- absolutely off the chart…but trust me, everything this joint turns-out is delicious. If you haven’t been to Chez Porky’s, this joint is an absolute must try!

* Two Reviews Of Fish Shack.

Thought-you guys might like to read Two Reviews Of Fish Shack…one by Jeff Eats–one by the Sun Sentinel.

For sure, both reviews get you there, but if I do say so myself- Jeff Eats spared you the DRAMA…and in this particular case, had you eating there 22 months sooner!

The things that initially-concerned (if that’s the right word?) the Sun Sentinel about Fish Shack–were the very same things that -drew Jeff Eats to the joint- in the first place.

As always, Jeff Eats “…Finding the best joints in South Florida.”
—–
Review #1-Jeff Eats
Fish Shack (Pompano Beach)
Posted on December 28th, 2012 · American Pompano Beach Seafood · [edit]

***** Fish Shack, 2862 Northeast 17th Avenue, Pompano Beach, Florida 33064, (954) 586-4105.

Jeff Eats recently “discovered” an absolutely amazing “mom & pop” fish joint…Fish Shack in Pompano Beach.

Wanna talk hole-in-the-wall? The joint is located in a miniscule bombed-out strip center…maybe table seating for 20 and 5 at the bar. Fish Shack’s menu is loaded with fish-stuff…that said, it has hamburgers, chicken breast sandwiches, wraps, salads and chicken wings for the non-fish eaters that may-be in your party. Outrageously delicious reasonably priced…blackened red snapper–grilled yellow fin tuna–conch fritters–fried oysters–cheeseburger–shrimp burger.

Every so often Jeff Eats comes across an absolute HOMERUN…Fish Shack is a GRAND SLAM!

Like I said a few seconds ago…hole in the wall, fabulous food.

I highly recommend that you try Fish Shack. The bet here–you won’t be disappointed.

Fish Shack is open Monday-Saturday 11am-9pm, closed on Sunday.
—
Review #2-Sun Sentinel
Tiny Fish Shack is a big catch
By John Tanasychuk, SouthFlorida.com
10:29 a.m. EDT, October 17, 2014

★★★½
I’ve never been more hesitant to recommend a great restaurant. Not when the restaurant seats just 22 people and doesn’t take reservations. Not when waits in-season can go as long as 90 minutes. Not when Fish Shack is nothing more than a 600-square-foot bay in a scrappy plaza that’s also home to a coin laundry and a storefront church.
But wait, as I did, for 15 minutes, and the delights of Fish Shack reveal themselves.

We waited on plastic patio chairs with glasses ($3.95) of no-name red wine. (The restaurant also serves Bud and Bud Light on draft for $2.) We chatted with a nice woman who quickly dropped us when her date arrived in an ancient Chevy Astro.

Fish Shack is a democratic restaurant, however, with plenty of diners driving Lexuses and Mercedes. But unlike so many places in South Florida, here your socioeconomic status doesn’t mean blip. If you suffer from feelings of entitlement, I suggest you go elsewhere. But you will miss out on some of the best seafood in South Florida. It’s simply prepared, and simply presented.

Wait, like everybody else, and you’ll eventually find yourself sitting at one of the four tables or eight counter seats. You’ll meet Elisa, Amy or Jodi, who will treat you like a long-lost childhood friend while juggling the growing line at the door with grace and humor.

Elisa Focarazzo is in charge of the front of the house. Mike Focarazzo, her ex-husband and owner of Fish Shack, works the kitchen.

Mike tells me by phone that he doesn’t need the business that a review might bring, but he seems to welcome the accolades. He somewhat reluctantly opened the restaurant a little more than three years ago. He’d failed with a Boca Raton pizzeria, but his brother Joe convinced him to give it a go. Joe works at a wholesale fish supplier and promised he’d only sell him the best seafood. The brothers have spent most of their lives working around seafood, either at the wholesaler or while loading and unloading fishing boats.

What is it about Fish Shack that keeps the crowds coming?

“I’ve got to say that we use the best fish that money can get,” Mike says. “We use the best, and you’ve got me in the kitchen watching everything that’s coming out of that window. You’ll never hear anyone say their sandwich was cold and the fries were hot. It doesn’t go that way.”

The sandwiches are served on kaiser rolls with lettuce and tomato. Cod ($9.95) is beer-battered, but grouper ($11.95) and mahi mahi ($10.95) can be ordered grilled, Cajun spiced or blackened.

Oysters ($6.95, half dozen) or middle-neck clams ($6.95, half dozen) are good starters, but we were drawn to chicken wings ($8.50 for 10), which we ordered naked instead of battered. Oversize, they can be had with chopped garlic, garlic Parmesan, barbecue or Buffalo-style mild, medium or hot. Medium sauce on the side was perfect.

Dinners are served with a choice of two sides: fries, coleslaw, rice or side salad. The fries are crispy, golden and piping-hot. The side salad is serviceable, for diners watching their calories.

While the fried fish looked incredible, we ordered our dinners grilled. The grilled combo ($16.95) features mahi mahi, scallops and shrimp. The scallops, size 10/20, are dry-shucked instead of the more common wet-shucked, in which a preservative is added. Like the mahi and the shrimp, they are very lightly seasoned before hitting the grill. Nothing was overcooked. Meaty grilled grouper ($14.95) has never tasted so fresh, so unadulterated.

A sign on the wall wraps up the Fish Shack ethos: “Fast food is not good. Good food is not fast.”

Key lime pie ($2.95) is the only dessert on the menu.

“Do you make it here?” I asked.

“Sometimes,” was the very honest answer.

Go to Fish Shack. But go knowing that you’ll have to wait. Plan on it.

“I’ve been asked to move to the Keys,” Mike says. “I’ve been offered partnerships. I’ve been offered everything. But I’m not moving, and I’m not expanding. The Fish Shack is the local hole in the wall that’s going to stay that way.”

jtanasychuk@SouthFlorida.com or 954-356-4632. Read his blog at SouthFlorida.com/sup and follow him on Twitter at @FloridaEats.

Fish Shack
2862 NE 17th Ave., Pompano Beach
954-586-4105
Cuisine: Seafood
Cost: Moderate
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday
Reservations: Not accepted
Credit cards: All major
Bar: Beer and wine
Sound level: Moderate
Outside smoking: No
For kids: Highchairs, menu items on request
Wheelchair accessible: Yes
Parking: Free lot

Jumbo Shrimp Inc

Last Sunday afternoon-Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats attended a 2-hour neighborhood block-party. A hundred or so people, handful of tables, handful of food trucks and the Jumbo Shrimp Inc band. No fooling, one of the nicest events that Jeff Eats has been to in quite some time. No DRAMA! Beautiful weather. Plenty of delicious food & drink and 86.5 neighbors that I actually still talk-to! AND a “YOUNG” 4 piece Palm Beach County- Rock N Roll band that everyone loved. By the way when I say YOUNG I mean YOUNG- try ages 13 to 16.

Now, nothing for nothing, but I think that most of you guys know by now- that Jeff Eats has been kicking around the music business for something like 44 years…for those of you who don’t- you may want to checkout “About Jeff” on Jeffeats.com for some bio-stuff. With that said, I kinda like to think- that I know my-music…

Let’s talk about Jumbo Shrimp Inc.

First things first, we aren’t talking young Johns, Pauls, Georges, Ringos or even Petes here…what we are talking is–4 terrific dedicated kids who LOVE music…trust me, for 2 solid hours-non stop they performed some pretty decent 60s-90s covers and a handful of self-penned original stuff. The bet here, is that we got doctors, lawyers, accountants, businessmen in the making…as I told them last week, no matter where fate takes them…THEY SHOULD NEVER EVER NO MATTER WHAT put those guitars, horns or sticks down.

It’s bands like Jumbo Shrimp Inc that makes-being in the music business so much fun. It’s groups like Jumbo Shrimp Inc that make people feel great and have a good time.

Two thoughts for the band… at this stage of your game, stick to the hits-the originals may be terrific, but a neighborhood block party crowd “wants” to hear stuff that it can sing along to…and your “Shout”- absolutely kills-NEVER EVER EVEN THINK of dropping that number from the act.

Printed below is some “bio” stuff I grabbed from Jumbo Shrimp Inc’s website jumboshrimprocks.com

By the way, the band plays clubs/events all over South Florida…its schedule and various audio/video stuff are also at jumboshrimprocks.com

*****
A high energy 4-member band started by friends who all attend the School of Rock in North Palm Beach and are from the ages of 13 – 16. Besides the obvious musical aspect, attending the School of Rock has provided them with the confidence and professionalism to put on a great and entertaining performance. Originally formed in 2012 by Ben Rothschild and Dylan Thomas. They played an open mike night with a sit in drummer, and it soon became apparent a full time bassist and drummer were necessary. They found their solutions, in John Cardillo (the third of his name and the jumbo in JUMBO SHRIMP), and Angel Leiser. With John’s unique left handed drumming style, Angel’s epic baselines, Dylan’s electric onstage energy, and Ben’s powerful songwriting, they have made a splash playing once a month at SwampGrass Willy’s Bar and Grill in Palm Beach Gardens and have released 2 singles on ITunes. These singles (Be With You and Fall Apart), capture the bands sound very well and will be also included on their debut EP (Release Date: 04/27/14). They are also trying to branch out to other cities in Florida! Stay tuned for this young bands bright future.
Group Members
Dylan Thomas (Guitar, Sax, Vocals), John Cardllo III (Drums, Percussion), Ben Rothschild (Lead Vocals, Guitar, Trumpet)